Member Reviews
I found this book to have the perfect blend between angsty and swoony. Just enough belly dropping moments to keep my heart almost in my throat, but also swoon and dreamy-sigh-worthy moments to keep me melting and fanning myself.
I'm an Emily Henry fan again! I didn't love her last book but Funny Story sucked me in right away. Loved the Northern Michigan setting and the realistic and genuine characters. My preorders are in!
I love a good romance that isn’t just romance, it’s about life, that’s what this story is.
I am a huge Katherine Center fan. Her stories hit home, make me think about life, hope about the future, feel feelings, and drown in a cute romance. This book does that. I’m going to be honest; I haven’t been Emily Henry’s biggest fan, but her last few books have got me. This one included. I LOVED the character development of Daphne and Miles. I love their story but I more love how they faced their trauma together, how they grew from it. I loved the small town setting and the library vibe. I truly enjoyed this book. I wish there had been a bit more with the conflict of her and Peter, a more in your face get out, but truly it worked for me. And so I say, Emily Henry, you’re growing on me.
Thank you so much for this ARC!
I really enjoy Emily Henry's books. Book Lovers was one of my favorite reads of 2022. As a children's librarian and lover of the fake dating and forced proximity tropes, I jumped at the chance to read Funny Story. While I've found myself not often in the mood for contemporary romance lately, this book was a delightful and fast read. There's something very comforting about the stories and the way Emily Henry writes, and this newest book is no exception!
Daphne finds herself stranded in Waning Bay, Michigan far from her family and friends after her finance Peter, realizes he's in love with this childhood best friend Petra. In a twist, Daphne moves in with Petra's ex-boyfriend Miles. With only Miles to help her navigate her new life and lots of differences between them Daphne and Miles form a tentative friendship. The friendship soon turns into a concocted plan involving some misleading photos and a fake relationship. However as they grow closer, Daphnie questions if she's ready to move on and build a new future. While I loved every character in this book it was not an Emily Henry favorite.
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I wish that I could read this for the first time again.
It's been awhile since I read Emily Henry, and I forgot how reading her stories makes me feel like I'm drifting around on a soft little cloud with pure sunshine in my heart.
Miles? My new man of the month, or maybe the year! Daphne? We love her! She touched my fragile librarian heart. Their little moments, their chemistry, just the way they talk.. I am obsessed with them.
Thank you to Net Galley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC copy!
I'm so glad I requested the ARC for this book. I really enjoyed, People We Meet On Vacation, so I was excited to read this story, and the premise sounded right up my alley. I enjoyed the slow burn between the two main characters and how they started off as strangers then friends to lovers. I also liked that you are able to see other friendships and relationships build and how realistic we are shown the good and bad. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC.
Fans of Book Lovers will enjoy Funny Story! Miles and Daphne are thrown together when their respective significant others decide to run off together leaving the two of them trying to pick up the piece so they become reluctant allies, then friends, then romantic interests. The small town setting of this book really works and you fall in love with the town and it’s cast of characters as you do Daphne and Miles. I had so much fun reading this and cannot wait to see what Emily Henry does next!
The magic of Emily Henry was alive and well in this. The banter was perfect, the plot was engaging and exciting, and Miles & Daphne were delicious together! This started off with a forced proximity and both of them being victims of circumstance, and the way they evolved into each other’s perfect person was done in an almost magical way.
I was a little hesitant about the premise here, I mean two jilted individuals living together seemed like quite a stretch and this is coming from someone who reads tons of unrealistic romance, but I trust EH so I just went with it. So glad I did because despite my reservations that aspect didn’t really matter. Yeah, it was definitely a major plot point but there was so much more to this one. Daphne and Miles both have very fleshed out and unique characteristics as individuals and I absolutely adored them both. Their relationship was adorable and the authors signature banter shined like never before. Miles was the very definition of charming and Daphne was a bookworms Dream character. Their opposites attract, fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers story was fantastic and I couldn’t have loved them together anymore. The secondary characters were also great as was the setting and Miles showing Daphne his town was cute and made me feel like I was right there with them. It didn’t quite beat out Book Lovers for me but it was close!
Yet another incredible book by Emily Henry🥹❤️
There was a lot for me to love about this one. Daphne is a fun, flawed, and lovable MC, and her chemistry with Miles was so, so much fun to read. It’s playful, funny, sweet, and serious. I loved seeing their dynamic evolve over the course of them living together, and there were so many laugh-out-loud moments for me. Ashleigh and Julia were such great additions to the plot, and I loved what they each brought to it. I also appreciated that there were some deeper issues with both Daphne and Miles that we got to see, and how they supported one another in those moments was nice. The small town setting (plus the library!🫶🏼) felt super cozy, and it set up some really great storylines.
This is definitely in the running for my favorite EmHen book!
Emily Henry is an absolute auto-buy author for me. Her books have an incredible way of making me feel multiple emotions simultaneously. They fill my heart (and often fill my eyes with tears) and they definitely make me smile, if not all out laugh.
Daphne loves that her fiancé Peter loves telling the story of how they met and fell in love. She moved to his hometown of Waning Bay, Michigan, and loves the idea of becoming a part of his family. More than that, she loves her job as a children’s librarian.
The last thing she expects is that the night of his bachelor party, Peter breaks their engagement, telling Daphne that he and Petra, his childhood best friend, have fallen in love and want to be together. Oh, and Daphne has to move out of their house so that he and Petra can live there.
So now, Daphne is reeling from grief and anger, and she lives in an apartment with Miles, Petra’s ex, who also isn’t handling the end of his relationship too well either. The two peacefully coexist in their state of depression and anger, despite Miles’ penchant for sad love songs and an occasional joint.
One day, Daphne tells Peter that she and Miles are now together. To prove it, they start chronicling their “relationship” with photos on social media. Casual, friendly, generous Miles is everything Peter was not, so it’s not too long before Daphne finds herself wishing her pretend relationship was real. But both she and Miles have walls around their hearts, and it’ll take more than a fake relationship—and intense sexual chemistry—if they ever have a chance together.
Henry’s books always have lots of great banter, and this is no exception. I also really loved all of the supporting characters and Waning Bay was a terrific small town.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy; the book publishes 4/23.
Thanks so much to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author for this eARC to read and review!
Did I like this book? Of course, it’s written by Emily Henry? Duh.
Did I love it as much as Beach Read, People We Meet On Vacation and Book Lovers? Probably not.
I just didn’t connect with the characters in this one as much as Emily’s other protagonists. Also, I am absolutely addicted to the way Emily can write banter, I mean, it’s so clever & fun and my most favorite part of her books … but I felt that usual zing was missing this time. But guys, that’s just me! Maybe I was just having a bad day or something! LOL!
So please don’t get me wrong, I still had a GREAT time with the book and would definitely recommend it! Overall it’s a really fun and entertaining take on the forced proximity, fake dating, opposites attract tropes we all love! And even tho it was a little off for me, it’s still an absolute perfect choice for your vacay and summer tbr’s and I hope you LOVE it!
Thank you for the free audiobook PRHAudio and thank you NetGalley and Berkley Pub for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Daphne's fiance Peter decides to leave her for his best friend Petra after his bachelor party. He and Petra head off on a trip to give Daphne time to move out, because Petra is moving in. Daphne really has no where to go and Miles, Petra's ex, offers to let her move in.
Daphne and Miles were quirky and fun. Their relationship at first was interesting. Then they decide to fake date to annoy their exes, and they begin to really get to know - and like - each other. I loved watching this unfold. When feelings start getting real, they both freak a bit and have to deal with past traumas in their live. And decide if they can actually have a real relationship.
I loved Daphne's coworkers and Miles' sister as well. They added so much to the story! And Julia Whelan is queen of the narrators!
I love a fake dating storyline. I adored both Daphne and Miles and was rooting for them to be able to work through things and be together. And Peter and Petra could take a hike! Disliked both.
After devouring all of Emily Henry’s books and enthusiastically discussing them with practically everyone I meet for the next three weeks, you'd think I'd be able to articulate why I love them. You'd expect me to be able to explain why they feel so intense, real, sweet, and just lovely. I think I'm getting closer to quantifying it.
