ARC Review

Cute and quirky romance that you can use as a palate cleanser but, as a whole, it just didn’t do it for me.

Fresh off of 2 very public breakups, June and Levi form a fake-dating pact to basically save face and get the media to move on, along with helping June generate enough business to save her failing business. The kink in this plan is that June and Levi were friends that haven’t spoken in 10 years. You can tell instantly that there’s a ton of, most likely, misunderstanding and lack of communication that caused the rift.

The author tried to make the book angsty, but even the angst wasn’t believable. I just didn’t connect with these characters. It wasn’t a terrible book, it’s one of those that you will read quickly and probably not remember much of. I don’t think it’s ever going to be a 5 star must read for anyone, and not one I’d add to my list of re-reads. But if you’re just wanting quick and quirky read, give this one a try, just keep in mind it’s full of all the typical cliches.

This was my first time reading anything by Emma Lord and while this one didn’t hit all the marks for me, I’d give her writing another chance.

The main character may have an aversion to desserts, but this book is chock-full of sweetness! The premise of the book was cute and the characters were lovely and funny. I prefer a book with a bit more angst in order to get to the happy ending, but anyone who likes light and sweet romances will eat this up!

I picked up 'The Break-Up Pact' by Emma Lord hoping for a fun, easy read, and that's exactly what I got - nothing too groundbreaking, but not disappointing either.

The book revolves around June and Levi, two high school friends whose messy breakups become social media sensations. When a rumor spreads online suggesting they're a couple, they decide to go along with it for their own reasons, leading to a rekindling of old feelings.

I'm a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope, and the setting of a beach town added a cozy touch to the story. However, I found the constant emphasis on the characters' physical attraction and connection to be a bit overdone. It's like, okay, we get it, they're into each other—no need to keep hammering that point home.

My main issue with the book was June. Right from the start, her judgmental attitude grated on me, making it hard to fully get into the story. It's tough to enjoy a book when you can't really connect with the main character, you know?

That said, there were still some sweet moments in the story that I enjoyed, and overall, it was a decent read. If you're in the mood for a light-hearted romance with a beachy setting, "The Break-Up Pact" might be worth checking out.

I am a romance lover at heart. I really enjoyed June and Levi's story. I thought the build up to the love relationship was well written, and engaging. It pulled me in and I was rooting for them. I absolutely loved the dealing with grief and taking time to figure out their "stuff" aspect of the story. I gave it a rating of 4* because, I didn't quite understand the reasoning or believability of Nancy not renewing the lease. Honestly, that whole portion of the story kind of fell flat for me, but overall I'd recommend this book to romance lovers that love a happy ending.

I was looking for a light and easy read when I came across this book, and it was just that—nothing more, nothing less. The book was well-written, and the plot was a pretty standard trope: two childhood best friends (June and Levi) pretend to date to make their exes jealous and you can guess the ending... Although this was mostly a fun read (with a beach setting to lighten up the atmosphere), June obviously needs to do some character development before she can have her happy ending. In this case, she must come to terms with her sister’s death and figure out what makes her happy in life. Both June and Levi appeared to have coasted through life without making any choices for themselves and instead letting others dictate how they live their lives. This flaw led me to like them both a little less-- it allowed them to blame past mistakes on others without holding themselves accountable for their indecision. I think this was somewhat acknowledged at the end and part of their growth journey throughout the book. Hopefully they get it figured out, because two indecisive people in one relationship sounds like a nightmare!
To summarize: a perfectly fine light read that provides a good escape with some nice scenery. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

3⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you NetGalley and SMP for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the main character, June and seeing her work through her own grief while also fighting for her own happiness.

It is a light and fun summer read with fun main characters as well as supporting characters (Sana and Mateo were my faves).

However, the premise of the book and why the fake dating is convenient feels very far fetched and i don’t know that I ever fully moved past it.

Still a fun little read, but don’t expect plot perfection.

3.5 ⭐️

Emma Lord's The Break-Up Pact is a lovely second chance romance novel. This story follows childhood friends June, the tea loving crying meme, and Levi, the writer and NYC money guy. While I love a second chance/friends to lovers romance, I couldn't help but be slightly bothered right in the beginning by the fact that Levi was still debating going back with his cheating fiance (and wasn't fully separated) when he started his "relationship" with June.

Overall, this was a cute and quick read, but something in the plot felt like a miss for me (though I can't put my finger on it). I would still recommend this novel as a read for anyone who enjoys a good old friends to lovers romance, and I look forward to checking out more of Emma's books💜

Read this book if you enjoy

💜 Friends to lovers
💜 Second chance romance
💜 Slow burn
💜 Beachy
💜 Small town
💜 Scones

Thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Emma Lord for this ARC!

I absolutely DEVOURED this book! Not only is it a sweet love story, but it also dives into being stuck in grief. This story is cute, funny, heartfelt, and downright beautiful!

The main characters haven’t spoken for ten years and after both dealing with viral and very humiliating breakups due to dating celebrities, they’re both in the limelight.

June’s business is struggling to make ends meet and when the landlord comes in saying she’s not sure she’ll be able to sign another lease, she needs to find a way to keep her late sister’s tea and scone shop open for good. Levi ends up in town, escaping New York for a bit, to try and finish a manuscript he’s been writing. They end up seeing each other and talking and accidentally go viral again for a misunderstood leaked photo someone took of them on the beach and now the internet thinks they’re a couple.

June’s best friend, Sana, (love her and I need more of her 😂) says they should fake date so they can both rebuild their reputations and get what they want: June gets more customers in the door and Levi will make his ex realize her mistake.

They end up going on fake dates and the more time they spend together, the more the feelings from ten years ago come up.

Reading the story was so great and I cannot recommend this enough! Be sure to add this to your tbr! This is the first book I’ve read by Emma Lord and I definitely will be reading more! 🩵

The Break-up Pact was a cute, fun romance! Definitely a nice palate cleanser from all the thrillers I read!

I loved the premise of the story - two close friends that grew up together reconnect and find love. However, the story is written in a way where June, the main character, is monologuing her thoughts throughout the story rather than sucking the reader in and enabling us to "feel" it firsthand. I wish the chapters would have switched between June and Levi's perspectives. Instead, It read more like the June's diary.

I had high hopes for this title having really enjoyed Emma Lord's work before. However, this one did not live up to her previous books, in my opinion. I found the characters a bit too archetypal and the miscommunications really hard to fathom (these are adults! just talk!) which led to some frustrations. But it's a perfectly service romance book that hits all the major beats, so if you generally enjoy the genre, it isn't bad by any means. Just...nothing special.

4.5 stars

Oh how I love you, childhood friends to lovers trope.

Bringing meme culture and tik tok virality into a book is terrifying and has the potential to go so badly but this book did a super good job of it. It didn’t feel at all like someone trying to write about tik tok trends who has never actually experienced a tik tok trend, as I feel like most mentions of social media in books do.

June was frustrating me some, but then she took a moment to herself and figured it out. Levi seems like such a sweetheart. Horrified that he hates desserts because that’s a crime, but I love him just the same.

The way that this book touched on the intense grief that June was feeling but in such a delicate way was beautiful. She was obviously struggling, but it all still felt so hopeful.

As I say with every single pov romance that I read: I think it would’ve been better as dual pov. Levi is a writer, I just know his inner monologue would’ve been great.

Overall, really good, interesting, and different way to hash out the friends to lovers trope. Definitely recommend.

Cheesy and predictable but an absolutely adorable romance! Overall slower paced and could’ve used a little more depth. But again - gobbled it up and it was overall enjoyable.

