chasingpages1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, Sexual content, Alcohol, Terminal illness, and Vomit
Minor: Cursing, Abandonment, Drug use, Medical content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic relationship
tigerkind's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Cancer, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal death, Suicide, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, and Car accident
gabbylandis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Vomit
jaydub0221's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Grief
Minor: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Vomit, Car accident, Child abuse, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
lauracollins096's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Chronic illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Vomit, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Bullying
Minor: Alcohol and Physical abuse
pandalesque's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
But also I really enjoy getting the other human's thoughts and feelings when reading a romance and when they have spicy scenes... And I think I seem to get annoyed about being in one person's head when doubting and rehashing things time and time again... Though I didn't have too much experience in single POVs in romance. So I think I'm coming out neutral on the one single POV story telling.
I didn't like
- Calling them January and Augustus... almost made me *uke (sorry Gus).
- I found January annoying and a little difficult to find smth beneath the surface (her being anything else than a product of her surroundings' situations/her environment)
- In my opinion the love story was little too easy
- the final 3rd act conflict... well I'm still waiting for an actual good one in any romance books I read so this is not only a beach read thing
I enjoyed
+ Friendship between J. and S.
+ quick, funny and intelligent banter
+ writing style
+ Didn't expect the whole plot point about research for each other's genre, which added a layer of depth to it I enjoyed.
+ Reflections on writing / authors ...
+ talk about the romance genre
Spice /Smut level:
1.75-2/5🔥
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Cancer, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse
rakkaussipsi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship
raineedayreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Cancer, and Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
novella42's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Death, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Alcohol, and Cancer
Moderate: Excrement, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Minor: Drug use
Spoiler
the characters research a suicide cult, see the ruins of the cult compound after arson, and interview survivors about indoctrinationkelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Author: Emily Henry
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: May 19, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Fun • Deep • Over-hyped
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Augustus, an acclaimed author of literary fiction and January, a bestselling romance novelist are polar opposites. Each struggling with writer's block and dealing with personal demons, they find themselves living next door to one another for the summer. One evening they strike up a deal: Gus will write something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Emily Henry's Beach Read has been absolutely everywhere, and so I fell victim to the hype and finally dove in. An original and deep plot with a side of romance is typically how I like my romance books, yet for me January and Gus lacked chemistry and I was expecting so, so, so much more from this novel.
There's no denying Emily Henry does banter unlike anyone else. It adds a lightness to often heavy content. With this book, there is excellent individual character growth, but I wasn't invested in the romance at all. In fact, I was way more invested in the plot and them writing their books. I felt as thought it started out strong, but faded by the midway point and never really regained traction. A few of the things I really appreciated were the exploration of grief, the east coast setting, and the letters.
For me, Beach Read was simply an average read, one I'll soon forget, which has me thinking Emily Henry's adult romances may just not be my cup of tea. I appreciate the depth of the plots, but the romance and lack of communication just don't cut it. With that said, I'll probably continue to read her books with hopes of finding one I really love.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the grump/sunshine and/or enemies to lovers trope(s)
• readers who like depth in their rom-coms
• Emily Henry fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Bad things don't dig down through your life until the pit's so deep that nothing good will ever be big enough to make you happy again. No matter how much shit, there will always be wildflowers."
"Because I know no matter how long I get to love you, it will be worth whatever comes after."
"It was okay to let a little ugliness into your story. That it would never rob you of all the beauty."
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Cancer, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Addiction
Minor: Cursing, Suicide, Car accident, and Vomit