Take a photo of a barcode or cover
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Sexual content, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol
funny
inspiring
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 read this book in three sittings and i really enjoyed it! I don’t typically read romance, but this is the second one and i could see myself reading more! (both were Emily Henry, the first was Book Lovers)
I also get scared that I won’t be able to relate to the characters in these types of books, but I’m 21 and found a lot in common with the 30 y.o. characters! (friendship and relationship wise)
Not a big deal, but I did notice that “chortle” and “sidelong” were used quite frequently. It made me giggle seeing that the author has specific words they keep coming back to, but it can be a turnoff.
Overall, an epic book. I plan to read more of Emily Henry in the future! :D
I also get scared that I won’t be able to relate to the characters in these types of books, but I’m 21 and found a lot in common with the 30 y.o. characters! (friendship and relationship wise)
Not a big deal, but I did notice that “chortle” and “sidelong” were used quite frequently. It made me giggle seeing that the author has specific words they keep coming back to, but it can be a turnoff.
Overall, an epic book. I plan to read more of Emily Henry in the future! :D
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Gaslighting
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
After being dumped by her fiance for his best friend (Petra), Daphne left without friends, without family, and no place to live. She turns to the only person who can understand - Petra's ex Miles.
Tropes: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity (Roommates), Opposites Attract, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn
Tropes: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity (Roommates), Opposites Attract, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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 rarely give a romance five stars, but this one found a way to take the past hurts of both primary characters and let me share in their personal growth in a way that I wanted to root for them all the way to the end. The premise for the book was ridiculous to me, but it probably happens more often than I think it does. I also liked that the book gave Daphne friends, real friends, who helped her grow up and that she could do the same for them. I liked this book, because it let me be a part of a whole story, rather than just the tug and push between the two protagonists. Loved her relationship with her mom too and the way she worked things out with her dad (good girl!). I'd like to think Daphne and Miles make each other better people and that theirs will be a happily ever after.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Classism
emotional
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
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content
Minor: Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
funny
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
Trying to explain the set up to this plot to someone is like trying to explain how that distant cousin is related to someone outside your family. It 100% makes sense when you can explain it with good details, but gets messy in the TL;DR. But IT WORKS. It's the gentlest friends-to-lovers, found family, "I can't let you hurt me because it will break me" love story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, Alcohol
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Funny Story by Emily Henry is about Daphne, whose relationship just ended after her fiancé fell in love with his best friend. She ended up rooming with said best-friend's former ex-boyfriend, Miles. Both are heartbroken, but they don't want the pity of their exes. So, they start to fake a relationship that feels real pretty fast.
I heard so much praise for Emily Henry's books and was really excited to finally read one. However, I am not fully convinced. The book is not bad. I enjoyed it and it's quite a fast read. But that's it. It is nothing special. I liked Miles quite a lot. The way he cares for other people is wonderful. He and Daphne had good chemistry together. I loved that Daphne is a librarian. Other than that, nothing remarkable stayed in my brain.
Funny Story is a wonderful fast summer read. The book is not too good, but also not bad. I enjoyed it.
I heard so much praise for Emily Henry's books and was really excited to finally read one. However, I am not fully convinced. The book is not bad. I enjoyed it and it's quite a fast read. But that's it. It is nothing special. I liked Miles quite a lot. The way he cares for other people is wonderful. He and Daphne had good chemistry together. I loved that Daphne is a librarian. Other than that, nothing remarkable stayed in my brain.
Funny Story is a wonderful fast summer read. The book is not too good, but also not bad. I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Infidelity, Grief, Alcohol
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Title: Funny Story
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."
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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Alcohol, Classism
divorce