This was a good book with a pretty emotional story. I liked the characters, both Emma and Levi. I really enjoyed the setting of the story in a little beach town in the Northeast. I felt like the bones of this story with the fake dating trope (my favorite) and the estranged friends was a foundation for a great romance, but it fell just a little short. I feel the author went on too much with the emotionality of the characters instead of giving us more story and pushing the plot along. There was a lot of potential here to be an absolutely amazing book, but instead I'd give it 4 stars, instead of 5 because the story seemed to slow down quite a bit toward the end. I desperately wanted Emma to find her voice by the end of the book and was a little let down by it all.

There were some swoony moments and some emotional scenes that were touching. The main characters love story was believable and the ending was lovely. All in all, a decent read.

This was cute. I appreciated the take on going viral and merging that into romance. I also really appreciated the heroine’s journey and learning to deal with grief. It wasn’t quite as swoony as I wanted, though I did enjoy their runs and beach scenes. And the ending was super cute!

I've enjoyed a few other Emma Lord books, so I thought I'd give this one a try. It was an enjoyable read. I didn't dislike it. It just didn't wow me either. I didn't feel very connected to any of the characters.

Thank you to Net Galley for the Copy of this book.

This book was a good story, but I just could not connect to the main characters. I really tried. But these two were just so back and forth. June was so wishy washy. And I couldn’t stand her by the end of the book. To be honest the side characters had more depth than the main ones. I wanted to shake them both. This may be a book for someone else it just wasn’t a book for me.

#NetGalleyARC This book hits all the check marks for a great fake-dating book. I will say though that the story started off decently, I was hooked but then it lost me, too slow with the plot. Once I got past a few dragging chapters I was hooked again and loved the rest of the story.

this is emma lord's first foray into adult fiction, and i loooove her ya works, so i was excited for an opportunity to dive in to this one. unfortunately, it missed the mark for me in more ways than one. i'll hide my commentary behind a spoiler tag, but my recommendation would be to go with one of lord's ya books if this is your first time with her work! they're lovely.

(the following contains spoilers, hidden on goodreads.)

the two main characters are simply not it. they enter into this fake dating arrangement to get revenge (him) but are still friends with the person who very publicly humiliated them (her). he keeps running back to his ex and treating the fmc terribly as a result, and she lets him! (!!!! like???)

and then, while i wasn't expecting this to be rated on the tiktok girlie's spicy scale, i did anticipate that there would be more physical intimacy, given the move from ya to adult. sex scenes don't have to be super explicit and wild to grow the relationship between characters, but i do think that's another piece that could've been expanded upon here.

fake dating as a while is kind of hit or miss for me, but this was very much like omg haven't seen you in so long let's date! with very little build to that moment. again, if the characters were giving us something more or i cared at all about their story, maybe i wouldn't have found that to be so upsetting, but overall i was kind of like... meh. i don't care what either of you do here, so sure.

I genuinely loved the first half of this book, I couldn’t put it down. It was the start of a great rom com, pacing didn’t feel too rushed either. Then, the second half of the book just let me down. It’s a common cliche to have the main characters fight and then make up in the end. Personally, just found the last half off the book boring and I struggled to finish it. The epilogue had the same magic as the first half of the book, I wish that the magic was just consistent throughout the entire book.

I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t super eager to read this book, and I’m not sure why. I think the description maybe under sold itself? To my surprise, I was HOOKED from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down up until about 3/4 of the way through. After that point, I was kinda just ready for the happy ending that would wrap it up. Overall, I liked this book and would read more from this author in the future! Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I started reading “The Break Up Pact” because I was in need of a light summer read. I was definitely not disappointed.

Levi and June’s relationship has been complicated since high school. When Levi returns to reflect on his engagement to someone else, it is fun to learn about his long time relationship with June.

The characters were likable and so fun to get to know. The story kept me guessing. I had to keep reading to learn what happened next.

I look forward to reading another book by Emma Lord in the future. In the meantime, get this one in your beach bag in a few months.

Emma Lord does it’s again!! Tweet Cute got me back into reading as an adult, and The Break Up Pact just got me out of a reading slump 🙌🏻

I adored this book!! It was a quick, childhood friends to lovers//second chance romance (open door). I was giggling at times, swooning at others. Was it always the most realistic? No. Was I a-okay with that? You betcha.

