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uhleeseeuh's review against another edition
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? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
avigayil's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Dementia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Abandonment
abbyluvsfrogs444's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
Ummmmmm wow. Wow wow wow wow wow wow. WOW. I just finished this at like 3am and I'm still collecting my thoughts but holy shit. That's a perfect book. I love it so much. I completely adore all these characters and I will love them forever. Thank you Emily Henry, you did it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Alcohol, Cursing, and Drug use
Minor: Vomit
meredith_williams_'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? Yes
5.0
No notes for Emily Henry. She consistently captures the full range of the human experience in such a simple, tender, and honestly funny way. I really enjoyed the friend group dynamic and found family trope that was at the center of this book. The parallel story lines reminded me of her novel People We Meet on Vacation and I enjoyed the flashback style story telling.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Cursing, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders
carla20's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
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
khloereads86's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
There is literally nothing I didn’t like about this book. It was so good. So emotional and heart wrenching and comforting. I smiled, I laughed, I balled my eyes out. Didn’t think she could top Book Lovers but this just became one of my favourites of all time. The slow-burn, second chance forced proximity was so good. I loved Harry and Wyn. So much of them was so relatable and personable they felt so real. You can feel their love for each other, feel the pain they’re going through being apart. She’s so good at making it more than just a romance though. She builds backstories and inside jokes and everything you need to know about the characters in so seamlessly it never seems like an info dump or a long boring monologue. She puts the idea of happiness and love under a microscope. It was hard to think about the fact that sometimes people can love each other so much, do everything they can for each other but it still might not be enough for things to work out and neither side is to blame. This book made me feel so much I had to just stop (as much as I didn’t want to put it down) and cry and think about parts of my life for a few minutes every once in a while. When I finished it I sat there crying and processing for 10 minutes how good it really was. Feeling the love not only between Harry and Wyn but between all of their friends, especially Harriet, Sabrina, and Cleo, was so comforting, it made me wish I had friends that close they were family. Watching them grow and find their next steps and work on still staying in touch despite the way their relationships have changed was painfully beautiful. I’m so happy for all of them, it feels like I made friends myself. There’s so much more I was to say to express how much this book made me feel but I’m still struggling to process and it’s way too early in the morning from staying up all night to finish it. But wow
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Drug use
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
sarahyjackson's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
So much about this book felt perfect: the setting, the execution of classic romance tropes, the conceit, the character development. Read by Julia Whelan? Perfect, perfect, perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Drug use
Moderate: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
alijoy94's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
I was going to say Emily Henry has done it again, bringing us another beautifully charming and emotional story, but in reality she just keeps getting better!
Happy Place follows Harriet, her college friends, and her (unbeknownst to the others) ex-fiance Wyn, through two timelines - the past, A.K.A. Harry's Happy Place, and the present, also known as Real Life, where everything seems to be falling apart. Over a week of kept secrets, forced proximity and second chances, our two timelines eventually converge to form a happy reality - though not necessarily in the way Harry expects.
This was an easy 4.5 star read for me!
Thankyou to Netgally and Penguin Random House for the digital ARC (as well as the physical copy I received through work)
Happy Place follows Harriet, her college friends, and her (unbeknownst to the others) ex-fiance Wyn, through two timelines - the past, A.K.A. Harry's Happy Place, and the present, also known as Real Life, where everything seems to be falling apart. Over a week of kept secrets, forced proximity and second chances, our two timelines eventually converge to form a happy reality - though not necessarily in the way Harry expects.
This was an easy 4.5 star read for me!
Thankyou to Netgally and Penguin Random House for the digital ARC (as well as the physical copy I received through work)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy, Medical content, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
decklededgess's review against another edition
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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