Review of 'Beach Read', by Emily Henry

When life gives you lemons.........Make lemonade?

January is a women's fiction writer, always having been able to see the magical moments in life, the hope in the darkness and the joy in romance that blooms around her. But when her life takes an unexpected turn, January loses her belief in happy endings and moves to a beach house, next door to the mysterious Augustus Everett. Both authors and both suffering from writers block, January and Gus make a bet to swap genres, him writing a grand romance and her writing the next Great American Novel. But will the process teach January that love isn't real at all, or just not what she expected? And will she discover other misconceptions that she has made about her own life?

Bookstagram made me do it and I didn't regret it. I really needed a book to help me cope with lockdown and this was exactly it. Thank you for your recommendations, you really helped.

This lovely book was filled with comedy, romance, sadness and understanding, in other words, it's perfect for how we are all feeling right now and shines a light in the horrible darkness that we are all experiencing. With Christmas cancelled for many of us, read this book to give you a little hope.

And there's a little bit of feminism so...right up my alley!

I love it when characters go through a journey in a book and learn to see other people in a different light, and that is essentially what this book is all about: when life throws something unexpected your way, how will the people you thought you knew react, and will you discover something about others that you never though you would? January is a bit judgemental, but this allows her character to develop and eventually to understand that first impressions aren't always correct. Henry teaches the lesson to really put yourself in someone else's shoes, which I think we all need right now.

If you're looking for a lift this lockdown, this book is defiantly for you. Remember to stay safe, kind and understanding, and never give up hope that we will all get through this together.