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The Friendsgiving Pact: A Thanksgiving Romance – A Cozy College Friends-to-Lovers Story of Fake Dating and Real Love
Not yet published
Expected 20 Oct 26The last place college freshmen Avery and Theo want to be is home for the holiday. Both freshly single and dreading being in the same town as their exes for a week, they devise a plan to fake date to make it through Thanksgiving Break. Fans of cozy romances and friends-to-lovers will adore this fall love story.
Best friends Avery and Theo are home for the holiday during their freshmen year of college, and they have one goal this survive the week without romantic disasters. Avery’s determined to stay out of her ex-boyfriend’s orbit, while Theo’s dodging his ex-girlfriend who is thinking of switching schools to be with him. Their solution? Fake date through turkey dinners and awkward family moments, then “break up” the second they’re back on campus.
But pretending to be in love has a way of blurring lines. Between surprisingly hot kisses and the softer moments in between, Avery and Theo find themselves grappling with feelings that are anything but fake. Memories of high school spark, old wounds resurface, and the chemistry they’ve ignored for years becomes impossible to deny.
Caught between the holiday break chaos and their own tangled emotions, Avery and Theo must decide if this charade is really just a convenient escape… or the beginning of something far more real.
Fake dating
Friends to lovers
Bad boy x golden girl
Family drama
Small town
Best friends Avery and Theo are home for the holiday during their freshmen year of college, and they have one goal this survive the week without romantic disasters. Avery’s determined to stay out of her ex-boyfriend’s orbit, while Theo’s dodging his ex-girlfriend who is thinking of switching schools to be with him. Their solution? Fake date through turkey dinners and awkward family moments, then “break up” the second they’re back on campus.
But pretending to be in love has a way of blurring lines. Between surprisingly hot kisses and the softer moments in between, Avery and Theo find themselves grappling with feelings that are anything but fake. Memories of high school spark, old wounds resurface, and the chemistry they’ve ignored for years becomes impossible to deny.
Caught between the holiday break chaos and their own tangled emotions, Avery and Theo must decide if this charade is really just a convenient escape… or the beginning of something far more real.
Fake dating
Friends to lovers
Bad boy x golden girl
Family drama
Small town
288 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 20, 2026
About the author
Elizabeth Davis
155 books90 followersElizabeth Davis wrote her first book as an elementary school assignment when she was eight years old. It was called Silly Excuses—a book about fantastic excuses young children can tell their parents when misbehaving. Not only did she pass the project with flying colors, but her teacher was so taken with the book that she had it published in the school library. Elizabeth has been writing ever since and is currently the author of the Sanctorum Order series, which consists of thrilling contemporary romances.
She lives in The Netherlands with her husband, their son, and family cat. http://www.elizabeth-davis.com.
She lives in The Netherlands with her husband, their son, and family cat. http://www.elizabeth-davis.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
May 1, 2026
⭐️3.25 Stars⭐️
Sweet, cozy and a quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Avery and Theo are both likeable characters, but Theo stood out more to me. Avery felt a bit messy, to be honest. They are both strong-minded people and like to bicker, but you can feel that they deeply care for each other.
Their behavior really shows how young they are. I wasn’t a fan of the back and forth involving Avery’s ex, which felt more frustrating than engaging.
The story overall just didn’t hit for me. The feelings didn’t really come through, and there was a lot of miscommunication toward the end of the book.
I did like the cozy fall and winter vibes though.
That said, it’s an easy and okay read—just not really memorable or groundbreaking.
Perfect for fans of:
• Best friends to lovers
• He falls first
• Fake dating
• Small town vibes
Sweet, cozy and a quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Avery and Theo are both likeable characters, but Theo stood out more to me. Avery felt a bit messy, to be honest. They are both strong-minded people and like to bicker, but you can feel that they deeply care for each other.
Their behavior really shows how young they are. I wasn’t a fan of the back and forth involving Avery’s ex, which felt more frustrating than engaging.
The story overall just didn’t hit for me. The feelings didn’t really come through, and there was a lot of miscommunication toward the end of the book.
I did like the cozy fall and winter vibes though.
That said, it’s an easy and okay read—just not really memorable or groundbreaking.
Perfect for fans of:
• Best friends to lovers
• He falls first
• Fake dating
• Small town vibes
May 20, 2026
Cute and easy read.
Love the cozy lazy winter vibes.
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes but this one just didn’t hit. A lot of miscommunication at the end that made the last part of the book kind of annoying. Avery, the main female character, is annoying and hard to read her
POV on multiple parts.
I really wanted to love this one but it wasn’t the most enjoyable read for me.
Love the cozy lazy winter vibes.
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes but this one just didn’t hit. A lot of miscommunication at the end that made the last part of the book kind of annoying. Avery, the main female character, is annoying and hard to read her
POV on multiple parts.
I really wanted to love this one but it wasn’t the most enjoyable read for me.
April 26, 2026
Thank you NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!!
+ pros:
- high school friends to lovers
- small town vibes
- easy to follow dual timeline
~ cons:
- clunky paragraph structure
- too much info while also getting not enough information where it matters
- miscommunication trope that envelops every aspect of decision making by every single character (including side characters)
the storyline idea itself is what pulled me in, but the writing feels almost stale, with detailed descriptions of scenes that didn’t feel important to story development. Also feels like too much emphasis on side characters and not enough on the MC’s personalities outside of the plot line of fake dating/secret keeping from other characters.
Because of this, everyone in this book seems to care so much about what people think about them but as the reader I don't even know who these characters feel like they are outside of them being perceived by others.
fun blackout drunk challenge while reading: take a shot every time they kiss instead of communicating!
+ pros:
- high school friends to lovers
- small town vibes
- easy to follow dual timeline
~ cons:
- clunky paragraph structure
- too much info while also getting not enough information where it matters
- miscommunication trope that envelops every aspect of decision making by every single character (including side characters)
the storyline idea itself is what pulled me in, but the writing feels almost stale, with detailed descriptions of scenes that didn’t feel important to story development. Also feels like too much emphasis on side characters and not enough on the MC’s personalities outside of the plot line of fake dating/secret keeping from other characters.
Because of this, everyone in this book seems to care so much about what people think about them but as the reader I don't even know who these characters feel like they are outside of them being perceived by others.
fun blackout drunk challenge while reading: take a shot every time they kiss instead of communicating!
May 7, 2026
2 ⭐️ thank you netgalley and Elizabeth Davis for the e-arc!
I honestly hate leaving bad reviews so I am so sad to say that I did not enjoy reading this story. I loved the description and cover of the book, so I jumped right in and unfortunately almost every single part of the story fell flat for me. Avery and Theo were both insufferable to me, and I really, REALLY hate emotional cheating. It is something that absolutely takes me out of a romance book and since Theo has been in love with Avery the whole year he was with his ex, Izzy, it made it really hard for me to even root for Avery and Theo’s eventual relationship.
