Reviews

Happy Place by Emily Henry

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ev3lyth's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

i'm not a big fan of second chances in romance bc it lacks the initial magic of falling in love for the first time. i enjoy witnessing the soft touches, the bottled-up feelings and the enchantment of that initial connection. second chances are more abt resolving problems which doesn't quite capture the same allure. while this story does offer glimpses of Harriet and Wyn's first meeting in flashbacks, they quickly progress from that point. still, the depth of Wyn's love and his unwavering commitment to Harriet are adorable. i wish we had seen more of their emotional development.

the theme of adult friendships growing apart is relatable and difficult to navigate, portraying real-life problems effectively. some reviewers found the friend group dynamics frustrating due to the characters' miscommunications but isn't that often the root cause of many real-life issues? this part of the story was challenging to read, yet it resonated with its authenticity.

i am not sure abt the amount of page time dedicated to the friend group dynamics. on one hand, i picked up the book for a love story between two people but on the other hand, the friends are integral to the narrative.

the book explores various heartfelt and genuine topics like people-pleasing, feeling inadequate in a relationship and the trauma of being raised by parents who don't love each other. the author's exploration of these themes is deeply insightful.

one aspect that didn't quite work for me was the resolution. Harriet and Wyn's issues weren't fully resolved, considering her people-pleasing tendencies and his insecurities. they could have spent more time addressing these issues. additionally, Harriet's decision to quit her job and move to Montana felt abrupt and lacked sufficient foreshadowing.

i have mixed feelings abt this book. i loved it at times, but i also had moments of frustration. but the story's realism and relatability make it worth considering, even though i have some criticisms.

jeannychints's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

airwreckaam's review

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challenging emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

cass_89's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

sren's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

talyasoytas's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This had no business whatsoever making me cry this hard. As far as a second chance romance goes, I think stories work better if the gap between the first and second relationship is further apart in time, because it gives the people room to grow and change. This was more of a ‘i haven’t even gotten over you’ sort of story so my enjoyment was a little deflated.

Other than that though, the connections with the other characters, the back and forth with the present and the younger characters, and just the overall emotional intensity Emily Henry captured on stage were ten out of ten. Not my fave of her books but definitely a great read.