Beach Read

I really want to like romance novels, because I like love stories and happy endings, but I struggle to find well-written ones, even when I choose ones with great reviews.

Case in point. I read Beach Read based on all the great reviews only to be disappointed and ready to stop reading about 3/4 the way in. (Nevertheless I pushed through.) Beach Read has some good writing moments, but is overall inconsistent with its tone and characters. Not to mention there is a whole lot of over-explaining and (contrary to the first rule of writing) telling rather than showing.

The first half was pretty enjoyable with some entertaining banter, but the banter soon turned to hand-wringing and whining. Being in January's head made me ready to drop the whole thing. I rolled my eyes so many times in the second half I wondered if they would get stuck there.

All of the side plots and backstories were dark and felt out of place. I found myself thinking that they should really work through their problems with licensed therapists before engaging in this relationship. And (spoiler alert?) what was the deal with the sex scene in a tent near a mass-murder site? It distracted me and made me uncomfortable.

Overall, I'm proud of myself for finishing it so I can get closer to my reading goal for the year. But I wouldn't recommend it.