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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
I realize I’m saying this about a beach read romcom literally set at the beach in the summer, but this book was just too cheesy for my taste. The story is weighed down by long-winded paragraphs detailing the FMC’s emotional state—despite her consistently poor judgment, especially when it comes to men.
Her ex is a high school classmate she dated for ten years, even though she never really liked him. He ends up haranguing her on a reality show while flaunting a new girlfriend. Naturally, she goes back on the same show, only to get humiliated again. Why? I have no idea.
Then there’s the love interest: a man who was cheated on and left, yet spends most of the book trying to win back his ex. At one point, he literally leaves the FMC at a wildly inappropriate moment to go chasing after her.
I just couldn’t figure out why the FMC would want anything to do with either of them.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to the author for this awesome ARC!
*Spoilers *
This is a story of mistaken unrequited love, wasted time and the struggle to find yourself after a trauma. I love the relationships outlined in this story, each one building off another. A group of friends, and family, who never really missed a beat even after years apart.
After the death of Annie, Dylan and Junes sister, everything changes. June comes home and takes over Annie’s Tea Shop after an embarrassingly public breakup with her ex and is struggling to keep it open. After being back awhile, Levi also finds himself home after a very public break up and in the middle of writing a manuscript he has no interest in. They soon join forces as “revenge exes” as they are dubbed by the media. They team together as a way to save face, make Levi’s ex jealous and make people stop calling June the ‘crying girl’.
As best man and maid of honor for Dylan and Mateos wedding, they begin spending a lot of time together doing wedding tasks and figuring out all they’ve missed in each others lives in missed in a decade apart. Junes reporter friend, Sana, organizes photo ops to capitalize for the “couple” as well as the business. Through the fake dating farce, they finally admit how they feel about eachother, and realize they both always felt that way, even when they were kids. When they were dared to kiss at a trivia night and Levi looks at June and says “do you want me to kiss you?” SIGH … heart swooning! ❤️
5⭐️ no comments except I could’ve read more. The beachside views, the friendships and 2 wonderful friends finding their way back together and falling in love. Everyone should read this feel gooder! Can’t wait to read more by this author, I like the way she writes.
A friends-to-lovers reconnection book will get me. Every time.
✩ 3.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.
In The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord, June Hart becomes an overnight sensation as the viral “crying girl” meme after her breakup with long-term boyfriend Griffin is aired live on national television. Beyond TikTok For You pages and Twitter feeds, June is the owner of the Tea Tide, a charming yet struggling beachside café. When June is unexpectedly reunited with her high school best friend Levi—who is also famous for his own viral breakup—she’s forced to confront past feelings, craft a believable fake relationship with Levi, and figure out how to save her tea shop from closing for good.
If I had to sum up The Break-Up Pact in more than a few words, it would be a “silly romantic comedy that you’d watch/read and think, ‘Yeah, that was good. What’s next?’” I didn’t feel particularly attached to any of the characters, as they all felt like typical romance book archetypes. Yes, that’s often the point, but they should still feel like real people. The character arcs of Levi and June, as well as the tropes used, felt drawn out. Even though the book wasn’t long, I genuinely felt it could have been shorter. For most of the story, I was practically shouting, “Just get together already and end it!”
This book was my first introduction to Emma Lord, who has earned a solid reputation in the YA romance genre. I’m hoping her other works live up to the expectations she’s set, as I did enjoy the quippiness of her writing. Anyone who loves a fun and easy read would likely enjoy this book. For me, it was just “meh,” which isn’t necessarily good or bad.
Side note: The blueberry and sriracha scone is diabolical and June deserves to be in prison for that.
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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.
In The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord, June Hart becomes an overnight sensation as the viral “crying girl” meme after her breakup with long-term boyfriend Griffin is aired live on national television. Beyond TikTok For You pages and Twitter feeds, June is the owner of the Tea Tide, a charming yet struggling beachside café. When June is unexpectedly reunited with her high school best friend Levi—who is also famous for his own viral breakup—she’s forced to confront past feelings, craft a believable fake relationship with Levi, and figure out how to save her tea shop from closing for good.
If I had to sum up The Break-Up Pact in more than a few words, it would be a “silly romantic comedy that you’d watch/read and think, ‘Yeah, that was good. What’s next?’” I didn’t feel particularly attached to any of the characters, as they all felt like typical romance book archetypes. Yes, that’s often the point, but they should still feel like real people. The character arcs of Levi and June, as well as the tropes used, felt drawn out. Even though the book wasn’t long, I genuinely felt it could have been shorter. For most of the story, I was practically shouting, “Just get together already and end it!”
This book was my first introduction to Emma Lord, who has earned a solid reputation in the YA romance genre. I’m hoping her other works live up to the expectations she’s set, as I did enjoy the quippiness of her writing. Anyone who loves a fun and easy read would likely enjoy this book. For me, it was just “meh,” which isn’t necessarily good or bad.
Side note: The blueberry and sriracha scone is diabolical and June deserves to be in prison for that.
more reviews
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
For a short book, it feels much much longer...
It was cute at the beginning and then it was just plain boring. This was sold as romcom, but it is not. It's more about coming of age (at the tender age of 27) and getting out of grief. But the love story was meh because it didn't have much development. They were fake dating with a goal (he) that did a 180 in just one chapter
It was cute at the beginning and then it was just plain boring. This was sold as romcom, but it is not. It's more about coming of age (at the tender age of 27) and getting out of grief. But the love story was meh because it didn't have much development. They were fake dating with a goal (he) that did a 180 in just one chapter
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was really excited about this and felt a little let down. Parts I liked, but overall underwhelmed