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hmwoodward's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Emily Henry delivers with her usual humor, chemistry, and banter with this one. I always feel like I'm there beside the characters in her books from the way she describes everything. I'm seriously craving the smell and feel of sunscreen and ocean water and the smell and taste of buttery lobster thanks to this read!
While not dissimilar to her other books, this one is a second chance romance and has a different feel and tension to it because of that dynamic. Harriet and Wyn are stuck together because of the group vacation and because the years of their relationship have led to a friend group that's venn diagram is just a circle. They are navigating the ramifications of their breakup for themselves and how it complicates things for everyone around them. All this while an old group of friends tries to live out their glory days for the last trip to their go-to spot ever and are all dealing with their own separate issues.
This book realistically address the challenges of a relationship where you grow up together and friendships where you grow up together. If you aren't careful, you can grow apart entirely.
I also really felt for the main character in her struggles with her career and her future - I have certainly been there before myself. It was just another relatable and realistic aspect in this one.
While not dissimilar to her other books, this one is a second chance romance and has a different feel and tension to it because of that dynamic. Harriet and Wyn are stuck together because of the group vacation and because the years of their relationship have led to a friend group that's venn diagram is just a circle. They are navigating the ramifications of their breakup for themselves and how it complicates things for everyone around them. All this while an old group of friends tries to live out their glory days for the last trip to their go-to spot ever and are all dealing with their own separate issues.
This book realistically address the challenges of a relationship where you grow up together and friendships where you grow up together. If you aren't careful, you can grow apart entirely.
I also really felt for the main character in her struggles with her career and her future - I have certainly been there before myself. It was just another relatable and realistic aspect in this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Infidelity and Pregnancy
adamagoesit_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.75
Wow, where do I start. This story had me in tears during & after I finished the book. Emily Henry has an amazing grab on how she constructs her characters. Wyn and Harriet are definitely made for each other, in every universe. I solely believe that because despite the struggle to keep their breakup a secret, they were able to come to terms (at some point) how everything started to crumble. The friendship between Cleo, Sabrina and Harriet is so precious and you see how much they care about each other. This book has made me a firm lover of the found family trope.I loved that all these characters care about each other in a way that is realistic and whole.
The way we understand Wyn’s mind through Harriet’s POV made me understand why he acts the way he does. Their familial differences, uprbringings, and career paths was imperial to how Harriet shaped her future when it came to her family and Wyn. However, it became her biggest enemy and a big piece as to why she ended up pushing everyone she loved away. She didn’t feel like she was enough for the people that felt that she was just right. Wyn was also terrified of losing Harriet because she was the first person to treat him like he belonged here. Henry did such a good job of intertwining their differences that was a source of the miscommunication in the relationship. The payoff was a tad dragged out but it worked out in the end, imo.
I usually do not like past/present timelines in books but this time, the transitions flowed with ease and explained the background information very well. I willl say, I started this book MONTHS ago and just recently finished since I was getting a bit distracted and felt that the plot was dragging a bit. I am so happy I picked it back up since it is instantly up there for one of my favorite books this year.
I can’t wait for her next book (:
The way we understand Wyn’s mind through Harriet’s POV made me understand why he acts the way he does. Their familial differences, uprbringings, and career paths was imperial to how Harriet shaped her future when it came to her family and Wyn. However, it became her biggest enemy and a big piece as to why she ended up pushing everyone she loved away. She didn’t feel like she was enough for the people that felt that she was just right. Wyn was also terrified of losing Harriet because she was the first person to treat him like he belonged here. Henry did such a good job of intertwining their differences that was a source of the miscommunication in the relationship. The payoff was a tad dragged out but it worked out in the end, imo.
I usually do not like past/present timelines in books but this time, the transitions flowed with ease and explained the background information very well. I willl say, I started this book MONTHS ago and just recently finished since I was getting a bit distracted and felt that the plot was dragging a bit. I am so happy I picked it back up since it is instantly up there for one of my favorite books this year.
I can’t wait for her next book (:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Mental illness
book_gremlin42's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
pencilspeaker's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Was pretty interesting and I can definitely relate to the main characters, but I just couldn't get into the story. Might be the format tho, maybe I have to pick up a physical copy in English sometime and try again (rather than to listen to the German audio book). Definitely didn't expect it to be so "deep" - I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, if this is just another rom-com but it picked up a lot of anxieties that come with life changing after college. Also, the spice was just cringe as a German audio book - not my cup of tea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Death of parent
bumblemee's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
Oh well, these self-deprecating little losers got a place in my heart now <3
I'm always a sucker for the found family trope, which immediately made me like this book. The characters are such a well thought out friend group, who love each other so much that it'll warm your heart in no time. Their relationships with each other felt very real, which helped making the characters themselves feel real. All of them just .. made sense in a way. I also thought most of them had their time to shine and become a complex person in the eye of the reader, which I think was nice, because I worry sometimes that side characters don't get enough depth, since they're not the couple the story focuses on. But in this case I got a clear sense for all of them, which makes sense since while this is a romance book, it takes its time to explore friendship as well.
I really loved Harriet - probably bc I related to her a lot. Maybe you find her annoying if you can't see aspects of yourself in her and would just like to shake her sometimes and tell her that she's way too much in her head without finding someone to do a reality check with. She struggles a lot with listening to her own needs and the negative consequences this can have, even if her goal is to do the opposite: make everyone happy.
I thought it was very interesting how Harriet and Wyn were written - both with low self-esteem for different reasons and in a way that makes it hard for them to communicate effectively when they'd need it most. It's sometimes hard to read this kind of story, where there's a lack of communication, which you as the reader can see clearly. But in this case it felt very natural, you could understand why they can't get their shit together sooner. (Not gonna lie though, I was a little frustrated at times, but it was okay.)
The tone of this book was a little bittersweet in my opinion, especially because we spend a lot of time exploring the relationships between characters before the events of the book (the good and he bad), but also get to see the complicated situation they're in at the moment. A lot of people on here say that this book is "lighthearted" and I see why, but to me it wasn't. Maybe that's a matter of the state you're in when reading this and how the topics resonate with you. It my case, this book didn't drag me down or anything, but it made me (a little) sad more often than not to be honest, so I can't say I thought of it as lighthearted.
I'm always a sucker for the found family trope, which immediately made me like this book. The characters are such a well thought out friend group, who love each other so much that it'll warm your heart in no time. Their relationships with each other felt very real, which helped making the characters themselves feel real. All of them just .. made sense in a way. I also thought most of them had their time to shine and become a complex person in the eye of the reader, which I think was nice, because I worry sometimes that side characters don't get enough depth, since they're not the couple the story focuses on. But in this case I got a clear sense for all of them, which makes sense since while this is a romance book, it takes its time to explore friendship as well.
I really loved Harriet - probably bc I related to her a lot. Maybe you find her annoying if you can't see aspects of yourself in her and would just like to shake her sometimes and tell her that she's way too much in her head without finding someone to do a reality check with. She struggles a lot with listening to her own needs and the negative consequences this can have, even if her goal is to do the opposite: make everyone happy.
I thought it was very interesting how Harriet and Wyn were written - both with low self-esteem for different reasons and in a way that makes it hard for them to communicate effectively when they'd need it most. It's sometimes hard to read this kind of story, where there's a lack of communication, which you as the reader can see clearly. But in this case it felt very natural, you could understand why they can't get their shit together sooner. (Not gonna lie though, I was a little frustrated at times, but it was okay.)
The tone of this book was a little bittersweet in my opinion, especially because we spend a lot of time exploring the relationships between characters before the events of the book (the good and he bad), but also get to see the complicated situation they're in at the moment. A lot of people on here say that this book is "lighthearted" and I see why, but to me it wasn't. Maybe that's a matter of the state you're in when reading this and how the topics resonate with you. It my case, this book didn't drag me down or anything, but it made me (a little) sad more often than not to be honest, so I can't say I thought of it as lighthearted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Chronic illness
cdoubet's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Car accident and Pregnancy
marmalade_and_books's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
5.0
This might be recency bias speaking, but it’s possible that Happy Place is my new favorite Emily Henry novel. Harriet’s character resonated with me the most out of all the EH heroines. Her instinct to please others—even to her own detriment—and commitment to her career path was all too familiar. I found myself questioning my intentions of pursuing my career field several times over the course of the book.
Wyn’s character was not at all what I expected—he was better. He’s the doting, thoughtful, and loyal flirt we all wish we knew and could call our own (as least that’s true for me).
And what would an EH book be without some sort of parent-trauma? That part hits home every time…maybe I should try therapy!
I loved this book’s theme of found family and holding on to the people that matter most to you even if that relationship changes over time. I wanted to text my friends several times while reading this to tell them that I love them.
“I wish I could swallow the sound, that it would put down roots in my stomach and grow through me like a seed.”
Wyn’s character was not at all what I expected—he was better. He’s the doting, thoughtful, and loyal flirt we all wish we knew and could call our own (as least that’s true for me).
And what would an EH book be without some sort of parent-trauma? That part hits home every time…maybe I should try therapy!
I loved this book’s theme of found family and holding on to the people that matter most to you even if that relationship changes over time. I wanted to text my friends several times while reading this to tell them that I love them.
“I wish I could swallow the sound, that it would put down roots in my stomach and grow through me like a seed.”
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, and Blood
one_more_chapter96's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
My most bittersweet read of 2023, and maybe my favourite. I shed a tear almost every chapter even when it was a happy one. The portrayal of adult friendships, found family, childhood trauma and long-term love was heartbreaking but healing at the same time. Such a funny, beautiful and sad story. Wyn and Harriet are soul mates in every sense of the word and I adored them - all the characters felt so real & it makes you want to be in the book with them. Just when you think Emily Henry can’t do better; she does.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
isacarvalho91's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
bringmybooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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
4.75
you’re either gonna love it or hate it and idk what to tell you
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
I honestly & truly don’t think this book is going to be for everyone, and I honestly & truly don’t think all of Emily Henry is for everyone (4 starred her first two, lukewarm on them in retrospect, DNFed Book Lovers, don’t @ me). All of that being said, I honestly & truly loved this book.
(Also, did I finally break down and decide to read this because the MC loves Murder She Wrote? no comment)
There are some books that I think have universal appeal, and others that hit harder because of the life you’ve lived and the experiences you’ve had, and I think that was a huge part of why this hit so well for me. I can totally understand why people would look at this and go “miscommunication trope at it’s finest, yawn” but (as someone who’s not typically a fan of this trope) I felt this was a super realistic portrayal of trying to figure out who you are and what you want as you grow older, especially as you try to do it in a relationship with someone you love who is growing up alongside you.
One of my gripes with some of EH’s work is that it’s too … quippy. Nobody can be “on” 24/7, zinging barbs back and forth with whomever they come across from the moment they open their eyes until the moment they go to bed. Sometimes even the quippiest person just calls their partner and says, “Hey, do we need milk?” without there being a joke attached to it, you know?
That being said, I felt that that the characters in this book were way more realistic, and I actually believed in them, which made it a lot easier to stay invested in the story & in their relationships. It’s got so much heart in the way that growing up in a friend group is described, especially as we start to want different things that don’t align with how our friends or partners are growing up.
tl;dr this one brought me back to EH and I’ll be giving her next one a read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Chronic illness, Drug use, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Dementia, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment