Quick and Dirty
-contemporary romance
-forced proximity and fake dating tropes
-small-town setting
-librarian MC
-🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 spice, open door scenes

Swipe for the full synopsis!

What Worked
All hail the Queen, Emily Henry! She has done it yet again. Seriously, I will read ANYTHING this woman writes. And while this book didn’t crack open my heart like Beach Read did, it still had me in my feels, which is exactly what I expect from Henry. Her way with words is unparalleled. She writes with such warmth and wit that it’s easy to fall head over heels for her characters, and Daphne and Miles are no exception. I rooted for them from the start, hoping and praying that Daphne would see the light! Henry takes us on a journey that sometimes feels familiar, but honestly, I didn’t care. I could have spent the rest of my days in Waning Bay, Michigan, waiting for these two characters to realize they were destined to be together. And I don’t read romance! Who is this person? I don’t even recognize myself. That, my friends, is the power of Emily Henry. Don’t believe me? Pick this book up and see for yourself! Oh, and by the way, pick up the audiobook for the full effect. Narrated by the talented Julia Whelan, the audio takes it to another level, bringing these characters to life in a way the page cannot do.

What Didn’t Work
Again, it felt formulaic or familiar at times, but who cares? Emily Henry wrote it. Focus on her jokes that always land. Or her ability to create simmering tension. Or her way of showing you the mirror of life, reflecting your own truths back in your face via fictional characters. Just read the book! You won't regret it.

This book beauty is out in the world tomorrow and I have to say it. This is my favorite Emily Henry yet. It’s no secret I adore @emilyhenrywrites books and this didn’t disappoint. I listened to this a few weeks ago while I was driving back and forth to Iowa and it made my drive, dare I say it, enjoyable. There’s just something about her books that sucks me in immediately, makes you feel all the feelings and simply don’t want it to be over, which is exactly what I want when I’m reading a book!
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Daphne and the love of her life Peter love telling people about the day they met. She upended her life, followed him to Michigan, got engaged and then promptly broken up with when Peter decides he’s in love with his childhood best friend. She needs to move out and needs a roommate quickly. Her new roommate is the only one who truly understands what she’s feeling because he is also feeling the same way. Miles’ girlfriend is Peter’s childhood best friend.
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I simply adored Miles and Daphne and this had an amazing cast of side characters. Henry creates a world that I am invested in from start to finish! Check this one out tomorrow! If you get the chance to listen to this one on audio do it! The Queen @justjuliawhelan narrates and its perfection. Get ready to see this book everywhere this summer!
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Huge thank you to @berkleypub @librofm and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I adored this book. It will be one of my top books of 2024 without question. This is an easy 10/10 recommend for rom com lovers.

First, let's talk about the book at face value. Here's what I loved:
- It's actually FUNNY. Emily Henry doesn't just write funny books, she's an absolutely hysterical person. She's beyond witty and I giggle, cackle, and literally LOL while reading her books. She writes funny characters and funny moments brilliantly. The small moments in life when you have the uncontrollable belly laughs? She captures those on the page and I can never get enough. She's also the queen of call back jokes which is an ART. *chef's kiss*
- I loved both MCs. Sometimes you like a FMC more and kinda secretly hate she ended up with the MMC and sometimes you get an MMC that is a bit too good for the whiney FMC. Daphne and Miles are the PERFECT (most imperfect) match. They are the best compliment to each other and I really enjoyed their dynamic on page. Both of their challenges (and the ultimate third act break up) were REAL and required them to talk through and work through their past. They both had a bit of self exploration which I LOVE in main characters.
- The extra characters. This book is a whole ENSEMBLE and each character had charm and purpose in the story.

Now, let's talk about the likely-too-niche-for-a-review-but-here-we-go-anyways-part-of-why-I-loved-this book:
This book is an ANTHEM for millennial women hitting reset. Perhaps it's a confirmation bias given my ~*cUrReNt SiTuAtIoN*~, but I know so many women who are entering a new chapter in their 30s that they never expected. For some it was the pandemic and the realization that life is too short and for others its simply the result of making big decisions at a young age and life unfolding differently than planned. Regardless of the reason, there are so many women who are starting over (myself included!) and navigating the weird, weird, WEIRD world of being on our own unexpectedly in our 30s.

This book articulated this journey PERFECTLY.

Daphne is 33 and when her engagement ends, she find herself lost in a city she moved to for a man she loved. She's forced to make friends and learn her place in this town without the support of the person she moved there to be with. She finds herself alone (and lonely) and unsure of who she is without her other half.

I'm a HUGE believer (... this might actually be the definition of a cynic) that two people shouldn't complete one another. Honestly, I throw up in my mouth a little bit every time someone calls their partner their better half or says, 'they complete me.' EWGROSS. I think we're our best selves when we're our whole selves, and it takes a lot of f-ing work to identify who that is and maintain that version of yourself in a partnership. So many of us lose our identities as our lives meld with someone else's. It's like the other person fills up these tiny cracks and little holes in our being until you just become one inseparable unit... until you are unexpectedly separated. When that happens and you lose that 'other half', are you happy with the half you're left with? Does half feel like enough?

Daphne's journey to figure out how to turn her half into a whole was soul-soothing to me. She had her moments, but this wasn't a story about Daphne getting left - it was truly a story of her finding her place and deciding ON HER OWN DAMN TERMS what her next chapter would entail. Luckily for us as readers, she let Miles into it. But he doesn't define her.

This book is a love story, but more so it's a love letter to all of us millennial women taking an unexpected detour. And it's a reminder that it's going to be a beautiful journey.

This book had it all. Fake dating, forced proximity, and great characters. Miles was a charming book boyfriend, and one can really feel for Daphne’s story. There were moments in the book where we’re dealing with Daphnes’ feelings that made me hurt and feel seen. The side characters were great too, I loved seeing Daphne’s friendship grow with her coworker, and Miles’ sister join the party. This was definitely Emily Henry’s best romance yet.

I’m always a little sad when I start an Emily Henry book because I know that it will soon be over. And the more books I read by her, the stronger this feeling gets because she is just such a consistently good writer. Do I have favorite plots in her books? Sure. But from the very first book I read (YA The Love That Split the World), I’ve been completely rapt by the way Henry writes longing.

Everyone knows what Funny Story is about. Daphne was engaged to Peter until he left her for his best friend Petra who was in a live-in relationship with Miles. So Daphne, who now needs a new place to live, knows exactly where to look for a roommate.

I loved this book so much. I’ve already relistened to parts and poured over the way Henry masterfully weaves in descriptions of everything from emotions to places to people. The banter is exactly what we’ve all come to expect from the author—which is to say amazing, and Miles is the kind of dreamy book boyfriend only Henry can write. Outside of the romance arc in this story, the theme of needing to find yourself and stand on your own two feet is so lovely and well done and the side characters are so much fun. Both main characters also get great arcs around family and how they impact you as an adult that I think will resonate with most, if not all, readers.

Needless to say, the audiobook for this one is amazing. Julia Whelan and Emily Henry go together like Michigan cherries and chocolate in a milkshake. I loved the experience of listening to this book so much that I slowed it down (for me) so I could make it last longer. I wanted to hear every nuance of Julia Whelan performing this beautiful story.

3.25 ⭐️ A rom-com with depth but it didn't sparkle like other Emily Henry novels


In the best of times, it's inadvisable to start lusting after your roommate, and we are nowhere near the best of times.


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ Michigan setting
✨ small town romance
✨ Daphne is a librarian who's been dumped by her fiance for Mile's ex
✨ Miles is a bartender who's girlfriend dumps him for Daphne's ex
✨ living with your ex fiance's new fiance's ex
✨ roommates to best friends to lovers
✨ opposites attract
✨ forced proximity
✨ fake dating (sort of)
✨ 2/5 🌶️
✨ open door romance but not graphic
✨ found family
✨ female friendships
✨ character growth
✨ slight OW and OM drama
✨ third act breakup
✨ HEA
✨ single pov
✨ tw: breakups, trauma from absent father, trauma from emotionally abusive parents, mental health


My Thoughts:

Okay, objectively it is a good story. The writing is classic Emily Henry - descriptive, witty, and charming. The story is a perfect combo of romance and character growth. I loved the female friendship. And I enjoyed the small town vibes and general atmosphere.

