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Beach Read | Book Review

Date
Aug, 10, 2020
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Beach Read by Emily Henry

Going by my Goodreads and Bookstagram feeds, Beach Read seems to be the book of Summer 2020. Seriously! Not a day goes by without me seeing Emily Henry’s latest offering included in a book haul, added to a TBR, or getting a bright shiny review. Sooooooo, I bought the hype. And I managed to get a hold of both the audio and Kindle versions of Beach Read, courtesy of my local library.

Synopsis

Romance/Women’s Lit writer, January Andrews, inherits her recently deceased father’s beach house – read: love shack he shared with his mistress. Her next-door neighbor is literary fiction writer Augustus Everett, her college nemesis.
 
January has unpacking to do, so it’s no wonder she has writer’s block. With an end of summer deadline looming, she needs a breakthrough, and Gus has an idea. Gus will write a romance, and January will write the Great American Novel. And romance ensues. 

Review

I can see why Beach Read has accumulated good reviews. It’s witty. The dialogue is snappy. The pop-culture references are perfect. And the callbacks! I love a good callback, and this book has several. The scenes where January and Gus share notes across their facing windows will bring a sweet knowing smile to your face. Picture John Cusack with a boombox over his head in the rain. You know but indoors, with notebooks and sharpies.

 
Emily Henry attempts to root her characters in the real world by giving them real-world problems. January is not in a great place financially but is taking responsible steps to change that. Still, there is plenty of whimsy and moments that require the suspension of disbelief. As for the romance itself, Gus’ interest in January is a bit obsessive. It’s not disturbing enough to make me dislike the book, but enough for me to tilt my head and consider it. 
 
Let me now praise our hero Gus. January experiences “book shame” related to her published genre of women’s lit. Gus is quick to point out she is a very talented writer, and he doesn’t think less of her for not being categorized as literary fiction. Another point of praise for Gus is that January is allowed to cry. There is never a moment where his discomfort takes importance over her expression of emotion. January is just allowed to feel in a safe space. There are no bribing/begging negotiations to make her better instantly. 

Final Thoughts

Writing a good rom-com is no easy feat. We know all the tropes and all the steps from meet-cute to happily ever after. Emily Henry gets full marks for snappy, witty dialogue, and believable chemistry. Beach Read is good, but not great.

As I mentioned, I read along as I listened. You may remember, I’m picky with audiobooks. I recommend reading if that is your overall preference. If you’re more an Audible reader, Julia Whelan will ensure you hear character inflections as intended. 

Rating 3.75/5

I, initially, considered this a full 4 star read – and my Goodreads still reflects that. Here’s the math on how I got to 3.75 stars. Minus 1 star for a blah-ish climax. Minus half a star for one particular grand gesture at the end. Redemption of a quarter star for the grand-ish gesture near the end involving Sinead O’Connor – again think John Cusack with a boombox in the rain.

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