I love the fake dating trope and Emma lord's YA books, but I just wasn't as invested as I usually am. I didn't find the characters very memorable and the side characters didn't feel like they were present enough in the story to be important. There were also a lot of side plots that could have helped build up the characters and their chemistry but they felt unfinished and underwhelming. The obligatory cafe and bakery settings were very appreciated and one of my favourite things that come from emma's books, alongside the humour, which really helped to lighten the story, as grief and loss were pretty big topics of the book.

I really couldn’t connect with this book, some elements felt rushed and the communication between the characters felt pretty non existent

This book is a fun read for everyone who enjoys slow small town romances with focus on character development rather than an action packed one. I think June and Levi are likeable characters and they connect on a very cute way with another (besides knowing each other from the past and so on). I liked the fake dating trope as well but overall it wasn't a life changing book for me.

It's fun and it's quick. When two old friends reconnect and its because of their infamy over failed relationships its obvious it can only lead to a fake romance - right?!
There is a lot of miscommunication that you kind of expect in YA romance and neither of these characters were ever going to be dreamy for me so it's not going to be an epic memorable romance but I enjoyed it enough and makes for a light and breezy read.
It's a little cringeworthy and immature with the characters and how they all interact with each other but I wonder if that is because it based around the tiktok, social media world and so it has to have a certain level of fake to it???

I recieved this book as an ARC and provide an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC

Emma Lord is known for her sweet romances and this one didn't disappoint! I really enjoyed the concept and found the execution excellent. I love fake-dating and this is no exception. Childhood friends to strangers to lovers also made an adorable couple. I had such a fun time reading the book and highly recommend it to everyone looking for the perfect summer romance

4.5 ⭐️

This was a really enjoyable read. Small town by the sea, cosy cafe with tea and scones. Plus some fake dating friends to lovers.

I loved the whole scone of the day thing, such a cool idea and a sweet way to connect June to her relationship with her sister even with her gone. Sana is probably my favourite character. She's just so bouncy, and I love that.

I liked the romance. It felt natural, and the steamy moments were well done. Levi is very sweet and clearly down bad for June. You can feel that even though the book is from June's POV .

There is a spicy scene, and honestly, it's probably one of the best ones I've read. (Please note I'm not a huge spice reader, but I know a poorly written scene when I read one). You get the emotional connection with the physical, and it gives it a very intense effect.

The 3rd act conflict was somewhat of an inconvenience, but it did allow for some needed character development. I'm sad that we spent so much of the book talking about Dylan and Mateos' wedding, and then we didn't get to attend it.

Overall, I quite enjoyed it, and I'm definitely excited to check more of the authors' works.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, Emma Lord, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this story. This is what I would classify as a quiet romance but definitely not boring in the slightest.

I've become quite weary of friends-to-lovers romances lately however this worked for me and I think that was due to the growth each of these main characters went through. Reconciling with their past, understanding the effect it had on their present and how to change their future for the better made this romance work for me.

I did think Anna played too much of a role on their relationship and I don't truly understand why but I also understand that a lot of past hurt happened when they were teens.

I enjoyed the writing and I will definitely read from this author again.

This book was hooked me from the get go which I loved. The chemistry between the two main characters were definitely there.
There was quite a bit of ding dong back and forth miscommunication but I’m really glad that the characters recognised it as a problem.
I loved the side characters most in this story, how they supported and rooted for the main female character really shows how much a good friend can change your life!
So did this book change my mind about childhood friends to lovers? Maybe? 😅Definitely a fun summer romance 🫶🏻
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Emma Lord's "The Break-Up Pact" is a heartwarming and delightful read that captures the complexities of love and friendship. Lord's knack for crafting relatable characters shines as we follow the journey of two best friends navigating a pact that challenges their bond. The witty dialogue and tender moments create a perfect blend of humor and emotion, making it impossible to put down. This story beautifully explores the themes of personal growth and the unpredictability of life. "The Break-Up Pact" is a charming and uplifting tale that will resonate with readers long after the final page. Highly recommended!

Although I thought this was a fun read, ultimately I just found it to be fine. Not groundbreaking, not that original but certainly fun. June and Levi are two high school former friends who end up fake dating after an online rumour announces their 'relationship' to the world.

I think my main issue was that June really isn't very interesting as a main character. She owns a tea shop, she's recently gone through a very public break up and beyond this I didn't ever feel we got to know who June was as a person. I also thought the pacing mewndered somewhat in the middle, as the plot goes back over June and Levi's past.

I just feel that with all the romance I've read recently, this one isn't going to be memorable for me.

A story about a two kids who grew apart but came together again helping them to grow and overcome personal issues.

This is a friends to enemies to friends to lovers story which I really enjoyed. It has been written so well I got investing in the main characters and there stories.

Each character was thought out and developed well. It was a slow burn wit a spicy scene in the middle.

I would recommend anyone who loves reading romance novels to pick this up as it is a great love story between two relatable characters.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

I am quite conflicted about this one because I don't know exactly how to rate it. I thought this would be more fake-dating than anything else and, while there was a fake-dating storyline, it wasn't exactly what that usually entails.

Levi and June have been best friends their entire lives, but they grew apart when they headed to college. They all went in different directions but continued to hold a torch for one another, although they never revealed their true feelings about each other. After they both become famous for getting dumped by other people, they create a strategy to get back at them and use their newfound fame for other purposes.

My problem with the book was first, the writing. I felt like it dragged on and on, and I often skimmed because too much useless description.

Second, the characters had nothing special. I didn't feel the fire between them, the chemistry, anything. The sex scene was unexpected in a good way, somehow I expected this book to be closed-door and I was happy it wasn't. It was pretty well-written, but what followed ruined everything from there.

I appreciated a lot the fact that there was no third-act breakup but the resolution between them came pretty shortly, with so much left of the book for basically nothing. It could've ended three chapters earlier.

This almost sent me into a reading slump and I barely got through it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this digital reviewer copy in exchange for an honest review.

This fake dating, second chance small-town romance is a quick read that is both fairly amusing but ultimately very sentimental, with important messages to always stay true to yourself and that love is a messy thing but it’s all about who you choose to be messy with. Perfect for the transition between summer and autumn (the book is set in August). For lovers of Jessica Joyce and Emily Henry with a touch of Abby Jimenez.

This story really gave me the Jessica Joyce vibes, particularly her latest book "The Ex Vows" (another story I enjoyed) in terms of both plot and writing style as June and Levi, like Georgia and Eli, are asked to help prepare everything for a wedding. Emma Lord’s style here is quirky descriptions (like Emily Henry) but with many deeper elements to the narrative (Abby Jimenez), just like Jessica Joyce. A few descriptions I enjoyed that reminded me of Emily Henry:
• "I glance down at the display case, searching for my last shred of dignity. Nope. It’s just rows of unsold scones."
• "I will stuff this unwelcome hurt so far back into a “return to sender” box that I won’t even remember opening it."
• "icing on the “June’s life is falling apart” cake"

At times the relationship was secondary to larger aspects which is akin to Abby Jimenez. The main thing is June’s older sister’s death (a constant reminder to June that nothing is permanent) and the struggles still there. This comes into play with the relationship between June and her younger brother Dylan; she accidentally pushes him away or is busy, forgetting she still has a living sibling to do things with and not take for granted. The other element is that of their exes and the cheating, and I think Lord covered this really well: the hindsight that occurs after coming out of a relationship with the wrong person. I also like the realistic issues of public scrutiny, the positive and negative impact of the media and memes.

The pacing felt off at the start which impacted my perception of their chemistry. They are quickly thrown together and then she very quickly bumps into him again and then before we know it, they are fake dating. Perhaps this is meant to be reflective of Levi himself, jumping into things, but this impacted scenes afterwards. Some of the chemistry was somehow not there. This had a lot of rom-com moments, but I honestly thought this would be funnier. Don’t get me wrong, not a laugh-a-minute thing. There were so many serious underlying things that made the romance come second.

