Our score
Excellent
Listen free with a trial
Listen to Beach Read freeNew to Audible? Start a free trial to listen: stream or download titles in the Audible appand cancel anytime.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support the site at no extra cost to you.
Beach Read Audiobook by Emily Henry— narrated by Julia Whelan
Beach Read is Emily Henry's breakout: two rival writers, a burned-out literary novelist and a cheerful blockbuster romance author, end up in neighboring beach houses and dare each other to swap genres for the summer. It's funnier, sadder, and more grown-up than its sunny cover suggests.
Why the audiobook wins
Julia Whelan narrates both January's brittle first-person voice and Gus's low, guarded register, and the contrast is what sells the whole bet at the center of the book: you can hear exactly when January's performed cheerfulness cracks, and exactly when Gus's gruffness turns out to be grief wearing a disguise.
At just over ten hours, this is a book made for a beach trip or a long drive, but Whelan's reading also earns the second half of the title, finding the grown-up sadness under the rom-com premise so the emotional turns don't feel like a genre switch, just the truth catching up.
Whelan is one of the most in-demand voices in audiobooks for good reason, and here she gives two rival writers a shared warmth that a silent read can undersell. One credit gets you the whole summer.
Already a member? Go straight to Beach Read on Audible
Prefer to read it?
Audiobook questions
- Who narrates the Beach Read audiobook?
- Julia Whelan narrates the audiobook edition of Beach Read.
- How long is the Beach Read audiobook?
- The audiobook runs 10 hr 13 min.
- Is the Beach Read audiobook worth listening to?
- We scored Beach Read 4.3 out of 5. Julia Whelan narrates both January's brittle first-person voice and Gus's low, guarded register, and the contrast is what sells the whole bet at the center of the book: you can hear exactly when January's performed cheerfulness cracks, and exactly when Gus's gruffness turns out…
- Can I listen to Beach Read free with an Audible trial?
- Eligible new Audible members can use a free-trial credit to listen in the Audible app. Eligibility and current offer terms are set by Audible.Listen to Beach Read free with an Audible trial
We earn from qualifying Amazon purchases.
- Is Beach Read on Kindle Unlimited?
- No. Beach Read was not included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on July 7, 2026.
- How much does Beach Read cost?
- On Amazon: Kindle $8.99, Paperback $8.37, Hardcover $16.10. Prices as of August 21, 2026 at 3:47 AM EDT and may change.
