Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Beach Read by Emily Henry

91 reviews

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

I've been in a reading slump for the last few months and I am very glad this the book that broke me out out of it. 

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challenging emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes

Didn't shatter my world or anything but it was entertaining.

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adventurous challenging emotional funny 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: No

 It may be that I relate to Gus, it may be that I relate to January, but I absolutely loved this book.

I have cried in two books in my life (now three after this one), but this book hit close to home. It was a beautiful love story that went through ups and downs; they showed what it was like to learn to love and trust another person as well as yourself.

***semi-spoiler***
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I have a complicated relationship with my dad and the way January describes her view of her dad and how it changes throughout the novel is everything that I have felt at one time or another. This was such a healing book to have at this point in my life. Thank you, Emily Henry.

p.s. I read the UK ending first and then the US ending. Personally, I like the UK ending, although both of them have callbacks to their relationship seen throughout the book. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad 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

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adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It's got an unputdownable quality as other Emily Henry books possess too. I found it a little twee and very American and sometimes it got on my nerves (it's a little Twilight; big bad damaged wolf boy and innocent little girl next door is the dynamic). But the author actually covers some really dark themes and she manages it really sensitively and with a lot of reality and emotion. And the sex scenes... 🤭 So good! 
Ultimately I did love reading it, just not as much as I enjoyed People We Meet on Vacation. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark funny reflective relaxing sad 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

Beach Read is a huge comfort read for me. I love the setting, I love Emily Henry's balance of humor and hurt. This was the first Emily Henry book I ever read, and it feels like returning to a vacation rental: a safe and sunny space where I know exactly what's waiting for me, and I can just recharge.

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Meh?

This was a fine read and there were elements of it I definitely enjoyed, but the FMC got under my skin quite a bit. I do think this book could have benefited from a split perspective because the MMC seemed to be dealing with a ton of emotional baggage that we only really get to see at a distance. The miscommunication trope was too heavy at times and the FMC’s assumptions on what the MMC was thinking were frustrating.

I did love the story being set in West Michigan, it’s a beautiful area that could use some more love in fiction! 

I also loved Pete, Maggie, and Shadi. I now desperately want to own a coffee/bookshop in a coastal town in Michigan (with better espresso, of course).

Overall I’d recommend to anyone who wants a quick romance read, or, you know, a good beach read.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

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emotional funny hopeful 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: Yes

This book made me cry (in a good way) about 4 different times. Ugh, just so good.

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emotional hopeful medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

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