This book is giving cozy beachy small town vibes and I think it is a perfect summer read.

Our story follows June and Levi who were friends until they weren't. Fast forward a few years and they are both struggling in separate ways. One fake relationship might be able to fix it all but can it stay fake? Whenever there are reluctant fake relationships I will eat it up and this book was no different. Although there were a few plot holes I did find this book to be an easy breezy beachy read. I think if you go into this book knowing that things are not that serious you will enjoy it more than you think you will. But you have to go into it with that for sure or else it can feel a little frustrating.

I recommend this book to anyone looking to read an easy beachy second chance fake relationship book. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

Emma Lord’s The Break-Up Pact is the kind of book that’s easy to get lost in for a few hours, offering a fun take on the fake-dating trope with childhood friends-to-lovers dynamics. Following June and Levi after they both experience very public breakups, they hatch a plan to fake date in hopes of reviving a failing tea shop that holds serious emotional baggage for June and regain some respectability on Levi's end.

That said, while the book is undeniably entertaining in the moment, it doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression. The plot is rather predictable, and while it’s satisfying, it lacks the emotional weight or unique spark that would make it truly memorable. By the time the final page turns, it’s likely to blur into the sea of other fun but ultimately forgettable rom coms.

If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good escape with a bit of romance, The Break-Up Pact delivers. Just don’t expect it to linger in your mind long after you’ve finished.

I don't have a ton to say for the narration other than that it was fairly good and matched the book well.

I’ve enjoyed so many of Emma Lord’s books and couldn’t wait to read this!

The Break-Up Pact centers around June and Levi, friends since childhood that have a fallout. When they come back into each other’s lives, they decide to pretend to be a couple. I just love the fake dating trope which is so fun!

I listened to the audiobook format and really enjoyed the narration performance by Natalie Naudus.

*many thanks to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This is not my first Emma Lord book, but it was my first adult romance book that I have read of hers, and while I liked it, it wasn’t my favorite. I thought the premise was interesting, sort of a second chance slow burn romance with the main characters being very close friends in high school and finding themselves back in each other's lives. They agree to fake date, which is one of my favorite troupes. While I enjoyed the troupes, I think that I just didn’t connect to the characters as much as I wanted to. I didn’t really feel the tension between them as much as I wanted, and they felt a bit more cringe at times then I prefer. That being said, I did enjoy the elements of the book that involved June’s tea shop, and I’ve honestly never wanted a scone more in my life than by the time I have finished this book. The narrator did a great job of bringing the story to life, though, and kept me entertained throughout my listen. It was a like, not a love, but it might be exactly what you are wanting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

This is a sweet romantic comedy with some real emotion. As someone trying to find romance books for teens, I appreciate a story line with more mature characters and story line, but low spice scale.

THE BREAKUP PACT review

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

☀️My first Emma Lord book! I went into this one knowing nothing other than it was a contemporary romance book. I enjoyed it but it didn’t blow me away. The second chance, friends to lovers storyline is always a hit for me!

☀️Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
June and Levi haven’t spoken in years. When they both have massively viral breakups, they decide to fake date. A photo of them together has gone viral too so they decide to capitalize on it and pretend to be in a relationship to help them get over their exes.

☀️This one also had a strong grief storyline which I wasn’t expecting. It made the story feel more real and I liked that element of it. It was a pretty slow burn and I wasn’t fully invested until the backhalf but I enjoyed it overall!

☀️Thanks to @macmillan.audio for my digital copy!

As someone who has enjoyed everything I've read by Emma Lord, I don't think this one held up to her other books. It's probably unfair to compare their works against each other, but unfortunately that's how it goes sometime. The story is forgettable and the characters were meh.

Fun and cozy and so romantic. Emma Lord does it again with this sweet story, and the narrator was delightful.

I received this one as an ARC from Macmillan Audio! Honestly I liked this one but didn’t love it. I loved June and her growth through the book but Levi was just ok to me. If there was a second book, I’m not sure if I would read it.

What to Expect:
Second Chance Romance
Fake Dating
Miscommunication
Grief & Loss
Sister’s Best Friend
FMC Finder Her Own Way
Struggling Bakery/Tea Shop
First Person POV

writing: very emily henry coded | plot: was okay (predictable) | ending: yay I think? | audio: i liked the narrator (made more of a fun read)

I want to start my review by saying that the fake dating trope is probably my least favorite in the romance genre. I find that it can be done well, but it is rare. I liked Lord's portrayal of Levi and June, but I found their relationship too complicated, and the story too diverging, to be invested in their fake dating storyline.

I loved the audiobook of this one, and would recommend listening rather than reading because the characters back story can be a little hard to follow otherwise.

THANK YOU to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars.

The Break Up Pact
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Emma Lord

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: June and Levi were best friends as teenagers—until the day they weren’t. Now June is struggling to make rent on her beachside tea shop, Levi is living a New York cliché as a disillusioned hedge fund manager and failed novelist, and they've barely spoken in years.

But after they both experience public, humiliating break-ups with their exes that spread like wildfire across TikTok rabbit holes and daytime talk shows alike, they accidentally make some juicy gossip of their own—a photo of them together has the internet convinced they're a couple. With so many people rooting for them, they decide to put aside their rocky past and make a pact to fuel the fire. Pretending to date will help June’s shop get back on its feet and make Levi’s ex realize that she made a mistake. All they have to do is convince the world they're in love, one swoon-worthy photo opp at a time.

My Thoughts: Lord has been primarily a YA writer, this is her first adult romance release. Before I add a book to my TBR, I usually read the blurb and reviews. Some of the reviews were kind of harsh, I believe we can critique books without being abrasive, but that is just my two cents. I think the major issue is that most people expect this to be a typical romcom but it is more serious, more of an adult contemporary. While this was not her best writing, it was still enjoyable. June and Levi were best friends as teenagers, until they weren’t. A misunderstanding a few years ago caused the falling out. June is struggling beachside tea shop owner and Levi is a hedge fund manager. June also just had a very public humiliating break up. Coincidently, Levi also had a public break up of a different magnitude. The two are caught standing together in a public photograph that is posted on social media and the world loves them as a couple, even if that is not what was happening behind the picture. This follows tropes of fake dating, best friends, friends to lovers, and social media relationship.

The tone of this one is a bit more serious than Lord’s prior works. This is due to their recent public breakups and career issues. However, we all know in an adult world, this is called life, so it makes sense to me that a romance would be set around these popular issues, such as businesses struggle to stay open past five years, or you end up in a career that you are not passionate about anymore. Then the romance piece, you waste years of your life with someone who drops you without a moment’s notice, you lose people who are important to you, or friendships fade.

June seems to be living in her sister’s shadow (who passed away off page) and I would love to see her process through the grief and step into her own more. Levi returned to his hometown to put distance between him and his ex, and only focuses to much on wanting to get back with his ex versus moving on and seeing what is in front of him. Having said this, I still feel that the characters were well developed with depth, evenly matched, had some witty banter, definitely had chemistry, and were intriguing. Their characters could have been a bit more finely tuned and I think it would have really turned the narrative around. The author’s writing style was complex, serious with some humor blended in, romantic, relationship focused, heartwarming, and kept me engaged.

I normally rate Lord’s books between 4/5 ⭐️ but this one fell a little short. Still not a bad read, I just think some things could have been done differently, and it would have really elevated the storyline. I had both the digital and audio ARC (yes, sorry, I am behind on my reviews, a few months behind), and leaned more on the audio than the e-galley. Overall, I enjoyed the storyline, just wanted more. I would recommend to other readers as an adult contemporary fiction read.

I love a good fake dating book and this one did not disappoint a cute read full of banter an overall great read

I enjoyed listening to this one. It was a cute second chance romance. It was the perfect thing to listen to just to have something sweet and nice. This is a great chick-lit listen. There were a couple of times I felt like it dragged a little but overall enjoyable ans thats what I go for with chick-lit/romance novels.

The narration was well done.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is a delightful, laugh-out-loud rom-com that cleverly explores the chaos of second chances, fake relationships, and the unpredictable nature of love. June and Levi were once inseparable best friends, but years of silence and distance have come between them. Now, both are struggling in different ways—June is fighting to keep her beachside tea shop afloat, while Levi is living the high-stress life of a hedge fund manager in New York, failing to find fulfillment in either his career or his writing.

When a viral photo of them together after humiliating breakups with their exes convinces the internet they're a couple, June and Levi decide to roll with it. Their fake relationship could help save her business and make Levi's ex regret letting him go. What starts as a mutual, business-minded pact soon spirals into something more complicated, with staged "romantic" dates and swoon-worthy photo ops designed to convince the world they’re in love. But as the line between pretend and real begins to blur, both must confront the emotions they’ve been burying for years.

Lord expertly balances humor and heart, creating a cast of lovable characters and a setting full of charm and warmth. The dynamic between June and Levi is both sweet and full of tension, making their journey from fake romance to real feelings an absolute joy to read. The Break-Up Pact is a perfect feel-good read for fans of fake-dating tropes, second-chance romance, and witty banter. It’s a fun, heartfelt reminder that sometimes the best relationships come from the most unexpected places.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is light-hearted, fun, and filled with rom-com energy. It's charming, with a lot of heart and humor.

I really enjoyed this one! The story follows two friends, Natalie and Will, who make a pact to break up with their significant others together to avoid the drama of breakups on their own. But things get messy when their pact brings them closer and sparks feelings neither of them expected. It's a sweet, quirky love story that blends friendship, self-discovery, and romance. The pacing was great, and I found myself rooting for the characters as they navigated the ups and downs of their unconventional pact. If you're looking for a feel-good read with a little bit of everything, this one’s definitely worth it!

I LOVED The Rival and was excited to read this adult novel by Emma. Sadly, this novel was a let down for me. It felt like an early draft that needed some work on the pacing and details.

I liked our two main characters overall, but they did not see as real as characters from her other books.

While I would not necessarily recommend this book by Emma, I have enjoyed her writing enough to pick up other books she releases.

Rounded down from 3.5 stars.

This was one of my first dips into audiobooks and the romance genre and I liked it! There were definitely some cons that I had problems with, but I don't think it was the book itself, honestly. I think it was more a me thing. In general, it reminded me of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill (which I loved) & The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.

Pros:
The storyline itself. I loved the way the author portrayed the relationship between the FMC and her sister.
I loved the relationship between Levi & June towards the end and the nicknames they used with each other.
Love the fake dating trope and how it was carried out.
The narrator was absolutely amazing! Natalie Naudus really brought the story to life and I'm so glad she was chosen for this book!

Cons:
For some reason, June just kind of rubbed me the wrong way. She was stuck in her head TOO much and it lead to a lot of negativity.
Oh my gosh, her car's nickname drove me nuts. lol But that was definitely a me thing.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Emma Lord for the chance to listen to this book.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is a laugh out loud, easy rom-com listen & read. Each work by this author makes me love her even more! I will definitely check out more of her books.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for an ARC copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good second chance romance with a fake dating twist, and The Break Up Pact hit all the right notes! After a decade of no contact, June and Levi find themselves in a fake relationship to recover from their viral breakups. What I appreciated most was the mix of lighthearted moments and deeper emotional challenges. Both characters are healing from past relationship wounds and dealing with unresolved issues from their old friendship, making their journey feel authentic and heartfelt. This book offers a great balance of fun and depth, perfect for anyone who enjoys a romance with a bit more emotional weight.