I have read Funny Story by Emily Henry—so let’s talk about it!
First of all, five stars. I don’t think anything Emily Henry writes could be under five stars for me. However, this is not my favorite of her books. I’m not sure it’s even in my top 3, and I’ll get to it’s short comings in a minute, but first—I need you to know that I laughed out loud so many times during this book. Like I was reading it in the student union between classes and laughed so hard I had people shooting me funny looks. The banter had me cackling and kicking my feet, but the narration itself was pure Emily Henry wit and I was completely obsessed with Daphne’s narration.

Characters are Henry’s forte. Both Daphne and Miles felt as if they were moments from crawling off the page. They were fully formed, raw and earnest in their portrayal. They’re both dealing with the effects of childhood familial trauma, and while there were similarities, both characters experiences were distinct. I loved watching them grow, and I love the way that they do so in a real, imperfect way. They stumble, they fuck up, they’re human. Miles and Daphne are far from perfect, and that is what makes them so compelling. It is easy to see yourself in them, your own pain, your own failures, and that makes them easy to love and root for.
Alongside Miles and Daphne, we get supporting characters that feel no less developed than the main couple. Ashleigh and Julia have my entire heart, and they, too, feel so real that it’s almost hard to believe that Emily Henry created them. Both of them had their own, defined and compelling character arcs, distinct voices, and back stories. I have read so many books with protagonists less developed than Ashleigh and Julia. I don’t know how Emily Henry does it. I am simply in awe of her.

The place where this book suffered, for me, was pacing. From 60-85% or so, the plot dragged a bit. There were interesting and even important developments happened, but it was lacking an urgency. I was, at times, a little bored. Unlike Emily Henry’s previous books, I found myself setting it down several times to return to it later as opposed to being so absorbed in the book that I couldn’t bear to stop reading. However, I do think there’s a good chance that some of that gets tightened up in the final draft, and the majority of the book was strong and had me completely absorbed.

I can’t wait until this book is in everyone’s hands—I think it will be a new favorite for many. I am also really looking forward to rereading this book once the finished copy is available. No one does romance like Emily Henry. She is a master of the genre, and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next year!

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This written review will go live on GoodReads, StoryGraph, and BookBub 2 weeks prior to publication. On the same day, a TikTok review will also go live. I will link those posts here on that date.

This was my first Emily Henry book and I'm so glad to say that it will not be my last! Emily Henry is a new auto buy author for me, as her writing style and the witty banter between the characters is exactly what I like to read. I love a book that can both make me laugh and also make me tear up from the emotional situations the characters are going through. Emily did that for me. I loved the relationship between Daphne and Miles. Miles dry humor was so funny and probably of all the characters he was my favorite. I also really enjoyed that our main character Daphne was a reader. Whenever a book has a main character that is a reader always brings the story up a notch for me.
I cannot say there was anything about this book that I did not like. It made me laugh and emotional. I felt like I really knew the characters and was experiencing everything right along with them. Can't wait to start working my way through Emily Henry's backlist!

Emily Henry is an absolute magician. I was hesitant on the premise of this one and nervous if I would like it or not - but she made me love it because she made me LOVE the characters.

This is a story of messy, regular people with messy, regular lives, who find their way together after heartbreak.

I truly enjoyed this one just as much as Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation, two of my favorites from this author. As always, the top notch banter + chemistry + characters created made for an entertaining and emotion-provoking story.

Perfect for you if you like:
Opposites attract
Forced proximity
Strangers-ish to friends to lovers
He’s the Sunshine
Fake dating
Excellent banter + witty dialogue
Bingeworthy reads

Another charmer from Emily Henry. I’m usually not a huge romance fan but this has enough, heart, banter and lovely characters that I enjoyed it from start to finish. This is probably a fave up there with people we meet on vacation.
This should be another hit and I’m sure Henry fans will rejoice.

