People We Meet on Vacation is one of my all time favorite books, so Emily Henry is always an autobuy because of that, and Funny Story might just be my second favorite Emily Henry. Daphne’s life is out of control after her fiance Peter dumps her for his best friend Petra. Petra’s boyfriend Miles is also dealing with the breakup so he offers Daphne his spare room, but when the two get invited to their ex’s wedding, Daphne accidentally tells Peter she’s dating Miles and the two devise a plan to fake date through the summer. I laughed and smiled and I just adored this book. It’s funny and witty and sparkling. I will say I got a little annoyed at the third act conflict, it didn’t match the Miles that was in the rest of the book. But the rest is perfection. Daphne has so much growth and strength and love, and Miles is so endearing and sweet. The side characters, especially Miles’ sister and Daphne’s friend, were so well developed too. There are so many layers to this story, and Daphne is so interesting as a character, her journey at finding her place is inspiring and beautiful and I was really rooting for her. And again, Miles—I was swooning for him and his charm. I devoured this book, its realness, its romance, its wit, everything. I didn’t want it to end!

**My review will be shared on my site and socials release week!**

ENJOYABLE AS ALWAYS.

Audiobook notes: It was Julia Whelan who narrated. NEED I SAY MORE?

Emily Henry books are just good. I love picking them up and I enjoy the journey that the main character goes on. Daphne had plenty to work through (understandably so) and the issues she had with her Dad was a connection I felt deeply. I love when books provide that sense of being seen and understanding that there is someone out there who has felt the same way you have.

The romance was sweet. I liked the unconventionality of it and how Daphne and Miles came together. The crossing of worlds and showcasing all there is to do and be where they were at now, and where they could go.

I love the magic (not literally) woven into the story of those little moments that make a life. Getting milkshakes and fries, finding a new beach to explore and loving the job you have. I adored all of the librarian content and the wonderful relationship Daphne had her with Mom.

Daphne and Miles are imperfect people with the weight of the past holding them back (without them even knowing sometimes). I loved the messy, the sincere and the emotion this book brought as the happy ending was found.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: moderate
Romance: 3+ open door; moderate explicit

Emily Henry does it again with a romance that's the perfect blend of sweet, funny, and vulnerable in a way that makes the world feel so full. The whole time I was reading it I caught myself grinning and giggling because I was so in love with the characters. a five-star must read for all romance fans!

When you hear about a new EH book being published do you not immediately think about Julia Whelan narrating it and putting you in a major book slump upon finishing...

I know I’m not alone.

I’ll have to keep this short in sweet because hype makes me😬

I will say…
Crocs…tell her you like my beard…Saturday story time… chapstick on zippers… Mulder… smoking a pot vape while watching Netflix… cheesemonger… titanic retellings… I’m going to kiss you and I want you to look to your left… illicit affairs 🫶🏻… Starfire… poker nights… OMG and a mere thought of a library in a lighthouse… ok I’m done! There is actually many more things I want to put… but I’m in an EH fog.

Truly fantastic. You should read this!

Also prepping myself for a EH backlist reread summer… I’m stoked!

Thank you PRHaudio & Berkley
Releases 4/23

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.Andthebookshelf/

This is my favourite Emily Henry novel to date.
I laughed and cried sometimes in the same chapter- the characters were so amazing and well-rounded and the premise was just so tragic it had to be funny.
Miles, oh my god Miles, he's perfect- he's the perfect ray of sunshine and the absolute epitome of a golden retriever boyfriend. Of course he has his shit, we all do- not too mention the whole premise of the story is his girlfriend leaving him for his childhood best friend... obviously he's got some stuff to work out. The perfect person to work it out with- enter Daphne. The only other person in the world who knows EXACTLY what he's going through. The chemistry between these two was phenomenal and when I say this book has S-tier banter, I mean the best of the best.
The whole time I was reading it, I both needed to know how it ended but also couldn't fathom that it could end.
For those who like to read specific beloved tropes this is what I figure this book has:
-Golden Retriever X Black Cat (Daphne is our little pessimist librarian and I LOVE her)
-Forced Proximity
-Friend to Lovers
-Opposites Attract
Now that I'm finished it I will be sitting over here in the corner with bated breath waiting for Emily to announce her next release. I'm sure she will find some more childhood trauma of mine to heal through the pages of her novels.

The moment I have the opportunity to read an Emily Henry book I'm stopping everything else and sitting down to start. Funny Story had a different vibe than I expected, but still had the sexy, swoon-worthy, realistic love story that I was looking for. The trope here is fake dating your ex-fiance's new fiance's ex. It's messy, it's funny, it's really great.

Funny Story is a charming tale about two jilted people who try to make their exes jealous and end up falling for each other. This contemporary romance is engaging with likeable characters and has a focus on friendship, family, and fitting in; it’s not just all romance, which is refreshing. Recommended for Emily Henry fans as well as those who may want to give the romance genre a try.

Thank you SO much to Berkley for the ARC!

I think I've read all but one of Emily Henry's books and I look forward to them every spring and while I don't like many contemporary romances, I will always pick up her books.

I was fortunate enough to also get the audiobook thanks to PRH Audio and it was narrated by the queen, Emily Henry. I couldn't stop listening and ultimately flew through the book.

I loved how the story started out so strong and drew me in quickly. I decently liked Daphne and Miles together although they didn't seem like the PERFECT match to me.

I wasn't a fan of the whole best friend fight situation to add some tension to the 3rd quarter as it seemed kind of out of left field and unnecessary.

Overall, a pretty cute read that will without a doubt be a hit, I mean, it's Emily Henry.

This will be out on April 23rd.

3.5 stars

Emily Henry has a knack for great plots and likeable characters. These two have excellent chemistry together, but most importantly they show a lot of maturity. They're both working through some stuff, but their character development is written in a way that really demonstrates how they're working through it while also coming out the other side as a person who understands themselves (and their traumas) a little bit better. Plus, as a librarian, I'm a sucker for a cute close-knit community library!

the bitch is back!!!! - Elton John and I after reading this book. EH at her best. I haven't felt this grand since I read Beach Read many moons ago. also, miles novak PLZ call me!

I start each Emily Henry book feeling both super excited (because I've loved her last several books so much) and super nervous (because what if I don't like this one?), and I can usually tell pretty quickly which of these emotions are going to win out. I loved this one within the first three chapters and just kept loving it from there. If you liked any of Henry's previous novels, I think you'll like this, too. It reminded me the most of Happy Place, not necessarily in terms of plot, but because it handles the balance between humor and grief in an equally deft way. I laughed out loud several times (which is unusual for me), but I also felt really deeply for the two main characters here. Daphne and Miles, our two main characters, are both dealing with the fresh grief of romantic relationships that ended unexpectedly (with partners who left them for each other), and are also both dealing with deeper, longer-term grief from dysfunctional family relationships. I liked that Henry played with the fake dating trope here (and that there were several acknowledgements of that as well as references to other romance authors and tropes), and I really just liked being along for the ride as these two main characters found their way through heartbreak. I also loved that we had a librarian main character in Daphne, and that her experiences in the library - including her somewhat awkward attempt to befriend a co-worker - felt really realistic.

Books like this are the reason I read.

As readers, we’re always searching for the next book that completely blows you away. That book that completely knocks your socks off. That book that seems to know you even better than you know yourself. That was this book for me.

I deeply related to Daphne’s character in so many ways. And Miles—y’all he IS the book boyfriend blueprint!!!

This book was the perfect combo of all of Emily’s past books. It was filled with her classic Em-Hen style quotes and quips. I can’t wait to annotate the crap out of it once I get my hands on a physical copy!

This book further solidified Em Hen as my all time favorite author…like by a landslide. I can’t believe I am actually saying this but, I think this book has officially taken the top spot as my favorite book by Emily (which is wild, I mean just look at my profile photo!!) I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this one and obsess with me all over again!

