The Pact - Review

The Pact

By: Karina Halle

Published: December 27, 2014 by Metal Blonde Books

290 pages

Source: Personal Kindle Library

(Goodreads / Amazon)

Summary:

*The Pact is a FULL-LENGTH 
*STANDALONE (not part of a series, no cliffhanger, fully wrapped-up novel) 
*"FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS" CONTEMPORARY ADULT ROMANCE 

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, 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. 

Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line. 

The pact is about to change everything. 

Note: 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. 

MY REVIEW:
So I snatched this one up for a quick read. I had read a few by Karina Halle before and knew it would be a fun, hot read that I could blow through quickly. I thought it was New Adult but turns out it's not. It is considered Adult based on the ages of the characters but honestly, the mature content and language was the same as you'd find in a lot of NA books.

I don't know why exactly but I love these type of story lines: Best friends make a pact of some sort to marry if they are still single by a certain age. Told from alternating POV's, that's what our characters, Linden and Stephanie, do. At 25 and currently single and not having much luck finding lasting relationships, they make a pact to marry each other at 30 if they are still single. There's a LOT of sexual tension between them, a lot of flirting, but they have never crossed the friend line. Their friendship is too important to them to risk ruining it. And they are truly best friends, been that way since about age 21/22. They hang out a lot, they talk everyday nearly and they share intimate details about their life with one another - the type of things you don't tell very many (if any) people. And Linden's nickname for Stephanie is Baby Blue - so sweet!

The relationship doesn't become more than friends till half way through the book. But boy once they finally make that leap, it's uber hot! Unfortunately though, they choose to keep their relationship a secret from their other friends. Can you guess what happens? Yep, any kind of secret like that is sure to backfire. They share a third best friend, James, who just so happens to have had a romantic relationship with Stephanie first, some 5-6 years ago but he's never really gotten over her. It gets messy!

If you love chick-lit, you'll enjoy this one!

Favorite Quotes:
Then again, my head is usually always inappropriate. It's like a Pinterest page of hot, barely dressed men 24/7 up in there.

"Age doesn't really mean anything these days anyway. Thirties are the new twenties, forties are the new thirties and so on and so on. We're all still just human beings on a learning experience that I don't think will ever end."

"Isn't that the best person to want? The person that knows you inside and out. The person who has seen you at your ugliest and most beautiful and still wants to be with you. The person who believes in you and has your back, no matter what."

Linden is my thoughts, my air, my earth. Linden is starting to become more than everything to me.

"I've learned so much with you all this time and I want to learn more. I want to grow old with you, evolve with you, laugh with you, and please you, until I'm old and grey, until I can't speak or hear, until the only thing I can do is love. That's the one thing that will never end - my love for you."

Language Rating: 3 (high)
Mature Content: (2 medium)
Final Rating: 4 stars