3.5 stars

I read Beach Read expecting a light fluffy romance, well in short, a beach read. But this is not quite what’s on offer. January is still reeling from the death of her father, she’s juggling feelings of grief, anger and betrayal. Gus has his own issues around childhood trauma and self-worth, none of which lend themselves to a light fluffy romance.

So, the first half of the book is following January and Gus as they ‘find’ themselves again and the second part of the book illustrates them ‘finding’ each other.

I enjoyed Beach Read but have reduced the star rating because I found the mismatch between the first half of the book and the second half quite striking. Having said that credit definitely goes to Ms Henry for giving the fluffy rom-com genre a damn good shake up.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

January is reluctantly spending the summer at her dad’s secret second home, a year after he died and she met his mistress at his funeral. She is hoping to finish her new novel and get the house ready to sell, while still grappling with the confusing medley of missing and being angry with her father and being unable to get answers from him now.
Meanwhile, her new neighbour is none other than Gus Everett, literary fiction writer and rival since college. Hilarity ensues as they make a bet to write in each other’s genres, including research trips, with the promise for the loser to promote the winner’s next novel.

Secrets can be confusing, destructive and all-consuming. January is still trying to understand her dad’s and what his secrets did to her belief in happily ever after’s. This book was equal parts the warm fuzzies and harsh truths. I laughed, I cried, my heart melted, and all the while, the romantic tropes were cleverly hiding the importance of trusting each other and coming to understand that people are complicated but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a happily ever after.

Beach Read starts with the leading women, January, a former romantic picking up the pieces of her life after her fathers death and the secrets it revealed. After having the rug pulled from under her we see her and her cynical neighbour make a pact to write each others genre under the condition they don’t fall in love.

To be honest, I started this book ready for an easy enemies to lover trope, but this book was far from being that simple. Instead it follow many themes. Some moments were dark while others had you smiling brightly. If definitely wasn’t the simple read I had expected, it was so much more.

I’ve found a lot of books I have read lately are from at least a two person point of view. So reading just January’s take on things was a bit different. From this my connection to the character felt stronger. And much was left to guessing until she found out herself. You’d think a singular point of view would limit a story, but this only added more depth.

I love the writing, especially the dialogue between characters. They definitely sounded like writers with their witty banter to each other.

My favourite part was the characters. Yes it did follow the usual set of people in a romance - the funny best friend, wounded hero, the welcoming elder. But each one of them added to the story in their own way. The development was beautiful, you could really see January finding herself in this new world that had been forced on her. As for Gus, though his development isn’t as obvious, it’s there in little scenes. I found myself constantly wanting to give him a cuddle. My frustration lay with January’s dad (I don’t really felt like he was redeemed) but I suppose that’s dependent on how your views are on certain things.

Overall I did really enjoy this book and grateful for the e-book provided by Penguin. The layers to it are so much better than expected. But now I reallyyyy want to read the books January and Gus wrote!

I think this would be a good holiday read as it’s easy to read and the characters are engaging. However, for me, the story wasn’t deep enough. It is focussed on Gus and January, who knew each other at college and meet again when January inherits a beach house from her father. She finds out he had an affair during his marriage and she is struggling to come to terms with this. She has writers block and so agrees to swap with Gus and write each other’s books - both different genres.
I felt more could have been made of the relationship her father had as this was only briefly explained near the end.
If you are looking for a nice romance story then this is a good read. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

Let me preface this review by saying how much I loved this book, it had depth, it had engaging writing and it had such a swoon worthy romance. I didn’t know how much I needed a cute romance like this until I read it and sped through it in a matter of days, I can see this being huge over the summer especially as we’re all still spending more time indoors and who doesn’t need a healthy dose of escapism!

I loved the basis of the story and how the plot progresses, from January and Gus discovering that they’re neighbours for the summer to their developing friendship and then burgeoning romance and chemistry. I think the whole idea works so well because it’s just so fun – both main character’s are writers but while Jan writes heartwarming romances, Gus is all about dark and twisty literary fiction. Their challenge then becomes to write what neither have written before; Jan has to write literary fiction and Gus has to write a romance. I loved their banter and the challenges this task provides for them both and how it forces to re-evaluate their beliefs and their ‘niches’ as writers. I think it also makes some interesting points about which kind of books are taken seriously and which books aren’t.

I also really liked the fact that Jan and Gus had that whole not quite rivals to lovers thing going on. This was a more one sided rivalry but it was still fun to read as this is explored through their snarky banter and back and forth and also how they reminisce about their times in college. I love the trope of college friends / acquaintances reconnecting later in life and noticing how the other has changed, or how certain things were misconstrued when they were younger. I thought Gus was such a refreshing character in that he had the whole dark and brooding persona but he wasn’t needlessly mean to January or any other character.

