I loved this book. I’ve read quite a few reviews from people who say this was their least favorite book by Henry and I can see that. This was a lot more poignant and a bit more sad. I think it lacked a little bit of the wit I expect from her books. That being said I still really enjoyed reading this one. It had great characters with a lot of depth.

Loved it! Emily Henry is 4 for 4 in my book. This was a stunning read. It was emotional, heartfelt, and deeply romantic. The premise of this was truly unique and not like anything I’d read before. Fake dating but the opposite of any other fake dating book I’ve ever read. Sort of working backwards in their relationship. Told through then and now dual timelines really worked for me. The angst and nostalgia were on point. The friendships, aging, growing apart, and found family elements were so relatable and touching as a reader also at this stage of life. Not a super light rom com as the cover may imply, so I definitely recommend readers know what they are getting into and check out the content warnings before digging into this amazing book!

It really doesn't matter what I think of this book, Emily Henry has a following and it sells well in our bookstore! This was not my favorite of her books and I can't even put my finger on the why. I just didn't love it. But regardless, it sells well! Can't wait for Funny Story!

This was amazing in all the best ways. It made me cry multiple times but in a good way. It also felt like such a great story of friendship and found family so there was so much more than just the romantic relationship. The main characters just really needed to talk to each other earlier but they still did a good job of eventually letting it all out. I started this as an audiobook but couldn't wait and jumped back into the ebook to read it faster.

I'd like to preface this by saying that while I'm giving this 3 stars, a 3 star Emily Henry book is like a 4 (or even a 5, tbh) star rating compared to a lot of other authors I've read. Even if I don't fall in love with the plot, which unfortunately was the case with Happy Place, I still absolutely adore her writing and end up wishing the book was 500 pages longer. If I had to give a reason for why this one didn't quite click for me the way her previous books have, I would say it probably has to do with the fact that this was easily her saddest book yet, and I, try as I might, am simply not a sad-book girlie. I am a rom-com girl through and through and this one didn't have quite enough of that for my personal tastes. Here's hoping that Funny Story will scratch that itch a little better for me. Fingers crossed!

CW: depression, death of a loved one

Happy Place was not a happy place for me. While Emily Henry’s writing was on point for this novel, I could not connect with the characters. The friendship and relationship struggles are relatable, but they don’t feel meaningful because it was all tell, no show. My biggest pet peeve in romance novels is the miscommunication trope, especially when it comes to bad assumptions. Add on that the relationship lasted 8 years and broke down like summer fling. I couldn’t get behind Wyn’s behavior and wanted Harriet to find some self-respect. I loved Book Lovers and enjoyed Beach Read, but Happy Place is not for me.

This is Emily Henry's best, I've never felt so well represented by a character who's dealt with the same things I have and the same emotions towards it. After people we meet on vacation I was nervous jumping into another one, but Happy People did not disappoint. One of my favourite books I've read this year.

I just have to accept the fact that Emily Henry's books are going to absolutely devastate me and leave me riding high every time I read another one. I'm such a fan of her prose in general, but also the way she approaches the beauty and the agony of most kinds of human relationships — not just romantic, but deep and meaningful friendships too. I really enjoyed the parallel timeline structure on this one, letting us see the highs and lows of Wyn and Harriet's history, which ultimately gives their reunion and reconciliation so much more of an impact. But the friend group is great here too, and I appreciated seeing the growing pains that naturally develop within the circle as people reach different life milestones and have to shift their priorities around. This is definitely one of Henry's angstier books to date, but it makes the journey to their HEA really rewarding.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoy the author. Her books are always interesting and the characters are unique. This wasn't my favorite of hers but I still enjoyed it. I would recommend!

Happy Place was a wonderfully written and enjoyable read. A rom-com with some drama thrown in for good measure. But, it is well worth the read if you are looking for a little romance with some sarcastic wit and friendships that last a life time.

A second-chance romance, Happy Place encompasses unlikely friendships that have grown into a family. It’s filled with characters that will make smile and laugh then make you stop and consider how you handle life. It was witty and heartwarming while being emotional. Only to have “you, you, you” playing in your mind.

This was a new-to-me author that I would thoroughly enjoy reading again. The story was interesting and held my attention. I enjoy quirky characters, story-lines that don’t always follow the norm, romance and happy endings. Happy Place gave me all that and a little more.

Dual timeline, narrated get Harriet and it will definitely put you in your feels. Emily has done it again- but the ending had me screaming! Not my favorite book, but was definitely well written.

This was my first Emily Henry novel, and I'm glad I finally got to try her out after hearing so much buzz. The writing is great and the characters were well developed. However, I didn't love it as much as I expected. I just felt that it moved a bit slowly and I wasn't itching to pick it up most of the time. Nevertheless, I will try more of her books because she's a skillful writer and I know that most people rave about her.

Emily Henry can do no wrong. All her books are massive hits and romance novels are just absolutely fantastic

Four stars to my favorite Emily Henry novel to date! I loved this story of friendship and heartbreak and longing! Filled with longing and lies, Harriet and Wyn must decide if they should tell their friends they have broken up, or just get back together!

Emily Henry has such a specific kind of tone she strikes, somewhere between literary fiction and Hallmark, and it really works. HAPPY PLACE isn't my favorite of her titles, but was very enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Emily Henry never misses, and this book is no exception. Nobody writes banter quite like Henry does, and her books just give me so much joy.

This was a different writing style for Henry, but I didn't mind how the chapters were spilt!! But goodness COMMUNICATION!! WITH EVERYONE !!! It was like no one knew how to talk to each other and over half the problems would have been solved! And it was very frustrating to wait over 3/4 book before knowing the real reason for Wyn and Harr's seperation!! I did appreciate the found family aspect!

More like 4.5 stars rounded down.

This book was just what I needed to get me out of my reading slump.

Emily Henry has a way with words that I both admire and envy. The fact that she manages to intertwine this beautiful writing style with complex characters and a heartwrenching romance is a delight every single time. When I pick up one of her books, I know I'm in for a lot of fun, but also a rollercoaster of emotions, and to me, that's what a good romance is all about.

Even if I don't think I will ever relate to a character more than I did to Nora in Book Lovers, Emily Henry's previous release, Harriet comes at a close second. Her people-pleasing, overachieving and perfectionist tendencies really hit home. As for Wyn, his journey with his lack of confidence and his depression really struck a chord with me, as I have also been going through a similar situation myself in the last couple of years.

Because I cared about the characters, I cared about their romance. However, I enjoyed the chapters of backstory on their relationship a lot more than the actual present-time plotline, and so my attention span and interest were wavering a bit at the end when there were less of those sprinkled through. Then again, I am not a big fan of second chance romance, and I still really enjoyed this book.

Emily Henry is a MUST read for me, I have never clicked “request” so fast! While this book was a little sadder and more emotional than her others, it was still just perfect. I don’t think I could read it over and over, but it was beautiful in all ways. The setting, the relationships, it was all just heartbreaking and amazing. I love how this book highlights the fact that not everything is a happily ever after, that even when we want things to be a certain way, sometimes it just doesn’t work out like that. And bonus! The “Found family” trope is one of my absolute favorites, and I was so happy to see how it played out here.

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Here are some reasons why Happy Place is now my new favorite Emily Henry Book (and why I personally believe it's her best work yet):

🌸 IT'S MORE THAN JUST A LOVE STORY
It follows an engaged couple who broke up months ago without their close friends knowing and they had to pretend that they’re still together for their annual weeklong vacation with them. That might scream second chance romance and fake dating, but don't get fooled! This book talks about complex themes of relationships from families to friendships, growing together and apart, and personal battles that’s told in dual timelines.

🌸 IT FELT LIKE A MOVIE IN THE MAKING
The plot, characters, and scenes were vibing together as if I’m watching a feel-good movie that breaks my heart in the middle, and trying to piece it back together at the end.