The Break-Up Pact - by Emma Lord (Paperback)

About the Book

"Most Anticipated by Goodreads, Cosmo, and more! Two best friends who haven't spoken in ten years pretend to date after break-ups with their respective exes go viral, in this delightfully fun and deeply emotional novel from New York Times bestselling author Emma Lord. June and Levi were best friends as teenagers-until the day they weren't. Now June is struggling to make rent on her beachside tea shop, Levi is living a New York clichâe as a disillusioned hedge fund manager and failed novelist, and they've barely spoken in years. But after they both experience public, humiliating break-ups with their exes that spread like wildfire across TikTok rabbit holes and daytime talk shows alike, they accidentally make some juicy gossip of their own-a photo of them together has the internet convinced they're a couple. With so many people rooting for them, they decide to put aside their rocky past and make a pact to fuel the fire. Pretending to date will help June's shop get back on its feet and make Levi's ex realize that she made a mistake. All they have to do is convince the world they're in love, one swoon-worthy photo opp at a time. Two viral break-ups. One fake relationship. Five sparkling, heart-pounding dates. June and Levi can definitely pull this off without their hearts getting involved. Because everyone knows fake dating doesn't come with real feelings. Right?"--

Book Synopsis

A Library Reads Pick!

Most Anticipated by Goodreads, Cosmo, E! News, and more!

Two best friends who haven't spoken in ten years pretend to date after break-ups with their respective exes go viral, in this delightfully fun and deeply emotional novel from New York Times bestselling author Emma Lord.

June and Levi were best friends as teenagers--until the day they weren't. Now June is struggling to make rent on her beachside tea shop, Levi is living a New York cliché as a disillusioned hedge fund manager and failed novelist, and they've barely spoken in years.

But after they both experience public, humiliating break-ups with their exes that spread like wildfire across TikTok rabbit holes and daytime talk shows alike, they accidentally make some juicy gossip of their own--a photo of them together has the internet convinced they're a couple. With so many people rooting for them, they decide to put aside their rocky past and make a pact to fuel the fire. Pretending to date will help June's shop get back on its feet and make Levi's ex realize that she made a mistake. All they have to do is convince the world they're in love, one swoon-worthy photo opp at a time.

Two viral break-ups. One fake relationship. Five sparkling, heart-pounding dates. June and Levi can definitely pull this off without their hearts getting involved. Because everyone knows fake dating doesn't come with real feelings. Right?

Review Quotes

"Emma Lord's adult debut is an absolute homerun! It has the very best of fake-dating (with some delicious meta-commentary on the trope), revenge, second chance, a grumpy hero to die for, and the perfect amount of tea! Emma Lord brings on the steam, and her voice is engaging, hilarious, and an utter pleasure to read. The Break-Up Pact is a fantastic romcom!" - Ali Hazelwood, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"The Break-Up Pact is like your favorite Taylor Swift song on repeat--romantic, heartbreaking, and utterly enchanting. I laughed, I swooned, I sobbed my eyes out. The perfect blend of Emily Henry and Nora Ephron, Emma Lord is your next perfect summer read!" -- Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip

"The Break-Up Pact is an emotional, delicious, warm hearted story and I loved it from the very first page. Emma Lord writes so well about love, grief, growing up, and giving people--including yourself--second chances. A perfect book to read on the beach or at a corner table at a cafe, as long as it makes plenty of delicious baked goods!" - Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of Drunk on Love and Drop, Cover, and Move On

"A breezy, beachy read filled with lovable characters and a simmering slow burn. With plentiful laughs and Emma Lord's trademark charm, The Break-Up Pact is a new romance favorite. I'm not sure what I'm craving more -- Levi Shaw or one of June's scones." - Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of Business or Pleasure and The Ex Talk

"An immensely charming adult romance debut from Emma Lord! With its lovable characters, quaint seaside setting, and gorgeously insightful prose, The Break-Up Pact is a joy to read. This estranged-childhood-friends-to-fake-dating-to-lovers story is as delicious and warm as one of June's specialty scones. Humor and heart at its best -- I loved it!" - Sarah Adler, author of Mrs. Nash's Ashes

"At turns sharply funny and deeply affecting, with hope and healing serving as its emotional heartbeat, I blazed through The Break-Up Pact, a story about being brave enough to go after the life--and love--you truly want. Emma Lord's writing is effervescent and poignant, an addictive mix that made it hard to say goodbye when I got to the last page. I absolutely loved this book!" --Jessica Joyce, author of You, With A View.

"The Break-Up Pact combines fun, clever dialogue with the trifecta of romance- sweet, sexy, & sentimental- an excellent read." - Sophie Sullivan, author of A Guide to Being Just Friends and Love, Naturally

"A heartwarming group of childhood friends support the friends-to-lovers couple in a funny yet sentimental story. What starts with an outrageous moment when the heroine "goes viral" for all the wrong reasons quickly gets deeply emotional as the characters rediscover their lifelong love for each other." - Jayne Denker, author of The Rom-Com Agenda

"Drenched in small-town beachside charm, The Break-Up Pact is both a banter-filled fake dating romp and a poignant meditation on what it takes to shake off the expectations, hurt, and mistakes of the past. With chemistry that's as real as it comes, Levi and June are a couple worth falling for." - Ava Wilder, author of Will They or Won't They

"Light, feel-good fare that's perfect for the beach." - Publishers Weekly

"A relatable rollercoaster for anyone who has ever found themself at an impasse in life...a charming story about the power of second chances." - Kirkus (Starred Review)

"The perfect small-town romance for summer...for fans of Sarah Adams and Emily Henry." - Library Journal

"A treat for readers who like their romance to carry some emotional heft." - Shelf Awareness

About the Author

EMMA LORD is a digital media editor and writer living in New York City, where she spends whatever time she isn't writing either running or belting show tunes in community theater. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. She was raised on glitter, a whole lot of love, and copious amounts of grilled cheese.