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.

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.

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 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.

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 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....

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.

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 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

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!

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!

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!

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.