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.

I was so excited to try another Emma Lord book after reading all of her YA books.
June and Levi were best friends until they weren't. Levi moved away and June was traveling the world with her boyfriend until her world came crashing down and she had to return home. She inherited Tea Tide from her sister and wants the legacy of her dream to live on, but she is struggling. All the while, her boyfriend of 10 years dumps her on national televison and she is now viral for her crying face meme.
Levi also has a very public break up and once he returns home to hunker down and focus on himself, he goes to a place he feels at ease.. until June comes out and smashes that all up.
They divise a plan to fake date so the internet will get off their backs, but you know what they say about fake dating your former BFF.. its fake until it isn't. I understand the breakups were fresh but the chemistry between June and Levi was instant. You could feel that there was so many things left unsaid and unfinished business between them. There were parts of his story that I didn't love, but I really loved June's story of navigating her way through what she has always done and realizing that it is ok to have a new dream after one might have not panned out the way it was supposed to. So I am rounding up to 4 stars for her journey.
Thank you to Macmillian, Netgalley and Emma Lord for an early listeners copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc audiobook!
The synopsis of this sounded great - and very applicable to something that could happen these days. I went in very excited for the story. While it was good, it wasn’t great for me. Not sure what was missing, but wasn’t a love. Overall a cute story but wasn’t a hit for me. It’s worth a read though!

Three stars.

This was disappointing and mediocre when it comes to a romance. I can’t quite figure out what it lacked but I took my time listening to the audiobook. I thought this would be a great listen and I don’t know where to start when it comes to describing my opinion.

I just couldn’t get into it. The end.

Special thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for this #ARC #audiobook to listen to. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4 ⭐ 2 🌶 4 🎧

I really loved this story. Fake dating combined with unrequited love is one of my favorites and the back story for these two was just so casually heartbreaking and beautiful.

I really couldn't stand their exes. June's was a delusional a hole and Levi's was a catty bee 🙃 I wish they got better comeuppance, but this story was really about Levi and June rekindling their friendship above anything else.

For Emma's first adult novel, I thought the spice was perfect. It was exactly what I was expecting, an angsty slow burn with minimal details that still hit just right.

I'm really excited to see what's next, be it YA or New Adult, if Emma writes it, I'm reading it. Or listening! This audiobook was really well done and I loved Natalie Naudus as June and co.

Thanks to MacMillian Audio and Netgalley for access to an ALC of the Audiobook for review purposes.

This was a very cute romcom and very well performed on the audiobook. The Break-up pact is a second chance friends to lovers fake dating romance with an entertaining premise. June and Levi are friends who fell out at the end of high school. June has always believed it was because she had feelings for Levi that were not returned. Now, 12 years later, both June and Levi are facing embarrassing public break ups with high profile x's. Thus the fake dating begins.

While their story is cute and quite funny at times, the story also shows June coming to terms with the loss of her sister (also a close friend of Levi). It has some important insights into grief and letting go, as June is stuck living the life she thinks her sister wanted instead of the one she may want.

My only complaint about the book is that is a bit too long. Some of the chapters seem repetitive and the characters do make mountains our of molehills on occasion. But Lord's prose was not for me in places where it seemed like she wanted to be profound, but couldn't quite get there

Even so this would be a fun listen for any romance fan and a perfect beach read for the end of the summer.

2⭐
Genre ~ contemporary fiction
Setting ~ Benson Beach (near NY, or in it, I think)
Publication date ~ August 13, 2024
Publisher ~ St. Martin's Griffin
Est Page Count ~ 320 (26 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 18 minutes
Narrator ~ Natalie Naudus
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ viral breakups, childhood friends, fake dating, second chance, slow burn, minimal steamage, back in the day micommunication

June (27) & Levi were broken up with publicly and decide to fake date after not seeing each other for 10 years.

I don't mind fake dating at all, but only when it's for the benefit of career purposes or something to that nature. I am absolutely not down with it when it's up in the air that one of them might or might not want to get back with their ex. Which is what happens for most of the book. That's really mean and I don't like meanness. Therefore I did not like them together at all, not one bit. I would've preferred they just stay friends who like to compete with each other.

