This is a lovely book to read - and hard to review without giving away one of the initial twists - but just think about a longstanding group of friends, all of whom have fallen into couples. You meet every year, you love getting together - but one of the couples splits.
This is the situation Harriet finds herself in - and what's worse, she hasn't managed to tell her friends about the break up. Add in the fact that this is going to be the last time they can get together in their Happy Place in quite the same way, and you have the ingredients for a difficult week.
Well worth reading - perfect for a journey or holiday read.

4.5 stars!
This book had me feeling all the feels friends. I loved it so much. I have never cheered on for a book couple like I have Wyn & Harriet.

We have a past & present timeline here and usually with past timelines I can get a bit bored and just want to skip them to get back to the present but this was actually really well written I loved these chapters. They were Harriet’s “Happy Place” her favourite memories, they were just wholesome.

ONE BED! We love this trope and forced proximity 👏🏼 I also loved how much this story touched on mental health issues and not just from the FMC but from the MMC too.

I WISH this was a duel POV. If we had Wyns pov here we would of learnt so much more of his struggles and why he did what he did, I feel like this would of rounded out the story to a 5 star read for me.

MY HEART 🥹 the dynamic of the friendship group here really had me choking up at the end, This isn’t just about Harriet & Wyn it’s about the group. The bond they have. How they’re all growing individually & finding a way to stay together & not drift apart.

Happy Place is now my favourite Emily Henry book🤍
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Emily Henry can do absolutely no wrong for me when it comes to this genre. The true Queen of Romance has another hot on her hands.

I could not have loved this book more. Emily Henry has such a unique way of looking right into my soul. I laughed, I cried, and adored every page

To see that I was approved by netgalley for a book written by Emily Henry was insane, I'm so thankful for this opportunity. Happy Place was such a fun summery read, where our main character Harry meets up with her old bestfriends in their 'happy place' which was somewhere they had spent alot of time together growing up. However, she has to pretend she's still happily engaged with her ex fiance Wyn. I really enjoyed reading this, the characters were well planned and excellently executed. The friendship dynamics were brilliant and the last chapter brought tears to my eyes. The chapters were short and the pace was relatively fast, but that is completely fine as the timeline is quite short. I highly recommend reading this in the summer!!

Emily Henry’s stories are always emotional rollercoasters and this did not disappoint. I could not put this down. Felt myself emotionally swinging between the joy at the beautiful love and friendship of these characters and near on blubbing at the angst and pain of their relationships. This was a story about friendship and found family as much as anything else. Harriet, Cleo and Sabrina’s bond ran throughout this story. The author did a great job of showing that as much as things change and people grow in different directions real and true friendship endures. The trio and the whole friendship group that formed around it with the additions of Parth, Wyn and Kimmy made me happy. The descriptions of the “last trip” really made me want to go on a trip to Maine!!

As for the main plot of Harriet and Wyn. That took me through the emotional wringer. As they fell for each other I fell for them and in between the blubbing I was raging as to why they weren’t together. Loved them, was frustrated with them for not communicating their pain, loneliness and insecurities to each other despite their vast love, and was desperate for them both to be happy in the end in whatever form that would take. One of my favourite reads this year 5 ⭐️.

Happy Place by Emily Henry is an emotional book about growing up, finding yourself, found family and of course true love.
Three couples who have been friends since their college days get together every Summer to spend a week drinking wine, chilling out and catching up in a Maine cottage owned by one of their parents. No matter how busy they are or what is going on in their lives, this time is special and sacred , and this week is more special than ever because it will be the last one at the cottage, which is being put up for sale.
Harriet is dreading coming clean to her friends , but she and Wyn, one of their sextet, have actually broken up, and haven't been together for six month. At least this way she can tell everyone at once and not have put herself through the heartbreak over and over again. The last thing she expected was to find Wyn at the cabin, and when their friends Sabrina and Parth confess that they plan to get married at the cabin at the end of the week, both she and Wyn agree that they will have to keep their secret for just a little longer. Fooling these people who have known them for years will not be easy , and Wyn and Harriet soon find themselves in all sorts of compromising and awkward situations.
While the love story between Wyn and Harriet is at the heart of this story, there is also a real focus on friendship. We see how the friendship between three such different characters as Harriet, Sabrina and Cleo began by chance but becomes stronger over time and expands to include Parth, Wyn and Cleo's partner Kimmy. We also see how time changes the friendships as the characters grow older and grow apart in certain ways while remaining close in all the ways that really matter. The real strength of this book is how wonderfully Henry has created and developed her characters, making them relatable and believable. The second chance romance between Wyn and Harriet is nuanced and dynamic, with ups and downs that really take the reader on a journey before we get our happy ending,
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher ,all opinions are my own,

This is my third Emily Henry and it is my favourite by a mile.

I loved this story so much, from the found family to the love story to finding and understanding oneself. Henry’s writing remains as charming as ever, if not more so than I’ve read so far.

At first, I didn’t really know why I was so invested in this story, until, close to the end, I realised how much Harriet resonates with me. I have never read a character who, on a deeper level, I can quietly whisper to “You’re like me”. I can’t really say more than that because the things I recognised about myself in Harriet are not things I talk about or admit for the most part - thus the reason why I bursted into tears at one point.

I will cherish this little book for a long time.

I think this book will sell well, given the success of Emily Henry's previous success.

For me personally this was a miss. The plot felt a bit weak, the intention was for these friends who had recently broken up to go on a trip with their friends and essentially have a "fake romance" storyline as they dealt with also getting over their previous romance that had just ended.

My biggest issue with the book was the secondary characters were weak to the point of non-existent. None of them stood out as memorable, I actually can't recall any of their names writing this.

The primary characters, although memorable and well written, didn't make up for the mess of their romance plot. They still loved each other even though they had just broken up and they just hadn't communicated well with each other, any book that relies on miscommunication as a driver for the plot is a miss for me

I will likely read Emily Henry in the future, I think this book wasn't for me

3.5 ☆

This is quite a difficult book to review for me. On the one hand, there was plenty that I liked about it, but on the other it didn't really work for me?

I liked the fake dating, gorced proximity, he falls first, and lovers to enemies to lovers aspects; I found the whole friendship group a bit baffling, but maybe that's on me because I don't have that sort of friendship circle myself. Very codependant anyways. Not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope, at all - so that did fall flat for me. And the whole group were lying or hiding things from each other, and themselves, which drove me insane! Doesn't seem very friendly, is all I'm saying.

I'd still recommend it to others to read, but I wouldn't read it again myself.

✑ HAPPY PLACE, by Emily Henry
rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ stars (5) obsessed!
love for EH’s books: entered a whole new level

Happy Place was one of my most expected releases of 2023, and could not have been better. Emily Henry’s new release has effortlessly topped Book Lovers for me (which I still adore) and made itself a home in my heart.

I easily loved the book's plot just by the summary: a group of friends, found family, one last trip together to their happy place, while also having a second-chance romance with two characters you can’t help but love. I could not have feared getting high expectations about it, because Henry instantly delivered. She just makes you want to be one more of that group of six right from the beginning.

I think I have already mentioned how I could see bits of myself in her other characters, I don’t think I have related to any more than I have with Harriet. In the heartache, in her fears, in her indecision. I just love how Emily Henry does not only focus on the two character’s romance but also on everything around them. What makes their love that way. What influences and shapes it.

So, I loved Harriet, and I absolutely adored Wyn. He was unlike your usual male love interest (and the fact that he isn’t JUST a male love interest), and I think I loved him more for it. For being lost, and for showing vulnerability. For loving Harriet the way he does. I simply could not get enough of him. Of them. He was also all about physical contact, and I adored it.

Harriet and Wyn’s feelings for each other surface the pages and grasp you in a way I could not have prepared myself for. It is PALPABLE how much they love each other, the longing they have for even the smallest things of the other. They made me tear up a few times throughout the book (and Wyn made me sob with his tables).

Overall, I just loved it. The setting, the bonding, the heartbreak and the healing. The love, in all shapes and ways possible. The chance of finding your happy place, or even multiple ones. Miss Emily Henry, you could not have done better. Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the chance to read this book ahead of its release. I had the absolute best time with it 💗

A rom-com told in past/present switches detailing a really long winded trip down memory lane. Sadly, it’s not my favourite Emily Henry read. I didn't connect to any characters, I found Sabrina to be particularly annoying…Parth wasn’t much better either!
An easy read but not a great read.

I love love Emily Henry's style of writng. But I must say that this one was not my favorite one, bu it is still sooo good.
This lady just knows how to write. I love the characters they are just so real.
The second chance romance is massy. It is not easy to trust someone who hurt you. And this book just describes it soo good.
For me this is a 4.5 stars read

I really love this author.

Every time I read Emily Henry, she takes me to a place I've never been before and makes me feel like I went there, came back and made a new bunch of friends who I know like the back of my hand.

Happy Place is an apt name for a book like this, as it sure does take you to one while luxuriating in it's pages. I really appreciate her plotwork and direction when she writes and the very human and flawed characters she creates - her romances feel like she's writing about actual people and I think that really resonates here once again (I felt it most when reading Book Lovers).

There's heartbreak and loss and hurt, but there is also alot of hope and humour and feeling packed in these pages that make it such a great book.

Can't wait for the next emotional rollercoaster this author takes me on, it will be one hell of a ride.

Another thoroughly enjoyable book by this very talented author. This genre is one that I’ve recently began to enjoy and is such a breath of fresh air!

Harriet is a surgical resident who spends her life working as a surgical resident. When she gathers with her college friends for one last time at a beloved family retreat, secrets and memories of the past will test her friendships and make her question her life plans.
An entertaining and easy read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I was hooked from the beginning of this book.

