In her fifth novel, Funny Story, released in April 2024, Emily Henry delves into the life-altering circumstances that force protagonist Daphne Vincent to start anew in her thirties. The novel paints a picture of the complexities of modern relationships, exploring how individuals often shy away from vulnerability, fearing that it may be perceived as weakness. Portraying the less glamorous aspects of love, Henry compels her characters, Daphne and her love interest, Miles, to confront issues such as depression, self-doubt, and generational trauma to sustain their relationship.

As of March 2023, Henry has sold over 2.4 million books. Recognized as a trailblazer in the new romance genre and capturing the hearts of millennials and the TikTok generation, Henry has been honored with the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance three times in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Film adaptations of Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, and Book Lovers are currently in pre-production. Henry’s works have been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine; the New York Times; and Entertainment Weekly.

The source material comes from the 2024 Penguin Random House eBook edition.

Plot Summary

Daphne Vincent moves to Waning Bay, Michigan, with her fiancé, Peter, and becomes the children’s librarian at the local library. Peter returns home on the night of his bachelor party and calls off the wedding because he has fallen for his childhood best friend, Petra. Adding insult to injury, Peter and Petra leave for a vacation, and Petra moves in when they return, forcing Daphne to scramble to find a place to live.

Miles Nowak, Petra’s ex-boyfriend, has an open room, and Daphne moves in. Daphne only knows Miles from Peter’s descriptions of him as a “stoner” and someone who doesn’t have a stable career, but she quickly learns that Miles may be quirky, but he’s kind and exciting. As the new roommates get to know one another, Daphne becomes physically attracted to Miles’s woodsy scent and ruggedly handsome good looks. After receiving Peter and Petra’s wedding invitation, the pair decides to RSVP and attend the wedding. They decide to claim that they are a couple, and they snap a fake photo for social media to hard launch their fake relationship.

Having never felt like Waning Bay is her home, Daphne plans to return home to live near her mother when the library’s summer Read-a-thon ends. As their friendship grows, Daphne begins to enjoy spending time with Miles. She learns that he has a stable job at the Cherry Hill winery, and she becomes more attracted to his sunny, pleasant personality. Miles offers to be Daphne’s tour guide around the city to convince her to stay, and he takes her to local diners, farm stands, and hidden beaches that open her eyes to another side of the town. She realizes that everything and everyone she knew in Waning Bay was connected to Peter, and seeing the city through Miles’s eyes makes her appreciate it in a new way.

As much as Daphne is falling for the town, she is also falling for Miles, and each time they’re together, the physical tension grows. One night, while watching a movie, they make out and almost have sex, but Miles stops, claiming that he doesn’t want to ruin their friendship. Also, his sister, Julia, arrives unexpectedly, and he becomes distracted. Julia and Miles had a difficult childhood, and he’s always worried about his sister. However, he refrains from revealing anything specific to Daphne.

Having lost her best friend, Sadie, in the aftermath of the breakup, Daphne feels lonely in Waning Bay. She develops a friendship with her co-worker, Ashleigh. Ashleigh can sense the chemistry between Miles and Daphne and encourages Sadie to act on it. However, after Peter’s betrayal, Daphne struggles to trust her instincts.

Moreover, Daphne’s mother is the only person she’s ever trusted. Her father was mostly absent during her childhood; if he was around, he was never truly present for her. Daphne is reluctant to give her heart to anyone for fear of being hurt. Julia moves in with Miles and Daphne, and along with Ashleigh, the four form a kind of family. Daphne makes peace by just being friends with Miles.

While completing her preparation for the Read-a-thon, Daphne considers rethinking her plan to move away. She realizes that she can make Waning Bay a home no matter her relationship status. Just days from the Read-a-thon, Daphne gets a call to interview for a library job in her mom’s town. Her father rolls into town unexpectedly, and she, Miles, and Julia entertain him and his new wife for several days. They talk of him moving there, and Daphne considers that her father has changed. However, he breaks her heart when he leaves unexpectedly with little more than a note to say goodbye.

In the wake of Daphne’s disappointment, Miles comforts her, and they have sex. After several days of romantic bliss, Miles disappears, and Daphne worries that Miles has abandoned her, too. She completes the job interview and resumes her plan to leave Waning Bay as soon as the Read-a-thon ends. In her flurry of emotions, Daphne forgets Ashleigh’s birthday, causing a rift in their friendship.

Peter shows up out of the blue and announces that he and Petra broke up and he wants Daphne back. She refuses, but he adds that Miles and Petra will probably reunite because Miles is with her now. Daphne apologizes to Ashleigh, repairs their friendship, and moves in with her until the Read-a-thon. When her father calls, she tells him the truth about how he hurt her as a child.

The Read-a-thon is a huge success, and Miles and other community volunteers show up to help. Afterward, Miles and Daphne go for a walk, and he explains that he disappeared to find her father and make him apologize to her. Also, he and Petra aren’t getting back together—he was helping her move out. Daphne and Miles confess their love, but Daphne decides to live alone. They buy a home together three months later and invite all their Waning Bay friends to celebrate.