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A review by readandwright
Funny Story by Emily Henry
5.0
Thank you Berkley for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
My history with falling in love with Emily Henry is an interesting one. From thinking her books weren’t for me to feeling so seen by her writing, interviewing her twice, and enjoying watching her career grow, I am so glad we have another story of hers that’s just ours for now.
I really liked this book. I really, really liked it. It was quiet and funny and interesting and swoony. It was full of characters I loved, dialogue that made me laugh, and a setting that made me ready for a trip to the lake. I still think Happy Place is my favorite, but this is a close second. I just love the quiet, relatable world she creates.
Synopsis:
“
Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.
Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.
Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads —Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?
But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?” —NetGalley
Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.
Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.
Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads —Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?
But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
- The Setting—I loved the Michigan setting! Beach Read wasn’t the book for me so i’m so glad the setting got a redemption story for me. I loved the library, the beaches, the winery. All so great.
- The Banter—EmHen banter is top notch for me. Miles made me smile every time he was on the page and I loved their chemistry!
- The “Quietness”—I saw a comment online that a reviewer claimed the conflict in Emily Henry’s books don’t merit the third act break ups. I very much disagree. Sometimes life is quiet. Sometimes our reactions to things hurt so deeply, even if they seem small from the outside. While books are entertainment, sometimes it’s nice to see yourself or moment reflected in the quietness.
- The Tropes—This was such a fun spin on Fake Dating/Forced Proximity. I loved it so much!
What Didn’t Work:
- The 3rd Act Break Up/Lack of Miles’ POV—I really just wish we had Miles’ POV for this moment of the book.
Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 5/5
Content Warnings:
abandonment, called off wedding, infidelity, parent issues