What a sweet, sweet friends to lovers story! Levi and June’s history was slowly revealed and I enjoyed every second.

The beachy, small coastal town vibes of Emma’s tea shop were the perfect backdrop and I loved every single part of her family and story!

Natalie Naudus was fantastic as narrator.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan audio for this ARC.

"You have all of me," he says. "However much you want."
And my throat aches almost as much as the rest of me then, because it's one thing to know it, but another thing to hear it. Sweeter than dreams. Sharper than hope.

Former best friends June and Levi both have problems. June is about to lose the tea shop she runs in honor of her late sister, and Levi wants his ex back. To top it off, both of their most recent breakups went viral. They won't admit that they miss each other, but what they can admit is that both their problems could be solved if they pretended to date. June can attract new customers to the shop and Levi's ex will see what she's missing. Old feelings have no place in this arrangement...right?

tropes:
second chance-ish
friends to lovers
fake dating

steam:
one explicit scene, some scattered inuendo throughout.

content warnings:
cheating (side characters only)
sudden death (off page, before story begins)

what I liked:
Okay, is it just that I'm a permanent sucker for friends to lovers? I actually loved this book. The writing was eloquent (I loved this author's writing style!) and story points were consistent throughout.
It's got rom-com vibes that aren't trying too hard to be funny but did also actually make me laugh a couple times throughout.
"Take that picture and I'll throw your phone so far into the ocean, you'll be getting texts from Poseidon."

I liked the way inclusivity and diversity were handled throughout. It distinctly did not feel to me like the author included token characters, but that she did have characters who just were gay or weren't white. It felt natural to me.
This book was more than a lil romance novel. It's a story of grief and growth and friendship.
"Back then it felt like the grief would swallow us whole. It's different now, more like the waves at our feet; constantly ebbing and flowing. Swollen one moment and quiet the next. A tide I can dip my feet into and let myself feel, or a swell that will hit me from behind when I least expect it."


what I didn't like:
their initial conflict really annoyed me. So much. I was going to take a star off for it, but I liked the rest well enough to only take off half a star in the end.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars rounded up.

Narrator:
I loved this narrator! She read so fluidly, like she was telling her own story, not reading a book. She placed emphasis where it was natural and kept the pace lively.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
(Because I listened to the audiobook, my quotes are formatted as best as I could. Any flaws in the grammar belong to me and my poor transcription skills--not to the author.)

June and Levi were best friends....until they lost touch. Ten years later and after a fake dating adventure - they'll be friends again, at least.

I will keep saying it as it is so true - fake dating is such a fun trope to read! The shenanigans between June and Levi were so cute that I couldn't help but cheer them on as I read. Fake dating someone you already know takes the process to a whole new level and I love how both our characters already knew the other inside out. I have been a fan of Emma Lord's work since Tweet Cute (such an amazing book!) so I'm pleased to see her branch out into adult fiction. I think she's knocked it out of the park with The Break Up Pact. I was fortunate enough to listen to this one on audio while I read along and highly recommend the audiobook as the narration was extremely well done.

It seems like "The Breakup Pact" had some interesting elements, but perhaps fell short in fully engaging the reader with its characters. The lack of connection to Levi and June might have hindered the emotional impact of the story, making it difficult to become invested in their journey.

The ambiguity surrounding Levi's intentions and June's sudden notoriety from a meme may have left some unanswered questions for readers, making it challenging to fully understand the characters' motivations and actions.

However, it's commendable that the book delved into deeper themes such as grief and the struggle to maintain one's own dreams in the face of loss. The exploration of these complex emotions added a layer of depth to the story, offering a more meaningful reading experience than a typical romance novel.

While "The Breakup Pact" may not have resonated as strongly as hoped, it's clear that the attempt to infuse the narrative with substance and emotional complexity was appreciated. Perhaps future works by the author will further refine the storytelling and character development to create a more impactful and engaging read.

It might be that Emma Lord just isn't for me. So far I haven't connected with her stories however I know many people love her books. This may be a new favorite for you.

The narrators did an incredible job bringing the characters to life. I would listen to other books narrated by them in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this advanced listener copy. My review is voluntarily My own.

Let me start by thanking NetGalley and the publishers for sending me this ARC for my honest review.

The Break-Up Pact is a cutesy rom-com, perfect when you need something heartwarming.

The story follows June and Levi, former besties until a falling out at the end of high school, causing them to drift apart and essentially stop talking. Present day, June is the owner of a struggling tea shop and bakery that her sister started. Levi is back in town to escape his life in New York, and hopes to finish his novel. Both just had very messy, very public and humiliating break ups. After running into each other, a picture goes viral of them being friendly, causing the internet to think they’re a couple, dubbing them “the revenge exes”. It weirdly brought more customers to the dying bakery. Junes current bestie Sana jumps on this saying it would be such a fantastic idea if they played this out, and fake dated. Levi is surprisingly not against this, and thinks this can help him get his ex back. Which hello, she cheated on you, WHY???

Anyways. The story follows them through dates, helping June’s brother, who is also Levi’s former bestie, plan his wedding, and slowly working through the grief of losing June’s sister, Annie, who was Levi’s BEST bestie, unexpectedly a year prior. The more time June and Levi spend together, the closer they get, and the more June thinks this isn’t going to end well, due to her feelings for him that never went away.

Well guess what? He’s been in love with her for forever too. But there was a huge miscommunication back in high school, which figuring out and trying to work through present day is kind of messy. But that’s okay, because they figure it out and we get our HEA.


This book has a huge miscommunication trope that makes me so sad for the main characters. The way June didn’t want to feel like she had a say in Levi’s feelings, and the way he just wanted confirmation, it was pretty relatable tbh. I really enjoyed the comedy in this, it had me LOLing irl. I loved seeing Levi’s journey in realizing he’s been staying too much in the comfort zone and letting others make decisions for him, and he’s ready to take charge of his own life. June’s character growth is a lot slower because she’s so stuck on her grief, but eventually something clicks, and she’s able to work on it and come more into herself as well. This book brought out a few different emotions that make me appreciate it a little more. The flash backs to their childhood and younger interactions compared to present, it’s like, duh these two were meant for each other. They were the support that each other truly needed in life.

All in all, I rate this a solid 4/5.

The Break-Up Pact was my first book by Emma Lord, and it won’t be my last. Very cute “fake revenge dating” trope. Overall a fun Summer Romance read with interesting characters and scones.

Natalie Naudus does a great job as the narrator.

Thanks NetGalley and MacMillan audio for an early listening copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

I don't read a lot of romance, but when I do Emma Lord never disappoints. There are some tropes that i always adore and fake dating is one. This was so entertaining and real and raw. A perfect book for anytime, but definitely for beach reading (I mean it takes place in a beach town - summer all the way!).

This was an easy, typical read. It was kind of hard to get into and I didn't feel any type of connection with either of the main characters. I kept thinking that the likelihood of two childhood friends becoming so famous separately as grown ups was hardly believable. Predictable.

The Break-Up Pact was a super cute romance. Maybe call it a second chance? May friends to lovers? I'm not sure.

June and Levi were best friends through school but an overheard conversation and some unspoken feelings lead them in different directions. Now, years later, they've met again. Both have just had really embarrassing public break-ups that lead them to confide in each other. What starts as a little revenge dating turns into more.

I enjoyed this story. That building owner really agitated me. It felt like she could have explained her situation better and not been such a B, but whatever.

Natalie Naudus did a really good job of bringing this book to life with her narration. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and the author for the opportunity to listen to and review this book.

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.