‘She was in pain. I knew that. But I was in pain too, so much of it that for once I couldn’t laugh or dance any measure of it away. I couldn’t even write myself a happy ending.’

Beach Read by Emily Henry without question one of our favourite books of 2020. The storyline is so much more than what the cover and synopsis implies. So much more. We’ll come back to the cover later. Beach Read had us sobbing, it had us questioning human relations. It had us compelled! The writing was outstanding. This is so much more than a romance. It is a plethora of stories entwined perfectly crafted and shaped into an all-encompassing story of life. Beach Read is also a truly wonderful love story which slowly builds across the chapters.

“Promise not to fall in love with me.”

You know those romance books where the romantic tension is so agonisingly slow that it builds and builds your anticipation into something so excruciatingly intense that you crave it so badly your anticipation is almost unbearable. The lingering touches the eye contact, the subtle body language and racing thoughts and hearts. The anticipation of that first kiss, the heated desire for what comes after. Emily Henry magnificently wrote this to perfection.

‘He was always leaning on something, like he couldn’t bear to hold all his own weight upright for more than a second or two. He lounged, he sprawled, he hunched and he reclined. Now I wondered if he was simply tired, if life had beaten him into a permanent slouch, folded him over himself so no one could get at that soft center…’

Gus and January are two very complex and completely lovable characters who happen to become neighbours on the beachfront of a small town. Both are authors; of literary fiction and happily ever after romance, respectively. On paper, they could not be any more different even if they tried, but then again, action is a reaction to what lies underneath and what spurs the pen isn’t it?! Carrying heavy loads and a clogged up minds, both are suffering from writers’ block and need something epic to happen to release the flow of words. A dare becomes an out of control animal which forces these two wonderful characters to face not only themselves but the truth they so desperately hide from.

‘…nothing felt more important than the book, than giving these fictional lovers the ending they deserved, giving my readers the ending they deserved. People clinging to whatever steadfast thing they could find? Yes. Yes, that made sense. It made perfect sense.’

We all have a very personal perception of life, the people in it and how they see us. It is shaped by experience, actions and their consequences. Ours and theirs. It is not always a perception based on a full picture or truth, because no one truly knows what motivates another person’s actions or reactions. The way in which Emily Henry writes a story is truly mesmerising and engages every single one of our emotions. It’s truly stunning, and we have to mention how brilliant it is to feel so immersed and fully engaged in character conversations, be they hilarious banter, raw emotions or grief stricken anger. This Author gave us the opportunity to experience everything which is so refreshing, as opposed to being told what happened and how to feel. She afforded us the intense experience of peeling the layers off one by one, to take a chisel to two hearts, thus discovering and forming a true and honest comprehension and connection to January and Gus.

‘…if I ever got to kiss Gus again, I wanted it to be this version of him. The one who didn’t feel so weighed down by the world around him that he had to lean just to stay upright.’

We literally couldn’t have loved this book any more than what we did. We loved the humorous banter, the romantic and sexual tension, the personal discoveries, the tragic heartbreak, the second chances at life and love, and the underlying message that if you find yourself stuck in life, look for an outside perspective. Whilst we only hear January’s POV, the superb way in which Beach Read was written ensured that we fully connected with Gus. We felt his pain, we cringed at his awkwardness and we felt his passion.

“When you love someone, you want to make this world look different for them. To give all the ugly stuff meaning, and amplify the good. That’s what you do. For readers, for me. You make beautiful things, because you love the world, and maybe the world doesn’t always look how it does in your books, but…I think putting them out there, that changes the world a little bit. And the world can’t afford to lose that. I always admired that. The way your writing always makes the world seem brighter, and the people in it a little braver.”

We do have to mention the book cover in direct relation to the actual story within. We can’t quite decide if this cover is a clever satirical decision or an ironic nod to what the title Beach Read actually represents or whether it is fully intended to imply that this is a book you would grab to get lost in, whilst living your best life in the sun. Any which way, this cover does not, in our humble opinion, reflect the life and love story within, which is what is in fact sporadically argued in this story, and we have to say -great point well made-` by Emily Henry. Yet it is also a truth that it would indeed turn many readers off, which is a sad fact. So to play devil’s advocate, what the gist of truth in the words within are conveying, they will in fact be lost at the first hurdle. The irony and sarcasm is certainly transparent in the storyline and quite frankly incredibly apt. Beach Read is a brilliant read, the snarky and cheeky banter, the intense emotions, the heartbreak, the self-realisations and the overcoming of life’s severe kicks in the gut. It’s just such a wonderful read. So, we urge readers to pick this book up, especially the readers who may fall at the first ‘book cover hurdle’. This is not a story to be missed!

“I’ve never met someone who is so perfectly my favorite person. When I think about being with you every day, no part of me feels claustrophobic.”

