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emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence
Minor: Vomit
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
I feel like anybody who knows about this book has already read it so I’m probably not gonna say anything that hasn’t been said before. That being said somebody try and shut me up, and you will not succeed ✌🏻
My first book by EH and I was captivated by her storytelling. A slower pace book and yet I was hooked from the very beginning 🥺
It was a beautiful, heartwarming, emotional story that shows not everything in life is perfect or how we initially expect it but sometimes it can be if you give it a chance and believe in it, and I personally thought that was beautiful. Safe to say January and Gus will remain in my heart for a very long time❤️🩹
Both were both complex characters, with their own family dynamics, that found their way towards each other for a second time to stay. Talk about being shocked to the core and yet coming stronger on the other side of it. I laughed at their banter and cried at their heart aches but above all I loved them through their self-discovery journey, both alone and together.
I don’t know how the rest of her books can get any better than this but I’m excited to find out 💓
Tropes:
-college rivals turned neighbours
-grumpy x sunshine
-second chance
-forced proximity
-0.5🌶️
My first book by EH and I was captivated by her storytelling. A slower pace book and yet I was hooked from the very beginning 🥺
It was a beautiful, heartwarming, emotional story that shows not everything in life is perfect or how we initially expect it but sometimes it can be if you give it a chance and believe in it, and I personally thought that was beautiful. Safe to say January and Gus will remain in my heart for a very long time❤️🩹
Both were both complex characters, with their own family dynamics, that found their way towards each other for a second time to stay. Talk about being shocked to the core and yet coming stronger on the other side of it. I laughed at their banter and cried at their heart aches but above all I loved them through their self-discovery journey, both alone and together.
I don’t know how the rest of her books can get any better than this but I’m excited to find out 💓
Tropes:
-college rivals turned neighbours
-grumpy x sunshine
-second chance
-forced proximity
-0.5🌶️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If a book is billed as a romance novel but the romance isn't the most memorable part of the novel, either the romance sucks or the story is so well developed that it punches much higher than typical for its genre. For me Beach Read falls into the latter category with such strong characterization and plot development that the romance sits comfortably in the backseat for most of the ride. There's certainly a lot of romantic beats and some spicy scenes, but I found myself far more engrossed with both characters' narratives and how they play off and almost heal from their broken pasts together.
The plot is genius pairing off two authors with polar opposite styles and reversing them both in their professional work and in their personal lives. While there's plenty of hilarious hijinks, Emily Henry's sarcastic and snappy character banter elevates the material while still keeping the dialogue smart and witty (which I'm learning is the norm after also reading Book Lovers last month). I also thought the leads are both well-developed with elaborate backstories and upbringing and have great chemistry. I often find romance leads to either be too emotionally volatile and dramatic or stereotypically too smooth and charming but both January and Augustus are balanced well enough that neither comes off as being ridiculous (aka me as a reader wanting to chuck the book and characters out the window while reading). The prose and writing is also a treat. I personally find a lot of 1st person perspective narratives to have redundant phrasing and "I did this, I did that", but there's absolutely none of that here. I feel like I've been burned repeatedly lately by so many popular contemporary novels' prose of late, reading Emily Henry's works are restoring my faith that not all modern fiction works have mediocre writing.
There's also quite a bit of heavy themes covering the loss of loved ones (both mortality-related and abandonment-related), child abuse, and familial betrayal, but Henry smoothly transitions between the dramatic and comedic elements seamlessly. The finesse to how these topics are touched on that keeps the read hopeful and comfortable without feeling childish or unambitious. I wasn't hugely familiar with the story's plot other than two opposite authors switching styles, but the surprise discovery of a plot element involving cult survivors and research pinged my interest. There are so many great quotes covered in these interview sequences with two past survivors that you almost wonder if Henry herself also did her own research similar to Gus while writing the story.
If I have to find a fault anywhere in this novel, it would be the last chapter which serves as a closing epilogue. The entire novel is paced so well, slowly unraveling without dragging as January and Gus's relationship and writing grow. SpoilerAnd then suddenly for two characters that have a hard time trusting and opening up to other people, Gus suddenly proposes out the blue only a year later? Also for the amount of time spent on both characters meticulously working on their novels, the reveal of both finished stories and their endings feels a bit lacking and rushed. The rest of Beach Read has such excellent commentary and analysis of the experiences that makeup who people are and I wanted that same level of reflection covered on each writer's story (we don't even get to hear how the rest of Eleanor's found family ends nor what happens to her actual family following the discovery of her father's previous family). Likewise Beach Reads' consistent messages shows how not everything has a perfect happy ending and one should live in the happiness one feels in the present instead, yet Gus's proposal and January's sale of the beach house directly conflicts that. Compared to the rest of the plot, this whole section feels rather contrived.
