This was my first book by this author, so I didn’t know what to expect. It took me completely by surprise. I liked it a lot. Not only was the writing really good, but the emotion was deep. I could feel everything June was feeling. The conflict kept me listening from start to finish.
Levi and June used to be good friends in high school. They grew apart and went their separate ways, but June’s late sister kept in touch with him. June is still struggling with her death. June came home to run her sister’s scone business. They are both kind of hiding out from some public humiliation due to their exes. They devise a fake relationship to help get June’s shop in the green and Levi’s ex interested in him again. Their fake dates become not so fake. The character growth was top notch. I could see June’s change throughout the book. This book showcases a character struggling with grief and connection. The voice of the narration really brought this story to life. The only complaint I have is not having Levi’s POV in the story. Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this book!

Thank you to Net Galley and SMP for this audiobook!

I feel like this is definitely more of a friends to lovers / 2nd chance romance more so than an enemies to lovers. The main characters go 10 years without talking but then reconcile and end up in a fake dating plan that of course ends with them falling in love. It’s a cute read but not anything that I’m RUNNING to tell everyone to read.

This was such a fun story line!! I started to listen to this on a Friday at work and did not stop until it I was finished! This was so cute, fun, and I loved the storyline! I will definitly be purchasing this for my collection!

This is not my favorite Emma Lord book by any means, but I will still read anything she writes. Fake dating is probably my favorite trope, so I was super excited about this one. Unfortunately, it did fall flat. I'm glad I had the ebook & audio of this, because that helped me speed through it. There was nothing really bad about it, it just felt very "meh" as I was reading, and I never really felt that urge to want to keep going.

3.5⭐

Book Title: The Break-Up Pact
Author: Emma Lord
Format Read: Audiobook
Narrator: Natalie Naudus

Emma Lord crafts a delightful mix of humor and heartfelt emotion in this story that explores the fine line between fake dating and real feelings.

June and Levi were once best friends, but a decade of silence has left their relationship strained. Now, both are reeling from public break-ups that have taken the internet by storm. When a photo of them together goes viral, they decide to fake a relationship for mutual benefit—June hopes to save her struggling tea shop, and Levi wants to show his ex what she’s missing. But as they stage picture-perfect moments, old wounds and buried emotions resurface, forcing them to question whether their fake relationship could be something more.

Likes:
•June is a standout character—witty, quirky, and full of sass. She feels like a genuine person, not just a character on the page.

•The book is brimming with cute, nostalgic moments, like pop rock pranks and childhood races, which add warmth to the story.

•The exploration of grief is handled with care, adding depth to the characters as they navigate their shared loss and the healing process.

Dislikes:
•The story leans heavily on the miscommunication trope, which I’m not a fan of. It’s frustrating to see how much of their past conflict could have been avoided with a simple conversation.

Narration:
Natalie Naudus once again delivers an exceptional performance, bringing these characters to life with her believable and dynamic narration. Having listened to her narrate One Last Stop and Starling House, I’ve come to trust that anything she reads will be an enjoyable experience. Her ability to capture the nuances of each character adds depth to the story, making it even more engaging. Honestly, I might just start choosing my TBR list based on her narration!

I thoroughly enjoyed The Break-Up Pact and gave it 4 out of 5 stars. It’s a touching and fun romance with enough emotional depth to stand out, though it didn’t leave a lasting impact of a 5 star for me. Still, it’s a book I’d definitely recommend, especially to fans of Emma Lord or anyone looking for a well-narrated romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book. It was a truly delightful listen!

This was so cute and pretty good! The story of childhood friends who are forced to talk again for a wedding and then re-catch their feelings as they discover who they are, who they really are, and why both of their very public breakups are for the best. This story really does tug at your heart strings and possibly has you relate.

Cons: It did talk in circles a bit, repeated itself A LOT, and could use some cleaning up.

Read if you like: Childhood friends-to-lovers, fake dating, second chance romance, TikTok drama, and secretly harboring feelings.

