Julia's Bookshelves

Happy Place by Emily Henry

• Buy the book here
• Page Count: 385
• Genre: Romance

For those who are longing for east coast summers, desperately waiting for the third season of The Summer I Turned Pretty to be announced, and listening to the new wistful version of Taylor Swift’s “august” that’s taking over social media, Emily Henry’s Happy Place is the perfect summer read for you.

In fact, invoking the words of Miss Swift in “august” perfectly matches the ache of Happy Place. Swift’s “back when we were still changing for the better, wanting was enough” is a fitting line for main characters Wyn and Harriet.

When Harriet arrives at the Maine cottage that has been the site of yearly vacations with her college friends for years, Wyn is the last person she is expecting to see. The first reason being that they’ve broken off their engagement, gone no contact, and decided to not discuss their broken relationship. The second reason being that none of their friends know about the breakup, and Wyn promised to leave this trip for Harriet.

A surprising reveal rocks the quiet trip, and Harriet and Wyn decide that they can’t reveal the breakup to their friends before the end of the week. But can summer magic survive the underlying heartbreak? Can Harriet and Wyn enjoy their favorite people and their favorite place while pretending to be in love? Their happy place is their last chance to break apart for good or patch up what they once had.

Change is hard, and it’s often uncomfortable to confront, and what I love about Happy Place is how it tackles this head on. The book features an ensemble of three couples and complex friendships, and Emily Henry perfectly captures a unique dynamic for the friend group.

Like Henry’s other books, the story flips back and fourth between past and present, and it’s interesting yet painful to watch a relationship unfold when you know a bad breakup is coming. Harriet and Wyn’s chemistry is palpable on the page, and Emily Henry’s use and subversion of popular romance tropes keeps the story moving at a fast pace.

Happy Place might just be my new favorite Emily Henry novel. For casual readers, this is a book that will entertain you. Since reading Happy Place, I’ve let it to my mom and sister. It’s just that kind of book—one you want to share because it captured a moment so genuine and compelling. There’s great characters, swoon worthy romance, and vacation vibes that make this a perfect read for the end of summer!