Minor gripe mentioned above aside, Beach Reads is in the solid 5-star range for me. While at times I wasn't completely sold or interested in Book Lovers drama-focused aspects, I was thoroughly invested in Beach Read's. I need my romance novels (or really any novel in general) to hit hard instead of giving me comfy shallow fluff and this one did that and more!
The plot is genius pairing off two authors with polar opposite styles and reversing them both in their professional work and in their personal lives. While there's plenty of hilarious hijinks, Emily Henry's sarcastic and snappy character banter elevates the material while still keeping the dialogue smart and witty (which I'm learning is the norm after also reading Book Lovers last month). I also thought the leads are both well-developed with elaborate backstories and upbringing and have great chemistry. I often find romance leads to either be too emotionally volatile and dramatic or stereotypically too smooth and charming but both January and Augustus are balanced well enough that neither comes off as being ridiculous (aka me as a reader wanting to chuck the book and characters out the window while reading). The prose and writing is also a treat. I personally find a lot of 1st person perspective narratives to have redundant phrasing and "I did this, I did that", but there's absolutely none of that here. I feel like I've been burned repeatedly lately by so many popular contemporary novels' prose of late, reading Emily Henry's works are restoring my faith that not all modern fiction works have mediocre writing.
There's also quite a bit of heavy themes covering the loss of loved ones (both mortality-related and abandonment-related), child abuse, and familial betrayal, but Henry smoothly transitions between the dramatic and comedic elements seamlessly. The finesse to how these topics are touched on that keeps the read hopeful and comfortable without feeling childish or unambitious. I wasn't hugely familiar with the story's plot other than two opposite authors switching styles, but the surprise discovery of a plot element involving cult survivors and research pinged my interest. There are so many great quotes covered in these interview sequences with two past survivors that you almost wonder if Henry herself also did her own research similar to Gus while writing the story.
If I have to find a fault anywhere in this novel, it would be the last chapter which serves as a closing epilogue. The entire novel is paced so well, slowly unraveling without dragging as January and Gus's relationship and writing grow. SpoilerAnd then suddenly for two characters that have a hard time trusting and opening up to other people, Gus suddenly proposes out the blue only a year later? Also for the amount of time spent on both characters meticulously working on their novels, the reveal of both finished stories and their endings feels a bit lacking and rushed. The rest of Beach Read has such excellent commentary and analysis of the experiences that makeup who people are and I wanted that same level of reflection covered on each writer's story (we don't even get to hear how the rest of Eleanor's found family ends nor what happens to her actual family following the discovery of her father's previous family). Likewise Beach Reads' consistent messages shows how not everything has a perfect happy ending and one should live in the happiness one feels in the present instead, yet Gus's proposal and January's sale of the beach house directly conflicts that. Compared to the rest of the plot, this whole section feels rather contrived.
Minor gripe mentioned above aside, Beach Reads is in the solid 5-star range for me. While at times I wasn't completely sold or interested in Book Lovers drama-focused aspects, I was thoroughly invested in Beach Read's. I need my romance novels (or really any novel in general) to hit hard instead of giving me comfy shallow fluff and this one did that and more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Grief
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Somehow I had a hunch in the beginning that this book was meant to be savored, not rushed through to get to the end. And boy I wasn't wrong.
January Andrews, a popular romance writer moves into a lake house for the summer to spend her days by the water clearing her writer's block so that she can write her next bestseller and meanwhile comes face to face with some family secrets that upended her life. Coincidentally, she comes across Augustus Everett, a famous literary fiction writer as her neighbour who also happened to be her college nemesis. Lo and behold, Gus is also going through a tough writing process. So, together they strike a deal to get out of this rut by switching out their preferred writing genre with each other and help one another to understand the process of writing their newly assigned genre fiction. The only condition is that : they must not fall in love with each other. Righttt.
This was my first time reading an Emily Henry book therefore I wasn't sure what to expect. What drew me in was the promise of good old trope enemies-to-lovers romance. But, it was more than that. There was ample of witty, flirty and humourous banter between Gus and January that sure had me laughing but in between there were also family dramas, insecurities, betrayal, heartbreak, lust, angst, unconditional parental love, battle with terminal illness, abusive relationship, perseverance, friendship that withstand every ups and downs of life, grief of losing a loved one, joy, new found hope, second chance at love, trust, happiness and life - an amalgamation of contrasting experiences of human life skillfully captured by the author between the pages. I could relate with January on a personal level regarding her never ending grief of paternal loss. That's why when she started reading those letters from her father my heart felt like it was breaking into tiny little pieces. It was somewhat a cathartic experience nevertheless.
