Happy Place

By: Emily Henry

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

“The beach-read master hooks us again."—People

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2023 by BuzzFeed ∙ Paste Magazine ∙ Elle ∙ Southern Living ∙ SheReads ∙ Culturess ∙ Medium ∙ Her Campus ∙ Readers Digest ∙ Zibby Mag and more!

A couple who broke up months ago pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?

©2023 Emily Henry (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Henry's new novel is a slow-burn romance and an ode to the chosen family we need when everything gets too complicated...The beach-read master hooks us again." —People

“Blur[s] the lines between women’s and literary-leaning commercial fiction, departing from the fantasy spaces of bodice rippers and misty moors to depict a world that looks a lot more like, well, our own…Henry operates at the top of her—and her readers’—intelligence, telling sophisticated, heartfelt stories that are conscious of the romantic comedy conventions without being overly meta about them…Henry’s dedicated readers know what to expect: wit, charm and heart, satisfying to the last page.” —The Washington Post

“With tender insight and quick wit, Henry delivers prosecco and sea breezes alongside startling mediations on friendship, loss, and adulthood.” —Oprah Quarterly

OMG That was painful

I listened to it all…not sure why…it was a bit like screeching my nails on the chalkboard. Narration was fine. There was no substantial storyline. This one was painful for me

I enjoyed this book

I enjoyed this book. Easy to get back in the story if you have to stop

Perhaps a little too "real life" for comfort

Let me start by saying this book, like Emily Henry's other works, is well-written and full of likable characters embedded in a relatable storyline. But therein lies the rub: the story is *very* relatable. It's actually tough to read if you've ever struggled with a difficult breakup with someone you loved but with whom love was just not enough. This story ends well, thankfully (as all romance novels should!)..And I loved the way the friends' stories were interwoven within Wyn and Harry's story...however, their love story is almost brutal. Almost too real.
The fact that I finished this one when so much of it caused me painful emotions goes to show how well written it is. Overall, I recommend but I would caution anyone with a tender heart or who is overly empathetic to take this one in doses. Make sure you have someone nearby who can give you hugs every now and again to offset what will undoubtedly make you feel a little sad.

Beautiful

Loved this book! Emily Henry really can bring relationships to life. This book was tragic, heart wrenching, but absolutely beautiful.

Great all around!

Although I was skeptical fir there first chapter or two, Happy Place started to reel me in them I couldn’t focus on anything else until I finished it.

Julia Wheelan is phenomenal and was flawless in this. I hope Emily Henry and Julia Wheelan team up for more.

Love story

Really good love story, waaaay too many descriptive terms in regards to how every little thing made her ( female protagonist) felt, but good characters, people you really grow to like- except Parth, didn’t get to know him really at all.
There’s a really heart breaking scene when Harriet is breaking apart and Julia Whelan!s narration is so real, so raw it blew my little noodle brain, it was so good.
Worth a credit for sure.

Fantastic

I’m
I don’t usually read romances, but this romance is more than a romance. It’s a love story in the truest sense. The couple central to the story didn’t give up when they hit some headwinds. They made brutally honest evaluations of themselves and worked it out for the long run. It took work but the loving and caring never stopped. The male lead was particularly vulnerable but no one would have guessed. His honesty about himself and how he thought of his interactions with his partner laid a new foundation for their future. The narrators were absolutely terrific. Their voices were perfect for this very appealing story.

Pretty boring

Nothing really happened during the book…I kept hoping I would become more invested but I never found myself itching to see what happened next.

Drags on and on and on

No real climax here. Very predictable and just drags on and on and on. Not her best work

Loved It!!!!

Loved the story and characters so much! The narration was perfect and easy to listen to!