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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
katiejohns's review against another edition
challenging
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Abandonment
caitlinspeachyreads's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is my favourite Emily Henry story yet! It is such a relatable, hopeful and inspiring story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Cursing
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
5.0
As a long fan of Emily Henry's work, I was very excited to pick up her latest release.
"Funny Story" follows Daphne and Miles. Daphne thought she had the picturesque life: a successful, gorgeous fiancé, a job she loves, and a beautiful house that she was slowly making home. But all of that is shattered when her fiancé, Peter, tells her that he wants to call off their wedding so he can pursue a relationship with his longstanding, best friend, Petra. With nowhere else to go, Daphne moves in with Petra's ex, Miles. But maybe this new living situation will not be all bad.
This was such a sweet romance, and it is definitely one of my favorites from Emily Henry. There was just the right amount of spice, and the character's chemistry was radiating off of the page.
Miles is the epitome of the perfect guy. Although he is flawed and definitely has his own things to work through, he was always so supportive of Daphne. He was the perfect balance to Daphne's sometimes obsessive ways. Daphne needed to learn how to relax, enjoy life, and decide what she wants and go for it, and Miles showed her that she was worth it.
Daphne was such a wonderful character and I found her to be highly relatable. She is a librarian, and a really creative one at that. I loved the portrayal of her working in a library and showing that it is not always the picturesque world us book lovers think it is. Daphne also goes through some growing moments when she learns how to be a better friend, which I really appreciated seeing. She develops a friendship with a character and realizes that she can make her own happiness no matter where she is or who she is dating. Friendships are so vital for human connection and having a few great friends in your life can help to improve romantic relationships because there is not so much pressure placed on the romantic partner.
Daphne and Miles have amazing chemistry, and I really enjoyed watching their relationship develop. They start off as strangers who are bonded by this really traumatic breakup, but the more time they spend together, the more a friendship blossoms, and that is the foundation for a great relationship.
This novel has some other plotlines going on in the background and I thought Emily Henry handled them exceptionally well. For example, Daphne has a strained relationship with a parent and that reaches a major climax in the story, but it did not take away from the budding romance between Daphne and Miles, in fact, it enhanced it. Elements like this make the story feel more authentic, and really keeps the interest of the reader.
I highly recommend this novel, and I look forward to seeing what Emily Henry writes next!
"Funny Story" follows Daphne and Miles. Daphne thought she had the picturesque life: a successful, gorgeous fiancé, a job she loves, and a beautiful house that she was slowly making home. But all of that is shattered when her fiancé, Peter, tells her that he wants to call off their wedding so he can pursue a relationship with his longstanding, best friend, Petra. With nowhere else to go, Daphne moves in with Petra's ex, Miles. But maybe this new living situation will not be all bad.
This was such a sweet romance, and it is definitely one of my favorites from Emily Henry. There was just the right amount of spice, and the character's chemistry was radiating off of the page.
Miles is the epitome of the perfect guy. Although he is flawed and definitely has his own things to work through, he was always so supportive of Daphne. He was the perfect balance to Daphne's sometimes obsessive ways. Daphne needed to learn how to relax, enjoy life, and decide what she wants and go for it, and Miles showed her that she was worth it.
Daphne was such a wonderful character and I found her to be highly relatable. She is a librarian, and a really creative one at that. I loved the portrayal of her working in a library and showing that it is not always the picturesque world us book lovers think it is. Daphne also goes through some growing moments when she learns how to be a better friend, which I really appreciated seeing. She develops a friendship with a character and realizes that she can make her own happiness no matter where she is or who she is dating. Friendships are so vital for human connection and having a few great friends in your life can help to improve romantic relationships because there is not so much pressure placed on the romantic partner.
Daphne and Miles have amazing chemistry, and I really enjoyed watching their relationship develop. They start off as strangers who are bonded by this really traumatic breakup, but the more time they spend together, the more a friendship blossoms, and that is the foundation for a great relationship.
This novel has some other plotlines going on in the background and I thought Emily Henry handled them exceptionally well. For example, Daphne has a strained relationship with a parent and that reaches a major climax in the story, but it did not take away from the budding romance between Daphne and Miles, in fact, it enhanced it. Elements like this make the story feel more authentic, and really keeps the interest of the reader.
I highly recommend this novel, and I look forward to seeing what Emily Henry writes next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use
abiigrl's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
As a children's librarian in Michigan, if I was going to read any Emily Henry book, it felt like this should be the one. And I'm happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed it! This is very much a character driven romance, but honestly, that's my favorite kind of romance. The characters were great (including the side cast), and I loved all the little Michigan things thrown in throughout.
As a co-worker mentioned, you can tell Henry is a book person because she actually references children's books that kids actually read. Daphne felt authentic as a children's librarian, and we love to see it. Her and Miles have great chemistry, and they were just thoroughly fun to read about.
A bit different from what I normally read, but I could see having a good time with other Emily Henry books! It was a great palate cleanser from a couple of darker reads.
As a co-worker mentioned, you can tell Henry is a book person because she actually references children's books that kids actually read. Daphne felt authentic as a children's librarian, and we love to see it. Her and Miles have great chemistry, and they were just thoroughly fun to read about.
A bit different from what I normally read, but I could see having a good time with other Emily Henry books! It was a great palate cleanser from a couple of darker reads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse and Drug use
theoceanrose'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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Toxic relationship
allielkweg's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Toxic relationship
Minor: Emotional abuse and Infidelity
thebelovedreadingnook's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Mental illness
laneyreadz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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: Sexual content and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness