Scan barcode
A review by unawake0442
The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really found this book delightful overall! I enjoyed spending time with the main characters, and I think The Break-Up Pact does an excellent job of digging into deeper topics within a light romance without weighing the story down. The way June reflects on her late sister Annie feels incredibly poignant, especially thinking about how someone grieves a loved one while acknowledging their flaws. It’s a difficult and messy process, and I thought The Break-Up Pact truly did that justice.
I also felt like I believed the romance between the two characters, even though they both had their own issues to work out. I feel we don’t see enough main characters in romance books that have realistic backstories or struggles, it often feels overly specific or fantastical. But the idea of staying in a relationship that wasn’t working and then trying to figure out what’s next after it ends felt so relatable, and it created a conflict that worked rather than feeling overly manufactured.
I felt the writing was weaker than I hoped. More specifically, I felt the book over-explained things at parts and occasionally felt repetitive. It felt like the book was holding my hand a bit too much.
Still, I enjoyed The Break-Up Pact enough to put Emma Lord’s other books on my to-read list!
Received this book as an ARC
I also felt like I believed the romance between the two characters, even though they both had their own issues to work out. I feel we don’t see enough main characters in romance books that have realistic backstories or struggles, it often feels overly specific or fantastical. But the idea of staying in a relationship that wasn’t working and then trying to figure out what’s next after it ends felt so relatable, and it created a conflict that worked rather than feeling overly manufactured.
I felt the writing was weaker than I hoped. More specifically, I felt the book over-explained things at parts and occasionally felt repetitive. It felt like the book was holding my hand a bit too much.
Still, I enjoyed The Break-Up Pact enough to put Emma Lord’s other books on my to-read list!
Received this book as an ARC