[Note: I found 3 typos while re-reading this and I'm sure there are more I haven't caught yet. Forgive me.]

I'm genuinely glad that this novel was talked about in a few Booktube wrap ups I watched so that I didn't fall for the super bright summery cover to go with the cozy summery title. Because yes, there's a beach involved and yes, they read, but...this isn't a super light and easy summery beach read. It's like a beach read when it's been kinda cloudy most of the day and there are pockets of time where the sun breaks through the clouds to warm you up but then almost immediately hides again and you get to cool off so you're comfortable.

Also, it's a lake. It's a beach on a lake. In Michigan.

So, knowing to adjust my expectations of the type of read I was about to get helped a LOT. Going into this knowing that this is a story about a main character dealing with the death of her father and the revelation he was cheating HELPED A LOT. Re-read the blurb here on Goodreads. This keeps being touted as a fun "tee hee we're writers switching genres and we fall in love along the way" romance when it's not!

I mean, it IS, but it's NOT.

I'm rambling. ANYWAY. All this is to say that I'm glad I adjusted my expectations because I ended up really enjoying this. The exploration of January's writer's block being tied to her grief and feeling like her life didn't make sense anymore was really nice to follow. Learning more about Gus and his story is also great, as was seeing the way the two of them explored and tore apart the stereotypes of each genre as they explained why the loved writing the way they did, and what it would be like to write something different. There was a really nice balance of a shared past between the two (they were in college together) and re-learning who each other was through this writing project.

One thing I really appreciated was that while there was typical romantic conflict and tension, it was always something that felt realistic and THEY ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS. I cannot describe how nice it was to see January grappling with what she thought Gus was feeling only to later then have them talk about their feelings. Communication being the answer!! HOORAY!!

I enjoyed this all around, and gave it 4 stars for how much fun I had with it. Some parts of the middle dragged a bit, but not enough to ruin anything.