Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Happy Place

Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Happy Place by Emily Henry

34 reviews

bringmybooks's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad 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

4.75

you’re either gonna love it or hate it and idk what to tell you

B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷

I honestly & truly don’t think this book is going to be for everyone, and I honestly & truly don’t think all of Emily Henry is for everyone (4 starred her first two, lukewarm on them in retrospect, DNFed Book Lovers, don’t @ me). All of that being said, I honestly & truly loved this book.

(Also, did I finally break down and decide to read this because the MC loves Murder She Wrote? no comment)

There are some books that I think have universal appeal, and others that hit harder because of the life you’ve lived and the experiences you’ve had, and I think that was a huge part of why this hit so well for me. I can totally understand why people would look at this and go “miscommunication trope at it’s finest, yawn” but (as someone who’s not typically a fan of this trope) I felt this was a super realistic portrayal of trying to figure out who you are and what you want as you grow older, especially as you try to do it in a relationship with someone you love who is growing up alongside you.

One of my gripes with some of EH’s work is that it’s too … quippy. Nobody can be “on” 24/7, zinging barbs back and forth with whomever they come across from the moment they open their eyes until the moment they go to bed. Sometimes even the quippiest person just calls their partner and says, “Hey, do we need milk?” without there being a joke attached to it, you know?

That being said, I felt that that the characters in this book were way more realistic, and I actually believed in them, which made it a lot easier to stay invested in the story & in their relationships. It’s got so much heart in the way that growing up in a friend group is described, especially as we start to want different things that don’t align with how our friends or partners are growing up.

tl;dr this one brought me back to EH and I’ll be giving her next one a read!

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k_readingmorenow's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Like the other Emily Henry books I've listened to, I really enjoy the dialogue. It feels very real and the banter is wonderful. I think this books characters were way more self reflective in such a short timespan than might be possible, but the realizations and thought processes felt very real and familiar to me. It does feel pretty psychologically focused, a bit parentally determined, but it was an enjoyable read and definitely pulled at my heartstrings!

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mari1532's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was the first book of Henry's that I have read (although I own two of her other books). Although this was my first trip on the Emily Henry bandwagon I can firmly say that I get what all the fuss was about. Her writing has a way of drawing you in and I found Harriet relatable in so many ways that in several instances throughout the book, it hurt how much I connected with her. I think that is why I gave this book such a high rating. Harriet's re-evaluation of some of her life choices is something that I can deeply relate to as a recent doctoral graduate.

I will say that I did find the friendship dynamics the most interesting relationships discussed in the book and the climax of that part of the story and its resolution were both really satisfying to me. Henry found a way to capture how friendships evolve over time and expand and grow to accommodate the people within them.

Part of the reason the friendship dynamic was so much more appealing to me in this book is that I actively hate the miscommunication trope in so many ways even if it is a shortlived part of the plot. If this had been a physical book I may have thrown it across the room several times because I was just so frustrated that Harriet REFUSED to say things that she was thinking so loudly in her head.

I enjoyed the writing and human dynamics discussed in this book and would recommend it if you enjoy romance novels or books that discuss found families.

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hannalizzy's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

this was really cute! pretty repetitive internal dialogue was my main problem. The couple’s main dilemma was mainly miscommunication, which is also a trope I hate, so it was hard to not get super angry at them and to know that if everyone would have just sat down and talked the whole thing could have been avoided. I liked the narrator though, and the ending was sweet, lots of chemistry between the two of them. I would recommend, but I don’t think it’s Emily Henry’s best

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sara_siddiqui21's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

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kelly_e's review

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emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Title: Happy Place
Author: Emily Henry
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: April 25, 2023

T H R E E • W O R D S

Summery • Heartfelt • Lackluster

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college — they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now — for reasons they’re still not discussing — they don’t.

They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Well, well, well it looks like I am in the minority... yet again when it comes to an Emily Henry book. After finishing this one I actually sat and contemplated why I just don't love her books like everyone else seems to. Happy Place to me was just okay, nothing absolutely amazing.

I will start out by repeating myself, that Emily writes banter unlike anyone else. And she also does supporting characters very well. I loved the friendship aspect and the idea of an annual friends getaway. But that also left me wanting more of supporting characters' stories (which I kind got in the third act conflict). Another thing this book did incredibly well? Make me want to visit coastal Maine. The descriptions - sights, smells, food, beauty - all of it made me want to road trip.

And yet, I just didn't buy what Harriet and Wyn were selling. The romance didn't seem believable. In the beginning I preferred the past timeline way more than the present day, and halfway in that switched. It's quite possible my expectations are always way to high going in, but it felt forgettable.

After reading all of Emily Henry's adult romance novels and not fully understanding the hype, I think I am finally convinced her stories are just not for me. And yet, here I am already having added her 2024 release to my TBR, so the marketing team is definitely doing something right. Don't let my experience deter you from picking this up, because this book has certainly garnered its fair share of love.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the second chance romance trope
• Emily Henry die hards

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Everything is changing. It has to. You can't stop time."

"Like even when something beautiful breaks, the making of it still matters."

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elledanie's review

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Well, that was terrible imo. I was going to give it at least 2 stars until she

gave up her dream job for a man

🙄

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darbylane's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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jo_22's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was a bit slow-going for me at first (relative to other Emily Henry books) in how it took me farther into the story to really connect with the characters. They were enjoyable characters but frustrating at times when they didn’t communicate; and I think the I wasn’t as engaged in the plot til probs 50% of the way through. Listened to it on a 9 hour solo drive and despite my early frustrations, it was the perfect book to immerse in!
And the last 20%…oof <3 had great (albeit very rushed) character development, and relatable POVs/elements. (Career, life, love, boundaries, happiness, generational trauma, friendship, how to argue, secure attachment, growing up & adulting).

It was slightly triggering for me at some points which is reason for 4.25 stars instead of 5 stars.

Overall feelings are:
• omg this was enjoyable
• I want to talk to others about this book
• thanks han for pushing me to read it and putting me on EH
• the timeliness of me reading this is wild
• Harriet was frustrating in how she didn’t communicate or made assumptions / didn’t do relationships well. However I could relate at times so it didn’t bother me as much as other novels with this trope.
• I didn’t like Wyn in ways I liked other EH male romantic interests
• I like how much this focused on healthy relationships & friendships in particular way more than her other novels - it added a new dynamic & I enjoyed that variety. The characters didn’t often portray healthy relationships but I liked how EH explored that
• I NEED to own the paperback so I can reread and highlight impactful parts / quotes (There were so many moments where I paused the book to process or hype or reflect on)

Content Warnings

leandrathetbrzero's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

My first 1 star of the year…

Harriet and Wyn were the perfect couple until Wyn ended their engagement over an excruciating 4-minute phone call. Fast forward six months, and the two find themselves on their annual friends vacation…pretending to still be engaged. During the longest week of her life, Harriet must address her own people-pleasing tendencies, how she feels about Wyn’s proximity, and why their love didn’t last.

Wow, did I hate this book. It had every unhealthy relationship, from romantic to platonic. My biggest problems with Happy Place centered around the actions of Wyn and Sabrina, especially how they abused Harriet’s need to people-please and her tendency to blame herself. Both characters knew she grew up in a home with a loveless marriage, and that she struggles to set boundaries and speak up for what she wants, so I was shocked by how often her ex-fiance and (supposedly) best friend manipulated her and violated her trust.

SPOILERS

After being the one who broke up with her, Wyn constantly crossed the line telling her how much he misses touching her and being near her. Meanwhile, he continues to withhold his true thoughts and feelings from her until their friendcation is nearly over…he clearly hasn’t grown enough in their five months apart. They were just an unhealthy couple with co-dependency issues and a higher physical relationship than an emotional one. Sabrina did a genuinely horrible thing, placing the two in the master suite when she KNEW they were no longer together. She knowingly caused Harriet emotional trauma, AND when all comes out, she has the nerve to blame Harriet for her breakup with Wyn.

The only way this narrative could have been redeemed is if Harriet left everyone behind (besides Cleo and Kimmy, they were cool) and prioritized herself and her happiness. But alas, that did not happen, and this ended up being such a depressing book. #JusticeForHarriet

For those interested, I have a full review posted on my booktube: Leandra the TBR Zero. If you adored this book, then I recommend you take inventory and decide whether or not it is a good idea to watch!

Booktube Review: https://youtu.be/RrXYUYSNfAI

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