The two main protagonists felt too polarized to be believable for me, and Samantha was just too rash for me to get behind her. Wanted to like this one, but the characters themselves didn't grow on me so I wasn't invested in their tale. Did enjoy the look at the behind the scenes of professional tennis, though - that seemed really well done

No one knows you better than your sister...do they?
Samantha and Annie Callahan are successful doubles champions – the toast of the Olympics, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow. But their winning partnership spirals out of control when Annie’s new boyfriend announces their engagement at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
He persuades her to ditch Samantha in favour of a singles career, but her game and rankings plummet.
Samantha is left floundering. Disillusioned, her only sweet spot is the growing passion between her and Bear, the sisters’ coach.
Amidst rising anger and betrayal, Samantha changes both their destinies when she does the unthinkable after a devastating Wimbledon loss.
The sisters are driven to create new lives by confronting the past and taking control of the present. But can Samantha and Annie both win?

Loved it. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

The Pact was my first book by Lisa Darcy but it definitely will not be my last. Darcy is a skilled author who does an excellent job with character and motivation development. She adeptly explores a very complicated sisterly relationship amongst the backdrop of the professional tennis world. It was not necessarily what I expected when I began the ARC, but by the end I was so grateful that I had picked it up. Game, set, and match to Darcy!

Oooh I liked this book! Light and great read on Tennis and the story of two sisters. Truly enjoyed it! And the cover is absolutely fabulous!

This was a first for me as far as tennis books go and holy cow, WAS IT AMAZING!
Samantha and Annie Callahan are successful doubles champions as well as sisters– the toast of the Olympics, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow. (that is like 1000 things in three, IMO!) However, things start to go downhill whenever Annie's boyfriends annouces their engagement in Melbourne, Australia. He tries to get Annie to ditch Samantha in favor of doing singles instead of doubles...and basically makes their sister/friend relationship tumultuous leaving the sisters wondering if their relationship will weather the storm?
I really enjoyed Samantha and seeing her character develop. She really sacrificed A LOT, especially in her relationships - to make her career with her sister work. I also really liked how we see Zach, who is a former tennis pro himself, in the middle of the chapters. (I love me some dual/multiple POV!)
The story really exemplified what people have to go through to get to the Olympic level of competition, as well as dealing with family dynamics in the midst of everything. I am a very competitive person, so reading books such as this made it all the more better!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

"The Pact" by Lisa Darcy is a heartfelt and engaging novel that explores the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and the promises that bind us. Darcy’s writing is warm and relatable, drawing readers into the lives of her characters as they navigate the challenges that arise from a pact made in their youth.

The story revolves around a group of friends who, years after making a significant promise to one another, are faced with the reality of keeping that pact. As the characters reconnect and confront the decisions they made in the past, Darcy skillfully weaves together themes of love, forgiveness, and the enduring power of true friendship. The narrative is rich with emotion, as each character grapples with their own personal struggles while trying to honor the bond they share.

Darcy’s characters are well-drawn and deeply human, each with their own flaws, fears, and hopes. The novel captures the bittersweet nature of growing up and the way our relationships evolve over time. It also delves into the difficult choices we must make and how those choices define who we are and who we become.

"The Pact" is a poignant and thought-provoking read, perfect for fans of contemporary fiction that explores the intricacies of relationships and the impact of the promises we make to ourselves and others. Lisa Darcy has crafted a story that is both touching and resonant, reminding readers of the importance of friendship and the power of keeping one’s word.

I was drawn to the book by the striking cover – and who doesn’t love a tennis novel in the summer? I really felt like I was getting a little insight into the tennis circuit. Even better than I expected.

Samantha and Annie Callahan are at the top of their career. They have won Wimbledon and are the Australian – and the world’s darlings. However, when Annie’s boyfriend of 2 weeks announces their engagement on live TV – a surprise to Annie herself - the golden partnership falls apart. I loved Samantha, and was rooting for her all the way through this novel – and not just the tennis! This reminds you that family is all important, and friends are essential. In the words of the sisters – “Be warriors not worriers”.

The characterisations were amazing. The behind the scenes look at the tennis circuit was fabulous. I couldn’t put it down.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6687118562
https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-pact-by-lisa-darcy-i-was-drawn-to.html

The Pact by Lisa Darcy is a fast-paced story of tennis doubles star Samantha Callahan who must deal with a sudden new fraught relationship with her sister and the potential end of her tennis career. The story begins after Samantha's sister Annie is now engaged after three months, their tennis career is suffering and Samantha's mental health is in dire need of help. A lot of the plot is centered on the relationship between the two sisters and Samantha's fear of abandonment.
The story is a quick read and rather exciting, especially in the tennis match scenes. The other characters around Samantha and Annie were another highlight in particular Bear and Courtney. I loved the development of Courtney throughout the book, she begins as someone our characters gossip about to a player that you want to root for.
One of the notes that did not appeal to me was the alternating of chapters to Zach, a former tennis pro turned photographer who follows the tennis circuit around the world along with working on his own projects. I preferred the perspective of Samantha so the jumps to Zach slowed the momentum in my eyes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately I just wasn't a fan. This wasn't a terrible book, but it wasn't a great book either. I loved the premise of tennis playing sisters and the concept and various plot lines within the book were very interesting. The problem that I had is that none of the characters or very likeable, in fact they are all very problematic in numerous ways. The writing also felt very rushed and jolting. This felt like a very good rough draft and with some significant editing it could be a really good book because the premise is good.

