Hannah B.'s Reviews > Happy Place

TL;DR: Happy Place felt like an inside joke that I just didn’t understand. I was sitting there feeling awkward and out of place because a friend group I’m not a part of was the main character, not the relationship. It was an overall sad read, focusing on friendships drifting apart, parents getting old/dying, and failed expectations (imposed mainly by self doubt and pressure from friends and family). Maybe it’s cliche to admit, but I truly couldn’t care about 95% of this book. I didn’t buy their HEA. Further, Henry’s writing was way too dense and purple for what was already a heavy read. My happy place was the last page.

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Happy Place is very similar to People We Meet on Vacation with the flashbacks and failed relationship that all hinged on a “mysterious” fight. Harriet was wishy washy and was too much of a people pleaser/ problem fixer and Wyn was so self deprecating. The rest of the friends weren’t interesting. They actually just sucked, especially Sabrina.

It was more depressing than anything because it was less romance and more the trials and tribulations of being an adult. That shit is sad and not especially romantic. Plus you get flashbacks of Wyn’s very alive and healthy parents and then in the present his dad is dead and mother has Parkinson’s. It was just heavy all around. I’m not saying romances can’t deal with real issues and hard topics, but frankly it just didn’t make for an interesting read and it overshadowed the romance. The phrase “happy place” is basically a trigger for me now because it kept being repeated.

As for the steam, the sex was delayed so long I got bored during the actual scene. They kept getting interrupted by people or or “sudden flashes of reality” during the first 80% of the book, which erased the sexual tension… so yeah not fun. It’s a flowery, vague, and short sex scene anyways. Only one scene. The payoff for waiting 9+ hours was the bare minimum.

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**SPOILERS**

Further, I simply hated the reason for their breakup. It made me dislike Wyn idc he was too insecure and it being “it wasn’t you it’s me” is just something that I viscerally hate so much. I understand why he broke it off which even made sense and I don’t blame him for that, but the way he went about it was so frustrating and selfish.

Wyn made the decision for the relationship without talking to Harriet and never really understood that. He does the same thing in the present too. “You can’t move to Montana because I know you better than you know yourself.” And both times Harriet blames herself!! She’s not blameless but come on girl. Also she wants to be a potter 😭😭? That was so fucking random lmao. Good thing she got scholarships I guess because throwing away your successful brain surgery career is wild behavior.

**END OF SPOILERS**

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As for the writing, Henry uses so many adjectives and metaphors that I can’t help but feel claustrophobic. It’s definitely a personal preference but her writing is just so dense. This was my first EH audiobook since Beach Read and I really think it exacerbates the issue. The prose is purple and her metaphors have metaphors.

She describes every little detail about every little thing and I got so overwhelmed. The amount of times this man bit his lip, licked his lip, twitched his lip…please god make it stop. My first thought 5% in was “wow, so many words.” So coupled with a boring plot about a group of friends I really didn’t like…it just really wasn’t the book for me.

Overall, the audiobook in the PRH audio app kept going back several minutes randomly (idk what was going on) and I could barely tell I was rereading parts. The book just blended together in a big blob of blah. The narration itself was great but couldn’t save a boring book with an HEA I didn’t believe. This will be the last Emily Henry book I read. I gave it a shot because I love the cover and pink is my kryptonite. But no more. My happy place was the last page.

⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️.5/5

P.S. Wyn uses cinnamon toothpaste and clove deodorant which is serial killer behavior.



Thanks to PRHaudio for an ALC. All opinions are honest and my own.