📚 What happens when two former best friends, June and Levi, find themselves at the center of internet gossip after their public break-ups? They make a pact, of course! Pretending to be a couple seems like the perfect plan—June can save her struggling beachside tea shop, and Levi might just win back his ex. But as their staged dates turn from playful to heart-pounding, they realize there’s nothing fake about the chemistry between them. Can they convince the world—and themselves—that this relationship is only for show?

👨‍👧 June and Levi are the epitome of childhood friends with a complicated past. June is fiercely independent, running her tea shop despite financial struggles, while Levi is the classic New York success story with a hidden heart of gold. Together, they create a dynamic that’s both deeply emotional and delightfully fun.

💞 The fake dating trope has never been so perfectly executed! The slow burn between June and Levi will have you rooting for them from their very first staged photo op. Their chemistry leaps off the page, and every swoon-worthy moment is packed with tension and longing.

👧 Side characters add depth and humor to the story, with friends and exes playing crucial roles in pushing June and Levi closer together. Their interactions bring out different sides of our main characters, making the story even more engaging.

✍️ Emma Lord’s writing is a perfect blend of wit and warmth, with just the right amount of drama. The first chapter may start slow, but stick with it—the pacing picks up, and the payoff is worth every page. It’s like savoring a warm, freshly baked scone: comforting and satisfying.

🌟 This story was perfectly written and was just the right amount of everything you are looking for. The Break-Up Pact is a must-read for anyone who loves a romance that’s as heartfelt as it is fun. It’s a delicious mix of fake dating, second chances, and undeniable chemistry that will leave you craving more.

I was so excited to get this preview of the Emma Lord book, and while I enjoyed the audiobook and the narrator did a great job, my library will be buying the physical copy. I love Emma Lord and her books are big hits in my library. I think this one will be as well. It uses the fake dating and miscommunication trope. I really enjoyed the characters of June and Levi, childhood friends/lovers that have lost touch through miscommunication and time but find themselves with unresolved feelings and needing to figure their lives out.
June and childhood friend Levi embark on a fake dating scheme to boost her business and help Levi win back his cheating fiancée. While their staged relationship practically breaks the internet, the narrative takes readers on a delightful ride through fun dates at the museum, trivia nights, and cake tastings. However, the romantic aspect of their relationship may come across as somewhat immature, laden with the overused misunderstanding trope that echoes a middle school rom-com rather than a story about mature adults, but I know my high school students will love.
I will definitely recommend this to the romance readers in my library.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this audiobook preview.

What happens when a young adult author tries her hand at an adult romcom? She goes from being one I’m iffy about and keep attempting to like, to one I finally enjoy!

I kept telling myself to just read another of Lord’s titles because so many people love them all… but I couldn’t connect to her YA books. The Break-Up Pact is a storyline I can stand behind and promote! I enjoyed this one from start to finish… maybe it’s because I like the childhood best friends to nothing to fake relationship to the real thing aspect? Fake dating is my favourite trope, after all! Or possibly it’s the sister having my name?

June, trying to make her late sister’s tea shop (a la bridgerton on the boardwalk), Tea Tide, survive, and also suffering an horrific public, viral on TikTok breakup by her high school sweetheart on his new reality tv show while with his new girlfriend of a week (so, a very long time beau), made me very sympathetic from early pages of the book.

Levi, her childhood bestie, but also besties with her older brother and sister, just went through an even more public and very much broadcast breakup with an actress… when he flees NYC to their home town, the pair makes a pact to lick their wounds together and pretend to be dating to show their terrible exes they have both moved on... the “Revenge Exes” plot begins.

As all of us romance readers know - fake dating stays fake about as long as it takes to finish making the pact. This was a very fun read and I enjoyed seeing how it all played out. It was delightful finding a book from the author that I finally, really liked! I definitely recommend this to all, especially if you’ve liked her YA titles, or if you’re like me and want to try again. I really wish we would’ve had more about brother Dylan and his fiancé Mateo (June’s new BFF), though. They were an adorable couple!!

