I genuinely didn't think I could love an Emily Henry book more than Book Lovers, but surprise surprise I did. This was delicious. Harriet and Wyn are dreamy, the most gorgeous characters and even the friend group as secondary characters were better than some books main characters. It's cute, and romantic and funny and I just loooooved every second of it. SO SO good.

I loved this book SO much, being able to see both how the relationship developed through flashbacks as well as how obviously in love the characters still are was amazing writing. This book made me laugh and cry, and I can't wait to reread when it's released!

This book deals with mental health and where you find your happy place. With a lover, your friends, yourself? Thought provoking and moving. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

It is currently 01:29am and I have quite literally JUST finished this book and I couldn’t wait a second longer to write about how much I LOVED IT. As someone who doesn’t usually read many second chance romances, I wasn’t sure of what to expect, or how much I’d enjoy the trope, but realistically if it was written by Emily Henry I was guaranteed to fall in love with it. As a couple, Harriet and Wyn captured my heart from the very first flashback, and they definitely still have a pretty firm grasp on it while I sit writing this, fresh out of tears.

I didn’t expect to relate to this book so much, as a twenty-something, freshly graduated and moved to a new city to pursue the career I want, the feeling that you’re slowly slipping away from the people you know are your life-long friends, if not already family, is something that eats away at you, just as it does for Sabrina, Cleo and Harriet throughout the book. No matter what, the love will always be there, and the love of family and friends was portrayed so beautifully in this book I think my heart almost burst on multiple occasions.

All in all, I am absolutely in love with this book, the characters, the writing, all of it, and to finish, this is the start of my campaign for Wyn to be voted book boyfriend of the year 2023.

This was so incredible, Emily Henry did it again. I absolutely adored both main characters: Harriet had so much depth and emotion I thought she was so amazing and I loved Wyn and his affectionate side - something that I never get enough of in romance. I felt that this book does flashbacks better than any other romance i’ve ever read - they were the perfect length and pace. I sobbed, so so much I have no words to describe it. I couldn’t put it down and I wish it was longer.

Thank you so so much to Penguin for sending me this, I couldn’t be more grateful!

Another absolute winner from Emily Henry. Second chance romance + enemies to lovers + only one bed? Sign me up.

I loved every minute.

To say I was overjoyed to read Happy Place early is an understatement! I read a lot of romance and have many favourites in the genre, but no one does it quite like Emily Henry.

Happy Place is a second chance romance following the story of Harriet, a medical student with a penchant for indecision, and Wyn, a man too sweet for his own good. Together, they were electric. The perfect couple… until they weren’t.

Forced to pretend they’re still together for the sake of their friends during one last group trip / impromptu wedding, they find themselves having to face more than just the shared bedroom.

If there’s one thing that I love in a romance book, it’s pining. I’m talking hurt/ comfort, yearning so deep it hurts, and feelings that the MC think are unrequited. And Happy Place checked all those boxes a hundred times over. I’m not a crier— not at books and not in life, but I cried no less than seven times reading this book, the yearning was immaculate. Emily Henry has an incredible ability to make characters so real you feel like you’re living in their head, and by the end of the story I was so sick with wanting the couple to be together I felt like I was right alongside them. I love all her books, but Happy Place just might take the cake as my favourite.

A million thanks to Penguin UK for the early copy, I will be forever grateful!

Emily Henry has done it again! I don’t know what type of drug she puts in her books but it’s a really good one.

I am a hardcore Emily Henry stan and I have been since Beach Read released. She is one of those rare authors who gets better with each book she releases. Happy Place may be my favourite of her books so far. Emily Henry manages to weave together the most incredible love story full of second chances, friendships and adventure. Wyn and Harriet were beautifully developed. You got to slowly see their relationship fail and then see them put the pieces back together again. The whole friendship group is also well developed and I loved exploring all of them. A romance book that you won't want to put down.

I adored this book. Compared to other books by the same author this book’s topics felt a little heavier however, there was plenty of little laughs throughout. I loved the found family aspect, I loved all the characters. Easy read I loved it!

