Book Review: Beach Read by Emily Henry

I am pleased to be welcoming Emily Henry to Novel Kicks today and the blog tour for her latest novel, Beach Read. 

TWO WRITERS, ONE HOLIDAY. A ROMCOM WAITING TO HAPPEN…

January is a hopeless romantic who narrates her life like she’s the lead in a blockbuster movie.
Gus is a serious literary type who thinks true love is a fairy-tale.

But January and Gus have more in common than you’d think:

They’re both broke.
They’ve got crippling writer’s block.
And they need to write bestsellers before summer ends.

The result? A bet to swap genres and see who gets published first.
The risk? In telling each other’s stories, their worlds might be changed entirely…

January has just lost her father, she’s facing a publishing deadline and then she realises that her nemesis, Gus, is her new neighbour.

As they begin to talk and make a bet, they discover things about each other that they wouldn’t have imagined and revelations that will change their lives.

I love this novel and found it so addictive. I couldn’t stop reading and when I wasn’t, I couldn’t wait to get back to it.

Gus and January are enthralling characters and an interesting couple. Both felt so real and normal. They were flawed, layered, unique and each carry their own emotional baggage. I loved them as a potential couple. What actually happens, I am not going to tell.

The plot was compelling and unlike books i’ve read before. However, at the same time, it held the same charm that my favourite romantic comedies hold. In fact, I could see this as a movie. The setting was so vivid and I wanted to jump into the novel.

I loved the many themes and messages this book offered. It looks at love, friendship, the importance of communication, grief and the art of writing which, for someone like me who is working on her first book, added another aspect to the story. I laughed, smiled, cried and got totally invested in both the story and the characters.

Beach Read is a perfect romantic comedy and a wonderful way to escape reality for a while.

About Emily Henry:

Emily Henry studied creative writing at Hope College and the New York Center for Art and Media Studies. She is a full-time writer and proofreader.

Her first book, The Love That Split the World, was published in 2016.

Beach Read was published by Penguin and the eBook is available now. The paperback is due for realise in the UK in August. Click to view on Amazon UK (*eBook currently 99 pence) and Amazon US.

Say hi to Emily on Twitter.

*price correct at time of publication

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.