Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Beach Read

 Today's slice is coming at you in the form of a book review.

We had a glorious mini spring break last week. While it was not the usual full week off, we did get a 4 day weekend that was both appreciated and desperately needed. I was thrilled to have warmth and sunshine on those days and spent a good chunk of my time reading on my porchm (and I have an awkward sunburn on my left hand to prove it- yes just my left one).

I read "Beach Read" by Emily Henry during my 2 bonus days and I'll get into a bit more detail below but my main take away was that it was light and refreshing while managing to grab onto a bit more depth than a typical "chick-lit" book.

Photo Credit: penguinrandomhouse.com

The book jacket reads:  

"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. "

After reading the description, I was pretty sure I knew exactly what this book would be, since I've read my fair share of  rom-com style "beach reads" but that was ok with me because I was on spring break and looking for something light and enjoyable. However, one of the great things about this book was that while there were definitely some tell-tale elements of a romance book, there was also something different about it. There were a few undercurrents in the plot line that I wasn't expecting in this type of book and I appreciate that element of surprise. The characters are interesting and likable as well as being well-developed. I enjoyed the style of the Henry's writing as well! It was easy and flowy, kind of like listening to a friend tell a story which always draws me in to a book. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for something fun and light but not quite as predictable. It's a quick read if you have a sunshiny Thursday to spend on it. 


This month I am linking up with "Two Writing Teachers" for a slice of life, daily writing challenge. 


 


4 comments:

  1. Thanks for the new book idea! I am going to be able to read this soon on my spring break! Luckily, we do have the whole week off. Glad you were able to take a few days to kick up your heels and read something fun!

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  2. Sounds like a great book! I always enjoy book reviews! Thanks!

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  3. ooooo.. sounds good! Putting it on my list! And so glad you got time to read.

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  4. It sounds intriguing, will try to get a copy, glad you had a good spring break!

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