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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
“Did you know that no one has ever told me that they loved me? And because no one ever has,” he goes on quietly, “I never had anyone to tell. I didn’t really know what love was because no one defined it for me. I only knew what it wasn’t. But I loved you. Never as a friend. Always as something more. From the moment you walked into the bar, you owned the word and what it meant for me. I prayed and I dreamed that one day I would get to tell you myself. That no matter how you felt, I would tell you that I loved you and nothing could change that. That it was mine to give to you.” He inhales deeply and says, “And so, I love you, baby blue. I am in love with you. You are love to me. And I’m honored I’m finally able to tell you.”
i finished rereading this in 2 hours... meanwhile i cant get past chapter 5 of all the books i started.. *chuckles nervously* this is so convulted.. am i forever stuck in a painful circle of idiotic but utterly satisfying best friends to lovers books?? maybe..
I loved this book. It was so good. I cannot wait to read the next ones!
4 Reflective Stars
Would you risk your friendship for the chance to find love? A tiny personal bit: I have done it both ways: once I did, the other time I didn't - and both of the times it was a disaster. So I suppose when it comes down to it, it really is a "no risk, no gain" choice.
I fell in love with Karina Halle's writing when I read "The Play" a couple of months ago. I'm a bit of a "reading-in-order"-Monk so I had to go back at some point to calm the titties of my OCD.
Linden McGregor is a Scot living in San Francisco. His parents weren't exactly the textbook kind, he never felt any love or care and was raised along with his brother by nannies. His two best friends, Stephanie and James, give him the love he never experienced at home. Linden is fun, sometimes adorably cheesy and a player.
Stephanie is the perfect balance of a heroine I can wish for. She is smart, kind, naughty, funny and a great friend. Only...her relationships never work out.
On Stephanie's 25th birthday, a drunken night, Linden and Steph make a pact. If they aren't in a serious relationship when they turn 30 they will marry each other. The first third of the story deals with the five years until our main characters enter the time when the pact starts to become effective. It also shows how they both deal with their respective feelings for each other, which are strong but are they worth exploring and possibly killing everything they have? Destroying an amazing friendship? In that time there are lots of relationships on both accounts...until one night when a kiss changes everything.
I loved the dynamics between Stephanie and Linden, their easy friendship and the love between them. I loved reading about relationships in your twenties as I got the chance to revisit mine and reflect on them. How you handle some things with maturity and others not so much. How hope is high when you meet somebody you might be able to fall in love with. The insecurities you have to deal with on a daily basis. All this is wrapped up in this beautiful story of growing pains and love. I read some mixed reviews of this story and I can understand the frustration. It did work for me though and I can only say onto "Wham-Bam-Thankyou-Bram".
My review at Coffee, Cookies and Books
“She’s mad but she’s magic. There is no lie in her fire.”
Would you risk your friendship for the chance to find love? A tiny personal bit: I have done it both ways: once I did, the other time I didn't - and both of the times it was a disaster. So I suppose when it comes down to it, it really is a "no risk, no gain" choice.
“Life isn’t a linear journey. Sometimes it’s one step backwards, two steps forward and then a jump out to the side. It’s kind of like the “Time Warp”, when you think about it.
I fell in love with Karina Halle's writing when I read "The Play" a couple of months ago. I'm a bit of a "reading-in-order"-Monk so I had to go back at some point to calm the titties of my OCD.
Linden McGregor is a Scot living in San Francisco. His parents weren't exactly the textbook kind, he never felt any love or care and was raised along with his brother by nannies. His two best friends, Stephanie and James, give him the love he never experienced at home. Linden is fun, sometimes adorably cheesy and a player.
Stephanie is the perfect balance of a heroine I can wish for. She is smart, kind, naughty, funny and a great friend. Only...her relationships never work out.
On Stephanie's 25th birthday, a drunken night, Linden and Steph make a pact. If they aren't in a serious relationship when they turn 30 they will marry each other. The first third of the story deals with the five years until our main characters enter the time when the pact starts to become effective. It also shows how they both deal with their respective feelings for each other, which are strong but are they worth exploring and possibly killing everything they have? Destroying an amazing friendship? In that time there are lots of relationships on both accounts...until one night when a kiss changes everything.
