My reactions to Emily Henry’s books have gone down star by star each new release – to the point where I have so far managed to avoid Happy Place place completely. But then I got an email offering me this one and my FOMO was going through the roof! Not to mention I am well aware of how lucky I am to be someone who receives Berkley widgets so I’m not about to look that gift horse in the mouth.

The “funny story” (or meet/cute, if you will) here was a cute one. Daphne’s fiancé calls it off after realizing at his bachelor party that his lifelong BFF is really the girl for him, leaving Daphne scrambling for a place to stay in said fiancé’s home town after relocating herself halfway across the country for him. Miles has a place to stay (including an extra bedroom) and is the other dumpee – this time of the aforementioned BFF. Thus begins a co-habitation period and Daphne’s countdown clock to the big all-night Readathon for kids at the library where she works. After that event is over, Daphne can move away from Michigan with a clear conscience. But when an invitation to the wedding of Peter and Petra (barf, right?) arrives, Daphne makes a bit of a boo-boo and openly defines the relationship with Miles . . . into a romantic one.

Cute, right? You’re right. It is cute. This one will most likely make Henry fans swoon because all of the rom com feels will be felt. But I didn’t much like either of the main characters so it didn’t quite work for me. Note to Miles: It doesn’t matter how many people say you’re a “great guy.” If you are so easily distracted and get caught up in random conversations that make you late for scheduled dates/your job/whatever – you’re kind of NOT so great. Punctuality is a real thing for me – especially if you plan on some before dawn sort of excursion. Don’t come to me with coffee and an excuse, just GTFOOH. And note to Daphne: You are not a good friend. If you never let anyone in, they certainly aren’t the jerks for choosing to hang out with other people. And again, if you make plans with someone like me and then stand me up? You can GTFOOH too and don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya on your way out.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

AMAZING. I love Emily Henry. I loved the characters, the story, everything about this book. I want to read it over and over again. My new favorite Emily Henry book!!

Yes!! Loved this. Emily Henry has a formula and in her I trust. I did have one moment of like "wait, really?!" But overall LOVED this book. The humor, the small town vibes, the character arcs!! So good.

Another funny, sexually tense love story from Emily Henry! This novel was full of great one liners, inspiring quotes, and sexual tension so thick it made me flail about in my office chair. Emily understands so much in the world of books (as we learned in Book Lovers) but she hits the nail on the head with librarians and library life.

"The library is, like, the single best cross section of humanity...you meet all kinds of interesting people."

"It's a library...If you can't be a human here, where can you?"

These quotes stuck out to me so much, because yes! these words embody so much of what a library is. So, I appreciate that insight that Emily Henry added to her book so much.

To the romance, the chemistry between Daphne and Miles is amazing, their personalities play together wonderfully and bring out the best in the other. The cast of supporting characters are amazing as well, from Ashleigh the scary librarian whom Daphne befriends (or does Ashleigh befriend Daphne?) and grants access to poker night to Miles's sister Jules, you'll love everyone that comes to life on the page. It's a wonderful work of spicy build up and you'll want to devour the book to find out the rest of this funny story...

Henry has a captivating way of offering up a fresh, delightful romance that is fast-paced and filled with sparkling dialog. This is the story of Daphne, a librarian who moved to Michigan for her fiancé Peter. He seems too good to be true, but then he does the unthinkable. Just weeks before the wedding, he tells Daphne that he realizes he loves his longtime best friend, Petra. Now Daphne is alone and stranded far from her home and turns to the one person she knows has an extra bedroom – Petra’s newly dumped fiancé. Daphne’s new roommate Miles is very different from Peter, but his place is convenient.

Things get even more chaotic when Daphne and Miles get caught up in a scheme to pretend to be a couple. In the meantime, Daphne has initiated inquiries about finding a job back home near her mother. It’s no surprise that Miles turns out to be much more thoughtful and alluring than he first seems.

Waning Bay, Michigan comes across as a charming, delightful place to live. Having family who live near the lake in Michigan, the passion for the area comes as no surprise. Daphne works as a children’s librarian and clearly loves her job. She's a great asset for her library and will be dearly missed if she leaves.

The trope involving a fake romance is not new, but Henry makes the ride such a pleasant experience. It’s a fun, cute read that is well worth checking out.

You know I love my thrillers but when Emily Henry has a new release, I drop all the things. I am so thankful to my #partners at Berkley for the early digital copy but you better believe I’ve already preordered that gorgeous UK cover and plan on picking up a US copy on pub day, my actual birthday, April 23!

Here’s a quick synopsis: Daphne and Peter have a love story that is so much fun to tell and Peter loved to tell it! Until he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. Daphne is a children’s librarian (which barely pays the bills) and now needs a place to live. Guess who else is looking for a roommate? If you guessed Petra’s ex, Miles, you’re absolutely right! After a short period of wallowing in self-pity, these complete opposites form a friendship and even fall into a fake dating situation that pushes them onto a path of self-discovery, adventure, and a summer of “what ifs”.

What I Loved:

- Daphne and her coworkers deal with some truly unique individuals at the library and I was cry laughing! Being a librarian myself, I felt each of those scenes in my bones.
- Miles WILL BE your next book boyfriend, I guarantee it.
- I love fake dating and this one is perfection.
- Both Daphne and Miles are broken in their own ways and support each other in the sweetest ways.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

Daphne and Peter make a good match. He has everything all planned, organized, and scheduled and she's happy to just slip right into his list of To-Do things, keeping life orderly and just the way he likes it. Soon to be married, living in their own home (in Peter's name for tax purposes), Daphne has all her wedding gear bought and ready for the big day. She loves her job at the nearby library, life is good, life is just wonderful.

Peter and his friends, including his woman best friend forever since third grade, wild child Petra, attend Peter's early bachelor party and for the first time ever, Peter doesn't come home on time. Turns out he and Petra have realized they are in love and want to have a life together. Peter "kindly" tells Daphne she and her things need to be out in a week.

Where to go on such short notice? Petra is leaving her long time boyfriend, Miles, and he allows Daphne to move into the spare room. Miles is all that Daphne is not, a slob, chaotic, not prone to schedules and promptness, rarely uses real words in his texts. For the first few weeks the two almost never see each other, each living their own heartbroken lives.

Then Daphne, in a fit of anger revenge, lets Peter know that she and Miles are now a couple (they aren't). And Miles lets coworkers know they are a couple, too (they aren't). It's when they have to fake PDA in front of others that they realize there is a spark there, one they never expected. They douse the chance of flames but it doesn't really work. Can two opposites get together without things being an unwise double rebound? These two have so much baggage that they are hiding, that they don't even want to face themselves, that they don't truly understand. Until that baggage is let out of the bag, can they really move on from where they are at this time?

Miles is oh so hunky cute. Daphne has never allowed herself to be herself. She has been so wrapped up in living Peter's life for the last years that her friends at work think she might be some kind of undercover something or other. Most of all, Miles and Daphne can be sort of boring, in a real life way, but not as boring as "got everything planned" Peter. How's life going for you, Peter, with your wild child forever best friend?

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

As always, Emily Henry nails humor and emotion - this time with some sexy pining. Miles is the perfect golden retriever stoner boyfriend, and the author also nails Phoebe’s job as a children’s librarian. The plot ended up feeling meandering in the second half, but I couldn’t help but root for these two and their character development as individuals and together.

Funny Story, much like Happy Place, is a deceptively ironic title for this story. Funny Story starts quickly with an awkwardly adorable rom-com meet-cute. However, the story switches to a sad tone living in the immediate aftermath of Daphne, our Librarian protagonist, being jilted by her fiance. Despite its seemingly lighthearted title, this book delves deep into the aftermath of heartbreak, masterfully balancing humor with poignant moments.

The characters, especially Daphne and Miles, feel incredibly real, and their pain became my own as I immersed myself in their story. Henry's knack for crafting authentic characters shines through, making it easy to connect with them on a personal level. The romance is equal parts swoon-worthy and raw, with moments that had me blushing and rooting for the characters wholeheartedly. This book is horny. Miles and Daphne have an undeniable chemistry that had me kicking my feet and screaming. Henry's writing effortlessly captures the complexity of relationships, break-ups, and life adding depth to the story and keeping me invested until the very end.

The setting of Waning Bay, Michigan, is vividly portrayed, creating a vibrant backdrop for the unfolding drama. From beaches to the eccentric cast of characters to the cozy library (my favorite), the town feels alive and inviting—I think I want to move to Michigan now.

I don't have anything constructive or negative to say. Funny Story is a standout romance novel with exceptional character development, captivating storytelling, and just the right amount of emotional depth. While it may not surpass Beach Read, Funny Story comes very very close.

4.5 Stars

I don’t think any other Emily Henry book will ever knock “Book Lovers” off its throne as my favorite but “Funny Story” came VERY close. It’s probably 1A. The writing and the pacing was perfect as always. Our main character, Daphne, is the type of FMC that you can relate to. She was real, she was full of emotion and her character development from start to finish, inspired me in the best way possible. Miles is as charming and adorable as you would expect from Ms. Henry. “Funny Story” is one of the best strangers to lovers stories I’ve ever read. I truly believed Miles and Daphne’s trajectory from two separate heartbroken people to a unit that seemed destined to end up together. I love how despite seeming like complete opposites, they had so much in common and they complemented each other. They also had great chemistry and their slow burn was perfect! Her trademark banter is in full force and the steam is steamy. I loved all the side characters. As a librarian, I appreciate the anecdotes thrown in about library patrons. Daphne and Miles are well-dimensioned and realistic characters and I adored their trajectory in this novel. I think the magic of EH novels are that she envelops romance with themes of personal growth and connection with friends and family that feel so intimate and relatable. I loved that this one was about learning to love yourself and have a full life outside of a romantic relationship. I think that this would make such a good film adaptation. If you are already a fan of Emily Henry, don't miss out on this one; if you haven't read any Emily Henry yet, this is a great one to start with, although you can't go wrong with any of them! Thanks to Emily Henry, Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts. I absolutely CANNOT wait for Emily’s next book!

it was such a fun read! emily henry's books are always a joy to read because of her signature wit and banter. i still love book lovers and happy place much more. i wish this book had a bit more introspection and a bit of a better pacing re: the chemistry between miles and daphne. but so happy i got to read this! and so excited to have a paper copy in my hands!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an egalley of Funny Story. Funny Story is an adorable romantic comedy from Emily Henry. If you loved her other titles you will love Funny Story. I couldn’t put the book down because I was enjoying it so much. My library will definitely be purchasing a book, large type, audio, and e copies of this book.

Emily Henry never misses.

Oh goodness, I'm all happy tears here. I don't know how Emily does it, but every single book is an easy five stars, and that's rare for me. This one is no exception. Everything from the writing (gorgeous!) to the humor and banter (stellar) to the emotional arcs -- pretend I'm miming a chef's kiss.

From the opening, I couldn't put this book down. In short, Daphne is dumped before her wedding, Her fiance ran off with his childhood best friend Petra--- and Petra dumped Miles in doing so, to run off with Daphne's fiance. With nowhere to go, Daphne moves in with Miles. Watching them both heal both apart and together had my heart soaked with feels. I can't put into words how emotionally beautiful this book is. But it's also SO MUCH FUN, Come on -- fake dating to make your exes jealous? Oh, the satisfaction.

I can't say which of Emily's books is my favorite, but oh this book was a joy, and the biggest hug.

I have always been an Emily Henry fan. Her books have always felt so real and I have been able to relate to the characters lives and insecurities that are portrayed in the book. Funny Story is no different. This small town and is full funny characters. I loved the odd situation that got the two main characters together. Overall this book was excellent and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Funny story

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for this eARC!

I hope I never stop getting to read and fall in love with Emily Henry books. The magic she puts in these is UNREAL. Her writing is like comfort for me. I love love loved this. I haven’t laughed this much reading a book in awhile - it was indeed, a Funny Story. Buhdumchhhh. Anyhoo, the banter was in fact off the charts and not just Miles and Daphne but everyone! The wit was chef’s kiss. As was the romance as was the found family as was the character development, esp for Daphne, as was all of it! I felt so connected to this setting and these characters. I especially saw a lot of myself in Daphne and although that admittedly bothered me at first, it also made me love her. I am going to have to ponder where this falls in my ranking but hot dang - everyone get ready for April 23rd.

