Now, this is what I'm talking about! Henry's other book, People We Meet On Vacation, left a bad taste in my mouth, but this one is one hundred times better. How is it better, you ask? Well for one, there's an actual end goal they're working towards — creating books together through shared experiences. Through these experiences, we get a first-hand look into their hardships, flaws, and their deepest darkest secrets. It allows us to relate with the characters on a personal level because we all have our own problems too. People We Meet On Vacation mostly focused on Alex and Poppy's stupid vacations together, and it's just so repetitive because there's barely any progression in the book. I'd be surprised if the book's timeline took more than two weeks. In Beach Read, there's meaningful progress towards their goals, and it doesn't feel like a book solely focused on characters playing hard to get and being too afraid to express their feelings. When we see Gus and January's relationship, we see their challenges and family problems bring them together, even though they seem so different on paper. What makes Alex and Poppy so compatible? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Oh, they just spontaneously (and unrealistically) went on a few vacations and then they suddenly had an intense attraction for one another? I just don't get it. Point is, Beach Read goes deeper than most romance books, and that's what makes it so great. Summary: After January's father died, she decided to move into his old beach house, a place that leaves her with bad memories. There, she unexpectedly meets her arch nemesis, Gus. Both were avid writers — Gus would write depressing literary fiction novels, while January wrote romance novels with happy endings. However, Gus would always outsell her, and them being neighbors meant that their friendship was inevitable. When they finally sit down together, they agree on a bet: January would write depressing literary fiction novels, while Gus would write something happy, and the winner has to promote the other's books. Throughout their bet, they get closer together and discover each other's secrets and bottled-up memories. Who will win? Time will tell.