Loved the cover art, it was catchy and drew me in to start with. Sounded like a book I would enjoy a lot but it was very long and had to talk myself into picking it up and continue reading it. Just very long winded book. Both characters were coming in with a lot of family back story and having to work through issues. I keep telling myself I love these romcoms but most of the time as I’m reading I feel like I’m banging my head against the wall screaming to them, JUST TALK IT OUT AND ITLL SOVLE THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION and over half the book for the ending we know is coming, yall end up together once you TALK. But if they did that what story is there to write, right? So maybe that’s my own issue. I gave it a 3.5 star and would still recommend to my die hard romcom reader friends. Thank you to the publishers and netgalley.

I've had five stars and three stars with this author, I was very excited to see she's bringing out an adult novel but I can definitely see her history with YA in these characters and their decisions. It was okay, but not as strong as her teen books.

Emma Lord is one of my favorite YA authors, so I was thrilled when I saw that she was releasing an adult romance novel!! Friends to lovers is a trope that I love, but don't come across very often in the romance books I read. I loved the spin Emma put on this trope -- both MC's have recently experienced public breakups, then find themselves in the public eye after a photo of them together surfaces, making the public believe they are an item. This leads to fake dating (another favorite of mine!) and testing their ability to simply stay platonic.

I really liked both June and Levi. This was a fun, light-hearted romance that was perfect for my summer days at the lake!

I'm excited to see that Emma will continue releasing another YA and adult romance in 2025!

I wasn't the biggest fan of this book, but I definitely think that there is an audience for it. This book did, however, have moments that made me laugh out loud. There were plenty of lines that made me want to reread them. Overall, this was a cute romance that just didn't hit the mark with me, but I am sure that others would love this.

This one wasn't for me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and it seemed more young adult with spice to me.

This was an awesome read! I really enjoyed it! I adored Levi and June’s second chance romance and just thought it was really cute and sweet.

Overall a great read!!

This fun read has some great tropes that I adore. Childhood friends, second chance and fake dating. I binged this books it was such an easy read. Especially since it has a fun group of characters that compliment the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord. This romantic comedy is a lighthearted, fun read with all the charm you’d expect from Lord's writing. The story centers on two friends who make a pact to break up with their significant others but end up discovering deeper feelings for each other. While the premise is cute and the banter enjoyable, the plot felt somewhat predictable, and I found myself wishing for a bit more complexity in the characters. That said, it's a quick, feel-good read perfect for fans of friends-to-lovers tropes and light romance. It’s enjoyable, but not particularly groundbreaking.

I wanted to enjoy this but I found the choices June made (meeting her ex) exasperating and Levi’s obsession with his ex not good.i did like Sana and would love to see a story about her. The ending was well done. Fans of Lord will probably enjoy this but it just wasn’t for me.

The Break Up Pact was a surprisingly deep and emotional second chance romance novel between two former friends. Both of them have been dumped publicly and want to get back at their exes and reclaim their lives. so they fake date to change the narrative. I really loved the way the story played out until about 70% in and then got super annoyed at Levi especially for not being really open and straightforward about what was going on. I am happy with the ending, happy I stuck it out but i do wish it would have been a little shorter and less complications at the end

I wanted to love this book. It has some great tropes (fake dating, childhood friends-to strangers-to lovers, *kinda* second-chance) but it just fell flat for me. There was so much miscommunication I just couldn't. I really hate to DNF books so I just skimmed the last few chapters just to get through it. This was my first book from this author and I'm sure she has some other great books, but I don't think I'll be reaching for her again.

The Break Up Pact is a delightful exploration of friendship, love, and the messy realities of growing up. Loved the viral video references, and live reality TV show mishaps. While June's grief adds complexity to the book, it was also the thing keeping this book from a 5 for me as it felt heavy at times. I always enjoy fake dating tropes and this book really nails sense of place with its small beach town setting. Overall I would recommend this book for its strong pacing as a quick and easy beach read!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Overall, this one was just so mediocre that I already forgot most of what happened. I remember thinking the plot was kind of boring and I did not feel the love between the 2 main characters. Second chance romance has never been my favorite, but I did appreciate the depth this book had and the way it handled the subject of grief.

