Book Review: Happy Place by Emily Henry
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Looking for your next Emily Henry fix? This book might just be next on your TBR!
After joining bookstagram, everyone has hyped up Emily Henry and her books, so I thought I would jump on the hype train!
I have read one of her previous books, and it didn’t hit the mark for me. So I decided to give Happy Place another chance, mainly because I loved the bright book cover.
I read this through my library from the Libby app and this is my honest opinion.
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?
A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.
Summary: Happy Place by Emily Henry
Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since their college days. But they broke up six months ago, and they’re keeping it hush-hush, even from their closest friends.
Now it’s time for their yearly retreat at a charming Maine cottage with their squad. But this time, things are different. The cottage is up for sale, and it’s everyone’s last hurrah together in this beloved spot.
Determined not to ruin the vibe, Harriet and Wyn agree to fake it till they make it, playing the roles of the perfect couple for their friends’ sake.
While faking it, old feelings resurface faster than you can say “lobster rolls.” Can they keep up the act for one more week, surrounded by the people who know them best?
My Thoughts: Happy Place by Emily Henry
I found Emily Henry’s writing to be authentic and done very well, even if Happy Place didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
I have mixed feelings about this book. While I thought the alternating timeline aspect was handled well, I was hoping for a bit more of “the feels” if you know what I mean.
It took me until 30% of the book to settle in and get excited. Then by about 70%, I realized that the whole book was a miscommunication between Harriet and Wyn that came down to 4 minutes on the phone.
I loved Harriet. I understood her.
In fact, I feel like she embodied my childhood: her desire to please her parents, her drive to do well in school and get a great paying job (as well as the nod to the title “brain surgeon”), the way she goes along with decisions and doesn’t truly stand up for herself.
That’s me.
Wyn, on the other hand, didn’t fight for very much at all. He seemed one-dimensional. I don’t have much to say about Wyn other than he was good-looking and he stayed loyal to Harriet.
Their relationship also was underwhelming. It was built up that they had this great and only love, but 4 minutes on the phone tore down 8 years of a relationship.
Though it was confusing at first, I truly loved the way Emily Henry took us full circle from the “happy place” in the past to the “happy place” now.
I loved that Harriet and her core friend group were able to reminisce and experience the magic of Knott’s Harbor throughout the book. That made me think of my own friends and our happy times together.
Overall, there was so much hype around this book and I was just underwhelmed. Maybe Emily Henry’s next book will be more my cup of tea?
Final Thoughts: Happy Place by Emily Henry
I found aspects of Emily Henry’s writing to enjoy, despite feeling a bit underwhelmed by the overall story.
If you are looking for a light-hearted read with moments of depth and emotion, this book might just be your happy place! Many readers have enjoyed reading Happy Place and love Emily Henry!
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