The fake dating plot didn’t have a substantial enough reason for them to jump head first into it… can people not have normal conversations anymore? Every single time there needed to be a discussion or a conversation the main characters would just kiss and pretend they don’t need to talk, and then, shocker!, it blows up in their face.
I also did not love Avery’s resentment towards her mom. It was very hard to read at times, very reflective of issues too close to my life that seeing how Avery reacted in this situation and coped with everything was very disheartening.
I know they are freshman in college, I know they are 18, but the immaturity in this book was just hard to get by. However… that has to be one of the most realistic parts. I think this book would be more successful as a young adult novel if we remove the two (for random, no reason?) super short but randomly descriptive, super short and fast, steamy fingering sessions?
I would love to give this author another shot on her next book, but this just didn’t do it for me.
I honestly hate leaving bad reviews so I am so sad to say that I did not enjoy reading this story. I loved the description and cover of the book, so I jumped right in and unfortunately almost every single part of the story fell flat for me. Avery and Theo were both insufferable to me, and I really, REALLY hate emotional cheating. It is something that absolutely takes me out of a romance book and since Theo has been in love with Avery the whole year he was with his ex, Izzy, it made it really hard for me to even root for Avery and Theo’s eventual relationship.
The fake dating plot didn’t have a substantial enough reason for them to jump head first into it… can people not have normal conversations anymore? Every single time there needed to be a discussion or a conversation the main characters would just kiss and pretend they don’t need to talk, and then, shocker!, it blows up in their face.
I also did not love Avery’s resentment towards her mom. It was very hard to read at times, very reflective of issues too close to my life that seeing how Avery reacted in this situation and coped with everything was very disheartening.
I know they are freshman in college, I know they are 18, but the immaturity in this book was just hard to get by. However… that has to be one of the most realistic parts. I think this book would be more successful as a young adult novel if we remove the two (for random, no reason?) super short but randomly descriptive, super short and fast, steamy fingering sessions?
I would love to give this author another shot on her next book, but this just didn’t do it for me.
June 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers, YA Small Town Romance, Fake Dating, He Falls First, Unrequited Love, Denial of Feelings, Family Drama, Dual Timeline, Dual POV, Miscommunication, Third-Act Breakup
Oh man. I was really hoping to like this one. I loooove a good Friends to Lovers trope. Add in fake dating and a small town? Sounds like heaven. But somehow, this book really fell short for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was cute and an easy read, but I had so many issues with it.
First of all, our FMC, Avery. I really did not like her. She is so good at lying to herself. And don’t even get me started on her “libido” problem. You’re telling me you’ll keep going back to the same guy after he keeps breaking up with you, then gives a good apology, just because he’s “good in bed”? Come on, girl. Get yourself a toy or something and have some self-respect. You can’t tell me that you are that desperate. That whole point of the story (and the fact that all her friends know it) just seemed unnecessary.
Oh, and also her thing with lying. She literally fake dated her best friend and told none of her other friends, then gets angry with people about something at the end that leads to the third-act breakup, when it wasn’t even that big of a deal! And her whole reasoning that she gave people was crap. The whole thing felt very childish, and it was hard to read her POV at the end.
Now onto our MMC, Theo. This guy just needs to communicate more. Like, dude. We get flashbacks to homecoming when they went together, had a moment on the dance floor, and apparently that’s when Theo recognized his feelings for her, and then he did nothing about it. For so long. And everyone knew. Then, when they are fake dating and it turns more real and serious, he still can’t tell her how he felt. I will say, this was not a big deal and should not have led to a third-act breakup, but I could tell this is what the author was going to use as the breaking point, and I was just screaming at him to tell her. But I will go back to it being an Avery issue that she freaked out way too much.
This was written around Thanksgiving and Christmas time, but it felt like it was just a regular old day. I couldn’t feel the holiday atmosphere in this book at all. It felt like I was just reading time passing by instead of being immersed in the world and the small-town holiday charm.
The ending felt very anti-climactic. Even her friends were over it by the end and were like, “Okay, whatever. Can we please all move on with our lives now?” Which is exactly how I felt. This book would have had a much stronger ending without a third-act breakup over something so trivial.
Overall, although this had the potential for a cute fall romance and my favorite tropes, it all just fell flat and did not deliver.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers, YA Small Town Romance, Fake Dating, He Falls First, Unrequited Love, Denial of Feelings, Family Drama, Dual Timeline, Dual POV, Miscommunication, Third-Act Breakup
Oh man. I was really hoping to like this one. I loooove a good Friends to Lovers trope. Add in fake dating and a small town? Sounds like heaven. But somehow, this book really fell short for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was cute and an easy read, but I had so many issues with it.
First of all, our FMC, Avery. I really did not like her. She is so good at lying to herself. And don’t even get me started on her “libido” problem. You’re telling me you’ll keep going back to the same guy after he keeps breaking up with you, then gives a good apology, just because he’s “good in bed”? Come on, girl. Get yourself a toy or something and have some self-respect. You can’t tell me that you are that desperate. That whole point of the story (and the fact that all her friends know it) just seemed unnecessary.
Oh, and also her thing with lying. She literally fake dated her best friend and told none of her other friends, then gets angry with people about something at the end that leads to the third-act breakup, when it wasn’t even that big of a deal! And her whole reasoning that she gave people was crap. The whole thing felt very childish, and it was hard to read her POV at the end.
Now onto our MMC, Theo. This guy just needs to communicate more. Like, dude. We get flashbacks to homecoming when they went together, had a moment on the dance floor, and apparently that’s when Theo recognized his feelings for her, and then he did nothing about it. For so long. And everyone knew. Then, when they are fake dating and it turns more real and serious, he still can’t tell her how he felt. I will say, this was not a big deal and should not have led to a third-act breakup, but I could tell this is what the author was going to use as the breaking point, and I was just screaming at him to tell her. But I will go back to it being an Avery issue that she freaked out way too much.
This was written around Thanksgiving and Christmas time, but it felt like it was just a regular old day. I couldn’t feel the holiday atmosphere in this book at all. It felt like I was just reading time passing by instead of being immersed in the world and the small-town holiday charm.
The ending felt very anti-climactic. Even her friends were over it by the end and were like, “Okay, whatever. Can we please all move on with our lives now?” Which is exactly how I felt. This book would have had a much stronger ending without a third-act breakup over something so trivial.
Overall, although this had the potential for a cute fall romance and my favorite tropes, it all just fell flat and did not deliver.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the advance E-copy of this book.
All opinions are my own!
This book started a little hard for me to follow, there were a lot of names thrown in at once and they weren’t explained entirely who everyone was for a few chapters. I only knew the fmc was Avery in the beginning because of her POV chapter.
The formatting of the writing was different than I was used to, the paragraphs seemed to run on. I caught a few grammatical/spelling errors, but it was an unedited e-copy so I know that’s to be expected!
The premise of the story really caught my attention though. Best friends-with secret feelings for each other-he falls first-fake dating-small home town-friends with benefits-to real dating, it was quite the ride! I did enjoy that a lot and it kept me going the entire story!!!
