Funny Story by Emily Henry
A book review by Mina Nguyen
Engaged to Peter, Daphne always loved the way Peter described their story of how they met and fell in love over a flying hat. Knowing that he was “the one,” Daphne uprooted her life to Michigan and merged friend groups. Everything was perfect, until Peter’s bachelor party where he realized he was in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Now, Daphne is stranded in Michigan without her friends or family and a dream job as a children’s librarian and now roommates with Petra’s ex, Miles. Miles is the exact opposite of Daphne, scruffy opposed to Daphne’s organized life. When wedding invitations come in the mail, Daphne and Miles propose a plan to post misleading photos of their adventures together but what happens when these fake adventures start to mean something a little more?
While not my favorite of the Emily Henry romance books, Funny Story deserves a high place for rom-coms. Opposites-attract is a typical rom-com trope, but Emily Henry knows how to turn a cliche trope into something that can be heart-aching and wholly romantic on an incomparable level. The chemistry between Daphne and Miles was off the charts, especially since I wasn’t sold on Miles since he isn’t the stereotypical rom-com-love-interest-type, but I loved the relationship that formed between the both of them. It was mature, open, and communicative. What I really enjoy about Emily Henry’s writing is that she sets realistic expectations for relationships. Within their relationship, there were ups and downs, reflective of real-life relationships; sometimes the arguments are valid but sometimes the arguments are a reflection of how the character’s day went. It’s realistic, but Emily Henry knows how to turn it into a romantic scene. Additionally, I find this book so successful because these characters can survive on their own as individual characters; they’re fully flushed out and developed and don’t lose their personalities when they inevitably fall in love. They’re individuals on their own, and Emily Henry heavily emphasizes that. Also, I find that Emily Henry does a great job of giving her side characters a background that makes them integral to the story. Ashleigh, Daphne’s new friend, is an additional relationship that Daphne must consider in her life because Daphne’s life does not only revolve around her love interest. I loved the friendship between them, especially when they had their own set of problems and the way they both discussed their fears; it was a great way to show their insecurities without it revolving around a man. As an avid fan of New Girl, I found that this book was also reminiscent of Nick Miller and Jesse! While this wouldn’t be the first Emily Henry rom-com I would recommend, I would put it high on my list as a must-read rom-com for the summer!
Books similar to Funny Story by Emily Henry:
● The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas
● Boyfriend Material by Alexis J. Hall
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