“All those moments throughout the days, weeks, months that don't get marked on calendars with hand-drawn stars or little stickers.
Those are the moments that make a life.
Not grand gestures, but mundane details that, over time, accumulate until you have a home, instead of a house.
The things that matter.
The things I can't stop longing for.”
As the weather warms up, there are certain things we can rely on - camps begin to open, the hiking trails get fuller, and Emily Henry graces us all with another one of her delightfully wonderful summer romances. This summer, Henry gives us "Funny Story", and boy, is it a good one. "Funny Story" follows Daphne, whose engagement recently ended when her fiancé Peter and his longtime friend Petra decided to be more than friends. Kicked out of her house with nowhere to go, Daphne ends up bunking with Petra's ex, Miles. At the start of the novel, Daphne intends to leave the town after the Read-a-thon at her local library where she works, but as she discovers ways to make this place her own, many different feelings start to change.
As with all of Henry's books, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Could it be that I have a new favourite "Emily Henry" leading man? Sorry Gus. Miles and Daphne were two characters I really enjoyed reading about and getting to know. Both were hurt when their partners decided to be together, but both also have past family history and trauma that they are trying to work through as well. As we learn more about both characters and their history, we see clear evidence of Henry's skillful writing all over again. The author has a gift to write these hilarious and witty love stories, but also include some challenging topics that her characters have to fight through as well. In "Funny Story", family dynamics are at the forefront of this issue, which is not always easy to read about. Henry does an excellent job of blending all of these storylines together, as well as the struggle of making new friends as an adult, with side characters such as Ashleigh and Julia.
Henry's novels have taken on a bit of a pattern, and that is perfectly fine with this reader. The familiar arc of the story made this a book I simply couldn't put down, but also didn't want to end! Romance novels are labelled as such when they include an HEA: Happily Ever After. Just like rom-coms on the big screen, you can usually anticipate how romance novels are going to end. But - and especially in Henry's case - the journey of how the characters get there and the growing they do along the way is the real treat the readers are in for, along with the growing romantic feelings. And the spicy romance scenes! Plus, the main character is a children's librarian, so I think this one was destined to be a winner from the start. Emily Henry's books are an absolute delight, and her latest novel is no different. Be sure to place a hold on Funny Story today!
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