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Beach Read
FROM THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION AND BOOK LOVERS!
A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.
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.
These book club questions were prepared by Bookclubs staff.
Book club questions for Beach Read by Emily Henry
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
January and Gus make a bet to write in each other's genres - January trying her hand at literary fiction, and Gus attempting a romance novel. What did you think about the way the book explored and contrasted these different genres? Did it change your perspective on either genre?
The book blends elements of romantic comedy with more serious themes of grief, loss, and disillusionment. How did you feel about this tonal shift, especially toward the latter part of the novel? Did it work for you, or did you find it jarring?
One of the central storylines is January's journey to come to terms with the revelation about her father's secret life and infidelity. How did you react to this plot point? Did you find January's struggle with disillusionment and grief relatable?
Gus and January have an “opposites attract” relationship. Did you identify more with typically sunny January or pessimistic Gus?
The relationship between January and Gus starts off adversarial but gradually evolves. What did you think of their chemistry and banter? Did you find their romantic journey believable?
The book touches on the challenges writers face, such as writer's block, meeting deadlines, and the pressure to produce certain types of stories. As a reader, did you gain any new insights into the writing process?
The beach town setting plays a significant role in the novel. How did the author's descriptions of the place shape your experience of the story?
The book explores different forms of love and relationships, including familial love, romantic love, and friendships. What did you think about the way these various relationships were portrayed?
What do you think will happen to Gus and January after the conclusion of the novel? Will their writing revert to how it was before their bet?
Beach Read Book Club Questions PDF
Click here for a printable PDF of the Beach Read discussion questions