Beach Read

Beach Read was a clever, fun romance but it ultimately fell a little short for me.
The setup for the story – two writers that challenge each other to write outside their comfort zones – was fun. The evolution of their relationship from enemies, to neighbors, to friends, to more felt organic. I liked that a lot of the plot felt almost meta (how will he use his research about a cult in a rom-com, while the characters in this rom-com are researching a cult)
What didn't work for me was January, the main character. She just annoyed me, and I know she wasn't supposed to. On the surface, her emotional/personal journey is one I usually like. Her work and relationships are falling apart, and she's questioning who she is and what she really believes. That's a good foundation for any book.
I think my main problem was that every emotional high point and all the conflicts seemed very contrived and like overreactions on her part. The first time it happened, I was fine. Ah, they resolved it and now there will be a basis to look back and not jump to conclusions. But then every time any problem came about it was for the same exact reason – jumping to conclusions and not even trying to talk about it.
I think I'm just tired of miscommunication/lack of communication being the main driving force behind romance stories.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of the book through Netgalley for review.