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thenotoriousmeg 's review for:
Funny Story
by Emily Henry
An enjoyable read as ever but there's almost zero tension about how it will end, not just about the predictable romance but whether Daphne will move away or change jobs. There is some good drama around her platonic friendship and the (fictional) town is such a delightful character, it's practically an ad for Michigan tourism (at least in the summer, would have liked to have some of it take place in winter).
I could certainly relate to a story about a bartender and a librarian, but it was a missed opportunity for her to create real tension and talk about actual issues libraries face in 2024 like book bans, budget cuts, and community social services. She could have set up an antagonist trying to ban children's books or struggling to keep the library open but instead it all leads up to a readathon? That goes...fine? And the concept of her living with the ex of the woman she was jilted for is necessary to the plot, but it's deeply unrealistic for it to happen in the first place and I would have liked more of a reason why this guy would let her move in with him at all.
For many readers, Emily Henry is an automatic buy, but for me she will stay an automatic library hold. I'll always enjoy her books but probably never reread or think about them later.
I could certainly relate to a story about a bartender and a librarian, but it was a missed opportunity for her to create real tension and talk about actual issues libraries face in 2024 like book bans, budget cuts, and community social services. She could have set up an antagonist trying to ban children's books or struggling to keep the library open but instead it all leads up to a readathon? That goes...fine? And the concept of her living with the ex of the woman she was jilted for is necessary to the plot, but it's deeply unrealistic for it to happen in the first place and I would have liked more of a reason why this guy would let her move in with him at all.
For many readers, Emily Henry is an automatic buy, but for me she will stay an automatic library hold. I'll always enjoy her books but probably never reread or think about them later.