From the moment I picked up “People We Meet on Vacation” a few years ago, I knew I had discovered my new favorite author. Emily Henry is a New York Times bestselling author of the romance novels “Beach Read,” “People We Meet on Vacation,” “Book Lovers,” “Happy Place” and “Funny Story.” Each of these books is a stand-alone love story, but that doesn’t stop people from reading them all. Henry’s writing is romantic, funny and relatable, and her character-building is impeccable. Even though her books feature happy endings, you won’t find yourself lost in the predictable “Hallmark Channel” story. Here’s my review of each novel along with how I would rank them!
5. “Book LoverS”
“Book Lovers” follows the classic enemies-to-lovers trope. Nora Stephens, a literary agent, first meets Charlie Lastra when she tries to recruit him to be the editor for one of her client’s upcoming novels. They immediately end up on each other’s bad sides when he rudely declines. After the novel takes off and becomes wildly successful, where else would they serendipitously reunite besides in the very setting where the book takes place: Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. To their dismay, they not only continue to run into each other but also have to work together when Charlie gets assigned to edit one of Nora’s client’s new books.
Don’t get me wrong — I love the concept of this novel. But there are a few reasons why it’s landed in my fifth spot. Maybe I’m being harsh, but I found Nora’s younger sister, Libby, to be unlikable and problematic. In addition, although Nora and Charlie have a lot of physical chemistry, I don’t think they make much sense otherwise, and their relationship seems forced. Unfortunately, this is the only Emily Henry novel that, in my opinion, has a cheesy ending. It is very predictable, and I knew how she would resolve the conflict chapters before reading it.
On the other hand, I adore the setting of Sunshine Falls. Although the town doesn’t turn out to be exactly how they picture it, they find its beauty on their own. I also love Nora’s character — a driven, talented woman who shoots for the stars and never settles for less. This aspect does make the ending a little bit better for me because she makes a choice based on what she thinks is best for herself, not just her love life.
4. “Funny Story”
I took “Funny Story” outside to read it by my pool, and, unfortunately, I left it in the pouring rain overnight. I had to read the rest of the novel by very carefully turning each page so it wouldn’t rip, listening to its aggressive crinkling sound each time. The state of my copy doesn’t reflect the contents of the story, though!
“Funny Story” begins just after Daphne’s fiancé ends their engagement to be with his best friend, who just so happens to be Miles’ girlfriend. Heartbroken and with nowhere to live, Daphne decides to move into Miles’ apartment now that he has extra space. After Daphne has an unfortunate phone call with her ex-fiancé, she and Miles find themselves in a fake relationship. Despite loving her job as a librarian, Daphne feels that now that her relationship is over, she needs to move to get a fresh start. Because he loves Waning Bay, Michigan, Miles brings Daphne on an adventure every Sunday to convince her to stay.
Usually, I find the “pretending to be dating” trope overdone. Don’t get me wrong, I love “Anyone But You,” but sometimes it’s hard for me to take these storylines seriously. Despite rolling my eyes when Henry first introduces this plot point in “Funny Story,” after finishing the novel I can admit that she executes it very well. She doesn’t make their fake relationship the only exciting plot point throughout the novel, and towards the end, it drops out of the spotlight and becomes a kind of inside joke.
The main reason that “Funny Story” is fourth on my list is because it was hard for me to be completely sucked in at the very beginning. With almost all of the rest of Henry’s novels, I was unable to put them down and finished them within a matter of days. For some reason, it took me longer to be fully immersed in this story right from the start. But, once I got to know the characters and new conflicts were introduced, I flew through the last half. Henry does a beautiful job describing the setting, and Miles and Daphne’s slow-burn romance had me all but screaming at the pages. Something I found Henry did especially well in this book is how fleshed-out and entertaining the storylines of the side characters are, like Daphne’s parents, her coworker and Mile’s sister. Also, unlike “Book Lovers,” the ending is refreshingly realistic and satisfying.
3. “Beach Read”
As a writer myself, “Beach Read” was a comforting reminder that I’m not the only one who struggles with extreme writer’s block. Maybe I need to try January Andrews and Augustus Everett’s method: shut myself in a beach house, be next-door neighbors with another author, swap genres and compete to see who can get their book published first. I wouldn’t complain if I got some of their romance, too!
The endeavors they take to inspire Gus’ writing help fuel the romance, but there is more depth to “Beach Read.” January is struggling to write her usual romance because she learns that her parents’ seemingly “perfect” marriage was all a lie, and if they didn’t have real love, who could? Gus struggles with his emotions, causing confusion and heartbreak for everyone involved. Both of these characters have broken pasts, and their journeys to heal together have the potential to bring readers to tears.
The title of this novel is not deceiving: This is the best book to read at the beach. I started it on my first day of vacation and finished it before we left.
2. “People We Meet on Vacation”
“People We Meet On Vacation” is the slow-burn to end all slow-burns. If I was in Poppy and Alex’s shoes, I would go insane, but I one hundred percent recommend reading about them. In a perfectly executed friends-to-lovers story (with enemies in between), Alex and Poppy meet on an awkward car ride home from college one weekend, then soon become best friends. Every year for a decade they go on vacation together, and Poppy writes all about the trips in her blog. When she lands a job as a travel writer, they stay best friends, despite the distance, until on their last trip together, something happens, causing them to stop speaking for two years. When Poppy is in a rut and needs inspiration, she breaks the silence to invite Alex on her next trip, and he agrees to face her again.
First of all, the first chapter of “People We Meet On Vacation” takes place in Sanibel Island, Florida — the place my extended family and I have been visiting for over ten years — so I was immediately hooked. What kept me reading, though, was how much I love these characters together: polar opposites, yet somehow a perfect fit. Throughout the book, the reason behind the end of their friendship is unclear, but Henry pieces it all together by incorporating flashbacks to the vacations leading up to the one where it all went wrong. I found myself simultaneously begging for answers while also wishing for more and more memories from their trips because they were perfect together. Not to mention, the novel made me question all of my future career options. Poppy makes being a travel writer sound like the best job ever.
I cannot wait for the screen adaptation of this novel starring Tom Blyth and Emily Bader!
1. “Happy Place”
In my top spot on this list, as well as being included on the list of my favorite books I’ve ever read: “Happy Place.” I have never flown through a book so fast in my life. “Happy Place” follows three women and their significant others, all friends since they met in college. Every summer, they stay at a cottage in Maine, and it quickly becomes their own little world. After graduating, they go back to the cottage, and one of the friends announces that the reason she needs all six of them to be there is because her parents will be selling the cottage. To say goodbye, she and her partner will be getting married at the end of the trip. After hearing this news, how are Harriet and Wyn, the “it” couple since they met in school, supposed to tell their best friends that they are no longer together? Answer: They can’t. They’ll give everyone one last perfect visit to Maine with their perfect friend group in their perfect relationships, then they’ll break the news.
This book was so special to me because it really aligned with my life. I had just finished my freshman year of college and met the best friends I could’ve asked for. When I started reading this book, I was on a plane to Florida with my college roommates, and every day when we laid by the pool in Naples, my mind was in Maine.
Personally, I really resonate with Harriet as a character, and Wyn is my favorite of Henry’s love interests, so I was very invested in their love story. Because they had been in a relationship before pretending to still be together, the tension between them is undeniable. I love that through the flashbacks readers learn both how their relationship begins and falls apart, all while watching them figure out what they are to each other in the present timeline. I think it’s a perfect adaptation of how complex navigating adult relationships can be, no matter how long they last.
Although “Happy Place” is a romance novel, the plot lines surrounding friendship are almost more entertaining to me. Henry depicts a group of friends who function more like a chosen family. Even though Harriet, Cleo and Sabrina have been inseparable since they became best friends in college, they experience hardships during this trip. Things go wrong and people fight, but deep down, they know how important they are to each other and always find their way back. They remind me a lot of the friends I’ve made in college, and I can’t imagine life without them now.
With these five novels, Emily Henry has secured her spot as my favorite author. Despite my rankings, I recommend every single one, especially if you’re in a reading slump. Now, I’m counting down the days until her next release, “Great Big Beautiful Life,” in the spring of 2025!