One sentence summary:
A witty and heartwarming contemporary romance novel about two writers, January and Gus, who escape to a beach town for the summer and find unexpected love and inspiration.
Book genre:
Contemporary romance
Main topic of the book:
Finding love, healing from past trauma, and the power of storytelling and vulnerability.
Key ideas:
- The power of forgiveness and moving on from painful past experiences.
- The importance of taking risks and being vulnerable in order to find true love.
- The idea that there is no such thing as a “perfect” love story and that real relationships take hard work and compromise.
- The healing and transformative power of writing and self-expression.
- The importance of having a strong support system and true friends who will be there for you through thick and thin.
Main parts of the book and a short summary:
- Part 1: June – August – The book opens with January and Gus, two writers who used to be college rivals, discovering that they are now living in neighboring beach houses for the summer. As they begrudgingly get to know each other, they make a bet to see who can finish writing a novel in their opposing genres – romance and literary fiction – first.
- Part 2: Characters and Conflicts – As January and Gus spend more time together, they start to open up about their pasts and their fears, while also facing unexpected challenges in their personal lives and writing journeys.
- Part 3: Under the Stars – As their bet comes to an end and their novels near completion, January and Gus begin to realize their true feelings for each other. They also confront their inner demons as they both come to terms with their difficult pasts and find healing through their writing.
- Part 4: The End and the Beginning – As January and Gus’ novels are published and their relationship grows, they face the reality of their different lives and dreams. They must make tough decisions about their future, but ultimately learn that love means being willing to take risks and embrace the unknown.
Key takeaways:
- Love and real relationships require vulnerability, forgiveness, and compromise.
- Writing and storytelling can be powerful tools for healing and self-discovery.
- True friends are there for you no matter what.
- Relationships are messy and imperfect, but that’s what makes them real and meaningful.
Author’s background and qualifications:
Emily Henry is a bestselling author of several young adult and adult fiction novels. She has a degree in English and Creative Writing and has worked in publishing and as a freelance editor. She has also written for publications such as The New York Times and Cosmopolitan.
Target audience:
Fans of contemporary romance, or anyone looking for a heartwarming and humorous read about finding love and healing from past traumas. This book is also perfect for lovers of books about writers and the power of storytelling.
Publisher and first publication date:
Berkley Books; May 19, 2020