Beach Read by Emily Henry

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Title: Beach Read
Author: Emily Henry
Published by: Penguin Audio
Release Date: May 19, 2020
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Length: 10 hours and 13 minutes
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Source: Libby
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 Audiobook Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ IndieBound ✩ iTunes ✩ Libro.FM
My rating:

Blurb:

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They're polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She'll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he'll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

4.5 stars — That…was not at all what I was expecting.  In an even better sense.  I was genuinely expecting a “beach read”, something fairly light and fluffy.  And while this book had light and fluffy moments, with banter that truly delighted me beyond belief, there was a HUGE emotional aspect that left me with the mother of all crying headaches after I finished listening.  So…you know…have some kleenex handy just in case you’re an emotional basketcase like me.

Can I start by saying that I love Julia Whelan?  Her narration just always adds to a story.  I wonder if I would have cried quite as much as I did without her emotions bleeding through the words.  Her pacing was fantastic, her voices consistent, and GOD I loved her Gus voice.  *swoon*

There were so many aspects of this story that if told by anyone else, I probably would have gotten more frustrated with.  January is a VERY flawed heroine, and she definitely frustrated me with her reactions to things, and how in her head she could be.  But I also absolutely ADORED her.  I felt all of her emotions, and went through her grief with her.  And I think I sort of understood her, even if I wanted her to be better.  She wore her emotions out for all to see, and I can totally relate to that.  But she could also shut down.  Wow, I can relate to so much of her and what she was going through.  And then there’s her insecurities, that really tried to sabotage shit for her.  Yup, can relate to that too.

Gus was adorable and broken.  I LOVED him.  I felt for him so much, even if he also frustrated me with his terrible communication skills.  But I got how he got that way.

It was the two of them together that was truly the highlight of this book for me.  Their banter and snark was bar none my favourite.  I laughed and laughed and laughed at the things they would shoot back and forth.  And it wasn’t just the snark…they each brought out different sides in the other…but also emphasized their best parts.  I loved watching them make up stories together, and play off their different visions of the world.  And the emotions they felt with one another…I felt them ALL.  I ached for them when they were just not in sync, and I cheered when they found their way.  Oh yeah, and my hubby would like you to know that I *really* enjoyed their steamy chemistry.  *ahem*

I think one of the things that really surprised me about this book is how much I needed her Dad’s and Sonya’s story.  I can see the world so black and white sometimes, and I don’t want to acknowledge that good people can do horrible hurtful things.  But that’s exactly what I got with them.  I felt so much.  I cried so much.  I needed that reminder about humanity.  SO MUCH.

Lots of great side characters in this one, and they added the perfect amount of levity and heart — from Pete and Maggie to Shadi (who I just had to look up how to spell — the curse of audio).

So yeah.  This book surprised me immensely, and I think it’s going to give me an epic book hangover…which I really don’t need right now.  But I’m so glad I jumped on this bandwagon, because it just *hit* for me.

COYER Community: Even though this book was a book club pick, I didn’t finish in time.  So I am even more grateful that I buddy read this book with Lillian from Mom With a Reading Problem.  It was so great to check in from time to time, and then get all the feelings out at the end.  And obviously it’s always awesome that we both loved it (she gave it 5 stars).