I love Emily Giffin which is why I chose this book! I loved her something borrowed and something blue series! So I was excited to read this book.

It wasn’t what I was expecting. From the name I expected a lighter read. This book is about 3 friends who make a pact to be there for each other in hard times. I liked the premise but I just didn’t connect with this book. I don’t know if it was my own fault for not reading the blurb and having inaccurate expectations or if it was the storyline but it was not my favorite of her works. I liked it okay though. I enjoyed the characters connections and the way they supported and pushed each other but I didn’t love it. It was a 3 star read for me but I think if I went into it knowing what it was it might have been a little higher.

I am a huge fan of Emily Giffin’s work throughout the years but this novel just felt like it was missing some of her pizazz and spark that normally comes with it. This book begins with 3 friends that make a pact after loss and their character growth after. But towards halfway through the book it became a little overwhelming when they went to Capri and there were just so many different storylines and plot development that felt random.

I did love the idea behind this book and it was spectacularly written as usual with Emily but the multiple POV really threw me off. There wasn’t a single character that really seemed drawn to and they all seemed so immature for how old they were. Throughout the chapters I often had to go back to see what POV I was in. For a romance book it seemed like the “romance” came so late in the book and I wanted more. Some of the relationships seemed random and almost forced.

Towards the end there were so many things going on at once that it was distracting. There were also a ton of political and other conversations which I understand is common when having BIPOC characters; however, it took pages to get through it and it was very dense and to me pulled away from the overall plot from the book.

Overall, I just felt that this book lacked some of Emily Giffin’s spark. I look forward to reading what comes next for her.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the early eARC of this novel!

The Summer Pact is a thoughtful reflection of friendship, grief and growing up. This book has the hallmark Emily Giffin style of honesty and humor. The adventure was vivid and entertaining and the relationships were captured honestly. I was expecting this to be a bit lighthearted, which it wasn’t. Once I recalibrated, I was pulled into the story. The ending felt too abrupt to me, and wished it had been expanded on. I would have read another 50 pages for more resolution, happily. I loved the three pov approach.

This was just ok. I feel like this could have gone straight to paperback. It is a plot that has been done before and done better.

Another Emily Giffin winner!!

Giffin has the ability to evoke emotion through her characters, no matter if you’ve lived their experiences or not. That’s one of my favorite aspects of her writing, and she does that flawlessly in THE SUMMER PACT. I’ve read nearly all of her books, so I’ve come to expect that emotion, no matter how fun and color my the cover may be.

What I loved most about this one was the focus on found family. I’m 35 years old with three kids of my own, but I’ll always appreciate found family stories because I think they resonate with everyone.

Per usual, if Giffin writes it, I’ll read it. Loved this one!

Rating 3.5 I have never read an Emily Griffin book before so I did not know what to expect. This summer read is about a group of friends who after a tragedy make a pact to always be there for each other during hard times. Ten years later after one friend has a breakup, they take time to travel and support each other.
There were some heavy topics throughout the book such as addiction, suicide and parental conflicts all weaved throughout a summer read. I was not connected to any of the characters. It also seemed impractical to me that one guy would be friends with three girls. They just seemed like an odd pairing of friends. I did enjoy the support that the characters gave each other but I just didn't feel any connection with any of the characters. Lainey to me was the most messy and my least favorite of all the characters. Capri as a background location was great. It made want to take a trip to Italy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for the gifted copy.

Loved this book by Giffin! The way Summer tore them apart and got them back together proved to be a great storyline. Loved the plot of this book!

I didn’t fall in love with this book. The romantic relationships felt very forced, and I didn’t find myself believing or cheering for any of them to happen/last. I wish the author would have really followed the arc of the characters growing up together as they became adults, leaning on each other during times of need. There were a lot of good qualities about this book, but overall I didn’t really enjoy it.

Family is what you make it and Tyson, Lainie, Hannah and Summer become fast friends their freshman year in college. That friendship only deepens after Summer’s sudden death. They vow to always be there for each other and, if there is a crisis, to be at each other’s side - literally. Fast forward to ten years later. Hannah’s engagement blows up with lies and betrayal. Lainie and Tyson join her and the three plan to take several weeks to travel together to their dream destinations. Lainie and Tyson face problems of their own which will become obvious during their trips. Each location changes them until their trip to Capri and a near death experience cause permanent and welcome effects.

Emily Giffin brings these characters to life with her emotional dialogue, glamorous setting (Capri, not Texas) and shows us what holds the trio back and how they overcome limitations. While The Summer Pact may be a beach read, it will stay with you long after you read the final pages. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Emily Giffin for this ARC.

I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately that was not the case. I know that rom coms are not always meant to be realistic, but this book was incredibly far fetched. What kind of people can just drop everything and go on a two week vacation to three destinations that are not anywhere near each other? Also, the ending was also horrible. Lainey completely overreacted and the whole event with her on a yacht was unnecessarily dramatic. I unfortunately didn't really like or connect well with any of the three main characters. I wouldn't recommend reading The Summer Pact.

This book had a take on friendships while growing up but sticking together through tough times. I will say there is definitely some heavy subject matter.

Now on to a short summary:
Three friends come together again because one of their fiance's cheats. They had created a "Summer Pact" in memory of their fourth best friend that when something so low happens to one another they will drop everything to be there and support. The three realize they are all going through it and decide to take a trip to 3 different locations. Drama, self discovery and self realization happens.