MS EMILY HENRY YOU ARE A GOD!!!! nobody does it like you ma'am.

okay, so lets start with the fact that I got this book at all, Georgia Taylor you are on my good karma list from now until forever! My sister can attest to the fact that your e-mail left me floored and if I failed my exams it's because you put me in a fugue state. But the book pulled me out!

Okay, so let's start with the fact that Happy Place is very different to other Emily Henry books. Not in a bad way, it's intriguing, but it's definitely a switch in my opinion. Because in this book our main character and her man have been together in the past! In fact they were together for like eight actual years. That is a long time! But do not fret, the banter in this book is just as good as you expect from Ms Henry, so good it had me in tears at times. But there's also this suspense, which I found to be thrilling. Because you don't know why these two broke up in the first place. In all the flashbacks Wyn and Harriet are obscenely happy, so you wonder, what broke these two up? It's an interesting shift from Emily Henry's other books.

As for the characters, I loved loved loved Wyn. Wyn is me, except a man and with much more charisma. And richer friends. Which can be related to the charisma, so that's just my bad. Harriet is very much not me, if anything I think I'm rather like her sister Eloise. That in itself was a revelation for my relationship with my little sister, so thanks for that Ms Henry. Harriet is studious, intelligent, insecure but also very very funny. She said some of the funniest things in these books. She's also not in any bookish business (nor is Wyn) which is a diversion from Emily Henry's usual characterisations of her characters, but I liked it! Everything from the setting, to the characters to the plot felt like a new Emily Henry, dare I say, an improved Emily Henry. I don't know how much this woman must be in tune with her own emotions, because she hurts me deeply with every book.

This book was a breath of fresh air, to me. After reading 'fine' books these past few weeks, as well as being busy with uni, this felt both like coming home from and going on an adventure. It was sitting by the fire with a blanket and tea, but also feeling the wind rush past you as you reach the summit of a hike. I loved it.

I said it once, and I'll say it a thousand times, Emily Henry the woman you are (!!!!!!!). Much love to you and yours (and Georgia!! Kisses to you Georgia)

Emily Henry has done it yet again! Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review; thank you to those at Emily Henry and Penguin's publishers for giving me early access to this arc. I have absolutely loved every single one of Henry's previous novels, and she somehow keeps managing to improve her novels each time. I absolutely fell in love with Book Lovers when I received an arc of it, and thought she wouldn't have been able to top it, and yet I stand corrected. As soon as I saw I had received a copy of the arc, I put everything aside and devoured the novel as soon as I could; safe to say I was not disappointed! This book has everything you would want in an Emily Henry book, from the friendships the main characters have, to of course the main romance plot. Everything about this novel was perfection, and is the kind of book anyone would enjoy, even if romances are not something you would typically go for, as there are so many other aspects to love as well as the main romance plot, with Henry always manages to think through and add so effortlessly, making you fall completely in love with the characters, even when flawed, and even more so the story. This, along with all of her other novels, has immediately made its way to one of my favourite reads of all time, not something easily accomplished, and yet here she is with multiple of my favourites! I could not recommend this book enough, and would highly encourage anyone to read it, especially if you have loved any of Emily Henry's books previously. With everything I have said in this review, I imagine it is not a surprise that Henry has earned another 5/5 star review from me. I cannot wait to see what else Emily Henry has to offer in the future.

I couldn’t believe it when I got this in my email, I am so grateful to have read this before the release! Words can’t even describe how much I loved this book. If there was a six star rating, this would get it without a doubt. As always, the setting was incredibly described. Reading this book transported me to the cottage and Knott’s Harbour and I wish I could go and visit!

As for the characters, I saw my self so much in Harriet. I absolutely adore her. I would love to be a part of their friendship group, they seem like so much fun! Also, where can I buy a Wyn? I want one please!! He’s possibly my favourite Emily Henry love interest so far! I loved HarrietWyn and their love story <3

I really enjoyed the structure of this book and seeing how the story and their friendship/relationships evolved over the years. The topic of friendship was really well explored and the entire story was so full of feeling and emotion, I even cried at some points. It was extremely well written.

Reading an Emily Henry book is like putting on your favourite comfy hoodie; so comforting and familiar in the best way. I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next.