A beyond perfect love story with fake dating, strangers to lovers and witty banter. I found myself laughing out loud throughout this entire book. I fell in love with these characters especially the two main characters Miles and Daphne. Where Daphne is very proper and put together, Miles is the exact opposite, being adventurous and spontaneous.
I think my favorite part of this book, other than the amazing love story, is how much growth both Daphne and Miles had. They didn’t just grow exponentially alone, but also together. Their relationship is what dreams are made of.
I absolutely adored this story!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Daphne has her sights set on leaving Michigan after her fiancé, Peter, dumps her for his childhood best friend, Petra. The only thing keeping her in town is an upcoming readathon at the library she works at and her new roommate Miles — a handsome, super friendly guy who also happens to be the Petra’s ex.

I absolutely LOVED Henry’s first two books but wasn’t as obsessed with her last two, so wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one! Overall, I enjoyed this story and seeing how both Daphne and Miles’ characters developed and came into their own as the story progressed. I appreciated how they both navigated complicated family dynamics and really enjoyed all of the adventures they went on throughout the summer! I liked this one overall, but my fav Emily Henry will always be #BeachRead 🥰💖

I adored this fun, witty, emotional, romantic story and it left me with a bit of a book hangover. I just wanted to stay in it for a little while longer because Daphne and Miles gave me all the feels. I listened to the audiobook and Julia Whelan nailed the narration once again. Her vocalization works so well for Emily Henry's books and adds an extra layer of charm to the perfection of Emily's writing style. I will never tire of the snarky fast-paced dialogue and the way she adds tension to the simmering chemistry between the main characters. She also gives them a healing kindness and gentleness towards each other and the combination creates a lovely way to escape and relax for a few hours.

A fake dating romance with a librarian female main character?? How could I not love this?! This was such a love letter to librarians and book lovers and as a soon to be librarian, I absolutely devoured it.

This was tender and funny, the EmHen way. Daphne moved to a new state to be with her fiancé, started a new life that centered around him and their future, and then he dumps her and runs off with his female best friend. With nowhere to go and no backup plan (because why would she have one? She was engaged!) she moves in with the ex of the woman who stole her fiancé out of desperation.

Daphne has always had a life full of disappointment and lacking stability, so she’s just trying to get back on her two feet and recover from this heartbreak. Miles (her new roommate) is also trying to recover from his heartbreak, so they find solace in each other.

This is going well until Daphne has an unpleasant phone call with her ex fiancé and blurts out that she’s now dating Miles. From that moment on what we get is a hilarious, swoony & endearing fake dating roommates story.

What this author does better than most others I’ve read is that the story is not just the fake-dating. It’s not full of tropes for the sake of appealing to the masses. She just crafts the most beautiful, intimate, and emotionally charged stories that are also entertaining and charming without trying to cram too much in.

She writes perfectly paced love stories, introduces us to so many incredible characters, and creates scenes so vivid and enchanting, you can’t help but be drawn in. While this book reminded me of Beach Read, I appreciate that each of her works, though they exude the same wonderful essence, never feels repetitive.

Thank you so much NetGalley & Berkley/Berkley Romance for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

because emily henry has been one of the marquee romance authors the last few years and I have thoroughly obsessed over her books in the past, my expectations were admittedly sky high for funny story. it's a curse of her greatness that while I enjoyed this read, I was also underwhelmed. having said that, I don't want the fact that funny story is a good book to be lost. I rated it highly and firmly believe it will amass a loyal following similar to all of emily's other releases. daphne and miles are characters that many will identify with, understanding the fear and doubt that comes with having to rebuild after being hurt by those closest to them.

for me, miles kind of stole the show. any grey's anatomy fans will understand when I say that he embodied the sentiment of arizona's "a good man in a storm". though the weather was rough and their path was unclear, miles provided a stable presence for daphne. despite being a bit of a lost himself, he was the sweet and gentle soul she needed, someone who could meet her in the same darkness. miles and daphne understood each other's pain and worked through it without expectation or judgment.

