Time to Talk About Emily Henry’s Beach Read — And Why Half the Internet Can’t Agree on It

Alright, here’s what I’ve been tracking down. Emily Henry’s Beach Read keeps showing up in “best romance of the year” lists and Goodreads Choice Awards, but when I started reading through actual reviews, something interesting happened: this book splits readers right down the middle. Some are calling it their favorite romance ever. Others DNF’d it out of boredom. That kind of divide gets my attention.

I tracked down dig through the internet’s collective opinion and figure out what the hell is actually going on with this book.

Image: Open Library | Amazon: Amazon

The Intel

• Book: Beach Read by Emily Henry
• Published: May 19, 2020
• Series: Standalone
• Goodreads rating: 4.05/5 from 168k+ reviews
• Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars
• Audiobook: Narrated by Julia Whelan (and yes, multiple reviewers specifically praise her performance)
• Genre: Contemporary romance

What I Found (The Legwork)

I surveyed the discourse on Goodreads, Amazon, and Reddit.goodreads.com/book/show/52867387-beach-read”>hundreds of Goodreads reviews, Amazon reviews, and Reddit threads to figure out where the love and hate are coming from.

The Cover is a Lie — This Is Heavier Than You Think

First thing that came up repeatedly: readers who picked this up expecting a “light beach read” got emotionally sucker-punched. One reviewer on Goodreads called it “not a beach read. This is a GLUED READ” because the book deals with grief, parental infidelity, cancer, and writer’s block. January’s dad just died and she discovers he had a secret mistress. Gus grew up with an abusive father. This is heavier territory than that pastel cover suggests.

A different reviewer complained: “The mood of this book was all over the place, because some of it was trying to be light and fluffy ‘beach read’ as the title implies, but then some of it was actually dark.” That tonal whiplash? Readers either loved the depth or felt betrayed by the false advertising.

The Characters: Divisive as Hell

January is described as “too insecure” by multiple reviewers. One reader noted she “brings up being called a fairy princess constantly throughout the entire book” — and yes, that insecurity wore on people. Others found her relatable and heartbreaking.

Gus is the “broody literary writer” stereotype. Critics say he “comes off as kind of pretentious” with a “nobody can ever understand me” vibe. But defenders argue he’s complex and tender beneath the grump exterior. One five-star review gushed: “Emily Henry has perfected that blend of broody and sweet with Gus—it turns out Romance love interests can be both darkly mysterious and not assholes.”

The Audiobook Gets Special Attention

Julia Whelan narrates the audiobook, and readers repeatedly call out her performance. AudioFile Magazine praised how Whelan “inhabits the first-person point of view of January Andrews.” Multiple Goodreads reviews mention listening vs. reading made a difference in how they connected to the story.

Reddit’s Take: The “Enemies” Part Never Delivered

I ran a search for Beach Read discussions on Reddit, and one consistent complaint surfaced: this isn’t really an enemies-to-lovers romance. One reviewer said: “My biggest problem: this book is not an enemies to lovers/college rivals turned lovers romance… We go as far as the second chapter and there are already sparkles in the air.” If you’re here for actual rivalry and tension, apparently you’ll be disappointed fast.

What’s Missing: The Genre-Swapping Plot Gets Sidelined

The premise is that January (romance writer) and Gus (literary fiction writer) bet on writing each other’s genres. Sounds great, right? Multiple reviewers noted the book barely focuses on this. One three-star review said: “I wanted more of their stories they were writing… I just wish we got more information about the books they were writing.” The cult research and their writing processes take up page time, but the actual genre swap? Readers wanted more.

My Analysis (Based on the Evidence)

This book has a misleading title and cover. Emily Henry is clearly aware of that irony—she’s playing with romance genre expectations. But it means readers expecting frothy fun end up with grief and family betrayal instead.

The banter is legitimately good. Even the harshest critics admit the dialogue works: “some of their banter was freaking amazing and *chefs kiss*.” When January and Gus are sparring, the book comes alive.

The miscommunication trope drives people crazy. One reviewer said: “Rather than speak with him about her concerns, she elects to keep quiet and stew on her thoughts. Were this a young adult novel, I would expect such behavior from the protagonist, but this is an adult novel with a 29-year-old lead.” Readers who hate that trope will rage-quit this book.

Your mileage will vary based on emotional tolerance. A glowing review says Emily Henry “writes her characters and plot so realistically” and praised the emotional depth. But another reader said: “how do ppl cry while reading this, i wanted to bang my head against a wall.” Some readers want to be emotionally wrecked. Others find it exhausting.

The Julia Whelan audiobook might be the better experience. Multiple reviews specifically call out that listening helped them connect to January’s voice. If you’re on the fence, try the audiobook version first.

The Question Nobody’s Asking

Why did Emily Henry title this “Beach Read” when it’s clearly not one? I think it’s intentional commentary. January writes romance novels—dismissed as fluffy “beach reads”—but her life is complicated and messy. The book itself mirrors that. It looks light on the surface, but there’s weight underneath. Meta as hell.

The Verdict

Read if: You want romance with emotional depth, you love banter-heavy relationships, you’re okay with grief mixed into your love stories, and you don’t need actual enemies-to-lovers tension.

Skip if: You hate miscommunication tropes, you want light and fluffy, you expect the premise (genre-swapping) to be the main focus, or you need your protagonists to be secure and direct communicators.

Start with the audiobook if: You’re worried about connecting to January’s voice. Julia Whelan’s narration gets consistent praise for making the story work.

Fair warning: This is 360+ pages of slow-burn romance between two writers with emotional baggage. If you need plot-driven action, you’ll be bored.

The Cocktail: The Crooked Smile

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon (broody and literary, obviously)
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice (for all that acidic banter)
• 0.75 oz honey syrup (because under the grump exterior is something sweet)
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters (complications, naturally)
• Club soda (to lighten things up when they get too heavy)
• Lemon twist for garnish

Instructions: Shake bourbon, lemon juice, honey syrup, and bitters with ice like you’re trying to shake sense into two writers with commitment issues. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with club soda because even dark literary fiction needs some fizz. Garnish with lemon twist. Sip while contemplating whether you believe in happy endings.

Tasting notes: Starts tart, finishes sweet, leaves you wondering if you should’ve just gone with wine.

The Bottom Line

Beach Read is polarizing because it promises one thing (light romance) and delivers another (emotionally complex character study with romance). 168,000+ Goodreads reviews and a 4.05 rating tell you people are reading it. But that rating also tells you it’s not universally beloved. The reviews are split: rapturous five-stars versus frustrated three-stars. Know what you’re walking into.

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Got intel on a book the internet can’t stop arguing about? Drop it in the comments. But keep your “I think it’s good” opinions to yourself unless you’ve got links to back them up. I don’t traffic in feelings—I traffic in data.