However . . . (let's get down to business)

I’ve never not read an Emily Henry book straight through, but I found myself putting this down and I didn't pick it back up again for two weeks. That was only because I got an ARC and wanted to finish it so I could write a review before the publication date. The fact I was able to put it down in the first place isn’t a great sign. Again, it wasn't because it was a bad story, but it didn't captivate me in a way other Emily Henry books have done in the past so I wasn't that eager to finish.

Was Funny Story really all that funny? No. And that, my friends, was a bummer. But, then again, Beach Reads is a bit misleading in the fact it takes place on a lake beach. People We Meet on Vacation is actually about two friends who vacation together and less about the people they meet. Happy Place was actually about people being incredibly unhappy. And Book Lovers . . . okay that was the only one that made sense since the MCs worked in the publishing industry. I would say I actually chuckled once and grinned maybe six other times while reading. That's it. So yeah, I'm a little disappointed it wasn’t that funny. But also, I'm not taking any points off my rating for it.

I do like the MCs: Daphne and Miles. They’re lovable and sweet. However, I really just don’t feel connected to them. Usually with Emily Henry MCs I find a lot to relate to, but I didn't find that here. Sure, their trauma and growth throughout the story made sense. Parts of it even had my heart breaking and hurting for them. At the same time, if you put a gun to my head and told me to give you definitive characteristics or special/unique character traits about them, I couldn't do it. In all honesty, they felt like a mashup of a lot of EH's other MCs, who I loved, so that’s probably why these MCs are lovable as well. But Daphne and Miles blurred with the others too much and made me sort of just feel meh 🤷‍♀️. I will say, I was invested in them by the end, but now that I’ll never think about them again.

The romance and character growth drive the story completely. There is no real plot. And I felt like Emily Henry gave the characters an array of emotional issues ranging from childhood trauma to relationship problems in order to add plot, which overly complicated things in a seemingly simple story.

I knew this story wasn't going to be a top read when the other woman (OW) and other man (OM) drama became apparent. I should have seen it coming considering their exes are together and they end up dating. While this drama didn't play a HUGE part in the story, it was enough to irritate me. They ran into their exes more than a few times and would discuss their exes with one another a lot - and once they started catching feelings there was jealousy. I just really do not enjoy reading type of drama because of the unnecessary tension it creates.

Daphne's father is an awful human being and does not deserve a second chance (considering he's had a million). Emily Henry loves complicated relationships. Specifically with parents. I definitely think it's an interesting dynamic to explore. However, I will never agree with the fact that Daphne lets her deadbeat dad continue to have a place in her life.

Using the chortle to describe Daphne's real laugh. When I hear the word chortle, I think like a snorting laugh, but apparently it's a breathy, gleeful laugh. I don't care what kind of laugh it is, but it's an ugly word and is used as a descriptor too many times.

The third act conflict/breakup felt contrived. I'm not someone who minds the miscommunication trope if there was nothing that could be done to prevent it. But that wasn't the case here. Miles and Daphne have phones and could easily have called or texted one another with updates. But Miles doesn't and his reason isn't good enough. Yes, it is explained (and it even makes sense), but it was a weak excuse.


***SPOILER AHEAD***


PS: The fact that Miles went and helped Petra move makes me sick to my stomach. In no universe did he do the right thing by going to help his ex girlfriend move out of her ex fiance's home who she dumped him more. Absolutely not. When someone treats you the way Petra treated Miles, you block them and never speak to them again. But no. Mile says multiple times that he still cares about her *barf* 🤢 which truly made me lose respect for him.


