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emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Loved this so much - my favorite Emily Henry so far. I’m so glad I bought/listened; Happy Place, last year, was my least fave - so I was a little wary heading into this one. I love the complexity of the characters’ backstories, and the ways in which they communicate and miscommunicate around the patterning they learned in their differently rough childhoods. All felt so real and thoroughly drawn, including for the side characters! I love Daphne and Miles so much, and their chemistry both together and in the web of friendships that populate the book. I love the way the food throughout the book gives us such a sense of place and care. So beautiful!! Made me so happy reading this that I drew it out a few days just to enjoy a little bit longer. ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Is there anything to say about this book that hasn’t already been said? The hype is real. Emily Henry is back in her rom-com lane and we are living. Funny, heartfelt, relatable moving, all the things you have come to expect from her books - it’s all here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Alcohol
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Emily does it again. She makes me fall in love with characters that are so real, I feel like they’re mirrors of myself or friends I’ve made throughout life. I loved Daphne and Miles. Not only is it apparent he fell first, but he also fell harder. I love that for Daphne. I really like the peaks of family drama that came through in this one! I liked that sometimes, people are just shitty and we have to deal.
I loved how fun and petty this felt at times. That first kiss was iconic.
This one may be my favorite. Don’t tell Beach Read.
I loved how fun and petty this felt at times. That first kiss was iconic.
This one may be my favorite. Don’t tell Beach Read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Gaslighting
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Classism
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
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:
Complicated
At this point in Emily Henry’s career, it is so easy to just expect a 5 star read. Coming off of Happy Place? Of course it is. There’s always the slightest doubt: can anything be as good as Happy Place? The answer is an overwhelming ‘yes’.
Funny Story had me laughing, grinning, crying, cringing, and kicking my feet with giddiness. It is everything I want in a book: two beautiful souls who overcome barriers that nobody deserves to become all-round better versions of themselves, who aren’t afraid to look inward and make changes to become the person they want to be rather than the person they’ve chosen to be in order to fit a mould or hide behind a mask.
Emily’s description of Miles as a Labrador is so perfect. He is sunshine, but with that added layer of clumsiness (not physically) that so accurately reflects that Lab behaviour: all love but sometimes has a bit too much going through their minds to know what to do with it!
Daphne is my kindred spirit. We’ve had a very similar life, so maybe that’s what allows me to relate to her so deeply, but we also find our solace in books and in solitude, except when we found that Safe Person to let go with. I wanted to hug her throughout Funny Story and tell her that everything would be okay, and that made me realise that actually what I wanted was to tell myself exactly that. You don’t need a father or a partner to be whole, to be enough. You need yourself, and when you can love yourself, you can allow those who do deserve a place in your life to share that love with you too.
I’m going to start the audio book tomorrow and I cannot WAIT to see how Julie Whelan brings Funny Story to laugh. What a happy day!
Funny Story had me laughing, grinning, crying, cringing, and kicking my feet with giddiness. It is everything I want in a book: two beautiful souls who overcome barriers that nobody deserves to become all-round better versions of themselves, who aren’t afraid to look inward and make changes to become the person they want to be rather than the person they’ve chosen to be in order to fit a mould or hide behind a mask.
Emily’s description of Miles as a Labrador is so perfect. He is sunshine, but with that added layer of clumsiness (not physically) that so accurately reflects that Lab behaviour: all love but sometimes has a bit too much going through their minds to know what to do with it!
Daphne is my kindred spirit. We’ve had a very similar life, so maybe that’s what allows me to relate to her so deeply, but we also find our solace in books and in solitude, except when we found that Safe Person to let go with. I wanted to hug her throughout Funny Story and tell her that everything would be okay, and that made me realise that actually what I wanted was to tell myself exactly that. You don’t need a father or a partner to be whole, to be enough. You need yourself, and when you can love yourself, you can allow those who do deserve a place in your life to share that love with you too.
I’m going to start the audio book tomorrow and I cannot WAIT to see how Julie Whelan brings Funny Story to laugh. What a happy day!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Minor: Classism
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Compared to other Emily Henry books this one was up there for me. It was written very well and was not your typical roommates to lovers trope. I’d say it was closest to Book Lovers and would recommend readers who enjoyed it to pick up this book as well. Spice level would be 4/10 on my rating, and was mostly tension.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Emily Henry makes you feel like you’re the only one reading her book. Which is a good thing—a great thing!! Let me explain.
When you’re reading one of her books, you almost feel like it’s a secret. Like if one of your best friends writes a book and you’re the first one to read it. Like you have the inside scoop. Like it’s exclusive. Like this story was meant to be read by you. Like its contents are something for you to cherish and feel in your own time, your own way.
Her writing does this magical thing where you feel so present inside her words that you never really leave them. You read other books, move on to other titles, but her stories remain. When all else feels like a dribble, her novels are the ocean. Constant. Resonating. Engaging with you even in your subconscious.
What I loved about Miles and Daphne was that they were so in tune and in sync with one another’s feelings and expectations, even when they thought they weren’t. The right person can make all the difference in the wrong moments.
Miles is easygoing and thoughtful, confident but considerate. Daphne is gentle and shy but also braver than she thinks and tougher than she gives herself credit for. They make a great pair of roommates, friends, cohorts, lovers. They are two halves of one whole that, for much of the book, they seem to acknowledge but don’t let themselves indulge in for fear of messing the good parts up, or not thinking they are what the other needs. They go through situations and feelings together, simultaneously, without realizing it. I like how natural and adult their conversations are, how honest they can be with one another when they need to, and how goofy and flirty they can be when they want to. How easily they fit into each other’s lives, literally and figuratively.
Most mature of her books I think, as far as characters and their actions. Well-rounded novel, nothing feels rushed or drags along. Perfect pacing. I wish I felt a little more connected to the characters’ decisions, but that’s more of a personal thing.
When you’re reading one of her books, you almost feel like it’s a secret. Like if one of your best friends writes a book and you’re the first one to read it. Like you have the inside scoop. Like it’s exclusive. Like this story was meant to be read by you. Like its contents are something for you to cherish and feel in your own time, your own way.
Her writing does this magical thing where you feel so present inside her words that you never really leave them. You read other books, move on to other titles, but her stories remain. When all else feels like a dribble, her novels are the ocean. Constant. Resonating. Engaging with you even in your subconscious.
What I loved about Miles and Daphne was that they were so in tune and in sync with one another’s feelings and expectations, even when they thought they weren’t. The right person can make all the difference in the wrong moments.
Miles is easygoing and thoughtful, confident but considerate. Daphne is gentle and shy but also braver than she thinks and tougher than she gives herself credit for. They make a great pair of roommates, friends, cohorts, lovers. They are two halves of one whole that, for much of the book, they seem to acknowledge but don’t let themselves indulge in for fear of messing the good parts up, or not thinking they are what the other needs. They go through situations and feelings together, simultaneously, without realizing it. I like how natural and adult their conversations are, how honest they can be with one another when they need to, and how goofy and flirty they can be when they want to. How easily they fit into each other’s lives, literally and figuratively.
Most mature of her books I think, as far as characters and their actions. Well-rounded novel, nothing feels rushed or drags along. Perfect pacing. I wish I felt a little more connected to the characters’ decisions, but that’s more of a personal thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief
Minor: Drug use