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Happy Place
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ∙ 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 novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.
“The beach-read master hooks us again."—People
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?
“The beach-read master hooks us again."—People
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?
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Community Reviews
âï¸ 4.25
I am not a contemporary girly, but this one hit all the feels for me. This book is a heartfelt and so relatable (at least to me) dive into the beautiful chaos of relationships and self-discovery. It captures the complexities of how friendships and family dynamics shape who we are. If youâve ever found yourself stuck between being the person you think everyone wants you to be and trying to find out who you actually are, this book will hit you right in the feels.
Harriet is a people-pleaser to her core. She has spent her life making decisions based on othersâ expectations. I found her deeply relatable, particularly as someone who also struggles with the weight of wanting to meet everyoneâs expectations while avoiding conflict.
What stood out to me was the reality of friendships as you grow older. As someone closer to 30 than 20, I felt that in my soul. Keeping those college friendships alive takes effort, and this book shows how easily lifeâs changes can pull people apartâor bring them closer, if youâre brave enough to face them. This to me was bittersweet but achingly real.
Yes. The entire plot of this book could easily be removed Harriet and Wyn had even attempted to communicate. However, I appreciated how their struggles were rooted in authenticity, with Harrietâs choicesâor lack thereofâstemming from her fear of disappointing others. I mean, who hasnât avoided a hard conversation only to make things 10 times worse?
I will say, I wanted a little more from the side characters. They kind of hung out in the background while Harriet and Wyn wrestled with their shambled relationship. That said, the bookâs heart lies in Harrietâs brave decision to break away from the life planned for her by others, including her choice to leave medical school. Though I personally wished sheâd completed it, I admired her courage to choose happiness over expectations.
As a reader who understands the pressures of wanting to make loved ones proud, Harrietâs story struck a deep chord. Her willingness to forge her own pathâeven if it meant moving to Montana (and I so don't blame her. Montana is stunning!)âwas inspiring.
Happy Place is a reminder that happiness isnât always found in the plans weâve made, but in the messy, imperfect pursuit of a life true to ourselves. â¥ï¸
I am not a contemporary girly, but this one hit all the feels for me. This book is a heartfelt and so relatable (at least to me) dive into the beautiful chaos of relationships and self-discovery. It captures the complexities of how friendships and family dynamics shape who we are. If youâve ever found yourself stuck between being the person you think everyone wants you to be and trying to find out who you actually are, this book will hit you right in the feels.
Harriet is a people-pleaser to her core. She has spent her life making decisions based on othersâ expectations. I found her deeply relatable, particularly as someone who also struggles with the weight of wanting to meet everyoneâs expectations while avoiding conflict.
What stood out to me was the reality of friendships as you grow older. As someone closer to 30 than 20, I felt that in my soul. Keeping those college friendships alive takes effort, and this book shows how easily lifeâs changes can pull people apartâor bring them closer, if youâre brave enough to face them. This to me was bittersweet but achingly real.
Yes. The entire plot of this book could easily be removed Harriet and Wyn had even attempted to communicate. However, I appreciated how their struggles were rooted in authenticity, with Harrietâs choicesâor lack thereofâstemming from her fear of disappointing others. I mean, who hasnât avoided a hard conversation only to make things 10 times worse?
I will say, I wanted a little more from the side characters. They kind of hung out in the background while Harriet and Wyn wrestled with their shambled relationship. That said, the bookâs heart lies in Harrietâs brave decision to break away from the life planned for her by others, including her choice to leave medical school. Though I personally wished sheâd completed it, I admired her courage to choose happiness over expectations.
As a reader who understands the pressures of wanting to make loved ones proud, Harrietâs story struck a deep chord. Her willingness to forge her own pathâeven if it meant moving to Montana (and I so don't blame her. Montana is stunning!)âwas inspiring.
Happy Place is a reminder that happiness isnât always found in the plans weâve made, but in the messy, imperfect pursuit of a life true to ourselves. â¥ï¸
If I wasn't reading this book for a book club that I lead, I would've stopped reading halfway through. Emily is a great writer, but this one didn't really click for me until the last 60ish pages. Having an unexpected parent death was fairly triggering for me, and it made it more difficult for me to keep reading the book. But the ending made up for some of it, which is why it's three stars instead of two.
Edit: after further reflection, I just really didn't like the book even with the ending so I'm dropping my rating down to one star.
Edit: after further reflection, I just really didn't like the book even with the ending so I'm dropping my rating down to one star.
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