I recently read Beach Read by Emily Henry because LITERALLY EVERYONE had recommended it to me, and I was very happy when it did not disappoint. Emily Henry has a very accessible writing style and her stories are easily relatable. There is fun and witty banter, without ignoring the real life heavy moments, and there seems to be an underlying theme of books. What is there not to love?!?!
Here are 5 book recommendations that I feel are similar to Beach Read due to their banter and general bookish themes.
You might also be interested in some of my all time favorite Contemporary Romances here! (I need to add Book Lovers to this list)
NO WORDS
Two authors, and sworn enemies, both attend a book festival in the Florida Keys. This is a stand alone book that is a part of the Little Bridge Island series. The main character is a children’s book author and is suffering from writer’s block. As a bit of meta history thrown in, Meg Cabot has a series of children’s books, The Princess Diaries (that I loved as a kid) so this felt strikingly similar to her own life.
Because, yes I know all about Meg Cabot’s life…
If you are looking for a low steam, bookish, enemies to lovers book with sassy dialogue this is perfect for you.
BOOKLOVERS
I know this book received a lot of hype and some believe it to be overrated, but it’s one of my personal favorite rom coms. I actually enjoyed this one slightly more than Beach Read. If you enjoy books about books, funny witty dialogue, fandom references, and heartfelt moments then I think Book Lovers is a great choice for you.
Booklovers is about a cutthroat literary agent who decides to take a vacation in a Schitt’s Creek-esque town with her sister. Nora is sure that she isn’t the kind of girl that “hero’s” fall for, Hallmark movies have taught her that, but she just might get a rom com story of her own.
THE FLATSHARE
Tiffy and Leon are sharing a flat together in London. The catch? They have never actually met. Tiffy gets the flat at night, and Leon gets the flat during the day (since he works night shifts). Their relationship starts when they begin leaving post-it notes around the house for each other, and cuteness ensues from there. This is one of those rare rom coms that captures the essence of romance while also tackling important issues such as gas lighting, emotional abuse and stalking.
This is a slow burn chick lit romance, with a bit more steam coming toward the end of the novel…it doesn’t have the bookish themes that the other books on this list have, but it’s still perfect for fans of Beach Read.
WOULD LIKE TO MEET
A screenwriting assistant makes a deal with a client that she will reenact classic rom com movie moments in real life, if he will finish writing the script that her agency needs. As she reenacts all of the “meet cutes” she slowly starts to reconnect with her romantic side. This novel is both hilarious and sweet, and has a good deal of cheese (in all the best ways). It helps you to remember that sometimes real life can actually be better than the movies…sometimes. (Let’s not get carried away.)
THE BROMANCE BOOK CLUB
When Gavin Scott’s marriage begins to falter, he decides to throw down his pride and seek help from an unlikely source. There is a secret book club full of Nashville’s top Alpha Men who study the ways of romance books. (I really do hope that this is a real thing somewhere out there in the world, because this is amazing. Men getting together to secretly read romance novels in order to help make their relationships stronger? Yes, please!).
This is one man’s journey to finding his inner hero and to helping save his marriage.
