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Book Review: Beach Read by Emily Henry
- Taylor
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
While this book took me a while to get into, I must admit that I was crying by the end! Here is my full review of Emily Henry’s Beach Read.
Overview:
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Academic rivals to lovers, next-door neighbors, and a second chance.
Summary:
January Andrews has had a front seat in the world's greatest love story. Her parents celebrated the highs and danced through life's lows, showing January that no matter what, love conquers all. She went on to be a successful romance author living in NYC with her college sweetheart. Her life was set up for a storybook ending, until her dad's mistress gave her the keys to his second home while at his funeral. Now she is uninspired, single, and living in a small lake town her dad forgot to mention.
Spoiler-free Review:
The only reason this book wasn’t five stars was that it took me a while to get into it. I thought the beginning was a bit slow, but it really picks up about halfway through. I rarely cry real tears while reading, and I did. Lots of them. This book was wholesome beyond measure, and the characters underwent significant positive character development. The romance was swoon-worthy, and the plot was fresh and unique.
*** Spoilers ahead! Read at your own risk :)***
Plot:
I loved the deal that was made between January and Gus to complete their books. I must say, I was beyond confused when the cult was introduced into the plot, but I actually think it worked out great! It broke up the romance and wrapped it up nicely with the theme of loss and the trauma it caused. It gave the book some more substance.
While the book is categorized as a contemporary romance, I felt that it read more like a fiction book with a romantic element, and I enjoyed that there was more to the plot than just January and Gus’s love story. That's not to say there was no romance; there was plenty!
The Letters:
When January found the letters from her father, it broke me. I was sobbing. They were so sweet and genuine that I didn’t know what to do after but sit and stare at the wall. Reading what he wrote to his daughter over the years, good and bad, was exactly what this book needed. This subplot line rounded out the book in a way that was both intentional and well done.
Loss and Grief:
Throughout the book, January works through not only the loss of her father but also the loss of everything she ever believed about her parents' relationship and love in general. I think she remained relatively positive throughout the book, despite her life falling apart around her. It was really beautiful to watch January fall in love with herself again.
I enjoyed seeing how January and Gus helped each other. Gus learning how to fall in love and accept love after his divorce was way more wholesome than I could have imagined, and I think that he went from being an okay character to one of my favorites.
The Chemistry:
The chemistry between January and Gus was undeniable from the very beginning. Before Gus had even been fully introduced, you could tell that his character was important to January. She mentioned his books and right away I knew, but when the neighbor was brought in I was thinking that there might be a love triangle (which is not my favorite trope out there). I was hooked as soon as she realized it was him.
I liked the slow burn from academic rivals to friends to lovers. It was perfect! When they finally gave in, it was everything I needed and more. The bookshelf scene?? Need I say more?
Overall:
If I could describe this book in one word, it would be wholesome. I liked this book more than I thought I would and highly recommend it for a lake day (not a beach day) or if you enjoyed books like Happy Place by Emily Henry or Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez!
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