The Pact is a book with a lot of depth. Sisterly drama, mental illness and the pressures of being an athlete. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Samantha was my favorite (ha), but I did enjoy her development. I different, but enjoyable read for me.

This is a fantastic story of two sisters that play doubles tennis together and what happens when the dynamic between them gets thrown off by life circumstances and the need to find their own paths as individuals. I really loved how the author explored the heartbreak that came from their separation and also the ties that bring them back together. There is a lot of growth in their romantic relationships as well and I enjoyed seeing how that played out.
The behind the scenes look at being a tennis player is fascinating and I learned more about the pressures of being a professional athlete. This is a thoroughly engrossing novel that was hard to put down and I loved every minute spent with these magnetic characters.

Great cover! Eye-catching and fun. The story was okay. I do like reading about sisters and it seemed slow at times but instill wanted to find out what happened with them. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Traditional format 📕 (digital). Being a tennis player and fan I was of course drawn to the cover of this book.

The book is about Aussie two sisters who play professional tennis doubles together. After winning the Olympic gold medal their success comes to an end and one of the sisters decides to quit her partnership. The book does focus mainly on the professional tennis circuit but the book is also about love and relationships.

Things I enjoyed
🎾 the tennis content was accurate and had some real names as well as fictional names
🎾 it was a quick light read perfect for summer

Areas for improvement
🎾 the pacing of the tennis match descriptions way off. The author would spend a few paragraphs describing one game and then in the next sentence give the outcome. It took away from the suspense of the outcome of the games and it was just awkward to read due to the inconstant pacing
🎾 I really hated the main character Samantha. Now this may be what the author was going for but I felt like her character wasn’t well written as the character descriptions were inconsistent and over the place (from flakey to spoiled to not compassionate)
🎾 I feel this book struggled to be a book about tennis OR about sisterly love/relationship but it lacked the identity to be either and sat right in the middle being mediocre at both topics. I think the author could have leaned better into one or the other to make this book stand out a little more.

There are some content warnings (suicide and emotional abuse) if this bothers you.

Overall this wasn’t a horrible book but it wasn’t anything special for me. I give this a 3/5 for being average.

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

This captivating story had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning pages as I followed the journey of the two sisters. I found myself emotionally invested, experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions from frustration to tears. The narrative felt incredibly authentic, offering a raw and honest portrayal of the highs and lows of life as professional tennis players. The depiction of their struggles and triumphs, alongside the traumatic experiences they endured, resonated deeply with me, highlighting the profound impact of mental health challenges not only on individuals but also on their loved ones. Despite not being an avid tennis player myself, the book sparked a newfound interest in the sport within me. I was particularly impressed by the well crafted portrayal of elite players navigating the complex dynamics of competition and friendship. Overall, I found this book to be a compelling and thought-provoking read, and I eagerly anticipate delving into more works by the author.

Sisterly drama, sports, parent drama, loss, mental illness, romance, and more.

This book felt a bit rushed, like it just started at full speed, but overall, it was alright.

The cover drew me in, and then lately I have also been in a sports book mood, so here we are.

Thank you NetGalley and Wings EPress for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.