Happy Place by Emily Henry: Book Review

Happy Place is the story of a couple who had broken up several months before are invited separately to a friends getaway in this highly entertaining forced-proximity romance.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Penguin Audio and Libro.fm for the ALC of this audiobook. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

From The Publisher:

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?

My Thoughts:

Emily Henry has become one of my favourite authors and this book certainly did not disappoint. The characters are well-developed with interesting backstories and were highly likeable. Like Henry’s earlier books, the banter and quick wit between characters make this book highly entertaining. There is also a meaningful discussion about grief and depression which was written with respect and care.

The story is told in two timeframes from Harriet’s perspective: “Happy Place” and “Real Life”. I appreciated the slowly-revealed reflections on earlier times in their relationship which make up Harriet’s “Happy Place”. This is a romance novel so it will be no surprise that these two timeframes eventually converge.

Harriet and Wyn met in college and were great friends before becoming a perfectly-matched couple. That is until they broke up several months ago. Each has been invited to a getaway to the Maine cottage one last time before it is sold. No other members of this group know that the two are no longer a couple and because a special event has been planned for this week, they aren’t about to tell them.

Forced to share the largest and most romantic bedroom, neither Harriet nor Wyn can deny that the attraction between them has diminished. As the week progresses and they are thrown together more and more, the reason for their breakup is disclosed – both to the reader and to the couple.

I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by one of my favourite narrators, Julia Whelan. She does an incredible job of bringing these characters to life, providing an easy to listen to and believable quality to both Harriet and Wyn. I highly recommend the audiobook version to those that enjoy this format.

I recommend this book to those readers who enjoy romance or romantic comedies with a great story and plenty of banter.

What I Liked:

• Well-developed characters with interesting backstories
• The banter and use of quick wit throughout the book
• The care and attention in discussing a character’s grief and depression.

Other Books I’ve Reviewed from Emily Henry:

Beach Read

You And Me On Vacation

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