5/5 stars

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the advanced reading copy -- out 4/23!

SYNOPSIS -- Daphne loves the story of meeting her fiance, Peter... that is, until that story included him falling in love with childhood best friend, Petra. Daphne suddenly finds herself alone in Waning Bay, Michigan, forced to move in with Petra's ex-boyfriend, Miles, who is everything Daphne's opposite. Miles is a chaotic pothead, who Daphne quickly learns is also pretty fun to be around. While Daphne has her dream job as a children's librarian, she's severely lacking in the friends department until she strikes up a tenuous and confusing friendship with Miles. When a life prompts them to pretend to be dating, they really lean into it and confuse everyone around them... including themselves. Could Daphne really have a crush on her ex-fiancé's new fiancé's ex??? And what would it mean if she did?

I LOVED this book!! This was absolutely one of my favorite Emily Henry books. As of now, I'm placing it just under Book Lovers and just above Happy Place. The margins are SLIM, but they're there. I'll give this some more thought, but I genuinely loved this book and tore through it way faster and more hungrily than I did Happy Place.

Miles and Daphne's chemistry was palpable from the start. I really, really liked both of their characters, which doesn't always happen for me in romance. They both had their issues, sure, but nothing got in the way in that annoying, just-looking-for-an-issue way. As is always the case with Emily Henry, the supporting characters were top tier. They were funny, unique and super easy to love. I learned how to use the "highlights" feature on my Kindle for this book -- there were so many cute scenes, funny one-liners and just adorable quotes that I had to start marking them! Plus this book was legit funny!!! I laughed out loud multiple times and caught myself smiling at myself throughout the book.

I really loved this one, and I think you will too. Emily Henry can't miss!!

I didn’t get the hype around Emily Henry before, the other two I read I thought were fine. But THIS. This book I devoured. I couldn’t look away! I laughed, I cried, I fell in love multiple times over. I get it now. The premise alone was enough to intrigue me to try just one more, and wow am I glad I did. This book will be in my top 2024 reads, and on my to-reread list.

There are precious few writers for whom I will read straight romance, but Emily Henry is at the tippy top of that list. Her humor, heart, hilarious banter, and deep, real feelings permeate every single one of her books and FUNNY STORY is no exception. The fact that her heroine is a librarian is icing on an overwhelmingly delicious cake.

Miles is the kind of sweet, flawed, lovely love interest I wish for all my friends and the supporting cast of character help to make this book absolutely sing. Couldn't recommend it more highly!

Emily Henry does it again!
She is a master of romcoms with characters that feel so real you can’t help but feel so much for them.
Funny Story had some of my favorite tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers, and more! I’m so used to these tropes and love them for a reason. Somehow, Emily Henry always manages to make stories feel fresh and unique. Her narration and storytelling shines in a way that makes me love her books in a special kind of way.
I laughed and I cried with this book. Daphne and Miles are everything to me. I love every single character Emily Henry creates. Just when I think I couldn’t love her books any more than the previous one, she surpasses her own writing and gives us another gem of a book.
This will be an all-time favorite for so many people when it comes out. It already is one of mine.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

This book was so good! It definitely gave me all the feels. I really connected with Daphne as a main character. She was strong and funny, her ability to bounce back really had me admiring her. It was way too easy to forget I was reading a story, I felt in the story! Miles was just perfect, soft and goeey in the best way, like a delicious dessert. He was the perfect balance to Daphne always striving for perfection, he mellowed her out perfectly. 5 stars!

Emily Henry might very well be the most consistent and dependable author around.

I loved this book. Adored it. I'm currently writing this just after finishing the book with tears in my eyes.

The premise made me giggle. The idea of "I have no choice but to move in with my ex-fiance's new girlfriend's ex-boyfriend" is so ridiculous, but it just WORKED. It created an entirely unique (to me) scenario for our two MCs to fall in love. And throw in a tiny dash of fake dating to make the ex's jealous? I'm a goner.

Emily consistently gives us flawed characters that never seem to cross the line into unlikable. I'm learning more and more how hard that is for authors to achieve.

There were times in this book that I almost thought they wouldn't end up together. I don't think I've ever felt that way reading a romance. But it was perfect and so necessary to the story and the characters' growth.

And of course, as always, the tension and banter Emily gives us was 👌🤌 No notes.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eArc.

READ THIS BOOK!

In Funny Story by Emily Henry, Daphne navigates life in Waning Bay, Michigan, after her fiancé Peter falls for his childhood best friend, Petra, leading Daphne to become roommates with Petra's ex, Miles Nowak. Despite their initial avoidance, Daphne and Miles form a friendship and hatch a plan involving misleading photos, questioning the possibility of love in the tangled aftermath of their broken relationships.

Funny Story was one of my most anticipated spring reads! I was thrilled to hear that Julia Whelan was going to narrate, so I knew I had to listen to this on audio as much as I could. Despite the summary suggesting a typical trope, I found the story to be unexpectedly profound. Narrated entirely from Daphne’s perspective, this approach adds a special depth, allowing readers to intimately experience her journey of self-discovery and resilience following a broken engagement. It was also fascinating seeing the evolution of Miles’s character and the gradual unveiling between him and Daphne The supportive and encouraging characters in the story made it even more endearing. What I loved most were the insightful quotes, true nuggets of wisdom, woven into the narrative thought and care. Funny Story has become my all-time favorite book by Emily Henry and deserves all the stars. I'm glad I accidentally pre-ordered two different editions of this book before reading it, something I have NEVER done before!

Miss Emily Henry does it yet again and I'm convinced that all her books have some form of crack in them. All I could think about while reading this was Nick and Jess from New Girl and the vine "oh my god, they were roommates"

To be honest, I don't know what to think of this because I really enjoyed this, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The banter was amazing as always and I adored the friendship between Daphne and Miles, despite the awful circumstances as to how they became friends. I think this is Emily's horniest book yet because I was reading around 35% in the middle of a steamy scene and asking myself "Is this an Emily Henry book I'm reading right now???"

Spice aside, Miles and Daphne were very vulnerable with each other, but I mean why wouldn't they be since they were both dumped and both of their exes got together with each other. I know their characters were set in their mid thirties, but it honestly didn't feel that way and I wasn't convinced at times. And honestly, I don't care that Miles wears crocs and has multiple pair, he's so hot.

Sure there were some chaotic moments with side characters and I didn't really connect to a majority of the book, but I still had a great time. This was definitely more of a romcom and not as emotional as Emily's previous books and I'd rate this at 3.5 or 4 stars for me, I'm still trying to decide.

...
"I didn't learn what love was supposed to feel like. It doesn't feel natural, or come easily to me, to let anyone close. But you- you make love so easy, Daphne. You make me think I already deserve it, exactly how I am."
...

I think this also further proves that I need to visit Lake Michigan again, especially during the summer. The way Emily writes the small town atmosphere is amazing and I want to live in every place she writes.

Was this a favorite of mine? Not really, but I still really enjoyed it! Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for sending an arc for my honest review!

Tropes:
-fake dating
-forced proximity / roommates
-friends to lovers
-found family
-small-ish town vibes
-steamy tension

Devour this! Definitely my new favorite EmHen books

Daphnes and Miles were such amazing complex characters

Roommates to lover
Forced Proximity
Opposites attract

Full Review on my TT

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTL616Swv/

Every Emily Henry is my new favorite (except Happy Place...we don't know her) and oh my heart! Reading Funny Story was an absolutely wonderful experience. You'll find everything you love in an Emily story and then some more. This is another love story to Michigan and you're going to fall in love with Waning Bay just as easily as you fall for Miles and Daphne.

When Daphne's fiancé Peter leaves her for his best friend Petra, her life implodes rather spectacularly when she realizes all of their friends were his friends and she has nowhere to live. Enter Miles - Petra's own jilted ex who just happens to have a spare bedroom. The pair don't have anything in common, except their exes and an invitation to Peter and Petra's upcoming wedding. It starts out innocently enough with the idea to fake date until the wedding. But as Miles tries to help Daphne find her own place in Waning Bay and Daphne struggles with the decision to stay or move on, the lines between what's fake and what's real begin to blur.

I'd recommend if you like:
-Beach Read
-Opposites attract
-Forced proximity
-Strangers to roommates to lovers
-The banter! Oh, the banter
-Small town and characters you'll fall in love with
-Found family

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a review copy. Already planning a reread and counting down the days until Emily's next book!

Just not my favorite. The FMC felt a little too whiny and dependent for me and I wish that she wasn’t blaming her ex for every inconvenience

Huge thanks to Berkley for a free copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

12,000,000 stars.

Beach Read is my favorite book of all time. And I think this book just surpassed it. (I’m so sorry bb Augustus). The banter in this book was TOP KNOTCH. It also was giving me Gilmore Girls wit and humor. I devoured this book in a day. Miles is my new top book boyfriend, and this is not up for debate.

Emily Henry also knows how to write characters that you relate to, which I love. But it did have me crying in the club, ok, so read at your own risk (but definitely read it because you won’t regret it).

i truly believe that every girl has HER emily henry book & funny story is mine! daphne is the girl that people pleases in order to feel more secure in her relationships & and my therapist would agree that’s me to a T

Thank you Berkley for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

My history with falling in love with Emily Henry is an interesting one. From thinking her books weren’t for me to feeling so seen by her writing, interviewing her twice, and enjoying watching her career grow, I am so glad we have another story of hers that’s just ours for now.

I really liked this book. I really, really liked it. It was quiet and funny and interesting and swoony. It was full of characters I loved, dialogue that made me laugh, and a setting that made me ready for a trip to the lake. I still think Happy Place is my favorite, but this is a close second. I just love the quiet, relatable world she creates.

Synopsis:

“Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.  Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads —Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—I loved the Michigan setting! Beach Read wasn’t the book for me so i’m so glad the setting got a redemption story for me. I loved the library, the beaches, the winery. All so great.

The Banter—EmHen banter is top notch for me. Miles made me smile every time he was on the page and I loved their chemistry!

The “Quietness”—I saw a comment online that a reviewer claimed the conflict in Emily Henry’s books don’t merit the third act break ups. I very much disagree. Sometimes life is quiet. Sometimes our reactions to things hurt so deeply, even if they seem small from the outside. While books are entertainment, sometimes it’s nice to see yourself or moment reflected in the quietness.

The Tropes—This was such a fun spin on Fake Dating/Forced Proximity. I loved it so much!

What Didn’t Work:

The 3rd Act Break Up/Lack of Miles’ POV—I really just wish we had Miles’ POV for this moment of the book.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 5/5

Content Warnings:

abandonment, called off wedding, infidelity, parent issues

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

No complaints! Beach Read was not my jam, Happy Place was a little better, and Funny Story takes the cake (or the brownies, in this instance). 🥰 At first, I was skeptical that I wouldn’t buy into Daphne and Miles’s relationship. The two found themselves in forced proximity after their significant others dumped them for each other. In what world would this really happen? The characters’ individual storylines and growth made it possible for this reader to overlook this unlikely scenario, however. There was a lot more to this book than Daphne and Miles’s romantic relationship. Shitty dads, found friendships, and making a home for yourself after everything falls apart—this book had it all. High praise from me, Emily. I haven’t given up on you yet! 😆

my new favorite emily henry: laugh out loud and deliciously HORNY !! makes you want to move to michigan TBH and makes you think about how your partner should be your best friend: the person who shows up for you through thick and thin is who you should end up with in the end <3 the most gorgeous roommates to lovers trope i've read

funny story!!!! this made me cry!!! i didn't think daphne's arc was going to sucker punch me the way it did. emily henry you've done it again. highly enjoyed, this was incredible, sucked me completely in and i abandoned all responsibilities for the day to read it

thank you to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Emily Henry has done it again! She completely hooked us from the very beginning with the characters experiencing similar circumstances. The humor mixed with emotions really had us connected to each of these main characters. Not only did we fall in love with these main characters, but we loved all of the side characters that contributed to this story. Emily Henry has this way of writing stories that will have you feeling, happy, sad, hopeful, and nostalgic in the best way. You'll almost always find yourself not wanting to put down one of her books and Funny Story is no different. Daphne and Miles had the best connection from the very beginning. You'll be rooting for them from the start. Not only is the romance so beautifully done, but the setting of this and Daphne finding a home in where she's been planted was such a heartwarming storyline. Each character dealing with their own family troubles was also done so eloquently! Five stars from us, we can't wait for more from Emily Henry!

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met, fell in love, and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian, and a new roommate who is the only person who could understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak. Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heartbreak love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

Holy Moly this book had my whole freaking heart! After her last book, Happy Place which, despite the title, was emotional and tumultuous, it was time to bring that classic Emily Henry rom-com back! Funny Story definitely hit the mark. The premise is great! two exes' exes living together and falling in love? Genius! I loved how the perspective on the characters changed the farther we got into the story At the start Miles is this broken-down man who from Peter's perspective is not worthy of Petra or Daphne. But the more we find out about him, we see how much more worthy he is than Peter. He is the most connected man in town, would do anything for his friends and family and just because he doesn't have the waspy air or money that Peter and Petra do doesn't make him a lesser man. I also loved Daphne's self-discovery journey. She thought Peter was the perfect man and was going to give her the perfect life when in reality she was just slotting herself into someone else's dream. Both characters had an interesting familial backstory and it gave us a substantial subplot aside from the romance. Not to mention it gave us wonderful secondary characters. Ashleigh and Julia were great comic relief. Daphne's mom was the rock anyone needs in a mom. The kooky small-town characters were a great added bonus. Some tropes include Forced proximity, fake dating, opposites attract, and small-town romance

thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 4/23

Funny Story is a friends-to-lovers romance, but before they are friends, Daphne and Miles are exes of their exes who left the two of them to subsequentially be together… their exes were the “you have nothing to worry about!” kind of friends to each other 🥲 Daphne and Miles move in together just because both of them have nowhere else to go

First, they’re practically strangers. Then Miles ends up showing Daphne around the town they live in, all the coolest spots, the local tourism trope making its mark on 2024 methinks?? The two end up becoming really good friends and then more

Daphne has abandonment issues and struggles to find an identity outside of the people she’s with. Miles has “levity to cope”ism and has some storms under that breezy personality. I love Emily Henry’s ability to write such true to life characters

This is one lighter in subject matter than Happy Place, but it has some of the same vibes. Summery and atmospheric, great supporting cast of characters, and tugs at your heartstrings when it wants to

I really don’t know where this one falls in my current EmHen ranking*, but I genuinely think Miles is my favorite MMC Emily has ever written. He’s messy and doesn’t take anything seriously at first glance, but he’s charismatic, thoughtful, and speaks his mind. He is, like, an angel for Daphne, and he is the epitome of man written by a woman!!! King

There are some lines that made me laugh out loud, some I highlighted, and parts that made me tear up. Classic Emily Henry and I cannot wait to see what everyone thinks of it!!

*current ranking is Happy Place, PWMOV, Beach Read, Book Lovers