Netgalley is an addiction. There I was, scrolling through the new titles and popularly requested books, looking for anything cool (mind you, I have about 15 books still unread and unreviewed on my netgalley shelf). And unsurprisingly, Netaglley had a lot of cool books that sound intriguing, so I went on a bit of spree requesting books here and there without a care in the world (and without a care for my dwindling feedback ratio).

From the title alone, The Break-Up Pact, sounded like something I would really enjoy. Promises of second-chances, friends to lovers, and fake dating?!– Netgalley request sent!
When my request was approved I was ecstatic, but then that excitement was slightly dampened when I went to log the book onto Goodreads and saw the 3.5 rating. It got even worst when I skimmed through some reviews.

But I decided to push through and give the book a chance anyway because reading tastes are highly subjective. What one person loves, another might dislike. In my opinion, a low rating may simply reflect personal preferences that don't align with your own and that's okay.

Now for my actual book review lol.

The Break-Up Pact follows Levi and June, inseparable as teenagers but grew apart as adults. Nowadays, June is struggling to keep her beachside tea shop afloat and looming threats of getting cut off her lease is making her desperate. Levi is a hedge fund manager living in New York, but his fiancé (now ex–ish) is still making things difficult. He decides to flee New York and return to Benson Beach.

When the both of them find themselves as the internet's laughing stock after their respective break-ups, they both find themselves the subject of gossip when a photo of them together leads the internet to believe they’re a couple. With everyone rooting for them, the two decide to put their past aside and make a pact to keep the rumour alive. The pact entails that pretending to date will hopefully bring more traffic to June’s shop, while make Levi’s ex realise her mistake. They just need to convince the world they're in love. Easy.

Or it should've been.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Admittedly, it does start off slow but if you are willing to push through, I would say it's a hundred percent worth it at the end. Not only do you get friends to lovers mixed in with fake dating, I love that they're essentially fake dating whilst doing all the wedding bits– like wedding cake tasting and

The characters and their actions were probably the most talked about negatives about this book. All I will say is that I don't expect the characters I read about in fictional novels to be "realistic" nor do I expect them to make decisions the same way I would if I was put in that situation. I can excuse questionable decisions or wacky choices because I like flawed characters (to an extent!), and I felt like June and Levi had their own reasons for acting the way they did.

I will say there were moments where I looked at June and thought to myself "why the fook is she doing this?" (the bit about her wanting to race instead of talking things out with him nearly made me want to slam the book down in frustration), but the woman had her reasons. She was, and it was said at the end of the book, the type of person to run away from her problems (literally) and is still harbouring some grief over the loss of her sister. She's scared of change– no matter how small– and she feels like making changes and trying new things without her sister is tainting her memories of her. I thought had some great character development by the end of the book when the conflicts were all resolved.

As for Levi, I was initially put off by his willingness to get back together with his ex (who not only cheated on him, but publicly humiliated him after the breakup too). However, like June, he's a character that was always seemed to be content even if he got the short end of the stick. He was never really challenged, or felt motivated to step out of his comfort zone until June stepped back into his life. I liked him a lot by the end of the book.

My only minor gripe was that there were some moments where I felt like it lulled in a few places and just dragged things out for too long. Other than that, this was close to a perfect book for me.

p.s I found myself craving scones. Might need to add it to the next grocery list.

4.75 stars (but I'm rounding it up because I'm generous)

A fake romance the way I like it!!
I loved how current it is in bringing memes and how cruel people nowadays are and don't care about other people's suffering

The main character leaves me with a flea behind my ear in the sense that I can't understand if having Tea Tide was always her dream or if she is living her sister's dream.

I like the fact that she says what she thinks but still gets scared in other situations, feels very relatable and down to earth.

The fact that she accepts the fake relationship under the pretext that she will become friends again is comical because we romance readers know this is a recipe for disaster, especially knowing that the main male character still has feelings for his ex.

I like the development of the characters and how they mature during the book, how relatable they are in the things that go through their heads and their hearts.

Oh, how I love it when I'm reading a slow-burn book and something finally happens it feels like I'm going to run out screaming in the street: FINALLY.

