Author Guide
Emily Henry Books in Order
Complete reading list — from her YA beginnings to Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, and every fan-favourite adult romance since.
About Emily Henry
Emily Henry is the contemporary romance author who made the entire genre feel smarter, funnier, and more emotionally honest than it had in years. She began her publishing career writing young adult fiction before pivoting to adult romance — a transition that turned out to be career-defining. Her "adult era," launched with Beach Read in 2020, built a devoted following around a very specific formula: witty, rapid-fire banter between two people who are clearly perfect for each other but spend most of the book refusing to admit it. What sets Henry apart from the crowded romance landscape is not just the heat or the humour — it is the emotional complexity underneath. Her protagonists are dealing with grief, creative burnout, the fear of vulnerability, the gap between the life you imagined and the life you are living. Themes of found family, passion versus practicality, and the difficulty of being truly known by another person recur across her work.
Good news: All of Emily Henry's adult romance novels are standalones. You can start anywhere — no need to read in publication order. That said, her adult novels are listed chronologically below so you can track her evolution as a writer.
Early & YA Books
Emily Henry's first two novels are YA — a different tone from her adult work, but worth exploring for fans who want the full picture.
1
The Love That Split the World
2016
YA Fantasy / Romance
Natalie is visited by a mysterious grandmother figure called Grandmother, who tells her she has three months to save the boy she loves. A blend of Native American mythology, time-bending romance, and real emotional weight.
2
A Million Junes
2017
YA Magical Realism
Two families bound by a generations-old feud, a girl who falls for the one boy she shouldn't, and a haunting magical realism that seeps through every page. Lyrical and emotionally lush.
Adult Contemporary Romance
The books that made Emily Henry a household name. All standalones — every one a bestseller.
1
Beach Read
2020
A romance writer with writer's block and a literary novelist who doesn't believe in happy endings swap genres for the summer — and start to fall for each other. Emily Henry's breakthrough adult novel: the book that started it all.
2
People We Meet on Vacation
2021
Alex and Poppy have been best friends and annual vacation partners for a decade — until one trip ruined everything. Told across two timelines over ten summers, it is slow-burn, heartbreaking, and many readers' favourite Emily Henry novel.
3
Book Lovers
2022
Nora is a literary agent who keeps colliding with the same infuriating editor, Charlie, in a quaint small town. A love letter to books, bookish people, and the idea that the "Type A career woman" deserves the happy ending too.
4
Happy Place
2023
Harriet and Wyn secretly broke up five months ago — but haven't told anyone, including the friends they're about to spend a week with at their favourite lake house. Two exes pretending to still be in love: the fake-dating premise Emily Henry was born to write.
5
Funny Story
2024
Daphne's fiance left her for his childhood best friend. Miles's girlfriend left him for her childhood best friend. That childhood best friend is the same person — so Daphne and Miles end up reluctant roommates with an unlikely connection. Sharp, funny, and warmer than expected.
6
Great Big Beautiful Life
2025
New Release
Emily Henry's most anticipated 2025 release. Two journalists compete for the chance to interview an eccentric, reclusive heiress on a private island — and find far more than a story.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Emily Henry's best book?
People We Meet on Vacation is consistently voted the fan favourite — the dual-timeline structure and slow-burn best-friends-to-lovers dynamic hits hard. Happy Place is a very close second for many readers. If you like your banter with a side of grief and career anxiety, Beach Read is the one that started everything and still holds up beautifully.
Do Emily Henry books need to be read in order?
No — all of her adult contemporary romances are completely standalone novels. You will not miss any context by starting with Funny Story before Beach Read. That said, reading them in publication order lets you appreciate how her writing has evolved and deepened.
What makes Emily Henry's books different from other romance?
The characters. Emily Henry writes adults who feel like actual adults — people with complicated career trajectories, unresolved grief, creative crises, and genuine psychological depth. The romantic tension is always about more than just two people finding each other attractive; it is about two people learning to be vulnerable, seen, and truly known. The banter is some of the best in the genre, but the emotional payoff is what keeps readers coming back.
Are Emily Henry books spicy?
Moderately — there are intimate scenes, but they are not the focus and are written tastefully. If you are looking for high-heat romance, you may find Henry's books leaning more toward slow-burn emotional tension than explicit content. The spice is there; the emotional devastation is more prominent.