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em_likes_books's review
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
deetabz's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Alcohol, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity and Drug use
markedwithanm's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy and Infidelity
meghanm404's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, and Terminal illness
Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, and Mental illness
thatswhatshanread's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Brace yourselves: I think “Happy Place” may have dethroned Beach Read as being my favorite EmHen book!! Gasp!!
I know. It took a lot for me to say that but with my whole chest I must confess that after reading this one, I think no other books need to exist. I mean, literally, that’s not true, but figuratively I mean that this right here is as good as it gets.
Somehow, each of Emily Henry’s books has found me at the exact right time I needed it. Like somehow the release date always coincides with whatever existential crisis I’m having at the time. I don’t know how she does it, how her writing answers questions I didn’t even know how to ask. How my heart and mind is so deeply ingrained in her stories that I feel like she’s stolen my identity or something.
“Happy Place” feels like your own personal love language, the characters are your very best friends, the setting is that of your daydreams without even realizing it. Goosebumps with every new jolt of affable dialogue, each new description of another word for love.
Harriet—sweet Harriet—is an over-thinker, kind and charming and brilliant, and whose destiny seems to be making others at ease before herself. Wyn—handsome, careful Wyn—is self-deprecating, afraid of his goodness, earnest and loving, better than he gives himself credit for. They are magical and beautiful and full of emotion, flawed yet puzzle-piece-perfect in their yearn for each other. They are both hard on themselves, but in different ways. For different reasons. An awareness of too much self. They are two people who so obviously still care for each other, who know each other better than themselves, trying to find their way back together. They are each other’s gravitational pull. Possibly the best depiction of the forced proximity trope I’ve come across because it is so specific and makes so much sense for the storyline, for them. God, I loved every nook and cranny of their relationship.
This book is like meeting up with a close friend you don’t see very often, similar to the characters’ situation in the book: you pick up right where you left off, everything is comfortable and feels like home but also different in a new way with the passage of time, of endings and beginnings. “Happy Place” is a lot about that. Things changing and moving, though keeping enough sweet sameness that can never be taken away from an established magic.
I adored the friend group in this book. Everyone has their own developed personalities. Every relationship has its own give and pull. I wanted to live inside that summer cottage in Maine with them, soaking in the happy, breathing in the nostalgia, aching with feeling.
I really loved how this book is about finding your own happiness, and the struggle it is to actually do that. I think for a lot of people at this age, happiness seems like it has to be this concrete thing that has to be achieved a certain way. But it’s not like that. It can’t be like that. Your happiness ultimately has to be rooted in yourself, not in what you see in others, or what others think they see for you.
“Happy Place” is witty but natural, edgy but soft, sexy but delicate. Every scene, every situation is created by Henry but doesn’t feel made up, not really. This is actually happening, people have likely experienced this in real life, everyday.
Books like this are the definition of sentimental, if a book you’ve never read before can be. I think it can—it’s happened every time I’ve read a book written by my favorite author, aka Emily Henry.
I know. It took a lot for me to say that but with my whole chest I must confess that after reading this one, I think no other books need to exist. I mean, literally, that’s not true, but figuratively I mean that this right here is as good as it gets.
Somehow, each of Emily Henry’s books has found me at the exact right time I needed it. Like somehow the release date always coincides with whatever existential crisis I’m having at the time. I don’t know how she does it, how her writing answers questions I didn’t even know how to ask. How my heart and mind is so deeply ingrained in her stories that I feel like she’s stolen my identity or something.
“Happy Place” feels like your own personal love language, the characters are your very best friends, the setting is that of your daydreams without even realizing it. Goosebumps with every new jolt of affable dialogue, each new description of another word for love.
Harriet—sweet Harriet—is an over-thinker, kind and charming and brilliant, and whose destiny seems to be making others at ease before herself. Wyn—handsome, careful Wyn—is self-deprecating, afraid of his goodness, earnest and loving, better than he gives himself credit for. They are magical and beautiful and full of emotion, flawed yet puzzle-piece-perfect in their yearn for each other. They are both hard on themselves, but in different ways. For different reasons. An awareness of too much self. They are two people who so obviously still care for each other, who know each other better than themselves, trying to find their way back together. They are each other’s gravitational pull. Possibly the best depiction of the forced proximity trope I’ve come across because it is so specific and makes so much sense for the storyline, for them. God, I loved every nook and cranny of their relationship.
This book is like meeting up with a close friend you don’t see very often, similar to the characters’ situation in the book: you pick up right where you left off, everything is comfortable and feels like home but also different in a new way with the passage of time, of endings and beginnings. “Happy Place” is a lot about that. Things changing and moving, though keeping enough sweet sameness that can never be taken away from an established magic.
I adored the friend group in this book. Everyone has their own developed personalities. Every relationship has its own give and pull. I wanted to live inside that summer cottage in Maine with them, soaking in the happy, breathing in the nostalgia, aching with feeling.
I really loved how this book is about finding your own happiness, and the struggle it is to actually do that. I think for a lot of people at this age, happiness seems like it has to be this concrete thing that has to be achieved a certain way. But it’s not like that. It can’t be like that. Your happiness ultimately has to be rooted in yourself, not in what you see in others, or what others think they see for you.
“Happy Place” is witty but natural, edgy but soft, sexy but delicate. Every scene, every situation is created by Henry but doesn’t feel made up, not really. This is actually happening, people have likely experienced this in real life, everyday.
Books like this are the definition of sentimental, if a book you’ve never read before can be. I think it can—it’s happened every time I’ve read a book written by my favorite author, aka Emily Henry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Medical content, Drug use, and Confinement
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Car accident, Vomit, and Classism
kfmcf's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I love Emily Henry - she is the queen of loveable and immersive dialogue. She is also squarely set in a blended world of the romance and poorly-name women's lit genres. I love this about her writing...but in this book I think it muddied things a but.
I don't know what the focus of this book was. Was it Wyn & Harriet's relationship? Was it the evolution of Harriet's friend group? Was it Harriet's struggles with her family and career? I don't know. And I think each of then suffered.
Tbh - I think Harriet's problems wirh her parents and her job were superficial and bogged down the last few chapters of the book. It didn't add to who she was as a character at that point except to I guess balance things between her and Wyn. Her leaving her job as a neurosurgeon felt completely out of left field, especially when we're never shown the part of her brain where this discontent lives. At the beginning of the book we're shown that she likes the menial tasks at work but...is that bad? I thought it was just to show her escapism through cleaning. I don't know - I was frustrated.
In regards to her friends - I wanted more from them. Why did they all fall in platonic love with each other and what made the relationship so magical? I was hoping for something like Nora and Libby's connection in Book Lovers. Yes they're sisters, but these girls always say that they're family and I feel that it is equally important to them as characters.
Finally, Harriet and Wyn. Their break up felt very based in realism as to why they called things off (cheating assumption aside that was a bit trite). But...I didnt...really feel that pull between them that I felt in PWMOV or Beach Read. Those are both characters who have known each other for many many years but with this one...I didn't really understand why Harriet loved him. It DID feel like she had outgrown who she was with him and with the amount that he said he was "happy now" - I...kind of didn't want to see them back together. This HEA felt forced in many ways and that broke my heart as much as the story did.
There was also SO much of the miscommunication trope throughout all parts of the story that I did want to grab the characters by their shoulders and shake them. I am a believer that the miscommunication trope is thrown around more than it should be - but this was true miscommunication. And it did all come to a boiling point ABOUT not talking to each other (friends AND lovers) but it was mind boggling.
All this to say - but the book was still very good. I don't need everything she writes to be PYMOV (a masterpiece imo) or be humorous or lighthearted or what have you. I think this book didn't need the dual timelines and the sprinkling of flashbacks were more effective. BUT again, I still barreled through this book in a day and it is still taking up space in my brain.
I don't know what the focus of this book was. Was it Wyn & Harriet's relationship? Was it the evolution of Harriet's friend group? Was it Harriet's struggles with her family and career? I don't know. And I think each of then suffered.
Tbh - I think Harriet's problems wirh her parents and her job were superficial and bogged down the last few chapters of the book.
In regards to her friends - I wanted more from them. Why did they all fall in platonic love with each other and what made the relationship so magical? I was hoping for something like Nora and Libby's connection in Book Lovers. Yes they're sisters, but these girls always say that they're family and I feel that it is equally important to them as characters.
