Thank you very much to the publishers and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple – they go together like bread and butter, gin and tonic, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.
Every year, they take a holiday from their lives to drink far too much wine with their favourite people in the world.
Except this year, they are lying through their teeth, because Harriet and Wyn broke up six months ago. And they still haven’t told anyone.
But the cottage is for sale so this is the last time they’ll all be here together. They can’t bear to break their best friends’ hearts so they’ll fake it for one more week.
But how can you pretend to be in love – and get away with it – in front of the people who know you best?
If anyone asks for a romance book recommendation, one of the first authors I mention is Emily Henry and it is for a good reason. I’ve loved every single one of her books that I have read and her latest, Happy Place, is my new favourite book by her. It is spectacular, heart-warming and one of my favourite books I’ve read this year. I cannot recommend it enough.
Harriet and Wyn have been a perfect couple since they met in college, except now they don’t. They broke up six months ago and still haven’t told their best friends. That is why they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Main cottage that has been the home of their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual trip is the place where they can leave behind their daily lives and enjoy time with the people who understand them most. This issue is, this year Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth whilst trying not to notice how much they still want each other. Can they keep up the act for the week?
Happy Place has everything I wanted and so much more. It made me laugh, and cry and I immediately wanted to re-read it. It has a few of my favourite tropes, fake dating, friends-to-lovers and second-chance romance. I know some people may feel these have been overdone recently but that is definitely not the case with this book. It brings a new perspective to each trope and I loved how it all played out
This book is told from Harriet’s perspective and I loved getting to know her. Throughout the book, we get to know her thoughts, fears and all her vulnerabilities. This is done in such an honest and raw way and I found myself wanting nothing but the best for Harriet throughout the book. We see her struggles and how she learns from the situations she is in which made me like her even more.
I adored Wyn and he has easily become one of my favourite male characters ever. He is not without his flaws but they are part of what made him so loveable. He is vulnerable, and caring and is just one of the sweetest male characters I’ve ever read.
Harriet and Wyn are my favourite couple that Emily Henry has written for so many reasons. If someone asked me about soulmates, I would mention Harriet and Wyn. Their story tugged at all my heartstrings and I felt every emotion with them. They aren’t perfect but that is what made them feel so real.
The group of friends Happy Place centres around is amazing. I wanted to be a part of the friendship group myself. I’m always a fan of found family and this one may be my favourite. We get to see how their friendship grows and changes over the years, from their successes, to the worst moments and all the things in between.
I loved that this book is told from two different time periods, Happy Place being the past and Real Life being the present. We get to see the big moments in Harriet’s life thanks to this; when she met her best friends, when she meets Wyn and so many other amazing moments. This helped to give me more perspective on the characters and what they had all been through over the years.
Emily Henry continues to be one of my favourite authors and an author I know I can rely on her for a book that will make me sob and then have me happy crying by the end of the book. The way she explores life, growing up and relationships is extraordinary and helps to make her character so real and honest.
Overall, I cannot recommend Happy Place enough! It is extraordinary and heart-warming and its characters have my heart. It made me laugh, cry and sent me on a real rollercoaster of emotions. It is beautiful and I will be recommending it non-stop this year I’m sure.
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