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Beach Read


SUMMARY

Two completely different people. Isn't that how every adult-fiction love story starts. Optimistic, love-believing woman meets sulky, socially awkward, but deliciously handsome man. Woman changes man to be a little happier, and man changes woman to be a little more realistic. Yada yada yada. Not in this one, my friends. Not in this one. 

January Andrews is a broke and broken romance writer that no longer believes in love after her father's recent death. In her eyes, he was always the perfect father and supporting husband, but she learns upon his demise that he had a long-term affair with another woman. Oddly enough, January decides to move into their house, her father and his mistress', in North Bear Shore Michigan for the summer hoping to sell it.

Augustus Everett writes literary fiction books that always end in literally death and destruction. He and January could not be more different. OK, they do have two things in common: (1) They are both in North Bear Shore for the summer. (2) Both Gus and January are in a creative slump and stricken with horrendous writer's block. Naturally, the two agree to a challenge: Gus will write a happy ending and January will write the Great American Novel. She'll teach him to be a rom-com gentleman, and he will take her to depressing interviews where she will learn all that is truly wrong with the world. Two conditions: both will finish a book AND (and that's a big 'and') no one will fall in love. Yeah right. 


REVIEW

As my introduction to the summary said, this novel is different than all the rest of the books of this nature I have read. I didn't expect it to be any different (no offense, Emily Henry). Cute, graphic summer cover, the back blurb that had the quote "They're polar opposites." in it, and the protagonist being named January (a unique name just like Clementine or Summer or Luna): these factors set my expectation for uniqueness pretty low. 

I was totally wrong. So fresh, so unique, so different. Beach Read is a breath of witty, fresh, and youthful air. I was pleasantly surprised. I read all 250 (give or take) pages in one sitting. 

This book does have some sex in it; it is an adult book after all. So, that's your warning for sexual content. The intimate scenes do not overshadow the integrity of the story which I really appreciate. This is not the case with a lot of books like Beach Read. I will be recommending this book for older girls for this reason; however, anyone who reads this blog knows that I have to be super careful about my age ranges. 

This is a sweet love story. They also go to a drive-in which I found very endearing, as there is a drive-in near my house too! (Lame I know, but you never know what will stick with you and make a story more personal.) Big thumbs up for Emily Henry's refreshing writing. 


Age Range: 16+
ISBN: 9781984806734
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Tags: adult fiction, adult romance, Emily Henry, summer 

*TW & other topics: grief, affairs, cancer, sex, abuse (minor), homosexuality (minor), language*

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