"Beach Read" Book Review

Not my favorite Emily Henry book.

Beach Read by Emily Henry was my least favorite Emily Henry book. While the novel brought the same love story and humor as her other books this one fell flat for me. It was also the first Emily Henry book I had listened to and may have contributed to my feelings.

January Andrews is a romance author with the deadline for her 5th book quickly approaching but she can't seem to find it in her to write it. Her father has died revealing his second life ( while she always thought her parents had a fairy tale marriage), her six-year relationship has ended, and her relationship with her mom hasn't been the same since finding out about her dad. On top of that, she is broke and is forced to clean out her dad's secret house in his childhood town while living there.

When January reaches the house she'll be staying in, her neighbor who she doesn't get off on the right foot happens to be her college rival Gus Everett. Gus is also a writer struggling through the book he is writing in a completely different genre (think Jack Reacher).

The pair place a bet to write in each other's genres to see who can sell their book the fastest. As a friendship begins to blossom will sparks also fly with the pair?

In my opinion, January is not a likable character. I found her to be difficult and always feeling bad for herself. Gus and January have a rollercoaster of a relationship and some parts of the complicated relationship are hard to believe. While the book is supposed to be a fun romcom it has this dark cynical side that makes it less of a romcom.

I found Beach Read by Emily Henry disappointing and not what I expected. This is an Emily Henry book you can pass on.