Funny Story

When Daphne’s carefully crafted life implodes moments before her wedding, she finds herself stranded in the lakeside town of Waning Bay, Michigan, with no plan and no home. Her ex-fiancé’s sudden confession—that he’s in love with his childhood best friend, Petra—leaves her reeling, but an unexpected lifeline arrives: a proposal to move in with Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak. Miles is everything Daphne isn’t—scruffy, spontaneous, and prone to drowning his sorrows in heartbreak ballads—while she’s reserved, pragmatic, and so private her coworkers joke she’s in witness protection. Their arrangement starts as a practical solution for two broken hearts, with strict boundaries and minimal interaction.

As they navigate the awkwardness of sharing space with someone tied to their exes’ new happiness, a fragile friendship begins to form. Bonding over shared grief and late-night conversations, they hatch a lighthearted plan to post misleading photos of their “summer adventures” online—a playful rebellion against the narratives their exes rewrote. What starts as a mutual support system slowly deepens into something neither expected, blurring the lines between healing and hope. The quiet rhythms of Waning Bay, from its cozy library to lakeside sunsets, become the backdrop for their tentative steps toward trust.

Emily Henry masterfully crafts a story where opposites don’t just attract—they challenge and transform each other. Daphne’s journey from self-doubt to self-discovery is tenderly balanced with Miles’ unwavering optimism, revealing how two people can become mirrors for each other’s hidden strengths. Their banter sparkles with wit, yet beneath the humor lies a raw exploration of vulnerability: learning to forgive, to ask for what you need, and to believe you deserve to be chosen. The novel celebrates the messy, imperfect process of rebuilding a life after heartbreak, where small moments—a shared meal, a walk on the beach, or a quiet understanding—become lifelines.

Set against the charm of a tight-knit Michigan town, Funny Story weaves together found family, community, and the healing power of place. Side characters—from Daphne’s quirky library coworkers to Miles’ loyal friends—add warmth and humor, creating a world that feels both intimate and alive. Henry avoids easy resolutions, instead honoring the complexity of moving forward when the past still lingers. Every conversation, whether funny or fraught, serves to peel back layers of fear and expectation, showing that love isn’t about perfection but about showing up, even when you’re unsure.

This is a novel that lingers long after the last page, not through grand gestures but in its quiet insistence that joy can bloom in the ruins of what was lost. It’s a testament to the resilience of the human heart, wrapped in Henry’s signature blend of laugh-out-loud dialogue and poignant insight. For anyone who’s ever felt unmoored, Funny Story offers a reminder that new beginnings often arrive in the most unexpected packages—and sometimes, the right person is the one you never saw coming.