The Break-Up Pact

by Emma Lord

Two viral break-ups. One fake relationship. Five sparkling, heart-pounding dates.

June and Levi were best friends as teenagers - until the day they weren't. Now June is struggling to make rent on her beachside tea shop, Levi is living a New York cliché as a disillusioned hedge fund manager and failed novelist, and they've barely spoken in years.

But, after they both experience public, humiliating break-ups that spread like wildfire online, a photo of them together has the internet convinced they're a couple. With so many people rooting for them, they decide to put aside their rocky past and make a pact to fuel the fire by pretending to date. After all, that will help June's shop stay open and make Levi's ex realize what a mistake she made.

All they have to do is convince the world they're in love, one swoon-worthy photo opp at a time. Then they can happily go their separate ways with no regrets . . . right?

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fake Dating

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2024

About the author

Emma Lord is an NYT bestselling author of rom coms for teens and adults, a BuzzFeed senior writer, and dessert gremlin living in New York City. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. Her sun sign is Cancer and her moon sign is whatever Taylor Swift song is about to pop up on shuffle.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

the definition of insanity is how i keep thinking i'm going to find a new romance favorite if i just try one more.

look at what happened.

i came away from this book, which is, if my memory serves correctly (it doesn't), 880 pages long (400 of which are just describing the various combinations of emotions in human expressions), with so many questions. where are our protagonist's parents? she's like a disney princess: absent parents, one dead sibling, one conveniently absent sibling. if our protagonist has multiple full time and part time staff members, why can she never leave her storefront (including after closing)? was she sad or not about her breakup? it says both. what did her sister die of? i don't think it ever says, in spire referencing the being-dead part every other page. and how many scones can one person eat??? buy a f*cking lean cuisine! meal prep! oh my god!

at this point i'm ready to call in a wellness check for our protagonist, june. every time she laughs it's sharp. i'm concerned for the well-being of her esophagus.

none of these characters have any motivations beyond, ostensibly, "doing the most" and "getting on my nerves." why would a side character who is trying to get a prestigious journalism job benefit from writing gossip content of the kind they specifically say is useless? why would our protagonist say she can't get a drink with her best friend and brother, because she's...getting a drink? why would our protagonist go on the reality show her ex cheated on her on? why would said ex date her for TEN YEARS, dragging her internationally while doing so, without ever saying i love you?? why would our love interest repeatedly entertain an ex who cheated on him? 

i didn't even understand this friends to lovers trope. our protagonist's dead sister is our love interest's childhood best friend, and that's their connection? it seems like they were just trading piggyback rides throughout high school, which as an older sister would have p*ssed me off too. 

anyway. on top of that, our protagonist is annoying and our love interest is the worst kind of f*ckboy: a "nice guy" who just so happens to be acting like a sh*t every other page.

and if you're wondering why i won't use the characters' names, it's because they're june and levi.
ridiculous. these people should be named ashley and matt.

bottom line: i'm scared of how bad this was.

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

✩ 3 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Second Chance Romance
➼ Fake Dating
➼ Miscommunication
➼ Grief & Loss
➼ Sister’s Best Friend
➼ FMC Finder Her Own Way
➼ Struggling Bakery/Tea Shop
➼ First Person POV

This was a decent read, but the subplot threw me off a little. The MC’s haven’t spoken to each other for ten years because of something she overheard him say to her sister (who was also his best friend) when they were in high school. The MC’s both unknowingly carried a torch for each other as teenagers but when her sister asks him about it, he denies it and says that he doesn’t think of her in that way (classic miscommunication 🙄). When the FMC overhears this she chooses to cut him out of her life and shortly after starts dating another guy from their high school. In the book, the FMC and the other guy have broken up in a very public and embarrassing way, and the MMC’s girlfriend has cheated on him and left him for someone famous which leads them to start a fake dating arrangement.

Their relationship feels very platonic from the start which made it a little difficult to root for them as a couple, especially since he is actively trying to use their fake relationship to win back his ex. What really threw me though, was that her sister didn’t want them to be together. It’s not in the blurb, but the sister has semi recently passed away and they are both sorting through their grief in their own ways. The FMC and her sister opened the tea shop together, but it seems like it was more her sisters dream. The FMC is working hard to keep things exactly the way her sister wanted them even though she is gone.

I am maybe reading too much into it, but the fact that the sister didn’t want them together made me wonder if the sister was also in love with him. To me, that would be the most logical reason for her sister to try to prevent them from dating. It all felt a little messy to me and I wished the author would have addressed it more directly rather than the vague mentions she provided. If not for that reason, then why? Just kind of adds a somber tone to the whole idea of them dating. Can you imagine being in love with your best friend only for him to fall for your sister? What a bummer that would be. Anyway… again, I am probably reading too much into it, but this was where my mind went and once the idea had been planted, I couldn’t get it out of my head unfortunately.

Both of their exes were garbage, so I was definitely a fan of them moving on! I just wasn’t 100% sold on them moving on with each other. 🙃

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: I have the cutest edition of this from Afterlight! 🤗 I’ve been looking forward to reading this since I received it in the mail. Hope it delivers! 🤞🏻💗

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

Connect with me on Instagram

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Break-Up Pact is Emma Lord's Adult Romance debut.



In this story, we follow June and Levi, who were best friends as teenagers. A misunderstanding just prior to Levi departing for college, resulted in a falling out, and the two have essentially lost touch ever since. Now as adults, they've both returned to their hometown of Benson Beach.

June is struggling to maintain the beach-side tea shop opened by her sister. She also has just had a very embarrassing, very public break-up, resulting in her being dubbed 'the crying girl' on social media. Humiliating!



Levi has returned to town after an equally public break-up, wherein his long-time girlfriend left him for a celebrity. Everyone is talking about it. Trying to escape the limelight for a while, Levi flees NYC and returns to Benson Beach, where he can focus more on his writing.

As Levi and June come back into each other's orbit, they begin talking and catching-up. After a picture of them caught in a very suggestive position goes viral, they decide to go along with the charade and pretend to be a couple.

If it's drama and intrigue the people want, it's drama and intrigue they shall get. The bonus being extra business for June's shop and both of their ex's getting jealous.



I love a fake-dating trope and I thought it was well-executed here. Both June and Levi were compelling characters and I enjoyed learning about their past history, as well as watching them learn about each other all over again.

They are both dealing with some fairly serious adult issues, with their careers and their recent break-ups, and the examination of those things does take up a good portion of the narrative. Because of that, this has a much more serious tone than Lord's previous works, IMO, but it makes sense.

In an adult world, adult things happen. It's not always sunshine and rainbows. Businesses end up in trouble. You end up in a career you aren't passionate about. You worry you wasted time with someone who was never going to be the one for you. You worry that you are never going to find the place you really belong. You lose friends, you lose loved ones; these are all things that most of us can relate to...



My concern for this novel is that people will go in expecting a super punchy, witty, fun Rom-Com and they'll be surprised by the more serious tone; maybe causing them to not rate it as highly.

I would pick this up expecting an Adult Contemporary with a convincing fake-dating trope. It's not all giggle and laughs and swooning; although there is some of that too.

In my eyes, this is a successful transition into the Adult space for Lord. I thought the characters were very well-developed and it did fill my heart watching the evolution of their relationship. I feel like as far as couples go, Levi and June are perfectly matched.



I did enjoy how this was paced. I thought it had a fun introductory section and then it slows down a bit as we get into the meat of their relationship. As the fake dates begin, it does pick up again and then as we get closer to conclusion, it speeds along at a great pace.

In addition to the likeable main characters, I loved the side characters in this as well. June's best friend, who helps the couple with their plot, and June's brother and his fiance, all had fun-loving, supportive roles, that truly added to the feel of the narrative.

Overall, I think this is a very solid, heart-warming story. I enjoyed going on this journey with both of these characters as they found themselves, and each other at the same time.



Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I adore Emma Lord and will continue to pick up everything she writes.

This was super cute and I'm proud of her for branching out into the Adult Contemporary space. Well done!!

[RiRi💌 (back in January) · Rating 2 out of 5]

(𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭...)

!𝙽𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚓𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜!

You know that feeling when there's a book on your TBR that you really REALLY want to read? But you can't because it's not released yet.
Then you get an arc, yay!! You're so happy, and you start right away, and you can't wait because you just know it's going to be a good book!! HAHAHA, but you were sooo wrong because this book is actually your thirteenth reason…

Do you know that feeling? Yeah, same, and when I tell you how disappointed I am, not even the English language can express my feelings!!
I want to cry angry tears right now!!!🥲🥲

So you’re asking Riri, Why didn’t you enjoy this?
Sit down and grab some popcorn.🍿🍿

So I'm a huge slow-burn reader, and of course I knew that it would not be a slow book (due to the number of pages), but I never NEVER thought that it was such a quick read.
I really don't joke when I say it was QUICK!!
Sometimes you want a fast read, sometimes you don't want to read a 400+ page book, or sometimes you just want to get out of your reading slump.
What is the best solution than a quick romance novel? Bestie, I was in a reading slump, finally came out of it, then read this book, and now I'm back in a reading slump. I would like to thank Emma Lord for that.🤗💞

Back to the book that is written too fast for me, (side note: I had the exact same problem with Tweet Cute her other book). I want to give you an example: We come from the meeting with the 2 MCs after YEARS to a few pages after "Let's fake date" uhhh???
You haven't seen each other for years, and then you meet again and go fake date??? I mean, yes, cool... completely normal... why not right?

𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏; 𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐑𝐢𝐫𝐢 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤:

The six-time mention of the word TikTok…
YES U READ THAT RIGHT 6 TIMES?!!!!
No one can top Ali Hazelwood because she mentioned it 17 times in her last book (I’m sorry, Ali Ily), but STILL SIX TIMES???? When do authors learn that it's not okay to mention that ugly word?😭
It's really making me want to close the book (in my situation, my phone) and throw it out of the window!!But that’s not the only word that definitely got too mentioned in this book, because what is Emma Lord’s obsession with the word scone?? Because it was mentioned, !hold tight! 46 times!!
YES, I HAD TO READ THE WORD SCONES FORTY-SIX TIMES, MY POOR EYES.🫣🫣

𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑:

If I don’t connect with the characters (especially the main characters), the book is immediately not my cup of tea. I don’t care how good the writing is; I don’t care about tropes and so on. And guess what? This wasn’t just too fast or had TikTok mentioned if it. No, of course this isn’t it, but the FEMALE MAIN CHARACTER GOT ON MY NERVES!!!! She was so annoying and ohmygaaad so judgmental, and these are the types of people I despise.🫶🏼🫶🏼

In fact, I liked her best friend, Sana, much more, like THAT'S the kind of woman I want to read about.💞💞(she’s also the reason I’m giving these 2 stars instead of 1)

𝚂𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎: 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝙼𝚈 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚈𝙾𝚄𝚁 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚝.🫂

💌
!!!𝗜 𝘄��𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁.𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻’𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 & 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄!!!
💌

[mimi (depression slump) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Go Girl, give us… nothing.

The Break-Up Pact is a story about the importance of working on ourselves before committing to a relationship we know it's not right for us, at least not at that moment.
Ignoring things is not the solution, pushing people away is not the solution, and shutting down is not the solution. Yeah, you got it right: communicating is the only way for the other person to be in your head, even if sometimes it might feel unnecessary.

But, unfortunately, what’s missing from it is the romance.
Besides a very hot chapter and some butterflies here and there near the end, the fake dating didn’t make me feel anything.
It may sound weird but, when people pretend to date, it's also kind of a slow burn - they realize they like each other, they wanna spend time with the other, and then one of them goes too far and bum, how can't they be in love?! But it's under everyone’s eyes that June and Levi find each other hot and like each other - and not just like best friends -, so every little moment of pure joy when they were supposed to pretend was so obvious that it just didn't give me anything.

