The Beach Reads Book Club Paperback – September 16, 2021

I just finished the Beach Reads Book Club and I really enjoyed the theme, the characters, the fun and intensity of the love story. This is a light hearted book in many ways, but not when it comes to true love! True love is taken very seriously by the author and all the characters. It really got me in the feels! I look forward to reading more of Kathryn Freeman.

Positives about this book: Wonderful characters, both the main characters as well as the supporting cast of characters. (Some of those characters could almost have their own novels.) Lovely setting -- I could just imagine being in a British holiday town by the sea.Negatives -- there really aren't many, but one thing I disliked was how ridiculously stubborn our heroine was. Not only did she refuse help, she got angry when anyone offered her help. Angry to the point of turning away the best guy ever!Perhaps we were supposed to understand that she was immature and this was part of her process of maturing. But I wanted to pull her aside and yell at her. It just didn't seem that if you love someone as much as she was coming to love the hero, she would have understood that he was doing it because he cared for her.Apart from being predictable (kind of goes with the territory), this was a nice read and a good escape.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.The Beach Reads Book Club is about our main protagonists Charlotte or Lottie for short and Matt who have both been heartbroken. Lottie belongs to a book club but after not connecting with several of the members or the books being read she decides to start a book club of her own along with some friends from the aforementioned book club. And so The Beach Reads Book Club is born. Their meetings are held at this little bookshop that is of course owned by Matt who has been a former workaholic and is dealing with his heartbreak and the loss of his mother. Soon enough the book club expands and it's now more than just a book club but rather the support system they all needed.I enjoyed the concept of this book and especially the fact that the majority of the characters were women. You get a glimpse into the lives of each of these strong beautiful women whether it be about their marriage, personal goals, or even their passions. Despite being a romance book, I liked that other aspects were also portrayed, such as strong friendships and a challenging family dynamic. I also enjoyed the dual perspectives which allow you to understand both protagonists better.Overall I enjoyed this book, its characters, and its concept. It was a quick and easy read.

Stumbled upon this book through an author’s Facebook group and decided to check it out. So glad I did! Lottie is bored with her book club because the required reading is too heavy and she decides to form her own book club where they read and discuss rom-coms. Couldn’t put this book down!

Great book. Uplifting with good lessons. Easy read. I think this is a great book for book club reading. Enjoy!

A fun book full of interesting characters you want to befriend. The story warms your heart! Made me want to start my own book club!

Nice change of pace after reading historical novels.

The Beach Reads Book Club is a charming story that follows bookstore owner Matthew Steele and book club organizer Lottie Watt. When Lottie is thrown out of a stuffy book club, she decides to create her own with fun books and like-minded readers. Lottie asks the owner of a local bookstore if she can hold the meetings there, and her life is irrevocably changed. Matthew, the handsome and brooding bookstore owner, is a distraction Lottie didn’t anticipate, and as her book club takes off, so do her feelings for Matt. However, Matt sends mixed signals, and Lottie isn’t ready for a long-term commitment. Will Lottie and Matt find their happily-ever-after?Lottie has such a positive impact on those she meets. Selfless, helpful, and observant, Lottie understands people and intrinsically knows what they need. She is funny and supportive and vibrant, and people are drawn to her. From the book club members to Matt and his family, Lottie changes people’s lives for the better and, ever humble, doesn’t even realize she is doing it. This is especially true with Matt.At the start of the story, Matt is so withdrawn and emotionally closed off. Wounds and regrets from the past define his present. However, the more time he spends with Lottie, the more he sees what he really wants in life. He grows so much throughout the story, and his relationships and sense of self are improved because of it. Matt’s such a fantastic character and the perfect match for Lottie.The love story between Lottie and Matt is the perfect balance of sweet and romantic. Two people who are still healing from past relationships, neither Lottie nor Matt are ready for a serious relationship, but they find it difficult to resist their growing feelings. I like how they learn from each other and step out of their comfort zones as they get to know each other. These opposites have a wonderful romance, much to the delight of the book club.The members of the Beach Reads Book Club are fantastic! This group of women has a shared love of beach reads, and I can totally relate. I love a swoon-worthy romance and would love to join a book club like this. They are so fun and funny, and they become so much more than a book club. There is a found family dynamic in the club, and in extension the bookstore, that is heart-warming and hysterical.I also love the chapter titles, which are the titles of the books the club plans to read. The titles often reflect what is happening in the story and are also a great way to introduce the readers to other beach reads as well as the main events and feelings of the chapter. I'm so thankful to Kathryn Freeman and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review and think this is a great book for readers who like heartwarming and fun contemporary romance or rom-coms with great messages, well-developed and relatable characters, and a fantastic love story. It’s a charming summer read with a little bit of romance and a lot of fun!

Alas, this is the last and latest one of Kathryn Freeman's set of these books. They are all separate books totally unlinked by characters, plots or location, but they are all enormous fun to read. The stories hold your interest, the characters are strong and believable (and I am sure sometimes that I actually know them or their equivalent in real life), and you end each one wanting to read her next one in the hope it will be as good as the one you just read.It will be.A new one comes out next month.I have already pre-ordered it with confidence.Can't wait!!!

Lottie's book club sounds fun, and I loved how she managed to help other members with personal problems. The only reason why I wouldn't feel more comfortable in that club than in the one she left is that what they call the "good bits" of a romance novel are the scenes I wish weren't so detailed (I must say I didn't like how them all agreeing about that made it sound like all romance readers want such scenes)... but I might be willing to suffer through some of their embarassing talk just to sample Heidi's cakes (definitely not Audrey's gin, though).Matt, just as generous as Lottie but much less of a people person, was called a Mr Darcy once or twice, and that seems quite fitting (fortunately not to the extend of an insulting proposal). I really liked him a lot.There's also a rescue dog with an unexpected response to whistling, some colourful club members and, of course, the required humour of a romantic comedy (*those* are the "good bits" for me).

Have you ever felt like a book is giving you a hug? That's how I felt with this book. It was absolutely brilliant and summed up my love for books perfectly. Just a warning though, it will make your already long to be read pile even longer! I have come away with a few more books I want to read.I think the biggest thing to take away from this book is that you can like all kinds of genres and no body has a right to judge you for liking a particular genre.If you're a fan of Sue Moorcroft, Heidi Swain or Jilly Cooper, this book will be right up your street. It's a must read for 2021

Lovely book good fun and great characters

The basic story of this book is very good, interesting enough to make you want to finish it. I've only given three stars because of the stereotypical sex scenes which I found really boring - no pun intended! Less is more, indeed, and in my opinion a bit of anticipation is so much better than full-on, roaring sex in every chapter. Jane Austen knew a thing or two about anticipation and is still being read 200 years later. I doubt this book will be read even next year, not by me anyway. Not recommended. Sorry.