Gosh, I just loved this book. Absolutely did not want it to end. It's filled with the witty banter, colorful characters, and distinct sense of place one comes to expect from an Emily Henry book. Playful romance tropes-- fake dating, friends to lover, and they were roommates!-- are nicely layered over a thoughtful exploration of the way our perceptions can differ from reality. As the heroine finds herself and finds love, she is forced to challenge her perceptions of herself, her perceptions of others, and her perceptions about the situations she finds herself in. Several of the supporting characters are called upon to take a similar journey of internal growth, making for a thoroughly satisfying character-driven reading experience.

thank you to netgalley for providing me with this arc!

LOVED IT. Emily Henry has done it again! Henry has such a beautiful way of taking the romance genre and adding such life into her characters and the struggles that they face. Within about five pages, I saw myself in Daphne, wanting something so badly that you're just completely blind to everything going on around you that you don't even notice its going downhill. "You are sunshine" add it to the list of things male Emily Henry characters have said that belong in the hall of fame of romance. This book is definitely one of those "you can hear it in the silence" type of romance books. Henry does an incredible job of adding humor into situations where it's not necessarily a funny scene but to the characters experiencing the worst moments of their lives it makes the situation funny. "It's kind of a funny story" being a written line towards the end of the book honestly made me giggle because this book really is a great representation of when someone asks "how did you guys meet?" and the response is well... kind of a funny story"

Daphne, a 33 year-old children's librarian, is counting down the days until she can escape the town she moved to for her ex-fiance. It's a little awkward when you don't know that many people and your fiance left you for his childhood best friend, Petra. Let's not talk about how she's currently living Petra's ex. Actually, let's do talk about it. This fake dating and forced proximity trope of a romance is pure Emily Henry; written for people who love books and what it means to be human. If you're already a Henry fan, you won't be disappointed. If you're new, welcome and enjoy the queen of contemporary romance. Please be aware that there is a slight trigger warning: if you're sensitive to narcissism or family trauma, tread carefully.

How do I even begin. This was so amazing!
Emily Henry has done it again. A fun set of characters with terrific banter, a setting worthy of planning my future vacations, and enough emotion to warrant me crying (multiple times). What more could you want?

Daphne’s ex fiancé has uprooted her life in the worst way, by getting together with his childhood best friend and leaving Daphne alone and essentially homeless. When she decides to move in with her ex’s new gf’s ex-boyfriend Miles, she “accidentally” tells her own ex that they are now dating. What could go wrong, and what could go right?

Miles Nowak was the star of the show for me. His quirky personality, and easy to love persona makes him the perfect person to show Daphne around this tiny town that she feels like a stranger in. And not to mention, he is “diabolically handsome”. Miles was seriously written for me like I cannot stress enough how much this man is FOR ME. Everything about him that may make him hard to love, also makes him so EASY to love, and boy did I love him so bad. I will be thinking about him forever. And as Daphne puts it best “it makes being around you feel like standing in sunlight”. And I stand by that!

I found that this cast of characters was so lovable and so enjoyable to follow along with. As per usual, Henry’s characters are masters of the giggle-worthy banter that is prominent throughout this story. Daphne was so amazing, watching her find her feet was so emotional, and I loved it! I so badly wanted her to realize she could stand on her own, and her journey in this book was so sweet. It feels relatable in so many ways, that when we are lost or feel stuck, there is always time to start again and trust that we have the strength to do so. I love that.

As always, I will be recommending this to all and I can’t wait for everyone to read and enjoy! I found this was an amazing follow up to Happy Place, a bit more lighthearted but still heart-wrenching in the warmest ways. The easiest 5 stars.

Oh, the way I was swooning and absolutely loving Miles Nowak. Another hit from Emily Henry--and one with a ton of humor throughout and not as much heartbreak. Henry always nails the lead up to the romance with her fully fleshed-out characters and interesting plots. and this was no exception.

