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A review by ontheoffbeat
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
reflective
5.0
The concept of finding one’s home or “happy place” in another person is not a new concept in literature. Yet, in the hands of Emily Henry, it’s a unique blend of new and familiar storytelling.
We begin the book with our protagonist, Harriet, grieving a relationship that ended five months prior. Neither Harriet nor her ex-fiancée, Wyn, told their closest friends they had broken up. In order to make things less awkward for what would be their last summer vacation in Maine with their friends, they decide to pretend they’re still together. Of course Harriet and Wyn realize that it’s much harder to hide your emotions in front of the people who know you the best, including the person you once loved more than anything.
I was moved to tears by the portrayals of love. There are two types present: romantic and platonic. And they are equally integral to Harriet’s journey. Before we see Harriet fall in love with Wyn, we see her fall in love with her two best friends, Sabrina and Cleo. This friend group, which includes Sabrina’s boyfriend Parth and Cleo’s girlfriend Kimmy, are such an odd bunch and yet they fit so well together. It makes sense why Harriet and Wyn both felt compelled to keep their secret in the first place. Of course, Harriet and Wyn begin opening themselves back up to each other during this vacation while also figuring out what went wrong in the first place. I ought to emphasize that while yes, this book is funny, romantic, and sensual, it’s quite sad too. (I’ve found this is how it usually goes with second-chance romances) But don’t worry! There’s enough of a balance between the humor and heartbreak to keep reading until the final chapter which makes it all worth it.
Having read all four of Emily Henry’s books now, I liken her to Nora Ephron in terms of wit and emotional depth. The humor is genuinely funny, which makes this a proper romantic-comedy, but the author is also perceptive of human emotions and different people respond to it. Emily Henry is also writing this book during an age in which young adults are coming up against more obstacles than their predecessors and so we have this generation of people searching for individual happiness in a world working against them. For this reason, Harriet is a romantic hero for this generation. We learn alongside her the meaning of individual happiness and how it can be found in cozy routines, a new activity, and in another person.
A gorgeous novel and a new favorite from Emily Henry. As it is for the author’s previous books, this is best read on vacation whether in an airplane or under the summer sun.
We begin the book with our protagonist, Harriet, grieving a relationship that ended five months prior. Neither Harriet nor her ex-fiancée, Wyn, told their closest friends they had broken up. In order to make things less awkward for what would be their last summer vacation in Maine with their friends, they decide to pretend they’re still together. Of course Harriet and Wyn realize that it’s much harder to hide your emotions in front of the people who know you the best, including the person you once loved more than anything.
I was moved to tears by the portrayals of love. There are two types present: romantic and platonic. And they are equally integral to Harriet’s journey. Before we see Harriet fall in love with Wyn, we see her fall in love with her two best friends, Sabrina and Cleo. This friend group, which includes Sabrina’s boyfriend Parth and Cleo’s girlfriend Kimmy, are such an odd bunch and yet they fit so well together. It makes sense why Harriet and Wyn both felt compelled to keep their secret in the first place. Of course, Harriet and Wyn begin opening themselves back up to each other during this vacation while also figuring out what went wrong in the first place. I ought to emphasize that while yes, this book is funny, romantic, and sensual, it’s quite sad too. (I’ve found this is how it usually goes with second-chance romances) But don’t worry! There’s enough of a balance between the humor and heartbreak to keep reading until the final chapter which makes it all worth it.
Having read all four of Emily Henry’s books now, I liken her to Nora Ephron in terms of wit and emotional depth. The humor is genuinely funny, which makes this a proper romantic-comedy, but the author is also perceptive of human emotions and different people respond to it. Emily Henry is also writing this book during an age in which young adults are coming up against more obstacles than their predecessors and so we have this generation of people searching for individual happiness in a world working against them. For this reason, Harriet is a romantic hero for this generation. We learn alongside her the meaning of individual happiness and how it can be found in cozy routines, a new activity, and in another person.
A gorgeous novel and a new favorite from Emily Henry. As it is for the author’s previous books, this is best read on vacation whether in an airplane or under the summer sun.