Perfect book is perfect.

At one point while reading Happy Place I told a friend that it felt like a weighted blanket on a rainy day. A little melancholy, but cozy and comfortable.

I loved every single perfect page.

Thank you Berkley Romance for my copy of Happy Place! All thoughts are my own.,

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Book-ternet in the last three years, it’s that everyone has very strong feelings on Emily Henry’s books. I have a definitive ranking of favorites and I think Happy Place has made it close the top. I have been craving these Romances that are grounded in reality lately and this definitely fit the bill. Not to say that all Romance isn’t real, but I’ve been in the mood for something with a little more…more.

I was sucked into the story of Happy Place, the friend group and their annual vacation. I loved the sense of family and the very real fears of thinking that you’re growing apart from the people who mean the most to you. I found the book to fun and flirty, heart wrenching and romantic, desperate and sad. Plus, the Maine setting is dreamy and perfect to enjoy on vacation this Summer.

Synopsis:

“A couple who broke up months ago pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry. Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t. They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends. Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most. Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—Though the book takes place in multiple places, they’re all equally dreamy. College in Vermont, post-grad in NYC, trips to Montana, and of course the cottage in Maine. I love how Emily Henry weaves the setting seamlessly into the emotions and experiences of the characters, almost personifying the highs and lows through the lens of the places where they take place.

The Internal Dialogue—I could really relate to Harriet and the pressure she puts on herself.

Wyn Connor—I know he won’t be for everyone, but boy oh boy was he for me. I was utterly charmed by Wyn the whole book.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

Wanted More from the Friend Group—Based on other reviews I saw, I thought the romance would come second to the friend group. In truth, I felt the other way around but that the two plots were completely interconnected and entwined, which I think was a the greater message of the book.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Content Warnings:

death of a parent, estranged parental relationships, grief

OK, here's the thing. I love, love Emily Henry's books. Like, have reread them multiple times. So I was really looking forward to this one. And I was heartbroken when it just fell flat for me.

To start with, this is a dual-timeline book. It takes place in the present, and then in the past from around seven years ago until months before the present. Additionally, the book has a large cast of characters who have all been friends since college (the beginning of the early timeline). Now, I usually like multi-timeline books. So that's not the issue. I think what it really comes down to is that I really don't care about the characters.

The story revolves around Harriet and Wyn, who were part of the same friend group in college, started dating, and fell in love. The group of friends stayed close even into adulthood. Then Harriet and Wyn, who have recently broken up without telling their friends, find themselves thrown together for a week's vacation with those same friends.

At it's heart, this book is about growing up and changing, and transitioning from kids to adults and how that changes relationship dynamics. And I understand that. But for it to make an impact, I need to care about the characters, and I just didn't. The characters aren't really fleshed out at all. Rather, they're caricatures - the classy rich woman, the rich party boy, the lesbian hippies, the cowboy with confidence issues, the med student who is having an identity crisis... It's not enough to make me really want to know their story.

While I did stick it out until the end, and I didn't hate it, this was definitely my least favorite Henry read.

HOLY ASDFGHJKL; EMILY HENRY
Anyway, welcome to my review where I talk romance books. Today we're going to be talking about Emily Henry, a favorite, an author that consistently delivers, and the author that seemed to have written my love life in a book and named it Happy Place.
I don't know how, but Emily Henry consistently knows how to pull me apart and put me back together, and she did that with Happy Place. The only difference this book has made versus her other releases (which I have also loved, make no mistake) is that this book some how consistently made me feel all the things because it was RELATABLE.
If you have been in a long distance relationship, this book is for you. But it will also wreck you. It will make you remember all the moments in your life where you've felt so low, so unhappy, because you've tried so hard to make things work. And when they don't, you want to give up. This book tells you that you will find your happy place again.

Anyway, will be thinking about this book for a while. Will probably reread it again and again. EH has my soul.

DNF at 66% I can't believe I'm DNFing an Emily Henry (I've seriously loved all her other work) but this was just so boring. I honestly didn't care if they got back together and couldn't connect with any of the characters.

Harriet and Wyn broke up six months ago but their friends didn’t know that, so they pretend that they still together for their annual weeklong vacation. Harriet was so sad and feels that everything she loves are gone. The house, the man she was going to marry. And now that all of them are in a vacation in the house, Harriet and Wyn was forced to sleep together in the same room.

They’re both messed up but both are getting stronger and still love each other. I love how they make up for what happened before. Also the friendships in this book is so strong. Overall it was a great read. I don’t know if I’m the problem because I’m still not in the mood in reading or that, I just loved Book Lovers more.

Thank you Berkley Romance & NetGalley for my gifted copy.

"He's a golden boy. I'm a girl whose life has been drawn in shades of gray. I try not to love him. I really try."

Emily Henry is my Happy Place!!!

Happy Place is a second chance romance / women's fiction / friendship fiction with so much heart I felt like mine was going to burst.

Do you ever read a book and wonder how ALL THAT came from ONE HUMAN'S BRAIN? Good God. Emily Henry's brain is so juicy and smart and creative. She has the ability to create these wonderful three dimensional characters with these real life relationships and problems. It's all so believable. So easy to get lost in. With so many lessons on friendship, relationships, and life. I'm convinced Emily Henry is a love expert. How do you write love like this without a deep understanding of it?

This book is everything and will undoubtedly be one of my top reads of the year. Beautiful, brilliant, perfection.

All the stars for Happy Place! It might be her best one yet. LOVED!!!

Gosh, Emily Henry has done it again! What a beautiful story! The plot, the characters, the Pov! And all of it just so gorgeously written! This is one we will definitely be getting at our library!

4.5 stars

I could not put this one down! I was consumed by this story and at the end of every chapter I would tell myself “just 1 more” and keep going. Emily Henry truly has a gift. She created this beautiful ride or die found family and sent my emotions all over the place. The mix of women’s fiction and romance was just right and I was laughing, swooning, and shedding a tear or two. Readers really have to work for that second chance romance HEA and my heart took quite the beating as Harriet and Wyn’s friendship evolved and fell apart. I don’t think the angst needed to be *quite* so high (my heart!), but it definitely made the end satisfying.

One of the things I loved most, was that the friendships were just as important (if not more important) than the romantic relationship. Harriet, Cleo, and Sabrina are the heart of this story and I loved how all their different pieces fit together - not perfectly seamless, but rather into something uniquely them. Emily Henry tackled the topics of growing up, being you vs. what you think others want/expect, and how friend dynamics change and shift over time so honestly and beautifully.

I mainly listened to the audiobook of Happy Place, but I also reread chapters in the ebook to make the story last longer. There’s a reason Julia Whelan is known as the GOAT. She conveys so much emotion in her performances and her comedic timing is always spot on. I will listen to anything she narrates.

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5+ stars
Story 4.5 stars

CW: Parkinson’s, death of parent (past), grief, depression, claustrophobia, strained family relationships, anxiety

OW/OM notes:
- FMC is kissed by coworker (not reciprocated) while in a relationship with MMC
- MMC’s dating & sexual history (prior to his relationship with FMC) is discussed. No mentions of OW during separation.
- Brief mention of FMC trying to date and that she kisses/has sex with someone during the separation.

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

Emily Henry never disappoints -- but even among her very best (from her YA titles to her adult romances), this novel stands out. It's unbelievably affecting, and it made me laugh and cry in equal measure. It's easy to see the love that exists between these two leads, as well as the love that exists between the friends making up the story. Henry is already on my 'instant buy' list, and this novel only adds to my conviction in that being a solid fact.

Though second chance romance isn't my favorite trope, Emily Henry is one of the best writers in our generation! She weaves together a slow but moving story of choice, love, and happiness no matter where you are. Can't wait to see what comes next!

Second chance romance with ups and downs. I really liked the setting (the happy place where the friends meet up). The bright cheerful cover with swimmers is sure to encourage readers to pick this up this summer!

Another hit from Emily Henry. She reliably places a plotline alongside the romance that bears nearly equal weight, and here, the shifting dynamics of a friend group long out of college maybe even overshadows the romance plot. I don't love the way she held back information from the reader in this book, because it's not being held back from the characters. Still, her stories are just so compelling. For people who are frustrated by situations that could be solved with honest conversations, you might hate this! But I think it does a good job of portraying why honest conversations are hard, and why some people's instincts to protect others' feelings can backfire.

After breaking up their engagement, Harriet and Wyn end up on their friends’ annual vacation as if they’re still together. Could keeping up this ruse ignite a flame between them or are their acting skills that convincing? What about the friends, the lives they had and now have?

Wow! This was an emotional story that captured a successful woman’s desire to love and be loved by friends, family, and her long lost love. I mean, it had some of our favorite classic tropes—forced proximity, fake relationship of sorts, and second chance romance—but it also had depth, heart, and strong bonds. I personally adored the mention of UCSF and neurosurgery because that’s my old stomping grounds. And I did love Wyn and all he stood for. Another excellent and well-written book by Emily Henry.

If you like books featuring…
Maine Summers
Found family friends
Witty banter

Great for fans of…
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Book by Jenny Han and Amazon Prime show)
28 Summers by Elin Hillebrand
The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary

Happy Place by Emily Henry is a fun sweet romantic standalone novel. We meet our heroine, Harriet, a surgical doctor, who is invited to her annual Happy Place, where she spent the last 10 years with her wonderful and fun best friends, Sabrina and Cleo; after college Parth, Wyn and Kimmie became part of the group. When Harriet heard that Sabrina’s father was selling their Happy Place, she knew it may be the last time they get together. Sabrina, a lawyer, has been dating Parth, also a lawyer, and they planned to get married. Cleo, a farmer, was with Kimmie. Harriet has kept a secret from her friends, as she and Wyn (together for 8 years) broke up 5months ago, and to her shock, when she arrives, Wyn is there.

They both agree not to ruin the week with the news of their breakup, and tell them when the holiday is over. So they pretend to be together, sharing a room, and totally fake dating (not admitting their attraction to each other remains). Harriet has still not gotten over why Wyn broke up with her in a brief phone call.

What follows is a fun, sweet week with all of them enjoying each other’s company, drinking wine & cheese, eating at various restaurants, having the time of their lives in their sun filled happy place. Harriet and Wyn began to succumb to their feelings, and the chemistry between them was hot; but would that be enough to bring them together, after the week was over? Slowly, things change, as each of the couples have issues, which caused concern. Harriet was always the one who kept others together, never fighting, as she hated conflicts, and wanted to please everyone.

Happy Place was a wonderful second chance romance, with fantastic friendships, family atmosphere, and love all around. I loved Harriet’s fantastic friends in Sabrina and Cleo, and really like Parth, Wyn and Kimmie. It was so much fun to see them together. As we got closer to the end, secrets are revealed, causing possible break of friendships. An amazing group of friends will rise to the occasion, to bring love back into the picture. Happy Place was so very well written by Emily Henry. I really enjoyed this book, and suggest you need to read this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars

At this point, I am incapable of giving an Emily Henry book less than 5 stars. Even when they rip my heart out, I love them and I thank them for being perfect. Happy Place ripped my heart out multiple times and I was just exhausted by the time I got to the end. Did I love it? YES.

Happy Place is a second chance love story with a dose of fake dating. Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple..until they aren’t. They are part of a close knit friend group that goes to a Maine cottage every summer. However, this summer is different because Wyn and Harriet broke up and can’t bring themselves to tell their friends. Due to multiple hijinks and insanity, Harriet and Wyn must pretend to still be together..which is a lot easier than either wants to admit.

It’s always all about the banter and the vibes in an Emily Henry novel and both are top notch in Happy Place. While second chance romance is not my favorite trope because I tend to not enjoy a ton of pain and stress in my reading experience, Emily Henry (of course) masters the trope and makes it as painful and as stressful as possible. She is the best.

Now, for the characters. Wyn. Well, Wyn gave me some rage. But Harriet? Harriet was perfect. Harriet loves cozy mysteries and Murder, She Wrote. How could I not love Harriet? Wyn eventually won me over and I appreciated how flawed and layered he was…but he still gave me rage…but I also loved him. Harriet is the star of the show and I love that mirrorball girlie more than anything. Hands down my favorite character of the year. The found family vibes were spot on and I lived for the banter between the friend group. I want to wear a ton of linen and eat lobster and just live in that beach cottage. It sounds like the happiest of places.

All the stars. All the tears.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A big thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

First off, does Emily Henry ever miss? Happy Place has officially become my favorite novel of hers! There was so much to love about this book. From Harry and Wyn (I'm not crying, you are) to their group of friends (seriously, I loved them all so much) everything just flowed so well that I couldn't stop reading.

Harry and Wyn: where do I begin? The banter, the steamy moments, the heartbreak, the reconnection... incredible. There was this undeniable chemistry between them and it felt like my own heart was being crushed whenever Harry thought she wasn't good enough and tried to make herself fit what she thought she should be. Also, I really enjoyed the back and forth of the timelines and watching their relationship develop.

Lastly, when it came to Cleo and Kimmy and Sabrina and Parth, I thought the friend dynamic (especially between Harry, Cleo, and Sabrina) was top notch. Henry encapsulated that terrifying feeling of growing up and feeling like you're growing apart, but at the end of the day you're family and you're loved.

Overall, I just adored this book and would definitely recommend!

Emily Henry is on a roll. She continues to mix comedy, steam and romance into her books, while also telling a great story. Loved the friendship between the six characters and am already excited for what's next from her.
Formal review and links coming soon.

Every time I read an Emily Henry novel, I think it's my favorite of hers. Happy Place is no exception. Told in a then versus now perspective, Harriet is on her way to her happy place, a summer cottage in Maine, where she spends a week every summer with her best friends. Unfortunately, that includes her now ex-fiancee, Wyn. A big problem is that none of their friends know they broke up. I absolutely adored this book! The characters are well thought out and the storyline kept me reading until the end. My absolute favorite type of book revolves around found families and this is one of the best I've read.