As the Disney folks reminded us in Beauty & the Beast, it's a "tale as old as time." But author Emily Henry has put her unique stamp on a classic tale, and made it more than just a romantic romp. Beach Read may have a fluffy title, but there is real substance to Henry's story of two writers who must overcome heartbreak, and set aside their preconceived ideas and assumptions about each other, and life, to forge a relationship.

January has come to North Bear Shores, Michigan for the summer. Her previous books -- romantic comedies -- have sold well, but the royalties have stopped flowing in and she's down to just a few dollars in her bank account. Her next book is due at the end of the summer, but she's suffering from a severe case of writer's block that she needs to break through in order to meet her deadline. She's endured a lot in the past year. Her beloved father's sudden, unexpected death was followed by shocking revelations about his life. January learned everything she knew about love and life from her parents. An only child, her parents doted on and supported her. But more importantly, they modeled a loving, committed, demonstrative relationship that she held up as an ideal. Once, when she was a child, they briefly separated, but soon reconciled. To January, it seemed that her family always emerged from troubled times stronger, with more love and laughter than before the dark days. Her father stood by her mother through two successful cancer battles. So January was flabbergasted to learn that her father had an extramarital relationship that spanned years and took place on weekends at his secret lake house. She found out about the affair at his funeral when a strange woman introduced herself as an "old friend" of January's father, and presented January with an envelope and a key. January immediately knew why the woman was there, and her suspicions were confirmed when her mother hissed, "Sonya," revealing that her mother had known about her father's relationship. But her mother refuses to discuss the matter. Sonya tells January that her father wanted her to have the beautiful house on Lake Michigan. Now she needs to dispose of her father's personal property, sell the house, and "write a romance despite having recently lost close to all faith in love and humanity."

January quickly discovers that her next-door neighbor is none other than her college rival, Gus. In the ensuing years, Gus has used his full name -- Augustus Everett -- because he has become a published author of a serious book that remained on the bestseller list for five weeks. But in college, he was known as Sexy, Evil Gus, and January was "minorly besotted with him and his prose." January felt Gus didn't take her seriously after she presented him a short story to be critiqued and he told her, "Let me guess: Everyone lives happily ever after. Again." At that point, January was not yet a romance writer, but she was writing "romantically, about a good world, where things happened for a reason, where love and human connection were all that really mattered." During college the two of them competed for recognition and writing prizes, but barely spoke until one fateful night at a fraternity party . . .

January and Gus are reunited in his aunt's local bookstore and their journey to happily-ever-after begins. Gus proposes a bet. He will spend the summer writing a romance, and January will write the kind of "bleak literary fiction" that Gus has previously published. They will take each other on field trips designed to illuminate the important components of the type of fiction each will be writing. Gus takes January to the burned-out remains of a cult tucked deep into the forest and she accompanies him when he spends hours interviewing a survivor who was raised there. January takes Gus line dancing, to a drive-in movie, and on other romantic adventures. They agree that "whoever sells their book first -- with a pen name, if you prefer -- wins." The loser will have to promote the winner's book by writing an endorsement for the cover, recommending it during interviews, and choosing it when judging for book clubs. Gus throws in another stipulation: "Promise not to fall in love with me."

The secret to Beach Read's charm is the crisp, snappy, and frequently hilarious conversations between January and Gus as the weeks pass. There is also much they don't say as each struggles to regain confidence in their writing . . . and themselves.

Henry credibly examines both January's grief and rage. January feels she can't write another love story because the stories she crafts mean so much to her, and she can't deliver a book to her readers that she doesn't believe in. After all, her whole perspective on life and relationships has been disrupted, rocked to its very foundation by her father's deceit. She was so close to her parents, but also felt pressure not to add to her parents' worries as her mother fought for her life. For years, January was so afraid that her mother would die, she did everything she could to make her parents proud, spending time with them, and publishing her first book at the age of twenty-five. She even fell in love with Jacques, a handsome doctor. Now her father is suddenly gone and she can never ask him all the questions that keep her up at night, never confront him with her frustration about all the years she spent carefully constructing a life free from complications. She has broken off her long-term relationship with Jacques, realizing in the weeks following her father's death when she was depressed and questioning everything she had always assumed to be true, that he could not provide the emotional support she needed. Now she's alone, unable to talk to her mother about her feelings, broke and desperate to fulfill her commitment to her publisher, and living in a house where her father spent time with the woman who was not January's mother.

Although January began writing romance novels because she "wanted to dwell in my happiest moments, in the safe place my parents' love had always been," Gus, in contrast, found inspiration in his troubled childhood, "to try to understand something horrible that had happened to him." And his writing block has been occasioned by more recent heartbreak that he gradually reveals to January.

That the "will they or won't they" story takes a predictable path does not detract from the enjoyment of going on the journey with January and Gus. Henry populates the story with an eclectic cast of supporting characters, including Gus's aunt Pete and her wife, Maggie, who are genuine and endearing. January's first-person narrative is emotionally raw -- January lays bare the innermost thoughts, doubts, and feelings that make her empathetic, likable, and authentic. She achieves just the right tone. The characters of January and Gus are fully developed and nuanced, especially as they discuss the art of writing, and their dissimilar approaches to the craft, but ultimately learn how much they have in common. They challenge each other as writers and people, and their egalitarian relationship is a welcome departure from many romantic comedies that depict a weak woman chasing a strong man. As the relationship between January and Gus blossoms, there is no power disparity.

Beach Read is a delightfully fresh retelling of a tried-and-true story. Two enemies challenge and compete with each other and, in the process, learn things about each other that causes them to see each other in a new, appreciative way. That leads to romance and a happy ending. Beach Read lives up to its title in the sense that it is an ideal story in which to get lost on a hot summer day on a beach, by a lake or pool, or in a hammock in one's own back yard.

Beach Read has gotten a ton of buzz this Spring, and I liked it a lot! January Andrews is a romance author and has been having a rough time of it lately. She has no money, she's struggling to write a book that her editor won't stop asking for, and to top it off, she is forced to move into a beach house given to her by her adulterous dead father. What could be worse, right? Well, then she meets Augustus Everett, her college nemesis, who happens to live next door. He's a bonafide acclaimed author, but he's also struggling with writer's block. One night, after a healthy amount of alcohol, they decide to switch places- he'll write a romance and she'll write the next Great American Novel. They agree to go on excursions to educate each other about their specialties.

This was a quick, fun read, and I really liked the back story of January's mom and dad. I also totally saw the ending coming between January and Augustus, but it was fun and a nice light read...perfect for summer.

Just like the title says, this book is a beach read. It's a light, feel-good kind of book that is going to appeal to a wide variety of readers.

Based on the cover and the high ratings I was under the assumption this was going to be a fun, light & witty ‘beach’ read. Unfortunately it was none of those things... it was much ‘heavier’ than I thought it would be.

I really think I could’ve gotten past my expectations if several things had not annoyed me so much. Firstly, the banter between the characters. For the most part, it was unnecessary fluff that at times didn’t make any sense to me at all... example-
“I’m not the world’s biggest beach guy.” “Well, of course not,” I said. “If you were, you’d be wearing a T-shirt or a hat that advertised that.” “Exactly,” he agreed. “Anyway, I actually prefer this beach in winter.” “Really? Because in winter, I’d just prefer to be dead.”
Ok? Secondly, several descriptions were repeated over & over to a distracting degree... between ‘heat’ in her body parts, his ‘crooked’ mouth and the smell of his breath... I felt like ‘here we go again’.

I did find myself interested in the premise of the writing challenge and wished that had been more of the focus of the story rather than the romance... think that may have saved this for me.

All in all, I did not work for me.

Disclaimer: Romance is not a genre that I particularly enjoy so this inevitably shows in my review.

I was drawn to the book by its cover but the story inside was not as light as I expected. Although it is a great beach read, it is much deeper than that. The characters are very well developed and they discuss some serious topics. I will definitely recommend this book to all of my patrons that vacation in Michigan beach houses :)

Beach Read by Emily Henry looks like your typical beach read but it delves deep into the art of writing and literary criticism. There's some family secrets and romance so it's still a bit of a beach read but in a fun way. Gus and January run into each other after not seeing each other since college. They're both successful authors who are holed up in order to complete their next books. They challenge each other to write in new styles and get to know each other much better along the way. Read and enjoy!

I would definitely recommend the book as a book club pick. It made me want to give my own hand at writing a novel in a lake house! I am definitely a huge sucker for romance books especially during the summer. This was a book that was a romance but not overly so. January had some complicated emotions when it came to Gus which was totally relatable. I was happy to see a male counterpart that also had his own realistic storyline.