I thought the fake dating trope in this case was kind of cringe and the references in this book tried too hard to be culturally relevant. I did like the setting and the side characters, but this book overall missed the mark for me.

Is this Emma's first adult book? I think so ... maybe ... but it doesn't matter because AGAIN I LOVE WHAT SHE WRITES AND NEED MORE, MORE, MORE.

There's something to be said for a book that you can predict but has you in its grasp and you don't want out. By chapter 3-4 I knew how this one was going to play out but that did not, at all, not even a little bit, make me wanna stop reading. I absolutely loved spending time with June and Levi and the town of Benson Beach.

Watching June and Levi stay true to themselves yet change into their very best selves was such a rewarding experience. The banter and fun between them had this perfect pull - will they? won't they?

Lord is an auto-read author for me. She mixes love and life, friendship and respect, into all her stories and each and every one has been a win with me.

The Break-Up Pact was a fun and easy summer read. Two childhood best friends, June and Levi, fake date after public breakups.

Things I loved:
-small coastal town
-childhood best friends
-fake dating
-shared grief between the main characters
-good friends/family
-the cover

Things I didn't love:
-The Tea Tide - It didn't really make sense to have a tea shop in a coastal town with only tea and scones?
-all the social media and pop culture references
-the conflict and third act breakup between the main characters
-the ending
-very little romance or progression of the main characters relationship

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this adult debut by Emma Lord. Loved the characters, chemistry, and setting. Plus I now have dreams of opening a scone and tea shop.

I adored this book, just as I have loved everything Emma Lord has written. When going into her novels, I know they will pull me in and be filled with love and care.

This book follows June, who is struggling to keep her beachside tea shop afloat, as she tries to keep it how her late sister dreamed it up. She is down on her luck until an article labels her and Levi, a friend from her childhood, are believed to be a couple after their star exes become a couple. They decide to fake-date for his ex to get jealous and for her bakery/tea shop to get the recognition it needs to stay afloat, but I think you can guess what happens.

It was a very heartfelt novel and was also entertaining to read.

I think that people who want a 'friends who had a misunderstanding to lovers' novel that packs a punch and makes you laugh would enjoy this. I can't wait to pick up whatever Emma Lord publishes next.

Goodness, I am becoming a big Emma Lord fan. I really enjoyed this book! June and Levi reunite after a decade apart. They used to be best friends growing up when a massive fight separated them. After all that time June finds Levi in her tea shop. Even though they have not spoken in 10 years, they still find themselves bonding over two different very public, and very humiliating breakups. They come to a decision to fake date one another for a while to get the press off their backs and make their exes believe they have fully moved on. With fake date after fake date, these two begin to rekindle some of their old feelings and old hurts. There is a lot of angst and yearning on these pages. Both are more sensitive than they like to let on. I love a friends-to-lovers trope and this one doesn't disappoint. There is just something to having a shared history that is so special. While you do have to suspend your disbelief with some aspects of the book, it was just enjoyable. The characters are lovable, the setting is great, and the story just flows. I wanted these two to get their win in the end!

If you haven't read Emma Lord, this is a great book to start with. It's a fun, flirty romance book that will provide the perfect escape to its reader.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is a delightful and heartwarming rom-com. It centers on June and Levi, two former best friends who fake a relationship to repair their reputations. The chemistry between them is engaging, with the classic fake-dating trope turning into real emotions. The story balances humor with heartfelt moments, and the small-town setting adds charm. While Levi makes some questionable choices, his connection with June is sweet and believable. If you're into light, feel-good romances with a touch of emotional depth, this book is a quick and fun read

I loved this story so much. I love a fake relationship with some second chance mixed in. I've always been a fan of Emma Lord and she didn't disappoint with this one.