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gracescanlon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Peter and Petra having essentially the same first name AND last names that began with the same letter definitely made me hate them just a little bit more. Also, Peter was vindictive, short-sighted, and petty, which was worse than Petra’s selfish thoughtlessness.
Daphne and Miles’ relationship progression was a cool glass of water on the hottest day of the year. I loved that they truly became friends and then got involved romantically with each other. Their relationship progression was organic and healthy, even if it was a little quick and originated from a horrible situation. Given that Daphne and Miles are in their early- and mid-thirties respectively, the rapid development of their relationship didn’t bother me as much as it would have if they’d been ten years younger. Also, given that their previous partners left them for each other, it didn’t surprise me that Daphne and Miles got along so well.
I think my favorite thing about Funny Story is something I’ve rarely seen in similar contemporary romances, especially those not written in dual-POV. (An aside: can we stop relying on those in romance? They’re overdone, and this book in particular is a masterclass in accomplishing the same result without flipping back and forth between characters.) Though the book is told exclusively in first person from Daphne’s perspective, we see Miles’ (and also Ashleigh’s) character growth as well. So often in romance I find that one character, usually the non-POV love interest, is essentially flawless, which is boring. Henry doesn’t fall into this pattern in Funny Story, though. Miles says outright to Daphne that he feels dismissed by her insisting he spends time with her because he’s just a genuinely nice person. He expresses to her that his time with her isn’t altruistic; it’s for his own pleasure, because he likes her and spending time with her.
With a unique premise, incredibly lovable cast of characters, excellent character arcs, and MCs who respect one another and communicate, Funny Story is definitely a romance I’d recommend.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
kelly_e's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Author: Emily Henry
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: April 23, 2024
T H R E E • W O R D S
Refreshing • Chaotic • Cheerful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.
Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.
Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads —Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?
But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?
💭 T H O U G H T S
There is no denying the popularity Emily Henry's book garner, yet none of them have been that memorable for me - until now. I was so excited when my local library finally got some new books that I immediately checked this one out before anyone else could. I read it on the train during my recent solo getaway to Quebec City and it was a case of the right book at the right time.
I wanted to escape into this universe so badly and become Daphne's bff. From the charming small town setting, to the endearing, well-crafted cast of characters (minus Peter and Petra), to the witty banter and laugh-out-loud moments, this book felt like a hug. Fake dating can oftentimes be a struggle for me, yet it wasn't overdone here. Daphne and Miles' chemistry was believable and I loved all of the little details, like Daphne being a librarian and Miles' job at the winery.
What Emily Henry does so well is go beyond the romance. In fact, I wouldn't say the romance is the central focus at all here. Rather she explores past childhood trauma, very real insecurities, and making new friends as an adult - all topics that I related and which connected me to the story on a deeper level.
With Funny Story I finally understand all of the hype surrounding Emily Henry's books - this is easily my favourite (thus far) and will encourage me to continue to pick up her new releases in the future. It was a quick and enjoyable experience, especially tandem reading with the audio read by Julia Whalen who brings the characters to life with her narration.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• fake dating
• witty banter
• endearing characters
⚠️ CW: abandonment, infidelity, cursing, drug use, alcohol, divorce, death, grief, sexual content, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, child abuse, gaslighting, panic attacks/disorders, vomit, classism, death of parent
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"You’re the first person who’s really seen me. Past what I want people to see."
"You can't force a person to show up, but you can learn a lesson when they don't."
"But no one person can be everything we need."
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Alcohol, and Classism
divorcesierrabowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
avosage18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
juanat77's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
gaelstorm's review against another edition
- 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
❤️ What kind of romance can I expect in this book?
(no major plot spoilers but still hidden if you don't wanna know)
Genders: f/m
POV: 1st person FMC
Themes & Tropes: Fake Dating, Roommates, Friends-to-Lovers
Sex Scenes? Yes
Explicit Rating: R
How Much: 2-3 explicit scenes
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
meghan_w's review against another edition
- 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
100% worth the hype! Read it! 💙
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
fanboyriot's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
laneyreadz's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual content and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
lmayfieldx's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
peter & petra deserved each other. i absolutely hated them
the writing is absolutely beautiful. i love the connection & tension between daphne & miles. their friendship blossomed beautifully. i love all of the friend dates that they went on. and it was immediately palpable when the connection began changing from best friends to lovers
the only thing that kept this from being a 5 star for me was the miscommunication. there were a few instances that could’ve been quickly resolved if they just paused & talked to each other!
the miscommunication between miles & his sister was also something i disliked. she felt like she was bothering him & keeping him from his full potential and he felt like he was letting her down, meanwhile they both were soooo grateful for each other 🥹
this was my first emily henry & i cannot wait to dive into more! i listened to the audiobook for this book & really enjoyed it
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse and Suicidal thoughts