Scan barcode
A review by theespressoedition
Funny Story by Emily Henry
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? It's complicated
5.0
Honestly, how do you even begin to review an Emily Henry book aside from *pterodactyl screeching noises* and *unintelligible fluttery hand gestures* to properly convey how much you love it? Just when I thought I couldn't love her romcoms more, she goes and writes Funny Story.
Since 2021, I have not managed to find a single romance novel to top my obsession with People We Meet on Vacation--and I have read several hundred romances. How Emily managed to beat her own book is absolutely beyond me. Funny Story now takes first place in my favorites list.
As I was reading my eARC (thank you, THANK YOU, Berkley) I decided to highlight everything that stood out to me. Three paragraphs into the first chapter and I was already highlighting a quote that had me snorting with laughter. The rest of the book made me feel precisely as giddy as those first few lines and I managed to highlight nearly 40 quotes and added countless notes.
Something that constantly impresses me with Emily's writing style is that while she maintains a classic romcom formula (meaning that the book is equally as funny as it is romantic), she doesn't skimp on depth and emotion. I have cried nearly as many times as I have laughed while reading each of her novels and Funny Story was no different. It dealt with themes like emotionally abusive family members and toxic romantic relationships. But it doesn't just glaze over them or make them feel unimportant. They're an integral part of the story and handled with so much grace.
This book also gave me an element I never knew I needed (?) in an EmHen novel: found family. It may have manifested in an untraditional sense, but it was absolutely part of the narrative and I really loved how it was cultivated and nurtured throughout the story. By the end of the book, I felt as though Ashleigh's friendship with Daphne was just as important as the romantic relationship with Miles.
If you're looking for something feel-good that will make you laugh so hard you nearly pee yourself, cry a little, and just fall in love with love all over again, you need to pick up Funny Story. I had the best time ever reading this book and I can't wait to pick it up whenever I'm craving some extra comfort. All the stars for this fantastic romcom!
Since 2021, I have not managed to find a single romance novel to top my obsession with People We Meet on Vacation--and I have read several hundred romances. How Emily managed to beat her own book is absolutely beyond me. Funny Story now takes first place in my favorites list.
As I was reading my eARC (thank you, THANK YOU, Berkley) I decided to highlight everything that stood out to me. Three paragraphs into the first chapter and I was already highlighting a quote that had me snorting with laughter. The rest of the book made me feel precisely as giddy as those first few lines and I managed to highlight nearly 40 quotes and added countless notes.
Something that constantly impresses me with Emily's writing style is that while she maintains a classic romcom formula (meaning that the book is equally as funny as it is romantic), she doesn't skimp on depth and emotion. I have cried nearly as many times as I have laughed while reading each of her novels and Funny Story was no different. It dealt with themes like emotionally abusive family members and toxic romantic relationships. But it doesn't just glaze over them or make them feel unimportant. They're an integral part of the story and handled with so much grace.
This book also gave me an element I never knew I needed (?) in an EmHen novel: found family. It may have manifested in an untraditional sense, but it was absolutely part of the narrative and I really loved how it was cultivated and nurtured throughout the story. By the end of the book, I felt as though Ashleigh's friendship with Daphne was just as important as the romantic relationship with Miles.
If you're looking for something feel-good that will make you laugh so hard you nearly pee yourself, cry a little, and just fall in love with love all over again, you need to pick up Funny Story. I had the best time ever reading this book and I can't wait to pick it up whenever I'm craving some extra comfort. All the stars for this fantastic romcom!
**Unrelated and semi-unimportant but fun fact time: A truly delightful part of this for me was that the Richmond they reference time and again is Richmond, Virginia... which just happens to be where I was born and raised and lived until 2021. Seeing it mentioned over and over made me really happy. Now, if only I could convince Emily to do more tour stops there...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Sexual content
Minor: Vomit