“Sometimes I wonder if I’m falling in love with her. Sometimes I wonder how long I can pretend I’m not.”
I loved the dynamics between Stephanie and Linden, their easy friendship and the love between them. I loved reading about relationships in your twenties as I got the chance to revisit mine and reflect on them. How you handle some things with maturity and others not so much. How hope is high when you meet somebody you might be able to fall in love with. The insecurities you have to deal with on a daily basis. All this is wrapped up in this beautiful story of growing pains and love. I read some mixed reviews of this story and I can understand the frustration. It did work for me though and I can only say onto "Wham-Bam-Thankyou-Bram".
My review at Coffee, Cookies and Books
** DISCLOSURE**It didn't take me 7 days to finish this book just took breaks to watch Dateline and movies***
4.5 BABY BLUE & COWBOY STARS
BTW LOVE THE NICKNAMES!!
I read a lot of contemporary romance novels and usually gravitate towards dark romance but once and while I love a good fast paced fun read. I found this whilst reading The Pact! It was just the book I needed at the time. I knew once I read the synopsis about the 30 year old pact it intrigued me! Now on to characters man on man I found another book boyfriend in Scottish sex on a stick Linden McGregor. Damn his SEX GAME was on point! And that dirty mouth! That dirty mouth got my panties in a twist in a good way. Now onto the heroine in this story Stephanie Robson. I loved how realistic her actions were and she seems like a girl I would want to be friends with. This story had enough naughty encounters (Chapter 14!), crude humor (Remember that whole cock in the cockpit?!) and heart felt moments. I highly recommend this book and will jump in The Offer soon! I can't get enjoy of these Scottish men
4.5 BABY BLUE & COWBOY STARS
BTW LOVE THE NICKNAMES!!
I read a lot of contemporary romance novels and usually gravitate towards dark romance but once and while I love a good fast paced fun read. I found this whilst reading The Pact! It was just the book I needed at the time. I knew once I read the synopsis about the 30 year old pact it intrigued me! Now on to characters man on man I found another book boyfriend in Scottish sex on a stick Linden McGregor. Damn his SEX GAME was on point! And that dirty mouth! That dirty mouth got my panties in a twist in a good way. Now onto the heroine in this story Stephanie Robson. I loved how realistic her actions were and she seems like a girl I would want to be friends with. This story had enough naughty encounters (Chapter 14!), crude humor (Remember that whole cock in the cockpit?!) and heart felt moments. I highly recommend this book and will jump in The Offer soon! I can't get enjoy of these Scottish men
Clueless in San Francisco...
Setting: San Francisco, CA
Source: Own Kindle eBook
⇝Ratings Breakdown⇜
Plot: 2.5/5
Main Characters: 3/5
Secondary Characters: 2/5
The Feels: 3/5
Addictiveness: 2.7/5
Theme or Tone: 2/5
Flow (Writing Style): 3.8/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4/5
Originality: 3/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Ending: 2.7/5 Cliffhanger: Nope.
Total: 2.7/5 STARS - GRADE=C-
⇝My Thoughts⇜
This book drove me insane…like, not right away, but about 1/3 of the way in and I was just…ugh. I felt like this was just made up drama, that would never play out like this in real life, just for the purpose of juicy story. I don't believe anyone wants somebody that intensely and pushes them away with that same intensity. And over a complete douchebag of a friend. Seriously!
Bbbuuttttt……I have to give Karina Halle some credit, because she can write some sex scenes…like holy hotness, with just the right amount of sizzle and no lame-ass words for body parts here…so…I'm torn... (continued below)
⇝Will I read more from this Author?⇜ …should I read more by her? I mean, are her other books less over-the-top dramatic? Please tell me?
Setting: San Francisco, CA
Source: Own Kindle eBook
⇝Ratings Breakdown⇜
Plot: 2.5/5
Main Characters: 3/5
Secondary Characters: 2/5
The Feels: 3/5
Addictiveness: 2.7/5
Theme or Tone: 2/5
Flow (Writing Style): 3.8/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4/5
Originality: 3/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Ending: 2.7/5 Cliffhanger: Nope.
