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A review by cinderellasbookshelf
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
It’s been a while since I last read a book by Emily Henry - and gosh did this pack a punch! I had forgotten how well she writes such raw emotions with underlying themes that go alongside the main story and its characters. HAPPY PLACE may be a second-chance romance on the surface, but it’s more about friendship, love, and what (or who) makes you happy.
Before I gush about this book, I want to mention first that out of all the Emily Henry’s books I’ve read, Beach Read is my favorite (PWMOV is second and I have yet to read Book Lovers). It was the first book of hers I read that blew me away because of its emotional depth on grief and loneliness that coincided with the romance. I say all of this because while I was reading Happy Place, it reminded me of why I loved Beach Read and why Emily Henry has become an author I will often go back to.
What she does with Happy Place is a perfect balance between looking into what makes you happy and changes that come as we get older, whether it’s our relationship with our friends, our partner, or even ourselves. Apart from Harriet and Wyn, the rest of their friends felt so distinctive and very much a part of the central story. The dynamic between the group also makes you understand why Harriet considers them as family and why there is a lot to lose if everything isn’t perfect during this pivotal week in Maine. Friendships change as we get older. Everyone has their own lives, and everyone grows a little distant with time, making you long for how it was before. A happy time, a happy place.
Wyn is every part of Harriet’s happy place. There is an overwhelming love she will always feel for him that although it ended, simple brushes of intimacy whether physical or emotional is like Darcy’s hand flex in Pride and Prejudice. As a second-chance romance, it felt realistic. The pining and tension are there, but I didn’t connect with Harriet and Wyn compared to Emily Henry’s characters from her previous books. It’s likely because I was more focused on the bigger story than the romance.
I love Happy Place for all it gives that will surely resonate.
Before I gush about this book, I want to mention first that out of all the Emily Henry’s books I’ve read, Beach Read is my favorite (PWMOV is second and I have yet to read Book Lovers). It was the first book of hers I read that blew me away because of its emotional depth on grief and loneliness that coincided with the romance. I say all of this because while I was reading Happy Place, it reminded me of why I loved Beach Read and why Emily Henry has become an author I will often go back to.
What she does with Happy Place is a perfect balance between looking into what makes you happy and changes that come as we get older, whether it’s our relationship with our friends, our partner, or even ourselves. Apart from Harriet and Wyn, the rest of their friends felt so distinctive and very much a part of the central story. The dynamic between the group also makes you understand why Harriet considers them as family and why there is a lot to lose if everything isn’t perfect during this pivotal week in Maine. Friendships change as we get older. Everyone has their own lives, and everyone grows a little distant with time, making you long for how it was before. A happy time, a happy place.
Wyn is every part of Harriet’s happy place. There is an overwhelming love she will always feel for him that although it ended, simple brushes of intimacy whether physical or emotional is like Darcy’s hand flex in Pride and Prejudice. As a second-chance romance, it felt realistic. The pining and tension are there, but I didn’t connect with Harriet and Wyn compared to Emily Henry’s characters from her previous books. It’s likely because I was more focused on the bigger story than the romance.
I love Happy Place for all it gives that will surely resonate.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent