Reviews - Beach Read | The StoryGraph

76.5k reviews for:

Beach Read

Emily Henry

4.07 AVERAGE

quejk25's review against another edition

3.5

emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

chrissiesbooknook's review against another edition

2.5

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I went in with high expectations and unfortunately this just did not reach them. The banter between Gus and January was the highlight for me. Their dialogue was sharp and playful and carried the story when other parts felt lacking. The writing style itself is easy to read and there were moments that were genuinely funny and charming.

Where it lost me was in the emotional core. The grief element felt too neatly wrapped up and never really dug into the messy, raw layers of loss. Having recently lost my dad, I was hoping to feel more connected to January's journey but instead it felt glossed over in favor of the romance. The pacing also did not help as the middle dragged and the ending felt rushed and weak.

In the end it was cute in places but not the emotional or impactful story I was hoping for. Even the title feels misleading because nothing about this felt like a true beach read. For me it was fine but ultimately forgettable.

shelbylr_332's review against another edition

5.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I think I actually loved this more than Happy Place. I was in tears in the end there.

Random thoughts:
1. I stayed up until 3am to finish reading this because I was glued to the screen.
2. The humor is so funny. Like I read a few passages to my husband who is categorically someone who roasts me for my book choices and even he laughed.
3. I think this would make an excellent feel good limited series on Netflix or something.
4. The only con I can really come up with was that the Sonya of it all felt a smidge underdeveloped. But it wasn’t a huge detractor. Maybe a little more development of Gus’ shift from grump to end game. Idk, these types of novels always feel like the last lap in Mario kart in the finals chapters. Maybe it’s me.
5. Sobbing in the club over “January, today I am your father.”
6. I hope someday someone describes me as Galadriel Lady of the Golden Wood mixed with an aging Stevie Nicks.

One of my favorite lines:
“That’s the key to marriage. You have to keep falling in love with every new version of each other, and it’s the best feeling in the whole world.”

Anyway, maybe I’ll crack open Book Lovers next.

friedshrimptail's review against another edition

4.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!
(for dates sake, i picked up the audiobook 2 days ago and continued the physical book today)

OH MY !! i wish i could remember WHY i dropped this book so long ago, but i’m so glad i picked it back up! i am such a sucker for the ‘he’s always had a crush on her’ trope