The Review

What’s worse than finding out at your father’s funeral he was living a second life with another women? Spending the summer prepping your father’s “Love Dungeon” to be sold and finding out your college nemesis lives next door, that’s what.

January Andrews didn’t believe her summer could get worse. Her father passed away, his mistress grants her the deed to his summer house, she’s broke and has the worse writers block of her life, and her mother refuses to talk about any of it. Then, to January’s disbelief, she learns that Augustus Everett is her new next-door neighbor this summer. Gus, as she called him in college, is everything that January is not. While she prefer to write romance where everyone lives their happily ever after, Gus writes “Hemingway circle-jerk fan fiction” aka depressing literary fiction where everyone dies at the end *yawn*. However, January soon learns that Gus too is stuck in a rut. In order for both authors to finally write their next novel they make a pact, January will set out to write the next Great American novel, and Gus will try his hand at penning a rom com. Whomever sells their novel to their publisher first wins.

At first, I had my doubts about the dynamic between January and Gus. Their interactions felt a bit forced, and I had a hard time believing in their competitive history. The book is told entirely from January’s perspective, which adds makes you wonder if the story is more “her” perspective of what happens through the eyes of a romance novelist. I say this because while the story is cute and sweet, I did find the interactions between January and Gus to be a little more “high school-esque” than two grown adults. However, as the story progressed, the cheesy-ness became easier to digest; but it was still strange to hear “literary novelist” Gus say some of the more stereotypical rom com dialogue. Further making me wonder if January is editing reality as she retells the story.

Where Emily Henry’s writing style succeeded was in setting the scene. I loved reading about the different type of “research dates” January and Gus participated in. I thought this was such a fun way to go about getting the characters to open up more to each other, but also provide an added romantic feel to a novel that was leaning more toward nihilism and comprehending grief. However, I did prefer January’s choices over Gus’s. It made me want to implement these type of dates with my husband.

Despite these initial reservations, “Beach Read” delivered a much-needed dose of warmth and positivity. The characters, with their individual struggles and complex pasts, added depth to the story, while the humor and banter kept me engaged throughout. Ultimately, despite its flaws, “Beach Read” stands as a delightful romantic comedy that succeeds in providing an enjoyable and uplifting reading experience.

I ultimately give Beach Read 3.5 stars. But I will round down to 3 stars on Goodreads as it ultimately does not match the other 4 star novels I have read so far.

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Short Review (AKA TLDR)

“Beach Read” by Emily Henry is a summer tale filled with unexpected challenges and newfound connections. January Andrews finds herself facing a series of unfortunate events, from discovering her father’s secret life to struggling with writer’s block and encountering her college rival, Augustus Everett, as her neighbor. Initially skeptical of their dynamic and the book’s perspective solely through January’s eyes, I found their interactions somewhat forced and reminiscent of high school. However, as the story unfolds, the cheesiness becomes more palatable, leading me to wonder if January’s perspective may be altering reality. Despite these reservations, the novel succeeds in setting the scene and offers enjoyable “research dates” that foster emotional openness and add a romantic touch to a narrative exploring grief and nihilism. While I preferred January’s choices over Gus’s, the characters’ struggles and engaging banter provide depth and keep readers invested. Ultimately, “Beach Read” provides a much-needed dose of warmth and positivity, although it falls slightly short of my other four-star reads, earning a solid 3.5-star rating.