Emily Henry does it again y’all!! This was up there with Beach Read for me, and I am finding it hard to decide if I love Daphne or January more… BUT I admired Daphne for her headstrong attitude toward Peter, and every other aspect of her life she wanted to face head on. Miles is sunshine as a person, and is the most precious man and needs to be protected at all costs!!! He was so understanding and patient with Daphne and gave her the sweetest and supportive friendship. Daphne believed in him and the urge to protect him at all costs filled my heart all the way up. A 100% 5 star read. Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the ARC!

Emily Henry just keeps getting better and better! “Funny Story” is tied for my fave book of hers; it was everything I could’ve wanted and more. I will be hand-selling this to anybody who listens.

EMILY!!! 🥲🥲🥲 Daphne and Miles are so sweet. The longing, happiness, and understanding here was palpable (so was the 🌶️🌶️🌶️, lol). I also loved the found family aspect of this one. Wholesome, real, and always magical, as all of EmHen’s books are.

Emily Henry does it again. I loved this book so much! Her characters are flawed and complex and that's what I love about them.

And FUNNY STORY was the perfect book to start the year with. This novel felt like a love letter to libraries, those sacred quiet places. A love letter to the distinctive smell of books. A love letter to all the girls like me, raised by superhero single moms, struggling with our daddy issues (ones we thought we had kicked and that this book kindly reminds us that no, we most definitely have not, so better grab some tissues babes!) A book for people who understand loneliness, who understand feeling like they’re not good enough. A book for those who have been made to feel unlovable due to the actions of others, the ways our loved ones show up for us, or don’t.

I loved the FMC Daphne & related to her more than I’ve related to any other EmHen character. I loved Miles, the MMC…and yeah…I think I finally understand why people have book boyfriends after meeting him. 😮‍💨

This one is out 4/23/24, and not a moment too soon. I can’t wait to gush about it with more people!! 💙

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the chance to read this one early!!

There is no doubt that Emily Henry is a fantastic writer. The story and setting are so easy to fall into that despite giving this a 3 star read, I spent 1 whole night (like evening up until 2AM) reading this and could not put it down. But the characters themselves and the plot just did not sit right with me.

Daphne’s schtick is that she made her ex-fiance her entire life, like she did not have a life outside of her fiancé and what he wanted. And I don’t fault her for that and I’m happy she could reflect on her relationship and see where she’d like to make changes for the future - go her! BUT the plot of Funny Story follows Daphne falling head first into her next relationship with Miles. The entire book is building up to something that happens very, very late into the book, to the point where it’s almost TOO late. (**SPOILER AHEAD STOP READING !!!** Daphne FINALLY comes to her senses about how her actions are literally going against everything she stands for in her journey to self discovery or whatever.) But then once you get to the turning point, it’s almost SO cheesy and there’s almost no real resolution that the “big breakthrough” moment feels like a moot point because of how the story ended and the epilogue.

I loved all the great attributes of Miles but there’s a lot to be said about these two characters supposedly being over 30 years old. Are we sure? Are we SURE.

The side characters are of course a great, hilarious addition (Julia is a breath of fresh air in this book) but they’re very one dimensional. Ashleigh was a good friend for Daphne, but for all the hoopla Daphne made about wanting to go after her own desires and build her own life, she literally makes ONE friend at work and then befriends her kind-of-boyfriend’s sister as her ONE other friend and then that’s her life?? She feels like she doesn’t need to do any more work to build a separation between her and Miles after everything that went down with Peter? The way the last 20% were constructed made me feel like I wasn’t allowed to make any of my own conclusions, like Daphne was driving this car and all of a sudden we were at the epilogue and things were seemingly very sunshine-happy-ending even though I felt like there was still SO much more to unpack.

This is all to say. Emily Henry, your writing is good and Happy Place forever changed me as a person. But Funny Story was a miss for me and I’m giving this a 3 rather than a 2 because it was at least entertaining. But for basically the entirety of the book I felt myself asking, “Daphne, literally what are you doing.”

