Happy Place.

 

★★★★★

 

A couple who broke up months ago pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends.

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t. 

They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends. 

Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most. 

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best? 

 

 🌼

Heart wrecking. 

Don't let the title deceive you. When I first started listening to this book, I figured based on the title that it would be a sweet, happy romantic story. I should've known. Happy Place is anything but that. There are a few happy moments throughout the novel, but not in the way that I expected. I listened to the audiobook for hours last night because I couldn't find a decent spot to stop, and I had to know what would happen to Wyn and Harriet—as well as to Parth, Kimmy, Sabrina, and Cleo. I simply couldn't get enough of their stories. Naturally, a part of me was terrified of how the story would end. The only reason it took me so long to read was because it was an audiobook, which takes longer to finish than reading a book. I'm pleased I listened to the audiobook; it brought the story to life for me. 

Julie Wheelan was one of the best narrators I've listened to. This was the second book I listened to by her, and she has quickly become one of my favorites. Wheelan captures each character and their emotions exactly as I see them, which is perhaps why I ended up crying several times while listening to this book. I especially loved how she represented Wyn and Harriet, making their interactions and relationship feel more real, and I could see it happening as I listened to the book. It was hard to not fall in love with Wyn and Harriet; at least for me. There was something unique about the two of them, and I couldn't help but root for them. There were also moments when they would frustrate me, and I wished they would finally grasp that the two of them belonged together. 

I could write about Wyn and Harriet for a whole page. Over the years, I've read about a few couples that have made me fall in love. But there's something unique about Wyn and Harriet; I can't stop thinking about them. Another great aspect of the book was the relationship between Wyn, Parth, Sabrina, Cleo, Kimmie, and Harriet. Whatever happens, they are always there for one another. It made me think and miss my best friends, who don't live close by.It is the friendship that will last for years to come.
I've read a few books by Emily Henry, but Happy Place is my favorite so far. I would recommend this book to any romance fan. I highly recommend that you listen to the audiobook; it will be an unforgettable experience!