Printable Book Club Questions for Beach Read by Emily Henry

We first meet January when she’s arrived at her father’s beach house. She seems pretty broken: she’s lost her dad and she’s suffering from writer’s block. What was your first impression of January?
She talks about not having much money, why do you think she decided to live in the house first before selling it?
In addition to losing her dad, she finds out he cheated on her mom for years with a woman in the same town as this beach house. Let’s talk about how finding out that truth about her father caused her writer’s block and limited her ability to write any more romance novels.
It turns out her next door neighbor is none other than her college rival, Gus Everett. She’s horrified and also annoyed. What did you think about their banter and initial dynamics? Could you tell then that they had feelings for each other?
There’s lots of discussions of the merits of women’s fiction. January feels annoyed she must always defend it and remarks that if women’s fiction were written by a man and featured a male protagonist, it would be considered the Great American Novel. Why do you think some readers seem to look down upon women’s fiction and romance?
Both January and Gus are suffering from writer’s block and eventually decide to switch genres with both giving lessons on their respective genres to the others. Why do you think they decided to make this change? What did they both learn from each other on this journey?
We follow the stories they’re writing in great detail. Would you read either of those stories?
What did you think about the slow-burn romance between the two of them?
Every time they get too close, Gus runs away (literally). We eventually learn that Gus is separated and his wife cheated on him with his best friend. Why do you think Gus ran when he got too close to January?
While feeling such anger and disappointment with her father’s decision, she finally reads the notes to her toward the end and forgives him. Let’s talk about this.
The story ends with Gus and January getting engaged. Do you think they’re in it for the long haul?