Funny Story by Emily Henry
Contemporary Romance
April 23, 2024- Berkley

Review by Angela

It’s no secret that Emily Henry has fast become one of my favorite romance authors of contemporary romance. There is just something about her writing that clicks with me. Funny Story is a roommates to lovers, forced proximity romance and is just as delightful as you would think.

Daphne is shocked when she finds out her perfect love story isn’t so perfect–and her fiancé has left her for his best friend Petra. So, she does what any woman with no place to go does, she moves in with Petra’s ex Miles. Alone in small town Michigan, with just her job as a children’s librarian and a calendar to count down the days until she can move away, she tries to make it work in the tiny apartment with the depressed, sad song playing Miles.

Then one day they both receive invitations the newly formed couple’s wedding. So once again, Daphne does what any woman in a weird situation would do–she lies and says that she and Miles are a couple and will be attending together.

I was hooked right from the first word, as Emily Henry starts out having Daphne introduce readers to her predicament by telling her story with Peter. How they meet, how they began to plan a wedding, and then him coming home from his bachelor party to let her know that he’s leaving her for his bff, Petra. There is no complicated wondering about what came before, as a reader you know exactly the heartbreak she’s experienced. Which leads right up to her cohabitation with Miles. And even though he’s depressed over his breakup, he comes across as a nice guy.

I wasn’t too sure about his character at first, but with each page he became this wonderful, loving, charming, adventurous, easy-going guy who I adored. As he and Daphne navigate their newfound friendship, they become close as he is determined to show her all the places she needs to see before she makes the decision to leave Michigan for good. It’s a fabulous getting to know you, slow and thoughtful, but it’s complicated because of their history with their exes. I mean, what’s the playbook for falling in love with your ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex-boyfriend? I loved that they were always honest with each other, both about their faults and feelings. I made their new relationship believable.

The ending was *chef’s kiss* perfect. Yes, there is a third act breakup of sorts, and Miles does something stupid… but that didn’t dim my enjoyment one bit. Daphne comes out of her shell, makes good friends, and discovers want she wants to do with her life. The secondary characters bring such sparkle and humor to the page, and I adored them. The epilogue was absolutely lovely.

Highly recommend.

Final Grade- A