Theo was willing to do whatever he needed to do to be close to Avery, including suppress and not talk about his true feelings towards her. If that meant keeping her from her toxic Ex Cameron by fake dating her, he was for it.
He did benefit from this little arrangement because it also meant keeping his ex Izzy from transferring colleges just to be with him.
No one was surprised when Avery and Theo came home for Thanksgiving break holding hands and saying they were together. Which caused another slew of issues for both of them. Their time home was short but eye opening for them both. It was a bit chaotic and very messy (which I admit I do love a little messy chaos)
Avery had a thing against lying, which of course was hypocritical since she was lying to everyone in her home town about her and Theo. The reasoning that’s found out at the end for why it triggers her, makes sense. I just don’t understand why she couldn’t tell any one of her 4 best friends.
The angst, suspense and wait for these two to figure it out took awhile but when they did, I was happy for them but it was a little anticlimactic for me. They talked, apologized, kissed and woke up together in bed the next morning…why did we wait so long to talk about our feelings? Especially when BOTH of them were actively thinking about the other? Miscommunication is not my favorite, especially between two people who start as best friends and told each other practically everything.
The spice of this book was confusing, it started as open door, switched to closed, went back to open, then for their big reunion after their fight, all we got as them waking up naked cuddling. There was a lot more potential to make the reunion between them feel real and to put a LOT more emotion into it, since emotion was running very strong throughout the rest of the book.
All opinions are my own!
This book started a little hard for me to follow, there were a lot of names thrown in at once and they weren’t explained entirely who everyone was for a few chapters. I only knew the fmc was Avery in the beginning because of her POV chapter.
The formatting of the writing was different than I was used to, the paragraphs seemed to run on. I caught a few grammatical/spelling errors, but it was an unedited e-copy so I know that’s to be expected!
The premise of the story really caught my attention though. Best friends-with secret feelings for each other-he falls first-fake dating-small home town-friends with benefits-to real dating, it was quite the ride! I did enjoy that a lot and it kept me going the entire story!!!
Theo was willing to do whatever he needed to do to be close to Avery, including suppress and not talk about his true feelings towards her. If that meant keeping her from her toxic Ex Cameron by fake dating her, he was for it.
He did benefit from this little arrangement because it also meant keeping his ex Izzy from transferring colleges just to be with him.
No one was surprised when Avery and Theo came home for Thanksgiving break holding hands and saying they were together. Which caused another slew of issues for both of them. Their time home was short but eye opening for them both. It was a bit chaotic and very messy (which I admit I do love a little messy chaos)
Avery had a thing against lying, which of course was hypocritical since she was lying to everyone in her home town about her and Theo. The reasoning that’s found out at the end for why it triggers her, makes sense. I just don’t understand why she couldn’t tell any one of her 4 best friends.
The angst, suspense and wait for these two to figure it out took awhile but when they did, I was happy for them but it was a little anticlimactic for me. They talked, apologized, kissed and woke up together in bed the next morning…why did we wait so long to talk about our feelings? Especially when BOTH of them were actively thinking about the other? Miscommunication is not my favorite, especially between two people who start as best friends and told each other practically everything.
The spice of this book was confusing, it started as open door, switched to closed, went back to open, then for their big reunion after their fight, all we got as them waking up naked cuddling. There was a lot more potential to make the reunion between them feel real and to put a LOT more emotion into it, since emotion was running very strong throughout the rest of the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed diving into The Friendsgiving Pact! The chapters are very short and felt like a fast quick read.
This story follows avery and theo, best friends who decide to enter a "fake relationship" pact to avoid back tracking with their recent exes before heading off to college. They think it will be an easy task because they don’t have feelings for each other, and they are bestfriends so how hard could it really be? If things got uncomfortable they can always tell each other and stop immediately, but the spark everyone else already saw starts to become impossible for them to ignore.
Dual pov: I loved being able to see inside both avery and theo’s heads. Getting both perspectives made the chemistry feel so much more intense and passionate.
The writing was perfect. I felt like I was right there in the story. I found myself smiling so much at their interactions. the way they describe their moments together is incredibly heartfelt.
Watching them slowly realize that their act was becoming a reality was definitely the highlight. You can really feel the emotional toll.
What frustrated me was avery has a deep hatred for lying because of her parents' history, which I understood, but it felt hypocritical at the time since she was actively lying about the pact to her family and friends. So Her over reaction to theo and her friends over a relatively small thing, made it hard to side with her at times. When she found out theo had feelings for her since way before the pact and yet he still went with her idea, she used it as a reason to stop talking to him. Then seeing her run back to the familiarity of her ex. The same guy who dumped her over FaceTime! It was a frustrating turn after all the progress they made.
My final thoughts, The characters are great and the emotional stakes are high, but the ending felt a little bleh for me. It left me wanting more. I felt like something was missing. I really hope there is a sequel in the works because I’m not ready to say goodbye to these two yet! Overall, a very solid romantasy read that kept me hooked until the last page.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced read.
This story follows avery and theo, best friends who decide to enter a "fake relationship" pact to avoid back tracking with their recent exes before heading off to college. They think it will be an easy task because they don’t have feelings for each other, and they are bestfriends so how hard could it really be? If things got uncomfortable they can always tell each other and stop immediately, but the spark everyone else already saw starts to become impossible for them to ignore.
Dual pov: I loved being able to see inside both avery and theo’s heads. Getting both perspectives made the chemistry feel so much more intense and passionate.
The writing was perfect. I felt like I was right there in the story. I found myself smiling so much at their interactions. the way they describe their moments together is incredibly heartfelt.
Watching them slowly realize that their act was becoming a reality was definitely the highlight. You can really feel the emotional toll.
What frustrated me was avery has a deep hatred for lying because of her parents' history, which I understood, but it felt hypocritical at the time since she was actively lying about the pact to her family and friends. So Her over reaction to theo and her friends over a relatively small thing, made it hard to side with her at times. When she found out theo had feelings for her since way before the pact and yet he still went with her idea, she used it as a reason to stop talking to him. Then seeing her run back to the familiarity of her ex. The same guy who dumped her over FaceTime! It was a frustrating turn after all the progress they made.
My final thoughts, The characters are great and the emotional stakes are high, but the ending felt a little bleh for me. It left me wanting more. I felt like something was missing. I really hope there is a sequel in the works because I’m not ready to say goodbye to these two yet! Overall, a very solid romantasy read that kept me hooked until the last page.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh to be young and have your whole life in front of you and your biggest problems to be making plans with your friends again! This was so nostalgic in the sense that it really takes you back to being 18 again with your life roles by hormones and young love and friendship! I don’t think any of us have ever not missed those days at least once when your problems at the time seem bigger than life itself but really looking back it was all trivial and silly.
