What do you do when your life falls apart and everything that you thought you knew vanishes in the space of one conversation? You move in with your ex-fiancé’s new fiancé’s ex of course. Why? For Daphne, life in Waning Bay had been built around her fiancé Peter and his family. When that is taken away she is left with her beloved job as a children’s librarian and not much else. Needing somewhere to live and in a hurry Miles’ spare bedroom seems like it could be perfect. Afterall, she only intends to stay in Michigan for another few months. After the read-a-thon event that she has been working on is done and dusted, she intends to leave (flee?) Waning Bay and its memories behind.
However, once again her plans are interrupted by someone else. Daphne and Miles go from awkward roommates to budding friends. Miles’ more relaxed, easy going, adventure loving, personality contrasts with bookish introvert Daphne, but it might just be the best thing for her.
When Peter, perfect Peter, calls Daphne to discuss his upcoming marriage to his new partner Petra, Daphne finds herself telling him that of course she doesn’t mind going and yes, she meant to RSVP +1, as surely she would be taking her new partner Miles with her. Ah. Peter is shocked and well, so is Daphne. At this point her and Miles are only just becoming friends but even someone as good as her can’t resist the opportunity to demonstrate that she will be more than fine without him.
At the same time, Miles decides that it is time that Daphne stops living with Waning Bay in the background, and instead embraces all that the seaside town has to offer. He is connected to the pulse of the town; he knows everything that is going on and is friends with just about everyone too. He decides that in the months before the read-a-thon he will be Daphne’s tour guide, showing her the town he loves in the hope that she will grow to love it too.
This proves to be the catalyst for Daphne’s growth. Although primarily a romance, the key theme of Funny Story is Daphne’s development. Over time she begins to embrace the town, enjoying wineries, the outdoors, beaches, cafes, bars, markets. At the same time, she begins to open up to her colleagues and starts to make friends. Before this she had always kept herself to herself and was almost unknowable to the people she shared every work day with, but as she explores more of the geography of the town, she begins to grow into herself a bit more. This is the highlight of the novel and although the romance is enjoyable, the true joy is in seeing Daphne decide what sort of life she wants and what sort of person she wants to be.
Emily Henry has a significant following, in large part thanks to booktok, and her fans wait with bated breath for each new release. Henry knows her audience and caters to them well; for those looking for romance there is a big scoopful to be devoured and there is a happy ending to be found. However, a talented writer with a knack for characterisation, Henry plays with the idea of perfect relationships; of the space between what we believe we should want, and what we actually need. There are many romance tropes in action here, including opposites attracting and forced flatmates to partners, but they are not laid out in a cliched manner, even though the final configuration does not come as a surprise.
Any Cop?: Funny Story will gain Henry new fans and is a great addition to her growing portfolio. Relaxing, enjoyable, and easy to read (in the best way), Funny Story makes a good beach read or companion to get you through the daily commute each morning.
Laura Marriott
Bookmunch 