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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?

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395 pages

Average rating: 7.2

2,774 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Anonymous
Mar 27, 2025
10/10 stars
This book was so fun and enjoyable! The beginning took me a little bit to get into but a little further in and I was totally invested in the story! I love the lessons it brought up and things to consider in our own life while just having a great time. Highly recommend!!
aalvarezmena
Mar 27, 2025
8/10 stars
happy place = happy read, very cute
mg.happyhooker🧶
Mar 17, 2025
8/10 stars
⭐️ 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 you’ve 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 others’ expectations. I found her deeply relatable, particularly as someone who also struggles with the weight of wanting to meet everyone’s 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 life’s changes can pull people apart—or bring them closer, if you’re 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 Harriet’s choices—or lack thereof—stemming from her fear of disappointing others. I mean, who hasn’t 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 book’s heart lies in Harriet’s brave decision to break away from the life planned for her by others, including her choice to leave medical school. Though I personally wished she’d 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, Harriet’s story struck a deep chord. Her willingness to forge her own path—even if it meant moving to Montana (and I so don't blame her. Montana is stunning!)—was inspiring.

Happy Place is a reminder that happiness isn’t always found in the plans we’ve made, but in the messy, imperfect pursuit of a life true to ourselves. ♥️
lulutripp
Mar 16, 2025
8/10 stars
I just really love Emily Henry.
Jessbooks
Mar 01, 2025
9/10 stars
Characters were really relatable. Not overly detailed, super easy to read, got me to feel for the characters. A beautiful yet rocky love story

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