June and Levi were best friends in high school but haven’t spoken in 10 years. Now they have both been through very public breakups and agree to fake date in order to help June’s struggling tea shop and make Levi’s ex choose him again.

There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed: Sana (June’s best friend), Tea Tide and the scone descriptions, and the beach town setting. The audiobook is narrated by Natalie Naudus, and I thought she was great. I liked her pacing and voices for various characters.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time with the romance. There was so much indecision and misunderstanding. I felt like I was missing why June and Levi were right for each other in high school, and why they work now. I think either dual POV or dual timeline could really have added to the story. It also read to me like a closed door romance, but then there was one spicy scene that felt out of place. I know that Emma Lord writes amazing YA books, and I’d love to read those because this one felt a little YA and I think I would’ve liked it better if it had been. Overall, this was a quick and easy summery listen but it just didn’t click for me.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Emma Lord, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

If you are a foodie and appreciate romance books with lengthy descriptions of scones, this is your book.

The Break-Up Pact is a cute friends to lovers and fake dating beachy romance. The story follows a friendship group that has been recently rocked by the death of one of the friends. June, the female main character, opened a tea and scones cafe with her friend and has been struggling to move on since the death. Sadly the shop is suffering and after June’s obnoxious boyfriend dumped her on live TV, she's been the laughing stock of memes and internet fame. Coincidentally, her childhood crush, Levi, another member of the friendship gang, was also recently dumped. A joint friend suggests they create a fake relationship which will be blasted on social media to help save June’s business and make Levi’s ex jealous. They do such a great job everyone thinks the revenge couple is the real thing. Throughout the story, June and Levi discover when their attraction started, what caused their years of silence, and how to move on from the loss of a friend.

Although I loved the story because I’m a sucker for friends to lovers and fake dating, it was unnecessarily long and a bit messy. The friendship between June and Levi was more reminiscing about the past and lacked real meat to their relationship. The miscommunication between characters was tolerable, but it felt like these characters were still in high school and hadn’t matured. The romantic tension of the fake dating was well done and paid off when it came to the big romantic moment. It was a natural development for the characters and I appreciated the little open door scene.

Parts of the ending were predictable and other parts had me frustrated. The characters went through so much for a delayed happy ending. More time was spent talking about June’s business than character growth or improving the relationship.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an arc of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, the premises were really good and how the book was executed too.
Now the main characters were a delight. I loved their dynamic and their relationship.
One thing I didn’t love is how it drag on a bit and created problems that could have been avoided all together just for the sake of that third act break up. I think the last 10% was tedious mostly because before we got like 10% of complications that weren’t necessary. So couldn’t enjoy the ending as much as I might have. But overall I did enjoy the story and the characters.

I really loved this fake dating romance. The narrorarors of this book really made you feel like you were there and I really want to go to the tea shop someday.

This was my first Emma Lord book. I believe most of her books are categorized as Young Adult, which doesn’t surprise me as The Break-Up Pact felt thisclose to YA.

The story is cute…and not much else. I was admittedly drawn in at the beginning and the first quarter of the book held my attention. It could’ve ended after that, in my opinion. The story went on for far too long. You know those people that like to hear themselves talk? This was the book version of that.

I will say that Emma Lord is a very talented writer and I like her writing style. She weaves words together in delightful way that’s almost poetic. If the story itself had more substance this would’ve been a great book, but sadly…

3.4 rounded down to 3.

I haven’t read a book by Emma Lord in a bit, but I had been seeing this one everywhere and figured why not? The blurb sounded really promising.

I don’t know if this was me or the book when it came to just not feeling invested in the couple or the plot. It started off strong with a background as to why they would be fake dating and the horrible shitshow they called life at the moment with having very public breakups. I too would think of a way to make it go away, haha. I’m not opposed to fake dating and I actually enjoy that trope a lot, but it didn’t work for me here. There was already an established background since they were good friends once and it didn’t feel like their “relationship” now got the development it deserved because it focused on the past with people telling them they knew it would eventually happen and so on so forth.

Another reason for this disconnect is from all of the plotlines that are trying to come together but feel like they don’t fully develop either. There is a lot that involves June’s sister and it didn’t get the growth it needed.

I did like the narration and thought it was well done.

Overall, this wasn’t for me and that’s okay. On to another one!

Oh, this book has the perfect combination of tropes! It’s a childhood friends-to-lovers (my favorite) with fake dating, small town, and “it’s always been you” combined with friends & sibling dynamics. Chef’s kiss.

This story was so sweet and full of yearning. Told from the FMC’s perspective, we navigate with her the thought process behind trying to reinvent herself after her sister died and after a very public (and humiliating) breakup. This book is a perfect example of why the friends-to-lovers trope is so fantastic; that shared history only helps enhance the chemistry, and banter making their happy ending much more exciting and emotional.

If I had a scale that went from lighthearted to emotionally scarring, I would say this book is about 30% because it discusses more serious topics of grief. However, it’s not ultimately a book that will have you crying. There’s a little bit of explicit spice concentrated around one scene (which was perfect), but the rest is just good old-fashioned yearning while navigating the tricky line that fake dating created for them.

The narration was fantastic. Clear, dynamic, and engaging. No notes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advance copy. This book will be released on August 13th. Can’t wait for all of you to read it!

I have to say, I was beyond scared when we got to 61% into the book and the couple had gotten together. 39% is way too much time for something to go wrong haha

I enjoyed this book. I have read and liked Emma Lord's books previously and was excited to read her newest. I think it was good and I liked that it tackled many things and the characters worked on themselves before moving forward. I think there could have been a bit more detail, maybe even a prologue to set up Annie/ Kelly/ Gavin and the roles they played and why they were heavy hitters in the lives of our main characters.

I do know I completely felt that when Dylan reminded June that he was here and missed her. I got so lost as the older sister and my role as I knew it as kids of care taker/protector that I forget my siblings are grown and willing to help/love/support me in the new way we can now. I default to "must protect at all costs mode" at all time.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and now want to eat many scones lol

Tropes:
Childhood friends to fake dating to ❤️
Small beach town romance
“Revenge exes” scheme
Tea shop owner FMC / Screenwriter MMC

3⭐️
2🌶️

The Break-UP Pact
By: Emma Lord
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
A cute little rom-com. When two old childhood friends meet up again after painful break-ups, what can happen? June and Levi were friends as teenagers.
Years later after each went through a break-up they strike up a deal. Levis is a hedge fund manager and trying to publish with major struggles. June is just trying to get by and pay her bills.
When a photo of them shows up of the friends everyone is convinced they are more than friends. As a way to restart life they come up with a plan of fake dating. Will they find what they are truly looking for?
Thank you Macmillian Audio for the free adio. #macaudio2024, #audiobook, #bookreview, #romcom, #stamperaldy50

No one could ever make me hate Emma Lord, but I think I would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't read all her young adult books. Her voice or writing style didn't change at all. Her adult book is the exact same as her YAs except where the things these characters do is cute and fun in high school, it came across as kind of ... cringe as adults. And I just didn't get it. I still don't even know what the Break-Up Pact was. Finally, I never want to hear another book narrated by Natalie Naudus again. This was my fourth in a row by her and I can't take her voice anymore.

From literally laughing out loud to snort laughing I couldn’t get enough of this book. June and Levi are so adorable! I honestly don’t want this one to end. Can’t wait to read the next one!!

I have loved Lord’s young adult novels and couldn’t wait to start this summery romance, especially with Natalie Naudus narrating. The setting was delightful and I enjoyed getting swept away to this beachy small town with its delightful side characters. The premise had me hooked and the ending was sweet, but sadly, this book wasn’t for me.

For me the main issue was underdevelopment with the characters, chemistry, and story structure. I don’t feel like we really got to know June and Levi and because I didn’t understand who they were as individuals, I couldn’t buy into them together. Even though June and Levi had been best friends growing up, they drifted apart so I found it odd that they quickly agreed to fake date each other. Side note: their exes were selfish, manipulative, and awful. Truly terrible and I don’t know why June and Levi kept in contact with them. As for June and Levi’s chemistry, I kept hanging on and hoping for a spark to ignite between them to help me cheer for their HEA, but their actions constantly contradicted their declarations - they were quite wishy washy.

As for the structuring of the story, the jumps from past memories to the present timeline were a bit chaotic and didn’t provide answers for the characters’ motives. For example, June and Levi are both grieving the loss of Annie, June’s sister, and this is significant to the story as it eludes to impacting their present lives (June is now running Annie’s business), but it’s a thread that just sort of dangles and isn’t fully developed.

This was a quick, easy read that I finished in an afternoon, but for me, it was missing the bit of magic found in Lord’s YA novels. The cover is super cute and I liked some of the side characters (Kelly and Griffin can eat glass) and the beach town setting, but I just didn’t buy into June and Levi’s relationship.

This is a pleasant summer read that I wish had been just a little lighter. This is probably my fault and not the book’s. There is just something about the cover, the title and the overall premise that gives you the expectation of a lighthearted romcom, and in some ways it is.

June and Levi, friends who haven’t spoken in years, happen to land on the unfortunate side of viral social media breakups with other partners at the same time. June’s media savvy best friend helps in hatching a plan that could benefit everyone — these two “Revenge Exes” fake date, the public interest helps to save June’s barely surviving beach tea shop, and Levi’s ex realizes the mistake she made and want him back. Obviously hilarity will ensue and these two will fall in love for real. Right?