This book was the perfect read for a hot summer weekend. It is a beach read with substance. Well developed characters and fun dialogue.
January and Augustus are college rivals and end up living next door to each other for the summer. The setting in the small beach town was very atmospheric, the banter between them entertaining and learning about their past emotional baggage kept me wanting to keep reading. There were even tears shed at the end. Their story moved pretty fast and that was unrealistic for me, however, she was on a deadline so I understand that. It was a good rom com and I would recommend it to those in the mood for a summer romance or beach read with some substance.

3.5 stars
I liked this one, but I did not love it. That made me sad. I thought this was going to be the best read of the year.
The book had a LOT going on! A Lot! Too much.

I wished it focused on the love story some more.

***Actual rating: 5/5 GREAT FAMILY MARCONI Stars***

Oh my dear God, this book! For starters, BEACH READ, in my opinion, is NOT a beach read at all. It’s nothing like a fluffy, swoon-worthy, super light and fun summer read like I expected (or as the title and cover implied); instead, it’s a book about sad, tragic pasts, ugly lies, and dirty family secrets.

That being said, I really appreciate that there's much more depth in the character development and overall plot design. The protagonists, January and Gus, are determined to find their ways back to their truest selves through a string of bad lucks, terrible incidents, and harsh truths they're left no choice but to accept. Interestingly, as a rom-com and general fiction author respectively, January and Gus make a deal challenge each other to jump out of their comfort zones by switching their genres and each of them have to write a book in the genre they're most unfamiliar with. In short, January has to write a general fiction book instead of her favorite happily-ever-after whereas Gus needs to brainstorm a heartfelt, swoon-worthy story filled with pink bubbles. *giggles*

Needless to say, this book is indeed a breath of fresh air with such an original story idea and unforgettable characters. January and Gus are both so different yet share a wicked sense of humor I can't get enough of. On a cooler note, the initial inspiration of this book is actually from Emily Henry's experience of a writer's block! In the acknowledgement, Emily reveals that since she has no idea what to write in the first place, why not write about the struggle of a writer's block? And I'm in awe, seriously, because this book turns out to be one of the BEST READS I've had this year so far!

The story itself is on point and perfectly written, however, the only complaint I have for this book is the cover and book title. Not only are they utterly irrelevant to the storyline, there's no way I'd pick this book up had I judged it by its cover. Thankfully, the synopsis piques my curiosity more than the odd cover/title and I'm so, so, so happy I come across this book. :D

All in all, HIGHLY RECOMMEND Beach Read to all of you!! I'm sure you'll love January and Gus's writing/living journey as much as I do. This book truly far exceeds my expectation and I can't recommend it enough! If you ever got a chance to read it, please let me know what you think. I'd love to have someone to chat about this beautiful story. *wink*

***Thanks to Penguin Random House International Sales for providing me with an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***

Great book...perfect Beach Read ;) I laughed, cried, & didn’t want this book to end! Loved the characters!!

This book had a good story behind the fluff. I don't normally read what I call fluff, but I'm so glad I read this one. It was just the right amount of family drama, life and romance. I really enjoyed watching two damaged people fall in love and just be happy for right now. That was the overall theme. Life is messy, if you can, just be happy in the right now. It doesn't matter how it ends, you can't worry on that, just live for now and enjoy the story.

Ugh, this book. THIS BOOK. I know I’m not alone on this, but this is potentially one of my favorites of the whole entire year. I’ve read a LOT of romance novels, and so many of them are great but uncomplicated by character depth and real emotional difficulty. This book has a little bit of the typical “we don’t communicate and can’t figure things out like adults,” but for the most part the characters work together to figure out what’s wrong with their relationship. They’re funny together, have great chemistry, have realistic banter and squabbling, but are ultimately kind to each other. Plus, the plot doesn’t hinge on the characters saving each other. They both have their issues and they have to figure those issues out on their own while their partner is there to help or comfort as needed. I wanted to be friends with January and Gus, but I’m 100% sure they’d be way too cool for me.

I had expected this story to play out like a Hallmark movie, rom-com mashup....it didn't. A strong beginning quickly pivoted into a monotonous, semi-boring game of ego fueled see-saw between an obnoxious, snarky, unlikable MC and her brooding, infatuated ex-classmate. The banter had been cute until it was drawn out by overuse of unnecessary and long winded snide comments. The writing style was usually better than mediocre with a few stand-out lines. An easy read overall, but it lacked the substance to be memorable. 2.5 stars, rounding up to 3.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an ebook to review.

And that was the moment I realized: when the world felt dark and scary, love could whisk you off to go dancing; laughter could take some of the pain away; beauty could punch holes in your fear. I decided then that my life would be full of all three.


I LOVED reading Beach Read. I've been seeing this book everywhere so I had set my expectations to the medium-low range. I don't know if it was the fact that I was in an emotional rollercoaster today influenced how I related to the book..how much I loved it but LOVED it I did.