This was so Nick Miller.
Emily Henry does it again with FUNNY STORY. I think this reminded me most of Beach Read. Henry never fails to write a perfect love letter to Michigan, weaving in the landscape and incredible views and benefits of life in the mitten, which is why I love her writing.
Daphne and Mile's exes get together and they plot to fake date to show up at their wedding. Messy, chaotic Miles supports Daphne in her story time at the library, and shows her around Michigan to make her see the beauty and stay, instead of running away from her ex.
I can never get enough of Henry's ability to write perfectly imperfect characters. I FELT it in my soul when Daphne realized that she was always part of an "us" and was not typically alone. I FELT it when Ashleigh talked about not having many friends, and all of the work that they both had to put in to become close friends. Daphne and Miles's romance was fun, messy, imperfect, and I loved every minute of it. An incredible read from Henry.

Thank you so much Berkley and Berkley romance for the ARC! Pub date 4/23
My favorite Emily Henry book to date by far!! This is the fake dating plot I never knew I needed, about Daphne who moves in with Miles whenever their exes decide they’re better off with each other. Despite the wild plot, the characters were so tender & reflective that the story felt so relatable. The book is written from Daphne’s POV and I couldn’t get enough of her inner dialogue. Even more than the spicy pining, I fell in love with her character growth. The setting was another favorite part of this book for me, it sent me right back to summers in Northern Michigan with sweet cherries, beautiful sand dunes, and the best lake days in all of history. I want to hug this story and read it over and over again. There were so many characters to fall in love with & sub plots to adore.

“There’s so much space between who I am and who I want to be, and there is no one to show me how to get there.”



What is there to do when your fiancé decides he is in love with his childhood best friend at his bachelor party? While watching Bridget Jones’ Diary on repeat is one fantastic option, it does not change the reality that Daphne’s world was intertwined with her ex after she moved to a brand new city to start a life with him. What’s worse, the only place for Daphne to go is to move into the spare room of Mile’s apartment, the man Daphne’s ex’s new fiancé kicked to the curb.
Funny Story continues Henry’s foray into the reality of mature and complex relationships, this time analyzing the reality that some relationships are sustained not because they are healthy but because of the ideals and beliefs gained from childhood trauma. And through heartbreak comes the removal of the rose-colored glasses to see those relationships for what they really were, not for the possibility of what they could be.
Funny Story begins as a friends-to-lovers/fake dating trope but blossoms into a story of a woman finding her way in life after a separation that sent her reeling. A rumination of the relationships that help sustain us after a breakup: friendships, romantic, parental (both good and bad), a city, and by the end, the relationship with oneself. But with the focus on a romance that begins as friends, there is no pretense, no pretending to be what the other wants.
While I loved how sweet and caring Miles is and getting to understand why he is as positive and purposefully kind as he is, Daphne is the one who stole the show. Daphne became my favorite of Henry’s leads not just because of how funny and biting her humor is (I was cackling at the Golden Girls and Phish references) but because of her humanity. She is not just a lead that things happen to, but one that makes mistakes and can own up to them. Daphne shows the strenuous growth one catapult into after being left while still planning for the future.

I enjoyed this one the most of hers that I've read. This will definitely be as popular as her previous books.

Daphne, a children’s librarian, recently moved to a small town in Michigan with her fiancé, Peter, to be close to his family. Everything is going great until Peter’s bachelorette when he decides that he’s actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. Since the house is in Peter’s name, Daphne has no where to go and knows very few people. Enter Miles, Petra’s ex-boyfriend who was also slighted by the Peter/Petra love affair. Miles allows Daphne to come share his apartment while she figures things out and they spend time together commiserating their losses.

Another can’t put down book by Emily Henry. Funny Story might just be her best book yet (up there with Book Lovers for sure)!