Something Fun & a Little Spicy
We’ve had some weird weather in my part of the world this week. And last week. And more on the way—scary windstorms and warm, rainy days. And although there’s value in not trying to escape uncomfortable things,
I believe times like these call for bookish distractions.
A few weeks ago I shared my winter book stack with the 15 books I selected for winter's long, dark fireside evenings. Most of them are nonfiction (14/15) and slowly but surely, I’ve been making my way through their pages, finding so much to learn from. But sometimes a girl just needs a good novel—the kind she can’t resist telling her friends about and reading/listening to more than once, the kind with an audio version read by the best narrator on the planet.
I believe we need fun stories in our lives (& in our earbuds). We need to be able to read something just because it makes us feel things, just because the story is a happy one, or just because we want to.
We need to know we have permission to read those stories again and again.
So this morning I’m sharing a book I just listened to for the second time that made me laugh, cry, & blush hard all over again — Emily Henry’s Happy Place. It’s a spicy one and the Maine summer feels are HUGE, a perfect escape from this weird weather week.
If you haven’t yet read an Emily Henry novel, you might enjoy reading her other works before diving into this one. These are my favorites in order of my love for them ⤵
Then, when you get to Happy Place, you’ll love swimming around in the deep friendships portrayed, the mental health themes that don’t get nearly enough attention, and all the Maine summer bliss (so much!!).
You may even feel your soul set on fire.
To live more, to love more, to truly see the one you love, and to realize that none of us is responsible for another person’s happiness. I did, at least.
This book is great for highlighting truths like these⤵
Friendships call for (& deserve) more work as we grow older
Mental health should be normalized, now more than ever
It’s worth our time and attention to really see the people we love
Each of us is only responsible for our own happiness, no one else’s
It feels really good to read for fun (spiciness included)
I wasn’t expecting to glean so much from a book like Happy Place but those truths are there, which is why this book left a mark on me, a good mark, a mark worth talking about with you today. If you decide to give it a go, I hope you love it.
💛
& if you were already an Emily Henry fan long before today, I hope this made you smile, and I hope you’re as ready as I am for the April release of Funny Story. (I saw Julia Whelan’s Instagram post about starting the recording the other day and shrieked with excitement.)
It’s gonna be a good spring for booklovers!
Also,
A huge thank-you to the email group friend who introduced me to the world of Emily Henry. Keep sending your recommendations — my life is so much better for them!