Antonia Bernardin

Funny Story is the latest book by Emily Henry and was my 21st read of the year. I’ve yet to read a bad one by her so let’s see if this newest book is just as good!

You can read the rest of my reviews of books by Emily Henry here

A plot summary attempt

Daphne has the picture perfect life she always wanted, the perfect life and the perfect story of how they met. Until he comes home from his bachelor party and declares that he is in love with his female best-friend, who he has already slept with after the night out… also she needs to move out as the mortgage is in his name. In an impulsive move, she asks his best-friend’s ex, Miles, to move in together. At first their keep separate, each in their own mourning phase, reeling from being hurt by the pair of people who always told them not to worry about the other. Daphne quickly realises she built her whole life around Peter, his friends, his town, his house, his hobbies, his family. When the wedding invitations to his wedding to Petra arrive, one for Miles, one for Daphne, they drunkenly bond over their shitty breakups. Whilst drunk, Daphne pulls another surprisingly impulsive move and RSVP’s to the wedding saying that their attending the wedding… together, a ruse Miles is delighted to go along with. During their drunken bonding Miles discovers that Daphne is planning to move closer to her mom, so he designates himself as the Daphne’s own personal tourism board for Waning Bay.

Over a series of weekends Miles begins to show her his favourite spots around the town. Daphne is trying to learn from old habits and makes an effort to connect with people, forming a surprising friendship with her colleague Ashleigh. Through both of them, Daphne starts to find more community with people in the town. Somehow they still end up bumping into their exes and what begins as a few harmless kisses to maintain the ruse and make them jealous becomes something… more. But how can a relationship, or whatever they are to each other, that started as revenge after terrible breakups, whilst living together, have a chance of being successful? Especially given that both of them are from complicated families, carrying their own baggage?

My review

One of the things I enjoy about Emily Henry’s books is that the setting is such an integral part of the story and the descriptive imagery is so dreamy and gorgeous, it really sets the scene. This book had so much depth to it in terms of character, the town, the journey both main character’s go on. Plus, there’s SO MUCH yearning between them and their chemistry is just spot on for me, it felt so natural and real. It’s definitely slow burn and overall slower paced than previous book I’ve read of hers but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I enjoyed this book a lot, especially as I read it during the warmer weather we’ve been having in the UK, I don’t think it’s jumped to the top of the list of my favourite ones of hers but I still really loved this read.