Beach Read was exactly what I needed during this difficult time of self quarantine. It is sweet and romantic and a little bit sad. It had me reading way past my bedtime.

I loved January. She is bright and happy and smart and has just gotten some of the shine worn off of her as she comes to the beach house to write her next novel. A novel that she is very far behind on. That’s where she meets August, who is a little grumpy, a realist and maybe a little bit soft in the center. Apart, they are polar opposites but together…

January really had me. I like her humor and her outlook on life. She’s taken a hard hit, but I really enjoyed her POV and especially liked her inner monologue. Enter Augustus who she doesn’t know what to do with. He is the cynical writer and the quiet romantic all in one. I liked how their friendship blossomed into something more. It was natural and very easy to see how they could like the differences in each other.

The secondary plots are interesting and I was very intrigued about January’s father’s story. There’s a lot of cute flirting countered with some really heavy and sad moments and I liked how that book weighed itself so evenly. I seriously stayed up way too late reading it.

The only thing I wish I had more of was the best friend. January’s best friend does eventually come to visit, but I wish I had more outsiders from January and Augustus’s past, making them more complete when seen with others. (There are secondary characters but they’re mostly on August’s side and from the town)

Overall, this book was such a delightful surprise. I will be buying copies for all of my friends!

Nice sweet romance with good relationship build up. I found it to be a very enjoyable read for a nice light romance.

A romance writer literary fiction writer both have writer's block and decide to make a deal to swap genres for the summer. It's the set up for a great romance story... but in many ways this story is about more than the romance. It's about grief, childhood trauma, infidelity... and what do "happily ever afters" really look like in a broken world. I really appreciated the depth of emotion in both characters and their love story.

Beach Read was a sexy and serious look at turning all kinds of preconceptions in their heads: book genres; past romances; our flawed families; and love. I enjoyed this lively, funny, modern beach read.

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.**

Title Beach Read

Author Emily Henry

Description from Amazon

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

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.

Release Date May 19, 2020

Initial Thoughts

I’m on a real contemporary kick these days. I’ve been alternating between fantasy and contemporary but I feel like after every contemporary book, I just want to read another. This is my third one this week. Also, my secret dream is to become a writer so a book about writers felt so right.

Some Things I Liked

Enemies to lovers. My favorite trope. I just loved it here. The tension between Gus and January was fantastic and they just had the best banter.
Speaking of banter, I really enjoyed the dialogue and references used by both main characters. I’d expect nothing less from authors as characters, but I really enjoyed it.
“Happy for now.” I actually really liked this sentiment. Happily ever afters are great – they’re basically why I like to read. But, happy for now, is something that I think people take for granted too often. I loved that this book focused on the present and the characters didn’t let worries for the future bog them down.
“The wo-orst”. Not sure if this was Emily Henry’s intention, but in my head, I heard that line as Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Rec and I laughed out loud.
27 Dresses vibes. I am not a big fan of Katherine Heigel, but I did like that movie. As soon as I read cynical Gus meets the queen of Happily Ever Afters, January, I knew that was where this book was going and I was all about that.

Series Value

This book feels like a true standalone. As much as I’d like to hear more about January and Gus, I feel like their story reached a nice conclusion. I’m very pleased with it and we really didn’t meet any other characters that would be worthy of a spin-off in my opinion.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. Both main characters grew and learned so much on their way to finding happiness and I loved their story. This book had everything I wanted in a good rom-com.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Well Met by Jen DeLuca – if you like enemies to lovers and down-to-earth quirky characters, try this series by Jen DeLuca. The second book is coming out in September.
You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle – again, if you like the enemies to lovers vibes as well as characters moving to a new space to find themselves, try this April release.
The Move by Whitney Dineen – if you liked the “starting over in a new town” vibes that Well Met had, try this book by Whitney Dineen. There are three books so far in this series, but this book (the second), would be the closest to Well Met.

Absolutely adored this title! Will be recommending it to everyone looking for a romance this coming summer!

The thing I really loved about this book was how it focused on working through trauma in its endless forms. Almost every single character has something they need to work through, and the author does an amazing job of showing all aspects of that work. It's messy and painful, but there also moments of joy when you try and heal yourself. I think it was a really honest portrayal of that. Plus it was impossible not to fall in love with these characters. Their banter was quick, sharp, and hilarious. That mixed with the off the charts chemistry made this book a true joy to read.

College frenemies Gus and January have grown up to become successful authors. Gus writes serious literary fiction, January writes sweet romances. For a variety of personal reasons, both have hit career roadblocks. Coincidentally, they find themselves living next door to one another in an idyllic town on the coast of Lake Michigan, where they strike a bargain. By summer's end, January will have written a serious work of literary fiction, and Gus will write a romance. Of course, they fall in love, and it's a great romance. I could not put this book down. Great characters, brisk storyline, terrific romance! This is the perfect "summer book" to recommend to readers.

I stayed up until 3:13 finishing this book. I loved the fact that the main characters knew each other years before and were renewing that attraction. The stories that the authors came up with in the deal were fun and seemed appropriate to their characters.

A slow burn enemies to lovers romance between two troubled souls who come together and find respite.

This isn't exactly what I expected from a beach read, or from a book that's titled that, but I enjoyed it in parts. Much of the storyline is deeper and darker than traditional beach reads. There are witty parts and sweet parts and crafty writerly parts, but I wasn't pulled in to the heavier parts. Overall, the story kept my interest, but I wasn't swept away or drawn in fully.
Thank you, NetGalley, for my complimentary copy.

Romance writer January Winters and literary fiction darling Augustus Everett trade genres in this entertaining adult contemporary romance.

The cutesy cover pulled me into requesting this book on NetGalley. While the cover gives off hardcore rom-com vibes, it has a bit more drama than I anticipated. It’s not bad, but the cover and synopsis are a little misleading.

Much of the novel is January coming to terms with the grief at her father’s passing. A damning secret of his comes out after his death, completely wrecking January. I’m lucky to have never lost a parent, but the emotions she experiences seemed genuine. More time spent with her interacting with her mother would have been rewarding. Augusta is also working through some emotional issues, which made the book feel evenly balanced between the two main protagonist.

January and Augusta have a super delicious slow burn romance. It’s built methodically piece by piece to make for a satisfying relationship. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the catalyst pushing forward their DTR (determine the relationship) moment. It felt unnecessary and cheesy, despite its foreshadowing.

tl;dr A dramady with compelling characters, a delicious slow-burn romance, and a cutesy cover make this a must-read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My real rating is 3.75 stars for this one.
Beach Read is about a writer named Januaruy, who simultaneously inherits her father's cabin once he passes and learning that he had an affair with another woman half her life. When she moves in, she discovers Augustus Everett, someone she hated in college and is also a writer, lives right next door. They butt heads in the beginning and then make a bet with each other. Write a book in the other person's genre and see who sells their book. Shouldn't be too hard, right?
There was a lot that I enjoyed about this book and part of it was that it seemed heavier than a normal romcom book. There was family drama, discussions of cults, and even more. Augustus was a total grump that I quite enjoyed, especially as he began to thaw out. January's interactions with him during their research dates was always a treat and I loved the notes they wrote each other to help motivate and distract each other. Reading about writer's block was something I could relate to and I wanted to read January's novel that she shaped throughout the book. Watching her and Augustus grow closer together while she simultaneously dealt with her father's affair was a unique story that kept me engaged throughout. The letters was a fantastic touch that really rounded out her father as a person, despite him being gone.
There are weak spots within the book and it does get slow in parts. My nitpick was some of the wording she chose for the love scene was more amusing than sexy but she overall wrote well. I enjoyed her interactions with her best friend but wish there was more with them. Same thing with other characters in the book. It felt more isolating with the story focusing mostly on the MCs but I get why it was written that way. It was a decent book but not actually a book to take with you to the beach. Had to day it. Haha.

What a book to get me back into my reading groove! After being in a funk for about a month, I finally picked up my galley and thank goodness I did, because I could not put it down! I finished this in a day and safe to say, I am obsessed.. The banter was quick, witty, and steamy, and had me laughing out loud in public spaces. I characters' journeys were realistic and believable and I was rooting for both of them to figure out their sh*t and just get together already! I didn't read this on the beach but the title fits -- it's the perfect beach read and has me wishing for summer to come asap!

I loved BEACH READ by Emily Henry. For me, it’s one of those novels that straddles the line between women’s fiction and romance. I struggle to find these types of books and feel so lucky when I come across one because they’re my favorite. And this one I just loved so much.

The story centers on January Andrews, a romance novelist who hasn’t been able to write since she discovered, at her father’s funeral, a pretty shocking secret he was keeping from her. I don’t want to give anything away, so to be purposefully vague, I’ll just say she ends up in a beach town in Michigan living next door to Augustus Everett, acclaimed novelist of literary fiction. Oh, and he also happens to be her rival from her university days. One thing leads to another, and they end up challenging each other to write in the other’s genre. Gus will write a romance and January will pen the next Great American Novel.

There’s loads of character development, the banter is quick and addicting and will make you laugh out loud. There are also tender moments that’ll have you crying (at least… I cried, but I cry at everything). This book is surprising, engaging, and truly unputdownable. It’s one you don’t want to miss.

BEACH READ by Emily Henry goes on sale May 19th.

Enemies to lovers? Cute cover? Fun title? This book has it all! I was completely taken in by the plot, and I have to say, I enjoyed it! Be warned that this book may seem to be a light, fluffy read, but it's heavier than you think! There are points where I became extremely emotional. January and Gus are well-written characters that have great chemistry. Well done!

Deep and complex romance with an enemies to lovers twist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is such a deep, complex story. I love the connection these two have and the easy way they were able to converse once they started breaking down the barriers. A little bit of snark, humor, and sarcasm, but delightfully quick witted and so intense as well.

The story reminds me that you never really know what people have deep down inside. On the surface we may be one type of person, but inside, if we ever let anyone in that deep, we can be somebody else altogether.

Allowing yourself to be seen as you really are and the vulnerability of letting someone else in to see who you are is perfectly showcased in this novel. The slow to grow romance was just exactly what this book needed and Henry nailed it perfectly.