additionally, there was a great emphasis on the joy and fulfillment that female friendships can provide. once daphne realized that she'd allowed that part of her life to grow stagnant, she learned the real value of that sort of companionship. it was wonderful to see her put in the effort and reach out a hand to ashleigh, someone who needed her just as much.

and while the writing overall felt more simplistic than I anticipated, no one can deny that emily henry knows how to conclude a story. the final 15% of this book packed an emotional punch as daphne's development was on full display. an epic love confession, belief in her next steps and a wholesome final chapter provided a lovely ending.

thanks to berkley and emily henry for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A whole freaking sky full of stars

”The same universe that dispassionately takes things away can bring you things you weren’t imaginative enough to dream up”

So Funny story…I read my very first EH’s ARC ever and big thanks to Berkley for making that happen.

No body can bring magic into mundane like this author.Every time I read Em H I can’t help but marvel at the way she comes with these beautiful stories with complex human emotions.I am always captivated by not only by her main characters but every secondary character of hers along with the amount of story she packs through them. It is sometimes free therapy and at other times indulging , it feels like she is talking directly to me as most of her quotes truly speak to me on so many levels as if they are curated just for me

These characters Daphne, Miles and the absolute tenderness that’s in between them , their shared chaos along with Emily’s writing thats equal parts witty and equal parts dripping in sarcasm with splash of humor is a whole big package that warmed my insides like a darn radiator. I am always amazed by how her romance works in her books as if it’s the utmost natural thing to happen between her characters. The feeling you get when one of your most anticipated read is more than what you’ve hoped for is just unbeatable, this will be another comfort read Emily Henry’s fan will keep going for when the world gets too big to handle for them

The only hard time I had with it is when I tried to choose a favorite quote to include in my review. In word Funny story is a joy ride that I really was reluctant to get off after it ended

Daphne is blindsided when her fiancée left her right before their wedding for another woman. When that woman's ex, Miles, offers Daphne a room at his place while she gets on her feet after the breakup, she doesn't have any choice but to move in with him. Daphne and Miles commiserate with one another over their breakups and eventually they slip into an easy friendship. It would be too crazy to fall in love with your ex fiancée’s ex, right?

This book snuck up on me. I thought the first half was charming and entertaining and I was really digging it. The second half hit me in such a different way. The character development and story development went to a whole other level in that second half. I was wrecked by the third act break up and I loved every second of it. I love a good cry when I read books that hit me hard!

Daphne's journey in this book was absorbing. I didn't get her at first, but then as I learned more about her, everything made sense. Her heartbreak from her failed relationships was visceral and I felt really bad for her. She had given her life to someone who nonchalantly kicked her to the curb. Daphne had to find who she wanted to be without a partner because it wasn't healthy to be codependent with someone else. It took this world-rocking breakup for her to see that.

Miles was the best book boyfriend. He was the nice, laid back guy, who went out of his way to do thoughtful things but acted like it wasn't a big deal. His character was more complex than meets the eye and he was too hard on himself. If only he could believe that he was worthy of Daphne's love and that he was enough.

The supporting characters in this book were animated and essential to their story. Ashleigh was my favorite - I wish she could get her own book.

I loved this book and I know you will, too!

Steam level: 🔥🔥¾
⚠️: infidelity (not between the main characters), toxic parent

I always love Emily Henry’s books. And this one was no different.

This was such a fun story. I loved miles and Daphne both together and separately. I loved that she worked at the library and he was just a local know everyone lol and worked at the winery. Like who doesn’t love wine and books!

I loved their relationship and their self discovery. This was just so light hearted but like with emotions tho! The sense of humor with its whit and sarcasm cuts through the emotions too and makes me laugh.

This book is the definition of finding love when you’re not looking for it. I felt it was so relatable in their heartbreak and their family issues. To them discovering themselves and slowly discovering each other…

One thing I really love that she is able to do is write the usual tropes but with some a flair that it isn’t devoutly noticeable. Like there’s fake dating. Close proximity and a love triangle but it’s not slapping you in the face. It just flows!

This book just delivered.