As well as the light and sexy moments, there was also a lot more depth than I expected from a book called Beach Read, but I guess it was a case of not judging a book by its cover or title in this case. I wasn’t expecting the complex family relationships, infidelity and exploration of childhood abuse which was in the novel and I think these issues were tackled in a sensitive way. It was so heartwarming to read as both Jan and Gus shed their defences and learn to trust again. While this wasn’t strictly a second chance romance – as the characters didn’t date but had a close encounter in college – it had the feel of a second chance romance all the same and it was a sweet element.

I did want to point out one issue with this which others readers have also picked up on and that’s in the way the one POC in the novel is represented. Shari is Jan’s best friend, but she only pops in and out to give some advice and then disappears again. While I liked how close their friendship was and how they clearly care a lot about each other, enough to come and visit at the drop of a hat, I didn’t like how we got no backstory on her and especially how ethnically ambiguous her character was left. This is a pet peeve of mine when an author has a POC in their work but makes minimal effort to actually explore them, it just feels a bit lazy. I would have liked if Shari was more fleshed out and we got the chance to get to know her the way we did some of the other secondary characters. All we know about her is that she has the tendency to fall in love quickly and has a big heart, but it would have been nice if she had her own backstory rather than just being a sounding board for Jan and her issues. If you’re looking for more nuanced rep then I would recommend reading a book by a BIPOC writer.

Overall, Beach Read is an enjoyable, feel good book, which made me tear up, swoon and smile so much. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance and anyone looking for a really fun and engaging book to read over the summer or at any time really but just keep in mind it’s a bit of a slower one, it hopefully won’t disappoint!

Im so lucky to have received a copy of beach read VIA NetGalley, I had actually already had the chance to read this babe before being sent via NetGally- this has been one of my absolute favourite books of the year so far! MASSIVE RECOMMENDATION TO EVERYONE!

Thoughts:

Beach Read has such a unique story line as it gives us a snippet into the thought process behind two authors of very different genres and their process of writing a new book. I absolutely loved the two main characters, and this was one of my favourite aspects of the book.I specifically love a rom com where the two main characters have some sort of history, and Gus and January certainly have a history! They are complete opposites in all ways, and their banter is so fun. There was one moment mid way through where my heart was throbbing for January, and it was just beautifully written.



In a nutshell: I absolutely loved reading this story and I was dying for Gus and January to keep spending more time together all the way through! The way the 'new book' was tied into the story was super clever and really different. The story was the perfect mix of romance, humour and raw messy life snippets, with two beautifully wonderful characters that you love from the first moment.

Steaminess level: Medium- sexual content is steamy and saucy but written in a heartwarming way.
Stars: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Favourite quote: “You know that feeling, when you're watching someone sleep and you feel overwhelmed with joy that they exist?”

I'm sure most of you will already have heard of this book - everyone's been raving about it! I'm delighted to tell you that it's just as good as everyone says!

A cute, quick read, this was exactly what I needed after quite a lot of heavier reading recently. It does what it says on the tin, it's got a budding romance between two witty authors, a lot of book-writing (which I LOVED) and even some beach time (although not nearly as much as I expected).

The characters were well developed and although there was miscommunication and tension throughout the book, they were still sensible, and I never got too frustrated. From the get-go I found myself rooting for January and Gus.

What I didn't expect was the exploration of grief which took place in this book as January deals with losing her father, (who gave her the beach hut). This was beautiful, and this whole element really made the book for me, especially near the end. There was also quite a lot of time spent exploring cults as research for Gus's book, which was interesting, if unexpected!

Add in a stellar best friend, a cool aunt, and a mysterious back-story and it's no surprise this book is a winner! I'd highly recommend it if you're looking for something fun and easy-to-read!

The premise of the novel is about two writers, who happen to find themselves each with writer's block. They find themselves serendipitously living next door to each other over one Summer, as they battle their demons. Introducing January and Gus. January is getting over a relationship with Jacques, her mother has recently passed away through cancer and her father, also dead, was seeing another woman, WHILST his wife was demising, here, in this very house by the Lake where January is now living. Gus has had a tricky childhood and is grappling with the emotional fall-out. He has one or two secrets to reveal. He is not a committer when it comes to adult intimate relationships. He has also written a hugely successful book - The Revelatories (which didn't remind me at all of The Luminaries 😉).

