Book Review | The Break-Up Clause #20booksofsummer23

Book 7 of my summer reading challenge and the first book I read on my holiday.

The Break-Up Clause
Niamh Hargan

What do you do if your new intern at work turns out to be your secret – and hated – accidental husband?

Fia, an Irish lawyer based in a swanky, upmarket NYC law firm, has been given an intern for ten weeks over the summer. The only problem? Ten years ago she got accidentally married while on a wild night out in Vegas to someone she barely knew, but actively hated. They both signed a contract to get back in touch exactly one year from then to officially divorce . . . but she’s never heard from him since.

And now, Ben, her still-husband, is standing in her office, waiting to be her intern.

With a promotion on the cards if Fia can stick this out, Fia and Ben have no choice but to pretend they know nothing about each other, regardless of what their marriage certificate might say.

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I picked up this book after a recommendation from a bookshop and I’m glad I did because I might not have gravitated towards it otherwise but it was exactly the kind of book I love for summer reading. The premise was fascinating, I don’t think I’ve read a romance before where the two main characters have been in this situation and are actively trying to stay away from each other and it just worked so well.

It took me a minute to get into, even though we are straight into the action as it were, I just wasn’t immediately gelling with Fia and her predicament but it didn’t take long for both Fia to grow on me and the situation to have my full attention and then I found it so hard to put down. I think the setting is brilliant for this type of story because you can really feel the tension between the characters and the highly competitive work aspect definitely adds to that.

Admittedly neither Fia nor Ben were instantly likeable which makes sense given they aren’t on the best of terms and manage to wind each other up at every opportunity. I warmed to Fia quicker but Ben took a while to sway me, although he had his reasons for being more standoffish and I did get there around the midpoint of the book. I like that they both made assumptions about each other that were totally wrong, it was the best kind of miscommunication in this context, and I enjoyed watching them warm up to one another as they realised they were mistaken.

Given how their relationship starts it does take them a while to realise they might like each other and once their chemistry got started it was so much fun to play out that will they won’t they. Especially as it is clear that they can still easily push each other’s buttons and are both very driven individuals, which makes for some tense dramatic moments. I enjoyed that Fia came into her own by the end, the way she takes command of each of the things that have been troubling her was amazing, particularly after seeing her flustered around Ben.

The Break-Up Clause is a fantastic take on enemies-to-lovers and manages to be lighthearted, fun, tense, and dramatic, with some unpredictable moments. I’m glad I picked it up and I definitely recommend it.