Name: mariola's review of Happy Place by Emily Henry
Item: Happy Place
Rating: 5
Author: mariola

Emily Henry

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.

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?

Happy Place

Two exes. One pact. Could this holiday change everything? 'One of my favourite authors' Colleen Hoover, It Ends With Us 'The master of witty repartee' Daily Mail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple - they go together like bread and butter, gin and tonic, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Except, now they don't. They broke up six months ago. And they still haven't told anyone. Which is how they end up sharing a bedroom at the cottage that has been their yearly getaway with their best friends for the past decade. For one glorious week they leave behind their lives, drink far too much wine and soak up the sea air with their favourite people. Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth. The cottage is for sale so this is the last time they'll all be together here and they can't bear to break their friends' hearts. So, they'll fake it for one more week. It's a flawless plan (if you look at it through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). But how can you pretend to be in love with someone - and get away with it - in front of the people who know you best? Brimming with characters you can't help but fall for and off-the-charts chemistry, HAPPY PLACE is Emily Henry's best novel yet. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Emily Henry never fails to deliver great banter and a romance to swoon over' Taylor Jenkins Reid, Daisy Jones and the Six 'I've loved every single one of her books more than the previous, to the point that I cannot wait to see what her next title will do to me!' Ali Hazelwood, The Love Hypothesis 'Emily Henry's books are a gift, the perfect balance between steamy and sweet' V. E Schwab, Gallant 'Our generation's answer to Nora Ephron' Sophie Cousens, This Time Next Year 'My newest automatic-buy author' Jodi Picoult, Wish You Were Here 'I don't understand how Emily Henry can KEEP getting better and better when her books are already so good!' Laura Jane Williams, Our Stop 'I would follow Emily Henry anywhere' Emma Straub, All Adults Here 'Nobody does it quite like Emily Henry' Casey McQuiston, Red, White & Royal Blue 'Emily Henry is now an auto-buy author for me' Red Magazine

One Holiday Change Everything for These Exes?

Sophia

"They know how I am when I'm with you, Harriet."

Sometimes when he comes back, and he thinks I'm asleep, he'll finally let himself cry, and I think, though I don't know to whom or what, 

Please, please help. Please help him stop hurting so much.

I'll make bargains with the universe: If I make the apartment cozier. If I don't complain about work. If I make the most of the constant rain. If I need nothing from him, he'll be okay.

Before I knew Wyn, I could have been okay without him. Now I'll always feel the place he isn't.

You are where my mind goes when it needs to be soothed.

He's become my best friend the way the others did. Bit by bit, sand passing through an hour glass so slowly, it's impossible to pin down the moment it happens. When suddenly, more of my heart belongs to him than doesn't, and I know I'll never get a single grain back.

My best friends taught me a new kind of quiet, the peaceful stillness of knowing one another so well you don’t need to fill the space. And a new kind of loud: noise as a celebration, as the overflow of joy at being alive, here, now.

"I love you," he says into my mouth, and I wish I could swallow it, like that would let me keep that sound forever, this moment forever.

My nose burns. My voice crackles. "Don't say that."

"Because," I say, "those words don't belong to me anymore."

"Of course they do," he says. "They belonged to you before I ever saw you. They belong to you in every universe we're in, Harriet."

"For Sabrina and me, it's different. In our families, there was no coming back from fights. Her dad would rather divorce than apologize, and in my house, arguments always ended with everyone leaving. Things never got resolved; they calloused over."

"Sabrina didn't run because she doesn't want you," I say. "She ran because she's scared that, in the end, she won't be worth chasing."

"There was nothing bigger than you," he says raggedly. "Not to me. Not ever."

Beside me, Wyn lifts his arm in invitation, and either because everyone's watching or because I simply want to, I curl against his side, his warm arm settling over me, his sweat and detergent and deodorant and toothpaste knitting together to cloak me in my favorite smell.

Neither of us moves, or even looks away. The wanting is palpable.

"Shit," Wyn says, shaking his head. "I don't like not touching you."

My laugh is breathless, woozy. "We both know that's not true."

He studies me for a second, brow furrowed. "Frustrate, maybe. Not annoy."

His eyes drop to my legs and back up. "When you're annoyed, you don't want to be around a person." His chin shifts to the left, not quite a shake of his hand. "I always want to be around you."

Quietly, in a murmer, he says, "Marry me, Harriet."

He stills. He blinks, like he's trying to puzzle out what I just said. The teakettle has started to whistle. I catch his jaw. "Wyn, yes."

"Or the Harriets in universes where you're with the Dancers Named Alison of the world," I say.

"No," he says quietly. "In every universe, it's you for me. Even if it's not me for you."