Le Plot: Two writers who're college rivals and coincidence? but they both end up in neighboring beach houses for the summer. They both challenge each other to write in genres they're uncomfortable writing in. The rest is, as they say, history.

Thoughts: There is a lot of emotion packed in here. First, our heroine, January is not here to chill at this Beach House. She shouldn't even be here but she has to and has to finish writing another book because she's basically broke. There's the pressure of delivering a draft soon and on top of that, she has to stay in the godforsaken beach house which is definitely her father's secret love nest. Augustus offers her a challenge..how about they switch genres? How can she refuse when Gus, sexy college rival turned adult nemesis, insulter(is that even a verb) of romance novels proposes a dare like that? Every other day, Gus and January take turns to educate each other on how to write romance and literary genres. They sit at their kitchen tables and communicate through notes and then they give themselves a signal to take a breather...It's all so perfect. //gahhh// January, my girl, goes through a LOT and I wanted to hug her so badly. My boy, Everett, also went through some heavy stuff and when he reveals himself to January...I swear I melted like a milk-chocolate bar ice-cream in May.
I also want a friendship like Shadi and January's, which is another reason why you should definitely add this to your Summer TBR!!

So, to recap..A+ plot, A+ banter, A+ emotional onslaught, A+ friendship, A+ attention to detail, and context..overall highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Definitely a beach read, and a steamy one at that. I had to do a lot of skimming of sex scenes. I liked the characters and the setup but could have done with a little more story and a little less romance.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will be the first to say I am not a romance reader, but I really wanted to read Emily Henry's Beach Read. Boy am I glad I did! It was such a pleasant surprise and I loved it. The story is captivating, the setting wonderful and the characters delightful. It's filled with wit and charm, but also heartbreak and depth. Gus and January were so multi-dimensional and I really became emotionally invested in their story. Their banter is quick and addicting and the story much more than a romance.

Incredibly sweet and light romance. What sets it apart from other "beach" reads is the inside look at writing and writer's block.

I’d have to say, it is a perfect ‘Beach Read’. January and Gus feel so realistic, both dealing with tough issues, resulting in writer’s block. The idea of them switching genres, in a competition, worked well. The bantering between the two main characters was very well done. A great feel-good summer read.

Thank you NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy.

I was given a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author January Andrew's father dies and leaves her his beach house. When she goes to the house to finish the book she's writing, she discovers her college nemesis Augustus Everett lives next door. Both are struggling with writer's block so they decide to write the opposite of what they usually write - with an agreement that they will be taken on "research" dates to support their writing - arranged by each other. After spending time together, they begin to fall for one another.

Really sweet "beach read". #netgalley #beachread #emilyhenry #berkley

An absolute DELIGHT! I loved the Michigan setting, the romance, the humor. A near-perfect book from me. As a writer, I found it meta in the best way possible, and I loved January's emotional journey. As a Michigander, it felt totally authentic!

I have to start saying that Rom Coms are not my preferred genre. With that being said, I do pick them up when I’m in a slump or want to read something different. Now let’s get to the tea: I LOVED IT. January are Gus we’re totally the most relatable relationship I’ve read. They’re banter, they’re sarcasm and not to mention the fact that they’re both writers. I was a bit thrown off at the end by the title/ cover. Because I was expecting “beachy vibes” I guess? My first Emily Henry and I’m excited to read her other novels now.

What a fun book to start off the summer. Being stuck inside has me wishing I could jet off to a house like this to write. The deeper notes were a perfect balance for this summer read!

This novel was on my must read list for quite a while. I had heard really great things about it and knew it would be right up my alley. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and felt like the characters were well rounded and unique. I didn't particularly love any of the characters but they were entertaining and had me flipping the pages rapidly. I'm a huge fan of rom-coms and find myself to be pretty harsh on these reads because I read them so often. With that said, this novel was enjoyable but I don't feel like it really stood out to me like I was hoping it would. Thank you to Netgalley and Berkely for sending this novel my way in exchange for an honest review.

January Andrews has inherited her father's beach house along with the secret he kept hidden for years. Suffering from writer's block, with a Sept. 1 due date for her next romance novel, January is having a tough time getting in the mindset for her happily ever after writing. To make mattes worse, she discovers her next door neighbor is none other than her college writing nemesis and author of literary fiction best sellers, Augustus Everett. After starting off on the wrong foot, the two writers challenge one another to a genre trading bet. January will write a literary fiction novel without a happy ending, while Gus will write a romance. Along the way they form a friendship that may lead to something more. Filled with great characters and a fun beach setting, this novel of dueling writers lives up to its title as a perfect Beach Read!

Hands down the feel-good romance of the summer. January Jones is a romance writer who no longer believes in happily-ever-afters. Augustus Everett is That Guy from your MFA program. Together? They are magic.