I made a playlist of songs that I listened to whilst reading, you can find it here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7BoKGGvs9LXQMMqoN5e1iX?si=r4cf6dTbRtuAr1HNUhXOdQ (Taylor Swift is heavily featured, obviously).

Thank you so much to Georgia Taylor and Viking books for the arc!

I would like to offer an official apology to Emily Henry because there was a split second, whilst reading the blurb, that I doubted whether I would enjoy Happy Place. I had panicked that this would be the first of her books that didn't appeal to me. In reality I don't think I have ever been more wrong about anything ever.

Within the first few pages Happy Place latched onto me and I haven't been able to shake it loose since (and quite frankly I don't want to). This book is EVERYTHING to me. It has become my standard. This will be the book that I will compare every single future romance against.

This is one of the most believable relationships I've ever read. Emily Henry so effectively captured the hope, longing and excitement of the start of a relationship, when a couple are in their will they/won't they stage and are just discovering each other. It was so honest and raw and real, that I felt like I was there falling in love with them too. And this is only such a minor part of their story told through flashbacks/memories.

These characters and their relationships and friendships are written so well that I don't think I will ever recover. The layers of past and present so succinctly form the picture of their lives that I feel like I have lived my life alongside theirs and will forevermore.

With every word I could feel Harriets heartbreak as if it was my own. I ached for her when she saw Wyn for the first time, I struggled with her when she realised it would be even harder to walk away from him at the end of the trip and I mourned with her when it became clear that sometimes our parents don't always give us love in the form we need.

This book is comfort and tension and complex and truth and love and hope all rolled into one and I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC, you've have made my year and given me a new favourite book all at once.

How is it that every time Emily Henry brings a new book out into the world, I end up loving it more than the previous one (which I always think is impossible)?
Happy Place is a second-chance romance masterpiece. One that will hit you in the feels right from the beginning. Harriet and Wyn have broken up six months and find themselves at their yearly getaway with their best friends, having to pretend to still be together as they have not announced their break-up to anyone. Except, they're not over each other.
There are many layers to who Harriet and Wyn are, and consequently to their relationship. This is shown through the time-jumps between now and the different stages from the time they meet up to the present. And it is a lovely journey, with ups and downs, and poignantly beautiful moments that had tears streaming down my face.
Wyn is so intricately woven into Harriet, that the lack of his pov is not noticeable. Not even a little! I didn't even realise it until a friend pointed it out. Brilliant work by Emily Henry 👏🏼
And the smart, witty banter? Signature Emily Henry. The best friends - Sabrina, Parth, Cleo, Kimmy - all bring their own into the story.
You thought you loved Henry's leading men from her previous books? Brace yourselves because you're not ready for Wyndham Connor.
I know I've said it before about Henry's books, but Happy Place is not only a story, it's an ✨️ experience ✨️. It is outstanding artwork. All the stars for this book. All of them. One of my top 3 reads of 2022, and one of the other two is Book Lovers.

Thank you to Penguin Books UK and the author for the ARC via Netgalley UK. All opinions are my own.

I quite literally squealed when this hit my inbox, best surprise ever! This book was filled with all the usual warm fuzzies and giggles I've come to expect, and so much more emotional depth. It explored love on so many different levels; how our past experiences bring emotional scars into both relationships and friendships, how this has a consequence so much later in life. The love story was as always beautifully developed and most importantly perfectly paced, unwrapping deliciously slowly intersected with flashbacks of the past. Another fast favourite, can't wait for the next one! Welcome to the Emily Henry Universe Wyn and Harriet ❤️

Simply one of the most beautiful, romantic, heartfelt books I’ve ever read.
Harriet and Wyn’s story is passionate and tender, it's oh-so-compelling and everything you’d want in a relationship (except for the reasons they’ve split up of course). They’re witty and tactile and have that perfect banter of two people who have known each other for ages and simply fit together. I loved them both from the off.
But the story is about so much more; heartbreak, heartache, friendships, knowing yourself, learning to recognise your flaws, the complexities of growing up, of growing apart, of fitting back together as you change.
As with her earlier books, Henry’s writing is gorgeous- whether it’s dialogue, description, scenes, locations or mood- the romance weaves through every paragraph. Her word choices and her observations are perfect. I’ve never been to Maine, but I completely felt I was there, sharing this last summer – the nostalgia, the joy, the lamenting sadness- with this wonderful, funny, messy, diverse gang of college friends.
When I get the paperback it’ll be reread until it’s falling to pieces and I’ll be trying that tabbing thing too. Just order it already.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Firstly, I want to say thank you ,thank you ,thank you.Thank you for sharing this masterpiece early with me.I will forever be grateful .

I have no words to describe how much I adored this book. I am forever ruined for all the other authors and other books.Past,present and future. To be honest I feel whatever I say would not be enough .Words can’t do this book justice and could not describe the emotions I have experienced while reading . One needs to experience this on their own as it is an emotionally charged journey. I can’t wait for everyone to experience the roller coaster of emotions that this book takes you on. Absolute perfection . Already preordered the physical copy. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone and would rate it infinite stars if I could.

I don’t know where to start. I so desperately want to do this book justice, so bear with me.

I went in blind, knowing nothing about the plot and not wanting to look it up either. From the start, I was drawn in by witty banter and funny dialogue (I will be getting my own “virgin who can’t drive” t-shirt, thank you very much). I immediately found a piece of myself in Harriett and couldn’t let go. My jaw immediately dropped when we find out who Wyn is. From there on forward, it was sweetly painful to keep going. It was so good it hurt. I could feel these characters in my bones.

On the one hand, I kept relating to sides of the characters’ lives (like Harriett’s sadness at barely knowing her own sister), and on the other, I became a witness to Emily Henry’s mastermind. I cannot put into words how deeply I started rooting for the characters and what I physical and visceral reaction I was having at watching it all unfold the only way Emily Henry does it, beautifully.

There was a point where I was not ok to put the book down, my heart cried for this lovely group of friends. I hated that Wyn had a good reason for doing what he did. I loved that Wyn had a good reason for doing what he did. Also, now I have to like the name Wyn for the rest of my life, unfair lol.

I spent the last 20% of the book holding back tears, but if I’m beings honest, I started shaking way before that. It may seem like to much, but we all know books that have the power to break us and then put us back together with an even better understanding of ourselves. Emily Henry did, she continuously does.

I wanted to get to the end because I wanted needed them to get the happiness they deserved, but I was also sad: I wanted to keep relating to them for a bit longer, as I’m not sure I’m ever going to get to my own hea.

Friendship is hard. Silence is easy.

If my own pain hadn’t stared back at me from the pages, maybe it would have been less heartbreaking. In that case, the downside would be how less beautiful the book would end up being.

You might think this book is about a broken-up couple pretending to still be together whilst vacationing with their group of friends. You’d be wrong. It’s about pain, and life, and friendship, and careers, and doubts, and fears, and love, and finding out who you are (or who you aren’t), and identity, and belonging, and kindred spirits. Just life in all its beauty and pain.

Side-note: I might quit my job despite it not being the most financially responsible decision.

There are so many good and heartwarming quotes in the book. I don’t feel comfortable sharing them yet since the book will be out in quite a few months still, but I can’t wait.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this absolute privilege. Thank you Emily Henry for existing.

YOU, YOU, YOU.
What a wonderful and fantastic book.
FIVE stars for this beauty.
Not only does this book have this perfect fake engagement, second chance romance plot, but it also has a very unique book layout, with snippets every other chapter of a different time and place that is ultra captivating.
This book had me gripped from the first page, but I already knew that because every Emily Henry book is wonderful.
This book was absolutely amazing and I truly think all the people patiently waiting for this book release next year will be pleasantly surprised(or not so surprised if you're familiar with the greatness of Henry's work) and won't be let down at all.
While I did feel quite heartbroken at times, the book healed me all over again and left me so, so happy. Wyn and Harriet were an adorable couple to follow and I wish I could have stayed in this world longer.
I loved the growth of all of the characters, the mental health issues tackled by the characters, and the overall plot of the book was well timed, well planned and perfectly executed.
If I could go back and read this book again for the first time, I 100% would. For those of you who have to wait until next year to read this book, I promise, it is worth the wait!!!
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Happy Place by Emily Henry through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine.