Book Review: The Pact by Karina Halle

The Pact by Karina Halle
Also by this author: Racing the Sun
Published by Independently Published on December 28, 2014
Genres: Contemporary Adult Romance 18+
Pages: 379
Format: eBook
ISBN: 150572452X
ASIN: B00RJD8LOS
Goodreads

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them were in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounded like fun and games at the time but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.

Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line.

The pact is about to change everything.

Note: due to the dirty talk and sexy times, The Pact is not meant for anyone under the age of 18. All characters in THE PACT are in their thirties, therefore this is NOT a new adult book...even though love can mess you up at any age.

 

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~ Robbie’s Review ~

“If neither of us are in a serious relationship by the time we are both thirty,” he says, looking me so dead in the eye that I can’t help but hold my breath, “then we agree to marry each other. Agree?’ I find my voice. “Agree.”

I have to admit the book description is what initially lured me into reading Karina Halle’s The Pact, but when I started the book and read the words above, that sealed the deal.  I freely admit I’m a sucker for a “friends to lovers” story.  There is just something fascinating to me about two people who know each other really well and fall in love despite their knowledge of their flaws and history as opposed to two people who fall in lust, get to know each other and then fall in love. Linden McGregor and Stephanie Robson are BFFs, but the fly in the ointment is their other BFF James, who also happens to be Stephanie’s ex-boyfriend.  James scoffs when he hears about the pact.

“I’m not jealous.  The two of you in a marriage?  World’s pickiest woman with the world’s biggest manwhore? Yeah, have fun with that.”

The story winds, weaves, soars and plummets as the characters travel through the five years from the initiation of “The Pact” to year 30 when it’s time to fulfill their agreement.  Relationships are entered and exited, hearts are captured, then broken while readers wait patiently for what they assume will be the inevitable conclusion.  Of course…you all know this path will not be smooth. There are cheating boyfriends, bitchy girlfriends, boyfriends who are lovable airheads and girlfriends who almost get lost in the Bermuda Triangle that is the friendship between Linden, Stephanie and James.  I really liked the way the author developed the plot by using the annual birthdays of Stephanie and Linden to move from year to year. There were some things in the story line that made me say “hmm”, but I always have to remind myself that characters in books don’t have to think, feel or act the way I would.  They are the author’s people and she has total control even if the characters seem out of control.  I think readers who like a strong female character (Stephanie) and a sweet, hot male character (Linden) will enjoy this book.  There is plenty of steam along with characters who are likable and characters who need to be smacked.  Actually…there are times when all the characters need to be smacked.  This is light reading with just enough angst to make the outcome worth waiting for.