However, Harriet and Wyn’s love story didn’t feel as earned as the romances in Henry’s other novels. In “Beach Read,” the protagonist January has to come to terms with her grief over her father’s death before she ends up with Gus in “Book Lovers,” Nora must let go of her need to constantly be in control before she gets together with Charlie. They need to grow, realize what’s been holding them back, and change their ways before getting together with a romantic partner. The romances in her novels are satisfying because characters have to earn their Happily Ever After. But this year, Harriet and Wyn haven’t told their friends that they have broken up, leaving them lying through their teeth for a week as they pretend to be a couple to avoid breaking their friends’ hearts.Įmily Henry shot to fame for her novels that straddle the genres of contemporary fiction and romance - books that not only focus on the central romance, but also create complicated, vulnerable female protagonists that the reader cannot help but root for. They share a group of close friends that, for the last decade, have scheduled an annual getaway to a small cottage in Maine as a respite from their daily lives.

“Happy Place” follows ex-fiancés Harriet, a conflict-avoidant surgical resident, and Wyn, a quick-witted charmer who dances through life. Though it falls short of the brilliance of her previous works, “Happy Place” is still sexy, charming, and meaningful - a book well worth reading for Henry’s fans. Her novel “Happy Place” is the fourth installment in what is jokingly called the EHCU (Emily Henry Cinematic Universe), a series of standalone novels that exist in the same world - as she revealed in a crossover short story “Layover.” With three previous books celebrated for their compelling cast of characters, fascinating backstories, and satisfying romances, “Happy Place” has a lot to live up to.

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