Funny Story was a great return to form for Emily Henry, after the absolute miss Happy Place was for me last year. Can't recommend it enough!

Thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an arc for review

Emily Henry has this ability to perfectly balance self-growth, introspection, and hurt with romantic comedy in the most heartfelt and relatable way. Funny Story might have just made its way to my #1 spot in the rankings of her books. It’s messy, it’s raw, and just so wonderfully written. Miles is the fictional book boyfriend we deserve.

Emily Henry’s books are usually hit or miss for me with the ones that most people tend to love most being the ones that didn’t work for me. 🙈

BUT…I’m happy to say that I found 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗬 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 absolutely delightful. A lighthearted romance with great characters - I loved both Daphne and Miles, as well as the great cast of supporting characters - you’ll enjoy this one if you like:

- slow burn romance
- fake dating
- roommates/friends to lovers
- forced proximity
- opposites attract
- witty banter
- small town settings

5/5 ⭐️

this book came at the perfect time in my life, and it felt a bit like fate. daphne’s story healed some parts of me i didn’t even know needed healing. i am daphne, she is me.

this my first book by emily henry and it won’t be my last. i’ve been meaning to read her books for a while now, but i never got around to it. i think funny story was the perfect place for me to start my emhen journey.

are you a mirrorball/archer/yoyok girlie? this one is for you. daphne goes through a lot of growth in this book, and yes miles helps her a lot, but it’s not about her going from the arms of one guy to another’s, it’s about her finding herself first.

she goes on this self-discovery journey after realizing how empty her life is and how she doesn’t even know herself anymore. she tries new things, makes new friends (as someone also in her 30s, i found it refreshing to read that!), discover new places, and realizes that, at the end of the day, love and friendship might not always last, but it’s not a reason to avoid opening up to others. daphne’s trust issues, her fear of people always leaving her, was very reminiscent of my own issues and i cried while reading her thoughts and feelings because they resonated so much with me.

miles is just an all-around great guy. he’s very nick miller coded, but he has his own issues when it comes to dealing with negative feelings and expressing them. he’s perfect for daphne and i love how they complete each other. he helps her see the positive and the possibilities in life, and she helps him deal with his negative emotions and teaches him that he doesn’t always have to be happy.

if you’re looking for the perfect summer romcom, with emotions and character growth, this is the one!

i would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

read this book if you like:
- romcom with emotions
- roommates to lovers
- fake dating
- forced proximity
- opposites attract
- found family
- summer read

Reading Funny Story was such a treat and felt especially rewarding considering the fact that Happy Place didn't meet my Emily-Henry romance standard.
Funny Story was centred around the heartbroken life of Daphne who, recently dumped by her fiancee who left her for his best (girl) friend, somehow ended up moving in with said best (girl) friend's ex-boyfriend as a solution of convenience. Time passes, boy and girl sharing the same space, shared hatred towards their devious ex-partners... the tension was REAL!
The story is messy and fun and at some point I became really heated about the way the relationships/ friendships panned out due to circumstances (and miscommunication!!!)
Emily Henry's latest book was overall a very fun read. It was lighthearted and enjoyable and I enjoyed that the bickering and character interactions felt genuine. Reading this book felt like watching a good feel-good rom-com!
Emily Henry's novels almost always take place somewhere sunny and on vacation/ a getaway. I think this was the first of her novels that explored the idea of being 'home' where home wasn't exactly cozy but rather a very strange and unfamiliar setting in Waning Bay, Michigan, far from her true family 'home'. It actually kind of follows the idea of 'getting away' but not in the vacation sense haha - still very much gave off the feeling of being on vacation/ exploring unfamiliar territory.
One thing I will say about this novel is that the miscommunication trope was so hurtful to my romantic heart! Emily Henry knows how to play with our heartstrings that's for sure!

I'm a big fan of Emily Henry's works as I enjoy her writing style and I find her view on the romance genre to be more tasteful than most. While Henry's romance novels are still typically cheesy (as they should be!) I find that her style of writing makes the romance-cringe more tolerable and easier to digest. Her characters are realistic and easy to like (or hate!)
Definitely enjoyed this book enough to recommend it and re-read in the future!