This is the first book I have read by Emma Lord, but it won't be my last. So many tropes that I love wrapped up in a cozy, warm romance with just a touch of spice. Second chance love, friends to lovers, and fake dating create a recipe for success. The characters you will fall in love with, and can't wait to see their happy ever after, along with a cast of friends and family that are close and supportive. The exes you love to hate, all of this makes a story that I didn't want to end. I would read another book just to experience them live their every day lives! Amazing job.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book, but it was a DNF at 48% for me. I was having a good time, but I had to put it down for a night and then, the next day, realized I had no desire to pick it up again. There is, more or less, no tension whatsoever.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love low-stakes, take-it-easy kinds of books. I love not having my adrenals pounded on as I'm ushered from intense moment to intense moment. I love having romance leads that aren't at odds all the time for irritatingly flimsy reasons. I love cozy books where the narrative takes the time to relish in how comfortable and happy and well-supported the characters are. Those are some of the best parts of this book, along with the dynamic between the leads and the texture of the writing itself..

Unfortunately, the story still needs things to *change* within it to feel like it's going somewhere. After almost 170 pages of June retracing all of the steps through "I can't trust him to stay, but he's hot, but he was my best friend and I miss my sister, and he gets it but I can't trust him to stay, but he's hot, but he was my best friend--" without any change in her expectations or wants or even the way she thinks of him, I just couldn't do it anymore. I liked the individual sweet moments in this book quite a bit, but by the fifth or sixth with basically 0 progress in their relationship, I was pretty done. No matter how sweet Levi and June are (and they are incredibly sweet), I didn't want to keep walking in circles with them.

I'm giving it 3/5 because it has so much promise to become the kind of story I love, but first, it really needs a good pruning and revising by a good editor before it can be considered "good",

This book was a really cute and fun read. It started out slow but once things picked up I could not put it down. The book had me pleasantly surprised. I love a good fake dating trope. Plus, I love that it didn’t have much spice to the story line. I can’t wait to see what else this author has to offer!!

The Break Up Pact by Emma Lord concerns
Levi and June high school friends who, after being dumped by their respective partners, decide to fake date. I really enjoyed this book. The story flashes back to high school through memories. Levi and June have been estranged for years and it's nice to see them regain their friendship and trust. I liked their shorthand with each other. Their connection seemed very genuine. Secondary characters Dylan (June's brother), Mateo (Dylan's fiance) and Sana (June's best friend) added a nice element and showed the layers of how June had shrunk her life, hiding from what she really wanted. The relationships were very sincere. I liked the element of social media and reality TV that made this story a bit unique. A great read for those who enjoyed Annabelle Monaghan's Same Time Next Summer or Carley Fortune's Meet Me At the Lake. 4.25 stars. Thanks to St Martin's press and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review❤️📚

5⭐️

OH. MY. GOD.

I loved absolutely everything about this book! The best parts of this book range from the fake dating to all the other platonic relationships that exist in this book. The characters is this book were so well written that I wanted to hop into the book and exist in their friend group. There were times where I was genuinely laughing out loud because it was so cute or couldn't keep the massive grin off my face because of the perfect, witty banter between June and Levi.

To top it off, there is also no third act break-up! June and Levi are always able to work out everything and move forward because of them being able to be honest adults and communicate. Do they make mistakes? Yes, of course! But, misunderstandings happen and they always had each other's best interests at heart. Whether this is Levi helping June out at Tea Tide (the tea shop June owns) or June helping Levi work on his novel, they are just everything that friends and lovers should be.

While this is technically a spicy book, there is not too much spice happening with only one open door scene.

This is a book I would recommend if you love cute romances, fake-dating, and just overall wholesome characters!

Look for this book coming out at the end of the summer! Release Date: August 13, 2024

**TW: Grief/loss of a sibling. This does happen before the book begins, but it is a major part of June's character arc**

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this digital Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions are my own.

This was my first book from this author and it definitely won’t be my last! This story and the characters had a depth to them that isn’t always found in romance novels. I love a romance that brings in a family dynamic and friendships to add to the story. I really enjoyed the story, characters and setting. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

This book was a really cute and fun read. Great for a summer vacation. Emma and Levi have a lot of history to work through but I was cheering for them from the very beginning. I enjoyed watching them discover what they wanted individually and where they fit in each other's lives.