Overall, this book was well crafted but certain things about it prevented me from truly loving it. However, I know there will be people who love this story and that is totally valid! Like I said, it is a well written, classic Emily Henry novel. I think if you deeply relate to the character and their “issues” this story will hit you HARD. I do recommend reading it, especially if you’re an Emily Henry fan. It was a decent read, just not going to be my personal favorite.

Tender, funny, SO horny, and soooo good!! 4.25⭐️

After not loving Happy Place, I was skeptical I would like this but I was so wrong!! Funny Story at its core is a sweet romance between two people who seem like opposites but actually come to realize they’re not too different. Daphne was such a great heroine!! I loved everything about her! The side characters were so fun and the sitting and plot felt different and refreshing from anything I’ve read.

The romance between Daphne and Miles was the forefront of this book (different from other EH books). The way they had to fake date but also try not to fall for each other? Obsessed. I loved the dynamics between them and how chill they were?? I loved that it was pretty low drama and every character (besides their ex’s) were super likeable.

There’s not an Emily Henry book I’ve read and haven’t cried at, so while I did tear up a few times, it wasn’t as gut wrenching as the previous EH books LOL.

Thanks x a million to Berkley for the ARC!!

Okay despite all the chortling in this book, this is another hit from Emily Henry for me. I love the premise and these characters, and as always this was full of the heart and emotion you expect from an Emily Henry read. It hasn’t dethroned Beach Read as my favorite from her, but it has given Book Lovers some competition for the #2 spot. I was a bit worried after disliking Happy Place but this was a welcome joy to read! Thank you to Berkley for the e-ARC! 4.5/5 stars

The release of the newest Emily Henry book is here! I loved 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, this book really had it all for me - quick witted dialogue, anticipatory tension, and special character relationships! ⠀ ⠀
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Thank you @berkleypub, @berkleyromance, @berittalksbooks, and @netgalley for the ebook version and @librofm for the fantastic audio version. @justjuliawhelan hits a home-run again! ⠀
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Here's a bit of the synopsis: ⠀
Daphne loves to share the “funny story" about how she met her fiancé, Peter. That is until he cancels their engagement the day after his bachelor party. That hurts well enough, but when she finds out he is moving in with Petra, his childhood best friend she ends up moving in with Petra's, new ex-boyfriend, Miles.⠀

What I loved most: ⠀
🌊 The characters! Miles easy going and vulnerable personality was a win for me! ⠀
🌊 The fictional setting of Waning Bay, Michigan. ⠀⠀
🌊Lake Michigan references - IYKYK
🌊 How often they mentioned Petoskey, Michigan. Which is one of my favorite places on this earth. ⠀
🌊 Daphne is a children’s librarian so all the heartwarming library references were special!
🌊A read-a-thon! Sign us up! ⠀
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QOTD: Since Daphne and Peter's story of how they met is so prominent in 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, I'd love to hear how you and your significant other met? We might the night before the Ohio State vs. Michigan game which is a pretty big rivalry here. He said, "Go Bucks!" and he made me and my girlfriends laugh alot that night! 🥰

The supporting characters are super fun. I enjoyed the MC’s journey from strangers to friends to lovers. I especially loved that she took time for herself and didn’t just jump all in

Emily Henry does it again! This is such a sweet story. Miles and Daphne are opposites in every possible way, but a forced proximity situation has caused them to be roommates who now have to pretend they’re In a relationship. We all know where this is headed. But Emily told this story with such depth, wit, and tenderness In a way only she can do. I absolutely adored the side characters like the poker playing group. But I especially loved watching Daphne discover who she was without Peter telling her. 5stars hands down.

I haven't read an Emily Henry book since Beach Read, so it was well past time for me to give another one a go. I forgot how deeply she delves into the characters' minds, backstories, and emotions. She makes a well-rounded, three dimensional character with flaws that you can easily care about. I was intrigued with the premise of this story: two dumpees become roommates when their ex partners get together, use a fake relationship to get a little payback, and (inevitably) find actual love in the process.

Perhaps what I loved most about this one that it's a fake relationship trope story without actually feeling like one. I tend to stay away from the trope as it's typically not a favorite of mine. I just don't like the forced explanations for these fake relationships-they're usually some convoluted reason for putting on the "relationship act." If it's not super unbelievable, it's just a boring cliché like:

1)Athlete/actor/musician has bad reputation and needs to repair their public image.
2)In order the get the attention of a crush.
3)In order to keep someone's unwanted attention away.

Then you have the scenes where the couple is out somewhere, sees friend/family member/paparazzi, and they do their fake PDA kiss. I don't know, it all just seems so rushed from the get go and everything ends up feeling like a plot device to get them to the end result rather than the natural process of falling for each other. Luckily, this book did not fall into any of this trope's traps and in my opinion, was executed brilliantly. These two found solace in one another after getting their hearts broken, started a genuine friendship, and their feelings grew deeper as they spent quality time truly getting to know one another. Instead of the focus being on the artificial relationship act, their real connection took center stage. In their situation, there was also a possibility that their true relationship could have ended up being a rebound situation because they rushed into things too fast. Henry sidestepped that mistake as well, believably showing us that both were over their break-up and at peace with it before they left the friend zone.

Daphne was not only engaged, but nearing the date of her wedding when her life imploded with the news that her fiancé was in love with his female best friend. She feels completely blindsided, foolish, and stuck in a new town where she moved in order to fit into his life. Now that he is out of the equation, how does her life go on when her entire identity was wrapped up in him? Her friends were all his, they lived together in his home, and she didn't really have any experiences independent of him.

Growing up, she moved around a lot with her single mother, so she learned to never feel comfortable in any one place. Possessions were a hassle when you're always picking up and moving on to the next stop, so she owned the bare minimum. She didn't grow attached to people because she would only have to say goodbye to them in the near future. She became a pro at living in the moment rather than settling into a house and making it a home. Until Peter. Being a couple with Peter meant that she had that unattainable life that she always dreamed of-if she fought hard enough to measure up. In her mind, he was way out of her league, but she wanted them to work with every fiber of her being. When he callously left her to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, the one shining light left in her life was her job at the library. Though, even that will be lost to her, because she wants to get as far away from Peter as possible.

Daphne faces her broken heart with humor and bravery. Many people would fall into a long depression, but she doesn't waste much time feeling sorry for herself. Before long, she's dusting herself off and making tentative attempts to form connections with new people. She's a classic introvert, so the thought of putting herself out there is a scary one, but she's self-aware enough to know that she needs to start working on building her own independent life. Her co-worker Ashleigh was a fabulous friend and excellent secondary character. I loved to see the two of them forming their friendship because their personalities were so different, which led to some funny conversations. Ashleigh also helped hold a mirror up to Daphne's face so she could keep improving herself when she was scared to move forward.

Miles was a unique guy, and quite unlike any other romantic interest I've read in the past. On the surface, people see an unmotivated stoner with no ambition in life. He works at a winery, and he's very personable with everyone he meets. He reminded me a little of my mom who can start up a conversation with a complete stranger in a grocery store and learn their whole life story on the spot. That's him-and he can figuratively charm the pants off of you while he gets that life story. Daphne is in awe of his ability to draw people in like bees to honey. The more time she spends together with him, the more hidden depths she sees that she admires. While most see his easygoing side, his charming exterior shields self-worth issues. His mother did a lot of damage to the way he viewed himself-making him believe that he is a disappointment and unreliable to his loved ones. It was so sad to see him expect so little from himself when in reality, anyone would be lucky to have him as a brother or partner. His sister helps Daphne to see how his opinion of himself is horribly skewed, and that he needs a little help in seeing how truly wonderful he is.

Whereas he has "mommy issues," Daphne has some "daddy issues." Her dad is flighty, selfish, and completely self-centered. He was never dependable as a father, he would disappoint her regularly and never see the hurt that he was causing. As an adult, she still feels like she is not good enough for him to make top priority in his life, yet she can't kill the hope that one day things will change.

Daphne and Miles were so sweet together and endearing. I loved the introvert/extrovert aspect to their dynamic because their natural personalities balanced each other out very well. This was a wonderful story that explored love after a hard break-up, learning to grow after trials in life, and finding peace with the past in order to have a healthy future. I'm looking forward to catching up on Emily Henry's backlist very much!

New favorite. Emily Henry really doesn't miss.
Don't know why I didn't expect to cry.
Miles is my new favorite Henry man.
Daphne is too relatable. (I'm a library worker that finds an escape in Storytime Hour)

“𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘’𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚎. 𝙿𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎.”

♾️/★★★★★

Everything I love about Henry is found here: sparkling banter, easy charm, & characters I love endlessly.

Daphne felt like one of Henry’s most self-knowing and mature FMC’s. I loved that she still had bite and strength even when she felt shattered. My favourite Henry main character. I loved her instantly. 

After that gut-wrenching break-up (f*ck you, Peter) we dive right in and I was instantly kicking my feet, giddy in love with Miles. Who could blame me? Henry proves herself a romance champ (again) taking the fun of her premise and running with it full throttle. Her characters are so clear, you feel them making these choices, nothing is forced or gimmicky.  

And Miles “put me on the hook” Nowak?! That’s my man. The chemistry between these two had me SWOONING & I loved watching them inch closer to each other, emotionally and physically. The way this goes from blissful banter & fizzy flirting into a true understanding and knowing of each other is so gorgeous. 

These characters are both so sincere, leading to a lovely miscommunication-free friendship bursting with want that blooms into the tenderest love story. Their love isn’t intoxicating, but refreshing and clear. Easily Henry’s hottest book. And in my opinion her most lushly romantic.

No Henry book is complete without a backstory that will leave you decimated. After all, it’s not Peter or Petra that had Miles and Daphne hiding their true selves away. Peter and Petra were like bandaids over those wounds, but Daphne and Miles are each other’s medicine.

Catching the little moments where they both see each other and let themselves be seen, for everything they are?! That had me gasping over shared nachos and simple nights in a kitchen. Every little thing that happened between them had me knowing they were growing into forever. 

Such a huge part of this story was friendship - specifically making friends and keeping friends as an adult. That felt so raw and made Daphne’s character so real and alive to me.

I loved every page of this.

Typical Henry, offers up a sparkling glass of romcom wine and delivers a full-course meal of deep character growth and true love. I’m full up. 

'Mine' by Taylor Swift - 100%. 💙

Funny Story by Emily Henry is a romance, somewhat comedic story about overcoming heartbreak, feeling lost, and finding answers when one least expects it. There are themes of opposites attract, roommates turned best friends to lovers, and pretending to dating/fake dating, within this story.

Daphne Vincent, children’s librarian and Miles Nowak is an easy-going bartender with like three other side jobs, join forces when her fiancé Peter leaves her for his best friend and girlfriend of Miles, Petra. Daphne needs to move out of Peter’s home but has nowhere to go. Ironically, she turns to Petra’s ex-boyfriend Miles. He offers her a spare bedroom and the two become roommates, forming a friendship over their equally broken hearts. After receiving invitations to Peter and Petra’s wedding, Daphne and Miles decide to pretend they are in a relationship; in order to rub it in their exes' faces.

Exploring the town and area around, Daphne learns there is so much more to Miles than she thought. Spending time together, opening themselves up to each other, their feelings begin to grow, becoming real, and Daphne and Miles must confront past demons before they can move forward; possibly with each other.

Ms. Henry brings the fictional town of Waning Bay, Michigan, to life, to a place where I would want to live; with the beaches, wineries, quirky bars, coffee shops, and the library; complete with a cast of lovable and eccentric secondary characters.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #Berkley

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! I am sure some people will disagree with me, but this book was funny, very laugh out loud funny. I can see this as a romantic comedy movie, which is something I would like. Give me more romantic comedy movies Hollywood! I guess maybe one day, I believe all of Henry’s books are optioned for movies right now? Yes, it has the standard Emily Henry drama and trauma bonding: Daphne has attachment issues based on her dad and Miles has self esteem issues based on his mom. But the banter, the plot points, the side characters made me laugh out loud in this book a lot as well as smiling. If I could describe Emily Henry when she’s on, she just makes you smile, with her style, voice, and writing. Smile stories! I loved it, it made me cry and laugh and smile and think and it was great. I didn’t love it as much as Beach Read and Book Lovers, but I want to be clear that I don’t really think it’s fair to judge books against each other that way. Oh, another thing I love about Henry’s books is that you can tell she really loves and enjoys reading. I felt that with Daphne being a children’s librarian and I have felt that in her other books and I really appreciate this about her and her books. This book is great and will be great for fans of Emily Henry, romantic dramedies, and contemporary romance.

🫶🏽What I Enjoyed
Emily has once again written the story of the girl that gets left behind in the classic love story we’ll see on Hallmark, much like in Book Lovers, and it’s my new favorite thing! I talk alllll the time how childhood friends to lovers is my weakness, so reading from the perspective of the woman who gets dumped so the MC can unite with his childhood best friend was the complete opposite, and I was HERE for it! Omg the banter, the storyline, the EMOTIONS! Julia Whelan’s emotions at the beginning had me feeling Daphne’s pain IN MY SOUL! I just loved the way Daphne and Miles teamed up for logistical reasons out of necessity and it grew into so much more. Serious topics were touched on as Daphne continues to deal with her daddy issues but overall it was an uplifting and beautiful story.
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🤷🏻‍♀️What I didn’t enjoy
There is some misunderstanding/miscommunication that killed me for a moment, but the ending is good enough to compensate.

Daphne’s fiance came home from his bachelor party only to break things off with her. Now she's stranded in his hometown, only knows his friends and family, and the only person who can relate to her is her ex-fiance’s new fiance’s ex, Miles. Yep. Then things get complicated after they both RSVP’d “yes” to their ex-fiance's wedding and they are going as each other's date. Now it's time to make their fake relationship look real.

I loved Daphne and Miles and getting to follow along with them from roommates to more. I also loved how we saw Daphne grow through this book and it wasn't solely focused on romance (although if you're a romance lover like me, don't let that deter you… it's still there, including the HEA!!) Honestly, I wasn't so sure about Miles at first… he didn't leave the best impression on me, but I ended up loving him by the end.

This was my first Emily Henry book (I know!) even though I've had her on my TBR for years! Now I know I'll be getting to the rest of her books A LOT sooner!

A big thank you to Berkley Romance and the author for letting me review this advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You love reading about people making the most of a crappy situation with lots of fun banter.

HAPPY PUB DAY

Thank you #partners @berkleypub @berkleyromance for my #gifted copies!

Funny Story
By Emily Henry
Available now

📖 Daphne and Miles have both had their hearts trampled when their partners cheat on them, and subsequently dump them, for each other. With nowhere to turn, Daphne moves in with Miles, her opposite in every way. Their shared heartbreak is a springboard to a friendship, and the potential for something more...

💭 Funny Story is Emily Henry at her very best! It's bright, playful, clever and quippy, with the ultimate swoooooon! The exploration of the complexities of human emotions is where Henry really shines. Her books are always multilayered, and more than "just romance," and Funny Story is no different. With relatably authentic characters, oodles of depth, the perfect slow burn love story, the right amount of steam, Henry is simply a master at her craft. I can confidently say Funny Story is her best yet!

📌 Definitely a top book of the year
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A great palate cleanser amidst the craziness in the news, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Of course, a book about a librarian would score highly with me. Daphne is a children’s librarian, a promoter of the library due to its role in her past. Daphne is reeling after her fiancée , Peter, calls off their wedding, and tells her he is in love with his female best friend, Petra. Daphne ends up living in the extra bedroom at the home of Petra’s ex, Miles. Both Miles and Daphne have family backgrounds that impact how they approach their lives and relationships. The ups and downs of their growing relationship, as well as the secondary characters, Julie, Ashleigh, and others, give humor and dimension to the story. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.