Ever since I started reading for fun, I’ve loved reading about romance. At 10 years old, I loved Wendy Mass, at 15 I loved Jenny Han, and right now I love Emily Henry. Emily Henry’s romcoms are funny and witty, and the romances are compelling. As someone who loves to read about and watch romance, that is perfect. Here is my ranking of the six Emily Henry romcoms.
Spoiler warning: I will go into some detail about the plots of these books, so if you don’t want to know anything about them, I would recommend skipping this ranking.
6. Great big beautiful life
Great Big Beautiful Life came out this past April, making it the most recent Emily Henry book. It follows two writers competing to write the biography of a famous woman, Margaret Ives. Margaret was previously in the public eye, but after the death of her husband, she disappeared. The main character of the book, Alice, spends time interviewing Margaret and writing a sample of a biography, hoping to get the job. She is competing against Hayden, a brooding author whom she admires. Over the span of a month, they get closer and develop feelings for each other, while also realizing that Margaret is lying to both of them.
Great Big Beautiful Life was a compelling read, and I did feel invested in the story. The biggest problem I had with this book was the structuring. The reader spends half the time hearing about Margaret’s life, and the other half in the present with Alice and Hayden. Margaret’s story is interesting, and I did like spending a lot of time on it, but it left much less time to develop the main characters and their romance with each other. This leaves the story feeling somewhat rushed. I wanted more time spent developing Alice and Hayden’s connection, because when they finally get together, it feels unearned. Overall, I enjoyed Great Big Beautiful Life, but I would sooner reread the other books on this list.
5. People We meet on vacation
Despite the title, People We Meet on Vacation is not about two people who meet on vacation. It is instead about two best friends, Alex and Poppy, who take yearly trips together each summer. The romcom spans 12 years, and the chapters switch off from being set in the present day and being set in the summer’s past. They start at “12 years ago” and go forward in time until we reach the main climax of the book, which is the big conflict. After this conflict, Alex and Poppy don’t talk for two years, until finally reconnecting to go on another trip. On this trip, they rekindle their friendship and the romance they were trying to deny.
I definitely enjoyed this book. Poppy and Alex truly understand and love each other on a level that you can only achieve through years of knowing each other. My main issue with People We Meet on Vacation was the climax that had been built up throughout the whole book. The chapters set in the present would refer to the Croatia trip, where everything went wrong, and the reader is left wondering what could have happened to cause such a big rift between the best friends. When we do finally get to read about what happened in Croatia, it doesn’t live up to the expectations. Other than that, this book is a cute romance and a fun read.
4. Happy Place
This book is probably the one that made me cry the most. My first time reading Happy Place, I was sitting in a cafe, and I had to go stand in the bathroom to collect myself. Happy Place follows Harriet and Wyn, a previously engaged couple who recently broke up. The problem is that they have not told any of their friends that they are going on vacation with. This book is spent with Harriet and Wyn pretending to still be a couple, while also secretly fighting about how their relationship ended.
This book evoked a lot of emotions in me. The idea of parting with the love of your life because of outside circumstances is very sad. The book ends on a hopeful note, though, with the couple reuniting and with Harriet pursuing her real dream. I loved the supporting cast of Happy Place, as well as the main characters. The reason this book isn’t higher is because I like reading about people falling in love for the first time, more than I like reading about a previously in love couple reuniting. Other than that, I have nothing but good things to say about Happy Place.
3. Beach Read
Beach Read was my first Emily Henry book, and it was a great start! The book follows January, a writer going on vacation to get inspiration for her next book. Coincidentally, a former college classmate of hers, Gus, is vacationing at the house right next to hers. He is there to write as well, a gritty novel based on a cult that used to be in the town where they are staying. Throughout the summer, the two spend time together researching for their respective books, and they reconnect.
This book set my standards high for Emily Henry, and she consistently hits that mark. The detailed backstories, as well as the banter and connection between characters, make Beach Read a great romcom. It’s been a while since I’ve read this one, but I can still remember scenes in detail and exactly how they made me feel. I would definitely give this book a read!
2. Book lovers
This is the only Emily Henry book I have a physical copy of! Book Lovers is about Nora, a literary agent living in New York City. Her sister convinces her to go on a month-long vacation to a little town. While there, she runs into her coworker, Charlie, a book editor. Nora and Charlie had a tense interaction two years prior and hadn’t spoken very much since. While on this vacation, Nora is assigned to edit one of her clients’ books with Charlie. The two spend lots of time together working on this book, they bond over their love for their jobs, and they form a romantic connection.
Book Lovers is a fantastic romance, and readers can definitely see themselves in the characters. Nora and Charlie are both work-focused and somewhat cynical, but care deeply about their family. Their banter and flirting are funny and charming, and throughout the book, I was eagerly waiting for them to have another scene together. The setting, the dialogue, and the characters are all perfect. I just love this book and I can’t praise it enough!
1. Funny Story
Choosing which book was going to go at the top of this list was easy for me. Just from reading the concept alone, I knew I would love this book. Funny Story follows Daphne and Miles, two people who had to move in together because their respective partners, Peter and Petra, left them to be together. Daphne says she wants to get a new job and move away, since she only moved to the town for her former fiancé. Miles says he wants to stay and not run away, and insists that he show her how great the town is. They spend the book going on outings together while getting over their heartbreaks, and eventually falling in love.
This book is super fun! The characters are witty and interesting, and I was super invested in the love story. Daphne and Miles are very different people, but you can understand why they fit so well together. Funny Story is such an optimistic book, even if it deals with sad themes, like breakups and bad parental figures. It’s heartwarming to read about people who can move on from the bad things that have happened to them and make something better from it.
romance reads for the win!
I had so much fun writing about these books. This list is by no means an objective ranking. Everyone looks for different things in romance books, and that is what’s so great about reading! There is something for everyone. I can’t wait to read the next thing Emily Henry puts out, and while I’m waiting, I can always reread these great books!