It’s a new year, essentially we’re still dealing with the same me tho! One of my goals for this year was to read more books and so far I’m crushing it. The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord was an eARC from NetGalley and I’m thrilled to be gushing about it for you below.
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Okay, let’s dive into the good stuff, because there’s a lot of good stuff. It’s been a minute since I posted anything here…I’d apologize but I’m trying to do less of that this year as well. Life was very life-y over the last year or two and now that I’m coming back to the surface I feel ready to get back into some of the things that always made me feel the most me.

The irony of that timely revelation is not lost on me. Maybe a week ago I jumped onto NetGalley to see what was new and clean up my profile a bit. After sitting dormant for over a year I wasn’t expected to find much that I could get really excited about.
I applied for some things, including The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord. I absolutely adored Tweet Cute and until I saw this book sitting on NetGalley I didn’t even know it was coming out. I was, needless to say, quite excited when I got the approval notice.
This one is set to hit shelves on August 13, 2024 so if you are a fan, read this review and are intrigued, or just like to keep track of these things, mark the calendar.
What is this book about?
I typically like a dual POV in a romance novel but we stick with our female main character on this one. June Hart is fresh off a breakup when we meet her, one that didn’t end well and landed her in the spotlight in the form of a viral meme.
Our male MC is not doing much better when he heads back to his hometown after being dumped by his fiancee. If you are anything like me you’ll be instantly invested in the backstory here.
The main characters were childhood best friends, growing up in their small beachside town. Something about reading books set at the beach during the misery of a cold, wet, northeastern winter is good for seasonal depression. Someone alert the scientists.
Of course they had a falling out over feelings caught, feelings not caught, and regular old stubbornness, June and Levi have a lot of work to do to mend their broken friendship.
In walks the fake dating trope and we all cheer like it’s $1 margaritas at karaoke! The two set out to fake date in order to spin their online presence into something useful. June needs a boost in sales for her floundering tea and scone shop and Levi wants to try and win back his ex…can’t relate but go off buddy, you do you.
The pair quickly starts to remember what it was like to have the other in their life and the sparks are flying right from the start. They’re also planning a wedding for June’s brother and Levi’s best friend which adds to the overall swoon-worthy vibes.
Cake tasting? Checking out DJ’s? An accidentally scream poetry night at the bar? It’s all fun and games until someone falls in love.
I’m keeping things spoiler free here for you but of course this is a HEA, don’t shoot the messenger!

What did I love about this book?
I loved that June and Levi are not just falling back in love, they’re working through their issues. After the death of June’s sister, who happened to be Levi’s best friend, our main characters are stuck. They’re going through the motions of their lives and it isn’t until they’re throw into a new messy reality after the loss of their relationships that they realize they haven’t been living.
Both of our adorable little runners, again, couldn’t be me running for fun but you two go for it, run like the wind! Anywho, they’re struggling to get themselves out of the rut they’ve dug for themselves and made plenty cozy. Levi is writing a book he doesn’t even like, June is doing the bare minimum at the tea shop so she doesn’t have to look too closely at why she’s scared to shake things up.
Eventually they both have to hit a wall and while it’s sad to watch, it’s also really relatable…and again, HEA to look forward too so march on my little darlings!
Another thing I really enjoyed from a technical standpoint was the pacing. I thought the book itself was set up well and I didn’t feel like it was dragging on or throwing me for a loop with a speedy wrap up. The Break-Up Pact felt really well organized and with all it’s modern elements it’s definitely a book that will feel like it’s happening right now.
What did I not love about this book?
I didn’t like either of the ex’s and that is of course, the point. I KNOW. But they were both just the slimiest jerks and when you see what June’s ex does you’ll agree, he’s a worm.
The running. Okay, I didn’t dislike it but I’m not running on the beach unless a madman with a knife is chasing me so I just didn’t get it. I’m sure you sporty people who like to run will love those bits tho 😉

Overall opinions of this book:
The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord gets a solid 4 out of 5 stars from me. Maybe even a 4.5. The year is young, I have little to compare it to!
I did tear through this, it was enjoyable and easy to get lost in which I always love in a book. I enjoyed all the tropes, fake dating and friends to lovers, some forced proximity in there, it’s got the good stuff!
The characters were solid. I like seeing relatable people who are a little more broken than they realize coming to terms with their own growth. As much as I love a villain story I also just really like to read about people who feel like me. June and Levi had that going on.
As for our side characters Sana, June’s best friend is snarky and lively. I like that she was fiercely protective but also willing to call June on her bullshit, as any best friend should. Dylan and Mateo added a nice foil for June and Levi, honestly let’s have more about Mateo’s sweater vests, I’m here for it.
Pacing, length, and overall arc were great. I didn’t have any complaints about the book itself and kind of an odd observation from an English nerd, I found very few errors which is less common than you might think in an eARC so gold stars all around for the editing team!
Where can I buy this book for myself?
You can preorder The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord from Amazon and other retailers. It comes out on August 13, 2024. If you preorder from Amazon you can get free release day delivery!
The Kindle version is also available for preorder and it’s available the day of release!
Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans are available, this title is not included in the KU program at the moment but there are tons of other great books that you might like on there. If you read even 1 book a month with KU you’re getting your money’s worth!

What else has Emma Lord written?
In addition to The Break Up Pact, Emma Lord has written several other titles including:
- Begin Again: A ‘Just Kiss Already’ romance with a full slate of characters who feel like family.
- Tweet Cute: The most adorably sweet modern digital age romance.
- The Getaway List: A YA Good Kid who sets out to figure out who she is without the pressure of pleasing everyone else in her life (ooof, shots fired)
- When You Get The Chance: Broadway meets long lost parents and YA romance.
- You Have A Match: DNA services are always throwing curveballs and that’s not even the BEI (Big Embarrassing Incident)!
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