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A review by strawb3rrysugar
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
After liking Book Lovers more than I expected to, I asked some of my other bookish friends their opinion on Emily Henry's books. Almost all of them said their favorite story by hers was Happy Place, so I gave it a shot and borrowed it from the library.
In all truthfulness, I don't think I am this specific book's target audience. This book is the miscommunication trope times a thousand, except it's not miscommunication so much as it is "none of these characters know how to sit down and talk, even thought they're in their thirties." It still had that warm and fuzzy Emily Henry charm, and I felt that her storytelling was still earnest, but I wasn't as moved emotionally by this book. I got excited when there was finally a fight between the main characters, and I'm deeply conflict-avoidant. They're a decent batch of characters, too, though I felt that the development between all of them was disproportionate. I knew way more about some characters than others, and it kept me from feeling truly attached to them.
I think my true issue is that I just found this book boring and repetitive at times. While the reason for Harriet and Wyn's split isn't clear until the third act, some points of their backstory and emotional angst are brought up over and over again in place of any true emotional development or maturity between them. Their passionate, can't-resist-each-other love feels robotic, like there's no real motive behind their actions. Harriet and Wyn are relatable in many meaningful ways, for sure, but they're otherwise incredibly boring. It was immersive enough that I felt like I was at the lake house with everyone, but I couldn't wait to leave.
All of that said, this book is not deeply atrocious or offensive. If you like fake dating and miscommunication tropes, found family, lgbt+/poc representation in the main cast, and being jumpscared by the mention of Hannaford in a book that mostly uses made-up towns in Maine, you could still give this book a try. It simply wasn't for me.
One more thing though--setting the story in Maine and naming the male lead Wyndham (Windham is a real town in Maine) is extremely funny.
In all truthfulness, I don't think I am this specific book's target audience. This book is the miscommunication trope times a thousand, except it's not miscommunication so much as it is "none of these characters know how to sit down and talk, even thought they're in their thirties." It still had that warm and fuzzy Emily Henry charm, and I felt that her storytelling was still earnest, but I wasn't as moved emotionally by this book. I got excited when there was finally a fight between the main characters, and I'm deeply conflict-avoidant. They're a decent batch of characters, too, though I felt that the development between all of them was disproportionate. I knew way more about some characters than others, and it kept me from feeling truly attached to them.
I think my true issue is that I just found this book boring and repetitive at times. While the reason for Harriet and Wyn's split isn't clear until the third act, some points of their backstory and emotional angst are brought up over and over again in place of any true emotional development or maturity between them. Their passionate, can't-resist-each-other love feels robotic, like there's no real motive behind their actions. Harriet and Wyn are relatable in many meaningful ways, for sure, but they're otherwise incredibly boring. It was immersive enough that I felt like I was at the lake house with everyone, but I couldn't wait to leave.
All of that said, this book is not deeply atrocious or offensive. If you like fake dating and miscommunication tropes, found family, lgbt+/poc representation in the main cast, and being jumpscared by the mention of Hannaford in a book that mostly uses made-up towns in Maine, you could still give this book a try. It simply wasn't for me.
One more thing though--setting the story in Maine and naming the male lead Wyndham (Windham is a real town in Maine) is extremely funny.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Harriet throws up at least twice during their partying and drinking antics. Drinking and partying make up most of the first and part of the second act.
There's one or two scenes of foreplay and one sex scene, but the actual sex scene is brief and isn't very descriptive.
Wyn's dad has died, and his death is brought up a few times. His mother also has a terminal illness.
Harriet hangs out with a male coworker thinking it's a casual get-together, and he kisses her at her doorstep without her consent. This coworker is *insanely* creepy, but he only shows up briefly in a flashback. Harriet believes this was the reason Wyn broke up with her.
Wyn has claustrophobia and has a panic attack when he and Harriet lock themselves in a wine cellar. The reason for his claustrophobia is explained briefly, though revisited a few times.