Also, romance aside, the whole plot of the book is that these two became internet famous after having been dumped on national television (June) and being cheated on with a People’s Sexiest Actor of the Year (Levi), so everyone is now obsessed with them being together.
And my only question is: why?

↠ 2.8 stars

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Lit with Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

writing: very emily henry | plot: meh | ending: yay I guess?

my opinion

Another 'meh' read from my most anticipated reads list. Further confirming my theory that I should no longer be responsible for choosing what books I read. I'm going to let ya'll take the wheel in 2025 haha.

me before 50%: 3.5? ya'll are tripping
me after 50%: ah... i see. nvm.

Girl can definitely write, but even me, #1 fangirl of groups of threes, got a little sick of them by the end. We don't need them every page. Kinda ruins the magic. But the real issue was the plot. I liked the whole victims of viral break-ups decide to link-up to get even oh and btw did you know they had PHAT crushes on each other in high school but things ended badly so tensions are high??? Second chance romances, esp when the first chance occurred in HS, are always iffy to me, but this was a unique set-up. Unfortunately, when you realize the reason of said tension, the whole conflict just deflates and I was over it.

Also this started out with some decent jokey jokes, but after the first spicy scene (which felt like it was randomly inserted to appease the "spice????" girlies) the jokes were abandoned like my Duolingo account. I did appreciate the one-on-one fake dates though; we don't get enough of these in romcoms.

But more importantly, not wearing shoes outdoors, unless you're at a beach, is one of my biggest pet peeves. Fastest way to let me know I'll never eat anything you cook. And did Levi wear a leather jacket all night inside a "club" ... in the summer ????? You could probably smell him from France. Lastly, what exactly is a scone? The concoctions in this book seemed really disgusting if my understanding is correct.

Overall, CUUUUUTEEE cover, cool premise with a meh execution, and the conflict wasn't strong enough to be generating all that angst. Howevereth, I would read another book of hers as I do think she has a way with words, she just needs a developmental editor who wants to see her win.

But she gets 5 stars for the opening paragraph of her acknowledgements:

I would like to first and foremost thank the wild raccoon that snuck up on me and put its little paw on my keyboard while I was writing the first draft of this in Central Park. Your input was not necessarily welcome, but appreciated; if you want to discuss plot details on future novels any further, you (unfortunately) know where to find me.

__

Check out my YouTube

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "The Breakup Pact," Emma Lord crafts a tale that goes beyond the surface of internet memes and struggling businesses, revealing the depth of her characters. June Hart, initially introduced as an internet meme and owner of the beachside cafe Tea Tide, undergoes a journey of self-discovery throughout the book. It takes time for her to unravel her true identity, culminating in a satisfying revelation that matches the creative descriptions of her cafe's scones.

June and her 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.

The character arcs of June and Levi, though resolved, could have been more finely executed, as their growth seems hindered by the miscommunication trope that lingers from their high school days. The narrative unfolds with unnecessary length and occasional dragging moments, contributing to a feeling of immaturity in the characters. Despite the humorous elements and the beachy setting of Benson Beach, the book falls short of the expectations set by Lord's previous works in the YA genre.

The friends-to-lovers trope, while present, seems drawn out and needlessly complicated at times, making it challenging to fully connect with the characters' indecision. While the book didn't evoke strong dislike, it also didn't achieve the level of love expected. The friends' waffling, considering their single status and the faux relationship, creates moments of confusion and impedes the progression of the narrative. While "The Breakup Pact" offers humor and entertainment, its prolonged storyline may leave readers seeking a more succinct and impactful resolution.

For the first time, I'm awarding an Emma Lord book less than five stars, settling for three solid stars. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book; it was a decent read. However, considering Emma Lord is one of my favorite romance authors, I had higher expectations. I'm optimistic that I'll find more satisfaction in her next release.

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

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[adira · Rating 1 out of 5]

argghh, where do i start. well, first of all, i did not finish this one. believe me, i don’t usually leave books unfinished. in fact, there are only 2 or 3 books on my dnf shelf. but it was just too horrible of an idea to pass up on the wonderful opportunity of acting like i’m a picky reviewer!

yes, i will be marking it as read. don’t shame me, you’re not perfect either. i’m not that person that just wants to add to her reading goal, she said fully knowing that she was lying to people’s faces.

i’m not a hard girl to please. give me anything from costco, i’m a happy gal. costco croissants? chef’s kiss for the lamination. their churros? my car is literally covered in cinnamon sugar from a late night costco run three days ago. in fact, i’ve been known to give the best reactions to underwhelming birthday gifts. and emma lord knows that. both of the books i’ve read from her (what an extensive collection, #1 fan who?) were hits for me. she always delivers on plots, weird traditions, and ya goodness. and yes, admittedly, what i learned from this book was that she should just keep writing books for teens. i will say, i have a soft spot for anything ya though.

no, i will not recount the plot for you. unlike the author of this book, i will spare you from the monstrosity that is fake dating when she writes it. instead, i’m going to tell you my problems with this book without 1. spoilers, 2. names, and 3. context. you're welcome! reading this felt like one of those dreams you have when you take a short nap and wake up 300 centuries later, so i literally have no recollection of some parts of this book.

one. diversity. not that there wasn't enough diversity, but the why behind each of the characters. yes, it’s always wonderful when we see representations of ourselves in beloved book people. and maybe some little girl will see herself in sana, so for that, hopefully emma lord inspired her and then those interesting (to say the least) thoughts about diversity would’ve helped someone. but it was apparent that emma could’ve had a checklist for things she needed to include in her book.

- bakery with landowner telling weird-ass main character it’s time to get out of the owl house
- chemistry and a connection (if she has time, you know how hard it is to fit that in these days)
- most importantly…diverse best friend who’s only purpose is to help main character and be diverse and write diverse things!

my friend is telegu and also got an arc for this book. what she found, and i wholeheartedly agree with, is that it’s often worse to have a character of color who’s sole job is to be of color, than no representation at all. treating characters of color as if they are so different and so special and so worthy of sympathy doesn’t give you a sticker. in fact, it strengthens the stereotype that people of color are in need of help from everybody else! representation isn’t always good representation. sana was written with countless micro-aggressions that were incredibly out of touch, and it was like lord set out on a mission to make sure she wrote the most stereotypical character of color there was.

two. steam? more like fog. what comes with writing an adult book is inevitably adult material. i feel barely old enough to read steamy scenes, and always skip them. call me a wimp, they’re just not for me. but what sex scenes/moments of intimacy can develop are strong connections between characters and emotional bonds that we get to witness in the pages of our books. since emma is such a master at writing young characters who don’t need to have sex or make out in order to truly enjoy each other’s company, i expected the chemistry between our two main characters to be even better with more tools in her belt.

but no.
somehow, i was even more disconnected from their relationship than i was with lord’s ya books! thank god this isn’t ya, because i don’t know if i would’ve made it past the 5-page mark. both the characters were just so two-dimensional, so their chemistry and moments together fell flat.

i’m so disappointed, firstly because i hate giving bad reviews for an arc, and secondly: emma’s ya is a breath of fresh air. interesting storylines woven in with witty prose. i so do adore emma’s ya books, but this was an old unoriginal ali hazelwood romance doled out at starbucks moms’ meet and greets or green juice cleansing afternoons with beverly hills dentists. the gen-z name-dropping didn’t help either, but i guess i signed up for that because of the oops-we-went-viral trope. should’ve been a red flag from the start, right?

sadly, i would not recommend. i hope emma can explore different facets of herself as a romance author with new ideas she can unlock now that she’s stepping outside of ya, even if i won’t ever read any of her new adult books! in my opinion, ya is the way to go for her now.

1 star for the beach vibes. the obscure celebrity references weren’t enough to save this book.

insert crying meme face here (yes this is a reference, and no. don’t read this book to find out!)

——————————————————
pre-review: and she never trusted her instincts or her lord emma again.

friends-to-lovers is always a hit or miss, but i trust in my lord and savior…emma lord! (also apparently they go “viral” so we’ll see if i’m going to be engulfed in weird vampire diaries fanfiction, obscure celebrity name-dropping, and rainbow bagel references?)

thank you to netgalley for the arc!

[Bryce Rocks My Socks · Rating 4 out of 5]

recipe for this book
1 tsp childhood friends
2 cups fake dating
1/2 cup second chance romance
1000 cups secret feelings

I JUST WANTED TO EAT THIS BOOK UP! i loved them, i shipped them, i was attracted to them, i was everything (that sounds very unhumble).
im a sucker for guys named Levi (if ur name is levi call me)

warning: the first chapter is SUH-LOW, but push thru it, it suffered from reverse middle book syndrome. closer you get to the middle, the better it gets!! like a warm freshly baked scone. <3

(i got this early bc netgalley spoiled me but i would've paid for this TWICE, that's how much i loved these characters)

[lilly ♡ (comment restriction) · Rating 1 out of 5]

no stars

this book ABSOLUTELY SUCKED. the first half was decent, and then it just went so downhill.

THE MISCOMMUNICATION. seriously why is this a trope????? they didn't talk for YEARS all because of a MISUNDERSTANDING

they acted like teenagers, and the author writes like a teenager. i dont want to listen abt the new tiktok trends, or your “uptown funk” dj music

the blurb sounded really good, and this was one of my most anticipated reads.. well, y'all can pick my reads now because all i keep reading are 1 stars

i genuinely wished the MC's didn't end up together.

levi, was annoying. he was talking about how he wanted to get with his ex so he tried to make her jealous by fake dating the fmc, then suddenly hes in love with her. and he got so upset when she didn't communicate with him but the man ignored her for YEARS because she didn't recuperate his crush in highschool - which was also a misunderstanding

june, just no. she was so horrible and annoying.

i let out an audible “yessss” when i finished the book because i'm finally done with this 🙏🏻

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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. An all-round lovely story!

“I love you, June.” He says it plainly, sincerely, but with more depth in his voice than I’ve ever heard before. Like he’s pulling it out from the blood in his veins, the marrow of his bones. Some thing that is every bit as much a part of him as the pieces that keep him alive. “It’s the only thing I’m certain about. The only thing I always will be.”

[ Contains some spoilers ]

PLOT SUMMARY
27-year-old June Hart is the owner of her late older sister Annie’s tea shop Tea Tide, which is on the brink of collapse due to its lack of customers. Her ex, Griffin, revealed he was cheating on her on national television and she became a meme. Tired of everything, June is going to tell the freeloader sitting outside to clear off (the only customer there), who is none other than her estranged childhood friend, Levi Shaw, a 28-year-old failed novelist turned hedge fund manager from New York.

The two of them are in quite a predicament: both are under public scrutiny after their exes cheated on them in viral ways (June’s boyfriend Griffin after announcing he is with Lisel during a reality TV show; Levi’s fiancé Kelly after being seen kissing film star Roman Steele). After a picture of them together has the public believing June and Levi are together, they form a pact: they pretend to date in retaliation for what their significant others did (the “Revenge Exes”), their viral relationship will restore Tea Tide’s popularity and lease, and also make Kelly miss Levi and get back together with him.

As the first public date turns into five, and as June’s younger brother chooses them both to organise his wedding, feelings are caught big time. But it is all complicated. June has always loved him, but circumstances in their past (partly concerning Annie) that made them estranged make this impossible. And what if Griffin and Kelly do return into their lives? Can they put aside their past, cope with the present, and determine their future without hurting feelings again? Or will it all crumble, like Tea Tide’s impending doom?

This is told from the first-person present-tense POV of June.

