The Breakup Pact is a fantastic romance that is both funny and heartfelt. This story is told from the single POV of the female MC, following her through her growth and her friends to lovers romance. I was drawn in from the beginning, intrigued by the plot and the dynamics between the MC and her once close friend.

This is a must read (or listen) for romance lovers.

I listened to the audiobook which is extremely well done. I listened at 1.75x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75-2x speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook copy.

The Break Up Pact is fast paced, though could be a bit shorter. I liked that it was new adult, not young adult. Its about post-college characters so they were a little more mature than younger kids. I do think the miscommunication here was a bit annoying, but I think of myself in my early 20s and I probably didn't communicate very well then either. To this point, it was well written!

This was perfectly fine and perfectly bland. There is nothing really that stands outs about the story or the characters. Very middle of the road. Not a bad time, just meh.

Two old friends have recently been publicly dumped, and they decide to give the internet what they're asking for - a little revenge.

June and Levi were both SO SWEET in this one. I love "it's always been you" especially when they're loathe to realize/admit it. June owns a tea shop and Levi's a writer, but they were friends in high school who might have become more. They've got shared grief, and ten years of space between them where they haven't been in touch, but the way they slowly and authentically come back to each other was so great.

I loved the small beach town, the locals, the silly scone names, and the side plot of celebrity/paparazzi/reality tv vibes. There is so much amazing chemistry and an EXCELLENT scene of them finally making love after so many years of denied mutual pining. Well done, Emma Lord!!

I thought it was a perfectly lovely story. If not somewhat frustrating, unbelievable, and juvenile. Sorry…not trying to be mean! I remember being a 20-something, but it has been 11 years since I could call myself such. The narrator made me add a full star, she was so good.! I did enjoy the audiobook immensely. Overall, my favorite of what I’ve read from Emma Lord!

I really loved the author’s writing style. It reminded me of Emily Henry...flowery but concrete. Conversational but poetic.

Unfortunately the plot and main characters did not land for me.

The plot felt very unfocused. Going viral (I think I may be too old for meme-based storylines, but that’s a me problem), fake dating, teenage crush, save the business, write the book, plan a wedding, loss of a loved one…it’s too many bases to cover to do any of them well.

The FMC was just fine, not exceptionally good or bad. The MMC stayed stuck on his ex for WAY too long for me to fully get on board with him.

The moment it’s revealed that the MMC did in fact return the FMC’s high school feelings was extremely unsatisfying. The bright, joyful feelings that usually come with the declaration moment were completely skipped over in favor of the grief-related ones. Of course those exist, but at such a pivotal romantic moment in a ROMANCE novel you can’t be stingy with the swoon.

The audiobook narrator was wonderful.

June and Levi were best friends when they were younger but had since grown apart. Recently they had both gone through some very public breakups.

June owns a tea shop by the beach and is struggling to make ends meet. Levi is a hedge fund manager in New York City and a failed author. He comes back into town to try and make amends as well as try and get back into writing.

June and Levi start talking again and end up having pictures of them posted on the internet which go viral. Due to that June's tea shop business starts taking off with lines out the door to get in. They decide to make a break-up pact to help benefit both of them, Levi with his ex and June with her tea shop.

I thought this fake dating trope was done very well in this story. I enjoyed both stories of June and Levi, it did have some serious moments but it was well handled.

This is an adorable friends-to-lovers romance book! June and Levi were friends in high school, but drifted apart. Years later they both go viral over breakups and make a pact to fake-date to stop strangers from harassing them. I love this plot because the characters have a history and are not just random strangers. It gives so much more depth to the story!

I love the story line and how the characters developed and grew throughout the book. The exes were very much portrayed as the obvious "bad guys," which wasn't super realistic, but helped the story along none the less. I highly recommend this book for modern romance fans!

🎧The Break-Up Pact🎧
By: Emma Lord
Narrated By:Natalie Naudus
Review Score: 4 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•I love June and Levi, and how their lives are interconnected in so many ways.

•This is fake dating at its finest!

•While a story with a lot of fun, there is also a lot of emotion (Lord honestly writes the best characters).

•June really has to go through so many phases to get where she needs to go, and I think we can all relate to that.

————————————————————————————————————————————

🎧 Audiobook Review! 🎧

The Break-Up Pact was kindly provided as an ALC by MacMillan Audio. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: 8/13/24

The Break-Up pact follows June and Levi, two people who were both broken up with by their significant others in a way that goes viral. These two actually have history, and so they start fake dating (a favorite trope of mine). Obviously, old history is brought up and feelings are shared.

While this book has all of that, it has heart too. No spoilers, but June and Levi have both lost someone very close to them, and those feelings shape who they are. I really resonated with that throughout the story.

I absolutely loved the narration on this book. I think this is the first book I’ve listened to by Natalie Naudus (I could be wrong), and I definitely want to listen to more books she has read!

My rating 3.5 stars (rounded off to 4 stars)

I was looking for a fun, easy read, and that's exactly what I got with the Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord!

This fake dating, second chance small-town romance is a quick and entertaining read.

... and now I'm just craving scones.

This book was a cookie cutter, second-chance romance, rom-com. It was exactly what you'd expect - no real twists or anything unpredictable, just a simple, light-read or listen. Given that this is Lord's first Adult rom-com, I'd say it wasn't too bad. It was definitely YA vibe, simple but with a little more substance. I can't say I loved this but it wasn't DNF worthy either. If you're looking for a comforting, predictable, happy ending, easy beach read - you're going to love this one. If you're looking for something with depth, you'll be disappointed.