While January might be sometimes a little awkward, blunt who wears her heart on her sleeves, oftentimes her spurts of contemplation and maturity took me by surprise. Whereas Gus was the broody, mysterious one who prefers to keep his emotions in check and his considerateness proved that he's more than meets the eye. Although their perception of life, values, beliefs might not be the same but somehow they click together perfectly. Both of their journeys of self-discovery intertwined with the process from their disliking for one another to companionship and ultimately towards intimacy was beautifully woven. Even though the entire book is written from January's POV the few inclusion of Gus's POV made it worthwhile. The crackling tension between these two was so palpable that I was about to lose my goddamn mind. Every word coming out of Gus' mouth had me sighing, giggling, blushing and swooning! He's the true gem.
The title mi ht seem to be a deceiving one because it's not your typical fun, light beach read rather it consists of more substance and emotional depth than it suggests. It's another evidence of the author's incisive humour which was present throughout the book and her attempt to make a clever jab at the common perception of women's literary fiction. Even though the ending was wholesome, I was hoping to get more of January and Gus as a couple living together but I guess the author was mindful to pay attention to their need for happy-for-now. Regardless, the rollercoaster ride of emotions, infused with a healthy dose of sarcasm and love written with perfect pace made the journey of Gus and January and unforgettable read and they will always have a piece of my heart.
January Andrews, a popular romance writer moves into a lake house for the summer to spend her days by the water clearing her writer's block so that she can write her next bestseller and meanwhile comes face to face with some family secrets that upended her life. Coincidentally, she comes across Augustus Everett, a famous literary fiction writer as her neighbour who also happened to be her college nemesis. Lo and behold, Gus is also going through a tough writing process. So, together they strike a deal to get out of this rut by switching out their preferred writing genre with each other and help one another to understand the process of writing their newly assigned genre fiction. The only condition is that : they must not fall in love with each other. Righttt.
This was my first time reading an Emily Henry book therefore I wasn't sure what to expect. What drew me in was the promise of good old trope enemies-to-lovers romance. But, it was more than that. There was ample of witty, flirty and humourous banter between Gus and January that sure had me laughing but in between there were also family dramas, insecurities, betrayal, heartbreak, lust, angst, unconditional parental love, battle with terminal illness, abusive relationship, perseverance, friendship that withstand every ups and downs of life, grief of losing a loved one, joy, new found hope, second chance at love, trust, happiness and life - an amalgamation of contrasting experiences of human life skillfully captured by the author between the pages. I could relate with January on a personal level regarding her never ending grief of paternal loss. That's why when she started reading those letters from her father my heart felt like it was breaking into tiny little pieces. It was somewhat a cathartic experience nevertheless.
While January might be sometimes a little awkward, blunt who wears her heart on her sleeves, oftentimes her spurts of contemplation and maturity took me by surprise. Whereas Gus was the broody, mysterious one who prefers to keep his emotions in check and his considerateness proved that he's more than meets the eye. Although their perception of life, values, beliefs might not be the same but somehow they click together perfectly. Both of their journeys of self-discovery intertwined with the process from their disliking for one another to companionship and ultimately towards intimacy was beautifully woven. Even though the entire book is written from January's POV the few inclusion of Gus's POV made it worthwhile. The crackling tension between these two was so palpable that I was about to lose my goddamn mind. Every word coming out of Gus' mouth had me sighing, giggling, blushing and swooning! He's the true gem.
The title mi ht seem to be a deceiving one because it's not your typical fun, light beach read rather it consists of more substance and emotional depth than it suggests. It's another evidence of the author's incisive humour which was present throughout the book and her attempt to make a clever jab at the common perception of women's literary fiction. Even though the ending was wholesome, I was hoping to get more of January and Gus as a couple living together but I guess the author was mindful to pay attention to their need for happy-for-now. Regardless, the rollercoaster ride of emotions, infused with a healthy dose of sarcasm and love written with perfect pace made the journey of Gus and January and unforgettable read and they will always have a piece of my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Medical trauma, Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Este libro es excelente y tiene todo lo que tiene que tener un libro de romance, le saqué 25 puntos porque no hay foreplay y me hubiese gustado que las escenas sexuales fueran un poco más largos y desarrolladas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Infidelity
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Suicide
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury