Books like “Happy Place”

What to read after “Happy Place” by Emily Henry: a list matched by tropes, mood and atmosphere. Under each book you will see what it has in common.

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1
The Wedding Date
Jasmine Guillory · 2018
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
Stuck in a hotel elevator together at a wedding, Alexa agrees to be Drew's date for the weekend to avoid awkward questions. The pretend couple keeps meeting up in their two cities, and what began as a convenient arrangement becomes something they are both afraid to name.
2
The Love Hypothesis
Ali Hazelwood · 2021
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
- Mutual Pining
- Fake Dating
Olive, a third-year biology PhD student, kisses the first man she sees to convince her friend that her dating life is fine, and it turns out to be the famously severe Professor Adam Carlsen. To keep the story convincing, the two agree to fake a relationship, and their staged arrangement slowly becomes real.
3
The Bodyguard
Katherine Center · 2022
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
Hannah, a small but capable bodyguard, is sent to protect movie star Jack Stapleton at his family ranch after a stalker threat. To keep the assignment secret she poses as his girlfriend, sharing his home and his family's grief while trying to stay professional.
4
Love and Other Words
Christina Lauren · 2018
Same genre: “Contemporary romance”
- Mutual Pining
- Second Chance Romance
As teenagers Macy and Elliot spent every weekend trading books in a closet and slowly falling in love, until one night tore them apart. Eleven years later they meet again in San Francisco, and the friendship and heartbreak they buried come rushing back as they decide whether to try once more.
5
Before We Were Strangers
Renée Carlino · 2015
Same genre: “Contemporary romance”
- Mutual Pining
- Second Chance Romance
In college, Matt and Grace were inseparable neighbours in their NYU dorm who fell in love, until lost contact after graduation pulled them apart. Fifteen years later, a missed-connections post brings Grace back into his life, and the two have one chance to understand what happened and decide whether their story is really over.
6
Funny Feelings
Tarah DeWitt · 2022
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
- Mutual Pining
- Fake Dating
Stand-up comic Farley and her grumpy manager Meyer have been best friends and secret crushes for years. When a television opportunity requires a stable image, they fake a relationship, and the line between performance and real love disappears.
7
The Co-op
Tarah DeWitt · 2022
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
- Second Chance Romance
- Forced Proximity
LaRynn and Deacon married young, divorced, and hoped never to see each other again. When they inherit a crumbling building that must be renovated before it can be sold, they are stuck working side by side and confronting why they failed the first time.
8
People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry · 2021
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
- Mutual Pining
- Forced Proximity
Poppy and Alex have been best friends for years, spending one week of every summer travelling together, until one trip ends in a falling-out. Two years later Poppy suggests one more holiday to repair things, and a week of shared rooms and old memories forces them to face what they never say.
9
The Road Trip
Beth O'Leary · 2021
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
- Second Chance Romance
- Forced Proximity
Exes Addie and Dylan are forced to share a car to a friend's wedding in Scotland when their journey goes wrong. Crammed together with strangers and old wounds, they retrace how they met, why they broke up, and whether anything is left to salvage.
10
The Cheat Sheet
Sarah Adams · 2021
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
- Mutual Pining
- Fake Dating
Ballet dancer Bree has been secretly in love with her best friend Nathan, a football star, for years. When a publicity plan calls for Nathan to have a girlfriend, Bree agrees to play the role, risking the friendship she cannot imagine losing.
11
The Ex Talk
Rachel Lynn Solomon · 2021
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
- Fake Dating
- Forced Proximity
Rivals at a Seattle public radio station, veteran producer Shay and know-it-all newcomer Dominic are forced to host a relationships show while posing as exes. Working side by side on air, their barbed banter draws listeners and slowly turns into a connection neither of them planned.
12
Written in the Stars
Alexandria Bellefleur · 2020
Same genre: “Contemporary romance” and “Romantic comedy”
- Fake Dating
Astrologer Elle sets her sceptical friend Darcy up on a blind date that ends in disaster. To appease Darcy's brother they pretend the evening went well, then keep fake-dating through the holidays, even as real feelings complicate the act.