The audio narration was great, it was a quick and easy listen. I'd call it a fun, mindless summer read - so if you just want to disconnect and relax, pick this one up.

First thank you to the publisher and author for a chance to read and review this book. That being said let’s get into it…

Did I love this story? No but I also didn’t hate it. I feel that this would be the perfect romance for new readers of the genre. For those who read romance often this felt like every other fake dating/ friends to lovers/ second chance book that’s out there. It’s a very fast paced book and kinda feels insta lovey which I’m not a huge fan of. I wanted to get to know the characters and have them have a slow burn relationship. Instead we are thrown into the book and it’s known that these two characters were made for each other and then the whole romance goes super fast.
Also can we talk about how the main characters didn’t even get over their past relationships before jumping into a new one? Hell the Male main character Levi isn’t even broken up with his girlfriend (who cheats on him publicly but yet we are supposed to believe he’s just waiting on the sidelines for her until she’s done with her fling?) before he gets involved with June. Oh and while we are on the subject of June… Levi completely ghosts her for his ex who he’s still in a relationship with and things still just work out?!? Ummm… I want a strong female lead not a “I just want to be loved so it’s ok if he treats me like trash” girl.
Like I said for someone who often reads romance this story has been done and now I understand the lower rating before the release date (which I was originally shocked about). However, if you’re dipping your toes into the genre I think you should pick this up and give it a shot. You may love it!

I am not sure why, but I didn't enjoy this as much as I expected to. I can't put my finger on it exactly. I do know some things that contributed:
-the weird motherly figure/landlord
-speaking of parental figures, where were their parents? I understand that they are adults, but every character in the book grew up together in that town. June's parents moved away, but with their son getting married, don't you think they'd appear?
-The fact that they have all been BFFs for their whole lives (except for Sana) and didn't discover each other until well into adulthood? Not just June and Levi, but her brother's relationship, too.
-The wedding planning. It was weird that it was passed to June and Levi, and it was there but also absent. Weird.

Now, what I did like.
-The cover. Adorable
- Natalie Naudus narrating the audiobook


Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate this. I just felt it was OK and wanted more from it.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Break-Up Pact narrates the tale of two ex-best buddies who haven't had a word with each other for nearly a decade, both navigating through the turmoil of viral breakups. They decide to create a fake date to assist June’s Tea Tide enterprise and to demonstrate to Levi’s fiancé, Kelly, the potential loss she might face. This story was captivating and filled with warmth, offering a fresh perspective on love and recovery. I completely liked this novel and would strongly suggest it. great audiobook! Thank you to Net Galley for the eARC!

This is a great read for fans of Katherine Center and Emily Henry. Former high school best friends, Levi and June, reconnect after suffering from humiliating and very public break-ups. A photo of the two together goes viral and they get dubbed the "Revenge Exes". June hopes to capitalize on her new social media celebrity status to save her tea shop, Tea Tide and makes. a fake-date pact with Levi.

Natalie Naudus narrates exceptionally well and she is one of my favorite narrators. Her cadence and inflection enhance the flow of this fast-paced plot. Her voices are distinct enough to differentiate between characters.

What I enjoyed:
fast-paced, fake-dating trope
serious adult relationship issues - June recognizes that she never felt comfortable in her own skin while she was dating Griffin (ex)., how to find closure after a long-term relationship
low spice

Special thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ARC!

I loved this story! June and Levi’s story was SO MUCH more than many others I’ve read with the fake dating trope, because their background and relationship was well-developed and layered. The two best friends had a multifaceted past with one another that impacts the way their relationship plays out in the present. At the same time, the evolution of their relationship is impacted by other relationships, June’s business, life in a smaller town, and the media. All of these factors made the story super interesting to read, while drawing me in to the characters more and more.

The fact that this story was complex yet lighthearted, thoughtful while hopeful, and full of storylines that weren’t challenging to keep track of made it a joy to read. The beachside setting makes it a perfect, fell-good summer read!

I have a read a lot of Emma Lord books and this one just kind of falls in the middle.
It wasn't bad but also wasn't anything special. June and Levi are a good match and I think the chemistry showed through the pages but the storyline itself just felt like it has been done before, but with that being said I will still be picking up Emma Lords books going forward.

I got this audiobook as an arc listen from @netgalley

I LOVE a good fake dating trope! This book has both fake dating and friends to lovers vibes. The two main characters start dating in order to get revenge on their exes. Of course they fall in love along the way, have some hiccups and work on figuring out their lives. This is definitely a must read/listen! It comes out August 13th!!

I enjoyed the fake-dating trope with a healthy dose of realistic issues, including the loss of a loved one, small business troubles, break ups, and not feeling fulfilled in your career.

The tea shop by the sea was a super cute idea and I really loved following June’s small business journey. It was a cute and quick read.

The Break Up Pact is a great read!! 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️If you are looking for a book about a second chance at love with your childhood crush this is the book! This book on audio was pure perfection and I just wanted to get back to listening each time!

Levi and June are two childhood friends who drifted apart as they got older but reunite after both experience humiliating public breakups. They decide to capitalize on the publicity and become the “The Revenge Exes!” June in hopes of saving her struggling tea shop left to her by her deceased sister and Levi in an attempt to win back his ex to make her jealous! I instantly fell in love with their story and the chemistry of “The Revenge Exes” as if no time had passed! Throughout the book you are rooting for the Revenge Exes and yelling at them to see their worth throughout the story!!
This book would be great on the big screen!

Thank you to Emma Lord, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, & Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.