Did you know that the book Beach Read by Emily Henry has won the second spot on the Goodreads Choice awards book of the year? Well, a romance fiction with a vibe so fresh and zingy, it comes as no surprise that this fantastic romance is the perfect read if you want to experience happiness, anger, resentment, joy, forgiveness and most importantly love, at the same time.
That was what I’d always loved about reading, what had driven me to write in the first place. That feeling that a new world was being spun like a spiderweb around you and you couldn’t move until the whole thing had revealed itself to you.
You know, when I was just checking out Goodreads for this one, I was pretty stoked at seeing how even Colleen Hoover herself, who is a highly acclaimed writer of romance, has put forth such a rave review of this book. Having rated it 5 stars, I have got to admit that I was simply even more excited at discovering how a writer of even her stature seemed to have fallen head over heels in love with this one. And so, today when I have finally finished reading this piece de’ resistance’, I am ready to fill you guys up with the warmth, the exuberance, the sweet little titters, the emotional swings and a host of other things that I experienced, literally in flesh and blood while reading Beach Read by Emily Henry. No spoilers here though I might ooze out a bit of some of my musings which will surely take you up onto that island where Emily has carved this one.
Ok, so what happens when two writers swap genres with each other, competing to sell their book first and in the process build up a “hate to love” kind of vibe? Cuteness overload and fireworks huh? Yes, absolutely and a lot more.
And that was the moment I realized: when the world felt dark and scary, love could whisk you off to go dancing; laughter could take some of the pain away; beauty could punch holes in your fear. I decided then that my life would be full of all three.
Augustus who is the author of literary fiction, now this guy has my heart for all the right reasons huh! Yes, I feel you Gus completely, I mean agreed, nobody can truly understand you and that melancholy you keep poring over and poising with oh, that for me is pure love dude. I mean January who on the other hand was like this romantic writer, the two actually are completely paradoxical to each other. That is exactly what Emily has pulled off as an extraordinary feat if you ask me.
The manner in which these two seem to be contradictory and yet complimenting each other is what I felt was a true-blue win for Emily as being the creator of both the characters, it is no surprise that she has penned pure happiness (serotonin if you ask me peeps!) on paper as far as these characters are concerned. Yes, I loved Gus and January, their bickering, their tete-a-tete, their camaraderie is one of those things I simply waited for, the entire story making me believe in goodness, in love and most importantly in so many other things which might not appear on the face of this book. Yes, the blurb gave me a bit of an idea and yet I was unprepared for this vortex of a fresh, undiluted wave of romance all lighted up by the colours of youth, of love, of nature, that Gus and January have put into the story. I had picked this one up thinking it would be light and fun, exactly the kind of read which I need to forget the world for a few fleeting hours. And forget I did! And in fact, much more, if truth be told. I have to add here that both the characters felt absolutely real to me as well as closer to life. There was a kind of depth and an intensity that was so raw, so palpable that I was amazed that there was absolutely no hint of any kind of a cliché to the narrative, which is usually the case when it comes to a romantic narrative.
Related: The Best Beach Read of 2022 – Book Lovers by Emily Henry
The brilliant discussions on writing that Emily put forth as well as the literary jokes, and the references scattered throughout the story too, were relatable especially for me as I was associated with the field of writing, I could resonate with them and how!
A brilliant sweeping change from the usual heartbreaking, dark reads you might come across in this trope, go for this one if you are fond of slow-burn romance that focuses on the emotional connection rather than physical attraction, this is the one for you. Watching their relationship grow, and checking out the chemistry between the frenemies is surely going to be a load of bliss for you guys. A great romantic read.
Beach Read
Summary
He doesn’t believe in happy endings. She’s lost her faith that they exist. But could they find one together?
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…
So, I hope you guys liked my book review of Beach Read by Emily Henry.
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Adios Amigos!
An internationally accredited book blogger, voracious reader and the founder of Booxoul, one of India’s leading book and lifestyle blogs, Neelam is a person with a penchant for bringing out the best in people. A website designer, a renowned book blogger and a leading creative influencer on Instagram, here is a lady who is candid, closer to life and sensitive to the softest of emotions…
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