*CW: Cancer, death of a parent*

If at any time this summer you see me outside passing out books to strangers, it's Beach Read by Emily Henry. Going in, I loved the concept (two neighbors swap genres in hopes to battle writers block), but I was completely taken by surprise with how emotional it ended up being. I'll definitely be revisiting this one every year as a way to kickstart the summer.

What It's about (via publisher): Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. They’re polar opposites. In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block. Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

What I didn't connect with:
Since I can't think of one thing that I didn't connect with...let's just skip to the gushing👇

What I loved:
-January's relationship with her father. I loved that her dad's love for her mother was what made her fall in love with love (and eventually the romance genre). Her relationship with her dad was complicated and I really enjoyed reading through those complications.
-January and Gus's relationship. I thought the progression of their relationship was really well done. I liked how they challenged each other both as writers and as individuals.
-January's insecurities with the romance genre. I can relate to January constantly feeling like she needed to stick up for the romance genre because people tend to look down on it.
-The entire idea of the story in general! The concept of swapping genres to help with writer's block is *brilliant*
-The supporting characters: Shadi, Pete and Maggie. They stole the scene every time they shared the page with January and Gus.
-GUS❤️ aka my new favorite book boyfriend

5/5
*I received an arc courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Though title plays off the notion that a "beach read" is like cotton candy: a sugar rush with little substance (however misguided those assumptions may be), anyone who picks up Henry's romance novel should be prepared for substance as well as squee's. The trope is as old as time: a blocked writer escapes to the seaside (or in this case the Great Lakes) to find inspiration for their next novel. In this case, it is two writers: former college classmates/rivals who find themselves neighbors while trying to write their respective books. The romance writer refuses to be boxed in by the assumption that romance is simply "fluff", and the "literary fiction" writer is struggling to find the heart of his next story. The novel's plot is predicated upon the fact that each of them think that they have the more difficult job, so they decide to spend the summer writing in each other's preferred genres. Of course, sparks fly. The romance is a slow-burn, but when it ignites it is simply perfect. Realistic dialogue, in-depth conversations about family, friendship, death, relationships, and, yes, cults lend an air of authenticity to the novel. This is a great read whether you're lounging at the beach or still stuck at home during a pandemic. It is a welcome relief!

This book is a delightful summer read with a serious side that is intriguing and keeps the plot moving. I enjoyed everything about it except for the ending.

Thank you Net Galley!!  I've seen a lot of posts about this book as being the perfect summer beach read and they were not wrong!

The Beach Read was exactly what I needed to get lost in fiction for a minute. January Andrews moves into a beach house she inherited from her father, only to find out that her college rival Augustus Everett lives next door.  January writes romances and Augustus is known for literary fiction.  They get off on the wrong foot (of course)... attempt to avoid each other, and then eventually concoct a bet to get out of their respective writing ruts. January has to write something literary and August is supposed to write something romantic.  But throughout the course of the summer, they learn so much about each other and from each other as they write books outside of their comfort zone. 

Emily Henry does a wonderful job of re-inventing the enemies-turned-lovers trope.  January and Gus are great characters with wonderful development and depth. The story behind the romance had depth. You will definitely cheer for them to get together and feel for them.  Beach Read is a refreshing and entertaining story --and I did read it by the beach, almost in one sitting!

It’s a romantic woman’s fiction book. Romance is at the center of it as a romance author flees to a small town on Lake Michigan to finish her novel. There she encounters another author. He’s male. He’s going be writing a romance and she’s going to be writing a pessimistic Great American novel. Their “research outings” sound a lot like dates and they are. Its an enjoyable summer book to read and has a little more depth than I was expecting.

A delightfully witty and sublime opposites attract rom com that offers readers a front row seat to a couple of writers who must muddle through a series of disappointments in order to find their happily ever after.

In this adult fiction/romance novel, I enjoyed getting to know the characters. At times I felt the story go off course and sometimes the plot didn’t really connect, but it came back together in the end. From the summary, I thought it was going to be more a rom-com, but it had more drama than a rom-com would have. It was not a light read like I thought it would be. Overall it was good book.