I loved the characters, how good the story was written.

I highly recommend.

I can't say enough good things about Happy Place - it is an absolute delight to read! I loved Emily Henry's first three romance novels but this one blew me away and is my new favourite.

Let's start with the brilliant twist on the fake dating trope - with ex-fiances who pretend to still be together so as not to rock the boat in their friend group, on a reunion weekend in coastal Maine. It was such a refreshing take on the trope and Henry executes it flawlessly. Watching the two main characters, Harriet and Wyn navigate their past feelings and current situation is heartwarming, hilarious and entertaining. Their dynamic and their chemistry is electric! The witty banter and the way they interacted with each other felt so real and authentic, I couldn't help but root for them the entire time.

But it's not just the romantic relationship that shines in this book. The depiction of friendship and family is also top-notch. The supporting characters are all so well-written and fleshed out, I felt like I had stepped into their world and I loved it! Again, the dynamic between them all and their witty banter was so engaging, and there were many moments that were full of warmth and depth - especially with Wyn's family.

And speaking of Wyn - he is my favourite of Henry's leading men! He's charming, witty, sensitive, and just the right amount of flawed. I loved him!

Happy Place has humour and heart in abundance - Emily Henry has truly outdone herself. Five big love-filled stars.

My first foray into Emily Henry was definitely an experience! I feel so conflicted— I enjoyed this but simultaneously feel underwhelmed and unsatisfied upon finishing it.

I have to preface this and say, Henry’s writing style is beautiful. She has her own unique style and flair that I adore in an author. Too many books feel the same lately, a bit stilted and lifeless, cliche and rarely standing out from the crowd. So reading Happy Place was a sheer delight in that regard. The emotional gut punches within her prose were suffocating in the best way, I found myself being suddenly throat punched by some random, concise sentence that just encompasses so many emotions.

It was sensational.

However, the dual timelines setting of this story is what truly hindered my experience, unfortunately. It ruined the pacing and momentum— the current plot line was so angsty and painful, I was on the edge of my seat as I drowned in the lost love and despair of Wyn and Harriet. their close proximity while pining for one another was palpable to read, I was breathless and just so enamoured by the story. I was hanging on the precipice of Wyn and Harriet’s agonising dynamic, waiting for the angsty clash of wills, a collision, a revelation, an epiphany... but just as they were about to get into the gritty deep trauma of their breakup, we’d shift to the past and then never revisit that moment again.

It would all come to a screeching halt and it was a jarring shift in tone and pace, especially since the past chapters didn’t really have a lot of emotional depth. Not like the present timeline. The past just felt like filler content to divert my attention from the main event which was Wyn and Harriet’s painful purgatory in the present. I lost all semblance of interest with the past chapters— it was just a back and forth of me devouring the present chapters and sighing in defeat when we had to return to the past.

And because of this, all the revelations I was anxiously waiting for weren’t revealed until the very end and by that time, I was truly exhausted with the book. There’s very little action to push the plot forward so it relies heavily on the emotional undercurrent instead to maintain the pace. But having the jarring shift in tone from past to present meant the emotional pacing was unsatisfying because I didn’t get to truly EXPERIENCE the accumulation of emotion as because we were swiftly moving on to an alternate timeline.

And in turn, because we split our time between the past and present, the friendship connections and even the familial plot felt quite weak because they weren’t given the space to truly thrive. Same goes for Wyn and Harriet, to be honest. I felt like we only got to scratch the surface with them and it feels like an injustice to their beautiful relationship. The story feels half-finished, I don’t feel like I KNOW these characters despite Henry’s attempts of making this a “deep” and complex read.

So, while I enjoyed half of the story, the other half let the better half down. But it hasn’t deterred me from wanting to read more EH! Book Lovers calls to me the most for my next EH read. Can’t wait!

Happy Place is a heart wrenching and beautiful story about different kinds of love.

I’ve only read one other book by Emily Henry - Book Lovers - so that’s kinda what I expected of Happy Place as well. And although it did have similar (funny) banter and had the same predictability most romantic books have (I mean, they always end up together), this one felt different from most rom-coms.

I’m even a bit hesitant to call it a rom-com. The book has a bit of a melancholic feeling to it. At certain points it completely wrecked me, more so than any other dramatic piece of writing has ever done.

Which is also why I absolutely loved Happy Place. The dynamics between characters is beautiful. You can easily feel how much they all love each other (different kinds of love - romantic love, that between friends, found family, etc), which makes all the hurdles and problems between them even more heart wrenching.

Happy Place made me properly cry, which isn’t something I can say about a lot of books. Harriet and Wyn’s story, their feelings, personal and relational struggles, and how they find their way back to each other - it all felt very real to me. Which is the strength of Happy Place.

It isn’t your typical rom-com, but I can recommend Happy Place all the more for it.