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emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual content
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i have to admit, i didn’t expect to fall in love with this book. i read book lovers, and i loved it, but somehow i didn’t have high hopes for this book. the basic information i had on it didn’t quite grip me as much, but i wanted to have a lovely romance read as a goodbye to summer.
the reality is that i fell irrevocably in love with this book within the first few pages. the blurbs that are given on this book don’t do justice to the characters: the way they hurt, and love and breathe. i felt like i was thrown into a world as real and beautiful and painful as the real one and i am so so grateful for it.
gus is just a beautifully constructed character, and i was so happy when i noticed that i had subconsciously grown to love his character instead of just seeing him as the love interest. he didn’t lack in depth in any way that i might’ve expected and he is one of my favorite „book boyfriends“ now.
january has been catapulted to one of my favorite main characters with ease. a lot of it comes from feeling understood by many of her struggles, but i just adore the way she kept fighting to see the world in its beauty and not just see the darkness and the pain.
which brings me to probably my favorite part of this book, the heartache it gave me. the way emily henry describes the pain that comes from losing a parent hit a bit to close to home, but she wrote it in such a beautiful and complete way that it just all made sense to me. i also prefer the way that pain was handled to book lovers but that’s a different story and probably comes from my own experiences rather than anything else.
throughout the entire book i was hooked, i found myself reading for much longer than i ever intended and it was hard to put it down to take care of mundane things (like sleeping lol).
long story short: beach read is right at the top of my favorite books of the year and has confirmed my love for emily henry’s books!
that’s it.
the reality is that i fell irrevocably in love with this book within the first few pages. the blurbs that are given on this book don’t do justice to the characters: the way they hurt, and love and breathe. i felt like i was thrown into a world as real and beautiful and painful as the real one and i am so so grateful for it.
gus is just a beautifully constructed character, and i was so happy when i noticed that i had subconsciously grown to love his character instead of just seeing him as the love interest. he didn’t lack in depth in any way that i might’ve expected and he is one of my favorite „book boyfriends“ now.
january has been catapulted to one of my favorite main characters with ease. a lot of it comes from feeling understood by many of her struggles, but i just adore the way she kept fighting to see the world in its beauty and not just see the darkness and the pain.
which brings me to probably my favorite part of this book, the heartache it gave me. the way emily henry describes the pain that comes from losing a parent hit a bit to close to home, but she wrote it in such a beautiful and complete way that it just all made sense to me. i also prefer the way that pain was handled to book lovers but that’s a different story and probably comes from my own experiences rather than anything else.
throughout the entire book i was hooked, i found myself reading for much longer than i ever intended and it was hard to put it down to take care of mundane things (like sleeping lol).
long story short: beach read is right at the top of my favorite books of the year and has confirmed my love for emily henry’s books!
that’s it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Grief
Minor: Misogyny
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought this was a really fun book that utilizes the enemies to lovers trope well. The world was believable and I enjoyed being in it. the one thing I didn’t really like is how the protagonists had sex so close to the site of a murder suicide… the main character even remarks that she felt uncomfortable around there, so this seemed like something they could have done when they got back to the beach house.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The letters from her dad made me cry!! And the notebook writing <3 I love how cute that is
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Alcohol
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
CW: graphic depictions of child abuse and physical abuse, mention of cults and detailed depictions of cult life, graphic depiction and mention of car accident death, death of a parent, infidelity, cancer, and some ableist language.
I have complicated feelings on this book. I liked the writing and enjoyed the story but it felt like too much was happening at once plot-wise. Also the abuse scenes were very triggering for me. There should've been a warning at the beginning of the book or at least the beginning of those chapters because it was definitely a surprise for me. There are graphic depictions of physical abuse from Gus's father that he recounts and details. It really threw me for a loop and I was unprepared for that to be mentioned at least 2-3 times. There's a way to mention that he's been a victim and survivor of child abuse without going into detail, in my opinion.
I liked January at the beginning but as I read her more, she started to feel like a red flag. I HATED how January just didn't communicate with Gus AT ALL. She would get mad at him but not tell him why and that made me SO ANGRY. Then, toward the end, I thought I knew the characters pretty well but then their choices just confused the hell out of me.
However, I liked Gus a lot. I love a brooding character and his character development was stellar. I just felt like these characters had too much going on mentally & internally that it wasn't the right time for either of them to date which really took away from me rooting for their romance. It was a rollercoaster ride pretty much!