Just from the start, I immediately started laughing. I just love Daphne so much. She is more than what meets your eye. It’s definitely refreshing to read her story because it’s literally a few weeks after her breakup and she's still processing everything. It definitely stinks to be in her situation, and I just love it that she didn’t roll over when her ex-fiancé told her the news. She literally threw almonds at them. Too funny, yet too satisfying. That’s what they get.
I just love the messiness of these characters. It makes the read so relatable. You can totally understand their situation and pain, but yet, you cheer for them to keep moving. Life is always messy. And it’s something for Miles and Daphne.
I just wanted to hug Daphne and Miles so many times through the book. They each have baggage that they are both dealing with individually and together. It’s heartbreaking to read about their pain from childhood, but it gives us an opportunity to learn who they are and how they are maturing into their true selves. It’s not perfect or settled. And yet, it’s very realistic to learn who they are later on. That’s something Daphne relearns as she navigates her new chapter. Same as Miles as he learns to let Daphne in closer.
I don’t know how to express how much I love this book. It made me laugh so many times as well as cry so many times too. There was so much emotion between the two of them. I feel for them because they spent much of their time with the wrong person, and they are now dealing with the aftermath. It’s not fun or pleasant, but it gets easier for them as they spend more time together. They start to realize how much is missing from their lives. It makes them realize that it wasn’t meant to be with their former exes and deserves much more. And Daphne and Miles deserve each other.
What I love the most about Daphne and Miles is their slow-burn romance between them. Nothing was rushed between them. They were strangers at first, even though they were roommates. But they become so much more when they start to bond and learn more about each other. It’s such a beautiful thing. I love how organic and realistic their relationship was because they actually spend time with each other and share more than they usually do.

It really isn’t a funny story when her fiancé Peter, breaks up with Daphne after his bachelor party because he suddenly realizes that he DOES actually have feelings for his beautiful, (but only platonic) best friend, Petra and that he is marrying the wrong woman.

But, it is what it is.

Daphne has a week to pack up and move out of “their” home, in Waning Bay, Michigan-a place she moved to for Peter. With no family, and just a couple of acquaintances where she works as a children’s librarian, she has nowhere to go.

But there is one person who also suddenly needs another person to split the bills-Miles Nowak -who just happens to be her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex.

Got that?

They would appear to be complete opposites.

Daphne is buttoned up, and has trouble making small talk with strangers. Miles is a scruffy, tattooed guy in Crocs who serves wine at the local wine bar and has never met a stranger. And, they end up forming a tenuous friendship when Miles begins showing Daphne all his favorite places in their quaint lakeside town.

When each receives a wedding invitation in the mail, they agree to RSVP yes.

Peter calls Daphne and assures her that she really shouldn’t feel obligated to come alone. That’s when it slips out that she won’t be alone, because she’s dating Miles.

Except of course, that she isn’t-

But, Miles is game to play along.

Before you know it, he is seeing that underneath all of those buttons is a very funny woman. And, she is seeing that underneath all that “scruff” is a very warm and caring man.

Could Daphne actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex?

I loved meeting both Daphne and Miles-her best couple yet-and their chemistry is sizzling! 🌶️

FUNNY STORY is now my FAVORITE STORY by Emily Henry.

And, it’s available on April 23, 2024.

Thank you to Berkley for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

this was so witty and so thoughtful. emily henry knows how to write characters! everything about this book came to life: the environment, the conversations, the relationship dynamics. every depiction of food made me salivate; every mention of the ocean breeze filled my senses; every tender moment between loved ones made my heart flutter. i truly don’t know how she does it every time!

as a children’s department library employee, i felt very seen in daphne’s love for storytime and each kid that she interacts with. the small town library didn’t feel like a caricature of what it’s like to actually work in a library (unsurprisingly common in these kind of books). it was authentic right down to the tragic toilet incident at the read-a-thon.

as a friends-to-lovers hater, i feel wholly embarrassed. perhaps it was the added fake dating element that helped seal the deal, but i can say, without a doubt, that this trope finally worked for me. the romance and friendship ran so deep between daphne and miles that i really believed in it. also the uncanny circumstance that brought them together helped a lot. (ps- thank you emily henry for the croc-wearing love interest representation. it’s hard for us girlies who love croc men but worth every minute.)

thank you to netgalley and berkley publishing group for the earc! i very much appreciate it.

Emily Henry is one of my must read authors. I read everything that she publishes and have never been disappointed. This book has kept that trend going. I loved it and loved the characters.

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Emily Henry even though I “don’t read” romance. Somehow this non-romance reader has managed to work her way through just about her entire backlist in a year, so…

This novel is definitely my favorite by her and, I think, her best yet. It’s got all the same great features I’ve loved (terrific characters, a few steamy scenes, HEA ending) without the sometimes forced-feeling tropes. The tropes are still there, of course, but they felt a bit more natural in this book and the characters felt less like they were at the whims of those tropes. The characters felt a bit more REAL - and Daphne was an absolutely superb representation of a librarian, if I may say.