Review: FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry https://bit.ly/3WBgYHs
Publication Date: 4/ 23/ 2024
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rate 4 Stars

I enjoyed this contemporary romance. I honestly expected it to be all light and fluffy but was pleased to see how both Daphne and Miles’ past baggage molded them. Nothing earth shattering, but how their early lives shaped their behavior and expectations in a realistic manner. It explained so much about their personalities and added a nice depth to them. I loved how the author quickly and clearly invested me into their world, smiling at their banter and flirting as they tried to just be friends. The people around them rounded out their characters in a delightful way as well. The author’s writing style is such that I will now add her to my TBR list. She provided a fun escape.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

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Kindle https://amzn.to/4dBUc9k

Big time Emily Henry fan, but this is the first one to make me genuinely cry. I don't know if I love it or feel betrayed by it, but it's easily one of the best books I've read this year. Literally how does she keep getting better and better???

Daphne and Miles were definitely a favorite of mine. I loved the banter, I loved how they helped each other heal. I love how complicated the start of their relationship was and how they navigated hurt together.

I love how they both grew individually and how that growth propelled them in their lives. I loved the chemistry between them. And the side characters were also some of my favorite as well.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the e-ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

TW: infidelity, mommy AND daddy issues, drug usage (weed), alcohol usage (not in excess), divorce

I read Funny Story back in December 2023 and really enjoyed my read, however I clearly did not write my review at the time and sorely wish I did. My apologies if this isn’t the most robust review, because while I remember how I felt and key plot points I do not have as strong of a grasp over all the little details. I can’t say for certain, as it’s been a while since I’ve read the other two, but I think this rank second for me, in Emily Henry’s woman’s fic/romance books.

1. Beach Read
2. Funny Story
3. Book Lovers
4. People We Meet on Vacation
5. Happy Place (default, as I have not read this one yet)

One thing I can say about FUNNY STORY is that from the onset this book is messy. Daphne, our heroine, is a librarian (we love) and she’s engaged to Peter. Peter may seem “impressive on paper” but you can clearly tell that he is in fact, a loser. Case in point, he cheats and ends his engagement with Daphne after his bachelorette, in which he hooks up with his girl best friend. Oh Peter, you dirty, dirty dog. Now, Peter’s childhood best friend, I can’t remember her name so let’s call her ‘That Girl’, was dating Miles’, so clearly Peter and That Girl do not give a single thought to the people they are hurting. Daphne was living with Peter in his house, so she quickly has to find a new place to live and well…Miles has a room available *flails hands*. Now these two are very different, but a lot of people harp on the fact that Miles smokes weed, sure, but he’s not rotting in his room all day smoking, he has a job, has passions, and seems like a pretty neat guy to me.

In typical Emily Henry fashion she will probably upturn some emotional baggage you’ve been suppressing. In this one it wasn’t enough for her to explore mommy issues or daddy issues, no, she had to hit us with a double whammy. Like, dang Ms. Henry, can I breathe? It was also a lot of fun for me to see how she explored Daphne’s characterization as a relationship woman. You know, the kind of woman who unknowingly makes her relationship her personality. I think this was a refreshing call-out, because I’m sure some of us know someone like that, regardless of gender. It also shows the dangers of being this way, because Daphne had to grapple with who she was, now that she was no longer Peter’s fiancée.

This book explores the messiness of people, their lives, their jobs, their family, their friends, their relationships and how they influence our actions and choices. For example Daphne and Peter decide to fake date (my fave!) after receiving some news. Is fake dating your ex’s current fiancée and your current roommate the healthiest way to cope? Absolutely not, but our characters do it anyway, because what could possibly go wrong with that arrangement. I really enjoyed the complexities of this story, of Daphne, of her relationship with Miles. Because yes, the romance was there which we love, but it wasn’t overbearing, and we really got to spend time and explore Daphne as an individual, which back to my earlier callout is kind of the point. If you’ve enjoyed Emily Henry’s previous works I’m curious to know where this novel falls for you in the ranking.

P.S. I’m a notorious hater of Emily Henry’s endings, and I was bracing myself for this one. I was pleasantly surprised to not dislike it, like it actually worked for me, so kudos for that.

I've realized that when it comes to Emily Henry's books, I'll drop everything I'm doing and read them as fast as I possibly can. I don't savour them, I devour them. Beach Read is my all-time favourite Emily Henry book and nothing has been able to top it yet. I was disappointed with Happy Place, and then I read Funny Story, which left me feeling slightly disappointed as well. But I enjoyed it! Here's what I particularly loved about it:
- The introduction of Daphne and Miles' story surprised me! Very cute and unexpected (no I did not read the description beforehand)
- The side characters (friend Ashleigh and Miles' sister Julia) were great. 
- Miles was very hot in my head. 
- Daphne's mother was a badass boss bitch.
-It was a fairly digestible and easy read overall, as are all of EH's novels, so that is a plus.

What I disliked:
-It felt too similar to her other books! To the point where when I think about it, it becomes jumbled in my memory, combining with others with nearly identical structures. I know she has a formula, but it felt a little repetitive at times.
-I need more sexy moments, Emily. I'm not saying you have to make it smut, but please, Emily, give me a little more than that!
-As a side note, I saw a review that said “the colleen hooverification of Emily Henry” and I choked on my water (I kind of agree with this)

Overall, I enjoyed the book. In terms of star rating, I'd give it 3.5 out of 5. Of course, I recommend reading it because it is a new Emily Henry novel, and they are always enjoyable to read! Unfortunately, this one was not my favourite. Get your hands on this one April 23! Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing my ARC!

If I could give this 6 stars, I would. Yes, the romance was great (Emily Henry never lets me down), and yes, I thought the characters and their interactions were dynamic, but SOMEONE needs to give Emily Henry extra applause for finally writing a children's librarian correctly, and that person is me. I have wait months and years for someone to get it-- to write my profession in a way that is TRUE. She nailed it. I have no more to add, that's it. That's the review.

I really wanted to love this book. It was easy to read and the prose was written well enough. The characters and plot left much more to be desired. There seemed to be this investment in having the cheaters not come off as horrible people but also to have them come off as horrible people and that left me feeling confused. The male main character leaving at the end to help his ex was frustrating because that ruined the romance for me. But most frustrating was that the female main character was billed as trying to rebuild her life around her own desires and not centering herself and life around a man (and that's explicitly stated to be the central plot of the book) and somehow by the end she has not changed at all and is still centering her life around another man. It just felt disingenuous.

Emily Henry has a fun and accessible writing style. I don't mesh well with her plots, so that's one me. Objectively, the book is fine!

Even a subpar Emily Henry novel is still lightyears above most romcoms... and this is NOT a subpar Emily Henry novel. A perfect love story of second chances, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, and heart. It's also, may I say, kind of a funny story at times.

Rating: 4.25/5 ⭐️

HAPPY PUB DAY @emhenwrites and THANK YOU @berkleypub for the eARC of Funny Story!

Well, Emily Henry has done it again. Funny Story is so sweet. Which, sounds underwhelming but the type of genuinely sweet romance that makes every one wonder how there was ever a time that a couple wasn’t together. Daphne and Miles are two pieces of a puzzle, two sides of the same coin, the

I really enjoyed Funny Story, but I was missing that 5 star emotional connection. Funny Story was sweet, but it didn’t elicit that gut punch kind of emotion that Happy Place did. The MCs mostly… coasted. Drama happened around them, but even when Daphne and Miles faced obstacles, they resolved them rather quickly.

Additionally, I felt like Miles’ character flaws were not really addressed. Or not addressed as thoroughly as I would’ve expected/hoped. The flaws were a significant part of the plot and a very significant part of him, but then were not really resolved in the context of his relationship with Daphne. Or at all.

Despite these shortcomings, Emily Henry will remain the queen of playful banter and lovable characters. Daphne and Miles and their found family were an absolute pleasure to get to know and fall in love with.

Overall, Funny Story is sweet and a fun edition to your summer reading list!


LIKES:
🥸 Fake dating
🏠 Found family
☀️ Summer vibes
👤 Single POV
🌱 Personal growth themes
🍼 Daddy issues
💬 Playful banter
🌶️ Spicy

This book really was funny and cute!! Full review and reading updates on Goodreads <3

4 stars
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Another perfect beach read from Emily Henry. Loved the main characters and the setting. I'll be highly recommending and it's already a hit at the library.

Not my favorite Emily Henry book, but Emily Henry is still my favorite author and I loved the book. I do think it lacked a little bit of the emotional depth than some of her previous books has given, though not for lack of trying -- the attempt was still there, and Henry is still the queen of giving me romance that goes above and beyond in terms of characters and story.

I would 1000% watch the movie version of this, though. 1000%.

Thank you for sending me this review copy! My full review is on TikTok, which I will link in the links section!

How Emily Henry manages to make me laugh while also tugging at my heartstrings the entire time needs to be studied by science. Oh how I adored this book! It’s definitely lighter than her other work, but just as emotional and vulnerable and raw and human and romantic as the rest of it. One of my favorites of the year for sure.

