User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
This is my favorite romance read of the year. It came at the second place throughout the voting on goodreads choice awards. But my thoughts haven’t changed! I loved it so so so much!💞💞💞💞
OH MYYYYY GOODNESSSSSS! Finally literature gods heard my prayers that I’ve been requesting to read a fantastic romance that I’ve been craving for so long! I need something heart wrenching, shaking me to the core, help me feel everything at the same time: happiness, angst, joy, forgiveness, enjoyment, resentment, hurting! Yes, I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! I want to scream it! Oh, thankfully I already did!
I have to add that: This is not beach read. This is GLUED READ. You don’t want to end it and you don’t want to stop reading it so you carry your book at everywhere as if it’s one of your internal organs.
I expected to read something more chic lit, soft, sweet story but instead of that, I got an amazing fiction, a remarkable romance juggles between so many things at the same time from friendship, regrets, cancer, betrayal, dysfunctional families and their secrets, enemies to friends and friends to lovers, rivalry between the authors!
The things I loved mostly:
-Sarcastic but so smart, entertaining, unique dialogues between January and Gus
-The soul crushing, tear jerker, heart shattering, intense father and daughter relationship
-Captivating the story telling from the beginning: I couldn’t put down this book. I actually devour the pages (maybe I accidentally licked my kindle but its screen looks dustless and I’m the grossest person right now!), I couldn’t stop reading January and Gus’ growing attraction, their struggles to open up and their scares not to get hurt, their stupid and childish actions towards each other. Yes I had some many “awww” and sighing moments. My husband thought I was secretly ordering cases of French wines because I smiled so much and I got appointment from the surgeon because it glued to my face and I’m looking like worse version of Joker right now! I cannot stop!
-A witty plot: Two writers were nemesis from college now neighboring beach houses. They both have their deadlines for their books but they’re suffering from writer’s big bold scary blog! (Did it ever happen to me? Nope, after drinking, words pour out from my mind like torrent but next day editing them when you are sober is the most painful experience!) Gus thinks that HEA doesn’t exist but he can push himself to write about it and January could also write some high rated, complex fiction instead of swoony romances! So they bet and replace their places but for inspiration to do that they have to spend time together by experiencing the shiny and dark sides of the life. That means January will take him to carnival, romantic beach and field trips to watch the sunset as Gus takes him to hike at the graveyard or arrange an interview with a grieving woman who lost her death cult member sister. See, it was impossible not to get interested and hooked from the beginning!
-Characterization: January and Gus seems like polar opposites. One pessimist who had problematic childhood with his abusive father and one optimist Pollyanna who loves to see from the brighter side even though her childhood was affected by her mother’s big C hanging over her head like the Sword of Damocles. They are suffering from loneliness and their wrong choices about their love lives. Actually they have so much in common and don’t forget THE SIZZLING CHEMISTRY and UNDENIABLY GROWING ATTRACTION!
LAST PARTS OF THE BOOK: Oh boy! Please prepare your napkins, paper towels, anything to dry your non-stop dripping tears! I’m not giving spoiler but Ms. Henry is an emotional torturer knows exactly how to sing to our hearts, how to break into pieces and magically gathers each pieces and heals you with soul brushing, poignant words. She is a heart whisperer. She knows how to melt your heart!
OVERALL: This is not only one of my favorite books of this year but it is also gonna be my all-time favorite romance books! I’m so happy my great written romantic fiction craving is over!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this year’s one of the best books’ ARC
COPY with me in exchange my honest review. And Emily Henry, thank you for reaching my heart with your effective, soul touching, talented work.
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Rating: really liked it
His eyes were doing the thing, the Gus thing . . . and it made my chest flutter almost painfully.
I don't get it. What am I missing here?
Beach Read originally caught my eye because its premise reminded me of
Summer Villa, one of my favorite Hallmark movies. I know, I'm publicly admitting to being a sappy romantic at heart. And I'm proud of it. So why couldn't I get into this story at all?
For one, I didn't feel any chemistry between January and Gus. Nothing. Their interactions are so awkward and stilted, it was almost painful. They'll say mundane and platonic things to each other, and then sporadically, January will remind us that heat is filling her abdomen or pooling between her legs, and I'm like, Eh? I can't imagine how two people could possibly fall in love or lust while saying such bland things to each other.
