I enjoyed this book, It was a little bit more hard hitting than I was expecting but I still enjoyed it. I liked the banter and the growing friendship/ relationship. I loved the premise of writers exchanging genres to write and elaborate on. I felt by digging deeper into the book genre, they learned a lot about each other in the process. Good read !

NetGalley ARC | I am so glad that I had time to squeeze in Beach Read for my May 2020 reading list. Beach Read is the perfect escapist love story about finding yourself in the hardest of times. Not just a sexy love story--which it is--the brilliant writing transports you to a Michigan summer filled with writing and romance. I love the journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and overcoming loss.

Read my complete review on The Uncorked Librarian here: https://theuncorkedlibrarian.com/currently-reading-may-2020/

**Thank you to the publisher and author for a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book has to be one of my favourite romcoms in a very long time. It had the perfect balance of drama, romance, mystery and humor that had me hooked from the first page. Both January and Augustus were so easy to love and root for and watching them grow together and learn from each other was so fun to read. Anyone looking for a great summer read to get lost in will absolutely love this book.

Don't you love when a book takes your breath away and is exactly what you need at that moment? I LOVE when I binge read books, because while I read quickly, I usually read in spurts. Sitting down and reading a full novel in one swoop means I LOVED the book and that was Beach Read by Emily Henry.

While Beach Read starts out as a sort of "enemies to lovers" type romance with two "rival" writers as neighbors, it quickly becomes more. January is on deadline for her next book and moves in, because #broke and #breakup, to the house her recently deceased father left her...the house he shared with his mistress, who January found out about AT HIS FUNERAL. That's not enough. She quickly learns her grumpy next door neighbor was the hot shot author she went to college with--and she considers him a real rival. Cue the meet cute in a bookstore, beign pushed together by nosy bookstore owners, and a pact is made: January will try to write serious literary fiction, no HEA, and Gus will try his hand at a happily ever after.

Of course, you know where this is going. It's a beach read-romance. There's a HEA. There's heartfelt revelations about family backstories! There's emotional character depth! There are hot makeout scenes and sex against a bookshelf. I don't know if it's the pandemic, or my emotions, or what, but this book was EXACTLY what I needed right now. Plus, I'm not alone. My friend Amanda who usually isn't drawn to romances loved this book too--and it's gotten SO Many good reviews in the BOTM Facebook groups. Ugh, yes, that's all I'm saying. I laughed, I cried, I loved it.

Risti, clami, amavi (this is my new HEA go-to line LOL. excuse my poor Latin. I swear I took AP Latin...but I did not pass the AP exam lol)

Don’t let the title fool you, Beach Read has a lot of substance and depth. January and Augustus are both authors who knew each other in college. Augustus was January’s arch nemesis, even if he didn’t know it. Now they are living next door for the summer and are both dealing with book deadlines in addition to real-life pain (death of a parent and infidelity). They make a bet to write their next books in the other’s genre and of course, the (love) story unravels from there. I LOVED IT.

This is one of my top reads for the year! I went in without expectations, but was blown away. The character development was great - I really felt sad when it ended and their story was over. It was a romance, but so much more than that. The premise is that a woman, struggling to come to terms with some family drama, absconds to the Michigan vacation home of her father. She needs to write her newest book NOW, and this is a free place to do so.

What she doesn't expect is who she meets along the way.

The relationship between the two main characters, as well as the secondary relationship between Shadi and January, is well-developed. The story isn't cliche, and in fact, critiques many of the typical romance cliches.

I loved it!

Wow! I fell head over heals for this sweet and swoony story. I’ve loved Emily Henry’s books before so I was excited to see her foray into adult romance. I think her time spent writing YA brought something really special to this book. It was incredibly funny, with some cheesy moments which created the perfect escapist read.

For the most part I really liked January as a person. I appreciated how much she grew and changed throughout the story. In the beginning I thought that her notion of love and relationships was a bit immature, but I was happy to see the events in the book give her a more realistic outlook on love while still maintaining some of the sweetness that helped her write her romance books.

This book is told from just January’s perspective which I ended up really liking. I would have loved to see more of Gus’ thoughts and experiences, but really this was January’s story and I felt like we really got to know her well. I also feel like she had enough she had to work through to fill the book and having multiple perspectives would have detracted from this.

Speaking of Gus, I really liked him – however I loved his aunts. I could have a whole side book just about them please! They were just the kindest, funniest side characters and I would love to spend more time with them. Okay, back to Gus. I really liked him as a character, and I loved the relationship development between January and Gus. I really liked the University “nemesis”/rivals aspect more than a strictly “enemies to lovers” which doesn’t always feel as realistic. I liked that they were both quick to correct any miscommunications from that time, and discuss how each of them interpreted situations in University.

The intimate moments in the book weren’t very steamy but were more cute and, in some cases, silly. I think that kind of scene was perfect for me though, and helped me recognize some of my personal preferences with romance. I also think some scenes seemed a bit juvenile (such as the drive-in scene) but I don’t think that was necessarily bad.

This book isn’t all light and fluffy but I feel like the more serious topics were also handled really well. The author can create intimacy and sweetness even in moments when the characters are tackling hard situations which I really appreciated.

I really enjoyed this one and read it in two sittings! I loved the depth of the two main characters. I liked reading a story about writers, because it shows some of the writing process and how hard it is to write a book. I enjoyed the parts about January's father, but I do think sometimes that dominated the story. Thats the only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars. I will definitely read more of Emily Henry's books! Instagram and goodreads review to come.

Beach Read by Emily Henry is a fun romantic stand-alone novel focusing on two authors, who are totally different.
January Andrews, our heroine, arrives at her new beach home on Lake Michigan which she inherited from her deceased father. January is a romance author, who is currently having writers block, and is having money problems. The house is a surprise, as she discovers the father she always loved, was also having an affair, and owned this beach house with his mistress. January has problems coming to terms accepting the truth about her father, especially with her mother still alive, having recovered from cancer, and her mother never told her about his other life. All of this make it even more difficult for her to write happy ever after romance novels.
Gus Everett, our hero, is January’s next-door neighbor, and the two get off on the wrong foot immediately. Gus is also a writer, but he writes literary fiction more towards dark story lines, and he too has his own issues writing his next book. They are both totally opposites, as Gus is more pessimistic and January is an optimist, though things will change.
In a short time, they begin to get to know each other, and a friendship will develop. The banter between them was cute and funny, and with both of them unable to write, they decide to help push each other by making a bet. January will take Gus to romantic field trips, dinners, to teach him how to write a romance novel with a happy ending. Gus will take January to meet people who have suffered a loss, visit a grave yard or meet someone involved with a cult. The bet is for them to write something different, and whoever sells their manuscript first will win.

What follows is a romance between two people who had their own issues with family, leaving both of them somewhat damaged. In a short time, they both will move forward past their friendship to love. Gus comes off of a divorce, and his fear of getting hurt again keeps him from making the next step toward his relationship with January. January has her own problems dealing with her feelings of betrayal by her father, and though she knows she loves Gus, she too is scared to move forward. During this period, they enjoy each other’s company, as they do all the things together that require research for each of their novels. There was a lot of fun and bantering between them, and we knew they were perfect for each other.

Emily Henry has written a wonderful story of two people who deserve happiness and each other, but there was much heart wrenching angst, betrayals, secrets, and pain that made it difficult. But in the end, happiness, forgiveness and love will change everything. I wholly suggest to your Beach Read.

This was a fabulous book and - no surprise here - is the perfect beach read. The two main characters, Gus and January, were brilliantly described and I couldn't wait to see where their love story ended. Their antagonism was really well drawn at first and I really couldn't work out where it would end - in a very good way! It wasn't just a fluffy romance either, there were some deeper issues, like grief and lost love covered which were really well written about. Brilliant and perfect for summer.

When I chose Beach Read for my next read, I expected a light and fun...beach read. This turned out to be a book about two authors who meet again while both are at a crossroads in their loves. January is a romance author who hasn't been able to write since her father died. Gus is a literary fiction author who is trying to write something less depressing. I knew I would like this book, based on friend recommendations. However, I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. I always love when books go deeper than I expect they will. This is a title I see myself reading again and again.

There are two key indicators that I loved this book:
I unconsciously disobeyed the laws of a pandemic and found myself constantly touching my face - pressing my hand over my mouth to hold in gasps of surprise and sighs of happiness.
I sat staring blankly at the pages after certain scenes, trying to pinpoint what exactly it was making the butterflies swarm in my belly.

Beach Read, I feel, will be my new recommendation for people who like Women’s Fiction and find they want to get into romance. To me, I think this book could easily be categorized as both.

The “deep dive into everyday, angsty life” aspect felt very Women’s Fiction-y, but the romance was one of the strongest elements of this story… and it helps that it was done really well.

Also… the humor in this had me snorting out loud so many times. The one-liners in this book were on point. I had to keep a pen with me anytime I picked up this book so that I could underline my favorite parts.

Let’s talk about the romance because I realized a few things.

This book had two key elements that many of my favorite romance novels have: pining and longing. Extra points for when one of the love interests has no idea those two things are going on.

This. This is exactly how I want to feel when I read a romance novel. I want to feel giddy and excited and hopeful. I also like feeling as though I went through something to get there. That I earned it.

Beach Read was all of those things. The hype surrounding this book is well deserved.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were quite a bit deeper and more fleshed out than romance characters often are. The chemistry and tension buildup between the characters were wonderful and the side characters were also well-developed. I can't wait to read Shadi's story next. My only complaint was that it might have been just a little bit too long and also some of the interactions between the two main characters got a little repetitive. But overall I enjoyed it, stayed up way too late reading it, and will recommend it to many.

Romance novelist January's life falls apart when her father suddenly passes away and she discovers he wasn't quite the man she thought he was. She moves to a house he left her to pick up the pieces and write the new book that her publisher is hounding her for. Lo and behold her new neighbor is her nemesis and former college crush. I really enjoyed the main character of a women's fiction story being the author of women's fiction. Clever twist. Beach Read is a great beach read!

