Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first đ¶ïž book⊠I get it now.
I read it over three days on the beach and poolside and was lowkey sad when it was over
I read it over three days on the beach and poolside and was lowkey sad when it was over
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use
Ample usage of the word boobs and a couple of âerectionsâ
funny
lighthearted
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:
No
I loved this book so much. I think this is my favorite book of the authors yet! And thatâs saying something seeing as Iâve loved every single book by her! I loved Miles and Daphne so much, and I loved the side characters too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug use
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Drug use
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
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 new girlfriend's ex lol). 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 timesâI 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. Were the main characters still ding dongs at times? Yes. Did I think in typical rom-com book fashion these two characters relied on each other a little bit too much for growth? Again, yes. But, I loved this book so much and can think critically about it while still absolutely adoring it.
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.
**
Read again in July 2025 and truly did not disappoint. I love Daphne and Miles <3
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 new girlfriend's ex lol). 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 timesâI 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. Were the main characters still ding dongs at times? Yes. Did I think in typical rom-com book fashion these two characters relied on each other a little bit too much for growth? Again, yes. But, I loved this book so much and can think critically about it while still absolutely adoring it.
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.
**
Read again in July 2025 and truly did not disappoint. I love Daphne and Miles <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Abandonment
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
This was so wonderful and I think it's tied for my favorite Emily Henry title now. I absolutely loved Daphne so much, especially her inner struggles with feeling like she wasn't "enough" for anyone. Without getting into it too much, it was immensely relatable and flipped a switch in my mind that helped me finally make sense of some of my own childhood experiences and how they've affected my life and my relationships. 20+ years of searching for an answer for where those feelings of inadequacy came from, and Emily Henry comes in and kicks the door down with one rom-com. Go figure.
While Miles is also a delightful character and I definitely enjoyed his golden retriever energy at first, I loved the reveals about his own inner turmoil and found him so easy to root for. The chemistry between these two was perfection! I love a good best-friends-to-lovers romance, and despite the bizarre circumstances that first brought Daphne and Miles together as roommates, that's exactly the vibe this story gave me: best friends first, partners second, and I adored it.
I'd be remiss to review this book without talking about the side characters, too: Miles' sister Julia and Daphne's co-worker Ashleigh were incredible and I'd happily read a spin-off novel about either of them, should Emily Henry ever choose to write one (or both). Honestly, Ashleigh finding joy would probably be an instant Book of the Year for me. *nudge nudge, Emily*
Emily Henry knocked it out of the park again, and nobody is surprised. I adored this book and am so glad I read it. Thank you yet again, Emily Henry, for gifting your stories to the world. đ„°
Thank you to the publisher and LibroFM for the gifted audiobook! All thoughts are honest and my own.
While Miles is also a delightful character and I definitely enjoyed his golden retriever energy at first, I loved the reveals about his own inner turmoil and found him so easy to root for. The chemistry between these two was perfection! I love a good best-friends-to-lovers romance, and despite the bizarre circumstances that first brought Daphne and Miles together as roommates, that's exactly the vibe this story gave me: best friends first, partners second, and I adored it.
I'd be remiss to review this book without talking about the side characters, too: Miles' sister Julia and Daphne's co-worker Ashleigh were incredible and I'd happily read a spin-off novel about either of them, should Emily Henry ever choose to write one (or both). Honestly, Ashleigh finding joy would probably be an instant Book of the Year for me. *nudge nudge, Emily*
Emily Henry knocked it out of the park again, and nobody is surprised. I adored this book and am so glad I read it. Thank you yet again, Emily Henry, for gifting your stories to the world. đ„°
Thank you to the publisher and LibroFM for the gifted audiobook! All thoughts are honest and my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
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
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, Abandonment, Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use
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
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: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use
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:
Yes
My summary:
Daphne Vincent is devastated when her fiancĂ©, Peter, breaks up with her on the morning after his bachelor partyâfor his longtime *platonic* best friend, Petra. In desperation of needing a place to live, Daphne ends up moving into the apartment of Petraâs ex, Miles. Her and Miles generally stay out of each otherâs way for weeks until one night of wallowing leads to a fake dating lie in an attempt to make their exes jealous. As the fake dating ruse leads to friendship, the blur between which feelings are real or fake becomes more confusing.
My thoughts:
I read Funny Story in April and adored it. It is a five star read for me. The audiobook was great but I enjoyed reading it more than I did listening to it.
This is the soonest Iâve listened to an audiobook after reading the book. Itâs just how my Libby hold came up. Honestly, I think I should have delayed it longer to really enjoy this as an audiobook. My favorite audiobooks are of books that I have already read and liked, but this was just a little too soon after reading it to really enjoy it for a second time.
Julia Whelan did a great job narrating this book. As a single narrator of a very long book, her performance was overall really good. But, itâs just a very long time to listen to the same narrator, even breaking it up over more than a week. I mentally checked out a bit through the last third of it.
Itâs funny to me how reading a book can give you certain vibes that just arenât there listening to the same book narrated to you. I had the same experience with reading and then listening to Bride by Ali Hazelwood. I am a mood reader and totally rate books mostly off of how they make me feel, and itâs just interesting to me in the difference I find between some books and their audiobooks. I think reading certain sentences or paragraphs can have a much different impact than listening to the same.
I think I will always prefer reading versus listening to audiobooks, and thatâs is reflected here in my rating for the book (five stars!) versus the audiobook (4.25? stars). But whether youâve already read this book or not, this is a great audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
This one was really good, definitely still got the feelings but I think after Happy Place nothing is gonna be the same for me.
It was really cute tho, the characters were quirky and well-fleshed and worked well together. The background characters were sweet too, I wasnât sure about Ashleigh at first but ended up loving both her and Julia and I think they added so much to the story.
It was really cute tho, the characters were quirky and well-fleshed and worked well together. The background characters were sweet too, I wasnât sure about Ashleigh at first but ended up loving both her and Julia and I think they added so much to the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Alcohol