Happy Place - Emily Henry

I had been hearing and seeing so many positive reviews and comments about Emily Henry's new book, Happy Place. I just knew it was a book I wanted to listen to! (And all of those reviews? They were right!)

Six forever friends are at the beach for one last get together at the cottage before it's sold. Now, over the years, some of those friendships have grown into couples. That's the case with Harriet and Wyn. But what their friends don't know is that they've also broken up. They don't want to have this last hurrah tainted by their splitting up. So, they they make a pact. They’ll fake it for a week. After all, it’s only a week right?

Right off the bat I really liked Henry’s characters. The six are all just a little bit different but together they make just the tightest group of friends. Each has a distinct personality and each one is important to the story. I really thought the interactions between the six, as well as the sharp dialogue was spot on. Henry is such a clever writer. 

You’ve got an inkling where this is going don’t you? Yeah, there’s a whole lotta will they, won’t they, for Harriet and Wyn. And again, Henry does a really great job with her exploration of relationships. Interactions are absolutely believable. There are some intimate bits in the book - they’re tastefully written.

I just enjoyed every bit of this book, and that enjoyment was enhanced by Julia Whelan, one of my favourite narrators. She has a wonderfully versatile voice. She’s created a believable, different voice for each of the six players. Each voice suited the mental images I had created. It makes it really easy to know who’s speaking. Her voice is clear, easy to listen to and she enunciates well. Her voice has so much movement, capturing the emotions and plot of the book. 

A great plot and performance and an easy five stars. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of Happy Place.