I am still surprised these people are friends and sometimes they just were too much. But it really does show opposites can attract in friendship too.

It was a good read but just wasn't very memorable in my opinion.

Thank you Netgalley, the publishers and author for the advanced reader's copy.

Thank you for the advanced copy! This was a sweet story of friendship, love and loss. Four very different students connect during their freshman year at university and create strong bonds . Tragedy during their senior year and the rest of the novel follows how it impacted them. It was a very quick read that I really enjoyed. There were some slow spots for me. Make sure to check trigger warnings!

Emily Giffin’s newest title The Summer Pact is perfectly timed this summer for pairing with an Aperol Spritz. Giffin is back with another heartfelt portrayal about a group of friends who meet in college and form lifelong bonds.

Hannah, the people pleaser, Lainey, the future actress, Tyson, the scholar and Summer, the athlete meet freshman year at the University of Virginia and become fast friends. When a tragedy strikes their group, the remaining friends make a pact to always be there for each other during life’s ups and downs. Ten years later, Hannah is about to celebrate the happiest time of her life until an unexpected development causes her to invoke the pact. What follows is a life changing trip to Europe for them all.

Giffin’s characters are written realistically, complete with flaws and having made questionable choices in their messy lives. With references to La Fontelina in Capri, the setting will transport you to a glorious summer location. The Summer Pact is a thirty something coming of age tale about friendship and self-discovery. A perfect summer escape read touching on topics of grief, love and hope.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House -Ballantine for the advanced reader’s copy.

Okay, normally I absolutely love everything Emily Griffin writes, but this didn't work for me. It was still quick and enjoyable, but doesn't meet the precedence she's set with her other books.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the arc.

This might be my favorite Emily Giffin novel yet! 3 friends, romance, adventure with a lot of highs and lows. It was a quick read and a wonderful escape. Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #TheSummerPact

The Summer pact is a moving story of best friends who lose one due to suicide. They make a pact that no matter what they will be there when the others need them. The story is well crafted, the characters are fantastic! Definitely a fun read!

thank you to netgalley and random house publishing group - ballantine for this arc!!

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY ↡
💛 found family
👥 multiple POVs
✈️ traveling with your best friends
📖 character-driven plot

REVIEW ↡
emily giffin is a consistent 4/5-star author for me. her writing always captivates me and keeps me entertained and attached to the characters. i thought THE SUMMER PACT was a great beach read - it was a quick read, had solid character development, and detailed travels in the US and abroad. i liked the pop culture references and feel like i could understand emily’s interests (taylor swift, the royals) that way. so glad to cross this one off my summer TBR and definitely recommend it!

Emily Giffin books are very polarizing: they are either really good or really bad. The Summer Pact is one of the few that break pattern, being a so-so novel.
Freshman year finds Lainey (a California party girl), Tyson, (a brilliant social justice warrior from D.C.), Summer (runner extraordinaire and perfectionist from the Midwest), and Hannah (a mild-mannered Southerner with an overbearing mother) sharing dorm space. Despite their differences, the roommates become fast friends. When Summer commits suicide, everything changes. Stunned and heartbroken, the surviving three make a pact to be there for each other in their time of need, no matter how separated they are by circumstances or distance. Ten years later, Hannah calls on this pact when she finds her fiancé cheating. Lainey and Tyson raced to her despite personal sacrifice. The three decide to take a trip with one picking a destination. Will the three deal with their deepest issues and find themselves again? Can the memory of Summer save them all?
The characters are to the extremes. Tyson is Chidi Anagonye on steroids, Lainey is the stereotypical party girl, and Hannah is the archetypical pushover. There is very little character development: only one character really changes. As for the twists for the other two? I saw those coming a mile away. The love stories come so quickly that they make no sense. If you’re into tropes, this novel might be for you.
But the story itself is a great setup. Giffin explores how people handle grief both in the short and long term. Bringing these friends back together and truly caring about one another throughout the years is inspiring. Few of us have such friends that stay so long, especially with life changes. The trip here is secondary: it’s not the story. Instead, it is about friends supporting each other in an effort to help them stay alive.
The Summer Pact has some beautiful ideas and moments. The characters are archetypes to the extreme, but the memory of Summer pushes the reader forward to see what they will do with their lives.
Publication Date: July 9
I received an ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

Lifelong college friends all in very real, very different struggling phases in life. I appreciated how in touch with reality this book tried to be while also giving us all the drama. I loved each one of these characters and I think they did such a great job showing how we memorialize the people in our lives that we lose young. Obsessed with this. The title was so clever! So much depth but it also moved so fast.

Please check the content warnings on this one. They’re listed right away in the book! Otherwise, I would absolutely you pick up this book ASAP. So good and filled with so much travel! AND SO MANY LAYERS.

thank you NetGalley and Random House publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a snooze. I didn’t like it at all. The story is about friends who make a pact to be there for each other in times of trouble. One of the friends catches her fiancé in bed with another woman and the pact is activated as the friends decide to travel to heal her broken heart. From there, the book takes some unexpected turns-but none that matter because the story is so stupid. This is seriously one of the worst books I’ve ever read, which is sad because I love Emily Giffin so much.