14 books for fans of Emily Henry's 'Beach Read'
Samantha Grindell
- Emily Henry's "Beach Read" was one of the most popular books of 2020.
- Insider rounded up the best books with similar enemies-to-lovers plots.
- It includes "The Hating Game" by Sally Thorne and Henry's second novel "People We Meet on Vacation."
"People We Meet on Vacation" by Emily Henry
Emily Henry's second novel, "People We Meet On Vacation," is just as delightful as its predecessor, though it swaps the enemies-to-lovers trope for friends-to-lovers.
No one expected Alex and Poppy to be friends, let alone best friends. Alex is a homebody who has a codependent relationship with his cat, while Poppy is a free spirit who writes a travel blog.
Despite all odds, Alex and Poppy have clicked since college, managing to keep their friendship alive after Poppy moved to New York City through an annual week-long vacation.
But after a decade of trips, they make a mistake they can't take back, leaving their friendship in pieces.
Two years later, they still haven't spoken, and Poppy feels lost even as everything in her life falls into place. Fixing things with Alex feels like the key to it all, so she breaks their stand-off to see if he'll go on a last vacation with her.
When Alex says yes, Poppy knows it's her last chance to make their relationship right. But a reunion means they'll both have to confront feelings for each other they don't want to have, putting their friendship on the line once again.
"The Unhoneymooners" by Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren's New York Times bestseller stars Olive Torres, the unlucky twin who feels like she's always living in her sister's shadow.
But things change at her sister's wedding, where the entire wedding party gets sick, aside from Olive and Ethan Thomas, a groomsman she happens to loathe. The pair are given the chance to take the newlyweds' 10-day honeymoon in Hawaii, and Olive agrees to go for the free trip despite her hatred of Ethan.
As the unlikely pair enjoy their surprise vacation, Olive finds herself feeling things for Ethan she never expected. Has her luck finally changed?
"The Wedding Party" by Jasmine Guillory
Every installment of Jasmine Guillory's "The Wedding Date" series offers a steamy love affair, and the third book, "The Wedding Party," is no exception.
Theo and Maddie have never liked each other – though they share a mutual attraction that's hard to ignore. Most of the time, they do their best to avoid each other, only hanging out when their best friend Alexa forces them to.
But when Alexa gets engaged and Theo and Maddie are both made members of the bridal party, they're forced to spend time together, making it harder and harder to ignore the spark between them.
Eventually, they give in to their temptation, swearing that they'll end their secret affair the second Alexa says 'I do.' But what will Theo and Maddie do when they realize they're falling for each other?
"The Duke and I" by Julia Quinn
"The Duke and I" is the first book in Julia Quinn's "Bridgerton" series," which inspired the first season of the Netflix show of the same name.
Like the show, "The Duke And I" follows Daphne Bridgerton and Simon, the Duke of Hastings, through a social season in Regency London.
Daphne and Simon couldn't be more different. All Daphne wants is to marry well and make her mother happy, while Simon is desperate to avoid marriage and the responsibilities of being a duke.
When they realize they can help each other achieve their goals, Simon and Daphne start a fake courtship that seems like it could get them both what they want.
Everything changes when they realize what they really want is each other.
"A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas
The first installment in Sarah J. Maas' "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series is the ideal read for readers who love their romance with a side of fantasy.
After her mother died and her family went broke, Feyre was forced to spend her young adulthood ensuring her father and sisters didn't go hungry.
Her goal is to keep them fed until she can marry off both of her sisters, but her plan goes awry when she kills a wolf while hunting that turns out to be a faerie — which means she broke the terms of a centuries-long treaty that keeps the peace between the faeries and humans.
To pay for her crime, Feyre will have to live out the rest of her life in the faerie realm with Tamlin, a powerful faerie she instantly fears and hates.
That hate soon turns to lust as Feyre and Tamlin realize they understand each other in ways they never anticipated. But as their connection deepens, so does the danger around them, as a blight threatens the faerie lands and Tamlin's magic.
Feyre will have to figure out how to help Tamlin — or risk losing him forever.
"Red, White, and Royal Blue" by Casey McQuiston
The enemies turned lovers trope gets a fresh twist in this delightful debut by Casey McQuiston. "Red, White, & Royal Blue" follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the first female president of the United States.
As his mother begins her campaign for reelection, Alex causes an international crisis when he gets in a public fight with his sworn nemesis Henry, who happens to be the prince of England. The two begin a fake friendship to appease their families, but they soon find themselves drawn to each other in ways they never expected.
As Alex and Henry grow closer, they'll have to decide if they're willing to put their families and political careers on the line for love.
"The Hating Game" by Sally Thorne
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman might both be assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing house, but that's where their similarities end. Josh is as type A as they come, while Lucy approaches her life with excitement and colorful clothes.
It's no secret that they hate each other, and their loathing only increases when they realize they're up for the same promotion.
Lucy decides she's not going to let Josh intimidate her anymore, and soon, their fiery hate is turning into something else entirely. But how can either of them trust that this change of heart is real?
Sally Thorne's debut is the enthralling workplace rom-com you've been waiting for.
"Normal People" by Sally Rooney
Although Sally Rooney's beloved "Normal People" has a darker tone than "Beach Read," protagonists Connell and Marianne have a chemistry that Henry's fans will love.
Connell and Marianne meet in high school, when Connell is a popular jock and Marianne is, well, the opposite. The two bond despite their seeming differences, setting them on a course that will shape their lives in which they are drawn back to one another over and over again.
Now a popular Hulu show, Rooney's novel shows the inevitability of love, finding words for the often inexplicable reasons people need each other.
"Well Met" by Jen DeLuca
Volunteering at the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire wasn't on Emily's to-do list for the summer, but she doesn't have much of a choice since her sister is recovering from an injury and her teenage niece asked her to join the Faire.
She's willing to give it her all for the sake of her niece, but things get even worse when Emily is forced to work with Simon, a teacher and Faire legacy who won't listen to any of her ideas on how to freshen up the event.
Their mutual dislike is obvious, but their animosity turns to lust when they slip into their Renaissance characters. Before she knows it, Simon is making Emily reconsider everything she thought about herself and Willow Creek.
Jen DeLuca's debut "Well Met" is effervescent and full of tension romance readers will love.
"Act Your Age, Eve Brown" by Talia Hibbert
Fans of Talia Hibbert will love "Act Your Age, Eve Brown," her latest installment of the Brown sisters series.
The novel follows Eve, who has always been more comfortable with chaos than order, as her purple hair makes clear.
It's no surprise that constantly controlled Jacob Wayne doesn't hire her to be the chef at his bed and breakfast — but it is a shock when Eve accidentally hits his car and breaks his arm.
To make amends, Eve lingers around the B&B, becoming a nuisance Jacob is prepared to hate. But his loathing soon turns to something else, warming a place inside him he didn't know existed.
"Neon Gods" by Katee Robert
Katee Robert's "Neon Gods" offers a modern twist on the controversial love affair between Hades, god of the underworld, and Persephone.
In the city of Olympus, the Thirteen Houses rule everything. Zeus lords over the group, using his political power to get away with whatever he wants — including the mysterious deaths of his wives.
So when Demeter Dimitriou arranges for her daughter Persephone to be his next wife, Persephone knows she has to get out as fast as she can. Impulsively, she crosses the River Styx to the forbidden side of Olympus, coming face to face with Hades, the man she long believed to be nothing more than a myth.
Hades and Persephone strike a deal to have a public affair. Being "tainted" by Hades will make her undesirable to Zeus, and Hades can't resist the opportunity to get revenge on Zeus for ruining his life.
Their partnership starts as a delicious way to let off steam, but neither Hades nor Persephone can ignore the feelings they're developing for each other for long.
"Shipped" by Angie Hockman
Henley Evans and Graeme Crawford-Collins have been enemies from the day they started working together at a cruise line — though they've never met in person since Graeme works remotely.
Their first IRL meeting comes in the form of a company trip to the Galápagos Islands, where they'll both be competing for their dream promotion. Henley is prepared to do whatever it takes to crush Graeme, as she thinks moving up the corporate ladder will make the last few years of putting her life on hold for her job and MBA worth it.
But Henley's plan falls apart when she meets Graeme and discovers he's nothing like she thought. Her feelings for him threaten to ruin everything she's been working toward — which might be the best thing that ever happened to her.
Angie Hockman's "Shipped" is the rom-com beach read you've been waiting for.
"Fight or Flight" by Samantha Young
Scottish traveler Caleb Scott books himself a one-way ticket to Ava Breevort's bad side after he steals her first-class seat on a flight to Boston.
She's ready to hate him forever, but somehow, they end up spending a layover tangled up in a hotel bed, and Ava decides Caleb isn't so bad.
Their layover turns into an exciting affair when Caleb gets stuck in Boston, made all the better for Ava by the knowledge that it's temporary.
But when she finds out Caleb is staying in Boston for good, Ava will have to face the fact that her feelings for him might be more permanent than she thought in Samantha Young's "Fight or Flight."
"Tools of Engagement" by Tessa Bailey
Wes Daniels is the last person Bethany Castle wants to work with in Tessa Bailey's "Tools of Engagement."
But when she's invited to compete against her brother on the home renovation show "Flip Off," the new guy in town is the only worker from her family's construction team who is willing to help her prove she's just as capable as her brother.
Over the course of filming, Wes drives Bethany crazy — in more ways than one. He offers the worst kind of temptation, threatening to shake up the independent life she's created for herself. But he might be exactly what she needs.
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