Funny Story by Emily Henry

 

After uprooting her life to move nearer to her fiance Peter's family Daphne is devastated when Peter calls off the wedding. With no family or friends nearby Daphne is forced to flatshare with Miles, the ex-boyfriend of the woman Peter has dumped her for. All she needs to do is get through until the completion of a project at work and then she can leave Waning Bay forever.

After reading so many thrillers recently I felt the need to sink myself into a different genre. Romantic fiction isn't my usual choice, I think I sickened myself with all the Shopaholic and Bridget Jones-style books. As usual, I've noticed lots of praise online for certain books and Funny Story by Emily Henry was one of them.

The first few chapters of Funny Story really didn't grab me, if anything they cemented my opinion of the romantic fiction genre. I'm not one to give up a book after only a few chapters though so decided to keep going and I'm so glad I did as I fell in love with the characters, particularly Miles. 

Daphne, the lead character, is an introvert, she finds it difficult to interact with people and is happiest around books and children. The story is really a cautionary tale since Daphne uprooted herself, leaving behind friends and a job, to move closer to her fiance's family. When her dream falls apart her immediate reaction is to run to the only haven of safety she has, her mother, however, she delays doing this because she's made a commitment to hold an event in the children's library. The read-a-thon is just over three months away, a date burned into her calendar and her thoughts. Once the read-a-thon is done Daphne will be gone. All of this shows Daphne is committed, once she says she'll do something she doesn't shy away, she's also organised, realistic (sometimes too realistic) and practical.

Intent on staying in Waning Bay for three months it makes sense for Daphne to flatshare with Miles. They've both been through the same emotional upheaval and so have a common bond. From what she knows of Miles, Daphne is expecting a lazy, good-for-nothing who was living off his girlfriend. What Daphne finds is quite the opposite, Miles is a broken man, hiding an extremely tender side that he struggles to show because of issues in his past.

As the pair manoeuvre around each in the tiny apartment they begin to realise they share more than just a broken heart. When Miles discovers that Daphne has seen little of Waning Bay beyond the social circle she had with her fiance he decides to introduce her to some of the lesser known parts of the town. The friendship between the pair blossoms, and romance is a possibility, but fate has other ideas. Both parties find it difficult to trust, not just because of recent experiences. Events beyond their control keep getting in the way too.

The conclusion wasn't a surprise but I did enjoy the journey, particularly as Daphne and Miles were supported by some engaging characters. The town itself, Waning Bay, is picturesque and quaint, the type of place we all imagine small-town America to be. 

Author Deatails

Emily Henry is the author of the butterfly-inducing romantic comedies Beach Read, You & Me on Vacation, Book Lovers and Happy Place, all of which were New York Times bestsellers, with Book Lovers and Happy Place being Sunday Times bestsellers. She studied creative writing at Hope College and now lives and writes in the American Midwest. Funny Story is her fifth novel.