I’m not a huge fan of books that could be considered “chick lit.” I don’t usually choose romance, unless there are also zombies involved. But Beach Read is gooood. It’s not quite chick lit; there’s some past heartbreak to deal with and some serious family issues to sort out. But there’s also witty, snarky banter, a good plot and sizzling chemistry between our main characters.

Good stuff, and light hearted enough to be a perfect pandemic read

Beach Read features January Andrews, a romance writer going through a rough time in her life, which is in turn having an affect on her writing, or lack thereof. She is taking some time at her late father's beach house which happens to be next door to Augustus Everett, a college classmate and renowned literary fiction author. The relationship between our characters develops through a bet in which they swap writing genres and requires field trips including a Meg Ryan movie marathon and an intense interview with a gentleman who grew up within a cult.

“The only promise you ever had in life was the one moment you were living. And I was. Happy for now."

I knew I would enjoy this book, but it hit me in a few different areas I did not anticipate; I laughed out loud and burst into tears while reading and would recommend it to anyone looking for someone looking for the best Beach Read to release this year.

I received this as an early review copy from NetGalley and Berkley. All opinions are my own.

Such a cute romcom! I absolutely devoured this one, it pulled me out of a little reading slump and is a perfect summer read! Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy ❤️

This book is all about two enemies with an interesting past who inevitably become tangled into each other’s present. Each of them is a writer and damaged in their own way. After making a bet that deals with each other’s new novel, they discover they’re now neighbors and become closer and closer. One thing leads to another and love sparks—but each is afraid that they don’t deserve it.

Such a cute story! Highly recommend 🤓

Beach Read by Emily Henry is a delightful book that is going to appeal to every reader who not only enjoys the results of an author’s work but who also loves the idea of being that author whose words have the power to entertain, to influence, to inspire. So what happens when an author loses that spark that makes the difference between words on paper and a book that captures a reader's imagination? Meet not one, but two such authors who just happen to be living next door to each through no fault of their own as they challenge each other to step outside their comfort zones, he to pen a romance novel AKA beach read and she to pen a work of serious fiction.
Don’t let this book’s title mislead you. Even though it would be a great beach read, there is more to this story than just a bit of sand on your lounge chair. The lengths to which Augustus Everett and January Andrews go in their efforts to provide each other with inspiration are sometimes funny, sometimes touching, and sometimes graphically sexual. In addition to their research, which is at times hilarious and at other times a little scary, there are lessons to be learned by both writers about love, acceptance, and never giving up on those who are important to you.
Author Emily Henry makes her characters so likable, I think you will want to meet and get to know Gus and January along with their quirky supporting cast. 5 stars aren't nearly enough for Beach Read. It’s the first book I’ve read in a long time that I really didn’t want to end. I highly recommend it.

Beach Read is the first book I’ve read in a long time that I’ve found myself highlighting multiple passages while reading on my Kindle. Emily Henry takes so many emotions & effectively plays them out on paper. If y’all know one thing about me, it’s how grief is a HUGE emotion in my life. After losing both of my parents, it’s one of the emotions I have the hardest time expressing or explaining. If you haven’t experienced it, let me tell you Henry does an amazing job expressing it throughout this book. Some days you wake up and all you want to do is cry, but then other days you don’t shed a tear. ⁣
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Grief isn’t the only theme Henry tackles in this book. She also adequately portrays the roller coaster that is love. As someone who is going through a divorce, this book spoke to me. After having my heart broken, I’m terrified to fall in love again. I ask myself why I’d ever want to go through that again. But as Henry describes, you have to live and love in the moment. You have to be happy in the moment. As I was reading this one, I found myself saying “OMG it’s like she’s in my head right now!” Beach Read is a must read! I will be grabbing a copy for my book collection & I think you should too!! This one gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟⁣

‘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.”

4 1/2 stars

"Here's the thing about writing Happily Ever Afters: it helps if you believe in them. ⁣
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Here's the thing about me: I did until the day of my father's funeral."⁣
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I started Beach Read around the same time that I was starting a different book and I had to put the other book away for a bit so I could binge read this wonderful book! I found it extremely hard to put down and even had one night where I dreamed about Gus and January all night long. I have never dreamed about the book I was reading so this must say something about this book! ⁣
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If you are like me, you are expecting a cheesy love story with a beach setting. Although this one would be fun to read on the beach, it is definitely not your normal cheesy love story. It has fun banter, it is heart wrenching, deep, sweet, and it will leave you completely in love with Gus and January's characters.

I ENJOYED…
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- You might think that Beach Read, from its title and cover and promising synopsis, is a swoony, lovely romance. Well, it is, but not only. Beach Read is a well-rounded contemporary filled with great romance and banter, but also with complex family issues and deeper, heavier themes and I urge you to take a look at the trigger warnings before fooling yourself.
- My favorite thing about Beach Read was the romance. I loved how it slowly developed from being polar opposites to slowly getting to know each other, peeling off the layers (metaphorically and, well, really) and slowly falling for each other, too. The banter was on point, the chemistry was sparkling off the pages and in every single one of the characters’ interactions and I loved it SO much.
- Both of the main characters in the story are incredibly flawed, as well and wonderfully human.
- Told from January’s POV, a romance writer with her inspiration lost after the loss of her father, Beach Read got me from the very first page and captured me, in its writing and in January’s story. I loved how wonderful she was and how, from page one, I rooted for her and wanted her to be okay. I loved her personal growth so much!
- I also really enjoyed Gus. He wasn’t an easy character to figure out, but I found out all of his complexities as January did and I grew so fond of him, too.
- The thing I loved the most about it all was that both of the main characters were writers! I loved the insight into their writing process and research and it just made my heart happy to read about writers.
- Something I really liked about Beach Read was how the author managed to balance romance and heavier themes perfectly, putting them all together in one complex, human, heartwarming and heartbreaking story all at once. From dealing with grief and realizing you didn’t know someone you were close to as much as you thought you did, to escaping with writing and discovering new sides of yourself you didn’t know about.

I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…
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- I didn’t like that I was fooled by this pretty cover into thinking this would be a fun and fluffy romance. It felt like being hit by a thunderstorm when I started reading and the deeper I got into the book, especially in those intense moments dealing with heavy topics, too. Honestly, it is not a book’s flaw, at all, it’s a bit of a marketing flaw for me. Just something to be ready for before picking up this book!

OVERALL
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If you’re looking for a realistic adult contemporary book about grief, healing, forgiveness and second chances, with an A+ romance filled with chemistry and wonderful banter that’ll have you smiling for days, I will definitely recommend you to give Beach Read a try!

trigger warnings: mentions of past abuse, mentions of breast cancer and chemo, adultery, death of a parent, emetophobia, mentions of a cult, grief.

This was a fun read, but just that. At least for me. I read the synopsis and I was so excited, it sounded like a romance I NEEDED to read. I mean, the main characters are both authors that write totally opposite genres and they develop sort of a enemies to lovers relationship? I WAS SO IN. But sadly, I found it a little boring.

I may be the exception here. I've only read GREAT reviews for this one. Maybe it is because I'm not that into romance stories? SURE, I love romance IN my stories, just not so much if it's the main theme. But sometimes it can happens that a romance books sweeps me away and makes me swoon. Examples:
- To all the boys I've loved before
- The Hating Game
- Red, White & Royal Blue

So yes, there are a few romance books that I love, and I'm always trying to find the next one to add to that list, and I was hoping this was it. But it was not.

Nevertheless, it wasn't bad, I really enjoyed some parts and I was rooting for the main characters! And I really liked the dare. So: January is a romance author and Gus is writes dark literary fiction, and they dare each other to write the thing the other one usually writes! That's the sinopsys and it sounded awesome. It was kinda awesome.

But yeah, I didn't like the book as much as everyone else. The middle part dragged a bit to much and the way Gus handled the situation when things were getting hard was frustrating. And it wasn't a good kind of frustration, it was one that made me go: ugh STOP. Anyway, everyone is loving this book, so my opinion is an unpopular one.

Beach Read was so much deeper than I anticipated. Based on the title and synopsis, I was expecting, well, a beach read, but this story touches on a series of heavier topics and realistic character hardships. In addition to that, the main characters, January and Augustus, have the cutest dang romance, complete with writing notes to each other from their windows à la Taylor Swift.

The two are authors, both suffering with writer’s block, who challenge themselves to swap genres for their next books to help get the creative juices flowing. To help do so, they organize weekend research outings to teach each other about their writing processes. I love that this book explores each author’s relationship to their respective genre, and how they ended up writing what they do. January’s transformation from believing wholeheartedly in her parents’ love story to discovering secret infidelities shakes her hugely and rattles her ability to move forward with her romance novel. In the wake of her father’s sudden death, she grapples to wrap her head around the man she thought she knew and the unburied secrets he kept from her. Augustus is stubbornly disillusioned with love and, rather than being a stereotypical playboy, or curmudgeon, we slowly find out the depth of hurt that has made him that way. Both character’s backstories are raw, deep, and believable, and made this story so much more than a fluffy romance.

The small-town setting of this story is perfect. It’s wonderfully constructed with quirky, believable shops and townspeople, and frames January and Augustus’s story very well. Isolated from distraction in such a quiet town, they have little to focus on but one another.

This book definitely made me feel things: anticipation over an impending romance, sorrow and grief, and happy butterflies for the two main characters. Although not strictly a ‘beach read,’ Beach Read is a poignant contemporary romance with depth and narratives that stretch far beyond what I expected.

Reviews posted on May 22:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAf0s47ARU1/
https://treatyourshelf.home.blog/2020/05/22/beach-read-by-emily-henry-book-review/

Beach Read was such a fantastic book. I did not expect to love it as much as I did, but I stayed up all night to finish it and haven't stopped thinking about it since. I loved the balance between lighter fun moments and heavier emotional ones. All the research trips January and Gus went on were so much fun to read about, I never wanted it to end. I really loved their romance and felt the chemistry so much between them.
This is a book I will reread again and again.

I absolutely loved this book. The main characters were just so likable and it kept me rooting for them throughout the whole story.

I keep hearing about this book being the 'it' book this summer, and it lives up to the hype. Such a beautiful, emotional, funny, and realistic love story about the wonderful January and Gus. January was just a fantastic character and felt so real and authentic. Favorite book I've read this year.

"Falling’s the part that takes your breath away. It’s the part when you can’t believe the person standing in front of you both exists and happened to wander into your path. It’s supposed to make you feel lucky to be alive, exactly when and where you are."

AAHH! My new favorite romance! Don't let the sunny, summery, fun cover fool you - this is an adult contemporary romance dealing with real-life issues such as family dysfunction, illness, death and relationship issues. But it IS funny and it is SO much more than just a light romance! Very rarely do hyped-up books live up to the buzz for me, but 'Beach Read' did all that and more. I have a serious book hangover after reading this.

'Beach Read' is one of my top favorite books so far this year. I have started and stopped tons of books since coronavirus lock-down started but very few hold my attention. I am happy to say that 'Beach Read' was perfect for me right now: intelligent banter, steamy scenes and a story about writers that was just fascinating!

Yes this book provides a great escape but the main protagonists January and Gus were also fully-developed characters with depth, wit, serious issues and most of all, intelligence. I often find romance novels to be filled with cliches and tired old story lines but Emily Henry has really created something fresh and new here. This also fits nicely into the women's fiction category for all you fans of that genre.

I mean how catchy is the premise? A romance writer and a literary fiction author swapping genres for the summer on a bet? To read a behind-the-scenes peek into how writers flesh out their stories and their characters was fantastic. And I always give props to authors who name their chapters, Love it!

For any read who has ever defended their love of romance novels, this book is for you. Emily Henry is a huge talent and I cannot wait to read her next adult novel. 'Beach Read' is a sweet, sexy, intelligent story that I could not put down. Make this your next Summer 2020 read! You'll love it.

I loved this book so much - Gus and January were such delightful characters to read about. Emily Henry has written an amazing book that I strongly recommend!

The folks in one of my reader groups have been raving about this book, so I finally picked it up. I loved it. January is grieving her father’s death and coming to terms with the fact that he was not the perfect father she imagined. She’s a writer and she is blocked. She goes to the cabin she didn’t know he had and figures she will cure her writer’s block and write her new novel. Her neighbor is a grumpy grump called Gus. They know each other from college. Gus is also a writer struggling with his latest novel. They made a bet on who can sell their next book first. Queue up the adventures.

Along the way they both discover things about themselves, each other, and more. It was an incredibly engaging story. It had me hooked from the beginning. January was sassy and sweet. Gus was grumpy, sexy and absolutely does not believe in love.

There was some meta discussion about romance novels vs women’s fiction vs literary fiction that was interesting to read. Throughout the novel January labels what she writes as “romance”, “women’s fiction”, and “romcom.” I think the lines can be really blurry on what makes up books with those descriptions so I thought it was very fitting that this book will be described as all of the above. In my opinion it leans more toward women’s fiction with a strong romantic element because January’s growth arc was the main focus.

This book covers some heavy topics, grief, death of a parent, parent with cancer but I thought were incorporated well into the story without being sensationalized.

As Gus and January become friends there is a sort of epistolary aspect where they write notes to each other on paper and show them to each other from their respective houses. I loved it. As Gus learns that he is lovable and can love, I was practically swooning.

This is a recommended read from me.

Emily Henry's BEACH READ is a heartfelt, emotional story about two people overcoming the realities of love and heartbreak to find each other. At times both funny and realistic, both January and Gus are characters that felt realistic and authentic, adults doing their best to get through the tough stuff life sometimes throws at us.
I enjoyed the humor in this book, it felt like the perfect parallel to the grieving, life adjusting parts of the story. I also think January was written in such a way that felt truly relatable, when it comes to embarking on a new relationship. Second guessing all the little things, doubt and worry over what the other person is thinking etc. I loved the ending and how the story came together- less the "happily ever after" and more the true to life "we are happy today".

Sometimes you pick up a book and it’s exactly what you need in that moment. And for me, Beach Read was it this week — as evidenced by the fact that I read it in about a day and a half, ignoring the real-world obligations nagging for my attention.

Beach Read is sweet and uplifting, but also a little heavier than you might guess from the title and the cover.

Main character January is a young, successful romance writer. She’s known for her swoony love stories and happy ending. However, she’s been thrown for a loop, and isn’t able to summon her inner belief in the power of true love — and her looming book deadline isn’t helping at all.

January’s father recently died, so she’s dealing with the loss of her incredible dad — but on top of that, at his funeral, she met That Woman. It turns out that her father had an on-again, off-again mistress for years, including during her mother’s battle with cancer. January is shattered and angry, and feels like her foundation has been swept out from under her. After all, it was her parent’s shining love story that taught her to believe in love-story-quality love — and if that was all a lie, then what is she supposed to believe? And how can she possibly write a believable love story when she’s not sure her heart will ever be in it again?

January’s father left her a beach-side bungalow in a small-town in Michigan. With her book deadline looming and a serious lack of funds, she decides to spend her summer writing at the cottage, while also cleaning, sorting, and getting it ready for sale. And the fact that this was her father’s place with That Woman is not helping in the slightest.

Also distracting is her next door neightbor, who turns out to be the revered young writer Augustus Everett — whom January knew as Gus back in their college days, when they were fierce competitors, and shared one steamy “almost” at a party.

