Beach Read Paperback – May 19, 2020

I’m obsessed with anything Emily Henry writes, and I decided now was as good a time as any to do a full EmHen reread, so I’m starting with Beach Read and going from there. I loved this book. It was funny, angsty, full of banter and snark, tugged on my heartstrings, and had the sweetest romance imaginable. I love books about writers, and this one was so much fun because January is a romance/women’s fiction author and Augustus writes serious literary fiction. They met in a college writing class, where he was pretentious and she resented him for looking down on romance books. They end up being neighbors years later, and challenge each other to write a book in the other’s genre, and it leads to them spending all their time together and falling in love. Their relationship alternated between witty comebacks, simmering tension, and emotional connection, and I adored every second of it. Beach Read is soulful, honest, and emotional, and I couldn’t get enough of it.📔Beach Read✏️ Emily Henry📆 May 19, 2020⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️READ IF YOU LIKE:📚opposites attract📚two writers📚rivals to lovers📚she hates him📚banter📚family drama and secrets

The banter between the two characters was terrific. The ending of course was pretty much predictable but the premise for them writing their stories was great.

Every time I pick up an Emily Henry I know I will love it. I was not disappointed. Engaging and complex characters, lovely and homey settings and just great story telling.

This is my third Emily Henry book. My favorite is Book Lovers. Happy Place I also really enjoyed. But this one...I have very mixed feelings about.What I likedI loved the setting of a summer cottage. I love that both Gus and January are both writers. The banter and chemistry between them was top notch. The characters in this book have depth. Their struggles feel authentic. This book is definitely a slow burn. The spice is perfection. Definitely open door, but not overly graphic or explicit. I loved the letters January received from her father.What I Didn't LikeAlmost every time January and Gus went somewhere, they ended up getting drunk. It got very old after awhile. I also felt like January and Gus used both sex and alcohol to avoid dealing with their issues.Gus is very emotional distant. He has a lot of issues with relationships. He doesn't believe in happily ever after. He has a complicated relationship with his ex. I feel like he wasn't willing to take responsibility and truly address his issues. Instead, he isolates, avoids, and wallows in self pity. The way he treated January after the first spicy scene was not okay. I lost respect for Gus more and more as the book went on. January deserved better. But she allowed Gus to continue to hurt and essentially use her. She didn't stand up to him. She didn't hold him accountable. She didn't give him an ultimatum. Their relationship started out very solid and strong. But as the book went on, it got more hollow and toxic. Their relationship felt more like a summer fling than a relationship that was built to last. They had some major issues that were never really discussed, much less resolved.I definitely want to read more Emily Henry, but this one was a miss for me.

I LOVE this book and when I saw this edition I pre ordered it IMMEDIATELY. Oh my goodness! My prayers were finally answered by the literary gods! I have been craving a great relationship, something heart-wrenching that makes me feel everything at once: pleasure, happiness, angst, forgiveness, enjoyment, and hurt. Yes, I absolutely adore this book! I'd like to shout it! I was hoping for a more chic-lit, gentle, and romantic story, but instead I got a fantastic piece of fiction—a remarkable romance that juggled a lot of different themes at once, including betrayal, sadness, friendship, regrets, dysfunctional families and their secrets, friends to lovers, enemies to friends, and author rivalry!

I really enjoyed this book from page one. Once w learn more and more about January’s dad and Gus’s dad the book transformed into much more than I had imagined. The ending felt a little too happily tied up, but I also see how that does work since the protagonist is a romance writer who loves happily ever afters.

Despite being well informed when it comes to how much Emily Henry books devastate others emotionally, I was in fact NOT prepared for my own devastation. There are a few synchronicities between this book and my life right now, which added to my own emotional response. The scenes were crafted beautifully, and the characters are wonderfully imperfect. It was a perfect introduction to her writing.

this is a lovely soft read. perfect for a solo date outside at the park, laying on a blanket at the beach or a rainy day at home.i was trying to move on from a fantasy series hangover and it took me a while at first to connect with this book but when i finally did i fell in love with the idea of where both January and Gust stayed. the idea of living so close to the beach is a dream.it is a read about love, heartbreak, grief and understanding that your parents aren’t perfect and sometimes in life, we meet our person before we are ready.thank you Emily Henry for this deep, soft read.i look forward to reading more of your books !