** Content warning: grief!! I went into this read relatively blind, so I wasn’t expecting this aspect. Currently on my own grief journey, I thought it was handled with care.

Thank you thank you NetGalley, St Martins Press + one of my faves Emma Lord for the ARC. Reading this early was such a treat!!

Do you like

-Friends meeting up again after a decade?
-Fake dating?
-Viral stories?
-Slow burn friends to lovers?

This one is definitely for you! I loved this story, I could see myself in June. After a viral breakup on a reality show, she tries to keep her inherited tea shop on the beach open, but it's losing the battle. One day, her high school friend (and crush) Levi shows up after his own viral breakup looking for a quiet place to finish his book. After being photographed together, they decide to combine their Internet infamy to help Levi get his fiancé back and draw crowds to the tea shop.

The dates they go on are silly and sweet, it's romantic, and touching, with a bit of spice.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of Emma Lord's books!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!

Parts of this I liked, parts I didn’t care for. I wish we had more time with the main characters as teenagers. We get told about their great bond, but we never really get to see it.

I thought that spending more time (or any) time with them as teenagers would make us miss the sister more too.

It was good, just not my favorite.

A childhood friends to lovers book meets fake dating to get back at your really crappy exes! How could you not love those tropes all wrapped into one fun book taking place in a cute small town by the beach in an eclectic tea store.

There was a lot I enjoyed in this book. There was a lot of emotion packed into this book and Emma did a great job of expressing the hurt and confusion through the main characters. I loved the side characters more than anything. They brought so much fun and comedy to the book that was needed between the emotions.

My issues with the book included the main characters. I felt like both June and Levi were sooooo weak for their exes. Something about that rubbed me the wrong way several different times throughout the book.

Overall I enjoyed the book and the tropes!

❤️I wanted to thank NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin’s press along with Emma Lord for the arc in exchange for an honest review!❤️

As a huge fan of her YA novels, I was very excited about her adult novel. It was just as great as I expected. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry.

This has been my favorite Emma Lord novel yet! In this romantic comedy, two childhood friends - June and Levi - both end up experiencing very public breakups. With the advice of a friend, they agree to fake date to help their images. In the process, they rekindle their friendship, work through the aftermath of a shared loss, and find themselves and who they were meant to be.

The characters in this novel were likable and their interactions with each other were entertaining. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments (angry carrots) and the sexual tension between Levi and June was palpable. The other characters were also well written and I enjoyed their side stories. And, as usual, the author included descriptions of amazing food - this time, scones.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #St.Martin’sPress for an eARC of #TheBreak-UpPact by #EmmaLord in exchange for honest feedback.
-4.5 stars rounded to 5

I read this one, in one day, in one sitting. It was Emma Lord's best one yet. I was IN MY FEELS all day, and still can't stop thinking about the chemistry between Levi and June. Two people left to grieve the loss of their best friend and sister, respectively. We often don't take the time to recognize the people around us working to bring their dreams to life; it's easy to be wrapped up in living our own lives. Always thinking- later, one day, after I, when this... but the truth is as one of my favorite podcasters @kaciaghetmari says "our days are numbered and we don't know the count." When June's sister, Annie dies, June is left to run the beachside tea/scone shop, "Tea Tide," that Annie brought to life. Not only does she lose her sister, but she becomes a viral "Crying Girl Meme," when her boyfriend dumps her on reality tv. Grateful to the boost in business June but sick of the constant requests to do "the face," June knows she has to figure something else out to keep her sister's dream alive. Annie's childhood bestie, and June's high school crush, Levi Shaw also suffers public humiliation when his fiancé cheats on him with one of the sexiest men alive and he returns home to finish his manuscript. June's bestie has the perfect plan and dubs them "the Revenge Exes," staging a fake relationship to boost June's business and to entice Levi's jealous ex to want him back. Their plan is easily executed as the heat between them is undeniable. In the staged moments, yes, but even more in the unstaged moments when they think no one is watching - the way they look at each other, make one another blush, the tender way they touch. This book reminds us that our time here isn't guaranteed and to make sure we are living each moment to the fullest, to not do what we think we should, but to really discover what it is we want and to put it all on the line for that. Grief is something that bonds us, and while grief is something we never get over it's better to weather together. While June and Levi's chemistry radiates off the pages, their plan works.... she's busier than ever with Tea Tide, and his ex is jealous. While their plan goes accordingly, they both have to figure out what it is they really truly want.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book early in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 *s
Fake dating with a side of real emotions and a hilarious best friend? Sign me UP!

