This book was interesting in that it made me happy but also incredibly sad. I wouldn’t call it a romance book at all but I also don’t think any of Emily Henry’s books are necessarily romance books.
I’m going to need 5-10 business days to truly process this book because of the way it made me feel. It’s not my favorite Emily Henry book, maybe even my least favorite but it’s still incredible because HELLO it’s Emily Henry.

I devoured this in a day. At this point Emily Henry can do no wrong. I would highly recommend this to Henry fans, it's more in the vein of Beach Read, with a lot of introspection and healing. This is a great title for people who read slow burn or second chance at romance titles.

It was a stunning book. It was reflective and undoubtedly her funniest book. Even though I already want to read this book again, I was actually sorry when it was finished. One of my all-time favorite books might be this one.

Age Rating: 18+

Special thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.

CW: sexual content, death of a parent, grief, break up

This is a book that I don’t know how to review. It’s one of those books that made me feel so much, and felt so personal, that I don’t know how to put those feelings into words.
Objectively, technically speaking, is this Emily Henry’s strongest work? No.
But regardless, it is my favorite of her books.
I related so heavily to Wyn (and to Harriet, but mostly Wyn), and even more heavily to aspects of Wyn and Harriet’s relationship, that I don’t think I’m capable of being objective.
I think that the characters and relationship of Wyn and Harriet were executed as perfectly as one would expect of Emily Henry. They’re dynamic, honest, real. Every word they speak, every emotion they experience, feels as if it’s more than words on a page. Emily Henry is a master of complex characters and making them feel as real as you or me, and Wyn and Harriet are just another testament to her skill.
However, the supporting cast of characters in this book are not as well developed. Parth was the worst, having no personality, no motivations, no agency. He existed solely because Sabrina needed a significant other for the story to work. Cleo is slightly more developed, but barely. She is supposed to be one of the main trio, but her partner has more personality, more of a roll in the story than she does. Sabrina has the most development of the group, but she’s obnoxious. To be fair, I think she’s kind of supposed to be, but I think she’s also supposed to be lovable, redeemable, as well… and in order for that to have fully landed the way it was supposed to, I think she, too, needed more development outside of “spoiled rich girl with mommy and daddy issues”.
Now, I don’t think any of these characters are bad or poorly written. I think they’re just…average. While reading, I was so caught up with Wyn and Harriet that I didn’t notice the ways that the rest of the crew fell flat, for the most part. On occasion, I would, but 90% of the time I didn’t. It’s more of a looking back a few weeks after reading, really thinking about this book, this story, these characters, comparing them to Emily Henry’s other books and what I know she’s capable of, that I realize that Sabrina, Cleo, Parth, and Kimmy definitely fall flat in comparison. This book was amazing—my favorite—but I think that, knowing Emily Henry, it could have been more so, if she’d had more time. This book is the most complex, in terms of themes and number of important characters, that I can’t help but wonder what it could have been if the release date had been pushed out just six months.
Now please don’t get me wrong. I freaking love this book. It is amazing. One of the best books I’ve ever read. I recommend it equally as much as any of Emily Henry’s other books, and more than like 99.99999% of all the other books I’ve read. The plot, the romance, the angst, the heartbreak—impeccable. The only thing that I wish was a little more developed is the supporting cast, but even then, they in no way took away from my love and enjoyment of this book. I just think they didn’t add quite as much as they could have.
I read this book in 24 hours. I cried so hard I couldn’t see the words and my cat crawled into my lap and pawed at my face. I laughed out loud. I felt every possible emotion more intensely than I think almost any book has ever made me feel. I highlighted the shit out of my ARC, and I cannot wait for my preorder to get here so that I can re-read it and annotate it. This is a book I see myself rereading again and again. This book means so much to me. I love it. I love Emily Henry. I love Wyn and Harriet. I love Knotts Harbor. This is one of the best books I have ever read and ever will read, and I cannot wait until it is officially out in the world and everyone can read it.

3.5 stars - I would put this book in the same realm as People We Meet on Vacation vs. Book Lovers & Beach Read. While there is nothing wrong with it (the writing continues to be lovely, great themes, etc), this is just not my kind of contemporary romance. Too angsty and I'm ALWAYS a hard sell for second chance romance. I think fans of Emily Henry will still enjoy this & I will still look for her next one. It's just not my fav from an author I have very high standards for

To no surprise I LOVED this book. In Emily Henry's previous novels the hurt and pull at the heartstrings has never primarily come from the main romance but in Happy Place that is where most of the hurt, tension, and grief existed. 5 months before the story begins Harriet was dumped by her boyfriend of 8 years, Wyn. The story starts with Harriet arriving to the annual summer vacay with her friends to find Wyn there as well. Due to high stakes regarding the trip the former couple agree to pretend like they are still together so their friends can enjoy themselves. Harriet and Wyn find themselves taunting each other with lust & desire and of course...there is only one bed.

I love a second chance romance but the reason I loved this one so much was because of how fresh it was. For Harriet, the break up was still an open wound and as a reader we were in her head, processing everything Wyn says and does to try to see if he is just as hurt as she is. Is he lying through his teeth when he says he's fine just like Harriet is? Or does he mean it? As Taylor Swift once sang, "just between us did the love affair maim you too?". I also loved that this book including flashback chapters. We got to watch how Harriet and Wyn's romance began and those chapters also had me tearing up because you knew where the story was going. You knew it would lead to heartbreak but you were stilling falling for them anyway, enjoying all of their happy moments.

This book also still reads like an Emily Henry novel. Her writing style is so unique to her and it instantly made me feel at home. I love Emily's stories so much because her characters, plots, and settings remain so authentic and human. Reading her books feels like listening to my friends talk about their lives.

If you have loved any of Emily's past books I highly recommend pre-ordering Happy Place!

I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Can I tell you how much I love Emily Henry? Because I really, really, REALLY love Emily Henry. I like the romance parts of the book, yes, but where it shines for me is the relationships her characters have with everyone (not just the romantic lead). I love untangling the threads of how the characters got to be where they are and how their past choices affect future decisions. It's such an intricate web that Henry weaves and she does it masterfully.

Another novel from Emily Henry that hooked me immediately. Wyn, Harriet, and their group of friends were engaging and endearing. While the tone is often sad and reflective, the banter and humor kept it moving and made it easy to get attached to the characters. Very minimal spice, but the tension and longing was palpable and I was absolutely rooting for Wyn and Harriet. Loved it and excited to re-read.

Emily Henry hits the mark again with Happy Place. Harriet is possibly my favorite Emily Henry protagonist yet, and I love how thoroughly Henry explores the breakdown in communication in Harriet and Wyn's relationship while making them both incredibly sympathetic characters with a vibrantly written group of friends in a well realized Maine setting. I found myself sobbing on an airplane while finishing this book which is a strong recommendation on my part. Definitely a must read for Emily Henry fans and all second-chance romance fans.

Omg this book had me so worried. I put it down toward the end because I was scared it wouldn't have a "happy ending" and I so wanted these characters to be together. This book was great and made me feel as if I was in their relationship.

Emily Henry does it again. How?

While I wouldn't call this a romance (it leans more towards "women's fiction" whatever that is) it's still fantastic. Like most Emily Henry's when I got to the halfway point I couldn't put it down.

Between the setting, the group of friends, the romance, THE DUDE, and Henry's perfect depiction of self discovery, it was perfection,

Once again Emily Henry has brought romance readers another book that is hard to put down. With characters that feel rich and fully fleshed out, Henry writes a story that any adult reader can connect to. Sure, we don't all have rich friends or beautiful Maine vacation properties, but the feelings of growing up and out of friendships- of feeling out of place, left behind, and struggling with society's version of "success." We've all been there. With easy banter and romantic tension, Happy Place is sure to make it to the bestseller list.

A percent blend of romance and women fiction. I loved the friends’s circle so much!! And on the other hand, MCs and their story was so engaging that I devoured this book in one single sitting. It so angsty and Herriet was so adorable that I couldn’t help but love cheer for her since the beginning!!

Loved it - just pulled at the heartstrings. I had read People We Meet on Vacation as my first Emily Henry and didn't love it, so I am glad I gave this one a go! I made so many annotations - she's great at making the reader FEEL things.

Emily Henry has become one of my must read authors - and this book is my own Happy Place. I loved the concept, the characters and the story. So well done - but how long do I have to wait for her next?

I'm such a sucker for Emily Henry books, and I typically avoid straight romance like the plague. Second Change Romance is also one of my least favourite tropes of all time, so this was a hard sell for me. As always, though, Henry's characters drew me in and kept me engaged through the entire book. I love how she writes characters with realistic flaws. There aren't villains, nothing is over the top or traits you don't see in yourself or your own friends and family, just people being people. I loved the elements of Harry's family, and the found family trope came through strong with this one. My readers will enjoy the setting and pace, which was so engaging I read this in a single day.

Emily Henry has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and this book didn't disappoint. It's sweet, emotional, and has interesting characters who are going through a time in their lives that everybody can relate to.

I usually “love” Emily Henry’s books but I just “liked” this one. It is a story about friendship, families and what happens when you find your soulmate…but lose him. I loved the banter and the cast of characters. I just thought the story drug on a little too long, making it a little slower than her other novels. I found myself getting a little frustrated and wanting to yell at the two main characters to communicate better! It was still a fun romance and great story. Thank you for the ARC. 4 stars.

I love all of Emily Henry’s books and this one was great, but definitely felt that it had a sadder undertone. Obviously this is about a broken relationship and has a happy ending, but I couldn’t help but feel the general tone of this book was moodier than her others because of the premise.

Okay here's the thing. I can absolutely see why this is becoming one of her most divisive books. I think it's one you'll either love or hate, and I totally understand why someone would hate it, particularly if they went in expecting something light and rom com-y (although if you've read or heard about Beach Read/her other romances...idk why you'd expect something else. Like...she writes heavy stuff, y'all.) That being said, this book REALLY worked for me, even though the romance itself was probably my least favorite of her couples.

The tone was even more serious than her other books, and it was heavy, but it felt so true to the experience of having years-long relationships with people (both romantic and otherwise) who were raised with or developed different communication styles. This explores grief in a lot of ways--grief for the way your life used to be, the way it hasn't been what you wanted, the way your dreams are not what you thought you were working for, the way things have to change--but it's also a celebration of friendship and an exploration of how people grow and change and can still love each other through that. The miscommunication also felt very genuine to me, in that it was something she actually delved into rather than using it as a superficial plot device. Miscommunication once can easily be resolved, but what happens when a couple never learns how to communicate well and spends years failing to express their needs to each other out of fear? What happens when friends grow apart but lash out or isolate themselves instead of expressing their fears?

This is a heavy book (and I think maybe the marketing could have been more direct about that, as I can see how the cover and general pitching of this book would be misleading to a non-Emily Henry reader), but an incredibly well-written one that explores both changing relationships and what it means to live for yourself. Although oddly, this is the first of her books I have not cried while reading? I think because the book as a whole is tonally more serious, so there's not necessarily a specific gut-punch moment--it's more "slow-release" pain, to steal Harriet's phrase. It's probably my least favorite of her romances, although it's one I can tell is going to stick with me.

I adore Emily Henry's style and her ability to create three-dimensional, flawed characters that actively make stupid decisions or mistakes but that I still relate to and root for, and this was another book I know I'll be rereading (when I'm emotionally ready to revisit the heartache, that is).

CW: depression, death, grief, toxic relationships, panic attacks/claustrophobia, sexual content, pregnancy