A review by thegazillionthreader
Beach Read by Emily Henry
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My thoughts (mainly for myself to look back on)
I have been debating between 3.5 or 4 stars…. Because I absolutely loved the writer’s aspect of the characters in the book + the few quotes I really liked, I think I will say 4.
Update: 3.5 won the debate I think, (which is not on a bad rating on my personal rating scale)
This book was a bit different than what I expected. Not in a bad way, it was just more serious and deep than I thought it was going to be, and not the “super fun only focused on the steamy romance” that I thought, although it did have some funny and swoon scenes. The blurb had me imagining and speculating how things would be (especially when it mentioned cults, and I became apprehensive from it actually) but it all ended up being pretty different from what I anticipated, cults and all.
At times I kept losing focus though and had to keep rereading things, which affected things a tad. Some of this due to outside factors, the writing style could be it but idk why because it was pretty clear, some due to the timeline of things especially in the beginning… but it really does boil down to me being way too easily confused 😅 so that’s on me.
I didn’t always feel the chemistry between the characters… other times I did.
Spoilers Below
Spoilers Below
Gus, even up until the end, I couldn’t fully trust him, it wavered. Not because he was a bad guy, no no no. He really was a good guy. But he was written so well I think and then seeing things from January’s POV I was feeling bad for her several times. When he disappeared. Then after that phone call. Then even when he went and talked to his ex and just didn’t really say anything for a whole day. I guess it’s the lack of communication and silence and all that… but, it did concern me for January and their relationship 😅
But I get it, I get that’s his character and why he is that way and that he’s a lot more than that and all that. And in the end they seemed good.
Like I said, I liked some of the quotes and the whole message of “happy for nows”. It’s real and I like it.
Also I must add how my jaw DROPPED when Gus’ romance book was revealed. That was not what I expected. Omg. 😭 Sir, that is not a happy ending or a romance book. (I know, I know. It’s a happy ending to him, but still 😂)
Also like I said, absolutely loved that they were writers, and several times it made me want to go write.
All in all, not quite what I expected and sadly didn’t love it as much as I hoped, but it was still good and I would still recommend to those who are thinking of giving it a go.
I have been debating between 3.5 or 4 stars…. Because I absolutely loved the writer’s aspect of the characters in the book + the few quotes I really liked, I think I will say 4.
Update: 3.5 won the debate I think, (which is not on a bad rating on my personal rating scale)
This book was a bit different than what I expected. Not in a bad way, it was just more serious and deep than I thought it was going to be, and not the “super fun only focused on the steamy romance” that I thought, although it did have some funny and swoon scenes. The blurb had me imagining and speculating how things would be (especially when it mentioned cults, and I became apprehensive from it actually) but it all ended up being pretty different from what I anticipated, cults and all.
At times I kept losing focus though and had to keep rereading things, which affected things a tad. Some of this due to outside factors, the writing style could be it but idk why because it was pretty clear, some due to the timeline of things especially in the beginning… but it really does boil down to me being way too easily confused 😅 so that’s on me.
I didn’t always feel the chemistry between the characters… other times I did.
Spoilers Below
Spoilers Below
Gus, even up until the end, I couldn’t fully trust him, it wavered. Not because he was a bad guy, no no no. He really was a good guy. But he was written so well I think and then seeing things from January’s POV I was feeling bad for her several times. When he disappeared. Then after that phone call. Then even when he went and talked to his ex and just didn’t really say anything for a whole day. I guess it’s the lack of communication and silence and all that… but, it did concern me for January and their relationship 😅
But I get it, I get that’s his character and why he is that way and that he’s a lot more than that and all that. And in the end they seemed good.
Like I said, I liked some of the quotes and the whole message of “happy for nows”. It’s real and I like it.
Also I must add how my jaw DROPPED when Gus’ romance book was revealed. That was not what I expected. Omg. 😭 Sir, that is not a happy ending or a romance book. (I know, I know. It’s a happy ending to him, but still 😂)
Also like I said, absolutely loved that they were writers, and several times it made me want to go write.
All in all, not quite what I expected and sadly didn’t love it as much as I hoped, but it was still good and I would still recommend to those who are thinking of giving it a go.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Cancer
Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Child abuse