Emily Henry, the bestselling author behind “Beach Read” and “People We Meet on Vacation,” recently shared her thoughts on the transformative power of love, the importance of mental health, and the evolution of romance fiction in an interview ahead of the release of her latest novel, “Funny Story.”
“Nothing forces you to face your demons like falling in love,” Henry says. “And it’s almost always worth it.” She believes that the complexities of falling in love can reveal deep insights about ourselves, leading to both growth and potential challenges.
Henry emphasizes the role of mental health in sustaining healthy relationships. “Most of my books have ended with one or both characters going to therapy,” she explains. “For a happy ending to be sustained, for a relationship to continue growing and changing, you probably need some help.” She recalls her own experience with medication, saying, “I thought I was doing more or less OK until I found out what it felt like to be OK.”
While acknowledging the romanticized view of early relationship phases, Henry also recognizes the challenges faced by single individuals. “I feel like I have such affection for that phase when you don’t know for sure how the other person feels,” she says. “It’s like a feeling you don’t get from many other things in life.”
Henry celebrates the evolution of contemporary romance, which she describes as “a little bit more grounded and more realistic with a focus on the health of a relationship and the positivity of it.” She laments the former treatment of romance as a guilty pleasure, highlighting the diversity of the genre that allows readers to explore fantasies separate from reality.
As an author, Henry encourages aspiring writers to enjoy the process before publishing. “It’s sort of like you have to appreciate your single days if you’re trying to wind up in a serious partnership,” she says. “It can be horrible and terrible, but when it’s fun, try to live that up, because that also is an experience you’re someday probably not going to have again.”
Henry is closely involved with the film adaptations of her novels, “People We Meet on Vacation” and “Beach Read.” She feels fortunate to collaborate with directors who value the perspectives of readers. While the development of these adaptations is still in early stages, Henry is excited about the potential to create something special that captures the heart of her books.
Ultimately, Henry’s writing is driven by the desire to balance the joy and pain of life. “I want it to feel like this is the book you want to buy at the airport and read on the plane or on the beach,” she says. “Every book I do is taking the hardest parts of life and not trying to justify them, but trying to balance them against the best parts of life and leave the reader with the feeling that the hard shit that you’re going through is worth it for the experience of getting to love and be loved.” Henry believes that love, in all its forms, is inseparable from the possibility of grief, but that the potential for connection makes the journey worthwhile.
