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enchanteddroppings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The narrator was great. Kept me engaged and was able to give each person distinct voices and personalities.
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment
vaguelyredhead'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
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse and Drug use
rachel_jones03's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
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
divorcemj_86's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse and Gaslighting
bessadams'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
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use
angievansprang'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: Abandonment
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity
hillgoodharv's review against another edition
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Emotional abuse
literarypenguin'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
First off Daphne is one of my favorite and most relatable characters from an Emily Henry novel! Her background about her relationship with her estranged father and her love for her hardworking mother. How because of this she had developed issues with people leaving her behind or getting tired of her. It was extremely relatable to me as I have gone through something very similar like this in my life growing up. Also her struggle with making friends as an adult was very relatable and safely I think a lot of people struggle with that concept. Miles was super sweet and I loved his attention to details, how he remembered all these little things that Daphne liked. Such a sweetheart of a man! His background too was also tragic and explained why he was the way he was. Why he cared so much for his sister wanting what was best for her. Despite not paying attention too much to what he wanted or needed.
The small town setting was so good! I loved all the little stores and farmer's markets they had, Miles also being the guy who knows everybody and can help someone out in a pinch was a cool part of his character too. Deep down though there was more to him than just that though. The romance and bond Daphne and him shared, how it started as just a way to get back at their exes who cheated on them turning into a legitimate romance. How they both were able to move past the hurt that their exes gave them and find their own happiness with each other. They were a great fit and I hope to see more of them in the future.
The overall theme of moving past traumas that happened in your life, taking your happiness into your own hands, and finding a sense of belonging in either a place or a person I loved it. It really hit home for me as it probably did with a bunch of other people. That is one of the many reasons why I loved Funny Story and it is at the top of my list as my favorite book of Emily's that she has ever written!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship
Minor: Child abuse and Drug abuse
jessrad505'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
5.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship