Review ✎ Beach Read

Beach Read is an adult romance novel written by Emily Henry and published in 2020.

Where I enjoyed reading Book Lovers as much as I did, it was only natural that I picked up more of Henry’s work.

By now, I’ve mentioned how I look for books. Covers draw me in, and I enjoy the visual aesthetic of the bold colors and illustrations on the covers of her novels. They make me happy, and sometimes being happy is all that’s needed to spark my desire to read.

I absolutely devoured Beach Read, finishing it in less than two days. Experience has me convinced that my attention span is retained better with romance than any other genre, so at this point, the speed does not surprise me.

In comparison to Book Lovers, Henry tackles some more serious themes in Beach Read. The story that unfolded around those themes held my interest in a way I did not anticipate, especially because of my sensitivity to an aspect of the bigger picture.

When reading multiple books by the same author, there can be a similar structure to the story. Novels may read with a set structure with different characters and locations, and for some authors it becomes their thing. Two romance authors presently have my attention span in their hands, and one falls into that pattern.

Henry does not. I am incredibly thankful, though I honestly wouldn’t be disappointed if it were the case…but it’s not!

The journey January and Gus go on for their novel-writing bet felt real. I loved the progression, the ups-and-downs, and the growth that came as January took on a new genre. She was out of her comfort zone, and she went into it with the true dedication of someone who wanted to win.

I love the style and authorial voice that Emily Henry has in her writing. It’s why I wanted to read more of her work.

The romance in Beach Read was pleasant, and I enjoyed the competitive atmosphere and the way that the characters came together, supporting each other to succeed in their efforts. Unlike Book Lovers, it fell short of making me want to live their entire lives vicariously and until the end of time, but I loved having the opportunity to live in January and Augustus’s world for a couple days.