Audio Review: Julia Whelan is an amazing narrator and always does Emily Henry's books justice. This is no exception. The audio version is excellent, capturing characters, emotions and tone so well!

Review (Possible spoilers- read with caution!)
I'm taking deep breaths in attempts to curb my gushing. First, I live in Traverse City, MI and this book takes place in a fictionalized town in my region. The author is obviously familiar with the area. I actually attended a book signing at one of our local indies in 2018 when she wrote A Million Junes (excellent YA book) before she started writing romance. The knowledge of the area came through with details in Miles and Daphne's activities, the scenic descriptions, and even the grocery stores (she listed our three main grocery stores!). It was a delight to see my home through a different perspective. It makes me want to go exploring out my back door!

And Miles and Daphne. They might be my new favorite couple. I loved how nuanced their characters are- Emily Henry is magical with character development. I also loved the slow burn of their relationship. . And I especially loved their growth and hope and ability to trust and take a risk.

The side characters were equally awesome. I really am looking forward to a re-read. I always feel hopeful and grounded after reading one her books. And have a satisfied smile on my face.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me. All opinions are my own.

It has been a bit since I've read an Emily Henry book and this one I was really excited for! I really liked the premise/set up for this book. Our characters felt drawn quite different emotionally (in my opinion) to Henry's usual suspects. We also got a bit more in the spice department this book and that was a pleasant surprise, but I am not sure how I felt about it at times, which is weird to say because I am not one to turn down a good sex scene. I honestly do think that this may be one of her weaker novels- while I have yet to read Happy Place, this one just felt different to me than her first three by way of there was not as much charm in the dialogue for me, and while I really liked Miles, he fell a little bit short on charisma that I felt like I was expecting based on his characterization. I think that theres so many layers to both Daphne and Miles that I would need to read this a few more times to be able to pick apart all of my thoughts thoroughly, but upon first read I am entertained and I enjoyed enough. My feelings are definitely very mixed on this book. I feel at the end that the romance was good and there was some classic trappings of an Emily Henry book, and is worth the read for sure, but I feel like if I read this again, my opinions may change some.

It's Emily. Fucking. Henry. Need I say more?
Never before has an author captivated me like this. Made me laugh, made me cry, made me root for characters while wanting to fight them. I love everything this woman looks at, and will crawl through broken glass to read anything she writes.

Thank you @prhaudio for the free audiobook!!

This book just added a new item on my bucket list: sleepover at a library. How are we going to make that happen, besties? 😂

So our female lead Daphne had always been part of a “we” - meaning she’s always in a relationship and makes her life revolve around said relationship that when her fiance ended things with her - she literally was almost left with nothing. No friends, far away from her family, no home.

And that’s how she ended being roommates with Miles - the ex of Daphne’s fiance’s current fiance. Talk about messy 😂

Finally!!! Emily Henry wrote a fake dating book!

I’ve read all of her books and this one is going to be another favorite (it didn’t beat Book Lovers as my number 1 EmHen though 😅) I love the found family subtrope, the witty dialogues, and I love that this digs deeper emotions other than romantic love.

I love reading all about the side characters too!! This is the spiciest EmHen so far, I’m not super bothered by it because the plot for this book is 👌I loved reading about the slow burn progress from friends to lovers too!! I think I didn’t enjoy it as much because I got so excited with the fake dating trope and I felt like it wasn’t utilized enough. It’s still a solid romance book though!

I have the physical copy of this book but I mostly listened to it on audio because @justjuliawhelan is just honestly amazing!!!

💭 What’s your last read for April?? Also, do we know of any May BOTM spoilers?!

#romancebooks #bookstagram #bookreviews #romancebookstagram #emilyhenry #funnystory #fakedating

I loved this so much. I love how relatable the characters felt and how realistic the story feels. I loved and savored every moment of it. The book cover design also makes me so happy.

Funny Story was my most anticipated read for 2024 and it did not disappoint. I loved this book SO much! No one tells a love story quite like Emily Henry does, and in my opinion, this was her most romantic book yet.

This love story had an unusual start with Daphne having to move in with Miles after her fiancé Peter abruptly ended their relationship for his childhood friend Petra, who was also Miles’ girlfriend. But their journey from roommates to friends to lovers was so beautiful and well-written.

I love how every book by Emily Henry has not only a compelling love story that readers can’t help but root for, but also characters with so much depth and relatability to them. Daphne and Miles were such relatable main characters and I deeply connected with their struggles. This book overall made me feel so seen and understood.

While Happy Place is still my #1 favourite book by Emily Henry, Funny Story is such a close second. I can’t wait to read what she writes next!

Funny Story by Emily Henry is a book I highly recommend. I am now an official fake dating trope fan. Add in the small town Midwest (Michigan) vibes, fun side characters, great banter, roommates to lovers (my husband and I's real life trope), and the introvert/we-girl finding herself I just loved it so much. Maybe it's just that I could relate so much to Daphne, or maybe it's just that the writing was so incredible (both true), but regardless, it is a true winner of a read. I'm declaring it my new Emily Henry favorite.

4.5 stars rounded up

I've once again reached the end of a new EmHen book and I', all the feelings at the feelings. I adored Daphne and Miles and their story so much. These two characters just felt so incredibly real, and human to me. It's there in their backstories, in their actions - there's just something so fully formed about Emily Henry characters, and because of that, I connect with them so well. I feel like I'm in the book with them, watching as they discover themselves.
I'm SUCH a big fan of the fake dating trope, and more especially when the two characters are trying to get back at their exes and realize that they love each other instead. Yeah, that's my catnip. So watching Daphne and Miles navigate this little charade they had going for Peter and Petra, while simultaneously building on a friendship - *chef's kiss*. Their chemistry, their banter (which in a Emily Henry books is also just TOP TIER, how does the woman do it??), all of it was making me swoon so hard.
And on top of that, Daphne's journey really involved more than just a romantic relationship, and I loved seeing her platonic friendships bloom. She is a character that truly needs genuine friendship, for just herself and the subplot with her and Ashleigh just made my heart melt just as much as the one with Miles. Again. it just made Daphne feel like a very well rounded character, that her life existed outside of being a "we" in a couple. There were just so many elements of this book that I enjoyed so much and it was hard to put the book down to sleep last night.

This was classic Emily Henry--a smart and enjoyable read that went down easy. The characters spoke to each other like they were in a therapy session, but I appreciate the emotional intelligence in the male lead. The miscommunication was a little frustrating, but I'm not a huge contemporary romance lover.

AHHHHHHHHHHH! Dear god. Whoever told me this was less devastating than Happy Place, you were only semi right. I’m pretty sure I just sobbed through the last quarter of this book. This was so beautifully written, I can’t even begin to put it into words.

I adored Daphne and Miles. Literally everything about both of them. Especially the things that made them seem so relatable. The chemistry between them was 🔥🔥🔥.

I will say that I wanted Peter to get hit by a bus every time he showed up in the book. Same with her dad. Both of them were absolutely insufferable jerks.

Spicy level on this wasn’t too bad. There were spicy parts but they weren’t graphic at all. Plus, they were over almost as fast as they started.

I’m really hoping the next one is about Ashleigh though. I loved her character and I want her to get a happy ending. She was so amazing.

This is only the second book I’ve read by Emily Henry but somehow, they keep getting better. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that’s a fan of romcom. It’s definitely going to be in my top 5 for the year.

Emily Henry is back!! After the disappointment that was Happy Place, I was a little nervous for this one, but I was very happily surprised! I would rank Funny Story behind Book Lovers as my top two favorites.

Daphne and Peter were headed to the alter when he suddenly calls off their wedding and announces his love for his best friend, Petra. Daphne has had to listen for years about how they are just good friends and as the wedding gets closer, Petra finally confesses her feelings and Peter agrees. Daphne is forced to move out quickly and finds a man empty room in Miles’ apartment. Miles is known as the man that Petra dumped for Peter.

The two mope together for a while and then decide enough is enough. They are getting their lives on track with work and making new friends. Daphne moved to Waning Bay for Peter and has few friends of her own. Miles and Daphne grow closer as they become friends and eventually confidantes for each other’s family issues. This one was one their main bonding points- they both have difficult relationships with their parents.

One of my favorite parts of the story is Daphne’s job. She has her dream job of children’s librarian. She’s passionate about her job and it was refreshing to see. She explains how she fell in love with the library as a kid when her father let her down and the library was a place she could always count on. I loved how all her new friends came through for her when it’s time for her big work event. This book is a love letter to the library.

Miles and Daphne have an almost instant love, which was a little fast for me, but they were already living together and they both needed a friend at the same time. I enjoyed their banter and their movie nights.

Daphne moves in with Miles after their respective significant others end up leaving them for each other. Daphne is trying to figure out what to do with her life since she had uprooted everything to move in with Peter and in the process branches out and takes a chance to get to know her coworkers, her new city, and Miles. Overall, a decent romance with two people who have to sort out their life after a massive upheaval. While their developing relationship was cute, it was frustrating when they assumed things for the other person rather than just talking it out.

Funny Story is about Daphne, whose fiancé left her for his best friend Petra shortly before their wedding. Having nowhere else to go, Daphne moves in with Petra's ex-boyfriend Miles. The two are very mismatched, Daphne is a buttoned up children's librarian and Miles appears to be a stoner bartender. Working through their mutual heartbreak the two of them both learn that there is more to the other than meets the eye. But with a charity fundraiser coming up and Daphne's plan to get out of town after, can the two really rely on the other one to stay?

This was definitely more of a slow burn to me than Henry's other books. Normally when I read a book by this author, I devour it quickly. This one took several days and I felt the pacing was a little bit unbalanced. This book definitely picked up the pace in the second half and I was devouring it from then on. I really enjoyed watching Daphne and Miles fall in love, how they were so different but also so right for each other. A lot of the best moments for me was how they supported one another throughout hardships and bad family dynamics. That and the side characters were so fun (I want to be librarian Ashleigh someday!).

I have some nitpicky things about how the role of librarian was written in this book (as a public services librarian myself). I did wonder if Henry even talked to one before writing this book? I won't get into it in this review, but you best believe I was telling my colleagues some of the stuff and we were roasting it. But ultimately it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. And Emily Henry, if you want to write another librarian character in the future, my DMs are open to you.

A fun, sweet romance.

Daphne Vincent is finalizing wedding plans when her fiancé Peter Collins returns from his bachelor party along with his BFF, the stunningly gorgeous Petra Comer. It appears that their “it’s completely platonic” friendship has morphed over the weekend into “something unexpected.” This leaves Daphne not only alone but homeless as Peter and Petra returned home to mostly let Daphne know she needs to clear out of Peter’s house.

Daphne moved across the country to Peter’s hometown to start their life together and with no where else to go, she ends up moving into Miles Nowak’s extra bedroom since his (now former) girlfriend Petra has moved out. Miles and Daphne bond over their shared betrayal but Daphne is certain if she hears Miles Bridget watching Bridget Jones’s Diary one more time, she might prefer to move in under her desk in the corner of the children’s library.

Everything Daphne has done since moving across the country involved Peter with the exception of her job at the local library. Taking over the children’s library program was something Daphne was proud of. She fought for the upcoming overnight program this summer and plans to at least stay to see that through. Miles wants Daphne to remain in Waning Bay so his plan is to show her all their small town secrets that she wasn’t aware of; which isn’t hard in Daphne’s case since she and Peter only went to the grocery store, the gym and a few of his favorite hang outs. After a year and a half in town, so much of what was around her was unexplored by Daphne.

Most shocking and enraging is the fact that Daphne and Miles have been invited to Peter and Petra’s upcoming wedding. When Peter calls to let Daphne know she isn’t obligated to come to his wedding all alone, Daphne insists that she will have a date since she and Miles are now dating. All she has to do it let Miles know that he is suddenly, desperately in love with her before he hears it from someone else, like Petra.

What started out as Miles and Daphne bonding over their shared heartbreak might suddenly be the best thing that happened to either of them as they now know what it’s like to be with someone who accepts them for themselves, flaws and all.

THOUGHTS:

We learn as Daphne recounts her relationship with Peter that she loses herself in that relationship and turns herself into an accessory to Peter’s life. Peter goes to the gym and doesn’t eat carb so Daphne goes to the gym and doesn’t eat carbs. All his favorite places to go, are Daphne’s. All Peter’s friends, are Daphne’s friends. She worked hard to become accepted as part of Peter’s crowd and they all stayed with Peter in the breakup, even Sadie who was Daphne’s friend long before she started dating Peter’s friend Cooper, but after the breakup, Sadie/Cooper stuck with Peter and Petra. I hate when we see characters (and people) recreate themselves to become “perfect” for someone else, wiping out their own personality or desires.

Post-breakup, Daphne starts hanging out with co-worker, Ashleigh, who notes that Daphne is a “we” meaning Daphne doesn’t feel complete unless she is part of a couple. And while many of us want to achieve that special level of couplehood, it is so important to still enjoy the things that make you happy, even if your “we” isn’t excited about it. It is as hard to read a story where one party doesn’t even realize that they have made themselves an accessory in someone else’s life.

