Beach Read
FROM THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FUNNY STORY!
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.
As featured in The New York Times Book Review ∙ Entertainment Weekly ∙ Oprah Magazine ∙ Betches ∙ Shondaland ∙ Good Morning America ∙ The New York Post ∙ Good Housekeeping ∙ CNN ∙ and more!
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.
- Pages
- 401
- First published
- May 19, 2020
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Reviews
Finished April 8, 2023 · Read 2 times
- Anonymous
Finished March 8, 2024
This was genuinely such a good book. Like, as I write this, I'm sitting here in astonishment. I've been scared to read this book since it started getting hyped up, but I'm so glad that I finally read this. This was genuinely such a well-written book, and it was just ... ugh, it was amazing. I loved January and Augustus. I love them so much. The letters that January's dad left for her had me genuinely sobbing on the floor. As a person who has father related issues, it hit me extremely hard. The topic of grief brought up some of my own that I haven't processed, and it made me just think. I give this book 5/5 stars, and a well-deserved spot on the Hall of Fame shelf.
Started March 6, 2024 · Finished March 8, 2024
ow
Finished July 26, 2020
Finished November 29, 2024
Finished September 3, 2024
Where do I find one Augustus Everett for myself?
Finished June 7, 2024
This was an easy read but also a little boring in my opinion. I didn't dislike it at all but also wasn't in love with it. I was hoping for a little more angst, sexy romance, beachy vibes, and it came up a little short on those fronts. I found it hard to relate to the characters and their hardships which I think is completely a personal thing. This book can easily be a loved book for someone who could relate more to the characters.
- emotionalfunnyhopefulinspiringreflective
Started April 21, 2025 · Finished April 27, 2025 · Read 2 times
This was a fun and cute read. Two writers living next door to one another and falling in love... It was funny, the characters had good chemistry, very easy light romcom. I liked the complexity the characters had, and the depth they brought out in each other. I don't think I could of waited as long as she did to read that letter tho... lol I also was a little annoyed what she did with the house near the end... why? Also, i would absolutely NOT read whatever these books they were writing, they sounded awful lol 🌶️ 3/5 The spice in this was sizzlin, there were some moments that were really hot, but there were also some that were followed up by some lack of communication that was a little off putting. Either way I enjoyed it and felt like the slow burn build up was well done.
- emotionalfunnyhopefulMedium-paced
Finished September 21, 2026
Started August 27, 2025 · Finished August 28, 2025
This is the first book I’ve read by Emily Henry and I absolutely adored it. I loved and related to Gus and January, and I really enjoyed the way things came together. It was a fun, quick, and at times tear-jerking read. So good.
Started March 17, 2024 · Finished March 22, 2024
Finished May 20, 2023
Finished August 3, 2025
Augustus and January are total opposites. While they are both writers, she writes romance, and he writes fiction. They both wind up living next door to one another for the summer and realize they are both struggling with writer's block. They come up with a plan. They will swap genres and write the next best-selling book. I loved this story. Emily knows what she's doing. She always seems to put so much emotion and feeling into her books that they feel so real. I also love when a book makes me feel so many emotions while also being a romance and having the whole love aspect guaranteed. I also loved all the side characters, like Shadi, who is one hell of a friend, and Pete and Maggie.
Started July 18, 2024 · Finished July 24, 2024
Finished June 1, 2023
