Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of the break-up pact.

I have really enjoyed other books by Emma Lord. I did enjoy the main characters, Levi and June.

However I found the book really slow moving and it took me a while to get through. The premise is cute but I think the resolution could have come along more quickly.

This was cute, Levi the MMC was very swoon worthy. I did not love that the fmc kept getting in her own way and some of the angst at the end seemed very manufactured, I also didn’t love the subplot with her manipulative ex, she seemed to know he was bad news and yet play into his hands anyway. Solid effort, could use some work.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an opportunity to review this arc!

“The Break Up Pact” by Emma Lord is a fake dating romance story that follows former best friends June, a tea shop owner, and Levi, a hedge fund manager in NYC. After they both experience public, humiliating break-ups with their exes that spread like wildfire across TikTok, June and Levi accidentally make some juicy gossip of their own—a photo of them together has the internet convinced they’re a couple. With so many people rooting for them, they decide to put aside their rocky past and make a pact to fuel the fire. Pretending to date will help June’s shop get back on its feet and make Levi’s ex realize that she made a mistake. All they have to do is convince the world they’re in love, one swoon-worthy photo opp at a time.

This is the first book I’ve read by Emma Lord. I’ve heard that her Enemies to Lovers books are really great but I think her Friends to Lovers characters/story fell a bit flat. It needs a bit more development or something. I was initially really excited to read this book- the art cover and description were great and I liked June’s and Levi’s banter and thought it was cute but that was it. There was so much development after that. Also, I felt like the stakes weren’t high enough for the reasoning behind June and Levi’s relationship stopping when they were younger. It just felt like something was missing in the story.

Overall, it was a cute book that just needs some details ironing out and I would recommend it for people who like the friends-to-lovers or miscommunication trope. I’m going to give it a reread once it comes back out in August.

I was excited to see a new Emma Lord book! I was expecting a YA novel and this is NOT a YA novel. Even better! It’s an open door adult romance with adult content. I loved this book. The characters (more Sana please), the wedding planning, the sweater vests, the boardwalk setting, and the deeper theme of how we can get stuck in our grief.

June is now the famous “Crying girl” meme after her boyfriend breaks up with her on a reality show. Levi (her former friend) is back in town escaping New York because his ex made him Page 6 famous by cheating on him with an A List actor. When a picture of them together surfaces on the internet, everyone thinks they are dating as the Revenge Exes. The two decide to fake date to rebuild their reputations and save June’s tea shop.


Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I wanted to love this. This is my first Emma Lord book, thanks NetGalley for the ARC, but it dragged. It was predictable, which I don't mind in what I consider an easy beach read rom/com. It just has so.many.words. I was already getting bored of all the "dates" and knew I had to be close to the pivot, then noticed I was only 33% in. I found myself wanting to skim to just thru a chapter. Example, one part near the end where Sana shares some wisdom, it took 3.5 pages for June to absorb this. Just too many whimsy, long winded, thoughts to get there... I enjoyed some of the humor between June and Levi, although Levi was a bit of a "hard to root for guy" because come on already.. given the nature of his "break up", he was a bit of a disappointment overall. I am not big on YA books, and while I don't consider this YA, hello spicy scene, it was written a bit juvenile and maybe that is why I couldn't get Into it? I am just glad it's over, I hate feeling that way about a book. 2* because I didn't hate it, but can't go 3 because a 3 is one I recommend.

This is the first book I’ve read by Emma Lord and it won’t be the last. I really enjoyed the story, the fake dating trope really works, and I especially loved the characters. They’re sassy and have heart and depth. Due to some real life responsibilities, it took me a little longer to get really into the book, but once I was able to commit, I finished the rest in one sitting. I’ll definitely be purchasing a physical copy once it’s published.

Thank you Emma Lord, for writing this wonderful book, and to the publisher for this ARC from NetGalley.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"The Break Up Pact" by Emma Lord is a delightful exploration of friendship, self-discovery, and the unexpected turns that life can take. Lord's writing effortlessly weaves together humor, heartbreak, and genuine emotion, making this novel a standout in the contemporary romance genre.

The characters are well-crafted, each with their own quirks and complexities. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery is relatable and adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative. Lord skillfully addresses themes of friendship, love, and personal growth, making the story not only entertaining but also thought-provoking.