Theo and Avery are best friends from high school are on the way home from their first semester at college for Thanksgiving break and quickly come up with a plan to fake date over the break because they both have exes from home that they want to avoid rekindling so they think this is the best solution. Their friend group is both surprised and not as they’ve all seen chemistry between them over the years but there’s also hurt feelings and drama with exes. Both of them also find they have more feelings than they realized and have to sort through them while also dealing with their own personal family dramas over the holidays and not causing too many issues within their friend group and also making new friends at college. It was fun to go back to this perspective as you truly felt like you were in an 18 year olds mind blinded by lust and making poor decisions right along with them and all their priorities. This is also such a crucial time leaving your home town for the first time and being out on your own and trying to discover yourself without your family and friends. I thought it was great and an easy read and perfect for fall. Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc for my review! Overall rating 3.25 ⭐️
Theo and Avery are best friends from high school are on the way home from their first semester at college for Thanksgiving break and quickly come up with a plan to fake date over the break because they both have exes from home that they want to avoid rekindling so they think this is the best solution. Their friend group is both surprised and not as they’ve all seen chemistry between them over the years but there’s also hurt feelings and drama with exes. Both of them also find they have more feelings than they realized and have to sort through them while also dealing with their own personal family dramas over the holidays and not causing too many issues within their friend group and also making new friends at college. It was fun to go back to this perspective as you truly felt like you were in an 18 year olds mind blinded by lust and making poor decisions right along with them and all their priorities. This is also such a crucial time leaving your home town for the first time and being out on your own and trying to discover yourself without your family and friends. I thought it was great and an easy read and perfect for fall. Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc for my review! Overall rating 3.25 ⭐️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Avery and Theo are friends who both have reasons to be reluctant to return home for Thanksgiving. During their drive to return to their hometown, they make a pact to pretend to date in order to fix their problems. Yet this only creates a ton more issues for them as Thanksgiving approaches.
I started out hopeful, though the way it's written, it took me a few to figure out that Theo was the friend and not the ex (likely my own problem, I may have just had a brain hiccup). I really like the author's writing style and the friendships amongst all the characters is believable and the visuals painted a good picture for me.
That being said-I couldn't finish this. The tension between the two characters and the "lying" about their emotions for one another is just...kind of a stretch for me to buy. The moment any physical borders were crossed more than once I just couldn't believe it anymore. Honestly, the FMC Avery is just far too unlikeable for me personally.
I just found it to be tedious, I didn't like either character and I highly dislike emotional cheating. The fact that they took it as far as they did and yet I was still supposed to believe that they were ignorant of each other's feelings...I just personally found it hard to keep trying to get through. This of course is just my personal take-the writing and visuals themselves were great. I had high hopes for this and was holding out for it to capture me, but the more I read it just became almost painful to care about what happens next. I DNF'd around the 60% mark and couldn't go on.
I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I started out hopeful, though the way it's written, it took me a few to figure out that Theo was the friend and not the ex (likely my own problem, I may have just had a brain hiccup). I really like the author's writing style and the friendships amongst all the characters is believable and the visuals painted a good picture for me.
That being said-I couldn't finish this. The tension between the two characters and the "lying" about their emotions for one another is just...kind of a stretch for me to buy. The moment any physical borders were crossed more than once I just couldn't believe it anymore. Honestly, the FMC Avery is just far too unlikeable for me personally.
I just found it to be tedious, I didn't like either character and I highly dislike emotional cheating. The fact that they took it as far as they did and yet I was still supposed to believe that they were ignorant of each other's feelings...I just personally found it hard to keep trying to get through. This of course is just my personal take-the writing and visuals themselves were great. I had high hopes for this and was holding out for it to capture me, but the more I read it just became almost painful to care about what happens next. I DNF'd around the 60% mark and couldn't go on.
I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Tropes:
Fake Dating
Best Friends to Lovers
Drama
Small Town Vibes
This was an okay book. The premise is that the two main characters, Avery and Theo end up fake dating. They do this for..well honestly for reasons that don't make sense. This very much was more like a YA than an adult book, and it was obvious by how the characters acted. Overall, I liked Theo's character, but I had issues with the FMC, Avery. She was an absolute mess, and I just couldn't really like her at all. She seemed too hypocritical and acted often like a mean girl. What Avery wanted, Avery got, even at the expense of others.
There were some things that were hard to get past in this book. It was an attempt at a cozy, but 75% of the book was the two being at either family gatherings or at drunk fest parties. The other issue was that names and people were just thrown at us. We were expected to know sooooo many names (SO MANY), who they were, how they were related to the MC's, etc. I think we had about 20-30 random people thrown at us that had no huge part in the plot. It was a lot.
One of the things that was hard to get through was that the author inserted a lot of....random paragraph stuff (it was a LOT, I mean a good portion of the book was nonsense). It was an attempt to create more backstory, but I found myself literally skipping these paragraphs because it had genuinely no involvement with the story at all. It felt like the author wasn't exactly sure where to go with the story, and so these paragraphs were added.
Fake Dating
Best Friends to Lovers
Drama
Small Town Vibes
This was an okay book. The premise is that the two main characters, Avery and Theo end up fake dating. They do this for..well honestly for reasons that don't make sense. This very much was more like a YA than an adult book, and it was obvious by how the characters acted. Overall, I liked Theo's character, but I had issues with the FMC, Avery. She was an absolute mess, and I just couldn't really like her at all. She seemed too hypocritical and acted often like a mean girl. What Avery wanted, Avery got, even at the expense of others.
There were some things that were hard to get past in this book. It was an attempt at a cozy, but 75% of the book was the two being at either family gatherings or at drunk fest parties. The other issue was that names and people were just thrown at us. We were expected to know sooooo many names (SO MANY), who they were, how they were related to the MC's, etc. I think we had about 20-30 random people thrown at us that had no huge part in the plot. It was a lot.
One of the things that was hard to get through was that the author inserted a lot of....random paragraph stuff (it was a LOT, I mean a good portion of the book was nonsense). It was an attempt to create more backstory, but I found myself literally skipping these paragraphs because it had genuinely no involvement with the story at all. It felt like the author wasn't exactly sure where to go with the story, and so these paragraphs were added.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Avery and Theo - long time best friends - agree to fake date when they return to their hometown for Thanksgiving break, mainly to avoid their exes.
Best friends to lovers? check
Fake dating? check
Small town romance? check
Unfortunately, this book falls into the weird category between YA and Adult. I would say it reads best as new adult and those aged ~17-20. Perfect for late teenagers and college students struggling with those transitions.
I read in other reviews that readers did not like how immature and young Avery and Theo's management of their feelings/actions was. However, considering their ages (18 and at the end of their freshman semesters in college), their emotional maturity is exactly where I would expect it to be at. What 18 year old has it all together in terms of love and how they react to being wronged? In fact, while I do feel like some of Avery's behavior was overreacting, she reacted the same way many of us would have at 18 in that scenario, but she actually found the cause of the reaction and was able to address it maturely.
The only problem I had with this book is how much it is stressed in the beginning that Avery tends to think with her - you know what - when it comes to men, and I thought this was handled in such a weird way and that it completely warred with her character.
