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The Romcom of the Year! Emily Henry's Funny Story is an Unputdownable Delight
A Passionate Book Review That Will Make You Fall Head Over Heels
If you know me at all, you know I'm a hopelessly devoted Emily Henry superfan. From Beach Read to Book Lovers and every transcendent romcom in between, this author has a permanent spot on my auto-buy list. When I found out Henry had a new novel hitting shelves, titled Funny Story, I barely made it through the day at work without combusting from excitement. As soon as my blessed advance copy from Berkley arrived, I cleared my schedule and devoured this utterly dazzling book in one rapturous sitting. Dear readers, this may be Henry's most sublimely swoony and laugh-out-loud hilarious novel yet!
The Iconic Meet-Clumsy
Our perpetually endearing heroine Daphne has built her whole world around her fiancé Peter and the idyllic love story he spun about how they met and fell for each other in his hometown of Waning Bay. But in a soul-crushing twist, Peter leaves Daphne at the altar to chase after his own childhood sweetheart, Petra. Totally unmoored, Daphne finds herself aimlessly adrift in Waning Bay with no family, no friends - just a dead-end job as a children's librarian barely keeping her afloat.
That's when fate bonnets Daphne over the head by having her move in with Petra's heartbroken ex, Miles Nowak. A rumpled, charismatic sweetheart with a penchant for soulful breakup ballads, Miles is Daphne's polar opposite in every deliciously quintessential romcom way. They're two broken souls bound by mutual heartbreak, deciding to be "cruel roommates of convenience" and mostly avoiding each other as they lick their wounds. But the more time they spend orbiting one another, the more their chemistry threatens to upend their cosmic order...
An Achingly Authentic Slow Burn
The slow burn in Funny Story is so tantalizingly protracted, I nearly expired from the swoonworthy tension! From their very first interactions, Miles and Daphne's rapport crackles with sparks of classic rom-com banter and bashful flirtation, each daring glance and loaded quip ramping up the breathless electricity between them. Sure, they loathe to admit it at first, but these wounded darlings are clearly kindred spirits - both irrevocably scarred by family wounds, yearning for the courage to go after what they deserve. Necessity demands they inhabit the same space, but it's the connection blazing between them that keeps them in a perpetual, scintillating orbit.
As roommates turned best friends, Daphne and Miles are such a singularly electrifying duo that it took all my willpower not to throw my book across the room and scream "JUST KISS ALREADY!" at the deliciously torturous buildup. But the longer Henry draws us through that agonizing slow burn, the more transformative and cathartic their inevitable union becomes. When Daphne and Miles finally give in to the all-consuming passion between them, the payoff is nothing short of volcanic - an eruption of searing chemistry and heartrending intimacy that leaves the reader dissolving into a blissful puddle.
Unforgettably Endearing Characters
Slow burn frustrations aside, I was hopelessly besotted with Daphne and Miles from the moment I met them. Daphne is such an impeccably rendered heroine - wickedly whip-smart, yet disarmingly vulnerable from a lifetime of being gaslit and undermined by her awful father. I ached for her and cheered wildly every time she chose to claim her power after being so diminished. Meanwhile, I never stood a chance against Miles' scruffy, puppy dog charms and soul-deep sensitivity. Beneath his freewheeling facade, he's a gentle, gloriously corny romantic who wears his heart on his sleeve in the most swoon-worthy way. I desperately wanted to wrap him in the warmest hug and vow to protect him at all costs.
But Henry is just too brilliant to let her central lovers steal the whole show alone. Daphne's new friend and coworker Ashleigh is an absolute ray of sunshine - spunky, endlessly supportive, and dispensing savage side-eye to Daphne's awful exes at every turn. I adored their warm, witty rapport and protectiveness over one another. Miles' eccentric sister Julia is another comedic gem, stirring up plenty of spirited family chaos while also providing some surprisingly poignant life wisdom. Even the detestable Peter and vapid Petra have distinct characterizations that fuel the delicious fake dating antics to nuclear levels. Each one of them feels vibrantly alive and true!
The Ultimate Comfort Romcom
At its core, Funny Story is a soaring testament to the boundless healing power of real love and found family. Daphne and Miles may have stumbled into each other's lives amid utter devastation, but their blossoming connection allows both to rebuild their self-worth from the ashes of their pasts. When they finally shed the shackles holding them back, their union is an exquisite celebration of radical vulnerability and acceptance. It's a total triumph!
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Beyond the romance, this book is just an all-around uplifting, joyful reading experience. Every radiant chapter zings with Henry's signature wit and humor. From the cringey social media antics to the cavalcade of chaotic mishaps, I was doubled over laughing more times than I could count. Even through the darker emotional beats, this story remains laser-focused on mending its characters' hearts and restoring your faith in love. I turned the effervescent final pages with the dopiest grin spread across my face.
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In the end, Funny Story is one of those books that feels like a warm hug from an old friend on the dreariest day. It's pure escapism romance that enchants and intoxicates you from beginning to end. I want to hibernate inside its rom-com narrative forever! While I already know Emily Henry could narrate the phone book and I would hang on her every word, she's outdone herself here. Funny Story is an unmitigated delight and a new highwater mark in Henry's celebrated oeuvre of endlessly re-readable romcoms. I haven't stopped gushing about this book since devouring it in one voracious inhale. If you're craving a transporting love story that will capture your heart completely - or if you're simply in need of an exuberant mood-boosting read - trust me, you need Funny Story in your life!
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