I was grateful for the 30 second jump-ahead feature when the subsequent rounds began, and used it. In my opinion (take it or leave it, because everyone has their own threshold) the admittedly excellent story would have been, if not STRONGER, of equal strength and beauty without that level of descriptive physical intimacy on the page. This author is amazing, and I have no doubt she could have portrayed the same tender passion without that vivid content. unnecessary-at least in the breadth and scope in which they were written. *cringe* In my opinion, the on-scene sex scenes were. the first sex scene-the only one I listened to entirely-while too graphic for my personal reading/listening preferences was. I assumed the earlier “interruptions” to passionate moments meant the story WOULD fade out when sex was nigh, and when it didn’t-well. The only reason I gave the “overall” category 4 stars was due to the sex scenes I wish would have been fade-to-black/closed-door. The story was beautiful, heart wrenching, and fully identifiable. Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. 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). 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.

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. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. January Andrews writes best-selling romance. “Original, sparkling bright, and layered with feeling.” (Sally Thorne, author of The Hating Game )Ī 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.Īugustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. The Instant New York Times Best Seller from the Number One New York Times Best-Selling Author of People We Meet on Vacation

Books like beach read by emily henry