Funny, emotional and engaging opposites attract beach read
Contemporary romance novels often end up becoming a beach read as readers can enjoy these books while on a vacation. After the success of her novel titled Beach Read, Emily Henry is back with another witty, funny and interesting story about opposites attracting. What happens when you find out that your fiancé is breaking up with you six weeks before your wedding to marry his childhood best friend?
That’s the case for Daphne who learns that she has a week to move out of the house that she was hoping to start a family with Peter in. With nowhere to go, Daphne is left with no option but to move in with Miles, the ex-boyfriend of Peter’s girlfriend – Petra. When the two exes are invited to Peter and Petra’s wedding, the two bond over their shared heartbreak.
However, a white lie starts which brings Mile and Daphne together and the two are forced to come to terms with their respective troubling childhood traumas. The novel is a fun read at first but soon becomes an emotional page-turner. We see Daphne, a librarian raised by a hyper-independent single mother who grows up with severe abandonment issues due to the absence of her father.
Upon meeting Peter, she finds the confident father figure she yearned for and abandons her own life to start a new life with him. Miles on the other hand is an anxious-avoidant who has demons from his childhood that he refuses to address. Daphne and Miles are the textbook definition of opposites attract.
Despite how they hurt her, Daphne describes Peter and Petra as people who could do no wrong while Miles is the golden retriever boyfriend who is all too focused on the person he loves to even care about his mobile phone being drained out of battery. Miles is the typical green flag character but one good thing about this novel is that it does not shy away from displaying Miles’ childhood trauma, his commitment phobia as well as his hatred for his parents for treating him the way they did.
With a common broken relationship, as well as their respective childhood traumas, being the catalyst for their friendship and eventually their romance, Funny Story is a well-balanced tale of romance between two very opposite but very similar characters. The situation they are in forces Daphne to move into Miles’ apartment where the two are forcefully brought close to each other.
The tension is palpable as Daphne and Miles make falling in love with the ex-boyfriend of your ex-boyfriend’s fiancé sound appealing. There is sexual tension between the two and as time goes by in the book, we see two friends turning into lovers. With severe abandonment issues of her own, Daphne’s trying to push people out of her life before they hurt her almost holds her back from having her romantic ending.
Miles being complacent and refusing to tell the truth to Daphne further intensifies the misunderstanding in the final chapters of the novel. Funny Story is far from just a simple funny story and delves deep into several ups and downs that come with a romantic relationship. The novel is well-written and tear-jerking in places.
Daphne’s relationship with her mother is simply adorable and her friendship with Ashleigh is hilarious. Funny Story by Emily Henry is an enjoyable beach read with the right amount of romance, melodrama, and comedy.
Read More: Funny Story by Emily Henry (2024) – Ending Explained
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Verdict - 8/10
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