This is the second book I've read by Emily Henry, and I've noticed that her female characters tend to be very twee and precious. They have extremely high expectations of what love is, need to be constantly reassured, and freak out at the smallest blip. At one point, January sees Gus's ex at a public event and she wants to scream and cry, before the woman has even said or done anything. And what's up with calling herself "dumb bunny"? Not to mention, she spends the entire time being upset with her dad over something that was none of her business. Suffice to say, it's all very exhausting.
As for Gus, we are told over and over that he has a crooked mouth and messy hair, wears rumpled and faded clothes, and has a sexy/evil look (what does that even mean?). Otherwise, his only characteristics are that he writes novels, and he adores January for no reasons that I could discern.
The writing style is fluffed out to the excess. There is so much mundane details about every event/non-event, from the multiple-page conversations on should they go or not go, to the logistical details (transportation/gift bringing/preferred topics of conversation) to the minutiae of everything that happens while at the event. And in between, every step of the way, it is interspersed with information on how January is feeling, how she thinks Gus must be feeling, and what this means for their relationship.
They are also constantly affirming what great people the other one is. Gus is dark and broken, but great! January is a fairy princess and a bright light, but great too! And they keep checking in to see if the other is happy. Like, are you happy? I am, are you happy? The conversations were so cheesy and trite, I was crying on the inside.
A good portion of this book is spent on the details of the stories they are each writing and their related research. One is a love story that takes place in a cult and the other is a love story that takes place... in a circus with clowns? I don't even know what I'm reading anymore.
Where is the flirty banter, the sexual tension, the obstacles to overcome? I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, or some interesting dialog, or some insight from this story. But nada. I'll be honest, this is one of the most boring books I've ever read.
My criteria for a romcom isn't that high. I want romance and comedy, but this book didn't satisfy either. I neither swooned nor laughed. I was mostly exhausted from boredom while waiting for this dull story to be over.
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See also, my thoughts on:People We Meet on Vacation
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Rating: really liked it
This was a fun read, but just that. At least for me. I read the synopsis and I was so excited, it sounded like a romance I NEEDED to read. I mean, the main characters are both authors that write totally opposite genres and they develop sort of a enemies to lovers relationship? I WAS SO IN. But sadly, I found it a little boring.
I may be the exception here. I've only read GREAT reviews for this one. Maybe it is because I'm not that into romance stories? SURE, I love romance IN my stories, just not so much if it's the main theme. But sometimes it can happens that a romance books sweeps me away and makes me swoon. Examples:
- To all the boys I've loved before
- The Hating Game
- Red, White & Royal Blue
So yes, there are a few romance books that I love, and I'm always trying to find the next one to add to that list, and I was hoping this was it. But it was not.
Nevertheless, it wasn't bad, I really enjoyed some parts and I was rooting for the main characters! And I really liked the dare. So: January is a romance author and Gus is writes dark literary fiction, and they dare each other to write the thing the other one usually writes! That's the sinopsys and it sounded awesome. It was kinda awesome.
But yeah, I didn't like the book as much as everyone else. The middle part dragged a bit to much and the way Gus handled the situation when things were getting hard was frustrating. And it wasn't a good kind of frustration, it was one that made me go: ugh STOP. Anyway, everyone is loving this book, so my opinion is an unpopular one.
. . .
Español:
Esta fue una lectura divertida, pero sólo eso. Por lo menos para mí. Leí la sinopsis y estaba súper emocionada, ¡sonaba como el romance que necesitaba leer YA! Es decir, ¿los personajes principales son autores que escriben géneros totalmente opuestos y van desarrollando una relación estilo enemies to lovers? SÍ, DAME POR FAVOR. Pero tristemente, me terminó aburriendo un poco.
Creo que soy la excepción aquí, pues sólo he leído reseñas EXCELENTES de este libro. Tal vez sea porque no me encantan los libros de romance. Sí, amo el romance DENTRO de las historias que leo, pero no me gusta mucho que sea el tema central. Eso sí, a veces pasa que uno que otro libro de romance me toma por sorpresa y me enamora. Ejemplos:
- A todos los chicos de los que me enamoré
- Cariño, cuánto te odio
- Rojo, Blanco y Sangre Azul
Así que sí, hay algunos pocos libros de romance que amo, y siempre estoy intentando encontrar el nuevo "ROMANCE QUE CLAU AMA" para agregar a la lista. Esperaba que este lo fuera. Pero no.
De todos modos, no estuvo mal. Disfruté mucho de algunas partes y sí quería que los personajes principales quedaran juntos. ¡Y de verdad me gustó mucho el reto! O sea: January es autora de romance y Gus escribe ficción literaria muy oscura, y se retan a escribir lo que el otro suele escribir. Esa es la sinopsis y sonaba increíble. Sí lo fue un poco, la verdad.
Pero sí, al final, este libro no me gustó tanto como a otros. La parte de en medio se alargó mucho y me frustraba bastante cómo Gus manejaba la situación cuando las cosas se ponían difíciles. Y no era una frustración de la buena, era más como: ugh ya basta. Jajajaja. En fin, soy minoría aquí, todo el mundo está amando el libro.
Rating: really liked it
I did what any reasonable adult woman would do when confronted with her college rival turned next-door neighbor. I dove behind the nearest bookshelf.
I really needed this book. I didn't realize how much I needed it until I was giggling along with all the awkwardness and banter and feeling like I'd been taken away from the dark, dreariness of this lockdown. It's exactly what it seems to be: a very cute, sweet romance.
Beach Read is a warm, summery story about a romance writer (January Andrews) and a vair vair serious literary writer (Augustus Everett) who have been long-time writing rivals ever since they attended college together. They find themselves in neighboring beach houses for the summer, each trying to write their next novel whilst doling out perfect comebacks to each other. What could possibly happen?
As they get to know each other a little better, they decide to strike a deal: Augustus will write a happily ever after and January will turn her talents to the serious world of literary fiction. Whoever sells their manuscript first, wins.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between January and Gus. It's not quite love/hate because the author stops short of really making them tear into each other, but there's a lot of tension created by their competitive history. The banter is funny; a little snarky at times, but good-natured. Emily Henry has also perfected that blend of broody and sweet with Gus-- it turns out Romance love interests can be both darkly mysterious and not assholes. Who'da thought?
The story is told entirely from January's POV, which I personally like. I prefer single perspective romance novels because I think a good portion of the tension comes from not knowing what's going on inside the other person's head.
I will say that I might have been more critical of some aspects of this if I was in a different mindset right now. While I expected the novel to be cute and a little cheesy, it is a bit more cheesy and sentimental than I usually prefer. I would have been happier without things like this:
"I don't need snowflakes." He kissed me. "As long as there's January."
I also expected it to be a little more saucy, lol. There’s sex scenes, for sure, but they’re cute and kinda dorky rather than tense and exciting. I know that a lot of people prefer that; I just thought the whole competing authors dynamic was pretty hot and would have liked to see that played upon a bit more. And I loved the jokey banter… I just sorta wanted them to stop the jokey banter DURING sex.
But, fuck it. This was such a heartwarming feel-good book. I had a good time, that's all I can say.
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Rating: really liked it
i feel like emily henry personally wrote this book for me. ngl i feel like emily henry writes all her books to me, because i connect to them on more than a surface level.✨✨
emily henry put her whole ass and tits into this book. i’ve read “people we meet on vacation” and enjoyed it but “beach read” is the fucking bread and butter yall. her writing is like no other and these characters are nothing is not precious. this is definitely going down as one of my all time favorite contemporary romance. 🥹
Gus is the definition of a man written by a woman. he is a true gem. for a book that’s entirely in one character’s pov, we got so much depth and structure to his character. he is a rarity and i love him so much. he was an easy character to fall head over heals in love with. from the things he says to the way he expresses his touch through his touch. i would literally fucking die for him. 😩
January was such a relatable and deep character. i honestly wasn’t expecting this book to reach any sort of heavy topic but i was aching for these characters, especially January. Her growth from the first few pages to those last was incredible to read about. she’s a baddie that deserves the world and nothing less. 💖
i was hooked from the start to the finish. the ending was the cutest thing ever and left me with the biggest smile on my face. emily writes her characters and plot so realistically. it’s refreshing. like i said before i was aching for these characters. they are my comfort characters and i’ll protect them at all cost bitch😭🤟🏽💖✨
Rating: really liked it
this was a goddamn delight!!
