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emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Finished reading: September 18th 2024
“Trust people's actions, not their words. Don't love anyone who isn't ready to love you back. Let go of the people who don't hold on to you. Don't wait on anyone who's in no rush to get to you.”
I've been wanting to read Funny Story ever since it was published a couple months ago, and I hoped it would help me end the streak of lower than usual ratings. I always love a contemporary/romance with a bookish angle, and the premise of Emily Henry's newest story sounded promising. And I definitely ended up having a lot of fun reading this book! There is just something about the writing style that is addictive, and it was hard to put down. A good thing for me, considering the fact that I've been struggling with a beginning reading slump... The fact that both Daphne and Miles are extremely easy to warm up to helps of course, and most of the side characters are brilliant as well. Both main characters have been dealt a very rough card in life, and it was interesting to see how circumstances turned them into roommates and watch their connection grow. There are some cliches involved and the story was a bit high on the drama for me, but as a whole I can't deny that it gave the story more dept. The steamy scenes were definitely too much for me, but nothing that can't be skipped over if you are like me not a fan... Funny Story is not exactly lighthearted as it includes a selection of heavier topics, but there is still fun to be had and the banter is excellent. One of my favorites written by her!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
hopeful
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
I like Emily Henry’s books because they’re fun, quick reads that make you feel good. This one kind of reminded me of The Wedding Date by Jasmaine Guillory. Possibly only because they pretend to date and RSVP to their exes’ wedding together. I loved that Daphne is a librarian for children’s literary books. Miles works at a winery, which is fun too. I appreciate how much this book focused on building community and friendship outside of your partner. Like how she befriends Ashleigh and later Julia, Miles’ sister. She has no clue who she is after Peter breaks off their engagement for his best friend Petra. I like how she loved how he told their “meet cute” story because she felt like she wasn’t good at telling stories. Then at the end, Miles says “funny story” and lets her tell their meet cute because she loves to tell the story. Such a subtle detail. Kinda cheesy, and I love it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Alcohol
Minor: Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
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
The same universe that dispassionately takes things away can bring you things you weren't imaginative enough to dream up.
miles and daphne were actually really cute despite how different they were and their banter was so amusing. the story, however, was kinda boring sometimes…
don’t get me wrong, it was cute. it was fun. but it was nothing too special. i liked the messiness, i liked the drama, i just wish there was more of it. some of the ‘drama’ was just so anticlimactic in the end.
emily henry does have a knack at writing beautiful and funny found families, especially when they are from small towns—as demonstrated in this book as well. i loved all the wacky side characters we met that helped our main characters come to their senses.
so in the end, though it took me a bit to fully get into the characters and story, i quickly became invested because i felt the chemistry between miles and daphne and i loved how it grew naturally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Only fake dating trope I can get behind, obsessed with the entire premise of this!! I adored and found the characters so sweet and I loved all the side characters and their interactions. I also really enjoyed the girl friendship that we had, especially with the forgetting her birthday mistake and normalising how you can hurt people and still work to be worthy of their friendship. I also enjoyed her relationship with her mom, it was so sweet to see it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Alcohol
emotional
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love a good fake dating story, I loved the librarian x service industry vibe, and the found family. Love the strong single mom storylines too. Overall was a solid read but it didn’t knock me off my feet
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
This one just surpassed Book Lovers as my favorite Emily Henry to date. Funny Story and Book Lovers are my favorite of her books, though I haven’t read Happy Place and don’t plan to do so.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
As with all Emily Henry's books, I enjoyed this one! The concept was fun and the romance felt appropriately messy. The Traverse City setting and librarian career were fun to read through, too, and I can attest to Henry's general accuracy in covering both topics.
Reading it on the heels of Just for the Summer changed my perspective, though. Our main character could have used a little more development and applying an informed understanding of Attachment Theory could have been an interesting angle to add more depth. Overall, this is not my *favorite* Emily Henry book, but I still enjoyed it immensely!
Reading it on the heels of Just for the Summer changed my perspective, though. Our main character could have used a little more development and applying an informed understanding of Attachment Theory could have been an interesting angle to add more depth. Overall, this is not my *favorite* Emily Henry book, but I still enjoyed it immensely!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship
Minor: Gaslighting
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Good, not great. I found Daphne sort of insufferable but I thought her ending as a character was redeeming. I liked the writing style and since this had a few of my preferred romance tropes (fake dating, forced proximity) that helped with the overall rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use