The Summer Pact

by Emily Giffin

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends makes a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.

“Juicy, page-turning escapism.”—The New York Times

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and aspiring lawyer from Washington, D.C.; Summer, an ambitious, recruited athlete from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after arriving on campus, they strike up a conversation in their shared dorm, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, they make a pact, promising to always be there for one another, no matter how separated they may become by circumstances or distance.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are all facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides, helping us pick up the pieces?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Summer Reads, Beach Reads, Audiobook, Summer

368 pages, Paperback

Published April 29, 2025

About the author

EMILY GIFFIN is a graduate of Wake Forest University and the University of Virginia School of Law. The #1 New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, Love the One You're With, Heart of the Matter, Where We Belong, The One & Only, First Comes Love, All We Ever Wanted, The Lies That Bind, and the recently released Meant to Be, she currently lives in Atlanta with her family.

Website: www.emilygiffin.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EmilyGiffinFans

Twitter: https://twitter.com/emilygiffin

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/emilygiffina...

Reviews

[Andrea Everhart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, this was so bland & forgettable. There was a lot going on in this story that could have really drawn me in, but the characters had lukewarm personalities and I just didn't connect.

[haya · Rating 1 out of 5]

my head is sore from the feeling of being whacked with a giant hammer. if there was a prize for heavy handedness or what book can cram the most clichés, this would be a winner!

[Kyli · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve read every single one of Emily Giffin’s books and have such fond memories of devouring them in my early 20s. When The Summer Pact came out, I picked it up purely for nostalgia’s sake—expecting that same spark, warmth, and emotional pull I remembered. Sadly, this one fell completely flat for me, and I felt a relief when I finally forced myself to finish it.

The plot felt rushed (so much going on at such a fast speed), the writing almost lazy, and the characters had zero depth. No one felt real or layered—just paper-thin archetypes moving from scene to scene without any real emotional weight. I kept waiting for that moment when I’d feel invested, but it never came. It felt cliche and unrealistic from start to end.

I can’t tell if I’ve just outgrown her style, or if this book truly missed the mark, but either way, it was disappointing. I wish I had left it unread and kept my fond memories of her books intact.

[Ashlynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

alright this is going to be longer than most of my reviews bc i have so many thoughts and no one to say them to.

first this book was listed as a “fun summer read” on my libby app and based on the title i thought this was enough information to think this was going to be a fun summer read about a silly summer pact.

however that is not what this book is about. this book is about a group of college friends. one of which committed suicide right before graduation (this friend being named summer). the rest of the friends then make a pact that they will be there for each other at their lowest no matter what. you would think the rest of the book would explore each of the characters lowest points and how the others were there for them, but no that is not what happens.

instead the entire book is about how two friends dropped everything to be there for the other one at her lowest and it fall kind of flat then they try to shove in romantic relationships in the last quarter of the book.

i honestly think the concept of this book was there but it just fell flat.

other note i listened to this book and could only stand one of the three narrators by the end of the book. they made the characters seem so whiny and i was so close to not even finishing but i pushed through.

[Peyton · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story felt very rushed and overall underwhelming.

I thought this was going to be a really deep book about friendship. And the prologue really made me think it would be. However, all the characters seemed very surface level and a little selfish in their own ways. Lainey and Tyson were back and forth so much it gave me whiplash and I felt there was no chemistry between them whatsoever. Their “spark” frankly came out of no where.

I didn’t connect with any of the characters and the whole plot was very lackluster and overall bland. The potential for the story was there about growth and self reflection for a group of friends who all went through something really traumatic and heartbreaking their last year of college. But sadly it was a let down that I can’t quite get past. 😪

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh…skim read the last chapters…meh

[Stacey Beane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay first of all…this isn’t a beachy read! This is a really heavy story that deals with suicide & alcohol abuse. That being said this is definitely a good story about the true bonds of friendship & finding love! And while the title is The Summer Pact…it is in fact named from their friend Summer who committed suicide. If you have this one on your TBR then yes, I’d definitely give it a go!

[Brooke Rooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Predictable but a good camping read

[Lora · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
Started and ended great…everything between the first and last chapter was meh.

[Hillary J Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

when i picked up this book, I thought it would be a light summer read- boy was I wrong!
this book took a turn i wasn't expecting, but wow! it was good! it kept my attention the whole time, and I loved the bond the characters had. I honestly loved everything about it!

just know it could be a trigger to those that have dealt with a loved one and suicide. that part was totally unexpected, and to be honest, could easily be triggering to some.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good storyline and doesn't get triggered.

[Morgan White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely hooked on this book as soon as I picked it up. Not at all what I was expecting just from the front cover but absolutely amazing.

I really enjoyed that this was focused on this friend group who meets in college. I think it perfectly portrayed how we typically find our lifelong friends in the most random of scenarios but that they come into our lives right when we need them to!

While there are some sad parts with tough topics I 10/10 recommend this book to everyone!!

[Jill Neufeld · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐ certainly not the Giffin writing that I know and love... felt quite forced? Just didn't seem like her writing at all... I would sum it up as: fine but not a book I would recommend to a friend. Sad!

[Naomi Kiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book, but the plot line was completely underdeveloped. The happy ending was too happy. It was unreasonable and kind of came out of nowhere.

[Jennifer Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know. God, I loved Lainey at the beginning but by the time she started sleeping with random guys I hated her. Then she seduced Tyson and I hated that too. I spent a lot of time rooting against her and Tyson because the pairing seemed ridiculous. Tyson was always so smart and steadfast in his decisions and Lainey was one of those stubborn, carefree assholes that writers love to put in because they add “flavor”. I hate that type of character more than anything and it quickly turns me off of a book. Her actions were so selfish and STUPID most of the book I couldn’t stand her and she ruined it for me. Oh and don’t get me started on her shit with Olivia😒that jumping to conclusions shit is so overdone

[Nini · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! I listened to this on audio. The voice actors were SOOOO good. It is an emotional story and the actors brought it out. I did tear up a little bit in the beginning cus i was just so immersed in the voices and what was going on.

Read this if you want to read about a tight knit group of friends that will literally ride or die.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this, and it was a super easy read. Sweet friendships. Some parts of the story line seemed rushed and the end and not as developed as I would e preferred, but I liked the idea of the book.

[Sarah Richman Burns]

for some reason i just didn’t really like hannah and couldn’t get over it after the first chapter

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Emily Giffin, and while I think she tried to explore a few important topics here I wouldn’t say this is a great reflection of her ability. A tad boring and unrealistic.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover is deceiving. This book is so much darker than it seems lol but I really liked it!

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were two upsetting life tragedies in the book, but I still throughly enjoyed it!

[Taylor Audette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not at all what I was expecting this to be about when I first opened it up. I get it now - the purpose and the meaning of the storylines. Loved the different POVs and adored the ending.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't even comprehend how this is actually an Emily Giffin book...

[Amanda Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a surprise. I went in blind and so glad I did. I love how these friends kept their promises, pasts, and futures tied together. Really enjoyable quick read that satisfied my heart.

[Lydia Evon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the first half of the book but out of nowhere there was a shift. tyson and lainey were falling for each other after hannah had been going on and on about ‘can’t a girl have a guy friend without people thinking something’. as someone who has guy friends i was so excited to see just good friends together and have it not be sexualized, but as soon as they started doing stuff i kind of clocked out. it seemed out of character for both of them and just forced in the book.
this book had so much potential to a beautiful story about self growth and how important it is to have good friends by your side but ultimately fell short.
the only reason why it’s not 1 star is because hannah found love and found out she wasn’t straight. gays support gays.

[Megan Rasp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was…fine?

Okay. So, the first 2/3s of the book were alright. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great, but I was getting through it just peachy. However…the last like, 80-100 pages just went from 0-100 real fast and not in the fun way. I’ve read books with rushed endings plenty of times but I don’t even think that’s a fair description to the experience of the last 1/3 of the book. The ending flew in out of nowhere and it felt very akin to book whiplash.

All in all, not my favorite. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone but I also wouldn’t tell someone who was already reading to stop 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Beth Torres · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I thought it would be or wanted it to be

[Cherie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book but dumb ending

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like Emily Giffin peaked with her Something Borrowed series. I loved those books and have been reading every book she’s written, chasing that high again but never to have found it. This book was the same. She writes in a way that makes you want to find out what will happen next. I found found the 3 points of view at times hard to follow, but it did give us more depth to the characters, as we could read their perspective. I disliked Lainey’s character, but don’t we all know a hot mess who numbs themselves with booze and hookups? SPOILER AHEAD. ***** I didn’t like the ending, because Lainey seemed so immature, unlikable and annoying to Tyson, who seemed to be intelligent, rational, mature, yet they end up together. The queer concept was interesting, and I liked how the author didn’t put a label on Hannah, making note that sexual orientation is a spectrum that doesn’t need to fit in neat boxes with labels. It was also I relatable that Tyson would have 3 female best friends … I don’t know any straight man who could relate so well with women as best friends without another guy in the mix. I still read this to the end but it was unsatisfying.

[Urszula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept of three narrators. This is about four people: Summer, Tyson, Hannah, and Lainey. They meet at university and forego the concept of fraternities and sororities and basically become the best of friends. It is called The Summer Pact because she commits suicide near the end of final year. There’s some speculation that the reader can make as to why but there isn’t anything that is definite. They make a pact because they all feel bad that they weren’t able to save her. The pact is that if any one of them has any “problem” that they will all drop everything and come. And that’s where the story goes. There are a few bumps in the journey but it adds to the storyline. The book starts with a prologue where Hannah is the narrator and it also fittingly ends with Hannah summing up with a “year later” chapter. I wasn’t sure if I made a good choice with this one because the summary wasn’t great. I am glad that I stuck with it. The concept of friendship is what makes you enjoy the storyline and funny enough, but this could easily be one of those Hallmark movies.