Funny Story by Emily Henry

Narrated by Julia Whelan

Standalone Contemporary Romance

Funny Story by Emily Henry is one of those super-hyped books I wanted to cross off my list before the end of the year. I’ve read three of her books before and enjoyed them all, but I still don’t quite get why they’re so hyped. They’re solid 4-4.5 star reads for me, but they just don’t stick with me.

Maybe it’s Julia Whelan’s narration that holds me back from connecting (more on that later), or maybe it’s because Henry’s books are single POV. They have everything I love in a romance book, but they just don’t WOW me the way they do everyone else. Honestly, I barely remember Funny Story—and I finished it last week.

Daphne and Miles were both engaged and in love. Daphne was with Peter, and Miles was with Petra—until Peter and Petra realized their “friendship” was actually more. So, they dumped their respective partners and got together.

Daphne doesn’t know anyone in town, so she ends up moving in with Petra’s ex, Miles. When Peter and Petra invite them to their wedding, Daphne and Miles fake a relationship to save face.

Miles is lovable, charming, and kind… or so I think? Since it’s single POV, we never really get inside his head to know for sure. For me, it felt like Daphne would always come second to Petra, even if Miles was trying to move on.

“Petra was the exception, not the rule, for me. So if she wanted to get back together? I don’t know. But it’s not worth thinking about, since she’s engaged to your ex-boyfriend.”

“They,” I say, “suck.”
“She’s the love of my life,” he says.
“The love of your life sucks,” I tell him.”

Likes:

I loved that Daphne was a librarian, and her struggles to find work in her field felt real.
The premise of the book was clever and engaging.
Both characters were likable.
The banter was fantastic.
Emily Henry’s writing is so strong.

Dislikes:

We never get his POV, which made it hard to fully connect with Miles.
I felt like Miles was still in love with Petra, and part of him always would be.
The story just wasn’t very memorable.

The Narration:

Julia Whelan is a talented narrator, but she doesn’t always work for me. Her voice sounds too mature for Daphne, and I find her tone too subdued and a little depressing for a book like this. I think she’s part of why I never fully connect with many of the hyped books she narrates.

The Down & Dirty:

Funny Story by Emily Henry was an enjoyable read, but it just didn’t leave much of an impression. I liked the characters, the banter, and the clever premise, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Miles would go back to Petra if he had the chance. Emily Henry’s books are always well-written, but something keeps me from loving them as much as everyone else seems to. It’s still a solid 4-star read for me, but it was missing the wow factor to rate it higher.