The audio was done by Natalie Naudus, a long-time favourite narrator of mine. She did a great job voicing all of the characters but it would be great to get two voices/two points of view. Great job - 5-stars for Natalie!

I received an advance read and listen copy from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and Macmillan Audio, and this is my honest feedback.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord delivers a delightful blend of humor, heart, and modern romance. June and Levi, estranged best friends, find themselves entangled in a fake relationship after their messy break ups become viral sensations. The author writes engaging characters with a well crafted plot that includes witty banter, genuine emotions, and unexpected twists as the duo navigates the world of fake dating to salvage their public images. The audiobook version of this book is equally fantastic, featuring an outstanding narrator. She did an amazing job bringing the book to life, adding depth and emotion to the characters.

June Hart came back home to take on the boardwalk tea room that she had dreamed about with her older sister Annie for years. While she was off on adventures all over the world with her boyfriend Griffin, Annie opened the Tea Tide at home and got scone inspiration from her sister. But when Annie died unexpectedly, June moved back home to take over the Tea Tide, to keep her sister’s dream alive.

Coming home was certainly easier when her boyfriend went on the reality show Business Savvy with his idea for a new startup. He made it on to the show right away, and invited June to sit with him for an episode while he explained that he and his new love Lisel have merged their business ideas and their hearts. June was caught off-guard by the news, and the shot of her crying on the show became a viral meme, with people showing up at Tea Tide to ask is she was #CryingGirl. She tells them she is and makes them buy a scone. But that is not enough to sustain the tea shop long term. June needs some inspiration.

When Levi Shaw shows up at the tea shop, or rather, outside the restaurant, June has mixed feelings. He was one of her best friends when they were growing up, but she’s barely heard from him in the last decade. They do have one thing in common though. Levi’s long-term relationship also blew up in a very public way, when his girlfriend Kelly became the realtor to hunky movie star Roman Steele. They fell for each other, and Levi was another ex for the gossip sites.

But June’s best friend Sana has an idea. She’s a freelance reporter who has been itching for a job at the popular culture site Frizzle. And she thinks that if she can takes some photos of the two of them together, as the Revenge Exes, then she can put together an article that might get her a new job. And the photos are pretty easy for them all, since June and Levi had already agreed to help Dylan and Mateo plan their wedding.

Dylan is June’s little brother, and the three Hart siblings used to hang out with Levi all the time. They were a foursome, with Annie and Levi particularly close, since they were both writers. June had a big crush on Levi, but he hadn’t felt the same. And then they all left to go to college. Annie came back after graduation to open Tea Tide. Dylan came back to coach track at the local college, and he and Mateo fell in love. So sending June and Levi out to taste cake flavors or check out a deejay means Sana can get some cute pictures to leak online, so they won’t be seen as just the exes anymore. They can get their own story.

But things rarely go as planned. As June and Levi spend more time together, old feelings creep back up. But so do paparazzi. And exes. And the consequences of old choices. Until both June and Levi find themselves at a crossroads, both in their individual lives and in their new relationship. In order to move forward, they will need to face their pasts. But will they move on together, or will they be drawn in different directions?

Emma Lord’s latest novel, The Break-Up Pact tells the story of a teenage crush that ten years later turned into a fake relationship, and where it goes from there. Lord is a master of a character-driven romance, filled with heart, humor, and honesty. She creates characters with such rich stories that one of her novel equals about three novels from some other writers, so there is never a dull moment in her stories. Each character is fully-formed and really thoughtful, so the emotional journeys are always rich as well, and the romance develops between two complex characters, with autonomy and intelligence.

I listened to The Break-Up Pact on audio, narrated by Natalie Naudus, which was such a fun experience of this book. Naudus brings these characters to life with all their quirks and foibles, all their grief and humor. She does well with the denseness of the story, the richness of these relationships, and all the gossip and reality show messiness. I am a big fan of Lord’s, and The Break-Up Pact is just as entertaining and masterful as her other books. But I will add one warning about this one. You will find yourself craving creative scones, so be sure to stock up on tasty snacks for your reading or listening.