Poor Miles was unfairly treated by Peter, whether that was jealously of Miles relationship with Petra or the fact that Miles didn’t fall in line with the way Peter lived his life. Miles is a sweetheart. He is kind and friendly to everyone he meets. As he brings Daphne on his tour of their town, everyone just loves Miles. The only one who had a problem with Miles was Peter and he spewed his hate in Daphne’s ears for so long that she was confused that Miles had a real job and wasn’t living off Petra, etc.

Miles and Daphne deserved each other and make a wonderful couple. As often times happens, we need a “conflict” to overcome and this one felt a little forced and I will accept it as simply as a stretch for literacy purposes only. Apparently I am the only one who is happy with just a sweet story of two nice people who find each other and make a HEA.

3.5/5 rounded up

this is the first emily henry book i’ve actually truly enjoyed so either my brain is getting number or her writing is getting better. either way i’m okay with it, out of all the men she’s created miles is the best one so far.

the book was a great balance of funny, sad but not depressing, and happy regular life bits.

Funny Story by Emily Henry is a great read! Daphne has moved to Michigan to be with her fiancé Peter. Peter breaks up with her the night of his bachelor party for an old friend. She needs a place to live. Miles happens to have space because his fiancé is now with Peter. Then the adventure begins.

Reading an Emily Henry book is such a delight. I find myself lost in the words, thoughts, and lives of her characters. Funny Story was filled with humor, great banter, romance, thoughtful reflections, found family, library love, and the beauty of friendship. I connected with the characters.

The author’s writing spoke deeply to me. I felt the waves on the shore of Lake Michigan, the deep emotions of Miles and Daphne, and felt like I knew myself a little better by the end of the book. I highly recommend Funny Story by Emily Henry.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

how did you meet your partner? (current or past)
Personally, the short answer for my relationship was that it was dramatic as a love triangle was involved 🥴

Dramatic would also apply to the relationship between Daphne and Miles, as they start fake dating to spite their ex-partners, who are engaged after dumping Daphne and Miles. If you have read any EH novels, you can probably see where this is going and joyfully anticipate the journey… Henry excels at writing vulnerable, relatable characters and their relationships. The side characters provide most of the comedy and I would love to read more about Ashleigh and Julia! A fun bonus was that the reader gets a tour of the gorgeous Lake Michigan countryside setting- every book that I read set in Michigan makes me want to see it IRL!

4/5 stars

Emily Henry can do no wrong in my eyes. This was a book about new beginnings, starting over and new love. It also touched on abandonment of a parent and previous trauma. I adored the love story in this book and gah the setting in Michigan was so nice.

Fav parts: LIBRARIANSSSSSS, the ending, the cast of characters and community around them, and the fact that its basically therapy in a book.

I think one of my favourite things about Emily Henry books is that the ones that people tend to gravitate to the most are the ones that they felt the most seen in. For me, I think that's a combination of Funny Story and Happy Place.
I don't think I'll ever stop recommending her books.
Her books always have such good banter, real world problems for the MCs, amazing side characters, feels, but also lots of laughs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy.

Fun fact: I first started reading Emily Henry when I moved to Michigan — Beach Read, of course!

Set in a similar (nearby) town, Funny Story reminded me of Beach Read, but I liked it even more.

This may be my favorite from this author — her most readable, loveable book yet. I’m a fan!

Daphne gets dumped by her fiance, and she has a week to move out of their house because he’s moving his *new* girl in.

The new girl’s ex, then, needs a roommate, too, so Daphne moves in with Miles.

This was a love story about finding friends, falling in love with where you are, and maybe finding love when you absolutely least expect it, with the last person you’d expect it from.

Daphne is so many of us— heartbroken and lonely, but with a spine of steel. Miles is so kind and caring, and I loved what they did for each other.

First, they pretend to be together. What will upset their exes more, right? It’s petty but hilarious, and how it spiraled into something completely new and perfect for them was such a joy.

I also love fake dating, so this worked well for me!

Not to mention the idyllic setting. What a perfect beach read — this made me want to go “Up North”, tote this book with me, and plop down in the sand along Lake Michigan with this book in hand.

Maybe I will this summer.

Yeah, I’m thinking this is the top of my Emily Henry stack.