Read with Fern

“‘It’s a date.’ The words are still rattling between my ears as he leaves, the full impact of them settling in. It’s a date. It’s a pact. It’s a new chance. But more than that, it’s something to feel.”

The Break-Up Pact, Emma Lord

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This started out with a few classic romance tropes, but quickly became something deeper and much more meaningful. We follow June, who became a viral reaction meme after her ex revealed he was cheating…while on national TV. At the same time, June’s estranged childhood friend, Levi, is dealing with a similar situation. His girlfriend was photographed kissing one of the most famous celebrities of all time. After a serendipitous run-in after over a decade of no-contact, June and Levi are thrown into a fake dating whirlwind.

And while the fake dating does include a set list of rules and goals, most of the story’s focus is on June and Levi’s slowly repairing relationship. They were childhood best friends, along with June’s older sister Annie. But between fights they had as teenagers and Annie’s sudden passing a few years ago, there is a large rift between June and Levi that takes a while to soften.

I loved the traditionally crazy townspeople that were scattered through the book and the cozy seaside town they lived in. Annie’s tea shop sounded adorable (even with the ridiculous name of Tea Tide), and I was desperate to try a cookie-filled scone. I also absolutely loved Natalie’s narration, which brought the coziness and romance up to a level 10.

The only thing that bugged me was the emotional immaturity of the characters. June and Levi are both in their late 20s, but refuse to have actual conversations about their lives and choices. There were even moments where they were physically together, and one had a question, and then left instead of having any sort of conversation. That level of miscommunication and stubbornness was just a little too grating for me. Additionally, June spent a large portion of her time trying to find herself. While this totally made sense in the context of the story, the amount of “finding herself” felt repetitive and unproductive with the plot as a whole.

I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a summery small town romance. It’s sweet and silly, but there’s deeper moments that give the whole story a more meaningful ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the free advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review!