“It’s a date.” The words are still rattling between my ears as he leaves, the full impact of them settling in. It’s a date. It’s a pact. It’s a new chance. But more than that, it’s something to feel.

OVERALL OPINIONS
This story really gave me the Jessica Joyce vibes, particularly her latest book The Ex Vows 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 not only moving on from that but the rift between June and Levi because of Annie and also June’s struggles of keeping Annie’s dreams alive through upholding her visions of the tea shop – despite it not being how June would like the place. This comes into play with the relationship between June and her younger brother Dylan; she accidentally pushes him away or forgets to show up to events or is too busy, going it alone and forgetting she still has a living sibling to do things with and not take for granted. I like that Emma Lord circumnavigates all the affairs of the heart from friends to family to loved ones.

The other element is that of their exes and the cheating. Both Levi and June have been with Kelly and Griffin respectively for a while and both were subsequently moulded into a form of themselves that was not really what they wanted to be, an extreme version:

“Levi and I spent most of our adult lives with people who pushed us. Who amplified qualities that were already there, but to serve their own purposes. Kelly took advantage of the part of Levi that wanted everything settled and planned, and Griffin took advantage of the part of me that loved exploring new things. They didn’t just push us, but pushed us too far.”

I think Lord covered this really well: the hindsight that occurs after coming out of a relationship with the wrong person. From realising all the red flags you missed, them showing their true colours, the sex was missing something... for me, this was all completely accurate, and I loved this – and June’s growth in this book. I will be reading more from Emma soon, I think.

And we really need to talk about that one acknowledgement that really made me chortle at the end of the book, an utter masterpiece on its own:

I would like to first and foremost thank the wild raccoon that snuck up on me and put its little paw on my keyboard while I was writing the first draft of this in Central Park. Your input was not necessarily welcome, but appreciated; if you want to discuss plot details on fu ture novels any further, you (unfortunately) know where to find me.

<< Positives >>
🠚First of all, the cover! Stunning, fun, again reminds me of Emily Henry.
🠚Excellent descriptions (see my favourite quotes at the bottom of my review)!
🠚Their relationship is so lovely and healthy, and how supportive they are of each other. Bless! I like that they go from having options “off the table” to “This time we leave everything on the table”
🠚*That* spicy moment was everything. I really loved the sensuality of it, Emma really captured that moment where being with someone feels so right it cannot be imagined differently.
🠚The uncovering of the mystery as to why June and Levi have not spoken for a decade was a very satisfactory show not tell. I adored how it was uncovered and the reaction.
🠚The handling of the loss of a close family member was unparalleled.
🠚I love the support June gets from everyone.
🠚The realistic issues of public scrutiny, the positive and negative impact of the media and memes.
🠚Gay representation and diversity through supporting characters.

<< Negatives >>
🠚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.
🠚What really annoyed me was when June says her situation with Griffin is “complicated”. I am absolutely on Sana’s side with this (our dear voice of reason): “what’s complicated about Griffin cheating on [her] and turning [her] into a laughingstock”?! I get this is to emphasise her good-hearted nature and that she considers him a close friend. There is nothing complicated about cheating: regardless of however long you know the person, it is not right. (Absolutely cut them off if this happens to you)
🠚Something that was missing was June’s parents. I wanted something more from them as they are only ever mentioned.
🠚The slowburn felt so slow, there was only one spicy scene. I would have loved another.
🠚I thought there would be more about Dylan’s wedding, considering June and Levi organised so much of it.

CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ June꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ She has a lot of “hart”, ‘scuse the pun. And girl I too would blush if someone remembered my order after a decade! I relate a lot to her, (unfortunately) being cheated on, liking routines, hating being pushed out the comfort zone (though that is where the similarities stop, kudos to her for getting out there and doing all that). I am glad she gets closure for her awful relationship.
🠚When she said “it’s almost impossible these days to meet people in a way that gives you time to be friends first, to feel each other out. Most people expect to know whether you’re attracted to them on the first or second date. But it’s never been like that for me.” I felt this in my soul!
🠚And when she said “I have no plans. I’m around literally every moment of every day. Weird how that sounded less pathetic in my head.” I felt that – how dare you!
🠚The bond between her and Annie really tugged at my heartstrings, especially that moment where she feels so lost without her – and this description: “When you have a sister, you don’t realize how much of the way you exist, is framed not just by your own thoughts, but hers”. I could not imagine losing either of my sisters. Again, Emma covers this so well!

“I don’t think anyone ever gets to be settled in life. I think you just find people who weather it with you.”

-ˋˏ ꒰ Levi꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ We have to talk about Levi making her a scone himself, with his own ingredients! Like, stop it, this is the cutest thinggg! Marry this man! –Oh wait, she does!!
🠚I too want someone to look at me the way Levi looks at June. We adore asking for consent to kiss her like ahhh! Also, something about “Let me look at you” goodness! Also it’s really cute that when he is annoyed with her he names her a different month of the year (or all the latter half of the year) “June August September October November December Hart” – not sure why July was missing though.
🠚I love that the stories he wrote when they were younger were all loosely based on them.

“I will be here, and I will love you, no matter what we are going to be to each other. And if you need time, I can give that to you, June.”

-ˋˏ ꒰ Other characters꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ Sana has to be my actual favourite character here. I think this book will be a standalone due to its structure but I would not mind reading her newly-acquired love story. I love how hard she ships June and Levi though she was very demanding actually trying to get them together. But also, I love her fierce loyalty to June and defends her, we all need a friend like that: “Take that picture and I will throw your phone so far into the ocean you’ll start getting texts from Poseidon.”