Further, the paths of these two had crossed years before when they were studying at the University of Michigan, so they both have a little history.

The characters spend a lot of time chewing the cud, as it were, which could feel a little drawn out at times, and January is clearly one to be attracted to an emotionally broken and good-looking man. But it seems he is actually a good guy, but when the going gets tough, he disappears for a while.

So the scene is set for a potential romance. What the author does really well is the banter between the two, often loaded with flirtatious subtext, and she creatively conveys the fragility of understanding and communication as a friendship turns into a potential relationship.

This is the Amazon description of the book: The ONLY laugh-out-loud love story you’ll want to escape with this summer. Well, it made me smile on occasion, it's wryly penned at times, but for me, it is in no way laugh out loud. There is too much personal angst going on. I guess we all have different ideas around the notion of what makes someone "laugh out loud".

I read this in digital form, so I can't speak for the physical book. But what is it with the multitude of italics? Throughout this text both words (and phrases) were largely used for emphasis, which left me feeling that the author didn't perhaps have the breadth of vocabulary to describe a given situation without resorting to italicising. Some italicising is quite usual in a book, but here it was off-putting and tooth grindingly irritating. The author is a perfectly competent writer and I am sure she could have found the words for emphasis.

This is clearly a book written by an American writer which is no problem. The title however, I think, is misleading for a UK audience. By beach read I think most people would expect the novel to be set by the sea rather than by a lake and I think readers would expect it to have a slightly different content and context. Would love to hear what others feel?!

So, overall, probably not one for me.

Oh what a fantastic book! Beach Read absolutely shook me out of a lockdown reading funk where there was nothing that could entice me enough to pick up. I’d heard a lot about this book in American romance circles, and being quite a literal beach read, I thought I would give it a go.
What a go!
It was a perfect romance story, especially for a budding writer myself, that was just cosy from start to finish. Despite its softness, it had some deeper emotional sections that were absolutely fantastic. It was easy to fall in love with both January and Augustus, two opposites (as their names suggest) who have to learn to see the world from the other’s point of view. Their adventures, to romance and Augustus cult work, are fantastically sweet, and every chapter just makes you want to keep reading.
I went through this in a single sitting, it was impossible to put down. Even now, months after I read it, I find myself thinking about the fantastic little insular world Emily Henry created by the beach. She has become an insta-buy for me from now on, and I look forward to what she will write in the future!

"For January, I don't care how the story ends as long as I spend it with you."

--------------------

This book has my HEART! And I'm not mad 😍

When I first heard about this book I'd assumed it would be a fluffy adult contemporary, set at the beach, with a summer romance between two writers. But it was SO much more than that!!

The hardships, worries and internal struggle that the main characters (January and Gus) go through, were really relatable and the author does a great job of presenting their turmoils. By the second half of the book I just couldn't hold back my tears 😢

Highly recommend this if you're a fan of The Flatshare by Beth O'leary, or are looking for a summery contemporary romance! This book goes beyond expectations! (And is absolutely worth the hype ❤️)


Rating: 4/5 ⭐
~Thank you to Netgalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Beach Read is romantic fiction with a twist. It’s a far cry from the hearts and flowers, girl meets boy, happy ever after scenario you might be expecting. If you open your mind to this unusual take on love and romance then you might find yourself pleasantly surprised by both the characters and the storyline.

January Andrews and Augustus Everett are two novelists struggling with writers block when they become neighbours for the summer in North Bears Shores,Michigan. Both need to write a bestseller before the summer ends so a bet to swap genres in a bid to be the first to get their book published sets the scene for this unlikely romantic tale.

These two have history, dating back to high school and have since followed each other’s careers at a distance. As a romantic fiction writer January believes in the happy ever afters but her creativity has deserted her in the wake of her father’s death whilst Augustus, a serious literary writer finds the end of his marriage is proving to be his barrier to productivity.

It’s interesting that the discussions concerning the credibility of romantic fiction versus more serious literary writing mirrors their main opposition to falling in love. Gus is adamant life is not a blockbuster movie with a happy ending whereas January has allowed this train of thought to dominant her views, until she discovers more about her father’s past. Both are petrified of falling in love, unable to overcome their recent life changing experiences, unable to see past the negative aspects of allowing someone to occupy a special place in your heart. How we as readers view different genres, often relegating romantic women’s fiction to that of guilty pleasure must be so frustrating for an author but suits the purpose of this storyline well.

I’m afraid I have to disagree with statements claiming this book is laugh out loud. I suppose conversations with best friend Shadi are mildly amusing and Pete and Maggie are definitely strange characters as you’ll discover! Whether or not I’d agree it is an escapist read is debatable since I equate escapism with a very lighthearted fluffy style of writing. Beach Read is far too clever for that but I think some readers may find the overall tone pretty gloomy. However what appealed to me most is the huge strand of realism woven into the narrative thanks partly to the creation of Gus’s character and the past experiences of both the main characters. I do get frustrated when realism is mistaken for pessimism and negativity so whilst I’m partial to a good old happy ever after romcom I still consider myself a realist, finding Beach Read refreshingly different.

I did find this a slow burner, not straightaway enamoured by the lives January and Gus but I’m glad I persevered. Their romance is slow to ignite although once it does their story becomes quite steamy and full of sexual tension as their walls come tumbling down. They are both intelligent, if troubled characters with witty repartee that gradually becomes more flirtatious as the storyline progresses so that eventually I couldn’t help being a tad smitten with Gus myself.

I found myself agreeing with their own take on what it means to be in love and how a good relationship shouldn’t be devalued or dismissed if it doesn’t stand the test of time. The narrative shows life is gritty and messy and full of hurdles and I liked it all the more for replicating real life. The deeper I delved into the storyline the more I wanted January and Gus to find happiness regardless of whether that meant being together or not! I think they both deserved that at the least.

I thought the ending was inspired and clever and although I wouldn’t class this as one of my favourite reads of the year, I did gradually grow to like the characters more and more. If you prefer your books in this genre to be of a more serious nature without compromising the romantic elements then I’d recommend giving this title a try.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

This is a fresh take on a rom com book . Its about 2 characters called January ( A hopeless romantic) and Gus ( a serious realist) . They are both writers living next door to each other and both currently have to write a best seller - they decide to have a competition and swap genres - January has to write a book that isn't romantic and Gus has to write a romantic one! They challenge themselves to see who can get theirs written, published and how many sales they can get . So in order to get there content they have to share their own personal stories of who they are . Its a funny , easy read and perfect for the summer - had me laughing out loud in places.

January Andrews is a romance writer, who's life is turned upside down after a death in the family changes everything she knew about her parents. Inheriting a beach house, she meets her neighbour Augustus Everett, an old college friend and also a writer, with problems of his own. They form a friendship, and a bet to write a novel in each other's genre sets them on a path of discovery and romance.

Beach Read is not a light, fluffy read. It contains subjects of betrayal, cancer, and heartbreak. However, the chemistry between January and Gus, with their fun back and forth dialogue, helps to keep a light hearted feel to the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Beach Read, and will definitely look out for more books by the author Emily Henry.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books (UK) for the arc of Beach Read in exchange for an honest review.
#BeachRead #Netgalley

I just couldn’t get into this book. I didn’t hate it and it was different to my normal books so I was looking forward to reading something new but I just couldn’t engage with either of the main characters. It felt like a bit of a slog to read the book but on persevering it definitely improved as the story went on

Beach Read is a delightfully captivating romance, and a touching gem for happy ending devotees.

January Andrews arrives in North Bear Shores to get away from life’s stresses, tie up loose ends, and begin writing her fifth romance novel. Augustus Everett has lived in North Bear Shores for about five years, and is stuck in a creative rut when it comes to creating his next literary bestseller. To say the two characters are opposite is an understatement. They playing in two completely different fields!

January is a romantic at heart, forever chasing the idea of a happily ever after. Gus is much more of a realistic, he takes the world as it is, rather than how he’d like to be. Still, January and Gus have their insecurities and burdens. Despite their differences, both characters are extremely likeable. It’s quite easy to relate to both. I’m a hopeless romantic and enjoy getting lost in a love story, so every one of January’s beliefs makes sense to me. At the same time, I’m well aware life events don’t always play out like a rom-com, so Gus’ reservations make sense too.

It’s wonderful that both the characters are authors with the same struggle yet completely different ways of thinking. The reader gets insight into the book-writing process too. I also like that the entire narrative is told from January’s point of view, but we get a balanced understanding of both personalities.

The witty back-and-forth between January and Augustus is the most enjoyable part of the fiction for me. From the moment they spoke to one another, I was happy. Then to see their connection evolve, I was even happier. The author so perfectly creates a charming chemistry in just a few sentences. And the repartee between them felt very similar to the dynamic between Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in The Proposal. There’s sarcasm and quick-witted humour but with a real levity to it. It’s compelling, exciting, and thoroughly entertaining.

Henry‘s method of description is so vivid it’s difficult not to place yourself in the world she has established. Some moments are so rich in detail I may as well be a background character in the book. Not only does her writing paint a clear picture, it pushes you to keep reading. The atmosphere and emotions are so authentic it’s difficult to stop at the end of one chapter.

The development of January and Gus’ characters is brilliantly laid out in Beach Read. Rather than experience one giant (and improbable) epiphany at the end of the book, the author slowly reveals their layers with each chapter. This way, the reader genuinely gets to know the characters, and it’s so much easier to connect with them. Seeing the story unwind in a timely way adds to the legitimacy of the romance.

Oh, and the romance. It’s so lovely. If you love books that make you fall in love with love, Beach Read should be your next read. The dynamic between January and Gus isn’t an all-out enemies-to-lovers trope, but has a very similar feel. The bet set at the beginning of the book creates an air of competition which is both playful and flirtatious. Their budding relationship is swoon-worthy without the cringe, which is the best kind of romance. I could easily see this tale on the screen!

Beach Read is way more emotional than I anticipated. The book is filled with passionate and deeply touching statements that are genuinely moving. One chapter made me cry from the first word to the last. On top of that, it has the humour and charisma like most contemporary romances, but the plot is laced with deep and heartfelt complexities.

Fortunately, the heavy themes don’t weigh down the narrative or take away from its most heart-warming aspects. In fact, the overall story is very uplifting and exhilarating – the way a romance should be. It’s the kind of book I would return to when I need to get out of a slump. It has the kind of fuzzy feels that make it both the perfect summer read and the best curl-up book.

If you pick up Beach Read, you’ll be glued to its pages. Emily Henry’s writing is addictive, and her powerful romance is definitely a new favourite. My expectations were high and still beaten.

Once they agree to swap genres I really enjoyed the chapters focusing on their research / date excursions. Gus took her to interview someone who had been part of a cult, whereas January was trying to show Gus the world of romance, how characters would meet at carnivals or dance in the rain. These chapters were great and I loved the interaction between the two characters.

The reason for January being at her Dad’s beach house in the first place is an important part to the story. (I won’t give any spoilers away!). Both her and Gus have issues they are going through which I think tie up really nicely at the end. They are definitely needed to understand why each character writes the genre of books they do.

Overall I loved reading this, it made me smile, it made me laugh and it made me question whether seeking a happy ending is as straight cut as it’s made out in films or books.

I'm a big fan of this genre of novel, and I love the idea of the story but unfortunately I didn't connect with the two key characters as much as I would've hoped.

Beach reed by Emily Henry
I'm not really sure what to say about this book but it just didn't grab me like some books do the two main characters have really had fab banter I thought of bounce off one another really well after a drunken bet they swap gender's of the books that they both write as they are both were having a bit of a stump of what to write at the minute you do you read the some really funny scenes between the two of them.They made me laugh I'm not really sure why it's called the Beach read as the only thing to do with the beach where they lived the book is easy to follow it is written very well the characters are a bit in boring I don't like gus at all I didn't warm to him he didn't grab me I didn't get into them I didn't I really feel what they was feeling all get or into what they was trying to put a cross it was an ok to read but I wouldn't recommend it or wouldn't want to read again but it was fine it was good and entertaining it was hilarious in places as I said humour is brilliant that was just not my kind of it was an ok but I wouldn't recommend it it not a wow u got to read book or wouldn't want to read again but it was fine it was good and entertaining it was hilarious in places as I said the plot was ok not my kind of book sorry to

Emily’s Beach Read is about two praised authors- Augustus Everett and January Andrews penning extremely unlike genres. Augustus writes literary fiction with dark or gloomy themes, while January is a romance writer who writes on love and happy endings. Both of them are emotionally broke, dealing with writer’s block, and looking out for inspiration for their next books. Living as neighbors, coming off to the same book club together, ending up in funny conversations turn them into friends, and it’s when they lay odds to swap their writing genres.
I genuinely had a great time reading it. It’s funny, and a delightful read which takes you to a sparkling ride of two writers with opposed writing tastes; offering, all the vibes of a comforting and light summer read.

two struggling authors find themselves living in neighbouring houses where they are escaping and hoping to overcome their writers blocs . They are polar opposites. January usually pens romantic novels whilst Gus delivers darker heavier bleak literary fiction. They end up challenging each other to swap genres and embark on ventures to steep each other in helpful experiences and drift into a romantic liaison.
If you are looking for a light rom com this is not the book to choose. Both characters carry a lot of baggage so there are many ups and downs to power through. It is a novel with deeper themes.
I’m Sorry to say that I did not really connect with the main characters and so the book just did not work for me.