I felt this was an okay read although it seemed to drag about half way through for a few chapters. the ending picked up and I enjoyed it, the characters complimented each other and i felt they were well suited to the tennis environment so plenty of research had clearly been done. I would read other books by this author x

This is a delightful quick read with a strong message about the bond between sisters that seems unbreakable but is suddenly shattered. As a longtime tennis fan I enjoyed the general setting of the book, tennis courts, which serves as the glue of the story. Yet the real story is that when something breaks a close bond between siblings (in this case, sisters who are tennis doubles champions) and they go their separate ways, even if you think you will never be as close as you once were, the old adage, “ absence makes the heart grow fonder”, is actually true. And that a period of physical distance and the absence of contact can actually be a blessing in disguise, as each sister first finds her own way, and when they are reunited, they have each found themselves and even as separate, fully developed, people, can find their relationship even stronger.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. I look forward to reading more from Lisa Darcy.

I am so I love with this book. I couldn’t put it down. Also I didn’t know it was set in Australia. I loved the twist and turns in this book. I say you should read it. You won’t be disappointed.

I was drawn to The Pact because of the bright cover and premise. I love tennis and a sister team sounded great.
The story was hard for me to connect with. The pace through the tennis matches was too fast and there was a lot of telling throughout the book. If it was slowed down and showed broader emotion the book would be more engaging.

The book is about two sisters who play professional tennis. After winning the Olympic gold medal their success comes to an end and one of the sisters decides to quit.
This was cute! Almost like a PG version of Challengers (2024 movie), with sisters at the forefront. This story is less of a romance and more of a fictional telling of Venus/Serena and what it is like being a tennis star.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and Net Galley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was instantly drawn to this book by the bright and bold front cover.
I'm by no means a sporty person and only ever follow tennis when it's Wimbledon time - but I have to admit that I was super intrigued by the premise of this one.

We follow the lives of sisters, Samantha and Annie Callahan, professional tennis doubles champions.
When Annie has her head turned by a new man, things get out of control of on and off the court.

I loved this because even not being super sporty, I found the insight into the sporting world at such a high level to be really interesting - and definitely something I've never read in a novel before.

The bond between the sisters was brilliantly developed over the course of the book.
The pressures they were under professionally, I feel both before the split and after, hit both of them hard and it really made you think about how close they were bonded to have made this work for so long - then that one little chink that then sent everything off on a tangent.

I don't have a sister and it's maybe not the same with brothers, but sibling rivalry is such a huge thing to combat.
I loved that we saw this through multiple pov's though, which gave us insight into the minds of all and this allowed us to really get to know the individual personalities and how this affected them.
This had me rooting for both Annie and Samantha towards the end.

This was a fun and fast-paced read which I finished over the course of a few sittings - I think my first by this author, but definitely won't be the last....

Absolutely a cute story! As someone who is obsessed with playing tennis/pickleball now..... I really enjoyed this fun story. Definitely recommending it to other tennis lovers like myself.

Needed a snarky light read and I found it in The Pact! I absolutely loved the characters and it made me long to have a sister of my own.

i watched challengers and instantly needed more tennis media in my life, and this absolutely did that for me!

i found the story to be compelling and interesting. i grew up with a brother but have always been drawn to narratives that revolve around sisters, and i think this was such an emotional take on that. i found the book to be very fast-paced and easy to follow, and i loved the tennis content. i think this is such a good summer read and will be recommending it to all of my friends when they ask for holiday book recommendations.

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

This book was great. The characters were enjoyable. I felt like apart of the story. Even though the sisters were at odds, there were still parts of each to root for. The plot holds your attention. I would read another book by this author.

The Pact is the story of Annie and Samantha, sisters who are also doubles partners in professional tennis. The plot for the storyline is interesting and I enjoyed the background of professional tennis. The author does a good job of not idolizing either lead character and so it maintains some balance. You read this page-turner to advance the plot rather than to exclaim over the prose, and in that spirit I enjoyed it. I do think another round of editing could have strengthened the book because I was sometimes distracted by the prose and by abrupt chapter endings. Bottom line, ,if the plot sounds interesting and you enjoy beach books this may be for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. The Pact is available now.