In HAPPY PLACE, Emily Henry brings us to Knotts Harbor, Maine, where six friends gather together for one last hurrah before their decades-long vacation destination is sold. Talk about a wrench for our main characters, Harriet and Wyn—they broke up months ago but still haven’t found the right time to tell their friends.
The thing about an Emily Henry book is that it’s so smart. The banter is second to none, and her characters have aspirations and hobbies that make them so interesting. All of this is included in the ordinariness of everyday life, making it so relatable. I loved all of the characters in this book. They all desperately wanted the best for each other, even if they may have butted in where they don’t belong to get there. Harriet’s character was so understandable. From an early age, she was the one used to smooth things over when it looked like they were about to explode, to the point where what she wanted was often pushed aside. I also found Wyn engaging. Used to being one-night stand material, it wasn’t until Harriet that someone saw him as more. But the damage was done, and self-deprecation was Wyn’s biggest frenemy.
While Emily Henry’s books have all been different, there’s a pattern to them that I find comforting. I know the people I’ve grown to love are going to find their way together, even if they shred my emotions on the journey. Her books flawlessly encompass ALL THE FEELINGS. And I love how she manages to pull off those emotions even when the characters don’t know they’re feeling them. And I love how they are so much more than the romance. The romance happens while life is going on, and while it may not always be the best time to fall in love (or back in love, as the case may be,) ready or not, it’s happening.
Some of the highlights in HAPPY PLACE for me were the atmosphere, the tension, and the messy, bound-to-change friendships. Knott’s Harbor may be a fictional town in Maine, but as a native, I love the way the author captured everything from the fried seafood aromas in the air of a coastal town to the notes of a Patty Griffin song in the background. And the tension… does anyone write tension the way Emily Henry does? If so, I need to know! She gives you that "yes!" moment just before things go awry, and I eat it up every single time. Also the friendships - wowza. Nail on the head. Despite our best intentions, friendships fall by the wayside, or at the very least, change as we grow in our new lives, and this was conveyed perfectly in this one as we see how disappointed their friend Sabrina is when she realizes things are never going to be the same again. It’s a moment I think all of us have, and even though we’re disappointed, things go on, and while we may keep our old friends, new things are in store for us. It was such a lovely depiction of life.
HAPPY PLACE was an obvious win for me, and if you love a book packed full of emotion and watching great character arcs, you’re in for a treat with this one!
Audiobook review: It’s funny how an author and narrator can become so entwined. Anytime I’ve read an Emily Henry book, it’s been via audio. I can’t imagine reading her books any other way now. Julia Whelan captures the essence of the characters perfectly, and I always love her presentation. If the narrator for this author’s books ever changes, it’ll be devastating for me. The narration was as stellar as the book itself, and if you have a chance to listen, I highly recommend you go that route.
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