FAV QUOTES
• I look up at him and see one of those full Levi smiles— the kind so broad and bright in his eyes that it puts the sun behind him to shame— and I can’t help but feel smug knowing I’m the one responsible for it.
• “Do you trust me?” | “Unfortunately,” says Levi, without missing a beat.
• “BOLD OF LEVI AND JUNE TO HAVE AN ORIGIN STORY SO ICONIC THAT THEY SINGLE-HANDEDLY DESTROYED EVERY DATING APP ON MY PHONE.”
• “Anytime I felt out of place, I would think of you. Something funny you might say. And then I didn’t feel so out of place anymore.”
• The kiss didn’t end anything. It opened up an entire world, one that stretches far beyond this place, past the parking lot and every road it will take to get us home. One with enough potential to spill the ocean, into the night stars
• Levi watches me, his hands still coursing through my hair. “You have all of me,” he says. “However much you want.” And my throat aches almost as much as the rest of my then, because it’s one thing to know it, but another thing to hear it. Sweeter than dreams, sharper than hope.
• I spent the same years missing him, every version of him I could imagine. The Levi who was my best friend. The Levi I fell for in high school. The Levi he is right now, because there is no iteration of Levi I haven’t pined for, haven’t wanted at my side. When you love someone the way I love Levi, it becomes every bit as much a feeling as it is a part of your own soul. Something inevitable. Something permanent. Something that never quite had a clear beginning and will never end.
• He knew he couldn’t handle me trying to reach my best, so he dumped me in a way where he could put me at my worst. But I’m still here. Stronger than ever. And with one look at his uneasy face, I can tell it’s driving him up the wall.
• I’ve been so busy trying to hold on to the past that I lost sight of the present, and now it feels like it’s all falling out from under me, making the future hazier than it’s ever been.
• For a moment, there’s only us— two people who have weathered a storm and come out together on the other side. Two people built to withstand more of them, when they come our way. Two people built to last.

══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Emma Lord, Little Brown Book Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

[sarah.readsromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Lord’s newest literary delight The Break-Up Pact further reinforces her heavy hitter status in the romance genre.
Lord’s story centres around the characters of June and Levi. June and Levi were close friends in their younger lives and for various reasons become estranged. They then bump into each other many years later after their respective romantic relationships implode very publicly. The media looking for their next big story misconstrues this as a revenge tactic by spurned exes. An internet frenzy immediately ensues and the option to go along with the world’s assumptions to make their exes jealous comes into play. Other reasons for this plan also become apparent throughout the storyline. The ultimate question of what could possibly go wrong with this plan bears asking.
This book gives a unique voice to the trope of fake lovers with an all star cast of engaging, lovable and relatable supporting characters. These characters show their ability and willingness to cheer June and Levi on and catch them if their plan should fail. The themes of courage, regaining your forgotten authentic self and being intentional with your life despite many setbacks/roadblocks are hightlighted throughout this work. Lord’s writing style creates a seamless narrative that both keeps you invested in what will happen next and continuously rooting for that happy ending that we as romance book lovers most often crave. This is a home run and was an absolute pleasure to read. Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martin’s Press for the early preview and the opportunity to discover another work of literary genious.

[dee ౨ৎ [ia] · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars ★
↳ romance, second chance trope
minor spoilers in this review
⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

ᡣ𐭩 this book follows June and Levi. they were friends in highschool and now, a couple years later they reunite after their public break-ups hit the internet. when a photograph makes the internet think they are a couple, they engage in a pact to fake date. but during that journey they end up falling in love again.

something I want to say before this review begins is that I really hated the reason why June and Levi started fake dating in the first place. especially (and basically only) on Levi’s part. and they jumped into the fake dating so quickly
how it happened (a tad exaggerated) :
“hi”
“hi”
“my crazy bsf wants us to fake date but we haven’t spoken to each other in 10 years so I don’t think we should but I secretly really want us t-“
“yes. let’s do it”

anyways, onto the review

something I disliked is the lack of communication. this trope is the worst, let’s please stop using it. (PLEASE) for example, Levi and June were friends in high school and then they drifted apart right so we’re all wondering why didn’t they talk for that long and when it was revealed turns out it was just miscommunication 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️
*aggressively smacking my head*

Levi and June were so back and forth, sometimes I couldn’t stand them. honestly, the side characters had more depth than them.

june ⊹ ࣪ ˖ this girl was living for the miscommunication!

“We race to the next pier. And if I win, we never talk about what happened yesterday again”

who’s gonna tell her that that is NOT how a relationship works? because it’s definitely not me. I liked her more at the end.

levi ⊹ ࣪ ˖ I can’t lie I hated him in the beginning (he kept excusing the fact that his ex cheated and finding excuses for her and I just couldn’t) but he grew on me. he was definitely the more mature one in the relationship. (but he’s not making it to my book bfs list sorry not sorry)

sana ⊹ ࣪ ˖ literally the saving grace of this book. Why is it that the main characters best friends are always the best characters in the book?

°˖➴ please don’t let this review change your opinion about this book or change your mind about reading it.

thank you to netgalley and st martins press for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange of an honest review

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Happy publication day!
2⭐
Genre ~ contemporary fiction
Setting ~ Benson Beach (near NY, or in it, I think)
Publication date ~ August 13, 2024
Publisher ~ St. Martin's Griffin
Est Page Count ~ 320 (26 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 18 minutes
Narrator ~ Natalie Naudus
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ viral breakups, childhood friends, fake dating, second chance, slow burn, minimal steamage, back in the day micommunication

June (27) & Levi were broken up with publicly and decide to fake date after not seeing each other for 10 years.

I don't mind fake dating at all, but only when it's for the benefit of career purposes or something to that nature. I am absolutely not down with it when it's up in the air that one of them might or might not want to get back with their ex. Which is what happens for most of the book. That's really mean and I don't like meanness. Therefore I did not like them together at all, not one bit. I would've preferred they just stay friends who like to compete with each other.

Usually I like dual POV, but I'm happy we didn't have Levi's because it probably would've made me dislike him more.

So with that said I do think it was written well for what the author was trying to do. Also, really enjoyed June's friendship with Matteo, her brother's fiance. But, overall, I was not a fan.

Narration notes:
She did a great job.

Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

I've read all of Emma Lord's books and while her YA and NA books were great for me, this one felt very meh. Levi and June... I didn't feel a spark between them and I got so fed up with Levi and his ex situation. The ending was nice but by that point I was a bit over it. I enjoy Emma Lord's writing and I hope this was just a fluke for me.

[saffiyah✧ఌ]

there is no way this was recommended to me because i was reading a book about a serial killer, i think gr is just a little high rn

[Tasha Metzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rounded up to 4! I wish we could do half stars. I liked this little fake dating trope from the perspective of being best friends growing up and both you know into each other but deny it. Same song & dance, but as Bruno Mars says “'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you. Saturday night and we in the spot. Don't believe me, just watch” 🕺🏻

[Hannah B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh it read like a lower budget Emily Henry novel. Not much happened and it felt rather cookie cutter. The tension wasn’t there for me and I’d say my favorite was probably the first 20% and then it all kinda just flatlined.

I wasn’t really a fan of the bit with his ex at the end (it just felt off and honestly all of his actions did when it came to her) and I definitely wasn’t a fan of her *spoiler* even doing that interview for her ex. Yeah it backfired but ???? You owe him nothing girl show some backbone!!!

The audiobook was fabulously narrated by Natalie Naudus though, so it sounded beautiful at least. Her guy voice is >>>>

⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️.5*/5

*I was curious about the steam since this is the author’s first adult book! There was at least one explicit scene with a lowish level of detail. It was a bit flowery but I was happy it was included.


I received a free audiobook from the Macmillan Audio. All opinions are honest and my own.

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord
Contemporary romance. Second chance, friends to lovers, and fake relationship troupes. Trigger warnings of off page and prior to story loss of a sibling.
June and Levi were childhood friends. He moved to New York for a job and they soon lost touch. Ten years later, after both experience a viral public breakup, they find themselves together again at her boardwalk tea shop, tentatively renewing their friendship. The come up with a scheme to fake date after a second viral moment and the slowly realize they want their old relationship back and perhaps to make it real this time.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook in reading this, and often read the two together, which is a favorite way for me to enjoy the book. The narration is performed by Natalie Naudus who does a wonderful job with the different voices for the two main characters and also another four prime secondary voices. I like the smoothness of her voice and the fact that the different characters are still at the same audio level which is important. Emotions come through clearly. I was crying at the 85% which was mostly from the narration. I heard the loss and introspection and it got to me.
This narrator has done a few hundred different stories that include romance, urban fantasy and thrillers. A great professionally done recording.
As usual, I feel the recordings are too slow for the Midwest, so listened at 1.5 which also more closely matches my reading speed.
For this particular book, I felt the audiobook held my attention more than the ebook.

It’s always interesting to me how two people can read the same sentence and hear or empathize something different. This came up multiple times in this book. Is it a cultural difference, or additional knowledge about the character? A different perspective in age? I don’t know. It does throw me out of the book because I’m hearing it differently than I read it. That is the downside of doing the two formats together but I enjoy it because I’m more immersed in the story and characters.

The premise is a bit sad to start off with on a couple of levels but most of that is prior to the start of the story. There are emotionally draining moments and there are emotional romantic and lovely scenes. Overall I enjoyed the romance and friendships as well as a couple of petty “what you deserve” moments.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

[meg *ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW. 4 stars.

This story reminds me a bit of a Hallmark movie but with modern ages (aka TikTok etc.). I really thoroughly enjoyed and was pulled into the story immediately. I loved both characters and how they developed throughout the book. And ah, I just love their love.


The story goes along with fake dating and second chances, but something in the plot was missing though, not sure what but just something minor. I also did not see too much of a significance of bringing up the sister and her not wanting the two characters together, since it never really gave any background to it or why. It felt thrown in with the rest of the details and just did not seem to make sense to me besides to show "why" they ignored each other... which is also ignorant, but a lot more of that is my rant of the book versus any actual 'problems'.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for letting me have an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[kaz ruby &#x1065a; ‧₊˚ ⋅ · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF’d at 31%

Have you ever started reading a book, and felt like you were coming in at the middle instead of the beginning? No? Then might I bring your attention to this book.

As this author’s adult debut, I expected something more mature and developed but this read like an aged up YA book. Several scenes had me cringing (and not in a good way).

At this point in the book, I expected to know more about Levi and June but it just really lacked any kind of development. It’s like the author gave us their names and professions but forgot to actually give us anything else?

This was actually a really big let down, and i’m feeling so disappointed in the execution of this book.

[ClaudiaTalksFilm · Rating 3 out of 5]

completely fine, easy to read and good vibes but upon finishing this it will leave no lasting impact on me and joins the masses of mid romcoms

[Aleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @ 60%

if this book was a spice it would be flour

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up 'The Break-Up Pact' by Emma Lord hoping for a fun, easy read, and that's exactly what I got - nothing too groundbreaking, but not disappointing either.

The book revolves around June and Levi, two high school friends whose messy breakups become social media sensations. When a rumor spreads online suggesting they're a couple, they decide to go along with it for their own reasons, leading to a rekindling of old feelings.

I'm a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope, and the setting of a beach town added a cozy touch to the story. However, I found the constant emphasis on the characters' physical attraction and connection to be a bit overdone. It's like, okay, we get it, they're into each other—no need to keep hammering that point home.

My main issue with the book was June. Right from the start, her judgmental attitude grated on me, making it hard to fully get into the story. It's tough to enjoy a book when you can't really connect with the main character, you know?

That said, there were still some sweet moments in the story that I enjoyed, and overall, it was a decent read. If you're in the mood for a light-hearted romance with a beachy setting, "The Break-Up Pact" might be worth checking out.

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Emma Lord transitions into the world of adult romance with THE BREAK-UP PACT. Fans expecting the normal laugh-out-loud, swoon-worthy romcom typical of Lord may be disappointed, although this story has some of that with a hefty dose of real adult life issues.

June Hart is in danger of losing Tea Tide, a tea shop dream opened by her sister before she passed away suddenly. June's adamant about keeping the shop just as her sister envisioned it, even though she has bright new ideas that might help it compete with other businesses on the beach block. The problem is, June can't make the rent. And now her boyfriend has broken up with her in a very public way. June's desperate, humiliated and out of ideas on how to salvage her sister's dream.

Levi lives in New York working as a hedge fund manager while allowing his dreams of writing a novel to fall by the wayside. He's engaged . . . until his fiancé dumps him on TikTok, and his humiliation goes viral. Levi returns to his childhood hometown to regroup and start writing again. June and Levi were inseparable childhood best friends until a misunderstanding tore them apart. It's been ten years since they last spoke until they come face to face outside Tea Tide. Someone posts a picture of them on TikTok and suddenly they become the new "in" couple. An idea to save them both forms - they agree to fake-date with a friend of June's posting pictures on social media. It'll drive traffic to June's tea shop, and hopefully make Levi's ex jealous. It's a win-win situation. Right? What they didn't account for was the unresolved feelings and chemistry sparking between them.

THE BREAK-UP PACT is a warm, sweet fake dating, friends-to-lovers romance that includes a lot of miscommunications. Readers watch as June and Levi both learn to deal with adult issues such as derailed careers, bad breakups and unresolved feelings while also hashing out their backstories. The tone is more serious than Lord's normal young adult rom coms, but the delivery is excellent with a lot of time focused on the couple's pasts. The public display of their evolving relationship complicates things and is relevant in today's world of social media. Side characters are authentic, caring and supportive, all adding to the overall enjoyment of this story. The pace is slow in the beginning as the author takes time rebuilding a broken relationship that's grounded in some difficult past issues and playing out in the limelight.

I listened to the audiobook of THE BREAK-UP PACT, and it is a delightful delivery of the story. Narrator Natalie Naudus gives an excellent performance bringing characters to life. Fans of adult contemporary romance will enjoy this one.

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 out of 5 stars!

If you know me you know that friends-to-lovers trope is one of my all time favorite trope ever! So I had to add this book.

[Regina the Constant Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley Audiobook 🎧

Description:
June and Levi were best friends as teenagers-until the day they weren’t. Now June is struggling to make rent on her beachside tea shop, Levi is living a New York cliché as a disillusioned hedge fund manager and failed novelist, and they've barely spoken in years. But after they both experience public, humiliating break-ups with their exes that spread like wildfire across TikTok and daytime talk shows alike, they accidentally make some juicy gossip of their own: a photo of them together has the internet convinced they're a couple. With so many people rooting for them, they decide to put aside their rocky past and make a pact to fuel the fire. Pretending to date will help June’s shop get back on its feet and make Levi’s ex realize that she made a mistake. All they have to do is convince the world they're in love, one swoon-worthy photo opp at a time.

Review:
I usually love the friends-to-lovers/fake dating tropes, but this one had me feeling like I was on a roller coaster ride and not a fun one either. Anyone got a barf bag? First he wants his ex back, and then he doesn’t, oh wait, now he does, now he doesn’t, but then he’s going back to New York with the ex, just to “settle things” with her. She’s not much better with her constant woe is me and please come to my pity party. I wish I could come up with something nice to say about this book, but I really can’t.

Thank you? to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for a chance to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date 08/13/2024

[୨୧ Beata ୨୧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book definitely wasn't for me. I just couldn't get into it; it felt more like a task than a pleasurable read. It had its cute, romcom charm, with decent writing, but somehow, it wasn't enough. There were a few reasons behind that.

First of all, let's introduce you to the plot. June and Levi, distant for a decade, fake a relationship after their viral break-ups. With the internet convinced, they dive into some fake dates to save June's tea shop and teach Levi's ex a lesson.

Yes, teach Levi's ex a lesson. My first issue with this book was definitely Levi and his somewhat obsessive attitude towards his ex, who cheated on him. He felt a sense of responsibility for it, saying things like:

"Because I know what drove Kelly to cheat. I'm not excusing what she did, but—I can see it from her point of view."

I wanted to believe that his behaviour would get a response from June, but unfortunately, none of that happened. So we were left with these words, like they made sense.

However, Levi pathetically waited for his ex after her fling, despite supposedly being in love with June. The worst part? After literally sleeping with June, he still acted like an indecisive little baby, rushing to meet his ex when she visited the town. To make matters worse, he ghosted June after spending the entire day with his ex.

June wasn't much better in their story. Despite being publicly humiliated by her boyfriend of 10 years, she felt the need to be kind to him, referencing their decade-long friendship. Girl, are you okay? It's clear that the friendship ended when your public humiliation wasn't a concern for him.

That being said, the main characters gave me the biggest ick possible. I disliked their behavior, and it's challenging to enjoy a romance when the main couple is so unlikable. In general, it was a cute story with genuinely funny parts, but the lack of personal connection to it made it not fully enjoyable for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the chance to read an ARC ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

[Danielle Pulliam · Rating 4 out of 5]

**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌-𝑼𝒑 𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝑬𝒎𝒎𝒂 𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅

Release Date: August 13, 2024

4⭐️3🌶

This a fun and sweet rom com book, that's giving Emily Henry or Christina Lauren vibes. I love these sweet little books that give me a break from the broody darkness that fantasy and romantasy can be sometimes.

June is a small business owner who is trying to keep her bakery/coffee shop open after her partner/sister dies suddenly. Not only that, but she is very publicly dumped by her long time boyfriend on reality television. When her childhood crush/friend returns to town after his own brutal break up, they decide to fake-date in order to put a new spin on their story in the face of the media. Also, it drums up business for her bakery.

I looooove the fake-dating and friends-to-lovers! So, this book is definitely up by alley.

[Mia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Something about the writing left me feeling very disconnected from the characters and the ending felt rushed. I found myself rolling my eyes on multiple occasions. I love fake dating and second chance romance but this did not worked for me like at all.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.