The Pact: A Love Story by Jodi Picoult

I have always been a fan of Jodi Picoult’s novels. I saw Lupe Ibarra reading and noticed how immersed she was in the book. I leaned in closer to her and the words “Jodi Picoult” caught my eyes. Thank goodness that she was on the last chapter and I immediately asked if I could borrow it right after she finished.

The Pact is not the typical teenage love story. Chris Harte and Emily Gold were inseparable since the day they were born. Their parents, the Hartes and the Golds, were neighbors and the best of friends for over eighteen years. The two families did everything together—had dinner together, even go on vacation and trips together. So it’s no wonder that once they hit high school, Chris and Emily took their friendship a step further. Their parents and their friends had no doubt that the two were destined for each other.

But one tragic night changed everything. The Hartes and the Golds received a phone call from the hospital informing them that Emily was shot in the head and was pronounced dead. Chris, being the only one at the scene of the incident, was charged with murder. He tries to explain to the court that it was suppose to be a suicide pact between him and his girlfriend, Emily.

Each chapter is a flashback of the history of the two families leading up to that dreadful night and the trials Chris must go through and how the Hartes and the Golds responded to Emily’s death. And within each chapter, questions and suspense will fill your head, making it impossible to put down this book. Through out this distressing and heart-felt novel, you will cry, laugh, and cringe as you discover the truth behind it all. The Pact will leave you speechless when you read to the very last word.

P.S. Thanks for a great read, Lupe!