Total: 2.7/5 STARS - GRADE=C-
⇝My Thoughts⇜
This book drove me insane…like, not right away, but about 1/3 of the way in and I was just…ugh. I felt like this was just made up drama, that would never play out like this in real life, just for the purpose of juicy story. I don't believe anyone wants somebody that intensely and pushes them away with that same intensity. And over a complete douchebag of a friend. Seriously!
Bbbuuttttt……I have to give Karina Halle some credit, because she can write some sex scenes…like holy hotness, with just the right amount of sizzle and no lame-ass words for body parts here…so…I'm torn... (continued below)
⇝Will I read more from this Author?⇜ …should I read more by her? I mean, are her other books less over-the-top dramatic? Please tell me?
This isn't a review. I haven't even finished this yet but I'm about to have an aneurysm because of these characters. Gahhhh!
What kind of high school bullshit is this?! You two *just* declared your deeper-than-I-love-you feelings for one another but you're too chickenshit to tell the guy she broke up with SEVEN years ago that you're together now. AND you're willing to break up with HER to clear the field for this same guy in the name of his shitty friendship. #TheGhetto
They're 30 and over (at this point in the book--77% done). Why are they "best friends" with passive aggressive people? James has ISSUES. All this drama around Linden and Stephanie not telling him they're together now is so juvenile.
What kind of high school bullshit is this?! You two *just* declared your deeper-than-I-love-you feelings for one another but you're too chickenshit to tell the guy she broke up with SEVEN years ago that you're together now. AND you're willing to break up with HER to clear the field for this same guy in the name of his shitty friendship. #TheGhetto
They're 30 and over (at this point in the book--77% done). Why are they "best friends" with passive aggressive people? James has ISSUES. All this drama around Linden and Stephanie not telling him they're together now is so juvenile.
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
The Pact is the first in Halle's McGregor series - which works completely as stand-alone novels! - but my second. And oh my, how I loved Linden and Stephanie!
I buddy-listened to The Pact with my dear blogger-wife Brandee @ Bookworm Brandee. So I'm sharing some stuff we chatted about after we were both finished. There might be some slight spoilers, so beware!
Me: Both Kayla and James really, really piss me off!!! I'm almost at the end of The Pact...
Brandee: Me too! I almost couldn't stand James.
How can Steph be happy for James?? I would kick him in the nuts if I were her!(They're about to go to NY after Lynden's helicopter accident)
I completely agree. He was a total schmuck. So self-centered. I'd kick him in the nuts twice! :)
hehe I've finished listening now :) And I did enjoy the story, even if I found it a bit frustrating that Linden and Steph had to meet so many roadblocks And I found the Scottish accent to sound a bit fake in this one...
Yeah, i got to that point as well. I wasn't happy that Linden have her up for James. I didn't feel like that was a best friend move - at least on James's part. In a way i thought the roadblocks were contrived to keep the story going. But i still loved it. :) I was wondering what you thought about the accent. There were times when i thought it was real because his American accent sounded funny but i liked the female narrators Scottish accent better. So you don't think he's a Scot?
No definitely not a Scot! In the beginning, it really peeved me, and almost made me stop listening. Thank goodness Linden had much less chapters than Steph! And I thought the female narrater was better, too. James acted like a total douche! Especially if he had understood from the beginning that Linden and Steph were seeing each other! He should have realised how happy thy both were.
Okay, well I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't necessarily like the male narrator. I got used to it though. Yeah, i dint know that I'd have remained friends with James but we weren't privy to his conversation with linen Linden when he apologized. So we don't know what went down there but Steph - i guess she was okay since things worked out in the end.
Oh, me, too! By the end I was OK with him... but just wait until you listen to The Offer!!
I'm looking forward to it ;)
Yeah, but no matter what James said, he was really only thinking of himself - accusing Linden of not understanding him (James) and all the hardships of his life... Whereas he was not at all trying to see anything at all from Linden's POV.
I agree. A narcissist. Totally.
Totally. Heh. we are just SO good at this! I found Kayla to be a hypocrite, too! Even if James later said that Kayla had told him about Linden and Steph when she was drunk...
Did you feel like all their baggage was appropriately resolved.?
Linden and Steph? Or everybody?
Linden and Steph
I think Linden and Steph came to just accept that being best friends AND lovers was possibly the greatest thing ever for them. And I'm not sure if anyone can really resolve all their baggage... but if most has been dealt with and they are trying to move forward in a positive way, things can definitely work out .
Yeah, im interested to read Kayla's story to see if she's redeemed at all because yeah, she was a hypocrite. I almost felt like she was jealous.
Kayla's story will be the next one I listen to, and I can't wait either. And I liked Kayla better in The Offer, too. She may have been jealous, especially because Linden and Steph were always close - friends, but always with the kind of possibility for something more - especially for those looking in from the outside of their relationship.
I agree and i was thrilled that they realized best friends make the best lovers. Because they do and their couplehood was a long time coming.
Yes! And I think that being both best friends and lovers make for the best relationships - especially long term :)
That's how i felt about Kayla. She didn't want to give Linden the benefit of the doubt with Steph since *she* didn't get him to stick around. I'm glad I'll like her better in The Offer.
One of the things I really enjoyed about Linden and Steph was how they were always cheering each other on. Linden helped Steph have te courage to start her own clothing store, and she made him feel balanced and loved - even before he could admit that love was possibly the most important ingredient in their friendship.
Exactly. And by that time Steph and Linden had had plenty of time to marinate in all the goodness that taking their relationship to a higher level would be. Even if it was scary. Although Linden seemed quite certain of them having staying power. :)
Yeah, if it hadn't been for James screwing everything up for them with his jealousy and his pettiness...
Well I'll like her better if you did ;)
Good thing Linden survived his accident!
Absolutely. They're friendship was much deeper than what they had with James in my opinion. And i adored that Steph gave Linden validation - well they have validation to each other. Something they both needed and didn't get elsewhere
True! Their friendship was always stronger than what either of them had with James. They spent more time with each other than all three of them, and even felt somewhat bad about that at times.
Lol Yes, definitely a good thing! I'm looking forward to continuing this series. And i get to see Karina this weekend ;)
WooHoo!
Exactly
I'll get to see her in a couple of weeks in the south of France :D
As you may have guessed, this convo happened several weeks ago, just before the Denver Mile High Author event Brandee went to, and a few weeks before my trip to Bandol this past weekend. I really enjoyed this story, and it didn't bother me in the least that I had read the second book first. The character development especially appealed to me - and this was helped by the fact that the story spanned over several years. The solid friendship between Linden and Steph was the highlight of the story for me, even if I also loved the romance.
Life leaves scars. Sometimes you don’t see them until later. Sometimes you don’t know where they’ve come from. Sometimes they fade before your eyes. But the world leaves its mark on us.
The pain was somewhere they could never reach.
Life isn’t a linear journey. Sometimes it’s one step backwards, two steps forward and then a jump out to the side. It’s kind of like the “Time Warp”, when you think about it. Life follows many directions and hopefully, eventually, your mind and body and life and love, all catch up with each other.
The Pact is the first in Halle's McGregor series - which works completely as stand-alone novels! - but my second. And oh my, how I loved Linden and Stephanie!
I buddy-listened to The Pact with my dear blogger-wife Brandee @ Bookworm Brandee. So I'm sharing some stuff we chatted about after we were both finished. There might be some slight spoilers, so beware!
Me: Both Kayla and James really, really piss me off!!! I'm almost at the end of The Pact...
Brandee: Me too! I almost couldn't stand James.
How can Steph be happy for James?? I would kick him in the nuts if I were her!
I completely agree. He was a total schmuck. So self-centered. I'd kick him in the nuts twice! :)
hehe I've finished listening now :) And I did enjoy the story, even if I found it a bit frustrating that Linden and Steph had to meet so many roadblocks And I found the Scottish accent to sound a bit fake in this one...
Yeah, i got to that point as well. I wasn't happy that Linden have her up for James. I didn't feel like that was a best friend move - at least on James's part. In a way i thought the roadblocks were contrived to keep the story going. But i still loved it. :) I was wondering what you thought about the accent. There were times when i thought it was real because his American accent sounded funny but i liked the female narrators Scottish accent better. So you don't think he's a Scot?
No definitely not a Scot! In the beginning, it really peeved me, and almost made me stop listening. Thank goodness Linden had much less chapters than Steph! And I thought the female narrater was better, too. James acted like a total douche! Especially if he had understood from the beginning that Linden and Steph were seeing each other! He should have realised how happy thy both were.
Okay, well I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't necessarily like the male narrator. I got used to it though. Yeah, i dint know that I'd have remained friends with James but we weren't privy to his conversation with linen Linden when he apologized. So we don't know what went down there but Steph - i guess she was okay since things worked out in the end.
Oh, me, too! By the end I was OK with him... but just wait until you listen to The Offer!!
I'm looking forward to it ;)
Yeah, but no matter what James said, he was really only thinking of himself - accusing Linden of not understanding him (James) and all the hardships of his life... Whereas he was not at all trying to see anything at all from Linden's POV.
I agree. A narcissist. Totally.
Totally. Heh. we are just SO good at this! I found Kayla to be a hypocrite, too! Even if James later said that Kayla had told him about Linden and Steph when she was drunk...
Did you feel like all their baggage was appropriately resolved.?
Linden and Steph? Or everybody?
Linden and Steph
I think Linden and Steph came to just accept that being best friends AND lovers was possibly the greatest thing ever for them. And I'm not sure if anyone can really resolve all their baggage... but if most has been dealt with and they are trying to move forward in a positive way, things can definitely work out .
Yeah, im interested to read Kayla's story to see if she's redeemed at all because yeah, she was a hypocrite. I almost felt like she was jealous.
Kayla's story will be the next one I listen to, and I can't wait either. And I liked Kayla better in The Offer, too. She may have been jealous, especially because Linden and Steph were always close - friends, but always with the kind of possibility for something more - especially for those looking in from the outside of their relationship.
I agree and i was thrilled that they realized best friends make the best lovers. Because they do and their couplehood was a long time coming.
Yes! And I think that being both best friends and lovers make for the best relationships - especially long term :)
That's how i felt about Kayla. She didn't want to give Linden the benefit of the doubt with Steph since *she* didn't get him to stick around. I'm glad I'll like her better in The Offer.
One of the things I really enjoyed about Linden and Steph was how they were always cheering each other on. Linden helped Steph have te courage to start her own clothing store, and she made him feel balanced and loved - even before he could admit that love was possibly the most important ingredient in their friendship.
Exactly. And by that time Steph and Linden had had plenty of time to marinate in all the goodness that taking their relationship to a higher level would be. Even if it was scary. Although Linden seemed quite certain of them having staying power. :)
Yeah, if it hadn't been for James screwing everything up for them with his jealousy and his pettiness...
Well I'll like her better if you did ;)
Good thing Linden survived his accident!
Absolutely. They're friendship was much deeper than what they had with James in my opinion. And i adored that Steph gave Linden validation - well they have validation to each other. Something they both needed and didn't get elsewhere
True! Their friendship was always stronger than what either of them had with James. They spent more time with each other than all three of them, and even felt somewhat bad about that at times.
Lol Yes, definitely a good thing! I'm looking forward to continuing this series. And i get to see Karina this weekend ;)
WooHoo!
Exactly
I'll get to see her in a couple of weeks in the south of France :D
As you may have guessed, this convo happened several weeks ago, just before the Denver Mile High Author event Brandee went to, and a few weeks before my trip to Bandol this past weekend. I really enjoyed this story, and it didn't bother me in the least that I had read the second book first. The character development especially appealed to me - and this was helped by the fact that the story spanned over several years. The solid friendship between Linden and Steph was the highlight of the story for me, even if I also loved the romance.
Life leaves scars. Sometimes you don’t see them until later. Sometimes you don’t know where they’ve come from. Sometimes they fade before your eyes. But the world leaves its mark on us.
The pain was somewhere they could never reach.
Life isn’t a linear journey. Sometimes it’s one step backwards, two steps forward and then a jump out to the side. It’s kind of like the “Time Warp”, when you think about it. Life follows many directions and hopefully, eventually, your mind and body and life and love, all catch up with each other.
This breezily enjoyable romp boasts a GORGEOUS cover and a fun concept, but is derailed by a couple of implausible plot twists in the last half.
1.5 stars!
Here's the thing: I love the friends-to-lovers trope. It's my catnip. No lie. Just look at my Read shelf here on GR. I love them. I usually devour them and they always -- well, almost always work for me. It's fairly hard for me to dislike a book with this trope because no matter how silly or improbable the situations are, I always end up liking them. In other words, I don't think I could ever dislike a book with this trope. It's almost impossible.
I was wrong. The Pact just proved it.
First off, I didn't feel any connection between Linden and Steph. None. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Zip. I didn't feel the connection between them as friends, I certainly didn't feel a connection between them as lovers.
For this trope to work for me, I have to be convinced of their friendship. I have to feel their connection as friends or else the friends-to-lovers tag is kind of a moot point, isn't it? Linden and Steph as friends was just meh. Which made their transition to lovers even more awkward.
Second, speaking of awkward, the whole 'I like you and want you but cannot be with you' schtick they going throughout the book was a joke. I mean, seriously? They were definitely hot for each other. That much was evident right on the first page but they're not together because what exactly? Because of James? It's fuckin' juvenile.
Third, which happens to be the reason why I couldn't get into this book, was they spent 44% of the book banging other people. 44%!! This isn't a friends-to-lovers book, more like friends-with-other-lovers. Suffice it say, my enthusiasm was pretty much shot afterSteph slept with her ex James and Linden got serious with another girl even though they supposedly are in love with each other. I had to force myself to finish this honestly.
I just don't like to read about the two MCs being in a relationship with other people like that especially when I'm supposed to believe they are everything to each other. And the secrecy thing was, again, juvenile. I had to remind myself that these were 30-year old characters because their reason for keeping their relationship a secret was so eye-roll worthy. I mean, really?
And correct me if I'm wrong but I really thought they were going to get married once they reach 30 years old and they are not with other people. Turns out, they were just going to sleep together and try it out and see where it leads them. It would have probably been more interesting if they truly got married at the start of the book and go from there.
Sigh
Here's the thing: I love the friends-to-lovers trope. It's my catnip. No lie. Just look at my Read shelf here on GR. I love them. I usually devour them and they always -- well, almost always work for me. It's fairly hard for me to dislike a book with this trope because no matter how silly or improbable the situations are, I always end up liking them. In other words, I don't think I could ever dislike a book with this trope. It's almost impossible.
I was wrong. The Pact just proved it.
First off, I didn't feel any connection between Linden and Steph. None. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Zip. I didn't feel the connection between them as friends, I certainly didn't feel a connection between them as lovers.
For this trope to work for me, I have to be convinced of their friendship. I have to feel their connection as friends or else the friends-to-lovers tag is kind of a moot point, isn't it? Linden and Steph as friends was just meh. Which made their transition to lovers even more awkward.
Second, speaking of awkward, the whole 'I like you and want you but cannot be with you' schtick they going throughout the book was a joke. I mean, seriously? They were definitely hot for each other. That much was evident right on the first page but they're not together because what exactly? Because of James? It's fuckin' juvenile.
Third, which happens to be the reason why I couldn't get into this book, was they spent 44% of the book banging other people. 44%!! This isn't a friends-to-lovers book, more like friends-with-other-lovers. Suffice it say, my enthusiasm was pretty much shot after
I just don't like to read about the two MCs being in a relationship with other people like that especially when I'm supposed to believe they are everything to each other. And the secrecy thing was, again, juvenile. I had to remind myself that these were 30-year old characters because their reason for keeping their relationship a secret was so eye-roll worthy. I mean, really?
And correct me if I'm wrong but I really thought they were going to get married once they reach 30 years old and they are not with other people. Turns out, they were just going to sleep together and try it out and see where it leads them. It would have probably been more interesting if they truly got married at the start of the book and go from there.
Sigh