#BookReview The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin @emilygiffin @PenguinRandomCA #TheSummerPact #EmilyGiffin #PenguinReads Title: The Summer Pact

Author: Emily Giffin

Published by: Doubleday Canada on Jul. 9, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 352

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House

Book Rating: 8/10

In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends makes a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and aspiring lawyer from Washington, D.C.; Summer, an ambitious, recruited athlete from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after arriving on campus, they strike up a conversation in their shared dorm, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, they make a pact, promising to always be there for one another, no matter how separated they may become by circumstances or distance.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are all facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides, helping us pick up the pieces?


Review:

Heartwarming, intimate, and sweet!

The Summer Pact is an uplifting, compelling tale that takes you into the life of three college friends, Lainey, Hannah, and Tyson who, after tragically losing their fourth best friend in their final days of school and promising to always be there for each other, gather ten years later to help each other navigate old pain, new heartbreaks, underlying hurts, and unfulfilled dreams.

The writing is sentimental and tender. The characters are flawed, genuine, and supportive. And the plot is an emotionally engaging tale full of heartache, loss, grief, guilt, hope, friendship, relationship dynamics, drama, romance, and love.

Overall, The Summer Pact is a thoughtful, nostalgic, touching tale by Griffin that reminds us that life is truly precious and even with all the highs and lows and ups and downs, it should always be lived to the fullest.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Emily Giffin

Emily Giffin is the author of eleven internationally bestselling novels: Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, Love the One You’re With, Heart of the Matter, Where We Belong, The One & Only, First Comes Love, All We Ever Wanted, The Lies That Bind, and Meant to Be. She lives in Atlanta with her family and two dogs.

Photo by Chris Martin