Impressive work with spots of lightness, darkness, insecurity, lighthearted wit, and depth in everything the heart can throw at us. A delightful and passionate novel that is the perfect choice for your summer beach read!

I loved the tongue in cheek nature and self awareness of the book (deleting the branch read doc lolol). I didn't fint the cover or description to be very accurate for the story, but very glad I picked it up.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
The characters are what makes this book so special! They are funny and complex and both dealing with their own demons. Their interactions are sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking. Are happy endings real? This book makes me believe in happy right now.

Who doesn't love a good beach read? This cute summery cover, the fun title, and the unique synopsis had me reaching for some fun, swoony romantic comedy in the sun. While this was a fun book, unfortunately it wasn't as fun and swoony as I had hoped.

1. The first thing I think of when I think about Beach Read is that it's a lot heavier than I expected. I was expecting a light, fluffy storyline with two authors throwing their witty banter back and forth, all while the summer sun blazes down on them as the waves crash against the shore outside their beach houses. This was not that. We learn immediately that January is reeling from the death of her secret-keeping father. The beach house is the house he owned with his mistress. January finds out about this mistress (whom he was spending time with while his wife, and January's mom, was at home going through chemotherapy) at her father's funeral, when said mistress hands her a key, a note, and a teary smile. Holy heavy. That's a lot to grapple with. While struggling with the worst case of writer's block ever (because what even is love anymore?), she's living in his home cleaning out his and his mistress's things and preparing to sell it. Gus is also carrying a lot of his own baggage. Both characters go through a lot of emotional ups and downs. This book also didn't feel summery to me. Yes, it's hot and sticky during the day but no beach stuff really happens. The rom-com field trips that January takes Gus on are highly overshadowed by Gus's death cult excursions and their own personal demons. The evenings and mornings are cold and damp. I just didn't get the warm fuzzy feelings I had hoped for with this title.

2. On the flip side, when Beach Read chooses to be a rom-com, it does such a good job! January and Gus have this awesome chemistry. They pick at each other and push each other's buttons, and the sexual tension is totally there. They spend their days sitting in their own kitchens, which are mirror images of each other, working on their books. If they look up from their laptops they can see each other, through the windows, sitting at their kitchen tables. Even though they both have phones, they choose to communicate by writing notes to each other with sharpies on their notebooks and then holding them up and waiting for the other person to look up and read them. Some of these notes are funny, some are flirty, and some are motivational. This was my favorite part of their relationship, and the book. I thought it was really cute.

3. I didn't love the execution of January (the romance writer) writing literary fiction and Gus (the literary fiction writer) writing romance. Maybe I didn't like this because I hate it when my favorite authors make a disappointing genre jump, thereby writing a book that holds absolutely no interest for me. The tidbits of both January's and Gus's novels sounded kind of crummy to me. lol. Her literary fiction novel ends up being about a circus, and his romance novels ends up being about a death cult (don't worry, this is not a spoiler). I would have ZERO interest in both of these books, and I have a hard time believing that this was a good career move for either of them. All for a silly bet. Honestly, I wish this part had been left out. It would have been fine if they'd both just had writer's block and tagged along on each other's research trips just for fun.

4. I liked the supporting characters better than the main characters. January's best friend, Shadi, was my favorite character in the book. She seems like such a sweet, supportive, loving best friend. Throughout the story, a romance is budding in her life, and I loved reading about it. There's also Gus's aunt Pete who owns the book store and the coffee shop. Pete is hilarious. January's publicist, Anya, is a treat and I'd love to read a book about her. Her emails checking in on January's writing progress were so much fun. She's got quite a personality.

5. Unfortunately, I never really connected with January or Gus. I liked them, and I felt bad for their heartaches and personal struggles, but I never felt connected to or invested in them. I think that's why I struggled to get through this book. I'm a very character-driven reader, so not being able to connect with either main character was very hard for me.

6. I did like all the writer stuff. The advance reader copies, the writing process, the writer's block, professional and reader reviews. That was fun.

7. The death cult stuff honestly made me uncomfortable. It was just too creepy and kind of upsetting in places. If this were in a mystery or thriller I would have been fine because I would have been expecting to feel uncomfortable and creeped out. That's not what I wanted to feel when I picked up Beach Read, though. I would have preferred more of January's rom-com 101 field trips. 

8. This didn't feel at all romantic to me. Gus says some GREAT things that are very swoony on their own, but they didn't feel swoony when mixed in with everything else. There wasn't any wooing. I didn't feel like there were any grand gestures. The cover and synopsis actually seem a little deceiving. The romance is there, and there's sexytimes... it just didn't feel romantic.

9. I came away feeling kind of dark about the entire reading experience. The ending wasn't even satisfying. 

All in all, I'm kind of all over the place with Beach Read. I liked some parts, I was meh about many parts, and I really didn't like some parts. There was SO much going on. The book was kind of all over the place, now that I think about it. I think my biggest issue, though, is that I couldn't connect with the characters I was really supposed to love and feel for. I really think that's where it all went wrong for me. Not being able to connect with them made their story feel very flat and not the least bit romantic. I'm disappointed.