Egalleys for The Break-Up Pact were provided by St. Martin’s Griffin and a copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord was a recipe where all the ingredients for a favorite book were present, but somehow I wound up merely enjoying it and not loving it. And when I say it like that, it sounds like it was bad, but it wasn't! It was a really solid read from Emma Lord, but the way that I loved Tweet Cute by Lord has me constantly hoping for that full fledged five star, I'm obsessed with it feeling and unfortunately, that wasn't present here. That said, if you, like me, are interested in a childhood friends (who had deep feelings for one another as teens) turned strangers (New Years Day vibes anyone?) turned friends again turned lovers, this book could definitely be for you. Probably though it would help if you don't regard running as the most horrific exercise one could possibly engage in.

Essentially, June and Levi are (a) both runners and (b) are both back in their small town. June has been for a while (a year or so, maybe?) because her sister died and she has taken over running the tea shop the two of them dreamed up when they were children. She's still grieving and having a hard time moving on, in the sense that her grief is keeping her stagnant and it's causing problems with the tea shop. June has also become a meme, The Crying Girl, because her douche canoe of an ex-boyfriend dumped her on live television. Levi, meanwhile, has come back to their small town to work on his novel and to get some space from his fiancé, who it turns out was cheating on him with a famous actor. Both of them have therefore been thrust into the spotlight, of sorts, and when the two of them are photographed together, somehow the Internet dubs them "The Revenge Exes" and the two of them decide to play along for their own reasons.

So that, in a nutshell, is the plot. This book has an interesting way of switching back and forth between some over the top ridiculous antics of viral-ness and then pairing that with some really deep and introspective moments dealing with grief or the pain of not talking to someone you never thought you would be without, so, almost a different kind of grief in a way. I think this is a tone that works for me quite often. For example, I love Beach Read by Emily Henry, which is alternatively laugh out loud funny and then also, let me cry for ten minutes because this book has me in my feels. Unfortunately, for me, I don't think I read The Break-Up Pact when I was quite in the mood for that back and forth in tone. So while I really enjoyed it, this book didn't crack the five star obsession mark. I look forward to seeing what other people thought though, because I really do think it can work for so many other people!

Oh, and, Natalie Naudus does the narration for this book and I thought she did a truly fantastic job. I really enjoy her narration style!

4.5 Stars!
This book was super cute! I really enjoyed the connection Levi and June shared, the history between them, and how they were able to work together to help each other out. I am a sucker for fake dating, so this was right up my alley. The town and community was super cute, I loved the character dynamics with the other characters, and the way Levi was just immediately not faking anything. I really loved how this book had such levity in the way they fake dated and the relationship they had, but also had more emotional and serious moments as well. It really balanced well and I really enjoyed this book.

Ehhh, this just did not hit my expectations. Maybe they were too high? Maybe this book was not Emma Lord's best? The pieces were all there, but they just did not connect into a can't put down contemporary romance. The book moved too quickly and not in a "i read this so quickly" kind of way... more a "we have not seen or spoken to one another in many years, but let's fake date" kind of way. There was no ramp up in their friendship or relationship - they just jumped right in. It made it hard to feel as if we really knew the main characters - too many important parts were either skipped over or highlighted in a sentence. All that being said, I did read this book quickly. The story line is very cute - two exes who have not seen one another for years. Both going through very public breakups (from other people). When they are spotted by the paparazzi on the beach, rumors begin flying. Instead of denying the relationship, they pretend to date. Can they keep their hearts out of it?

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader and audio copies!

Well I didn’t love it. And maybe that’s my own fault because I went into this thinking it was a rom-com. I guess when I read the synopsis on NetGalley and understood it to be fake dating I thought it would be funny. It’s not… Also the amount of miscommunication between our MC’s is extremely frustrating to me. This just wasn’t my kind of romance.

