Emily Henry has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and this book didn't disappoint. It's sweet, emotional, and has interesting characters who are going through a time in their lives that everybody can relate to.

I usually “love” Emily Henry’s books but I just “liked” this one. It is a story about friendship, families and what happens when you find your soulmate…but lose him. I loved the banter and the cast of characters. I just thought the story drug on a little too long, making it a little slower than her other novels. I found myself getting a little frustrated and wanting to yell at the two main characters to communicate better! It was still a fun romance and great story. Thank you for the ARC. 4 stars.

I love all of Emily Henry’s books and this one was great, but definitely felt that it had a sadder undertone. Obviously this is about a broken relationship and has a happy ending, but I couldn’t help but feel the general tone of this book was moodier than her others because of the premise.

Okay here's the thing. I can absolutely see why this is becoming one of her most divisive books. I think it's one you'll either love or hate, and I totally understand why someone would hate it, particularly if they went in expecting something light and rom com-y (although if you've read or heard about Beach Read/her other romances...idk why you'd expect something else. Like...she writes heavy stuff, y'all.) That being said, this book REALLY worked for me, even though the romance itself was probably my least favorite of her couples.

The tone was even more serious than her other books, and it was heavy, but it felt so true to the experience of having years-long relationships with people (both romantic and otherwise) who were raised with or developed different communication styles. This explores grief in a lot of ways--grief for the way your life used to be, the way it hasn't been what you wanted, the way your dreams are not what you thought you were working for, the way things have to change--but it's also a celebration of friendship and an exploration of how people grow and change and can still love each other through that. The miscommunication also felt very genuine to me, in that it was something she actually delved into rather than using it as a superficial plot device. Miscommunication once can easily be resolved, but what happens when a couple never learns how to communicate well and spends years failing to express their needs to each other out of fear? What happens when friends grow apart but lash out or isolate themselves instead of expressing their fears?

This is a heavy book (and I think maybe the marketing could have been more direct about that, as I can see how the cover and general pitching of this book would be misleading to a non-Emily Henry reader), but an incredibly well-written one that explores both changing relationships and what it means to live for yourself. Although oddly, this is the first of her books I have not cried while reading? I think because the book as a whole is tonally more serious, so there's not necessarily a specific gut-punch moment--it's more "slow-release" pain, to steal Harriet's phrase. It's probably my least favorite of her romances, although it's one I can tell is going to stick with me.

I adore Emily Henry's style and her ability to create three-dimensional, flawed characters that actively make stupid decisions or mistakes but that I still relate to and root for, and this was another book I know I'll be rereading (when I'm emotionally ready to revisit the heartache, that is).

CW: depression, death, grief, toxic relationships, panic attacks/claustrophobia, sexual content, pregnancy

Emily Henry fans, rejoice! Because she is back with her next book and as expected, it was wonderful and heartwarming and everything you could imagine in and Emily Henry story.

The story follows our MC, Harriet, as she joins her two college best friends, their partners, and her ex-fiance (though none of the rest know this yet), for one last hurrah at the Maine cottage they spent so many summers at. During this stay, Harriet is forced to reckon with what happened to her relationship with Wyn and to truly think about what makes her happy in life. Not only does this include a love story with a second chance romance, but it’s also about friendship and the work it takes to maintain them as people begin to move into different phases of life.

For starters, I adored the setting of this one. It just gave off such cozy and nostalgic summer vibes + I loved how much friendship was a central theme to this setting, so much that it made me think about all the past and future trips with friends!

I also just really appreciated seeing Harriet’s struggle to find happiness and understanding herself through such difficult times like a broken engagement or being dissatisfied with her career or the fact that her “happy place” of the cottage will be non existent soon. It felt very authentic as it was told in two timelines, the past and present, and you got to really understand everything Harriet and the friend group has experienced over the years and how the group dynamic is changing as they each begin to take big life steps such as marriage and children.

As for the romance piece, I did enjoy following Harriet and Wyn’s journey because it was messy and complicated and choices were made whether it was the right one or not. However, seeing them start to realize why the events of their past transpired felt enlightening and it made me happy even through the dark times.

I’m going to be honest, there was a moment or two where I wished I was holding a physical copy of the book so it would be way easier to flip ahead and get the whole story about why Harriet and Wyn broke up and what they were feeling. As it was, it comes out in drips as they are trying to keep their friends from even finding out so they can enjoy one last week at the cottage they all love before it gets sold. I liked the story very much, well worth the 4 stars, but it was slow going. I will say, Emily Henry has a great concept of banter and that saved a lot of this story for me.
**Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read the ARC of this book. **

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleypartner #berkleyig

✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Dual Timeline
✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Friend Family

This is Emily Henry’s best book to date. I’ve only read Book Lovers by her but I can tell you that Happy Place is her best work.

Don’t let the title fool you. This isn’t your run of the mill rom com. It packs a lot of emotion and I found myself physically sad at what I was reading but I couldn’t put it down. Within the first two chapters I was so invested in Harriet and Wyn and wanted to peel back all the layers of their relationship.

Emily Henry’s story telling triumphs with a dual timeline that is separated into Happy Place (past) and Real Life (present). This helps you really see all of Harriet’s emotions from many different angles.

Although there was an array of characters with Harriet’s friend group and their partners, the dual timeline really helped develop each character to their full potential and not once did I feel overwhelmed or unable to keep characters straight.

Wyn is going to steal your heart and will have you putting him in your top tier book boyfriend lists.

Emily Henry has made her way to my auto buy author list and I will be rereading this book for years to come.

Happy Place is out 4/25 and is available for pre-order now.

Emily Henry has a unique way to write stories that both break our hearts and warm them at the same time. Happy Place is no different!
It truly has the makings of a classic romcom, relatable characters, engaging plot, and a romance that has us swooning from page one. Harriet and Wyn are clearly made for each other, but that doesn’t make the journey they have to go through to find their way back to each other any less interesting. Quite the opposite, it’s incredibly beautiful to follow their story!
Sabrina, Cloe, Kimmy, and Parth make for incredible secondary characters, who are not only great additions to Harry and Wyn’s story but have development of their own.
I’m positive I won’t be the only one saying this, but Emily Henry’s writing have certainly become my happy place!

This was my first introduction to Emily Henry and her writing and WOW. I was extremely touched by these characters and their stories; they each had a lot of depth that was so relatable and could see glimpses of my own friends in them.

I went into this expecting a fun, light-hearted romance, but was happily surprised by Henry's poignant revelations about career, life, and the sacrifices you make (and not make) to realize what truly makes you happy.

Maybe it's because I've just entered my 30s and I'm suddenly grappling with wanting to distance work from my core identity as well, but WOW. This was the perfect book and I'm so glad that we found each other. Thank you Emily Henry <3

I'm sure I don't need to convince anyone to read Emily Henry's newest book, Happy Place but it was another win for me and possibly my new favorite of hers!!

I loved this second chance romance between two college sweethearts who have drifted apart and reunite for one last friend weekend at a cottage in Maine. Full of found family, great mental health rep (depression and anxiety), this book is all about figuring out what makes you happy and working to be there for the ones you love.

Highly recommended! Much thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Favorite quote:
"It's not home unless you're there."

If you were hoping that Emily Henry would right something wildly different from her previous 3 books, you will be disappointed. However, if you're like me, and you are happy to gobble up even more of the witty banter while aching for the main couple to just get it together already, peppered with some sexy, sexy times, then you will LOVE this book.
Once again we have a mildly brooding guy with some family baggage and a leading lady who could benefit from some therapy, both of whom are dealing with the fallout of misunderstandings that might have been easily solved in real life. But who cares about real life? I'm here for the longing, the deep love and want between Harry and Wyn. I loved getting snippets of their past as a couple and the history of the friend group interspersed between the current day setting and all the challenges happening in this beloved summer home. But even more than the delightful chemistry between Harry and Wyn, and the occasional smoldering moments, is the top notch quips and jokes that this entire cast of characters dishes out. I would want to be friends with any of this crew in a heartbeat.

All Emily Henry books deserve 5 stars. I've pre-ordered for my daughter and have told many library patrons it is coming.

5/5
Happy Place is absolute magic, bottled up and delivered in the form of saccharine summer days, happiness, teary moments, and newfound longing, and I loved every single second of it. Its wonderfully unique friendships and signature blend of past and present merge to deliver a truly unforgettable romance. Emily Henry is the master of the romance novel and Happy Place is her best one yet!


I will be providing a comprehensive review on my blog closer to publication.

1⭐️1.5🌶️

I first want to say that my rating for this book might have been higher had the Title, Cover, and Blurb prepared me for the content. Ultimately, I chalk it up to a failure in marketing and not a bad book.

This story was an exploration of grief wrapped in a fake dating vacation romance package. If there was any moment that I enjoyed reading this book, it was fleeting and drowned out by how depressing the story was and how unlikable the characters were.

This book follows the story of Harriet and her group of friends, growing up and grieving their youth. It is told in both real-time and flashbacks. The story begins with Harriet arriving at her annual friends vacation where she and her ex fiance withhold the fact that they are broken up in order to avoid creating tension within the group. Rather than cute fake dating, this was PAINFUL. It wasn't flirtatious angst, it was weeping behind closed doors. Every flashback was through this lens of mourning.

Romances end with a HEA but frankly it was too little too late. The mental health and self esteem issues of the characters was "resolved" so fast that I don't trust or believe it.

All of that doesn't make a bad book. It just doesn't match what I was sold. This story is not one I would have picked up.

Thank you @berkleyromance for the free ARC. I hope my honest review can be read with an understanding that I am grateful to have received such a highly anticipated book.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Emily Henry can do no wrong.

I may not be in the majority on this but I love a romance that has a strong secondary storyline. I loved getting to know Harriet's whole friend group and the envious 'chosen family' they created as much as I loved Harriet and Wyn's relationship.

I was going through a bit myself while reading this one and I have to say Harriet's emotional arc was so spot on and whether it was Henry's intention or not, I was shedding more than a few tears...

Will happily be recommending this one through my readers' advisory work!

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Henry. The woman, the legend, has delivered once again. If there's one thing Emily Henry knows how to do it's to write a love story that feels so much bigger than a love story. She truly is the best romance writer of our generation I swear it. Just to get it out in the open, this did not dethrone Beach Read as my number one. However, I absolutely loved this.

I think this book spends more of its time as a romance. There is the underlying current of the development and transformation of friendship over time. There's a bit of found family. There's a bit of an engagement with grief. There's a lot of engagement with the idea of purpose in life. But overall, I think this is much more romance-forward.

Unfortunately, Wyn has not taken my heart as a number one Emily Henry man (but if we're being honest who can top Gus?) I think Wyn has a beautiful simplicity to him that is partnered with a deeper, more hidden, tumultuous complex inside. He comes across as simple. This flirtatious, good-looking, happy boy from Montana who just wants to refurbish and build furniture. He doesn't think that highly of himself either. What he does do, is love Harriet like it's the only thing he's ever been built for. He was outstanding and fantastic and hilarious, god emily henry knows banter like she knows her own name. However, Wyn is not the selling point for me in this book. It's Harriet.

Harriet is... well she's me. Partially. I thought Nora was the right Emily Henry woman for me.... but oh no no no, Harriet is me. To a T. The anxious energy, the people pleasing, the constant concern with putting on a brave face and muscling through it? Holy shit. I don't even have the words for the way I fell in love with Harriet.

Additionally, the side cast of characters is equally vibrant and raw and real. I loved them. Absolutely loved them. The setting gahhhh. EMILY ! she perfectly builds this cozy small town in Maine and this extravagant fantastic cottage that holds all this friend group's most important memories. and GOD emily's writing is so beautiful and raw and just everything I want my romance novels to be. I love her. The pacing was perfect and I have 235 highlights from this book because I loved it that much. Emily henry never misses :)

I want to be a fan of Emily Henry, which is why I requested an arc for Happy Place, three times might I add...and now have read four of her novels and have consistently pushed myself to finish them even though they never got me hooked.

Though I gave this a low rating, fans of Emily Henry will love this book.

I've read some reviews saying that Happy Place is a mix of her past three novels, and I think for me, personally, that's where the problem lies. There is a formula to her stories: a female character who whines a lot but never communicates her feelings, a male character to tell her that she's amazing just the way she is and that he will love her forever and ever, an inner monologue, assumptions made instead of communication, and some trauma to be the reason why the main characters can't (but eventually) work things out.

You know how they say, "two halves don't make a whole"...well I think that perfectly describes the relationship between Harriet and Wyn.

A lot of this book was Harriet making assumptions as to why she and Wyn broke up, how she lost him, and then never talking to him about what actually happened, questioning their break up when she was the one who called it, asking him why he didn't chase after her when she blocked him and decided to set her own boundaries. GIRL????

I liked their flirting scenes. I enjoyed and appreciated the friendship aspect of the story - how we grow up and maybe grow apart. But those were the only parts that I enjoyed.

I really did try to like Emily Henry's books, but I think I've read enough at this point.

Huge thanks to PRH International for sending me this ARC in exchange of an honest review. (Apologies if this was too honest.)

Big fan of Emily Henry and got this galley to prepare for an upcoming podcast about BookTok and the authors that users, particular young women, tend to recommend. Happy to say that this one holds up to the rest of her work– breezy, fun, romantic. A lovely little read, like a vacation for your brain.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for access to this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Harriet and Wyn broke up months ago. They're worried about ruining their mutual group of best friends, so they keep the break up a secret. Harriet plans on telling everyone on their annual group vacation, which Wyn makes an excuse not to attend... except when Harriet arrives, there he is. They quickly realize that if they don't fake their relationship for just one more week, they're going to ruin their friends' memories of their communal happy place - the cottage that's being sold so they won't be able to visit again.

I don't say this lightly at all, but this book absolutely destroyed me. I read it in two days, but I had to put it down several times for a break or a cry because it honestly could have been written for me specifically - it hit that close to home. This is another one I won't easily forget, even if it made my heart ache. The messages about family, emotional vulnerability, and happiness are all so important. I won't spoil the ending, but I would say I would have been very happy even if this had a different resolution - my one gripe with romance lately is that there often seems to be only one version of a happy ever after, and I'd just for once like to see the alternative. I loved this book regardless, it's an early 2023 favourite for me, and I can't wait until you all can get your hands on it to talk about it with me.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: After breaking up six months prior, Harriet and Wyn, having told none of their friends or family what had happened, are forced to pretend to still be engaged during their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends on the coast of Maine.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: It has finally happened! Emily Henry has written a book I loved even more than The People We Meet On Vacation! I didn’t even think it possible, but here we are. This book is everything I want in a romance and so much more.

Let me start with the picture perfect setting used in Happy Place. Set in part in the most gorgeous town in Maine, a big part of the story involves the small town coastal traditions. As the characters revisit old haunts and relive some of their best memories, it is seeped in that atmospheric charm only New England can offer.

One of my favorite elements of Henry’s books is her character development. I always love how her characters seem so three dimensional and real as if they can exist completely off the page.
That said, these characters are among my favorite.

I was so torn while reading this book as I both wanted it to end to know how everything worked out, but also never wanted it to end. Wyn, Harriet, Chloe, Kim, Sabrina and Parth felt like family to me the more I read and I was not ready to let them go.

I often talk about emotional investment being so key especially when it comes to romance novels in which they are a dime a dozen. Henry managed to take hold of my heart and refused to let it go until the final page. Even now, days after reading it, I am in the midst of a book hangover.

While there were multiple romances in this story, the obvious focal point was on Wyn and Harry. Told in both past and present timelines, we are immediately immersed in their present day dilemma, to then be taken back to the past to see how their relationship unfolded. The emotional depth and electric charge to their scenes was so powerful and I just could not get enough.

I laughed, I cried (many times), and I found my happy place within the pages of this beautiful book. It will definitely be a book I reread many times over and is already a very strong contender for my top book of 2023.

Read if you like:
•second chance love
•found family
•new england settings
•open door romance
•dual timeline
•romance with heart

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.