I loved this book. Discovering the depths of her parents marriage and finding love and peace of her own. January and Gus, knowing each other from college, find each other again. With a bet between the two authors transpires, each is faced with their version of what happily ever means. This book is smart and fantastic. Conversations are real and relatable. Will definitely be the book of summer.

This book? Definitely worth the hype. Let me give you three reasons why:

1. This book has the BEST writer's/character's voice I've read in a while. I was completely sucked into January's life from the first sentence: "I have a fatal flaw." She's a totally relatable character, and even when she's not relatable, you can't help but watch the train wreck that's inevitably going to happen. She's clever, witty, salty, and she strikes a perfect balance of naivety and realism. Honestly, she's one of my favorite character I've had the pleasure of stalking. I didn't want to un-stalk her at any point.

2. If you're looking for a new OTP, you need only pick up this book. I don't want to say too much, but the passionate tension between January and Gus is strong enough to exist off the page and make you remember their witty and sometimes-deep conversations when you're doing all the mundane things in your life. Also, the whole deal with them both being writers is something so fascinating to me, and them swapping genres for the summer and teaching each other about their genre tropes made my writing-nerd heart sing. I can't say enough about January and Gus (besides the fact that I still feel like their names belong in some YA romance novel that involves cancer or another life-threatening disease).

3. If my number two reason didn't cook your grits, this one better. This book isn't just about romance. Obviously there's other plot-lines, but get this: they are interesting plot lines not because unique and crazy things happen but because January seems like a real person, and you want to be involved in every detail of her life. Her character growth (and Gus's, actually) is incredible.

These three reasons should be enough to encourage you to pick up the book, especially if you already like romances and reading about angsty writers who live somewhat solitary lives. It's a perfectly lovely book that dives deeper than just romance, and really makes you wonder if you're the optimist or the pessimist in life. I promise, it's enjoyable to read this book.

(Some may wonder why I'm not giving it five stars. It takes an incredible contemporary/romance/non-fantasy to make me give something five stars. While I really enjoyed this book, I can't imagine I'd read it again anytime soon, and it didn't make me feel as much as I wanted to. It's just an incredibly good book. Hence the longest review I've ever written.)

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 5
Overall: 4

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy!

It must definitely be me, but I just couldn't get into this book. This book has amazing reviews, so I was pumped to check it out. I didn't like the main characters, so that left me uninterested in how things would wrap up. Also alcohol was referenced so much in this book that it was distracting. Whether it was a stressful moment or menial task, a drink for every occasion.

This is the best romance novel I’ve read in a very long time. I’m a sucker for a hate to love story and this one didn’t disappoint. It took me almost no time at all to become immersed in the world of North Bear Shores and fall head over heels for Gus and January as they fell for each other. I really enjoyed reading the family dynamic and problems January struggled with - they were real and raw, two things that romance novels sometimes miss the mark on. Emily Henry did a beautiful job crafting the setting and side characters to truly make this book shine (I couldn’t get enough of Pete and Shadi). The perfect beach read. Pun intended.

On my quest for “fluff but not too fluffy” I saw a bunch of glowing reviews for this book. The dialogue in this was pretty fun, but otherwise it’s basically just an above average contemporary romcom. I did relate to the main character’s struggle with her worldview being shattered after the death of a parent and the discovery of an affair though. I also MUCH preferred it on audio! Fun enough, but kind of forgettable.

Book: Beach Read
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: Wow! This is definitely a must read book and I highly recommend you run out to grab yourself a copy.

What I loved:

1. This enemies to lovers romance was everything I hoped it would be. I loved the sarcastic, but funny banter between January and Gus and the sexual tension was evident from the beginning. The MCs are complete opposites, but once you start reading you'll realize they're perfect for each other.

2. This one has a unique plot that had me hooked from the beginning. Gus may not have known it, but he has been January's nemesis since college. January loves to write books with a HEA but after recent events she's struggling to believe in them. Gus doesn't think HEAs really exist, but he's got a bad case of writers block. They decide to write a book in the others genre with an added bet for incentive in hopes of breaking their writers block.

3. This book tackles some deep and highly emotional issues, but the author approached them with such tenderness. I cried multiple times so I suggest you have a few tissues handy when you start this one.

This addictive read should definitely be added to your TBR if you haven't read it already. With realistic characters, explosive chemistry, and a unique plot, this is the perfect book to escape into with everything going on.