If you’re looking for a romance with more substance than a frilly rom com but that is still an easy breezy read, Beach Read is perfect for you.

Beach Read follows struggling writers (and enemies!) January Andrews and Augustus ‘Gus’ Everett when they end up living right next to each other on the banks of Lake Michigan. January is a frilly rom com writer, where every story has a meet cute AND a happy ever after. Except, after a recent discovery, she’s not really sure happy ever after even exists. And Gus is the broody literary fiction author who January has been competing against since they were in the same college writing class. And now they’re neighbours, both struggling to write their next novel.

When January challenges Gus to what is essentially a genre swap, complete with Romance 101 and LitFic lessons, she finds that she can finally write again…but is there something more to it?

This is NOT your typical RomCom, and that’s part of why I loved it so much. January and Gus are dealing with real adult issues (and often not dealing with them well, to be honest). Beach Read explores these issues and offers some wonderful character development along the way. If you’re anything like me, you’ll still be thinking of January and Gus days after you finish the book. In fact, I’ve actually had a ‘what would January do?’ moment or two!

Many thanks to Emily Henry, Penguin Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.