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Funny Story by Emily Henry
5.0
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!

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