Funny Story by Emily Henry | Book Review

Welcome to my book review for Funny Story by Emily Henry.

“You, my girl, are whoever you decide to be. But I hope you always keep some piece of that girl who sat by the window, hoping for the best.” -Emily Henry, Funny Story

Funny Story Synopsis:

Daphne Vincent had it all: a loving fiancé, a big house, a dream job as a children’s librarian… until her “loving fiancé” cheated on her with his childhood friend Petra. Stranded, friendless, and brokenhearted, Daphne moved in with the only person she could think of: Petra’s ex, Miles. Now she has to find her footing in Waning Bay, Michigan and discover who she is outside of her disastrous engagement.

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Funny Story Review:

I’ve heard Emily Henry’s name floating around the Internet, and people are singing her praises. I’m not a huge romance-enjoyer, but I’m also not immune to the Internet’s influence. I wanted to see what this hype is about, so I’ve decided to read Emily Henry’s 3 highest-rated books (I’ll compare them all in a single post, coming soon!). Funny Story currently holds the #1 spot, so I’m starting here.

Despite being a self-proclaimed Romance Book Skeptic, I was greatly impressed by Funny Story. The flow and pacing are well-structured, the writing is snappy, and each character brims with life. Right from the get-go, this book’s concept intrigued me. I’m a huge fan of books about a character’s journey to put down roots where they live. Daphne’s escapades of making Waning Bay her own are beautifully executed and inspiring in their own right; I found myself struck with that deep urge to live life to the fullest, a feeling that many of my favorite books inspire.

Another aspect of Funny Story that drew me in was its promise of a “fake dating” storyline. I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a sucker for that trope. After Daphne moves in with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex-boyfriend Miles (I promise it’s not as complicated as that sounds!), she pretends they’re dating to make their exes jealous. I smiled with glee as this snowballed into an out-of-hand situation that locked our usually-honest Daphne into her lie. That said, I still wished for more of a slow burn when it came to the actual romance; the “fake dating” turned into “real dating” a bit fast for my taste, and I would have liked to see the lie play out longer than it did, especially since it was so dang funny while it lasted!

“I don’t want to be a part of the wrong we. I’d rather be on my own, even if it hurts right now.” -Emily Henry, Funny Story

Probably my favorite element of Funny Story is the emotional maturity we see in the characters. A lot of books rely on emotionally immature behavior to drive the drama, but Henry found a way around this. It’s refreshing to read a story where characters are willing to apologize, hear each other out, and show empathy. And they manage to do so while still leaving space for their own emotions. This all leads to a level of nuance and complexity that I’m admittedly not used to seeing in romance novels.

This complexity is both a cause and an effect of how many overlapping storylines are present in Funny Story. As a Romance Book Skeptic, I appreciate the abundance of subplots since this enables the story to focus on much more than just the romance. Although I was left with a feeling that some subplots didn’t have as much depth as I would have liked, I adored how they all converged just so to formulate a beautiful ending. The final 25% or so of the novel skyrocketed my overall opinion of Funny Story, relieving my few minor qualms and leaving me satisfied.

Now, if I’m going to review a romance novel, I have to touch on the romance itself. And I was… not impressed, though this is likely an “it’s not you, it’s me” scenario. I adored both Daphne and Miles individually, and their friendship is beyond charming. They have a decent connection and complement each other well in a way where I like the pair as friends. I’m just not sold on them as a couple. But, again, I’m incredibly hard to please when it comes to romantic couples in media, so my reservations here are by no means a dealbreaker for the book as a whole.

Funny Story Recommendation & Rating:

Overall, I think this skeptic is on her way to being converted. This book tackles so much while still managing to maintain an almost-satisfying level of depth. Its few shortcomings are minor, and you know what? I’ll say it: I’m starting to understand the Emily Henry hype. I already look forward to reading more from her.

If you like romance books, I could easily see this being a 5-star read for you. Mind that this is an adult novel (18+ suggested!), and you’re in for an incredible read full of lovable characters and a moving internal journey.

“It’s a look like, You good?
Or maybe like, I’m here.
And I know he won’t be forever, or maybe even very long, but it helps knowing that right now he is. That can be enough.”
-Emily Henry, Funny Story

My Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 stars

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Thank you for reading my Funny Story review. To read more of my book reviews, check out my Book Reviews page.

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