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jessversteeg's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Another really good Emily Henry book. Not sad like “Happy Place” though, like a lot of her stuff, is a bit melancholic at times. She has a way of making books both about love and longing, but not romantic longing….
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
rookeatsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
le3713's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved journeying to Waning Bay, MI in this one. (Would absolutely like to go for a long weekend vacation now.) I'm always happiest when Emily Henry romances have a literary focus, so the library setting of this one was fun. I was relieved to find that it didn't absolutely run my insides through a meat grinder. (You know who you are, "Happy" Place)
I'll admit, when we first meet Miles, I wasn't in to the idea of him as the love interest. However, as his personality is revealed over the book, I came to really care about him. I loved the friendship component of this book as well, even as it was heart-wrenching to see Daphne so lonely in the absence of friendship.
I really enjoyed the way the novel began and ended with telling the “funny story” of a relationship.
This won't end up at the top of my Em Hen rankings, but as usual, she has a fantastic way with words and painted a setting and a cast of characters I was sad to leave. It was a delightful summer kickoff.
“You aren’t what I pictured,” I say. “You are so, so, so much better than what my cynical little brain could’ve ever come up with."
I'll admit, when we first meet Miles, I wasn't in to the idea of him as the love interest. However, as his personality is revealed over the book, I came to really care about him. I loved the friendship component of this book as well, even as it was heart-wrenching to see Daphne so lonely in the absence of friendship.
I really enjoyed the way the novel began and ended with telling the “funny story” of a relationship.
This won't end up at the top of my Em Hen rankings, but as usual, she has a fantastic way with words and painted a setting and a cast of characters I was sad to leave. It was a delightful summer kickoff.
“You aren’t what I pictured,” I say. “You are so, so, so much better than what my cynical little brain could’ve ever come up with."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
sophiesometimesreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this! Miles and Daphne were cute, and the cast of side characters were interesting and fleshed out. It had the usual EH charm but was a little more lighthearted and romcommy than Happy Place was. As is usual for an Emily Henry book, I really loved the personal journey the characters went on as well as the development of their relationships with each other. I had a wonderful time, though I'm sure no one is surprised, and I would recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Abandonment
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
fanboyriot's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
♡ Fake Dating
♡ Roommates
♡ Unexpected Friends to Lovers
This was honestly such a funny book. The humor was amazing, I laughed so much.
Daphne moves in with Miles after their significant others break up with them to date each other, childhood friends who just had to break off a wedding and crash two lives apart. Though without spoiling things, it works out in both Daphne and Miles favor. So what better way to get back at their trash ex’s than to fake date each other?
Miles and Daphne had such a great dynamic, they were hilarious together, friends before anything else genuinely worked so well. Both of them learning how to trust people again, healing from heartbreak and their past.
While this did have some more serious moments character history and their childhood traumas coming into play with their lives still. I thought the character development with this was done really nicely.
For the most part things are lighthearted and a simply funny enjoyable read.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (2/5)
Angst Level: 💧(1/5)
POV: First Person
Release Date: 23, April 2024
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Classism, Sexual content, and Gaslighting
Minor: Grief, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Death of parent, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Infidelity
annamay1021's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
I loved this book so much. I think this is my favorite book of the authors yet! And that’s saying something seeing as I’ve loved every single book by her! I loved Miles and Daphne so much, and I loved the side characters too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism and Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug use
mangofraiche's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
kaylawtzl22's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
emily henry has done it again. it’s a cute fluffy love story without being cringey. predictable without being boring. invokes emotion without being completely uncomfortable. i loved this book SO SO SO much. i may be a bit biased because i see so much of myself in daphne and her experiences, but this definitely takes the cake for my favorite emily henry book. this book is high on my rankings for the year as well. her relationship with her dad honestly and truly made me set the book down for days. i’m currently getting married and it was just too much for me to see my own relationship with my dad reflected in writing like this. i’m glad she was able to sort of sort things out with her dad though. maybe one day we’ll get there.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexism and Sexual harassment
aksmith92's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had an absolute BLAST.
The Setup: Funny Story by Emily Henry is a heartwarming story that resolves around Daphne and Miles, two people whose lives are upended when their respective partners leave them for each other. Stranded in a beautiful town - but not HER town - of Waning Bay, Michigan, Daphne, a passionate children's librarian, finds herself pretty much homeless and completely heartbroken after her fiancé tells her he is in love with his best friend. Miles offers her a place to stay since he is now without the love of his life (the said best friend just mentioned).
Then, after an awkward conversation with her ex, Peter, Daphne lets it slip that she and Miles are "dating," which is a straight-up lie, something that Daphne rarely does but feels is the most straightforward course of action at the moment. Therefore, a fake relationship ensues, partly to make their exes jealous and partly to support each other through grief.
Daphne and Miles bond unexpectedly as they navigate their pain and anger. Daphne, who has always struggled to trust others due to many fleeing her life in the past, learns to prioritize her own needs and desires. Charming yet troubled by a tumultuous childhood, Miles faces issues head-on with Daphne's support. Together, they rediscover their identities and what they truly want in life.
In her signature style, Emily Henry crafts a narrative of healing, self-discovery, and unexpected love. Yet, Funny Story goes beyond the typical romance, delving into themes of family, career, and friendship. It also paints a vivid picture of a small-town setting, with its charming lake vibes and picturesque descriptions of Waning Bay.
What I loved: I loved this book. Many people I talk to share that they have a favorite Emily Henry book because they related to it, or it was just a great book that made them feel lovely in a moment of their life. My favorite was Beach Read, which may be outside the majority for most folks. However, Funny Story came in with a close second or even a tie. This novel met me in my moment. This book's main character, Daphne, felt real to me - the first female character in an Emily Henry novel where I didn't cringe at moments or become frustrated at her internal monologue. (I love most of Emily Henry's stories and have rated them mostly in 4s, so that statement may seem bad, but I still love her books, so don't fret.) I understood Daphne. Additionally, I loved the romance - Henry built it nicely and made it seem semi-relatable (if I'm being honest, this whole situation is a little extreme - living with your ex's ex.). But it worked. I also absolutely adored Henry integrating many aspects of life - Daphne dealing with a lack of friendships, having a passion for her career as a librarian, and navigating the relationship with her family, and Miles working in more of a gig economy, emphasizing his cheery personality that may not be as cheery as we think, and building his beautiful relationship with the town of Waning Bay. Lastly, some other characters were well fleshed out, especially Julia, Miles's sister, and Ashleigh, Daphne's fellow coworker at the library and a new friend.
Oh, and this novel was plain funny to me at times—I laughed out loud in parts. So, not only was it amusing, but it was also heartwarming, beautiful, and poignant. All-in-all, this worked for me, and I am oh-so-happy about it.
It's pretty spicy and steamy, by the way, definitely more so than some of her other ones. Still, I think it worked!
Anything That Could Be Improved? Listen, an Emily Henry novel may or may not work for you. I did think the whole situation was a little unbelievable. In addition, the main characters were supposed to be in their mid-thirties, which I believe was mostly on point but possibly still felt a little young. And yes, in typical Emily Henry fashion, there was SO much info dumping about Miles and his woodstove smell (and he was just a bit of a ding dong at times). However, all those things didn't bother me this time, and I just had a good time reading this book.
I have zero complaints, and like Beach Read, I can't wait to re-read it eventually. Thank you, Emily Henry, for always drawing me back into the contemporary romance genre.
The Setup: Funny Story by Emily Henry is a heartwarming story that resolves around Daphne and Miles, two people whose lives are upended when their respective partners leave them for each other. Stranded in a beautiful town - but not HER town - of Waning Bay, Michigan, Daphne, a passionate children's librarian, finds herself pretty much homeless and completely heartbroken after her fiancé tells her he is in love with his best friend. Miles offers her a place to stay since he is now without the love of his life (the said best friend just mentioned).
Then, after an awkward conversation with her ex, Peter, Daphne lets it slip that she and Miles are "dating," which is a straight-up lie, something that Daphne rarely does but feels is the most straightforward course of action at the moment. Therefore, a fake relationship ensues, partly to make their exes jealous and partly to support each other through grief.
Daphne and Miles bond unexpectedly as they navigate their pain and anger. Daphne, who has always struggled to trust others due to many fleeing her life in the past, learns to prioritize her own needs and desires. Charming yet troubled by a tumultuous childhood, Miles faces issues head-on with Daphne's support. Together, they rediscover their identities and what they truly want in life.
In her signature style, Emily Henry crafts a narrative of healing, self-discovery, and unexpected love. Yet, Funny Story goes beyond the typical romance, delving into themes of family, career, and friendship. It also paints a vivid picture of a small-town setting, with its charming lake vibes and picturesque descriptions of Waning Bay.
What I loved: I loved this book. Many people I talk to share that they have a favorite Emily Henry book because they related to it, or it was just a great book that made them feel lovely in a moment of their life. My favorite was Beach Read, which may be outside the majority for most folks. However, Funny Story came in with a close second or even a tie. This novel met me in my moment. This book's main character, Daphne, felt real to me - the first female character in an Emily Henry novel where I didn't cringe at moments or become frustrated at her internal monologue. (I love most of Emily Henry's stories and have rated them mostly in 4s, so that statement may seem bad, but I still love her books, so don't fret.) I understood Daphne. Additionally, I loved the romance - Henry built it nicely and made it seem semi-relatable (if I'm being honest, this whole situation is a little extreme - living with your ex's ex.). But it worked. I also absolutely adored Henry integrating many aspects of life - Daphne dealing with a lack of friendships, having a passion for her career as a librarian, and navigating the relationship with her family, and Miles working in more of a gig economy, emphasizing his cheery personality that may not be as cheery as we think, and building his beautiful relationship with the town of Waning Bay. Lastly, some other characters were well fleshed out, especially Julia, Miles's sister, and Ashleigh, Daphne's fellow coworker at the library and a new friend.
Oh, and this novel was plain funny to me at times—I laughed out loud in parts. So, not only was it amusing, but it was also heartwarming, beautiful, and poignant. All-in-all, this worked for me, and I am oh-so-happy about it.
It's pretty spicy and steamy, by the way, definitely more so than some of her other ones. Still, I think it worked!
Anything That Could Be Improved? Listen, an Emily Henry novel may or may not work for you. I did think the whole situation was a little unbelievable. In addition, the main characters were supposed to be in their mid-thirties, which I believe was mostly on point but possibly still felt a little young. And yes, in typical Emily Henry fashion, there was SO much info dumping about Miles and his woodstove smell (and he was just a bit of a ding dong at times). However, all those things didn't bother me this time, and I just had a good time reading this book.
I have zero complaints, and like Beach Read, I can't wait to re-read it eventually. Thank you, Emily Henry, for always drawing me back into the contemporary romance genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Cursing, Drug use, and Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship