Happy Place
“He’s become my best friend, the way the others did, bit by bit, sand passing through an hourglass, so slowly it’s impossible to pin down the moment it happens. When suddenly more of my heart belongs to him than doesn’t, and I know I’ll never get a single grain back.”
Every time I think Emily Henry has reached the peak of her writing, she publishes another book, and all my expectations are exceeded. Like her three previous books, I devoured Happy Place in a day, staying up into the wee morning hours sobbing every fifty pages because Henry's writing is so personal and raw.
Summary
Harriet met Sabrina and Cleo when they were randomly assigned roommates in college, and it's been history ever since. Harriet, a midwestern pre-med student and a child of married, yet not-in-love parents; Sabrina, a classic New York heiress, pre-law student, and child of many divorces; and Cleo, an art student with divorced--yet completely healthy--parents, immediately click, and become inseparable from the moment they're united. Each grew up isolated and lonely, longing for friends, and since meeting each other, they've never been left wanting.
When freshman year exercises its usual grief, the three girls take a trip to Sabrina's family "cottage" in Maine, forever bonding themselves through late night stories, crying, and, of course, fire. The cottage becomes an annual tradition, a week-long getaway from the stress of school and work and families.
As the years progress, the trio add Parth and Wyn to their group, the former a year ahead law student with whom Sabrina always lovingly clashes, and the latter a flirty, handsome furniture repairman from Wyoming. Of course, the second Wyn and Harriet meet they're drawn together like magnets, and leading to a whirlwind romance, months of flirty and longing as they debate the pros and cons of a romantic relationship within a friend group, before finally giving in and falling head-over-heels in love.
That is until eight years into their relationship, Wyn calls Harriet to break up and cancel the wedding out of the blue, breaking the promise they made to their friends that nothing would ruin the yearly trips to Maine.
Thus begins the classic Emily Henry shenanigans. Of course Harriet and Wyn have to pretend to still be engaged for this year's Maine trip, because even though five months have passed, they haven't told their best friends. Of course they have to share a bed in the most romantic room in the cottage, and of course they have to keep their hands all over each other the entire week, because otherwise it would be suspicious.
But as the week goes on, Harriet and Wyn are tortured by each other and their lack of communication. Both need to work on themselves before they can work together, but will they ever get over their hurt and anger to try?
Thoughts
Happy Place has my favorite cast of characters from Emily Henry yet. I loved each of the six friends, especially their found-family dynamic and dedication to keeping a decade-long friendship alive. I cried more while reading this book than I have for any other of Henry's, let alone any other romance, mostly because I saw so much of myself in Harriet.
As a bookseller and publishing student pursuing a career in editorial work, I thought there would never be an Emily Henry book that connected to me more than Book Lovers, or a character I related to more than Nora, but Harriet spoke to me in ways no other character has, leaving me sobbing at multiple points throughout the book from how seen I felt. Harriet is a classic over thinker, people pleaser, over achiever, and conflict avoider. Everything she has accomplished in life has been for others, never herself, and she's riddled guilt and pressure to prove to her parents that their investment was worthwhile.
I also felt more emotionally attached to this romance than any previous one, and I believe that came from Henry's use of flashbacks. Henry has split the book into "Happy Place" and "Real Life," where the "Happy Place" consists of flashbacks throughout Harriet and Wyn's relationship, and "Real Life" is the current getaway to Maine. Each time I earned a new happy memory of Harriet and Wyn's previous life together, I felt even more heartbroken when I returned to real life and saw them arguing. I loved Wyn's family, and the way he revered Harriet, and how passionate each of them were about the other. I was unable to put the book down until the end, because I needed a resolution more than sleep.
Overall
I truly believe this is Emily Henry's most emotional and raw novel to date, although that may be because Harriet was basically me but in STEM. I haven't been able to stop thinking about the characters and plot since I finished, and I keep catching myself thinking that I can pick the book back up and keep reading because I don't want to let it go. The witty dialogue, setting (boy am I a sucker for Maine/New England), flashbacks, found-family, all the classic romance tropes, and above all the cast of characters made Happy Place simply a perfect read, and I'm already counting down the days until I can get my own physical copy (shoutout to Joseph-Beth, mine and Emily Henry's home indie bookstore).
Read Happy Place by Emily Henry as soon as it comes out. You will not regret it!
My rating: 5/5
Goodreads Average: 4.55/5
Information
Happy Place by Emily Henry (Berkley Press)
Publication Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9780593441275
Hardback: $27.00