The pacing is well-balanced, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish. The witty dialogue and clever banter between characters contribute to the novel's charm. The Break Up Pact cleverly explores the dynamics of relationships and the importance of staying true to oneself.

While the plot may follow some familiar romance tropes, Emma Lord brings a fresh and modern perspective, making it an enjoyable and satisfying read. Overall, "The Break Up Pact" earns its four-star rating for its captivating storytelling, well-developed characters, and the insightful exploration of love and friendship.

I typically enjoy Emma Lord books. While I did enjoy this one, I felt several times that I wish this book would hurry up and end. I wanted to fall in love with June and Levi, and parts of the book almost got me there. The story arcs seemed like Lord was shoving too much in too short of time. While so much of this book speaks of the grief June faces from losing her sister, I felt like perhaps it gave Lord an excuse to leave readers hanging. I love the idea, the friends to lovers fake dating trope is normally one of my favorites! The book was cute and sweet, but I think it could’ve been 50 pages shorter!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. The dialogue between characters was funny and engaging. This was a quick read, perfect for a snow day.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. Although the premise of this book was very intriguing, I did not enjoy this book at all. The characters were very flat and I did not feel any chemistry between the main love-interests. The writing was also very disengaging, as it was trying too hard to be relatable and “of the times”. In addition to the writing, there was a lot of telling not showing, which makes the book read like a bad fanfiction.

I had a fairly good time with this read, it delivered on the vibes that I needed at the moment. I've had a really bad track record with romcoms hitting for me lately, so this was a nice reprieve from that. I am always such a sucker for fake dating, it's definitely up there as one of my favorites. And also the friends-to-lovers was really good. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, friends-to-lovers is a trope, at least for me, that either really works or really doesn't. That transition from friends to lovers can be really hard if there's not adequate chemistry or tension, but this book had that in spades from the get-go! And yet it wasn't to the point that it was unbelievable that they would have stayed friends only for so long. Their relationship and banter had a nice balance of friendly fun at times and then tension at others, it kept me wanting to know more.

I really appreciated the theme across the book of seeking out healthier relationships, and how people should be accepted where they're at - even if that place is very messy and uncertain. The conversation around grief as well was really well done given the genre, and really helped support the plot progression. Sometimes growth across romcoms can be clunky, and not very deep, but this book did a good job of having those deeper meanings and themes spaced evenly throughout with these themes. Silly little romcoms are good for certain moments, but when there are deeper messages and growth, those ones always stick with me more, and hold up better over time. There were also some beautiful undertones of connection through storytelling, the importance of community and those connections, and growth across the lifetime.

There were a few elements that did diminish my enjoyment, albeit smaller details. The first one was the slow introduction of information, and world-building in a way. Like for example, this book takes place in a seaside town in the States, but I couldn't figure out which coast it was on until about ~60% in. In retrospect, there were some context clues, like Levi attending university and living in New York, but I interpreted it as he moved far away. I don't need to know what State a book takes place in (I am from Canada after all, it probably won't mean a whole lot to me anyway), but coastal towns on the east coast versus west coast are quite different in my opinion in terms of vibes, and even things like how warm the water is. This slow introduction of information did work well for things like why June and Levi had fallen out of touch, and why June was very wary of potentially falling for him again, but I needed more clarity around setting and how the characters knew each other (ex: is June the oldest sibling? I know Dylan is the youngest, but was Annie the oldest, or June?).

My other pet peeve with this book was the miscommunication in the last 25% roughly. Up to this point, I got where the characters were coming from. But when the same root issue kept causing conflict and wasn't being fully addressed, it got tiresome. I do relate to Junes deep fear of getting hurt or left behind, especially given the context of her sisters passing, but near the end I kind of wanted to shake her and tell her to go to therapy. There was justification for why there was no break taken, but it felt like there was a lot of pressure on Levi to demonstrate that he wasn't leaving (which make sense given their history but only to a point). This also contrasted with the emphasis of their deep connection and understanding of each other that went beyond verbal communication, these two themes felt weirdly juxtaposed. With the themes of meeting people where they're at, it made sense why things played out as they did, but you know I don't think seeing a therapist while working on their relationship would have hurt.