Usually I like dual POV, but I'm happy we didn't have Levi's because it probably would've made me dislike him more.

So with that said I do think it was written well for what the author was trying to do. Also, really enjoyed June's friendship with Matteo, her brother's fiance. But, overall, I was not a fan.

Narration notes:
She did a great job.

I love Emma Lord's YA novels, so I was excited to get to listen to her adult debut, which is narrated by one of my favorite narrators. While Natalie Naudus' narration was stellar, it couldn't save this story for me. I cannot stand adults who just can't communicate and this entire book is based on miscommunication. I was left feeling frustrated most of the time. I also struggle with childhood friends to lovers, and maybe should've passed based on that, but I had high hopes that I would love it because of the author. This wasn't for me, but I know it's getting the love from readers who love these types of stories.

The Break-Up Pact is a cute romcom that deals with overcoming loss and grief. In this book June must face how to move on after a loss while also dealing with a high profile public breakup. She is reunited with her childhood best friend when an accidental fake dating (second chance, anyone?) happens.

This book is fun and quirky, while also touching on tougher topics. It is cleverly written to incorporate a slew of different tropes without feeling overwhelming. The storyline of grief and loss is really beautiful and well done. This was a quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. June goes through an arc of self discovery and while self doubt plays a big role, I do love how she pulls through in the end. The cast of close knit characters definitely add to the story and bring a nice balance all around.

Thank you to NetGalley and Emma Lord for allowing me to be an early reader

This was an easy-enough beach read but I just wasn't that in love with the characters. I think some short chapters sprinkled in with actual, developed flashbacks of the MC's childhood/adolescents together would have helped.

That you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for a free advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review. I thought I would like this book much more than I did, but I was not able to finish it after 49%. It seemed to drone on about nothing in particular that did not seem to move the plot forward or make the characters remarkable. I get that there needs to be diversity in novels, but this one seemed to try too hard for that. I didn't understand why she was helping her brother and his boyfriend plan their wedding when they lived there in the same town and could be planning their own wedding. Also, her best friend, Sona, came across more as annoying and very immature. One of the biggest problems I had with the book was how absolutely dull and boring the two main characters were. It was more of just a bunch of scenes thrown together without much character development or inner dialogue to make them have a personality. Sorry, this one wasn't for me.

I'm so excited that Emma Lord wrote an adult romance! She's one of the few YA authors I always pick up. I loved this book. It is sweet and funny and a little steamy!!
I liked that even though the main plot is their relationship, both June and Levi were figuring out their careers, their relationships, and continuing to grieve the loss of June's sister and Levi's best friend, Annie. This is not a fluffy, fun romance at all times. The fake dating and second chance trope come into play here and for the most part are done pretty well, fake dating especially.
I didn't love always love how insecure June was, but we all have traits that are less appealing. I also get very frustrated by communication or lack of as a plot device, for two people who seemed to know each other so well even after 10 years with minimal contact, they seemed to make a lot of snap judgments without consulting the other. Just talk to each other!
Natalie Naudus is a great narrator and unsurprisingly the audio was excellent. BRB, off to lounge on the beach and then grab a scone at Tea Tide!

⭐️ 5/5 The Break-Up Pact is the best book I’ve read all summer! This summer rom-com made me laugh and cry, and was an overall wonderful read! The characters were so well-developed and I could really feel the motivations of each character’s choices. It touched on deep issues, while still remaining lighthearted and fun. Also, I now want to quit my 9-5 and own a scone shop with my friends 😂
This is my first @dilemmalord book, but I’ll definitely be reading more! Thanks @netgalley for the ARC!

☀️ Fake Dating
☀️ Small Town Romance
☀️ Childhood Friends
☀️ She Falls First
☀️ Bonding over Tragedy
☀️ Self-Discovery
☀️ Satisfying Epilogue