You know the book is good when you order it after you finished reading the arc! This was one of my favourite romance reads of 2024.

I really enjoyed this book! This book follows two main characters who were so close growing up that people assumed they were dating in high school even though they were not. After a falling out towards the end of high school these two have not really spoken to each other for almost 10 years that is until they both return to their small beachside hometown.

Our FMC has returned because she has taken over the running of a tea shop that she and her sister had opened before her sister passed. She is struggling with keeping the business afloat and is dealing with an incredibly public break up. Her ex-boyfriend dumped her on a reality tv show, which resulted in her crying face going viral.

Our MMC has returned so that he can finish writing his novel. He is also trying to escape NYC after he has had his own very public breakup. His fiancé very publicly cheated on him with a major celebrity.

When our two main characters start interacting again they inadvertently go viral with people thinking they are in a relationship with each other. In order to help our FMC’s business and to make our MMC’s former fiancé jealous they decide to fake date each other for the publicity. But of course old feelings start to pop back up and what starts out as fake dating may not stay so fake.

I thought this was an excellent fake dating book. The characters have enough of a history where there interactions make sense. This history both with each other and involving the FMC’s recently passed older sister, also helps to explain why these two characters did not get together in the past and what is holding them back now.

This book was not only a fun rom-com it also touched on some more serious topics like the death of a sibling, losing one’s business and trying to balance one’s passions with adult responsibilities. I felt like the author did an excellent job with balancing the more serious moments with the fun rom-com parts.

Overall this was a perfect vacation read.

Fake dating
Beachy setting
Friends to lovers

Fun, light read. Perfect for a trip to the beach. 3.5 stars.

Levi and June were the best of friends. And then they weren't. Neither of them are living the lives they used to talk about, the lives they had dreamed of. Then they both suffered an uncomfortable break up, made all the more exasperating when it's splashed all over social media.

When a photo of Levi and June goes viral, the pair decides to go with it. Now Levi and June are an internet sensation all on their own.

I've become a big fan of Emily Lord. She has a knack for creating real, believable characters with real feelings, real problems and every day concerns.

At the start of the story both Levi and June are living lives they feel are expected of them, trying make someone else happy and neglecting themselves in the process. They each have unfulfilled dreams, but can't find the path to reach them.

The story works because Levi and June have a history. They give each other an essential touchstone, a supportive shoulder and honest opinions. With each other, they can just be themselves, which helps them remove their blinders and start moving toward a life lived for themselves.

The story was at times emotional and bittersweet, at time frustrating, but always enjoyable.

Thank you St, Martin’s Press for the early review copy. This review contains light spoilers.

The Break Up Pact was the perfect “quick read” for me; an easy story to follow with a lot of entertaining plot devices (e.g., TikTok virality of break ups) with some subtle emotional touch points.

I enjoyed the fusion of the fake dating trope with friends to lovers (and a bit of second chance romance) to give the story a unique take. That being said, I thought June’s reasons for leaning into the revenge exes (saving her business, grappling with the loss of her sister in addition to “revenge” against Griffin’s wrong doing) was easier to root for than Levi, who seemed primarily in it for his own gain of making his ex jealous (and secondarily finding a new career). The mismatch made it hard for me to want them together and be driven by the romance in the book itself.

I was more drawn to June’s growth journey and appreciated that the ending didn’t wrap up entirely in a bow (spoiler: she still loses the shop in its current form) and it made it about learning to live with loss than living up to those expectations. This also helped overlook some of the miscommunication plot devices that could make her grating.

Overall, a fun and light-hearted read that’s perfect for summer beach vibe with some emotional weight as well.

Fake dating and wedding planning shenanigans between childhood best friends? Sign me up! This was a great adult debut romance from Emma Lord.

I absolutely love Emma Lord, so I was excited to see a new book from her. She usually tends to hang out in the YA genre, so it was a fun change of pace that this was more an adult contemporary romance. I enjoyed the book immensely and look forward to more to come from one of my favorite authors!

When June and Levi, old friends who have lost touch, both go through public breakups, they decide to partner up to change the narrative. As they navigate rekindling their friendship alongside life, you’ll find yourself cheering for them and wondering what comes next.

While the premise of this was great, I unfortunately had a hard time connecting with the characters. It was a bit cheesy for me.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for a fair review.

A beach side tea shop? Sign me up! This is the first novel of Emma Lord that I have read and it did not disappoint. I look forward to reading more of her work.

Really enjoyed this book and the characters in the story. While the miscommunication of the two characters was sometimes frustrating it was ultimately a good story and a fun read.

I really enjoyed this one! It had great lighthearted moments, but also some serious topics dealing with grief.