Overall, while I was a bit confused at the start, and a bit frustrated at the end, I still had a solid time with this book. If you're looking for tea shop with lots of scone talk, fake dating but was it ever really fake, and talks around grief, the messy journey of growth, community, and creativity, all wrapped up in a sweet romcom, you'll enjoy this one.

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.

Ugh - I'm sorry to say but this one dragged for me. I loved Emma Lord's previous YA novels with witty dialogues and fast paced plot. This one is adult romance and while I love a good open door romance, this story was slow and felt like it was going around in circles.

Reviewed of NetGalley:

I have read all of Emma Lord's books, and she has a way of putting in just the right amount of heart, sweetness, and depth that makes for a wonderful read. The Break-Up Pact was no exception.

June and Levi, ex-best friends, losing touch after so many years, decide to team up as the Revenge Exes for a fun, fake dating romp.

I LOVED June's tea shop and cast of friends and the budding/re-budding romance between June and Levi.

A quick, delightful read.

this was a cute and fun summer read. I loved the writing, it was poetic, beautiful and reminded me a lot of how Emily Henry writes about emotions. second chance romances are always a hit or miss for me so I somewhat enjoyed this. I loved how easily June and Levi connected like they were just waiting for each other. the longing between them and the their relationship was written well.

June and Levi were so Alex and Poppy coded and it made me miss my babies😭 June is like this sweet, playful person who’s trying to make her mark in the world. when Levi, her ex-best friend comes back, she’s back to feeling everything she did for him. Levi, he just wants to be understood and have someone to love him and give him the closure he never got growing up.

however, there’s a lot I didn’t like with this book. for one, I wish there was flashbacks to how their relationship was before. I had a difficult time connecting with them in the present. I couldn’t feel Levi’s attraction to June and wasn’t convinced of his feelings for her, especially towards the end.

the end probably frustrated me the most. what Levi did was frustrating. It broke my trust and I watched as he ruined everything between him and June.

other than that, I still think this was an enjoyable read. the beginning was my favorite. It gave all the summery vibes and I had a fun time.

I loved this book. The story was sweet and shared so much more than a love story. This covers grief not in the moments immediately following loss but the living life without your person. I highly recommend reading this book!

I did receive this as a digital ARC prior to the release. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for this book. Look for it in August!

Eek I wanted to love this so much. It has all the right ingredients however it just misses the mark. Every scene even the sex scene is so long and drawn out. It feels like she just needed to reach a word quoata so kept repeating the same plot points over and over. The book could have ended completely at 90% and nothing would be missed. What should have been a cute quick read felt like a 700 page classic you force yourself to get through.

Usually I do not like fake dating as it is rarely done in a way that feels genuine. With that being said, Emma Lord poured something different into this novel! It did not rely on the fake dating to carry all the weight through the story, mixing in the small town and childhood friends tropes really helped this couple shine. I was rooting for them through the whole time. I haven't shipped a couple this hard since middle school! Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book, I am eternally grateful.

Emma Lord is a new to me author and she did not disappoint. I loved the setting of the small town beach side. Friends to lovers and fake dating set the scene. While the book struggled to hold my attention at times, it was still a cute little rom com read.

The Break-Up Pact was a sweet and nostalgic fake dating romantic comedy. The main characters had personal growth through the book, which was enjoyable to read as I began to connect with the characters. The supporting characters were well developed and enjoyable as well. Overall, this was a quick read that was a little predictable but fun and sweet.

This is a perfect summer read. I loved the small town by the beach trope, but I stayed because of the friends to lovers and the fake dating tropes. Individually, those tropes make me scream, blush and kick my feet in the air like a teenager, but together? It's a recipe for utter obsession.
I really liked the characters, especially the MMC. Their dynamic was fun and so refreshing to read, they were joking one second and having deep conversations a minute later. I had a few complaints regarding some of their decisions but overall, I thought they were relatable and had great chemistry.
I wasn't a fan of the third-act break up. I really don't like those in any way, but here it was more awkward than usual.

Read if you like:
- Friends to strangers to lovers
- Fake dating
- Cinnamon roll MMC
- Baked goods
- Small town

Final rating: 3.5/5
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Pub Date: 13 Aug 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for giving me the chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.