Some word choices were questionable and I felt like the sex scenes writing wise were recycled? She uses the word "skating" so much in every sex scene. Besides that, I really liked the sex scenes and the book was well written.
I have complicated feelings on this book. I liked the writing and enjoyed the story but it felt like too much was happening at once plot-wise. Also the abuse scenes were very triggering for me. There should've been a warning at the beginning of the book or at least the beginning of those chapters because it was definitely a surprise for me. There are graphic depictions of physical abuse from Gus's father that he recounts and details. It really threw me for a loop and I was unprepared for that to be mentioned at least 2-3 times. There's a way to mention that he's been a victim and survivor of child abuse without going into detail, in my opinion.
I liked January at the beginning but as I read her more, she started to feel like a red flag. I HATED how January just didn't communicate with Gus AT ALL. She would get mad at him but not tell him why and that made me SO ANGRY. Then, toward the end, I thought I knew the characters pretty well but then their choices just confused the hell out of me.
However, I liked Gus a lot. I love a brooding character and his character development was stellar. I just felt like these characters had too much going on mentally & internally that it wasn't the right time for either of them to date which really took away from me rooting for their romance. It was a rollercoaster ride pretty much!
Some word choices were questionable and I felt like the sex scenes writing wise were recycled? She uses the word "skating" so much in every sex scene. Besides that, I really liked the sex scenes and the book was well written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Car accident
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent
Minor: Ableism, Fatphobia
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
With a title like Beach Read, you’d think you’re about to read a sweet, easy, cheesy romance: the perfect book to take with you on a holiday, to entertain you next to the pool before you inevitably get sun-drunk and fall asleep. And I guess, this book can be exactly that. But, it is also so much more. What I, personally, found instead was an amazing fiction juggling romance, friendship and family; a wonderful tale of rivalry, regrets, illness, grief and secrets.
Do not get me wrong, at first glance, there is nothing quite new about this story: January Andrews moves in her dad's beach house and her new neighbour happens to be Gus Everett, her old college rival. The set up is very simple and if you read romance on the regular you might even already know where this is going.
But! This was written by Emily Henry and if there is one thing Emily Henry does well, it’s character psychology. She (in my humble opinion) absolutely nails it every. single. time. She does not hesitate to give her characters those very authentic imperfections and they end up feeling like very real, actual human beings. January's conflicted feelings about her father, his imperfections and his lies are such an accurate representation of humanityher whole internal conflict about how she’s mad at him and can’t even have that one fight/harsh conversation she is so desperate for because he is dead was so extremely heart crushing . There is something so very real to Gus’ struggle to open up and communicate directly while also being completely willing to have January know him. Honestly, it’s a resounding 10/10 on characters from me.
I'll end this review with a list of a couple of my favorite things:
- The whole dynamic that develops between January and Gus, their banter and (for the most part, once they've realized it could be that way) easy going communication.
- The slow-burn! How they’ve clearly liked each other for a long time but are very hesitant of taking it a step further for fear of "ruining" something good.
- The incredible tenderness with which very difficult/heavy subjects are discussed.
- The father-daughter relationship, how easy it seemed and how complicated it was actually revealed to be.
Do not get me wrong, at first glance, there is nothing quite new about this story: January Andrews moves in her dad's beach house and her new neighbour happens to be Gus Everett, her old college rival. The set up is very simple and if you read romance on the regular you might even already know where this is going.
But! This was written by Emily Henry and if there is one thing Emily Henry does well, it’s character psychology. She (in my humble opinion) absolutely nails it every. single. time. She does not hesitate to give her characters those very authentic imperfections and they end up feeling like very real, actual human beings. January's conflicted feelings about her father, his imperfections and his lies are such an accurate representation of humanity
I'll end this review with a list of a couple of my favorite things:
- The whole dynamic that develops between January and Gus, their banter and (for the most part, once they've realized it could be that way) easy going communication.
- The slow-burn! How they’ve clearly liked each other for a long time but are very hesitant of taking it a step further for fear of "ruining" something good.
- The incredible tenderness with which very difficult/heavy subjects are discussed.
- The father-daughter relationship, how easy it seemed and how complicated it was actually revealed to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Infidelity
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gus wertet mein Bild von den Gusses dieser Welt deutlich auf.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent