I needed this book right now. My father just passed away and I could really relate to January. These were my initial thoughts when I finished it late at night: This book is for all of us. The ones who aren't sure that life & love will ever be okay. For the moments that are happy for now moments that we need to look forward to and look back on with smiles.

I did feel there were a few interactions between January and Gus were repetitive. But I liked how their feelings were buried under the surface and as they got to know each other slowly fell for each other.
I also liked the look into writers/author's lives and how January and Gus really challenged each other.

A really great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I heard two mentions of this book in subsequent podcasts and decided it might be just the thing as I am cooped up on a snowy April day during a pandemic. I was excited to get an ARC through NetGalley. Despite the title, Beach Read, I found that this book had more substance than what I think of as the typical beach read. January and Gus were rivals in their creative writing program at the University of Michigan. We meet them a few years later as published authors who have each retreated to a beach community in Michigan to deal with personal issues and writers block. Their evident attraction for one another initially takes the form of verbal sparring about their chosen genres and past rivalry. Gus writes literary fiction and January is a romance/women's lit writer. To overcome her writer's block and defend her genre, January challenges Gus to a competition. Each will write a book in the other's genre and the first to get their book published wins. The guidelines for the competition include field trips which put the two together every Friday and Saturday alternately exploring romance trops and a cult tragedy. I assumed going in that these two characters would get involved. The additional plot lines with their family secrets kept this plot moving for me. I also enjoyed some of the fast paced dialogue-lots of sassy zingers. Some of the misunderstandings between January and Gus seemed unrealistic to me but I guess people often mistake the motives of others. Although I am not typically a romance reader, this one seemed less formulaic than others I have read. Overall the book provided a much needed diversion.

This book was so hyped by my friends on Goodreads that I couldn't wait to read it but honestly, I don't understand the hype at all. I found it a little boring and slow at times and just didn't seem to care for any of the characters.

I absolutely adored this book. I did not want it to end and I wanted to keep following along with January and Gus. Not only that but I loved the character's names and their personalities. This is a combination you do not often get. The only thing keeping me from a five-star review is that at times it felt that their conflicts were dragged on and I found myself skimming. Other than that, this was such a beautiful story about loss and trusting again. I will definitely be rereading this one.

Super cute! It felt a little long and like maybe there was too much trying to happen, but overall very good. Not your typical rom-com. I enjoyed & would recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You know that book on your to-read list that you just can’t wait to get to? Like, all the books that come before it could be 5-star-worthy, but you just want to get through them as quickly as possible so you can FINALLY read the one you’ve been waiting for? Beach Read by Emily Henry was that book for me. I’ve read Henry’s young adult books and loved them. And with all the stress and worry of coronavirus-quarantine life, I was really ready for a lighter story. Beach Read did not disappoint, except maybe that I finished it too quickly.

January is a romance writer who’s rosy view of the world is upended when a family secret is revealed. She tries to restart her writing mojo by relocating to a small beach town where she encounters her college nemesis and lit fic darling, Augustus. While their rivalry takes a playful and romantic turn, their pasts are not content to lie dormant for long.

I loved the banter between the protagonists, especially the note writing (a few of the notes had me cackling out loud). The behind-the-scenes look at a writer’s life was fun and interesting too. I liked January and appreciated that Henry made her self-aware and strong yet vulnerable.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book and finished it in about 36 hours, it didn’t quite hit five stars for me for a couple reasons. First, Gus just didn’t really attract me. It’s not that I disliked him. I just never crossed over into rooting for him. Maybe if we had a few chapters from his perspective, I would have felt differently. Second, there was quite a bit of repetition in the prose. I’m hoping the final copy is a bit tighter on the editing, but let’s just say that January’s face is always red/heated and Gus’s hair is always standing up messily.

I would absolutely recommend Beach Read to romance readers and those looking for lighter fare that’s not saccharine.

Beach Read is everything. Hot? Extremely. Funny? Laugh out loud. All-consuming? Hmmm....what quarantine, I have no idea what the news is going on about, Beach Read is my only reality. Fingers crossed that Emily Henry is planning to write more romcoms because this book landed her a top spot on my favorite authors list. A trusted friend enthusiastically recommended Beach Read to me, but I wasn't prepared to be so blown away by its humor, clever plot, and incredibly appealing (yet believable) love interest. Do not miss this one, it's a gem!

3.75/5 rounded to 4

Picking this book up was a result of my quarantine-stressed mind craving to go on a beach, drink pina coladas with tiny umbrellas while listening to the crashing of waves. While this book is more about what a beach read is than actually being a beach read, it served its purpose for me!

January is a romance writer who writes happily-ever-afters, while her neighbor and former college crush Augustus Everett writes dark books. Since both of them have a writer’s block, they both decide to guve each other’s writing styles a chance for the summer. Which means that Gus will write a cliche romance novel while January has to write a novel with heavy stuff. And they have to help each other out.

I really liked the beginning of the novel. January justifies and defends romance novels and their purpose cos it helped her get through tough times in the past. Her observations about romance novels being undermined and male authors being treated differently than female ones were spot-on. Gus’s character was dark and brooding and I really liked it until it was revealed that it was all related to his past. Just for once, I’d like to see a hero not having past issues, but maybe that’s just me 🤷🏻‍♀️. Also, his character arc was confusing since he goes from being Darcy-ish aloof at the beginning to a saccharine sweet, chivalrous gentleman at the end.
The chemistry in the first-half was off the charts, but I think it fizzled a little by the time I got to the ending.

This is a fun book but a lot more serious than the blurb might lead you to expect, but maybe that’s a good thing. As January believes and what is certainly a hundred percent true, literary fiction can

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this eArc.

This book was great! I'd forgotten that I've read Emily Henry's YA titles, but from what I remember, this is a much more straightforward romance, missing the supernatural-ish elements that those books had. The protagonists here are both authors, January and Gus/Augustus/Everett who have been thrown together again a few years after knowing each other in college (emnistry!). They enter into a challenge to write books in the other's genre - January normally writes romance, and as she puts it, Gus normally writes "Hemingway Circle-Jerk fan fiction." This challenge means that they're basically almost in a fake dating situation.

Both of these characters have family and professional angst and the outcome of all of this and of the romance felt really satisfying. I also loved the author's sense of place. It made me want to see the lake (the beach here is on a Great Lake) in winter!

Fans of Linda Holmes' <i>Evvie Drake Starts Over</i> will love this one, and I think it is going to be a huge hit.

Beach Read is a different book than I expected. Maybe it’s because I totally judged the book by its cover and didn’t read anything else about it. I really love the cover itself, I’m just not sure it represents the book well. The story is much heavier on the “read” than on the “beach” – the two main characters are both authors trying to write their next book.

January is a fairly successful romance novelist, and she’s not having the best year. She recently got dumped by the man she thought she was going to marry, and her editor is pressuring her to send a draft of her next novel, which she hasn’t started yet. Then, her dad dies.

At his funeral, she discovers three things: he left her his secret beach house, he was cheating on her mom for years, and her mom knew about it the whole time. This leaves January confused, shocked, and feeling like her whole life was a lie, all while grieving.

When she goes to check out the beach house, she discovers that her new neighbor is her college rival, Gus, who writes deep, prestigious LiTeRaTuRe and turns up his nose at romance novels. They soon make a deal to each write a book in the other’s genre, to prove that it’s harder than it looks. The two may start as enemies, but this is romance, so we all know how that turns out.

I liked that this book ended up being different from what I expected. There is definitely romance, maybe a little predictable but it still felt fresh. There are only a couple “steamy” scenes, and it has interesting side plots and characters. I love when books have a story-within-a-story, and since we follow January and Gus writing their respective books, we get a few of those.

I recommend this to anyone who likes witty characters, writing, romance (but not much steam), enemies-to-lovers stories, and family drama. It was the perfect book to escape from reality for a while.

"Maybe we should enjoy our happy for now."

I absolutely loved this book. It's not your straightforward, light, quick-read romance (though it was a quick read!) -- it's so much more than that. The characters were wonderful, and even the characters who were only briefly in the novel had such depth and charm. And of course, as a book-lover, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about two authors who fell in love.

January Andrews is a good daughter. She stays by her mother through two bouts of cancer. She adores her father and believes they have the Happy Ever After family. That’s what helps her be a successful author of women’s fiction. Then her dad dies unexpectedly. She discovers he’s had a long-time affair…and a secret house in his hometown of North Bear Shores, MI. A year after his passing and against a writing deadline, January goes to visit the house, clean it out, sell it and complete her book.

Augustus Everett (Gus) went to the University of Michigan with January. Now a successful literary fiction author, January was convinced that he despised her and her writing. Did he really? When both are experiencing writer’s block, they decide to trade genres. The rest of the book is alternatingly sad, funny, and comforting.

This was such an enjoyable read for me! Henry kept me turning the page with her writing. It had me by the heartstrings as the relationship with Gus progressed and January dealt with the betrayal and understanding of her relationship with her dad. Such a great, wonderful story!

Beach Read was my first Emily Henry book and I was blown away. Don't let the cover fool you, this isn't some light and fun chick lit story. It's a beautiful romance that has a lot of depth and emotion and I couldn't have loved it more.

January and Gus are both published authors in neighboring beach homes. January just got to her late father's beach house and has a lot of questions. Her recent life events have put her in a bit of a funk when it comes to writing the romance she normally writes. Gus writes more serious literary fiction and they decide to switch genres as a bet to see who can write and sell a book first. To do this, they end up spending a lot of time together and go on adventures to help each other out.

I loved the friendship January and Gus developed. Watching it change and grow was one of my favorite parts of this book. I loved how these two could be open and honest with each other and they challenged each other in the best ways.

Beach Read is witty, swoony, and hella romantic. It has a grumpy hero which I love and I seriously couldn't get enough of January and Gus together. Their 'dates' left me with the biggest smile on my face and their chemistry and back and forth was the best. These characters and their story were complex. And it captivated me from the start and never let go. They were both realistic and smart and relatable.

I haven't had a ton of five star reads in 2020, but the ones I have had have been epic. This had the perfect banter, a slow burn romance, and gave me so many feels. I mean, really... what more could I ask for? it was the perfect kind of romance for a reader like me and I highly recommend it!

BEACH READ is the perfect rom-com, and it has all the elements I look for in a book. It's a book for book-lovers, since it's all about writing! As someone who works in publishing, I truly appreciated seeing the backside of it represented well, and it was such an interesting element!

I can't wait to read all the other rom-coms Emily Henry will write!

Beach Read - Emily Henry 5/5: ✰✰✰✰✰
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Don’t let this beachy book cover fool you. This book has tremendous character and storyline depth between our two main characters. I love that chick lit rom-coms are starting to mix in more issues within the characters. There are only so many damsel in distress books you can read. 'Beach Read' was seriously one of the best books I've read show casting this growth within the romance genre.
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Synopsis: January and Augustus - both old college mates - who both go on to become published authors. They're polar opposites stuck living next door to each other in beach houses, while they write their next books. Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another..and they end up making a deal to help each other out of their writing ruts by swapping genres.
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☀ I love all the subplots! Everyone has their own past and baggage. It unfolded amazingly!
☀ I loved the characters!! Although I don’t have that writer swag they were both relatable and I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. (hint, hint - let’s get a book about Shadi!)
☀ Slow-build steam! Once they succumb to their desires, the steam level is real.
-If I could’ve changed one thing, I would’ve loved to have read Gus’ POV!
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If you are hesitant to start a rom-com because they’re predictable and molded. Try this one! Still follows the genre mold, but with more depth and heaviness. Emily Henry is definitely on my radar now! Can we see a sequel Emily!?

We need to talk about marketing in the book world.

Between the bright, illustrated cover and the media packages for Beach Read hyping how much of a “fun”, “upbeat” summer romance this is, many readers are going to be led astray here.

They’re going to get 75% into the book and think to themselves, “This entire story is set in a beach house and the one time these two assholes actually go swimming is in a pool?!”

Seriously, I think they only went down to the beach together twice in this entire book, so that cover with two people casually reclining on towels and seemingly ignoring each other is a real stretch.

From the blurb, you might assume that this is about rivals pitted against each other, filled with one-upmanship and witty banter. And yes, I did laugh-out-loud several times while reading this, but for the most part, this isn’t what I think of when I think of fluffy rom-coms.

Because a lot of the book is spent on the main characters’ researching a notorious cult from their local area. The head messiah of which locked all his followers into trailers and then burned them to death.

So fun!

Aside from that I had some issues with the male lead here. He went from aloof and quasi-grouchy in the beginning to over-the-top cheesy by the end. I also didn’t appreciate the fact that once their relationship evolved from friendly into something more he started making all the female lead’s decisions for her.

You know, doing that man thing where they try to save you from the world.

“Don’t come with me, you’ll get cold and wet.”

“I didn’t invite you because I didn’t know if you’d have fun.”

“Let me carry that heavy bag for you.”

To me, there’s nothing chivalrous about a guy suddenly assuming that I can no longer make my own goddamn decisions just because I let his penis near me.

All this said, I could be in a shitty mood because the world is ending, so take this review with a grain of salt.

This is a solid romance that elevates itself with the meta set-up. The main character being a romance writer gives the author the chance to play with and comment on tropes of the genre in a fun and intelligent way. The two leads are easy to root for and its a satisfying HEA. I would recommend it, on the beach or not.

I have to say I didn't expect to enjoy this book quite as much as I did! I loved the characters and I loved that there was something deeper going on with each of them when they found each other. Sure, the premise is outlandish, but that's part of the fun of a romance novel. I will definitely read future books by Henry - she gets what romance readers want, which is evident not only in the novel as a whole but in the little tidbits her protagonist spills during her teaching parts of the book. Wish I could read each of the books these characters wrote!

After the sudden loss of her father and an unearthed secret shatters her beliefs of love, romance writer January Andrews meets literary fiction writer Augustus Everett. Both decide they need a change up and agree to a challenge, where over the course of the summer, January will write a literary fiction novel and Augustus will write a romance novel.
Beach Read is exactly that book you need when you spend all day at the beach with enough sunscreen, a towel, and a cooler of drinks. It was fun, light when it needed to be, but dark enough to make you think how you would feel in the situations the characters find themselves in. A must read for this summer.

LOVED this sassy, smart, sweet, well-written contemporary romance. The meta commentary on genre and the writing life was icing on the cake.