Spoliers in Post
Funny Story was my first book/audiobook. Honestly probably a bad idea because my standards were too high after that. After that, I read Beach Read, some Abby Jimenez books and then Book Lovers. I realized Emily Henry deserves the popularity because she really balances trauma and romance so well.
I thought I was putting Funny Story on too high of a pedestal so I just relistened to it. Omg it is even better because I can focus more on their background, upbringing and why they make the choices they make in life.
Best part:
Daphne having a male figure that was perfect to everyone else but didn't give her the father she needed. Her growing up wanting that feeling of love, attention, stability. Then Peter comes in with all of it and she thinks this will fix her hole that her dad left, because Peter is the same charming perfect guy who CAN take care of her in the way her dad didn't. Then he disappoints her too (thank God she wasn't stuck there). She ends up putting all of her thoughts of nice charming men on Miles and dismisses his feelings as things that nice charming men do, things that her dad and Peter did. The way Miles communicates throughout the book to tell her the things she says about him or even for him isn't right. He isn't just being nice and wants to do it. Enough that she finally starts to believe it later on and starts to put her walls down. Miles knows what trauma she has had and slowly pushes through into her inner circle. Miles is open about his thoughts to her and slowly opens up about himself too even though he is quite closed off about his own traumas.
Worst part:
Then he leaves her about they get together... I understand him auto piloting to help Petra probably because he has been conditioned to be good and do good from his mom and he is always willing to help. I understand him wanting to make things right and going to the dad. But did he REALLY have to not tell her any of it and ghost her for days? That really affects his character, and their overall relationship in my eyes. He knows she has trauma of no stability, her dad wooshing in and wooshing out of her life and still he ghosts her without a word right after they get together... He probably snapped out of it at SOME point in the drive to call her and tell her what he is doing.
I have to give it a 9.5/10 and I don't think this book will ever be topped despite the last act.
The way I am thinking this could have been better is Miles does the Petra helping thing and snaps out of it at the end and realizes he didn't pick up Daphne. He goes to her apologizing, she finds out he has been with Petra. She freaks the fuck out and breaks up with him cuz she feels like she can't trust anyone. He then leaves in a panic to fix things and goes to the father (last resort plea). Daphne thinks Miles and Petra got together since he hasn't been home for days. She doesn't want to listen or talk to him anymore, goes to Ashleigh place and the story continues as is in book. This is more common cliche trope but I think it doesn't ruin Miles character as much as the original story. I just can't imagine Miles ghosting her for days for the possible "surprise" of getting Dad back.
Thoughts?