Sometimes that is indeed the case. The book is strongest when June and Levi are flirting and creating fun new scone flavors and cheering each other on in becoming the best versions of themselves. I never mind when romances veer into serious topic territory, but this one got dragged down by how much time June spent ruminating on her obligation to keep absolutely everything about Tea Tide true to her deceased sister’s vision and basically every error in judgment she’s ever made. Overall though, I found it refreshing how honest and emotionally mature the main characters managed to be with one another through awkward circumstances, as opposed to many books of this genre that rely on miscommunication that could be easily overcome as a lazy plot device.

I would give this one a solid 3.5 stars and think it’s worth your time this summer! It publishes Aug. 13 and I thank #NetGalley, #MacmillanAudio and #EmmaLord for the advance listen!

The Break-Up Pact is a romantic comedy that intertwines themes of friendship, heartbreak, and the unexpected complexities of social media.
June, struggling to keep her beachside cafe afloat, and Levi, a hedge fund manager, are both reeling from public break-ups that have become viral sensations. Their paths cross again, leading to an opportunity: a viral photo convinces the internet they are a couple, sparking a wave of public interest since their viral break-ups. Faced with the chance to revive June's struggling business and give Levi a shot at redemption in the eyes of his ex, they agree to a fake relationship.

The author captures the modern issue of social media's impact on personal lives; what you see is only sometimes accurate. This premise sets the stage for a series of charming encounters as they navigate pretending to be in love while avoiding the unresolved past. The couple's chemistry and past friendship are enduring. June is dealing with loss, heartbreak, and possible financial ruin, which makes her relatable, and the reader empathizes with her. She is hopeful yet guarded. You are rooting for her every step of the way. The character growth throughout the story is satisfied as they confront their past misunderstandings. The romantic scene was a little off-putting and did not seem natural. It did not flow well, and emotions and experiences were weirdly over-explained. You could leave that part out, and I would have enjoyed the book more. The audio recording was great, and the narration gave the characters a voice.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and MacMillan Audio.

This story was so fun! The second chance romance, fake dating, the loss of a friend/family member and them navigating that grief together. It was such a fun heartwarming story. The narrator was great!

In this recording, I found myself immersed in a captivating second chance romance. The chemistry between the main characters is palpable, drawing listeners into their journey of reconciliation and renewed love. Their shared history adds layers of emotion and depth, making their story both compelling and heartfelt.

What I enjoyed most was the perfect balance of tender moments and light-hearted humor. The author skillfully navigates the complexities of their relationship, keeping the narrative engaging and unpredictable. The incorporation of the fake dating trope adds an enjoyable twist, creating moments of tension and surprise that enhance the overall experience.

The narration is clear and engaging, bringing the characters to life with distinct voices and emotions. Despite the fast-paced nature of the story, there's ample time for the characters to evolve and grow, making their eventual reunion all the more satisfying.

Overall, this recording delivers a delightful blend of romance, humor, and genuine emotion. It's perfect for listeners who enjoy immersive second chance romances with a touch of playful intrigue.

I am thankful to have gotten the audio ARC for free from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio so I can leave my voluntary and honest review.

I wanted to like this more but ai struggled. I enjoy friends to lovers when it’s done well. This was ok in the mechanics of the relationship but the interactions were annoying.

What made things worse was the narration. Some of the voices the reader choose to use were completely annoying. Particularly the role of Sana. It was a shame because I liked her character the best. I had to go ha back and forth speeding up the recitation and then put it back to 1x speed in order to keep the story going.

In the prose there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary filler and for an adult novel the language was really simple. I have never read this author before but apparently she is a very good YA author. I can see that in her writing even though this book was not supposed to be YA. Maybe she should stick to her wheelhouse? Or switch to another genre completely if she is going to take another stab at adult content.

Lastly, I had a lot of issue with the Sana character. She came off like the publisher said “you need to have some diversity, make someone a person of color”. And Sana is who we got. It bordered on offensive with some of the situations/ language.

So while I appreciate white authors trying to be more inclusive, Lord needs a bit more education first.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

I went into this expecting a cute, summery friends-to-lovers adult story. Instead, I got an awkward, chaotic, angsty YA book, but with characters who are nearly 30. The romance part of the plot did not work for me, but I did enjoy the explorations of grief. This was a single-narrator audiobook, and the narrator did a great job with it. I really enjoyed her tone and pacing. This book wasn’t for me, but you may enjoy it if you like to read YA romance, angst, and social media-fueled story lines.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for gifting me with an ALC to review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. I thought this book was basic. I finished it a day ago and already forgot the names of the characters. The storyline was okay, for a cute romance I didn’t really get into the characters nor did I feel the connection. For a quick Romance this was good but might not be life altering.