Funny Story by Emily Henry follows Daphne and Miles, two people, who just got dumped by the loves of their lives. In fact the loves of their lives also got together and invited Miles and Daphne to their wedding. In a harebrained revenge scheme, Miles and Daphne decide to pretend they are dating. But what starts out as a fake romance quickly begins to sizzle with real heat.

In my opinion, Funny Story made for a perfect rom com. It was witty and over the top at times, but in a feel good rather than a ridiculous way. I think lifelong readers and fellow introverts will be able to relate to Daphne's struggle to make new friends especially as an adult. And readers will definitely want to give him a hug after figuring out why Miles' always seems so laid back. Funny Story is a book that will make you laugh at Miles and Daphne's escapades and cry as they deal with their emotional baggage. This is the perfect book for a day at the beach or when you are looking for a something to give you a boost of serotonin after a long day at work.

3.5 stars

I usually love Emily Henry books, but this one fell a little bit short for me. Daphne's fiance breaks up with her and she decides to live with her ex-fiance's new girlfriend's ex boyfriend. Yeah it took me a couple times, too. Basically, Daphne and Peter were a couple and Miles and Petra were a couple. Peter leaves Daphne for Petra. So Daphne moves in with Miles. And falls in love with him.

There wasn't any real conflict. This was a strange we-barely-know-each-other to we-love-each-other romance that just didn't work for me. They didn't really bond over their heartbreak. They just fell into insta-love? It was really strange. And then, not a lot happened. Daphne waivers over whether to leave the state because she doesn't want to run into Peter and Petra.

She makes friends. She likes her job at the library. That's about it for a personality or anything remarkable about her. It was a cute book, but I just wanted more from the characters.

Absolutely LOVED this book! Maybe I relate to the characters way too much, but I love books with characters who have to overcome difficult family relationships and with through the baggage and suffocating traits they’ve developed due to dysfunctional families.

I thought the premise of this book was hilarious! A girl gets dumped by her fiancé who gets together with his best friend, so the girl ends up moving in with the best friend’s ex-boyfriend. Then to get back at their exes, they tell them they are dating. Obviously feelings develop, and character flaws are revealed and hashed out. Ugh, I loved it so so much! It all felt organic, and the miscommunication wasn’t overwhelming.

Only complaints are personal preference - the language (F bombs) and explicit sexual content (3 scenes).

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and a positive review was not required. I would have totally bought this or borrowed it from the library!

i wish i had more words in my head to describe the extent of my love for this book. emily henry is my favorite romance author for a reason, and she does not disappoint with this at all. henry knows how to strike the delicate balance of crafting a couple you want to root for while still making sure that the characters are people we want to root for on their own. henry is able to do this with her trademark wit and finesse and the arcs her characters go on never feel contrived. i absolutely loved it. emily henry remains the queen of the romcom

My only note is the minor side eye I had about the old Black character being twice described as a dead ringer for Morgan Freeman. It just felt a bit lazy. Also interesting having Ashley being... Asian? EH trying to diversify!

Besides that, this delivered in almost every way I would expect from an EH novel. Excellent banter, three-dimensional character development, and humor that felt refreshing. Miles is SO CUTE and might be my favorite of all of EH's heroes. I know, I'm shocked, too. I'm also convinced this is the antithesis to People We Meet on Vacation, because it explores the people who get left behind when a childhood-friends-to-lovers situation happens. :')

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Finally--a book with a librarian lead that's realistic! This one is top tier for me. Miles and Daphne have my whole heart. I would move to this fictional town in a minute. The ending speeches wrapped things up a little quickly to be realistic, but hey, who am I to judge?

3 stars because I love Emily Henry and her writing. I was really disappointed by this book though. It lacked the usual Emily charm I felt from her past books. I couldn’t get emotionally invested in the characters and they didn’t feel as built out as her characters typically are. That is something I love about Emily’s book, writing such deeply relatable characters that you feel for. It didn’t happen here for me.

Daphne I understood, she’s someone who is used to being let down by people and kept to herself. If she doesn’t let anyone in, there’s no way to get hurt again. After her breakup, plus getting to know Miles and Ashleigh and others, she accepts that isn’t always the case and there will always be some risk to opening herself up to people. But it’s worth it. Miles I felt like I only knew at a surface level. He’s the “nice” guy that knows everyone and everyone loves him. You know there’s something he’s been through in the past and while we get some explanation, I wanted more.

Again, I love Emily and I think she has beautiful writing. There are some one liners in this that I think people won’t be able to get out of their heads. This book didn’t meet the expectations I have for her though. Felt more surface level romance than the beautiful love story she typically writes.

🏠 roommates
😊 strangers to friends to lovers

single POV
3/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️

Funny Story by Emily Henry is a rom-com/dramedy novel about two opposites. Daphne, our heroine, is a children’s librarian, who is wonderful with the kids; where she is happy and content. To her shock, her fiancée Peter, decides to dump her (so close to her wedding) after his bachelor party, to be with his childhood friend, Petra. With no place to go, Daphne ends up sharing an apartment with Miles (Petra dumped him).

Miles is very likeable, as he is charming, caring, easy going and loves to have fun. In the early days, the roommates mainly avoided one another, but one day, they get an invitation to Peter and Petra’s wedding. Daphne finds herself becoming comfortable around Miles, with them becoming friends. After a night out a bar, they accept the invitations. Miles and Daphne tell their exes that they are now dating (fake), and are happy together.

Both Daphne and Miles have their own family issues, which bring them closer to each other. Daphne’s mother lives further away, and speaks to her weekly; her divorced father she rarely sees, and to her surprise, he will show up later in the book. Miles is close to his sister, Julia, who also decides to show up, but sooner than later. Miles is exactly the opposite of practical and socially awkward Daphne in her journey to self-discovery. Miles goes out of his way to get Daphne out, as he takes her to different places, including where he works at a bar, where she meets other great friends of Miles. I also liked Ashleigh, a new found friend, and loved Julia, who was lots of fun. In a short time, she finds herself falling for Miles, as he also has feelings for her. I really loved Miles and Daphne together. What was great about Miles was his putting others before him, warm hearted, caring, and helping her open heart in rediscovering herself.

What follows is a sweet wonderful story about two opposites who eventually find love. Miles was always there for Daphne, and she managed to find friendship with Ashleigh, Julia and others that Miles introduced to her. Funny Story was a very good story, that kept us unable to put the book down. Funny Story was very well written by Emily Henry. This was a fun read, which I suggest you read Funny Story.

Emily Henry can do no wrong for me, Her writing draws me in from the very first page. Her characters are so human and their mistakes feel so real. Truly one of the greatest love confession writers out there, I actually shed a tear. This was my most anticipated book of the year and it definitely did not disappoint.

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!