Common Sense Media Review
By Sage Moreaux
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Poignant second chance romance has sex, drugs and drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Harriet's HAPPY PLACE is the beach house where she spends one wonderful week a year with her best friends. But this year feels different, and not only because she still hasn't told her friends that she and her fiancée Wyn broke up five months earlier. The beach house is being sold, and this will be the last time they have a chance to spend together in this happy place. When Harriet arrives, she finds that not only is Wyn there too, but their on-going lie means they need to pose as a happy couple in front of the people who know them best. They find themselves sharing a bedroom and pretending to be oh, so in love. Harriet is so caught up in her broken heart and the torture of having Wyn so close that she nearly misses the cracks in the friend group. Can Harriet and Wyn let down their guard enough to share how they really feel? And will they also figure out what it takes to stay friends with someone when life takes you on different paths?
Is It Any Good?
On the surface, it seems like this is a sweet story of past lovers reuniting. But Happy Place also tells the story of the emotional digging friends need to do in order to keep relationships strong as years and distance come between them. Moving and somewhat bittersweet, this book is less a funny romantic romp, and more of a thoughtful look at how history and circumstance can drive a wedge in friendships as time moves ever on. As the characters are in their thirties and are dealing with challenges often faced by people their age, the book is best saved for older teens and adults.
There are enough sexy moments and lingering looks to mark this story as a romance novel, but the communication challenges the characters face make the book more about how to move past your youth while speaking your truth to the people that matter most. The characters come off a bit flat, with Harriet having the most present personality. The flashbacks to happier, simpler times creates a kind of nostalgia that can feel almost sorrowful. While the overall theme of friendship and communication is thoughtfully written, the feeling that one decent talk is all it would take for Harriet and Wyn to work out their problems is maddening. But Emily Henry is a masterful writer and her prose is evocative and heartfelt that any small problems with the characters and narrative are easy to overlook.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the miscommunication in Happy Place. How does keeping things from your friends affect your relationships? Why's it so important to communicate your honest feelings to those you love?
What do you think about the amount of drinking in this book? What about the marijuana gummies they take? Does the drinking and drug use add to the plot?
Harriet is a real people pleaser and avoids confrontation. Why do you think the author chose this type of character for this story? How would the plot change if Harriet was more like one of her other friends?
What do you think about about the amount of lying the characters do? Are any of the lies warranted?
The characters come together to make the weekend special for one another. What kind of teamwork is evident in the story?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Berkley
- Publication date : April 25, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 18 - 18
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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