Beach Read is anything BUT a quick, light, fun beach read. A beach read you can read a couple chapters, put the book down, go for a dip or a nap, pick back up where you left off.
Beach Read was un-put-down-able! This is the romance novel we’ve all been waiting for! It was heart-wrenching, it was messy, it was tense. It was also full of great witty and sarcastic dialogue, likeable characters and tender looks & moments.
The character development, the relationships, the backstories interwoven throughout the book. It was all perfect!

I don't read many romance books, but when I do, it's usually because of the promise of realistic, well-developed characters, and above all-humor- and this book delivered on both.
Peppered with the kind of banter and zingers I wish I was able to dole out, I was so charmed by the wit and style of Emily Henry's writing, and what fun to spend time with two writers who have the same passion for writing while approaching their work in different ways.

In my store, or in book club, I'm quick to point out that every reader brings their own experiences with them when they read a book, which colors how they feel about the experiences of the characters. In the case of this book I loved seeing how an author's experiences color what they write and how they write it, which feels like a "duh" sort of thing, but my point is I liked seeing those reasons spill out across the story.

I loved January's relationship with her friend, Shadi. Their inside jokes were top notch and I can't stop thinking about the phrase "Haunted Hat." I adored Pete and her coffeeshop/bookstore and Maggie, and the labradors- just so many charming but realistic details that made this story hum.

As someone who reads a lot of mysteries and thrillers, this was the perfect break, and I think this is exactly the kind of my pick-me-up we could all use right now.

Trigger Warnings for This Book: mentions of abuse, mentions of a cult, cancer, and death of a parent, mention of cheating.

If you are looking for enemies to lovers romance then this is definitely the one you wanna read. This book was such a quick and fun read. If you don’t know already I will read almost any book that has the enemies to lovers trope. Augustus and January are such cute characters. I love them so much. The author made them flawed with their own problems hopes and dreams.

January writes romance novels with a happy ending. Augustus writes suspenseful action with sad plot lines and endings. They were enemies during college but we don’t really get a whole lot of background information on them besides that he always made the comment about her books always have a happy ending. They make a bet to see which one can write the other genre and get that book published before the other. I love this idea so much. It’s such a fun and cute idea. We get to see all of their interactions and they are so funny when they try to teach the other how to write their genre.

I really enjoyed how each character had a different thing going on. I won’t say anything about it because of spoilers but it really helped make them well-rounded characters. The cover for this matches the book so well and it’s one of my favorites styles.

I have a feeling this book will be on one of my top books of 2020. Definitely not your typical romance book. This was the first book I’ve read by her and if she writes any more romance books I will be picking them up.

Well I can't say that this book was bad because it isn't! I feel like im just not in the mood for this type of romance. It started out good, but I just got bored with it!! I can see why others would definitely enjoy this one!

💛 BEACH READ 🏖
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Good morning, friends! A little rainy here this morning but the sun is finally trying to peek through the clouds. I bet it will end up being a beautiful day here!
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I wanted to share my review of BEACH READ. Thank you @berkleypub @berkleyromance {partners} for my gifted copy.
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After an intense thriller, I read this book and was immediately drawn in. I’ve heard people describe this one as The Notebook meets You’ve Got Mail meets The Lake House (some of my favorites) and that is a perfect description of this book!
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In fact, the story of January Andrews, a bestselling romance author who after her father’s death realizes the world isn’t quite how she envisioned it was... well it will grab hold of your heartstrings. Because we can all relate to a situation in our life when our naive view shifted due to heartbreak.
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When she finds out she is left a Lake house she decides to move into it in hopes of learning more about her father, while also rediscovering her passion for writing, and hopefully writing her next book.
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When she realizes her old college rival, Augustus Everett, lives next door she realizes that some things never change as their rivalry and tension pick up right where they left off.

As she works on penning Happily Ever After, he loves literary fiction where the cast ends up dead. To say they are complete opposites would be an understatement.
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But, can you overcome the baggage and struggles of your past, as you accept the truth life gives you, to become the best version of yourself? Or, are you destined to carry that baggage, and those hurts, with you for life?
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This story grabbed hold of me and I flew through the first half! I will say I found the last half to be slower paced but I loved the story with people with messy, real life issues and insecurities. Plus, I love a classic enemies to lovers trope. .
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I wanted to love this book: rivals to lovers, romance author and literary fiction author swap genres and compete to see who sells their book first. It just sounded like so much fun.

And it was fun, for the most part. And the book packed quite the emotional punch as well. But I started getting a little bored pretty early on, and that didn't really fade for the remainder of the book. The thing is, I just feel like this book was a lot longer than necessary and it felt quite long-winded because of that. There were parts that felt less relevant to the storyline and parts that I felt didn't get all the attention they deserved in favour of less interesting aspects. I would have preferred if the book had been more structured and more condensed, so it could really focus on the main storyline and the character's development.

Because the character development felt a little like it was secondary to the story at times. Don't get me wrong, there was quite a lot of it, but the execution of it left me wanting. We have a love interest who goes through a lot of development, but that means his personality pretty much makes a 180 turn, and he's almost unrecognizable towards the end of the book. And we have a main character whose main struggle's resolution is left to the very ending of the book, which made it feel rushed.