A couple who broke up months ago pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

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?

Happy Place (Amazon US) (Amazon UK) (Audible.com) (AbeBooks Used Book Marketplace)

One of my favorite books from several years ago was Beach Read by Emily Henry $1.99 on Kindle + Book Review. It ticked all the boxes for me: a light, breezy romantic read that makes the time pass in an instant and a quick read. Would Happy Place create the same warm feelings that my first Emily Henry book did?

First off, the sense of humor in this book is off the charts; it really hit all the marks for me. The characters are well written and could easily see myself living part of this book. The writing, as usual, is top notch. There’s a certain effervescence in Henry’s writing that makes the book so enjoyable.

I won’t rehash the plot, you can read that above. I just want to say that I’m not usually the one for contemporary romances, but if I do read them, I want them to be written by Emily Henry. Harriet and Wyn were so real to me, just jumping off the page. Even though the plot is somewhat unbelievable when first stumbling upon it, as the book progresses you see it isn’t silly after all. There are some really gut-wrenching moments as well, which makes the book’s resolution all the more heartfelt and real. Once again, Emily Henry satisfies that place in a reader’s heart of time well spent reading prose.

For more reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

Never miss a post! Subscribe to my email list below.

I’m also on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. Check it out!

Join our Facebook page Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews or join our book group here.

This post contains affiliate links. That means I may earn a few pennies if you purchase any books mentioned in this post, at no additional cost to you. Monies earned offset the costs of web hosting.