Book Review: Funny Story by Emily Henry

Quote:

"I honestly can't totally figure out why someone as good as you would love me, when I can be kind of a pessimistic asshole. But I do feel the luckiest person in the world, to be who you want. Because I want you too. I love you too. I love you in a way that feels brand-new. You make every single thing that went wrong feel like it was just a step in the right direction, and it makes me excited. For life to keep surprising me. You aren't what I pictured. You are so, so, so much better than what my cynical little brain could've ever come up with."

Blurb: Daphne always loved the way her fiancé, Peter, told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it... right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. 

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children's librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could understand her predicament: Petra's ex, Miles Novak. 

Scruffy and chaotic- with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heartbreak ballads- Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned-up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her, they have a running bet that she's either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them? 

But it's all just for show, of course, because there's no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex fiancé's new fiancé's ex... right?

Book Tropes: 

• Opposites Attract
• Friends to Lovers
• Fake Dating
• Grumpy X Sunshine

My Personal Views: If I had to sum up Funny Story by Emily Henry in a few words, I’d say it’s "very demure, very mindful, very cutesy." If you love small-town romance with plenty of sweet moments, you’ll probably really enjoy this one.

The story is set in Waning Bay, Michigan, where Daphne moves in with her fiancé Peter. But just days before their wedding, Peter dumps her, confessing he’s fallen for his long-time best friend, Petra. Heartbroken and homeless, Daphne ends up moving in with Miles, who—get this—just happens to be Petra’s ex, as she left him for Peter. 

Despite living together, Daphne and Miles barely speak at first, both nursing their own heartbreak. But when they’re invited to their exes’ wedding, they drunkenly RSVP and, in a moment of panic, Daphne blurts out that she and Miles are dating. From there, the chaos of their story really kicks off.

Peter and Petra were so jealous, and honestly, I lived for their interactions with Daphne and Miles. Each confrontation was either laugh-out-loud funny or totally jaw-droppingly surprising.

Now, about the main characters—Daphne and Miles. Their friendship is super sweet, though the romantic chemistry? Not the best I’ve read, but it’s there. It could’ve been stronger, but it wasn’t completely lacking either.

Daphne’s character development is where the book shines. I could relate to her on so many levels, and seeing her grow into a better, more self-aware version of herself was really satisfying. She starts off defining herself by her relationships, but by the end, she’s learned to focus on herself, even in her new relationship with Miles. I loved that growth. That is something that I personally quite agree with and support. 

As for Miles, he’s got this charming "golden retriever energy" going on—super cute. He’s the funny, upbeat guy on the outside, but deep down, he’s dealing with his own pain. I could relate to him in some ways too, though what he did towards the end (no spoilers!) was... not cool. 

I get why he did it, and I understand why Daphne forgave him, but he definitely could’ve handled it better. Yes, you can care about your ex or whatever, but he still could have maybe, let Daphne know what's up rather than just going ahead with it. There were so many other ways he could’ve approached the situation, but he chose the worst one, which, looking back, is almost funny.

All in all, this book is exactly what you’d expect from a romcom, but the scenes, dialogue, and characters make it so much better. I’d happily pick up another Emily Henry book after this one.     

Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/ 5