Overall, this was a very quick and cute read. It gave me exactly what I expected when I picked the book up. If you want a cute, fall-vibes, reliable romance? This is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Best friends to lovers? check
Fake dating? check
Small town romance? check
Unfortunately, this book falls into the weird category between YA and Adult. I would say it reads best as new adult and those aged ~17-20. Perfect for late teenagers and college students struggling with those transitions.
I read in other reviews that readers did not like how immature and young Avery and Theo's management of their feelings/actions was. However, considering their ages (18 and at the end of their freshman semesters in college), their emotional maturity is exactly where I would expect it to be at. What 18 year old has it all together in terms of love and how they react to being wronged? In fact, while I do feel like some of Avery's behavior was overreacting, she reacted the same way many of us would have at 18 in that scenario, but she actually found the cause of the reaction and was able to address it maturely.
The only problem I had with this book is how much it is stressed in the beginning that Avery tends to think with her - you know what - when it comes to men, and I thought this was handled in such a weird way and that it completely warred with her character.
Overall, this was a very quick and cute read. It gave me exactly what I expected when I picked the book up. If you want a cute, fall-vibes, reliable romance? This is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
-small town
-friends to lovers
-fake dating
-third act break-up
I am very grateful to have received this as an Advanced Reader Copy. This book was precisely what I needed. It follows Avery and Theo, who are college students and best friends. They decide to pretend to date to avoid their respective ex-partners over Thanksgiving. I appreciate Avery and Theo's dynamic as friends, and the way the awkwardness was portrayed when they decided to date was truly refreshing. The author did not simply make their relationship work; there was a genuine push and pull. Additionally, their friend group includes representation for the LGBTQ+ community. This book does have some personal cons, but some love this troupe miscommunication. Which I dont like personally, if you like it you will love this. Also the secret Avery is hold back is sad, but once its out you feel relieved.
To elaborate on Avery, she is a loyal friend who endeavors to see the best in various situations. She also has an undisclosed issue that occasionally makes her a bit jaded, but overall, she is a sweet individual.
Theo is depicted as an antisocial, intelligent individual, reminiscent of Jess from Gilmore Girls. He is also the newest member of the friend group and has not always felt fully integrated, a feeling he also experiences at home.
This sweet, fun book is perfect for getting you in the mood for fall! I love fall romance books, especially with a cup of coffee and a blanket. 🍂☕️📚
-friends to lovers
-fake dating
-third act break-up
I am very grateful to have received this as an Advanced Reader Copy. This book was precisely what I needed. It follows Avery and Theo, who are college students and best friends. They decide to pretend to date to avoid their respective ex-partners over Thanksgiving. I appreciate Avery and Theo's dynamic as friends, and the way the awkwardness was portrayed when they decided to date was truly refreshing. The author did not simply make their relationship work; there was a genuine push and pull. Additionally, their friend group includes representation for the LGBTQ+ community. This book does have some personal cons, but some love this troupe miscommunication. Which I dont like personally, if you like it you will love this. Also the secret Avery is hold back is sad, but once its out you feel relieved.
To elaborate on Avery, she is a loyal friend who endeavors to see the best in various situations. She also has an undisclosed issue that occasionally makes her a bit jaded, but overall, she is a sweet individual.
Theo is depicted as an antisocial, intelligent individual, reminiscent of Jess from Gilmore Girls. He is also the newest member of the friend group and has not always felt fully integrated, a feeling he also experiences at home.
This sweet, fun book is perfect for getting you in the mood for fall! I love fall romance books, especially with a cup of coffee and a blanket. 🍂☕️📚
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I fear… I did not enjoy this book 🫣 I was super excited because it was a best friends to lovers fake dating story set in the fall, so it checked all the boxes for me, on paper. But honestly, I didn’t vibe with any of the characters which really made it difficult to like the book.
Theo and Avery were both not super developed individually, in my opinion. Theo was supposed to be a smart bad boy (à la Jess Mariano), but he really just seemed simultaneously introverted and confident in his “outsider-ness.” And Avery… she’s supposed to be this all-American perfect student good girl (again, à la Rory Gilmore), but the only two traits about her that really came through was her hatred of lying and her “high libido.”
And yes, the irony of a girl who hates lying so much suggesting a fake dating scheme is not lost on me.
And that’s where things really just fell apart for me — Avery gets mad at Theo for lying by not telling her how felt, when his feelings are totally his own. Like, in what world is she owed knowledge of his feelings, even if they are best friends?
Which brings me to another point — they didn’t feel much like best friends. We’re told that they are, and they talk often about being friends despite being wildly different, but their friendship was underdeveloped and, frankly, unbelievable to me.
Just, not the most enjoyable reading experience, unfortunately.
————————————
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC!
Theo and Avery were both not super developed individually, in my opinion. Theo was supposed to be a smart bad boy (à la Jess Mariano), but he really just seemed simultaneously introverted and confident in his “outsider-ness.” And Avery… she’s supposed to be this all-American perfect student good girl (again, à la Rory Gilmore), but the only two traits about her that really came through was her hatred of lying and her “high libido.”
And yes, the irony of a girl who hates lying so much suggesting a fake dating scheme is not lost on me.
And that’s where things really just fell apart for me — Avery gets mad at Theo for lying by not telling her how felt, when his feelings are totally his own. Like, in what world is she owed knowledge of his feelings, even if they are best friends?
Which brings me to another point — they didn’t feel much like best friends. We’re told that they are, and they talk often about being friends despite being wildly different, but their friendship was underdeveloped and, frankly, unbelievable to me.
Just, not the most enjoyable reading experience, unfortunately.
————————————
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Friendsgiving Pact was a sweet and cozy fall romance that perfectly captured the messy emotions of coming home during your freshman year of college. Between fake dating, unresolved feelings, family drama, and small-town awkwardness, this had all the ingredients for a comforting autumn read.
Avery and Theo’s friendship was definitely the strongest part of the story for me. Their history together made the emotional moments feel believable, and I liked seeing the shift from longtime friends to something more. Theo especially stood out as a love interest. He had that classic bad boy energy, but underneath it all he was thoughtful and genuinely cared about Avery.
The fake dating setup created some cute moments, especially during the Thanksgiving gatherings and hometown encounters. I also appreciated the cozy seasonal atmosphere throughout the book. It really feels like a story made for chilly weather, blankets, and a cup of coffee.
That said, I did feel like the pacing dragged a bit in places, and I wanted a little more emotional depth from certain conflicts and conversations. While the chemistry between Avery and Theo was good, I did not always fully connect with the romance as much as I hoped to.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and comforting fall romance with lovable tropes and cozy vibes. Perfect for readers looking for a light friends-to-lovers story during autumn season.
Avery and Theo’s friendship was definitely the strongest part of the story for me. Their history together made the emotional moments feel believable, and I liked seeing the shift from longtime friends to something more. Theo especially stood out as a love interest. He had that classic bad boy energy, but underneath it all he was thoughtful and genuinely cared about Avery.
The fake dating setup created some cute moments, especially during the Thanksgiving gatherings and hometown encounters. I also appreciated the cozy seasonal atmosphere throughout the book. It really feels like a story made for chilly weather, blankets, and a cup of coffee.
That said, I did feel like the pacing dragged a bit in places, and I wanted a little more emotional depth from certain conflicts and conversations. While the chemistry between Avery and Theo was good, I did not always fully connect with the romance as much as I hoped to.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and comforting fall romance with lovable tropes and cozy vibes. Perfect for readers looking for a light friends-to-lovers story during autumn season.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5⭐️
This was honestly a little basic… but in the same way pumpkin spice lattes are basic. Like yes, technically. Do we still love them? ABSOLUTELY.
The Friendsgiving Pact hit at exactly the right time for me. Sometimes you don’t need a romance that completely reinvents the genre. Sometimes you just want a cozy, holiday-flavored friends-to-lovers story with fake dating, unresolved feelings, awkward family moments, and enough chemistry to keep you smiling the entire time. And this delivered that perfectly.
The Thanksgiving setting honestly made the whole thing work for me even more. There’s just something about holiday chaos, seeing hometown exes, cold weather flirting, and catching feelings while pretending you’re not catching feelings that scratches a very specific romance-reader itch.
Avery and Theo were sweet together, and while I do wish the story had a little more depth emotionally, I still had a genuinely fun time reading it. It’s very bingeable, very comforting, and gives major “curl up under a blanket and ignore your responsibilities for a few hours” energy.
Was it groundbreaking? No.
Did it make me happy? Yes.
And honestly sometimes that’s exactly what I want from a romance novel.
This was honestly a little basic… but in the same way pumpkin spice lattes are basic. Like yes, technically. Do we still love them? ABSOLUTELY.
The Friendsgiving Pact hit at exactly the right time for me. Sometimes you don’t need a romance that completely reinvents the genre. Sometimes you just want a cozy, holiday-flavored friends-to-lovers story with fake dating, unresolved feelings, awkward family moments, and enough chemistry to keep you smiling the entire time. And this delivered that perfectly.
The Thanksgiving setting honestly made the whole thing work for me even more. There’s just something about holiday chaos, seeing hometown exes, cold weather flirting, and catching feelings while pretending you’re not catching feelings that scratches a very specific romance-reader itch.
Avery and Theo were sweet together, and while I do wish the story had a little more depth emotionally, I still had a genuinely fun time reading it. It’s very bingeable, very comforting, and gives major “curl up under a blanket and ignore your responsibilities for a few hours” energy.
Was it groundbreaking? No.
Did it make me happy? Yes.
And honestly sometimes that’s exactly what I want from a romance novel.
Read
June 9, 2026This is a new adult story about high school friends who decide to fake-date over their first Thanksgiving home from college and end up (of course!) complicating everything.
The holiday setting felt genuinely lived-in—caroling concerts, sledding, tense Thanksgiving dinners. The author leans into both the charm and the chaos of coming home for the holidays, and it works.
That said, this one didn't fully land for me. The third-person POV felt like a stumbling block, which is not something I usually say. The opening chapters move quickly and it takes a little while to get your bearings with the characters (like who was Theo or Cam). The fake-dating premise is so fun on paper, but the pact itself didn't quite land with the tension or spark I was hoping for. And while the flashback chapters did a lot of heavy lifting to build out Avery and Theo's friendship, I wished that warmth had translated more into their present-day dynamic. The author does attempt to remedy this with flashback chapters, but the emotional payoff felt unearned.
Overall, it's clear that there's a lot of heart here, and I think readers who love cozy, low-stakes friends-to-lovers vibes could like it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
The holiday setting felt genuinely lived-in—caroling concerts, sledding, tense Thanksgiving dinners. The author leans into both the charm and the chaos of coming home for the holidays, and it works.
That said, this one didn't fully land for me. The third-person POV felt like a stumbling block, which is not something I usually say. The opening chapters move quickly and it takes a little while to get your bearings with the characters (like who was Theo or Cam). The fake-dating premise is so fun on paper, but the pact itself didn't quite land with the tension or spark I was hoping for. And while the flashback chapters did a lot of heavy lifting to build out Avery and Theo's friendship, I wished that warmth had translated more into their present-day dynamic. The author does attempt to remedy this with flashback chapters, but the emotional payoff felt unearned.
Overall, it's clear that there's a lot of heart here, and I think readers who love cozy, low-stakes friends-to-lovers vibes could like it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book as an ARC read from NetGalley. It was a as expected holiday break story. I got a bit annoyed with the FMC and her constant giving in to her ex boyfriend and getting upset with the MMC when he snaps at her ex when he is stepping out of line or just been annoying. Maybe because in reality the book is set around teenagers in their first year of college and aren't mature enough that this story was a bit annoying. The FMC doesn't want to get back with her ex and the MMC doesn't want his ex to get her hopes up of getting together and her moving to his university so the FMC comes up with the plan to fake date for Thanksgiving. The FMC parents are doctors who look down on her best friend so when the come out about dating her parents aren't very nice to the MMC ridiculing his major. Needless to say the FMC and MMC end up kissing and hooking up during their break until one of their mutual friends tells her the MMC has been in love with her for a while. The FMC hates lies since her parents are lying to her. Her dad is having an affair and her mom knows but pretends everything is ok. The FMC goes crazy on the MMC about lying to her and they don't talk until Christmas break. They get it together and get together for reals.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoyed the premise of this book and thought the idea was really cute: think the 1999 movie “Drive Me Crazy” with Melissa Joan Hart and Adrian Grenier. I even pictured the FMC and MMC looking like these two. I also really loved that it was set during Thanksgiving/Christmastime…it’s always nice to have some cozy small town romance reads for that time of year!
My biggest gripe with this story was that the characters were so immature. They were in college but acting like high school freshman or even middle schoolers at times. I really had a hard time connecting with any of them. Avery was, well, kind of a self centered brat. I was probably most intrigued by Theo’s character but wish we could have had more than just the one homecoming flashback to show how their friendship developed into bigger feelings.
That being said this was a quick and cozy read with winter holiday vibes. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed late 90’s early 2000’s high school romcoms like “She’s All That” and “10 Things I Hate About You.”
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
My biggest gripe with this story was that the characters were so immature. They were in college but acting like high school freshman or even middle schoolers at times. I really had a hard time connecting with any of them. Avery was, well, kind of a self centered brat. I was probably most intrigued by Theo’s character but wish we could have had more than just the one homecoming flashback to show how their friendship developed into bigger feelings.
That being said this was a quick and cozy read with winter holiday vibes. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed late 90’s early 2000’s high school romcoms like “She’s All That” and “10 Things I Hate About You.”
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
NetGalley ARC Review
A Friendsgiving Pact by Elizabeth Davis was a sweet college best-friends-to-lovers romance. The story follows Avery and Theo, high school best friends who find themselves in need of a fake relationship while home from college for Thanksgiving break. However, the story is also very much a “he falls first” romance, as Avery discovers that Theo has been in love with her for a long time and never told her.
The bond between Avery and Theo is felt throughout the book, and no matter what happened, Theo was always ready to protect and defend Avery at all costs. During their fake dating arrangement, it becomes apparent that things may not be quite as they seem between the two of them.
Avery also has a lot of personal beliefs and fears that she must work through in order to fully open up to Theo and accept that she is in love with him too. As they venture beyond their small town for college, Avery and Theo find themselves on a journey of self-discovery, trying to figure out what they want from life and from each other.
Overall, this was a cute and easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
A Friendsgiving Pact by Elizabeth Davis was a sweet college best-friends-to-lovers romance. The story follows Avery and Theo, high school best friends who find themselves in need of a fake relationship while home from college for Thanksgiving break. However, the story is also very much a “he falls first” romance, as Avery discovers that Theo has been in love with her for a long time and never told her.
The bond between Avery and Theo is felt throughout the book, and no matter what happened, Theo was always ready to protect and defend Avery at all costs. During their fake dating arrangement, it becomes apparent that things may not be quite as they seem between the two of them.
Avery also has a lot of personal beliefs and fears that she must work through in order to fully open up to Theo and accept that she is in love with him too. As they venture beyond their small town for college, Avery and Theo find themselves on a journey of self-discovery, trying to figure out what they want from life and from each other.
Overall, this was a cute and easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received the ARC for this book thanks to NetGalley. This is a cute romcom book about two best friends Avery and Theo. Avery and Theo have been best friends throughout high school and are now freshmen in college. They are both going back to their hometown, and don't want to get back with their exes and need to have a good excuse not to. They decide to fake date, which will let Theo's ex down lightly and make sure Avery doesn't accept and get back together with her on and off again ex-boyfriend.
This book is totally "Ruin the Friendship" by Taylor Swift coded. Neither Avery nor Theo want to admit they are developing real feelings for each other and are afraid to admit it to each other. Avery has a lot of personal things to work through with one thing she hasn't told any of her friends including Theo who she tells everything to. Everything comes to a boil when Theo admits something and Avery feels as though she has been lied to.
I would recommend this book and a very cute fall/winter cozy read!
This book is totally "Ruin the Friendship" by Taylor Swift coded. Neither Avery nor Theo want to admit they are developing real feelings for each other and are afraid to admit it to each other. Avery has a lot of personal things to work through with one thing she hasn't told any of her friends including Theo who she tells everything to. Everything comes to a boil when Theo admits something and Avery feels as though she has been lied to.
I would recommend this book and a very cute fall/winter cozy read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Friendsgiving Pact had such a cozy, nostalgic atmosphere and really captured the emotional uncertainty of that first year away from home. I especially enjoyed the friendship at the center of the story and the way the relationship developed naturally over time. The themes of family expectations, loneliness, and finding your people during difficult transitions felt relatable and heartfelt.
While I appreciated the emotional depth and warmth of the novel, the pacing felt a bit slow for me in the middle sections, and there were moments where I wanted a little more tension and momentum to keep the story moving. Some scenes also felt repetitive emotionally, which made it harder for me to stay fully invested throughout.
Overall, this was still a sweet and comforting college romance with strong themes of friendship, healing, and personal growth. I think readers who enjoy softer, character driven romances with a cozy autumn atmosphere will really connect with it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While I appreciated the emotional depth and warmth of the novel, the pacing felt a bit slow for me in the middle sections, and there were moments where I wanted a little more tension and momentum to keep the story moving. Some scenes also felt repetitive emotionally, which made it harder for me to stay fully invested throughout.
Overall, this was still a sweet and comforting college romance with strong themes of friendship, healing, and personal growth. I think readers who enjoy softer, character driven romances with a cozy autumn atmosphere will really connect with it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Avery and Theo have been best friends for years. Avery’s boyfriend, Cameron, recently dumped her but still texts Avery. Theo’s girlfriend, Izzy,broke up with Theo because the long distance thing wasn’t working but is thinking of transferring to his college. Avery tells Theo tell Izzy you have a new girlfriend, me. They decide to fake date during Thanksgiving break and then have things go back to just being friends. When they kiss though for the first time they both realize they have feelings for each other. Cam tries talking to Avery to get her back. Come to find out Theo has been in love with Avery for a year but never told her. Izzy shows up and asks Theo how long have you liked Avery. Avery is wondering does Theo regret everything and finds out that he lied about having feelings for her for a while. They break up because Avery isn’t sure she can trust Theo. Will they get back together?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 12, 2026
I requested this ARC because the description was interesting, with a friends-to-lovers story and a small-town setting.
Now to talk about the story, I did not connect with Avery's character. She did not show a lot of personality apart from being part of a family with a lot of money. Some of her actions and reactions were very questionable. Her personality was at times too childish for my liking.
Now for Theo's character, he was just a boy in love with his best friend, trying not to ruin their friendship. Apart from this, he was described as being a bad boy even though it wasn't really explained how. I did not like his way of creating false hope in people.
For their relationship, I did not see that much chemistry between the two of them as a couple. There wasn't really a reason to fake date each other, I also hated their attachment to some people and their ways of navigating it.
One of the biggest downsides was that there were too many characters in this story, from the first chapter, too many of them were thrown into the story.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Now to talk about the story, I did not connect with Avery's character. She did not show a lot of personality apart from being part of a family with a lot of money. Some of her actions and reactions were very questionable. Her personality was at times too childish for my liking.
Now for Theo's character, he was just a boy in love with his best friend, trying not to ruin their friendship. Apart from this, he was described as being a bad boy even though it wasn't really explained how. I did not like his way of creating false hope in people.
For their relationship, I did not see that much chemistry between the two of them as a couple. There wasn't really a reason to fake date each other, I also hated their attachment to some people and their ways of navigating it.
One of the biggest downsides was that there were too many characters in this story, from the first chapter, too many of them were thrown into the story.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Read if you: want hot-chocolate glow in book form, need a temporary replacement for an emotional-support rewatch, or deeply relate to Olaf and his love of warm hugs.
Avery and Theo (freshly single best friends desperate to avoid their exes) make a fake dating pact to survive their first college Thanksgiving break. He’s keeping a secret, she hates secrets, and somewhere in all the shenanigans, the line between “pretend” and “real” starts to blur.
This is the kind of book you breeze through in one or two sittings: low stakes, cozy vibes, and a plot that unfolds exactly how you expect. That predictability is part of the charm, though at times it leans a little too heavily on emotional reveals that feel more like the moment you’re supposed to react to, rather than something fully earned.
Solid cozy fall read.
Rating: 3
Avery and Theo (freshly single best friends desperate to avoid their exes) make a fake dating pact to survive their first college Thanksgiving break. He’s keeping a secret, she hates secrets, and somewhere in all the shenanigans, the line between “pretend” and “real” starts to blur.
This is the kind of book you breeze through in one or two sittings: low stakes, cozy vibes, and a plot that unfolds exactly how you expect. That predictability is part of the charm, though at times it leans a little too heavily on emotional reveals that feel more like the moment you’re supposed to react to, rather than something fully earned.
Solid cozy fall read.
Rating: 3
Read
April 26, 2026Avery y Theo siempre han sido el tipo de amigos que discuten por todo, se molestan sin parar y aun así no pueden pasar demasiado tiempo lejos del otro. Para todos en su pequeño pueblo es cuestion de tiempo para que terminen juntos.
Cuando ambos regresan a casa para el día de gracias, deciden fingir una relación para escapar de sus respectivos ex y evitar preguntas incómodas. Suena sencillo: seguir unas cuantas reglas, actuar enamorados por unos días y después volver a la normalidad.
El problema es que los besos empiezan a sentirse demasiado reales, los celos aparecen donde no deberían y la línea entre amistad y algo más se vuelve cada vez más borrosa.
___
Demasiado juvenil para mi gusto.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Cuando ambos regresan a casa para el día de gracias, deciden fingir una relación para escapar de sus respectivos ex y evitar preguntas incómodas. Suena sencillo: seguir unas cuantas reglas, actuar enamorados por unos días y después volver a la normalidad.
El problema es que los besos empiezan a sentirse demasiado reales, los celos aparecen donde no deberían y la línea entre amistad y algo más se vuelve cada vez más borrosa.
___
Demasiado juvenil para mi gusto.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC 4
The Friendsgiving Pact was a real easy read for me, I flew through the chapters as our two friends, Avery and Theo, pretend to have been dating each other as they go home for the holidays. Avery to prevent her taking back her ass of an ex, and Theo so his ex doesn’t try to transfer to his college to try again. Theo has secretly been in love with Avery so he has more reasons to go along, but really as the story precedes you can tell they both have been hiding feelings for years even. There were secondary characters that made me laugh, and a couple I wouldn’t mind reading about later on, plus the residents in their smallish town that add to the story as well. Definitely a recommendation that comes out just in time for the holidays that’ll leave you with a feel good attitude. Thanks to NetGalley for The Friendsgiving Pact Advance reader copy. My opinions are my own.
The Friendsgiving Pact was a real easy read for me, I flew through the chapters as our two friends, Avery and Theo, pretend to have been dating each other as they go home for the holidays. Avery to prevent her taking back her ass of an ex, and Theo so his ex doesn’t try to transfer to his college to try again. Theo has secretly been in love with Avery so he has more reasons to go along, but really as the story precedes you can tell they both have been hiding feelings for years even. There were secondary characters that made me laugh, and a couple I wouldn’t mind reading about later on, plus the residents in their smallish town that add to the story as well. Definitely a recommendation that comes out just in time for the holidays that’ll leave you with a feel good attitude. Thanks to NetGalley for The Friendsgiving Pact Advance reader copy. My opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advanced copy received from Netgalley
So excited to get this cute & cozy fall read. However, while the characters were very easy to fall in love with. I was having issues with the small bickering they kept having which was due to miscommunication, also was the trope for other characters as well. The frustrating part was that they’d kiss and make up rather than talk about it. I didn’t love Avery’s ex reappearing throughout the story line, it made Avery seem a bit messy. I understand they were younger characters but those are my two complaints. Overall, the dual timelines were fun and the cozy setting of the story was a nice escape.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the Author for providing this advanced reader copy in exchange for my review. All thoughts and honest opinions are my own.
So excited to get this cute & cozy fall read. However, while the characters were very easy to fall in love with. I was having issues with the small bickering they kept having which was due to miscommunication, also was the trope for other characters as well. The frustrating part was that they’d kiss and make up rather than talk about it. I didn’t love Avery’s ex reappearing throughout the story line, it made Avery seem a bit messy. I understand they were younger characters but those are my two complaints. Overall, the dual timelines were fun and the cozy setting of the story was a nice escape.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the Author for providing this advanced reader copy in exchange for my review. All thoughts and honest opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Avery llega a la universidad intentando adaptarse a una vida nueva, pero no logra dejar atrás del todo lo que siente por su ex. Cuando regresa a su ciudad para pasar unos días con sus amigos, se reencuentra con Theo, su mejor amigo de siempre, con quien tiene una conexión tan fuerte que a veces resulta difícil de explicar. Una conversación inesperada los lleva a tomar una decisión impulsiva que parece sencilla al inicio, pero que pronto empieza a complicarlo todo.
Mientras fingen algo que no estaban planeando sentir, aparecen viejos sentimientos, celos y dudas que ninguno quiere enfrentar. Con Izzy aún presente y Cameron intentando volver, Avery tendrá que descubrir qué es lo que realmente quiere, aunque eso signifique arriesgar una de las relaciones más importantes de su vida.
Mientras fingen algo que no estaban planeando sentir, aparecen viejos sentimientos, celos y dudas que ninguno quiere enfrentar. Con Izzy aún presente y Cameron intentando volver, Avery tendrá que descubrir qué es lo que realmente quiere, aunque eso signifique arriesgar una de las relaciones más importantes de su vida.
May 13, 2026
✨ARC Book Review✨
This story was just the cutest💖✨
The story follows two best friends, Avery and Theo, who are home from college for the holidays. They’re both trying to avoid their exes, so they agree to fake date to make the break easier.
I absolutely loved this story! You could really feel the genuine feelings they had for each other, even though they were both scared of ruining their friendship. Theo especially struggled with not wanting to scare Avery away😅
It was written in a way that reminded me of my own college days. It was so fun watching their fake romance slowly turn into something real 💗
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, Harper Voyager Publishing for providing me with an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story was just the cutest💖✨
The story follows two best friends, Avery and Theo, who are home from college for the holidays. They’re both trying to avoid their exes, so they agree to fake date to make the break easier.
I absolutely loved this story! You could really feel the genuine feelings they had for each other, even though they were both scared of ruining their friendship. Theo especially struggled with not wanting to scare Avery away😅
It was written in a way that reminded me of my own college days. It was so fun watching their fake romance slowly turn into something real 💗
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, Harper Voyager Publishing for providing me with an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC 📚
I love a good Friends to Lovers trope. ❤️
Theo and Avery’s dynamic felt realistic and natural, it never felt overly forced or like they were in situations and settings that were far fetched.
I did find myself waiting and wanting more from the overall storyline. A few interactions and details between characters (Theo & his mom, Harper & Avery, Avery & her mom) felt like they could be potentially foreshadowing future conflict or deeper subplots. None of those interactions really led anywhere or came to fruition. For that reason, certain moments felt a bit unnecessary or underdeveloped.
Even so, the enjoyable characters and realistic dynamic made this a cute, quick, and entertaining romance read.
I love a good Friends to Lovers trope. ❤️
Theo and Avery’s dynamic felt realistic and natural, it never felt overly forced or like they were in situations and settings that were far fetched.
I did find myself waiting and wanting more from the overall storyline. A few interactions and details between characters (Theo & his mom, Harper & Avery, Avery & her mom) felt like they could be potentially foreshadowing future conflict or deeper subplots. None of those interactions really led anywhere or came to fruition. For that reason, certain moments felt a bit unnecessary or underdeveloped.
Even so, the enjoyable characters and realistic dynamic made this a cute, quick, and entertaining romance read.
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