After June’s sister passes away, she moves back to Benson Beach to take over the tea shop that her sister started, something she was putting off in order to keep up with her adventurous boyfriend. That was two years ago. Now, she’s on the brink of failure, and that boyfriend of 10 years just admitted he cheated on her and is leaving her on national television. Can’t get much worse right? Then the episode goes viral and now strangers are bombarding her tea shop asking if she can cry for them so they can take a picture. Then her childhood friend, Levi, shows up, also having been recently virally dumped and looking for an escape. When they get caught in a precarious situation, the world now thinks they’re dating… and why should they correct them? It’s the greatest revenge story… as long as they don’t fall for each other before this is all over.

“For a place that sells tea, you’re awfully reluctant to spill any of it.” > The start of my love for Sana
“Levi hasn’t been on Facebook since Obama was in office.” >The more time passes, the funnier this gets.

Right off the bat, I really liked this book. June is at a low point in her life, and yet she is still able to stand up for herself to a rude customer - which anyone who’s worked in the service industry LIVES for. She makes scones based around events in her life, and comes up with wacky flavors that somehow always work (if someone could make me a Redbull and Pringles scone, I’d appreciate that, thanks!) The romance between her and Levi is a slow burn, even with the book being a quick read. It’s sweet, steamy, and romantic. Both of the love interests need to grow and do so throughout the story. The side characters actually have depth, and Lord’s writing at some points made me have to set the book down and process the emotions I had just experienced. It’s self-aware, hilarious and emotional.

Sana is by far my favorite character and has the best lines. Spin off for Sana, please??

(Spoliers may be below)
I have two main criticisms, the first being I would have liked to see more effort from June to reconnect with Dylan earlier in the book. She’s so focused on her past with Annie and Levi, that it feels like she forgets that Dylan was there too, and is still there now. The second is so minor and I’m sure most other people won’t think about it but because my wife is a baker, I know a little thing or two. Poprocks in the scones? And they don’t go off until you bite into it, and not during the baking process? Not likely. It pulled me out of the story, unfortunately, but if you don’t know, or are able to look past that, it’s not an issue.

Content Warnings
Death of a family member, grief, cheating

Annotation Guide
Green - Positive Notes
Red - Critiques
Yellow - General reactions/commentary
Blue - Gramatical/Plot related notes

Cute idea, lovable characters and predictable plot make for an easy, fun read! Nothing too profound, but that is not why we pick up cozy romances.

Without giving spoilers, there was a portion in the middle where the love interest seemed to be acting confusingly out of character in my opinion, which I found frustrating but it was short-lived and I didn’t let it impact my overall enjoyment.

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s and Emma Lord for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest reviews

Emotionally charming second chance romance set in a quaint seaside town.

This was much more emotionally involved than I believed it to be based on the blurb. It was hilarious at times and deeply charged the next. The MCs are dealing with some very real tragedies and embarrassments that you can’t help but feel for them. I was rooting for them almost immediately.

The way that our FMC dealt with gaslighting and self0esteem was so relatable. I almost threw my kindle at one point when she was dealing with her ex. He made me so furious I felt like a friend ready to show my loyalty.

I really enjoyed the small town feel of the setting. The author had a wonderful way of describing the scenery that had me believing I was running in the sand, by the beach with the MC’s.

This review lacks in description but this book makes up for it all in feel good emotions and well written work. I will be looking into this authors other work.

Cute story, but a slow build. The characters are likable enough, but the first person narration leaves the character development a bit lacking. It was a bit over-narrated at times, with too much detail on the details that didn’t need the most focus.
Overall, a decent read- but not a favorite of the genre