Uncover the best Emily Henry books to pick your next great read. This post ranks and reviews her top adult romance novels and shares a printable PDF checklist so you can track your reading. Learn which books you can’t miss from this massively bestselling contemporary author. Let’s get literary!
5 Best Emily Henry Books Ranked
METHODOLOGY
I have ranked these books in order of personal preference. But, because everyone seems to have a different favorite, I have also incorporated the GoodReads readers’ rankings for your reference.
| Ranking | My Rating | GoodReads Rating |
| 1: Beach Read | ★★★★☆ | 4.00 |
| 2: Book Lovers | ★★★★☆ | 4.13 |
| 3: Funny Story | ★★★★☆ | 4.26 |
| 4: Happy Place | ★★★★☆ | 3.99 |
| 5: The People We Meet on Vacation | ★★★☆☆ | 3.87 |
Reading Tips
WHERE TO START: Start with Beach Read, both because it was Emily Henry’s first adult romance novel and because it remains one of her most beloved books to date.
READING ORDER: All of Emily Henry’s books are standalone novels with no connection as a series. They can be read in any order. (See all of Emily Henry’s books in order of publication.)
SPICE LEVEL: Emily Henry includes spicy scenes in her books. They are usually moderately spicy. The characters and the plot are front and center, but you can always expect some steam between them.
AUDIOBOOKS: All of Emily Henry’s audiobooks are narrated by beloved narrator, Julia Whelan. She’s a favorite of mine and readers generally, so these books work especially well on audio.
BOOKS TO MOVIES: All five of these Emily Henry adult romance novels are set to be adapted.
Reviews of Emily Henry’s Adult Romance Novels
1. Beach Read (2020)
Plot: Beach Read is the story of two different writers: January, a bestselling romance writer who has stopped believing in love, and Augustus, an acclaimed literary fiction author.
As they spend three summer months at neighboring beach houses, they challenge each other to beat their writer’s block by writing something different. Augustus will write something upbeat, and January will write a great American novel.
To help each other achieve their goals, January takes Augustus on romantic field trips, and he takes her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult.
Meanwhile, they both also must cope with painful pasts and the fact that they are falling for each other.
Review: With a title like Beach Read, it’s fair to say this is one of the best beach reads for a lazy day in the sand. Years later, so much of this love story remains memorable, from the characters to their story and even small details of the little “research” dates January and Augustus went on. To me, that’s the hallmark of a good book.
2. Book Lovers (2022)
Plot: In Book Lovers, Nora is a cutthroat literary agent. But, when her beloved little sister, Libby, asks her to take a sister’s trip to the small town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, she agrees.
There, she keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, the book editor from back in the city who she loves to hate.
They both have a lot of personal and family baggage to unpack. Together, they begin to unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.
Review: As a fan of both bookish protagonists and small-town stories, I thoroughly enjoyed Book Lovers. It also offers meaningful family issues that remain memorable to me. Many readers do consider this one to be their favorite Emily Henry book.
3. Funny Story (2024)
Plot: In Funny Story, librarian Daphne relocates after her fiancé, Peter, falls for his childhood friend, Petra. She becomes roommates with Petra’s ex, Miles, an impulsive music lover.
An odd “couple” at first, they strike a friendship and an unexpected romance while they grieve their prior relationships.
Review: Daphne and Miles are my favorite Emily Henry couple to date! They are a lot of fun together and help each other through some tough stuff, from breakups to family baggage. The dialogue between them is also as razor-sharp as ever.
As a book lover, I also enjoyed following Daphne’s librarian life and her work friendships.
4. Happy Place (2023)
Plot: In Happy Place, Harriet and Wyn were the perfect couple. They have broken up but are pretending otherwise for their annual Maine vacation with friends.
They play their parts as the week progresses. They are forced to figure out how it really feels to pretend to love each other, all while exploring how they got to this point.
Review: Overall, I thought it lived up to my expectations. It had the same smart, sharp writing Henry’s readers expect and delivered a unique plot. I also liked the fact that it incorporated a whole group of friends and heavier, real-life topics, including grief and purpose.
That being said, it did lack the charm of a couple falling in love for the first time. Read this one if you want something different than that.
5. The People We Meet on Vacation (2021)
Plot: The People We Meet on Vacation is about two very different best friends from college: Poppy, a wild child in the big city, and Alex, a buttoned-up introvert in a small town.
Two years earlier, they ruined everything and haven’t spoken since. However, Poppy feels stuck in the wrong life and reaches out to convince Alex to take one more summer vacation together– their tradition. She has one week to think about their last ten years and how to fix everything.
Review: The People We Meet on Vacation wasn’t a bad book, but it never totally hit the mark for me. Perhaps because I loved When Harry Met Sally so much, my expectations were that much higher.
About Author Emily Henry
about
Emily Henry is one of the most famous authors today. She studied at Hope College and the New York Center for Art & Media Studies (part of Bethel University).
Previously, beginning in 2016, Emily Henry wrote Young Adult novels. Since 2020, she has written for adults. Today, she is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of several modern adult romance novels, known for sharp and witty dialogue.
Henry lives and writes in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Kentucky.
Emily Henry announced the title of her spring 2025 release on Instagram: Great Big Beautiful Life.
Printable PDF Checklist
EMILY HENRY BOOK LIST
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Recap
The best Emily Henry books are contemporary romance novels that have become popular book recommendations. They’re popular with millions of readers for their sharp writing and quick wit.
START HERE
- MY TOP PICK: Beach Read
- NEW BOOK: Funny Story
Books and Authors Like Emily Henry
If you like Emily Henry, then read the books of other popular modern romance authors, such as:
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
