Beach Read by Emily Henry
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Web ID: 13786981perfect summer read!
I loved this book, I flew through it. I had so much fun reading it. Banter was there, chemistry was there. Yes!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not My Favorite
3 ⭐️ Although I enjoyed this book more than Book Lovers, I could only give it 3 stars.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Funny romance with serious topics underneath
January’ sarcastic banter with Gus was a lot of fun, but this book also dove into some serious issues in their pasts—love and loss, family secrets and forgiveness, and being brave enough to try something new. I loved seeing how they helped each other process it, grow and change.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Utter perfection
REVIEW cw: mentions of cancer, adultery, death, grief, religious cults and violence, child abuse and DV Former college rivals, now authors Augustus Everett and January Andrews' novels couldn't be any different. One writes literary fiction, the other romance. The only thing they have in common? Both have severe writer's block. When they inadvertently reunite at neighbouring lakeside houses, they strike a deal to force themselves out of their creative ruts: Augustus (Gus) will write a draft of January's romance novel and January will write an Augustus-style bleak literary fiction novel. This was not the book I thought it was going to be. At all. I mean that in the best possible way. I genuinely thought I was about to read a light-hearted, frothy romance, especially given the blurb (I hasten to add, I also LOVE reading these types of stories), but instead, I was treated to a nuanced examination of overcoming grief, betrayal, childhood trauma, and mistrust. I loved January. My heart broke for her as she had to slowly make sense of her past, alongside the reality of the lies that had been woven by her father. I found these parts so well-written, especially considering this was a debut novel. Cheating is a bit of a trigger for me, so I never expected to feel so much compassion for Sonya, and definitely not for January's father. While neither she nor Walt's actions were acceptable, the author allowed us to see their regrets, and I loved how January was able to realise her own fortitude after the revelations. As for the letters? I was sobbing, utterly wrecked reading them alongside January. I also appreciated how she reassessed her previous relationships, particularly this line: He fit so perfectly into the love story I’d imagined for myself that I mistook him for the love of my life. I don't think I've ever identified with a character more! I completely empathised with her mistrust and self-doubt about relationships from the depths of my heart, but I LOVED how she was slowly able to open up to Gus, and the development of their relationship was so moving. I loved Gus immediately. He was such a complicated cinnamon roll with so many layers. My heart broke for him when he revealed some of his past and the way he'd processed his trauma. It's no secret I ADORE pining, and it was done SO well here. They were so cute together, and their chemistry felt authentic. C.23 was utter perfection, and, even though I'd seen it coming, I was fist-pumping the air when he was finally able to open up to January. And the banter! It was SUBLIME. I loved the shorthand of their conversations as the story progressed as well as all of their notes to each other. I also loved their people-watching stories, as well as their conversations with hypothetical storylines. I would definitely read the Ferris wheel operator story, Gus's cult romance, as well as 'Family Secrets', not to mention their entire back catalogue of published books. While this was a gorgeous slow-burn, (kinda) second-chance, enemies-to-lovers romance, aside from the romance and family drama, there was some excellent commentary on creative writing. January was so relatable, and I identified with her writer's block. Those scenes made me itch with understanding, and even though I've never published anything, the anxiety over deadlines was so relatable and engaging. I also loved the research 'dates' they went on, and though it was heartbreaking, the interviews with the cult member's relatives were fascinating. January's friend, Shadi was hilarious but also wise, and I adored Pete, Gus's aunt, and her wife Maggie. They were hilarious but also so tender towards both Gus and January. The ending tied everything up perfectly, and I LOVED that they expressly spoke of HFN. And while I ADORED Gus reciting January's dedication from her first novel, his dedication at the end was truly swoon-worthy. Utter perfection. Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Heat Rating: 🔥🔥
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Perfect Coastal Romance!
I throughly loved this book. The emotional rollercoaster of both characters and the intensity of their sexual tension kept me wanting more. January and Gus were very relatable in terms of building a love story between two complicated humans. Books like this make you believe in love.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
The Perfect Beach Read (Shameless Pun Intended)
As a romance reader I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As writer with writers block….I enjoyed it even more. This creative spin on a writer's retreat romance was just what I needed. In Beach Read, we get to watch the adorable competition between Gus (Grumpy) and January (Sunshine) as they work to outshine each other in their own respective genres: Depressive Dystopian & Romance. Their once old college flame of passion re-ignites as they challenge each other to break out of the comfort zones of their writing & their life. The banter was perfect! The T-Swiftie-sk note sharing was adorable! The tension & passion was steamy!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Very Catchy
Definitely a story line you will not forget! I read it two years ago and still remember the lake scene!
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
My fave Em Hen
My forever fave Emily Henry. This book is such a lovely mix of love and pain. We meet January when she is at the lowest point in her life and follow her as she struggles to find herself and rediscover her sense of self. I adores all of the side characters, especially the red, white Russian, and blue book club. I found myself so strongly identifying with January's struggle to find herself and feeling like she's still slipping away from the version of herself she wants to hold on to. The love story is fun and sweet and compliments January's growth with distracting from it or being an easy magical fix. Literally a perfect Beach Read.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com