In Happy Place (2023), a romance novel by Emily Henry, the story centers on surgical resident Harriet Kilpatrick's love life and friendships. Harriet goes on vacation to a cottage in a coastal area of Maine with her friends. She hasn't revealed that her partner broke up with her half a year ago. However, upon reaching there, she discovers her ex-boyfriend, Wyn Connor, at the cottage. Wyn requests her not to disclose their breakup to their friends, explaining that Sabrina and Parth are getting married, and he came to participate in their last vacation at the cottage. He asks her to pretend to be in love as they were before. Initially hesitant, Harriet eventually agrees.
Later in the evening, Sabrina and Parth announce that this will be their final vacation in the cottage, as they plan to sell it, and they will also have their wedding there. Wyn and Harriet participate in various activities as a couple, and through eating, dancing, and revisiting their favorite places, they rekindle their love. She initially feels uncomfortable pretending and lying to her friends but eventually discovers that spending time with Wyn brings her happiness, and Wyn feels the same.
As the wedding day approaches, Wyn opens up to Harriet. After her father's death, he struggled with depression and joblessness and realized that he was dragging Harriet down with him. He decided to leave her, a decision he now regrets. Harriet admits she never aspired to be a surgeon and prefers pottery over a draining and depressing surgical career. Meanwhile, a misunderstanding arises between Harriet and Cleo, leading Sabrina to accuse Harriet of not putting effort into their friendship. Eventually, Harriet, Cleo, and Sabrina reconcile after openly discussing their problems. Wyn and Harriet promise each other to be more understanding and caring towards one another.
The book Happy Place explores two main things: relationships and second chances. It emphasizes the importance of relationships and the efforts to maintain them. Restoring meaningful relationships is essential to leading a happy and fulfilling life.