The sex slows down, but not the touching, not the affection. His love is steady, constant. Easier than breathing, because 

 is something you can overthink, to the point that you forget how your lungs work and get yourself into a panic.

Sometimes, lying beside him in our bed, my ice-cold feet tucked between his warm calves, the words flit through my mind, like they're coming from somewhere else, like my soul hears his whispering in its sleep. 

"You said it felt like a Ferris wheel," I say. "Like all your thoughts were constantly circling, and you'd reach out for one, but it was hard to stay on it for too long because they kept spinning."

The lines of his face soften. His finger curl, the backs of his nails pressing into my skin. "Except with you. You're like gravity."

I couldn't have pulled myself away from him then even if he'd burst into flames.

"Everything keeps spinning," he says in a low, hoarse voice. "But my mind's always got one hand on you."

His teeth scrape over the fullest part of his lip. "You can trust me, Harriet."

In that moment, he pierces a little deeper into my heart, opens another door, finds an entire walled-off room I didn't realize was there.

He pulls me into his chest, and our heartbeats sync. I've never felt so certain of anything, so right, so safe.

When we drew apart, he rests his brow against mine, breathing hard in the cold. "I think I love you, Harriet," he says.

 And I'll never be happy without it again.

Without any forethought, any worry, I tell him the truth. "I know I love you, Wyn."

He touches my chin, his hand shaking a little, and slides his nose down along mine. "I love you so much, Harriet."

"It's by this married couple who usually publish seperately. One of them writes literary doorstop novels and the other writes romance."

Deimante Jocaite 

“I’m saying,” he murmurs softly, “it’s not 

“In every universe, it’s you for me. Even if it’s not me for you.” 

His love is steady, constant. Easier than breathing, because breathing is something you can overthink, to the point that you forget how your lungs work and get yourself into a panic. 

alexys <3

He will be waiting on the other side, still covered in sawdust and smelling like pine. Before I even see him, my heart starts singing its favorite song.

"I'm saying," he murmurs softly, "it's not 

mariola

This book was AMAZING. I don't know why but I soul-bonded with all of them. This was my favorite book of hers by FAR. Even tho, I love Gus. Wyn and Harriet are EVERYTHING.

Aly Valenz

A book about choosing happiness over anything else. Heartbreaking, beautiful, and eye-opening. 

i feel like this would be better if they actually liked each other and were capable of using their listening ears and grown up words

Stas

Happy Place by Emily Henry a fantastic summer read. It was a beautiful, heartwarming read that made me feel genuinely warm and fuzzy throughout.

What stood out most to me, as always with Emily Henry were the characters. Harriet and Wyn were both incredibly well-developed, layered, and emotionally resonant. I found myself fully understanding the motivations behind their actions and choices, right or wrong, even when they weren’t saying them out loud. The way their past was woven into the present story felt effortless, it never distracted from the plot. Their banter was a particular highlight and their humor and chemistry made their connection feel both natural and electric.

The wider friend group was just as compelling. Each character had depth, and the group dynamic was so well-drawn that I felt like there with them. Their loyalty to one another, even through tension and change, felt very real.

And the setting?! Absolutely gorgeous. The childhood summer house, with its nostalgic charm and coastal backdrop, was the perfect setting for a story about lost time, rekindled connection, and finding your way back to your happy place. 

Overall, this was another hit from Emily Henry. Funny, emotional, summery, and sincere. It didn’t top Funny Story for me personally but it still delivered everything I love about her writing.

Eimear O'Connor 

Happy Place by Emily Henry a fantastic summer read. It was a beautiful, heartwarming read that made me feel genuinely warm and fuzzy throughout.

What stood out most to me, as always with Emily Henry were the characters. Harriet and Wyn were both incredibly well-developed, layered, and emotionally resonant. I found myself fully understanding the motivations behind their actions and choices, right or wrong, even when they weren’t saying them out loud. The way their past was woven into the present story felt effortless, it never distracted from the plot. Their banter was a particular highlight and their humor and chemistry made their connection feel both natural and electric.

The wider friend group was just as compelling. Each character had depth, and the group dynamic was so well-drawn that I felt like there with them. Their loyalty to one another, even through tension and change, felt very real.

And the setting?! Absolutely gorgeous. The childhood summer house, with its nostalgic charm and coastal backdrop, was the perfect setting for a story about lost time, rekindled connection, and finding your way back to your happy place. 

Overall, this was another hit from Emily Henry. Funny, emotional, summery, and sincere. It didn’t top Funny Story for me personally but it still delivered everything I love about her writing.

I have enjoyed all of Emily Henry's books so far, so I was excited to get into this one. I loved the themes of friendship and change in this book. It was beautifully written and really showed that even if you are going through different stages in your life, it is okay for your friendships to grow and change with you. It also really emphasized that it is okay to go through rough patches in a relationship, it is even okay to take a break, but at the end of the day it is important to talk to each other and work through it. One of my favorite parts of this book was Harriet realizing what she really wants out of life, even if it seems scary. 

Maggie Hotmer

"Want is a kind of thief. It's a door in your heart, and once you know it's there, you'll spend your life longing for whatever's behind it."

More than being a romance genre, some parts—if not most—of the book have that self-help kind of feel. This book made me self-reflect because of how each and every character resonated with me. Though it's a 3-star read for me because of the predictability of the ending, I'd still recommend this book as a must-read, especially to anyone who's in a phase of figuring things out in life.

Kath

"Want is a kind of thief. It's a door in your heart, and once you know it's there, you'll spend your life longing for whatever's behind it."

More than being a romance genre, some parts—if not most—of the book have that self-help kind of feel. This book made me self-reflect because of how each and every character resonated with me. Though it's a 3-star read for me because of the predictability of the ending, I'd still recommend this book as a must-read, especially to anyone who's in a phase of figuring things out in life.

Was hesitant to pick this book up because I didn’t particularly enjoy the others written by Emily Henry but I found myself resonating a lot with Harriet’s struggles with her job. This isn’t exactly the kind of romance novel you’d feel good about reading and then forget about right after simply because there were several other ongoing themes such as career and friendship that the author explored. Just like Harriet, I am tired all the time and I feel like I don’t have time or energy to try anything new because everything I have is poured into my job. However, unlike her, I’ve yet to figure out what it is that I want and the thought of giving up everything that I’ve built for the past five years or so is quite terrifying. I love reading multi-dimensional books that make me think more deeply about my own life. I used to go through romance novels at the speed of light but somehow it’s been harder to sustain my interest. I didn’t read this super quickly but I’m glad that I made it to the end. One key takeaway would be to consider what our happy place is and find more ways to bring it into our day-to-day life!

Cheryl Mah

A book that reveals even soul mates will have rough patches. A raw, funny, and entertaining book about friendship and love in your 30s.

Siri 

i love emily henry. it got slow for a min but i love emily henry. wyn the love of my life. 

It just got progressively boring dear lord

Iva Corlija

sometimes when denmark is extra dark and dreary, happy place is the perfect comfort book to remind you of all the people you're missing. no matter the distance, we will always find each other won't we? 

camille paradis

I usually enjoy Emily Henry's books, but not this one.

The story was boring and the ending was so disappointing and to be honest, infuriating.

How can two adult people that have been in a relationship for 8 years have so much miscommunication between them! You are adults not teenagers, talk about things!

the secondary characters were so flat, it seems like they were just some keywords on the paper, "funny one", "logical one", "corky one".

Yega

I usually enjoy Emily Henry's books, but not this one.

The story was boring and the ending was so disappointing and to be honest, infuriating.

How can two adult people that have been in a relationship for 8 years have so much miscommunication between them! You are adults not teenagers, talk about things!

the secondary characters were so flat, it seems like they were just some keywords on the paper, "funny one", "logical one", "corky one".

Such a cute romance. If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers, one room romances, this is definitely something you’d love to read. It does a great job with the insecurities we face as we age and find ourselves in different places from the friends we once had. 

Amanda 

i dont understand the hate this book got, it was actually pretty decent and i loved all the themes it explored outside of romance

Janet Akisanmi

emily you didn’t have to hurt me like that. 

Liv Harman 

This book had one of the silliest, derivative, inane, and annoying plots I have read in a while. I have soooo many gripes about this book but most of them revolve around how forced the conflicts were. like this is a plot that makes more sense for a pair of tweens to go through not two thirty year olds??? also the friendships were cute but lacked depth because the book spends soooooo long harping on harriet and wyn’s relationship and not celebrating her friendships which were like honestly just as important and had way more potential to be interesting.

the ending really incensed me too like noooooo way is this the message we want to send like omfg it was too much for me. 

Daphne Li-Chen

This book had one of the silliest, derivative, inane, and annoying plots I have read in a while. I have soooo many gripes about this book but most of them revolve around how forced the conflicts were. like this is a plot that makes more sense for a pair of tweens to go through not two thirty year olds??? also the friendships were cute but lacked depth because the book spends soooooo long harping on harriet and wyn’s relationship and not celebrating her friendships which were like honestly just as important and had way more potential to be interesting.

the ending really incensed me too like noooooo way is this the message we want to send like omfg it was too much for me. 

idk i feel like i would’ve ve liked it better if it weren’t for the fact that they’d been together for 8 years and their miscommunication skills were THAT bad. not really a fan of the push and pull thing they got going on. harry is always horny, it’s insufferable, and wyn is so one-dimensional it physically hurts. all that banter and build up only for them to have no tension whatsoever. i wanted more out of the whole break up, the broken love, the grief, the sadness, the coping, but all i got was a summary that didn’t really capture what it wanted to give and harry’s thighs always pooling and i’m sick of reading it in every single chapter. 

the friend group was meh. i only really liked cleo and kimmy, but for thirty-year-olds they sure do act a bit immature and insufferable. ten years of friendship but the feeling of insecurity because you don’t text and call each other every week because you guys are busy with your own lives? come on. 

also, nothing wrong with pursuing your passion, it’s just that i wish the subject on wanting to drop out of medical school was explored in a better way. hobbies exist and it’s valid to hate your job sometimes! what happened to all the inspiring stuff she said in the beginning, only in the end to suddenly say “no i don’t like it”, it’s just so out of the blue. sorry, i just don’t buy it.

idk i feel like i would’ve ve liked it better if it weren’t for the fact that they’d been together for 8 years and their miscommunication skills were THAT bad. not really a fan of the push and pull thing they got going on. harry is always horny, it’s insufferable, and wyn is so one-dimensional it physically hurts. all that banter and build up only for them to have no tension whatsoever. i wanted more out of the whole break up, the broken love, the grief, the sadness, the coping, but all i got was a summary that didn’t really capture what it wanted to give and harry’s thighs always pooling and i’m sick of reading it in every single chapter. 

the friend group was meh. i only really liked cleo and kimmy, but for thirty-year-olds they sure do act a bit immature and insufferable. ten years of friendship but the feeling of insecurity because you don’t text and call each other every week because you guys are busy with your own lives? come on. 

also, nothing wrong with pursuing your passion, it’s just that i wish the subject on wanting to drop out of medical school was explored in a better way. hobbies exist and it’s valid to hate your job sometimes! what happened to all the inspiring stuff she said in the beginning, only in the end to suddenly say “no i don’t like it”, it’s just so out of the blue. sorry, i just don’t buy it.

Beautiful! This book felt an aching sense of nostalgia. Like my heart was growing too rapidly it was almost painful in the best way but also in a tear-jerking, emotional rollercoaster sort of way. This book almost felt like therapy for me, Em Hen is wise beyond her years 🫶

took almost (or already?) a month to finish this book. sebelum baca buku ini, ekspektasi gue tinggi banget mengingat ini buku selalu best seller, tapi pas udah baca sendiri… agak kecewa.

mungkin karena gue benci banget miscommunication trope kali ya makanya pas baca agak jengkel gegara alasan utama wyn sama harriet pisah cuma karena mereka GAK NGOMONG ke satu sama lain perasaan mereka/pikiran mereka kayak gimana. mereka terlalu sering berasumsi sendiri tentang apa yang pasangan mereka pikirin.

terus, wyn and harriet is too horny to each other that sometimes i just can’t understand. bisa gitu lagi ngomong serius, tiba-tiba horny? like.. wtf? gue merasa banyak unnecessary scene when they lust for each other. itu yang bikin turn off dan bikin lama selesai bacanya. apa-apa dikaitin sama napsu. sebel.

took almost (or already?) a month to finish this book. sebelum baca buku ini, ekspektasi gue tinggi banget mengingat ini buku selalu best seller, tapi pas udah baca sendiri… agak kecewa.

mungkin karena gue benci banget miscommunication trope kali ya makanya pas baca agak jengkel gegara alasan utama wyn sama harriet pisah cuma karena mereka GAK NGOMONG ke satu sama lain perasaan mereka/pikiran mereka kayak gimana. mereka terlalu sering berasumsi sendiri tentang apa yang pasangan mereka pikirin.

terus, wyn and harriet is too horny to each other that sometimes i just can’t understand. bisa gitu lagi ngomong serius, tiba-tiba horny? like.. wtf? gue merasa banyak unnecessary scene when they lust for each other. itu yang bikin turn off dan bikin lama selesai bacanya. apa-apa dikaitin sama napsu. sebel.

Mooi verhaal maar niet wat ik had gehoopt. 

Lien Andries 

Harriet and wyns relationship was so sad and beautiful and just EVERYTHING TO ME. They had me crying and laughing and giggling they were just so. I loved them sm. Although I do HATE the miscommunication trope and while i enjoyed wynharriet i really needed them to actually talk cuz all they did in “real life” was kiss fuck and continue with their “i love you but we cant be with eo bcuz youre happy now” like girl just TALK IT OUT PLS I WILL CRY PLS TALK JUST TALK. Anyways yeah i really really enjoyed this but the miscommunication was annoying me so bad😭

Aisha 

another good/easy read by Emily Henry! some of the scenes btw Wyn and Harriet got me kicking my feet and feeling butterflies

mariola &
Happy Place by Emily Henry

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