Finally, Harriet and Wyn. Their break up felt very based in realism as to why they called things off (cheating assumption aside that was a bit trite). But...I didnt...really feel that pull between them that I felt in PWMOV or Beach Read. Those are both characters who have known each other for many many years but with this one...I didn't really understand why Harriet loved him. It DID feel like she had outgrown who she was with him and with the amount that he said he was "happy now" - I...kind of didn't want to see them back together. This HEA felt forced in many ways and that broke my heart as much as the story did.
There was also SO much of the miscommunication trope throughout all parts of the story that I did want to grab the characters by their shoulders and shake them. I am a believer that the miscommunication trope is thrown around more than it should be - but this was true miscommunication. And it did all come to a boiling point ABOUT not talking to each other (friends AND lovers) but it was mind boggling.
All this to say - but the book was still very good. I don't need everything she writes to be PYMOV (a masterpiece imo) or be humorous or lighthearted or what have you. I think this book didn't need the dual timelines and the sprinkling of flashbacks were more effective. BUT again, I still barreled through this book in a day and it is still taking up space in my brain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
Minor: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Infidelity, and Vomit
katiemack's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a nice mix of Emily Henry's previous books; there's melancholy and emotional depth, but the banter feels light and cheesy in a lovely way that made me want to immerse myself in that charming, cozy Maine town and the lives of those tight-knit friends. As a couple, Harriet and Wyn feel a little fated-mates to me, but I appreciate how Henry explores the flaws in their relationship and the other factors that lead to their inevitable relationship status. It was also refreshing to read about friendships growing and changing even as those involved resist such change; it feels visceral and relatable.
With everything happening in the world (and, on a personal note, impending changes happening in my life), it was nice to read a reliably good Emily Henry romance. If you've enjoyed her other books, you'll enjoy this one too.
This is a nice mix of Emily Henry's previous books; there's melancholy and emotional depth, but the banter feels light and cheesy in a lovely way that made me want to immerse myself in that charming, cozy Maine town and the lives of those tight-knit friends. As a couple, Harriet and Wyn feel a little fated-mates to me, but I appreciate how Henry explores the flaws in their relationship and the other factors that lead to their inevitable relationship status. It was also refreshing to read about friendships growing and changing even as those involved resist such change; it feels visceral and relatable.
With everything happening in the world (and, on a personal note, impending changes happening in my life), it was nice to read a reliably good Emily Henry romance. If you've enjoyed her other books, you'll enjoy this one too.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity and Mental illness
uranaishi's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Death, Classism, Confinement, and Chronic illness
Minor: Medical content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Vomit, and Mental illness
decklededgess's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
trigger warnings: grief, death of parent, anxiety and depression, pregnancy mention, alcohol, sexual content, sexual assault, infidelity, parkinsons, chronic illness
As per usual, you can expect this Emily Henry novel to gut you emotionally. A second chance romance of two people who have grown apart in an eight year long relationship due to a myriad of reasons that the book reveals in the most gut wrenching yet cathartic way.
The book explores found family in a tender and reverential way, cherishing long years of companionship in proximity and distance, appreciating the growth and love and support that is provided by the people you choose to keep around you. It is twined in with Wyn and Harriet's relationship troubles as they try to protect the friendship and figure out whether distance or a second chance is what they need to prioritize.
Of course, in typical Emily Henry fashion, the story subverts traditional romance tropes and story structure in a refreshing and introspective way. You feel the pain, the joy, the love, the melancholy, and more.
Truly a stunning fourth book.
As per usual, you can expect this Emily Henry novel to gut you emotionally. A second chance romance of two people who have grown apart in an eight year long relationship due to a myriad of reasons that the book reveals in the most gut wrenching yet cathartic way.
The book explores found family in a tender and reverential way, cherishing long years of companionship in proximity and distance, appreciating the growth and love and support that is provided by the people you choose to keep around you. It is twined in with Wyn and Harriet's relationship troubles as they try to protect the friendship and figure out whether distance or a second chance is what they need to prioritize.
Of course, in typical Emily Henry fashion, the story subverts traditional romance tropes and story structure in a refreshing and introspective way. You feel the pain, the joy, the love, the melancholy, and more.
Truly a stunning fourth book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Infidelity, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
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