The friends to lovers/fake dating was really sweet. Their inside jokes and easy banter made for lots of laughs throughout their dialogue.

While June and Levi are both dealing with grief, June goes on a journey to truly figure out how to succeed in life….and the outcome is perfect.

I adored Levi and June together. The events kept me engaged, but there were a few slower moments where I found myself losing some interest as it got a bit repetitive.

(Forgive me, for I'm incredibly behind on my reviews.... it's been a rough couple of months.)

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord has the *cutest* cover of all time - the colors, the beachy vibes... just full-on cutesy. And I think that was my biggest issue with this. It was cute, but there wasn't a lot of substance beyond that. Especially when something is friends to lovers, I expect there to be quite a bit more background and umph (so to speak) that propels the characters into the fake-dating scenarios and to actually fully fall in love. Alas, I didn't really get all of that with this.

And it could be a me problem. I've read at least one of Emma Lord's other books and it didn't really work for me for those same reasons, so it's likely just something personal on my end, and no fault of the book at all.

Actual Rating: 2.5: I’m sorry but this book just wasn’t for me. I didn’t care for either MC and couldn’t buy into their supposed connection. I’m still confused with why they lost touch in their youth and how it was basically all miscommunication. Also with June’s sister dying years ago, that’s kind of through me off why it was imprimatur to the story besides Levi mentioning that the sister didn’t want him and June together for some reason. June also didnt change anything about the business Tea Time she ran that was tied to her relationship with the passed sister, even when I think it’s what the sister would’ve wanted if their business was failing. Using the fake dating/Revenge Ex’s scheme for June to get more business and for Levi to get back with his cheating famous ex was enjoyable at time but I hated that Levi even contemplated going back at all. I also hated June’s ex and feel like we got no resolution or proper payback for all that he did to her. ALSO Levi going behind Junes back and telling his ex about the fake dating plot was really messed up and I don’t like how quick June was to forgive him. Why would he tell his ex (that he doesn’t plan on getting back together with) that at all?? Like what’s the point? I just didn’t understand any of their motives or why they liked each other, and how they behaved at times throughout the plot. I think there are people who would enjoy this book but it’s not one I’ll be recommending to my friends unfortunately.

I received a digital copy from NetGalley & the author of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was almost to cutesy for me. I liked the characters a lot at first and then by mid way through I almost couldn't stand them. The idea is cute, but I was not as big of a fan as I thought I would be.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is everything you want in an easy and quick fun read. The drama, the characters, the jealousy and all of the emotions. This is for all the fake-dating trope lovers. While the story includes real life topics, it's always nice to get the happily ever after ending.

The Break-Up Pack is about two exes who decide they should pretend to date after both of their respective break ups go viral. June and Levi decide to take control of the situation by ‘getting together’ after a viral photo of them leads the internet to believing they’re a couple. Everyone is rooting for them, and they decide to take advantage of it. But then they really do start to fall for each other. Is this going to work out? Or will it all end in heartbreak again?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book.

I'm not sure where to begin, because I have so many mixed feelings. There was a lot that I really liked and there was a lot that also made me cringe. Maybe I'll try something new and mix it up!

Yes: The men (with the exception of Griffin) were golden. So sweet, so cute, so realistic and guys I would love to have in my corner.
No: Sana - the token person of color. It seems like I'm seeing that more and more in books and I don't like it.
Yes: I loved the tea and scone shop. So cute! It added a cozy element that always makes me smile. Give me more scone brainstorming, recipes, and baking!
No: That sex scene was the absolute worst I've ever read. I would have rather this book be entirely closed door than go through the internal thoughts of June while she was getting it on. It was like nails on a chalkboard.
Yes: The beach town was great! But would have loved to see more townies other than Nancy and Cassie. Townies make for the best backdrop.
No: How did Levi and June both happen to have a celebrity-ish connection? Way too coincidental and unlikely for two people from a small beach town.
Yes: The asshole exes that added the perfect amount of tension.
No: We spent the entire book hearing about and planning this big wedding between two of the most endearing characters and it's skipped right over?! WHY? WHY? WHY?
Yes: The memory of Annie.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

Thankfully this was a really quick read because I struggled to find something I liked about this book. I thought June seemed pretty immature. She and Levi together were a bit of an uncomfortable surprise given that they hadn’t talked to eachother in like 10 years and they decide to fake date anyway? I get that they had crushes when they were younger but it’s like they both forgot that people change so their romance didn’t really develop since they relied on those old feelings. Which makes it feel like there is no chemistry to the reader.

All in all this is not for me and I would not recommend.

This was such a fun story. I love the evolution of June and Levi's relationship. The story line did drag at times, but overall I really enjoyed it.