I am in love with Levi & June! I want to join this friend group and go to trivia nights, dish gossip over tea & scones at TeaTide and run (who am I kidding, walk) the beach boardwalk. The entire cast of this book is such a light, fun and entertaining bunch. From wedding planning to book brainstorming to baking, this is where I wanna be. When June and her childhood crush both end up in very public breakups, like national news type of public, the only thing to do is team-up to spin the story. But they each missed the prologue where they were secretly in love as teens. Miscommunication at its finest leads to a 7-yr absence in each other’s lives. That’s some serious pining. The tension of the will they-won’t they faux relationship kept that excitement sizzling. Caught up in every simple touch, secret look and open longing, I am here for this fake relationship- second chance romance. This was my first from this author and I am eager for more. The audio narrated by Natalie Naudus was so easy to listen to. Her voice had such comforting tones that it felt like sitting around gossiping at a sleepover.

The Break Up Pact by Emma Lord was my fourth book by this author, but this was not the YA for which she is known to me. Her first book Tweet Cute is one of my favorite in that genre and I’ve loved her books in the past. When an opportunity came for me to have an ALC of her new book, I jumped at it. She has dropped her YA and moved into steamy adult romance and I didn’t realize. After a particularly steamy scene I pulled up Goodreads to confirm.
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Honestly, even without the open doors that I don’t prefer, this book didn’t land with me the way her previous books have. That is probably a situation with this reader. Her writing is still wonderful. Her descriptions of settings and scones were well thought out.
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The narrator, Natalie Naudus, did a great job with the narration. She gave the story life!
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If you like open door books and you are a romance reader you may want to check this out. Emma Lord is a good author.
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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

❥ Thank you for the free audiobook, author Emma Lord, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley.

This was a fun fake dating romance story. I adore Emma Lord’s books, and this was another enjoyable read for me. Similar to Tweet Cute, another title I had recently read by the author, social media had a central role in this story. I quite enjoyed that aspect. Although I think June and Levi were immature for their age and the story’s pacing was slow at times, I still came away with a smile. Oh, and a craving for scones!

❥ Listening to this via audio was excellent. Natalie Naudus did a wonderful job with the narration.

Overall, I loved the way this book combined humor and emotional depth. This was a fantastic rom-com that also tackled difficult issues, with the sweetest childhood friends to lovers romance at the heart of it. I found myself rooting for these too characters so hard!

*Title: The Break-Up Pact-a standalone

*Release date: 8-13-24, Read: 8-12-24

*Author: Emma Lord-I've read The Getaway List and gave it 5 ⭐

*Format: E-book and audiobook

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC! I voluntarily give an honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

*Narrator: Natalie Naudus voices all characters. The narrator's voice fit the characters with standouts from Levi and Sana. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along with the E-book and audiobook.

*Run time: 9:18

*Setting: Benson Beach

*Genre: Rom-Com, Women's Fic

*Tropes: sister's BFF, small town, friendship, fake dating, reality TV, viral moments, LGBTQIA+ rep, Asian American rep, second chance

*Look out for: death of a sibling and BFF, the hero and heroine are cheated ON, side character had cancer

*Synopsis: Two friends June and Levi haven't spoken in ten years, but when both their break-ups go viral, they reunite. June runs Tea Tide and owes rent money, her BFF Sana is a freelance writer in need of money, and Levi wants his fiancée Kelly back. June and Levi agree to fake date using the paparazzi, but they have unfinished business from high school.

*FMC: June Hart-runs seaside tea shop in honor of her deceased sister Annie who ran it before her. She just broke up with boyfriend Griffin Hapler-a famous reality TV star on "Business Savvy." He cheated on her and now the world knows. Her brother Dylan is also getting married, and she is helping with the arrangements.

*MMC: Levi Shaw-lives in NY as a hedge fund manager. He is also a writer. His fiancée Kelly cheated on him with superhero movie star Roman Steel. They are separated with the hope of getting back together.

*Review: June and Levi knew each other since childhood along with June's older sister Annie and her younger brother Dylan. For a second, I thought Levi would confess to being in love with Annie, but he only had eyes for June. They liked each other in high school but their pride got in the way, and they became estranged. The attraction between them was still there, but they had to reconcile the past to start anew.

*Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Spice level- 3/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️