I shiver from head to toe as soon as I know that the writer has achieved her goal of making me fall in love with a fictional couple.
I didn't believe it when I read why they spent so much time without talking to each other, of course with this type of book we expect a lack of communication but this one got me, I admit.

Oh chapter 15, I don't even know how to describe what I felt, to be honest, it's so well-written

I like to think that I predict all possible scenarios by reading a book and that I usually know the ending before the end arrives, but the developments in this book left me speechless, the way everything was organized and written left me in complete shock when the bomb dropped.

I loved how the book developed and how it ended, exactly what I expect from romance books nowadays, something where I can put myself in the situation and really root for the characters every second.

Well done, Emma Lord!!!!!

The Break-Up Pact is an enjoyable read by Emma Lord. She masters details incredibly, such as slam poetry and pop rock pranks. I did audibly laugh when he added the pop rocks into a scone towards the end. While at times it felt like the inner dialogue was too rambling for June, she did have a nice character arch. In addition, the chemistry seemed sporadic as opposed to a slow-burn. Sana winning the journalism world and then in her Scone Daddy apron was definitely my favorite part.

Great summer read, enjoyed the characters of June and Levi. Former friends who are thrown together after their respective public humiliating break ups.

June is struggling to keep her sisters tea shop afloat when Levi comes back into her life. Good story and good writing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emma Lord and the publisher for an advanced copy.

After being on an Emma Lord binge this year I was thrilled to read her new adult romance - and it did not disappoint.

‘The Break-Up Pact’ is filled with all the heart-warming, well-rounded characters and plot you’d expect from Lord, but with higher-stakes understanding of how the world works and the messiness that comes with it.

June and Levi are the perfect friends to fake lovers to real lovers - their story is so compelling you can’t help but route and swoon for them the whole time.

I found this a really enjoyable read and can’t wait to read more Emma Lord books.


Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for the ARC.

Firstly thank you netgalley and the publisher.

If you’re looking for a quick summer read then this is the book for you it was written really well and was entertaining the characters are likeable and the storyline is fun.
A bit obvious with how it’s going to end but yet it did leave you wanting to carry on reading it.

June is running her sisters tea shop after her sister suddenly passed away and it’s not going as good as she’d like though.
She got humiliated and dumped on reality tv by her then boyfriend griffin and when her high school crush and long time family friend comes into town they make a pact to help each other out but will it work?

Three and a half stars.

June left her home town to travel the world with her boyfriend Griffin, but when her older sister Anna died she returned home (with some relief) to run the tea and scone shop they had dreamed of together. Unable to stand being dispensable, Griffin dumps June live on his reality TV show by introducing her to 'the love of his life'. Bad enough to be publicly humiliated, but June also becomes a social media meme titled 'the crying girl'.

June, Anna, and their brother Dylan were all friends with Levi at high school, June even had a major crush on him, but he moved to New York to become (gasp) a hedge fund manager and he and June haven't spoken for years - because (drum roll) of a misunderstanding. When Levi's artist girlfriend publicly cheats on him with probably the world's sexiest actor (I'm thinking George Clooney - basically someone on everyone's pass card), Levi returns home to finish writing his novel.

As soon as June and Levi run into each other their old camaraderie flourishes, and their mutual fried suggests the two of them change the narrative by posing as a rebound couple - something that takes the internet by storm. But with unresolved issues from their past, scheming exes, a voracious internet, and a failing tea shop to deal with, the course of true love never did run smooth.

I liked the premise of this, the fake dating didn't last more than about 30 seconds and that was okay. However, what dragged this down for me was just how much verbiage there was about everything, honestly I was ready for the book to be over a long time before it was finished. Maybe there were too many side plots (eg dead sister, planning brother's wedding, fake dating, failing business, Levi's writing, etc). I would compare this to Jamie Beck with a little les angst (rereading some of my reviews they were quite vitriolic) but there does appear to be quite a bit of navel-gazing, angsty introspection that I don't enjoy - if you enjoy that then I think you'll love this. SO I'm basically saying I'm shallow and I like my romances light on the angsty introspection LOL.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.