Recently, I listened to a podcast from the NYT on Taylor Swift and why the author/cohost of the column/episode believes she's so popular. They mentioned Taylor’s specificity, which engages her fans on a level that other musicians tend to shy away from. Others keep things general, a love song is simply a love song. Taylor, however, takes you on a journey to a specific day when she was left out of an invite to the mall, trusting listeners to connect with their own experiences of being excluded. She understands that we all have such moments. Perhaps not at the mall, but the feeling is universal.
I think Emily Henry operates similarly. Through her characters, she makes you feel everything deeply. She allows you to see their weaknesses, trauma, and strengths. You'll laugh, cry, and love yourself and your loved ones a little more after reading her books. She trusts in the power of specificity, knowing that these experiences resonate universally. She believes we can see love in all its imperfect perfection.
So, read her books if you adore Taylor or any of Emily’s other works. Read if you're captivated by Shania Twain’s tale of rediscovering love. Read if you're a librarian. Read if you love someone in the service industry. Read if you need your faith in humanity restored and little healing for your own soul.
I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley through the publisher, thank you to them. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Short synopsis: When Daphne’s fiancé breaks up with her for his best friend Petra. Alone with no friends, no family, and nowhere to live… Daphne moves in with Petra’s ex Miles.
My thoughts: Emily Henry has done it again! I am just so drawn to her writing, characters and their growth, and the banter! Oh the banter Henry delivers is always top notch. I definitely laugh out loud multiple times reading her books (stuck wedding dress as an example).
Miles was so charming, friendly, and adventurous. Daphne was ambitious, accepting, and quick witted. I loved that she was a librarian, and her dream of a night long read-a-thon for the library kids had me dreaming our library did similar activities.
While this had some moments that felt somewhat unnecessary…. I feel like those moments only helped make the characters more multi dimensional and life-like. The parental issues seemed so real, I could feel for each of them as the grappled with their different feelings from past circumstances.
I read part of this on audio, and Julia Whalen did such an amazing job bringing these characters to life!
Read if you love:
- Forced proximity
- Roommates to lovers
- Witty Banter
- Librarians and Read-a-thons
- Adventures
- Personal growth
this was sooo much better than her last release. i feel like emily henry is back. not perfect for me because i feel like things were rushed at the end, but otherwise, i had an amazing time reading this story. i literally laughed out loud at parts. if you're a librarian, no matter what kind, i think you will too. and maybe that means im biased because a lot of what i loved about this was how emily henry just seemed to know what librarians go through on a daily basis, and why we do the job. but it really hit perfectly and i loved seeing the representation. the romance of course was amazing as always and this time, the side characters didnt take over as they have in her past novels.
Ok Emily Henry! I am so happy I gave her another shot! I have read all of her books and was on the unpopular opinion side of her last read. But the premise of this book was so interesting, I couldn’t pass it up! I was so happy when Berkley approved me, I had to read it right away. I found myself blushing while reading this one in public! It has some quite steamy parts. When Daphne and Miles become unlikely roommates after their significant others leave them for each other, they bond over their heartache. And when Daphne lies to make their exes jealous and says her and Miles are dating, sparks begin to fly. I couldn’t get enough of their story. Miles is one of my favorite book boyfriends!! He was the sweetest, most thoughtful and selfless man. I really loved how this book came together and ended! Can’t wait to read more from Henry!
I will forever read anything Emily Henry. I love the banter and complex characters only she can create. And Funny Story is no exception.
Synopsis:
Daphne is blindsided when her fiancé comes home from his bachelor party and informs her that he’s leaving her for his best friend. Oh. And he’s kicking her out of his place. So that’s how Daphne ends up living with her ex-fiancés new girlfriend ex-boyfriend - AKA Miles. Oh. And she lies and tells her ex-fiancé that they’re dating. Not confusing at all.
My Thoughts:
It was Emily Henry. I adored it.
Julia Whelan was the narrator on this one. And her male narration is in my top two favorite male voice narrators. Including you know actually males. 😂 She’s perfect and the greatest narrator for a reason.
What You’ll Find in This Book:
🍷 Opposites Attract
🍷 Forced Proximity
🍷 Fake Dating
🍷 Banter for days
🍷 Found Family
Emily Henry has fast become an immediate, auto read for me! I love her spin on contemporary romance. The characters are so relatable and alive I feel instantly connected to their story. Funny Story was indeed aptly titled.