The Summer Pact

A Novel

By: Emily Giffin

Narrated by: Karissa Vacker, Alex McKenna, JD Jackson

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • 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.

“Juicy, page-turning escapism.”—The New York Times

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?

Critic reviews

“Want to indulge in juicy, page-turning escapism? The Summer Pact is about a group of friends . . . [and] a reunion tour, a decade after college, inspired by a long-ago promise to turn to one another in times of need. [They] take turns narrating their trip to the Italian island of Capri, where closure may or may not await.”—The New York Times

“If you need a break from love and crime stories, try The Summer Pact, a novel about friendship. . . . Grief and redemption are big themes of this book. It’s not lighthearted reading, exactly, but it is deeply heartfelt.”—Harper’s Bazaar

“I am a huge fan and so excited to read Emily’s new novel!”—Britney Spears (People)

“If Giffin is writing it, I’m going to be reading it.”—Marie Claire

“A tender, heartfelt journey . . . Great writing is great storytelling—and that is what Emily Giffin does time and time again.”—Woman’s World

“In a story about friendship, grief, love and connection, Emily Giffin delivers another unforgettable tale.”—SheKnows

“Giffin is at her best when she’s delving into the hard and sometimes outwardly questionable choices that her characters make in their pursuit of happiness, and her latest harks back to her bold, layered debut, Something Borrowed (2004). This thirtysomething coming-into-one’s-own tale feels true to life, messy in all the best ways, and hopeful. A triumph.”—Booklist (starred review)

Love EG but seriously almost didn’t finish this

I couldn’t believe that EG actually wrote this it was so bad! It’s almost like she didn’t have a story line but had to write something to fulfill her publishing contract. The narrators didn’t help either, all the voices were terrible especially Hannah, what a whiner!

Narrators were distracting

The narrators for this book weren’t my favorites. The Hannah and Tyson voices grew on me a little but the Lainey voice was terrible. It was so distracting that I barely made it through the book. The book is mostly surface level fluff. Perhaps reading it would have been better than audiobook

Just Say No

I’m a huge Emily Giffin fan but this one was just bad. The story was very far- fetched, unbelievable, and the worst part was all the woke virtue signaling and preaching. It was entertaining enough for awhile but then I just wanted it to be over. The narrators for the most part didn’t other me. I’ll be looking forward to the next Giffin release with hopes that it will be better than the last two.

Terrible narrators

Narrators had the worst voices and accents. Could not finish, and I love Emily Giffin.

Letdown

I love Emily Giffin’s books and constantly pre order them. I have read every book she’s published but this was one of the worst books I’ve read this year. It doesn’t feel like her at all. The book focuses on three different characters but it’s not done well. I was never invested in the characters and could not stand one of them. The romance in the story felt rushed and out of nowhere. The book felt like she had writers block and used AI to help finish it. I’m so sad because this one of the ones I was looking forward to this year.