Two jilted exes start fake dating in light of their exes upcoming wedding

Emily Henry never disappoints me! I loved this book! Miles and Daphne are thrown together after their significant others, who were best friends, leave them for each other. I loved how Miles was there for Daphne and took her on adventures and helped her find herself again. He is top tier book boyfriend material!

As with all of Henry’s books, the secondary characters and the fictional town were both charming and delightful, making me wish they were real. I was invested in these people and their emotions. The mix of romance and emotion was so good. Henry’s books are always so full of heart and this one deals with parental abandonment and abuse, yet manages to leave you feeling hopeful and empowered. Highly recommend!

4.5 Stars, rounded up

This Emily Henry novel found me at the right time, since I just finished a full marathon of "New Girl".

If you're a fan of Jess and Nick, you need to read this book immediately! It's a children's librarian and a wine bartender trying to get over their exes together. If you had told me Henry pulled a "Fifty Shades of Grey" on this one I would have believed you (It also meant she would have pulled it off much better, for the record).

This was an instant page-turner for me and I found myself upset it was over once I finished it. While it ends perfectly, Daphne, Miles, Ashley, and Julia were so fun to follow that I wanted more adventures with them. The only downside of the story was that there is some miscommunication in play with the ending, but I did appreciate the author trying to justify the plot point. I'll probably still find myself rereading this one at some point, because everything else in the story made that one hiccup worth it.

Please keep in mind the references to cheating, toxic family relationships, and narcissistic parents. Also there are adult scenes in this story. If you have trouble with those subjects, then I'd recommend skipping this one.

Thank you Penguin Random House Audio and Berkley Romance for this complimentary audiobook and gifted copy.

This book was fantastic in every way, and the audio was perfection. Emily Henry writer + Julia Whelan narration, just wow. Funny, heartwarming and addictive, I have a new favorite.
A must read, all the stars.

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱?

𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆!

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

Emily Henry can really do no wrong. All of her books are delightful, including this one. Loved the roommates-to-lovers and exes’ ex tropes here.

Ever since I read Emily Henry’s Beach Read, I’ve been waiting for one of her books to hit me the same way. Book Lovers didn’t do it. Neither did her other bestsellers. But, Funny Story, her latest romantic comedy, has two wonderful protagonists I wanted to root for. I read this one in one sitting. It was just what I was waiting to read.

Daphne Vincent followed boyfriend, Peter Collins, back to his hometown in Waning Bay, Michigan, found a job she loves as a children’s librarian, and moved into the house that Peter bought. When Peter returned from his bachelor party with the news that he realized he loved his lifelong best friend, Petra, and was dumping Daphne, she had nowhere to go. Daphne had turned Peter’s life into hers. She ended up moving in with Miles Nowak, Petra’s ex.

Now, Daphne’s on a countdown. As a lifelong introvert, the public library was always her safe place. She has a Read-a-thon planned for the library, and she doesn’t want to leave Waning Bay until she successfully completes the event. But, she wants to be anywhere but in the town where Peter and Petra grew up.

Miles didn’t grow up in Waning Bay, but he loves the town. He’s grieving his loss of Petra as much as Daphne grieves the breakup with Peter. They decide to show Peter and Petra that life goes on without them. They joke that they’ll date each other, post pictures on social media, and show how happy they can be without their exes. And, Miles is going to show Waning Bay to Daphne so she’ll love the town as much as she loves her job as a children’s librarian.

Funny Story what happens to Daphne and Miles. Yes, anyone can see it coming. But, Henry gives us two characters in their thirties who have been hurt by their parents. Daphne and Miles have to look at themselves and their families before they can move on. Daphne has to be willing to let someone into her life and her heart. Miles has his own work to do.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming romcom, try Funny Story.

Thank you @prhaudio and @berkleypub for the #gifted copies! #partner

I have clearly been living under some type of bookish rock, as I’m extremely late to the phenomenon that is Emily Henry, but now I know what all the hype is about! Funny Story is a treasure! Obviously it’s funny (hello, the title!) and romantic, but it’s so much more! It’s playful, flirty, clever, and emotional. I loved Daphne and Miles together and I loved them separately. Daphne is a children’s librarian (she does all the voices at story time!) who’s awkward and endearing, and Miles is a scruffily hot tattooed bartender who is the personification of a cinnamon roll MMC… well, let’s just say I think I found my favorite book boyfriend ever. The two of them together have so much chemistry and their banter is irresistible!

This rom com has some of my favorite tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers, and opposites attract. There’s plenty of emotion here too, with two broken relationships and lots of dysfunctional family baggage to boot. There’s a bit of a found family vibe with Daphne’s budding friendship with her coworker Ashleigh, who is a fantastic side character. I also loved the Lake Michigan setting – I’m an absolute sucker for authentic Michigan vibes! Although Waning Bay isn’t a real place, everything around it is: Traverse City, Mackinac, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and even grocery shopping at Meijer and Family Fare.

I both read and listened to this one, and when it comes to the audiobook, I have just two words. Julia. Whelan. Her narration is simply fantastic. Now please excuse me while I go listen to her narrate Emily’s backlist!

This book has a wildly original premise and I loved how funny the novel was. Emily Henry can do no wrong!

A smashing success! Emily Henry's work is akin to Taylor that the worst book in her catalog according to the reader would still be better than most everybody else's work, but in my opinion this is one of her best. My critique would be limited to it having some Beach Read similarities. Oh no! (sarcasm) I for one just think it is a return to her very best writing. She has made such a weird premise work so well in a day where I think a lot of romance writers in particular are writing based on tropes and trying to shoehorn in a lot in order to capture readers attention. Henry just takes a bit a does it better, truly. I was so happy to reading this and feeling like I was reading something I hadn't yet read which is such a great feeling as an avid romance reader, it is a high I am always chasing. I fear I will be waiting for this feeling again until her next. There are so many great authors and works out there but Emily Henry has cemented herself and continues to as the queen atop the hill, she stands alone writing books for readers and lovers of books. Henry is to romance books as Swift is to music, legends we have the privilege of watching.

EMILY HENRY DOES IT AGAIN!!

I'm not sure how she keeps doing it, but every novel she writes she knocks it out of the park. Book Lovers/Happy Place remain tied for my all-time favorites, but this book might take second place!

It follows two nice people, Daphne and Miles, who get dumped by their significant others...who left Miles and Daphne for each other. This leaves Daphne without a home, and Miles without a roommate, so naturally they move in together. Gosh the story sounds cliché, but it ISN'T. So much about gaining independence, while still being brave enough/vulnerable enough to open your heart and still let people in. Learning that you're enough on your own, while also learning to accept love from others. I related to this book in so many different ways. GAH I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

Daphne moved to Waning Bay, Michigan following her fiancé, Peter, back to his hometown. Her planned future with him is everything she’s always wanted: stability, family, friends, and a gorgeous Victorian home. Everything is perfect until Peter decides he’s actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. They get together leaving Daphne homeless, so she ends up moving in with Miles, Petra’s ex-boyfriend, also dumped. Daphne’s counting the days until she can pick up and move.

I loved everything about this romance! Miles and Daphne bonding over fake dating, fun outings, whacky family, new friends, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments! They also bonded over sad things: heartache, toxic family, and feelings of not being good enough. Waning, Michigan sounded beautiful as Miles shows Daphne around to all his favorite parts!

Funny Story ties with Book Lovers and Beach Read as my favorite Emily Henry’s! The story brought pure joy to my heart!

I alternately read an e-copy and listened to the audio version of Funny Story and recommend either version. Julia Whelan is such an excellent performer! She really enhances any story she narrates! All characters are distinct, their emotions come through loud and clear! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

I received a gifted audiobook FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and PRH Audio and for the opportunity to read and review!

FUNNY STORY follows Daphne, a woman who thought she had her life on the right track. When her fiancé Peter dumps her for his old friend Petra, she finds herself still living in his hometown without friends to call her own and without knowing what is next in her own story. Her job as a children's librarian fills her heart, but not her bank account, leaving her wondering how to make ends meet.

Daphne's first solution is to suggest becoming roommates with Miles, the man that Petra dumped to be with Peter. Miles is the everyone's best friend type while Daphne is the polar opposite. Still, they begin to strike up a friendship, one that of course has the potential to be more.

I think this is my new favorite Emily Henry! I loved the librarian main character and the library love that this book delivered. The blurb for the book calls Miles and Daphne opposites, but I think it is more that Miles is comfortable in his home and his surroundings while Daphne hasn't really had the chance to be fully herself in this environment having made a home and friendships only in the context of being with Peter. I loved the self discovery that Daphne embarked in and the way that the romance part of the book was only a part of the big picture.

This book has a lot of great discussions about friendship and family, and the need to set boundaries in your life to keep things in balance. I loved that we got to see the evolution of friendships and romance and found family all really balanced together! The story brought in humor and also heart tugging emotion as well!

This was a fantastic read and the audiobook with Julia Whelan narrating was of course fantastic! I binge read the whole thing in a single day!

Emily Henry is the romance writer of our generation!!

Nobody pieces together these stories the way she does. And while I know you all love her and probably don’t need me to tell you to read this book 😂 I’m going to say it anyway ! Read this one friends!

Funny Story may just be one of my favorite reads of the year so far. Emily flawlessly writes about love loss and navigating the complexity of adult life in general, and for her books I’ll forever be grateful ❤️

I LOVED IT. Dare I say that it may be my favorite Emily Henry? Do you have a favorite?

It was the story of a man and a woman thrown together as roommates after their significant others broke up with them to be together. Opposites attract, close proximity, all of that. But with that perfect Emily Henry timing and banter. And a sock to the gut with heavy emotions that had me crying. I truly laughed and cried in the same paragraph. What lovable characters. What a heartwarming romcom. All the stars. All of them. My heart is full.

Emily Henry does it again. Her romances are engaging and suck you into the story and the characters. Funny Story will be another great addition to her collection.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the electronic advanced copy.

First Impressions: Whiney Babies

Okay, hear me out. In Funny Story, the main character (Daphne) and her mom played a game called Whiney Babies when Daphne was a kid. The goal is to go back and forth with complaints getting more and more petty until the person with the most ridiculous, inane complaint wins.

So! It’s not like this cover is bad; it’s exactly in line with the previous artwork for Emily Henry’s books. But like, would it kill the publisher to change it up a little? Yes, the illustration is super accurate, down to Miles’ Crocs (bless), but this is same old same old. I don’t know what would be better, I’m just complaining that it could be better. And that’s how you win Whiney Babies.

(I do hear all of you freaking out about how, if they change the design, you have to order all new editions, but y’all, we’re already there.)

What’s Your Type?

Fake Dating
Small Town Romance
Librarians
Bearded Bartenders
Dating Profile:

Having spent her adolescence constantly moving around with her mom, Daphne couldn’t believe her good fortune when she (literally) ran into Peter, a successful golden boy who held the promise of a happy life filled with contentment and their future children. They eventually got engaged, and she followed him to Waning Bay, a charming town on Lake Michigan, where the next chapter of their lives together could begin. Unfortunately, that next chapter drastically switched up the narrative, and now Peter is engaged to his best friend, Petra, and Daphne has moved in with Petra’s ex, Miles. Yeah, it’s NOT GREAT.

Daphne begins planning her exit from Waning Bay, but she feels a duty to stick around until after the Read-A-Thon, a huge event for kids and teens that she’s planning at the library where she works. Determined to just push through her grief, Daphne isn’t prepared for two glossy envelopes in the mail inviting her and Miles to Peter and Petra’s wedding. OBVIOUSLY these roomies have no choice but to RSVP yes, together, and pretend to be a couple in the weeks leading up to the nuptials (a decision made after a drunken night at a bar called Meatlocker, of course). But as Miles shows Daphne the best nooks and crannies of Waning Bay, she begins to question her decision to leave, not to mention her feelings for Miles, and what her vision of future happiness truly looks like.

Meet Cute: Make It a Double, Bartender

I never met an Emily Henry heroine I didn’t like, and Daphne is no exception! First of all, she’s a librarian. Immediate fan. She’s also got a killer sense of humor wrapped in a socially awkward package (again, fan!), and she’s well aware that she does not have her shit figured out. While her relationship with her mom is close and sweet and BFF vibes, her self-esteem is still haunted by her fair-weather father, who waltzed in and out of her life as a kid and continues to do so even though she’s a grownass woman. Daphne allowed herself to become completely absorbed in being a “we” with Peter, and now she has to figure out her own self, and though it’s a messy process, I was happy to be along for the ride.

Miles! Miles is an angel with whiskey breath. Miles has a beard and messy hair and works as a bartender at a winery. Miles grieves the loss of Petra by playing Bridget Jones’ Diary at top volume and crying his eyes out. After he and Daphne post their first pic as a “couple” on Instagram, Miles asks, “Are we evil or just immature?” He starts to read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe at Daphne’s behest and texts her things like “i want to live w the beavers” and “wat is turkish delight” and “edmund needs 2 chill.” I MEAN ADORABLE. Apologies for including a whole freaking paragraph from the book but I can’t explain Miles’ je ne sais quoi better than Emily Henry (the passage starts with Daphne speaking):

“Nah, cool, laid-back girls never face consequences for their spontaneity. It’s how they’re able to keep being cool and laid-back. They’re genetically predisposed to health. They’re not allergic to poison ivy or shellfish, and they never get migraines, even if they only sleep for three hours in a cold tent, and they never burn in the sun.”

“Huh,” he says.

“What?” I ask, right as I spot Julia in line at the food truck, waving us over.

“I just realized I’m a cool, laid-back girl,” Miles says.

Yes, Miles. Yes, you are. And that means, as much as y’all try to fight it, you’re the perfect match for Daphne, who is neither cool nor laidback. But more on that below!

The Lean: Like That Sweet Burn of Booze

Daphne and Miles are both crushed by their break-ups, and Emily Henry is incredibly skillful in the way that she lights a fire between them while never watering down their grief. Sure, it doesn’t take Daphne long to notice that Miles is a hot AF magnet who effortlessly charms every single person in the room, but she also needs him as a friend, and as much as I was thinking JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY, I understood both characters’ reluctance to act on their desires, because they truly become each others’ #1 confidantes and supporters.

Dirty Talk: Shirley Temple

There weren’t actually a ton of sexy times in this book? I’m okay with it, because Daphne and Miles’ refusal to take things to Boning Levels makes for some simmering tension. I particularly loved this line about Miles:

“…casting one last glance over his shoulder, a hazy look that makes me feel like a Christmas present he’s one sleep away from unwrapping.”

But also, seriously, IS IT MORNING YET?!!!

Ms. Perky’s Prize for Purplest Prose:

I lean back into my palms, breath quickening as he brushes my underwear aside, presses his mouth to me, murmurs my name in a low gravel that makes everything in me pull taut. I work my hips against him, his hands skating around to guide my movement until I feel like I can’t breathe, can’t see, like my heart might crack through my ribs if I can’t have more of him.

We Need to Talk: Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Per usual, Emily Henry has staged her smokin’ romance in a world I desperately want to live in. Waning Bay is eccentric and darling and a little bit country, with a bar called BARn (with goats!), secret beaches, farmstands out the wazoo, and poker nights with sassy old people. It’s also the home to Ashleigh, a fellow librarian who becomes Daphne’s best gal pal. Ashleigh freaking rules. She named her son Mulder after The X-Files, y’all. At one point, she straight up says, “I’m the fun, take-charge one.” And when she meets Miles:

“Charmed,” she says, suddenly a Gilded Age heiress.

I only pray that someday, Emily Henry will consider doing a spin-off because I need more Ashleigh in my life!!!

Was It Good For You: Pleased As (Spiked) Punch

Just like the best nights at your neighborhood bar, Funny Story is a freaking great time. The chemistry between the two leads will leave you with an extremely pleasant buzz, and it’s crackling with characters you wouldn’t mind shutting the place down with. It may not be Emily Henry’s hottest book, but I would argue it’s her funniest, and she still packs that emotional punch that makes all of her stories linger in your heart long after the frisson of the romance subsides.