Review: The Pact by Karina Halle (The McGregors #1)
Linden McGregor and Stephanie Robson have been best friends since they were both twenty-one. Four years later, Linden proposes a pact between them: if they're both unattached by the time they turn thirty, they'll go ahead and get married. Steph doesn't take Linden seriously. After all, he's a player and would never settle down with anyone, not even her. With each passing year, relationships they're in begin and end, and Linden has never forgotten the pact that he made with Steph. But will they be able to cross the line when the time comes, especially if doing so could cost both of them not just their much-cherished friendship but that of their other best friend, James Dupres, who just happens to be Steph's ex-boyfriend?
The Pact is a contemporary romance novel from bestselling author Karina Halle, and after being selected to read and review The Play, a book that's connected to The Pact and its follow-up, The Offer, I felt it was as good a time as any to finally read those first two books, which I bought on Kobo a few months back. All three books are said to be and can be read as standalones, but I'm going to go ahead and recommend that you read the three books in order because it is about three female best friends--Steph Robson, Nicola Price, and Kayla Moore--and two brothers and their cousin--Linden, Bram, and Lachlan McGregor--and the characters do appear in all three books, except for Lachlan, who isn't introduced until the second book.
Linden and Steph's love story is one that's a long time coming, because Linden's had feelings for Steph since they first met, but gave way when she became romantically involved with their other best friend James. The suggestion of a marriage pact could be seen as Linden's way of ensuring that he and Steph will got their shot to be together somewhere down the line, though of course, the possibility that one or both of them will be in a relationship before or by the time they turn thirty could have thrown a wrench into that plan. I do think, though, that they were both biding their time, waiting until the agreed upon age, even if it was unconsciously being done, and that the committed relationships they were in were just temporary.
I never really doubted Linden's feelings for Steph, but his decision later in the story had me scratching my head because it just didn't compute. He gave his reasons, but they made no sense whatsoever, and I'm sorry but any girl would want a guy to fight for her and for their relationship if he were really as in love and as invested as he claimed to be. Linden was a jackass when he did what he did and if he were an actual living and breathing guy, I would have smacked him silly. And James? Ugh. He was another smack-worthy male idiot. I pitied poor Steph because she was the one who got involved with both guys, and if anyone deserved a happily-ever-after, it was her. All in all, The Pact was a rather good four-starred romance read. ♥
Date Read: 03 November 2015
Learn more about Karina Halle.
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