Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Happy Place by Emily Henry Narrator: Julia Whelan
Published by Berkley, Penguin Audio on April 25, 2023
Genres: Life Fiction
Pages: 400
Length: 11 hours, 2 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in collegeâthey go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, nowâfor reasons theyâre still not discussingâthey donât.
They broke up six months ago. And still havenât told their best friends.
Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend groupâs yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue 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 theyâll all have together in this place. They canât stand to break their friendsâ hearts, and so theyâll 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.
Emily Henry and Julia Whelan are an author/ narrator combination that I really enjoy. Happy Place gives us a long term couple where each loves the other, maybe more than themself.  There is also the insecurity of not being enough for the other person. These feelings are based on both family and personal history. We get some flashbacks to their college days which show how they all became friends, started their yearly getaway and how Harriet and Wyn get together.
Harriet has always been an excellent student and planned to go to medical school. Her parents are not happy in their marriage, having married when they got pregnant with her older sister. The older sister has always been a problem, rebelling and going against her parents wishes. Harriet, on the other hand, has tried so hard to be good to make things easier for her parents who work hard to make sure the two girls have everything, especially things they didn’t get to have. Harriet also developed the habit of cleaning to help her parents.
Wyn has a lovely family who support him and his siblings in their choices. Wyn is not a good student and had difficulties in high school and college. His talents lie in other areas than academic. But poor academics make him feel like he is not good enough.
Harriet became life-long best friends with her diverse and talented roommates from college. Parth and Wyn are also part of their friend group and apartment sharing friends from college. Every summer the friends go to a vacation home in Maine which is Harriet’s happy place. Now it’s going to be sold so this is the last year. Wyn and Harriet broke up six months ago and haven’t told any of the others. So they both end up on the holiday.
There is SO much happening here with emotional situations for all of them. The vacation finds them learning their truths and savoring their deep connections. All the friends end up finding support for their changes to take them into the future. I felt this emotional journey.
Narration:
Julia Whelan is a favorite narrator because she has a terrific ability to infuse emotion into her performance.  Her voices for both male and female characters feels comfortable.  I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:Â HERE
About Julia Whelan
Julia Whelan is a screenwriter, life-long actor, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She graduated with a degree in English and Creative Writing from Middlebury College and Oxford University. While in England, her flirtation with tea blossomed into a full-blown love affair, culminating in her eventual certification as a tea master. When not writing her own books, you can find her reading other peopleâs out loud into a microphone.
About Emily Henry
Emily Henry writes stories about love and family for both teens and adults. She studied creative writing at Hope College and the now-defunct New York Center for Art & Media Studies, and now spends most of her time in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the part of Kentucky just beneath it.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 23-COYER
Now youâve got me excited! Definitely starting this one by the weekend. Great review, Anneđ
Thank you Jonetta. This is one of my favorite authors for Life Fiction. It’s not just a romance.
I haven’t read this author but I do love Julia Whelan’s narrations and this novel sounds really good
Thanks Anne
I’ve really enjoyed all the Emily Henry books I have read. I always appreciate Julia Whelan also.
Perfect summer read!
I’ve really enjoyed it. I hope you get to try it.
I’ve eyed her books in the past and thought the blurbs and reviews sounded good. I will need to try one of these at some point. Nice to know Julie Whelan is the narrator.
She’s one of my favorites. Julia Whelan is too. I hope you get to try it.
I’m so looking forward to reading this one. I loved Henry’s other books. đ
yes she really develops characters well. I enjoy it whether I like the characters or not. They feel like real people and I connected with them.
Julia Whelan is such a fantastic narrator and this book sounds so fun! I’m really looking forward to reading it and I’ll definitely go the audio route.
Julia Whelan is a favorite. I enjoy her performances so much. And I always want to read everything by this author.
I loved this one too. Julia Whelan is just a phenomenal narrator.
Totally agree. This author and narrator are favorites.
Yay, I have this am glad to see you enjoyed it so much!
I hope you love it too.
I’m listening to and loving this right now. Glad to see your 5 stars, Anne!
Thanks Rachel. This author and narrator are splendid. I hope you love it too.
I’ve had my eye on this one and it sounds good! Nice review.
Thank you Naida. I really enjoy this author and this narrator. I always want to read their work.
Glad you loved this one! I knew I’d have to opt for the audiobook, since Julia Whelan narrates it đ
This is a dream team to make a great read.
I’ve seen a lot of glowing reviews for this book and I’m looking forward to reading it. It’s on hold at the library, might take a while before it’s my turn.
I love this author. The characters bring such emotions to me as they are developed and they feel like real people.
I have got to hurry up and read one of my books by this author! I own the first two, but haven’t gotten to them yet. Great review! And I do love Julia Whelan’s narrating, so may have to try the audio.
I’ve loved them all so pick any of them!