As January and Gus reconnect, initially with resentment and animosity, they realize they’re in the same boat when it comes to lack of inspiration and dire writer’s block. Gus is battling his own inner demons and past hurts, and he can’t seem to make progress on his next book.

In the book’s central (cute) twist, they challenge each other to write each other’s genres. Gus has always mocked January’s belief in the HEA — now, he needs to find a way to see the possibility of happiness, rather than going for the gloomy conclusion. And January needs to be open to grim reality and the idea that love isn’t always perfect, that messiness and secrets and hard choices are parts of life, and that fairy tales never (rarely) come true.

Beach Read is so much fun, start to finish, but it’s not only sunshine and swooning. (But yes, there is swoon-worthy romance, to be sure.) The author has a lot to say about families and love, how the ideals of childhood can be tarnished by the realities of adulthood, how families can hurt one another but can also save one another in all sorts of different ways… and how true love doesn’t mean no one ever makes a mistakes or hurts the other person, and that sometimes love takes work, compromise, and second chances.

January and Gus have a great chemistry together, and I loved the scenes of them writing in their respective cottages, but communicating through notes held up to the window. It’s adorable — so much better than texting!

The small-town setting is charming, and there’s a wonderful bookstore, so that’s a plus! One of the central plot elements of the book is Gus and January’s series of field trips/dates, where each exposes the other to something that feels related to their own writing style and genre. So, line dancing alternates with going to the site of a tragic fire at a cult compound… and all their excursions bring them closer to each other and also give them each different insights into their own process and emotions.

The writing is cheerful and light, but the author doesn’t shy away from harder emotions. January and Gus both have baggage to deal with, and we do see their pain and confusion as they deal with the events in their lives and try to move forward.

Bonus points too for a terrific female friendship, which helps January realize that true love can also be the bond between two lifelong friends who have each other’s backs and love unconditionally.

Falling’s the part that takes your breath away. It’s the part when you can’t believe the person standing in front of you both exists and happened to wander into your path. It’s supposed to make you feel lucky to be alive, exactly when and where you are.

Beach Read is a wonderful depiction of falling in love, but also a moving exploration of the messiness that comes with growing up and facing real life and accepting the fact that parents aren’t always perfect.

As I mentioned at the start, this book came into my hands right when I needed it, and I enjoyed every minute. A great summer reading choice — and also a great way to escape our current isolation through fiction!

This book follows January, a published writer who moves to her recently deceased father’s beach house looking for both closure and to finally write again. Imagine her surprise when she finds out that her neighbour is none other than her college rival Augustus Everett, who is also a published author. One thing leads to another and these two decide on a bet that involves January writing a serious story with a not-so-happy ending and Gus writing a romantic happily-ever-after one. What could go wrong?

Reading this book was both delightfully fun and heartwarming and awfully heartbreaking and serious. At the start of the story, both characters are dealing with their own demons by not dealing with them so all their interactions are more lighthearted. But the more time they spend together and the more they open up to each other, the more those demons come out to haunt them.

Their character development is slow but steady, especially when it comes to January and her father. Seeing Gus making an effort to be honest with her and let her in through January’s eyes was heart wrenching because his insecurities was rooted deep within him. The fact that he tried despite how scared he was of getting hurt yet again was super relatable.

However, for as many serious scenes there were, fun scenes were scattered across the story. Their fun and snarky banter was the best! It was my favourite part of the book. It was hilarious to see them roasting each other at every chance they got.

I also really loved the setting. A cabin house on the shores of Michigan Lake sounds so romantic and peaceful!

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a solid summer romance that gets a little serious at times.

I gave this book a good effort - 50%. It just couldn't connect with the style of writing. I did not like how it went back in forth in time in the same paragraph. I did not find anything particularly enjoyable about the main characters, nor did I find their banter realistic. I did love the plot and the location of the story! I think reading this as a physical book would be more enjoyable as I found the lack of differentiation in paragraphs and quotations hard to follow.