i know, i’m surprised too, another romance book that i loved? unheard of. tbh, i can’t even really explain my change of heart. maybe the turbulence of the year 2020 has softened me to the idea of cliche tropes and consistent Happily Ever Afters, maybe i’ve always been a squishy-hearted romantic in denial, or maybe i’m just finally learning how to pick titles that tickle my fancy...but i’m not really that invested in justifying my newfound love of literary love, i’m too busy having the time of my life.
beach read was soft and sweet, with lots of flirty banter mixed with family drama/discussions, and research about CULTS (yes u read that right). there was a good amount of purse-wine drinking and a killer second chance romance...and boy, did i enjoy it.
emily henry managed to strike a great balance between beachy, summertime fun & thoughtful convos about grief and childhood trauma. as someone who loves the wholesome romances, but also gravitates towards books about dark, sad shit, this hit a LOT of buttons for me (i’ll say it again, ~cults~)
i know that this has been getting an extraordinary amount of buzz, and i’m just a romance newbie who probably doesn’t have the cred to say what exactly is top tier. however, as someone with *too* specific taste most of the time, this definitely got the job done for me & u might like it too? or not, in which case, more gus everett for meeeeeeeee
Rating: really liked it
reread because i need a serotonin boost. this is the ultimate feel-good story. <3
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i have always enjoyed EHs diverse writing, but i think she has really come into her own with this story. there is so much i love about this, i really have no idea where to begin. the clever humour? the crackling chemistry between the two MCs? the tenderness with which heavy topics are discussed? the ease that i devoured the writing? the way i fell absolutely head over heels in love with this?
i laughed, i cried, i swooned, and i felt inspired.
so dont let the cover and title fool you - this is so much more than just a summer read. its perfection on paper.
i am eternally grateful to berkley publishing for sending me this ARC!↠ 5 stars
Rating: really liked it
I LOVED People We Meet on Vacation, but Beach Read just wasn’t for me. It’s not a bad book by any means! What’s unique about Emily Henry’s approach with romance is that her books feel less like a story revolving around relationships and more of a story focusing on individuals who come together and heal together. I appreciated the depth and internal struggles that the characters faced outside the relationship. For some reason though, I wasn’t feeling the romance. Instead, I found myself more invested in the plot of these two authors swapping genres rather than the romance itself (though the book barely touches upon the former).
Rating: really liked it
I read this book and then read it backwards and then read it bottom to top and then read all the even words and then read all the odd words and then read it underwater.
Of all the ways I read it, I recommend only reading it from beginning to end. It makes more sense that way and isn't as soggy. Five stars!
Emily Henry wrote this good.
Rating: really liked it
You can preorder my next book, Book Lovers (coming May 3, 2022 in the U.S.) here: https://www.josephbeth.com/book/97805...
I wrote this book because I wanted to do something fun but I still ended up making myself cry, so what's new?
Rating: really liked it
therapy: expensive
reading this romance between an author with writer's block and her gravedigger-turned-best-selling-novelist college rival/unfortunate crush/next-door neighbor, and fill the void that is (the lack of) your love life: considerably less expensive
Rating: really liked it
if I have to read another “crooked smile” again, I’m going to DIE.
Rating: really liked it
Emily Henry makes me believe in straight people again.
Rating: really liked it
Well shit, looks like I've found a romance author that works for me!
Vlog: https://youtu.be/F72FU13i0vw
Rating: really liked it
*yawn* I'm really sad I wasted my time on this romance that was completely overhyped, in my opinion.
I can't really describe what turned me off from this story, but I just could not get into January and Augustus' budding relationship as they both make a bet and write stories that are out of their comfort zone but ended up being stories that match the same structure as their previously published books. The stories they wrote took up a decent chunk of the plotline, in terms of research, and I just could not begin to care about their WIP or Augustus' out-there cult book.
I also just did not feel connected to January's past relationship with a seemingly perfect man named Jacques who seemed like a placement character whose existence is for the purpose of making January seem like a well-rounded character with a ~dark past~. I wish I could have connected to her character more, but there just was something missing that I can't put my finger on.
I don't know. The romance wasn't engaging, the characters' backstories didn't interest me, and after reading such amazing romances, I have higher standards for romances, and this was not it for me.