This was a slow burn for me. I wasn’t really connecting with it at the beginning and I really didn’t know why, and then at like the 25% mark this book burrowed it’s way into my heart and soul and it would not let me go. I was stuck in the in between of wanting to binge it and delaying it so I didn’t have to finish it and I could stay in the story a little longer.

Daphne, my sweet Archer girlie. While not the typical FMC I connect to, so many things she said and thought hit so close to home. I found myself rooting for her the entire time. Celebrating her when she started to open up again and making a life for HER based on HER and not anyone else.

Miles, my sweet disheveled sunshine man. How I adore you!!! What a breath of fresh air of a MMC. He’s not your typical sunshine golden retriever guy, he is still a little bit broody, but I love how he truly wasn’t afraid to feel his feelings around Daphne once he started trusting her, big or small, and how he managed to find joy in the little things.

Everything about Miles & Daphne felt so intentional, so purposeful, so real and deep. I loved how the relationship progressed, how they only wanted the best for each other, how they helped each other heal, and love. And their chemistry!? The spice!? OMG they’re hot. So hot. Miss Emily DELIVERED. Might be her spiciest yet??

I loved this book so so so much, what a joy. Thank you so much Berkley & NetGalley for the ARC!!!

It was a slay I fear ✨

Admittedly Funny Story was not my favorite EH—this one just lightly shoved me emotionally instead of punching me in the stomach and then in the face when I doubled over *cough cough beach read and book lovers cough*—but it was nevertheless a banger. And I’ve gotta respect her ability to make a tattooed stoner wearing crocs at least somewhat attractive

(Although as I pointed out in my stories: WAS Miles hot? Or was Julia Whelan just doing her MMC voice, which let’s be real, is hotter than most dudes’ actual voices?? The overwhelming consensus from people in my DMs seems to be BOTH but honestly idk, the audiobook is just THAT good—thanks to @librofm for the ALC!)

Will always be obsessed with Emily Henry’s writing! The banter on this was so good and if you know me, I’m a sucker for good banter! I really enjoyed this book! Doesn’t beat Happy Place yet but it’s up there!

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Funny Story was the light, sweet balm read I was looking for after reading some pretty heavy books. Perfect for summer especially when summer is the busy season. I'm loving these modern romcoms that aren't heavy on spice.

When Daphne’s fiancé Peter returns from his bachelor party and tells her that he realized he’s actually in love with with his childhood best friend Petra, she finds herself stranded in Waning Bay, Michigan without friends or family or a place to live. Because she has her dream job as a children’s librarian, she ends up living with the only person who could possibly understand how she’s feeling: Petra’s ex, Miles. Miles is the opposite to Daphne, and yet the two find themselves pretending to date in order to appear less pathetic to their respective exes. But it’s all for show - right? There’s no doubt that Emily Henry is the ascending queen of the beach read.3 I’ve liked (or loved) all of her romance books that have come out in the past few years, and I’m thrilled to report that this one was wildly fun to read, and that it features some of her strongest protagonists in a while. I was a little worried when I saw the novel’s length, but I actually think the pacing here works very well and allows the reader to spend a lot of time with Daphne and Miles as their relationship grows from a tentative friendship into something deeper. I also thought the secondary characters - particularly Daphne’s coworker Ashleigh - were well developed and helped round out the story’s nonromantic elements. As usual, Henry’s dialogue is witty and smart and the chemistry between her characters crackles on the page. This is a knockout of a novel that romance fans will eat up.

Personal Enjoyment: 5 ⭐️

For its intended purpose: 5 ⭐️

I can say with certainty that I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did!

It was funny, and sad, and healing. It was a look into a mirror at times (and not always loving what I saw) but beautifully written

Daphne is a librarian with a passion for books and fostering a community for children. Coming out of a wildly awful breakup, she's rediscovering what her life looks like & trying to heal— with her hot roommate who is doing the same

This was my first Emily Henry book and after finishing Funny Story, I immediately added all of her others to my TBR!

Funny story about this book........... haha........ okay, maybe I'm not as funny as I think I am.

This is my second favorite book of Henry's. You know those books where you find yourself yelling at the characters (out loud) to get their heads out of their asses? That was this book for me. These two fought that attraction with all their might. I mean they did whatever they could to remain in the roommate/friend zone. All the while, the reader is like JUST KISS OR BANG OR SOMETHING over and over again. And I loved every minute of it.

I found this book fun, charming, and overall a great read. I would highly recommend it!