Happy Place, by Emily Henry

Doctor Harriet, farmer Cleo and lawyer Sabrina could not be more different but have been the closest of friends since college. It’s a 10-year tradition for them and their partners to spend some of the summer at Sabrina’s father’s cottage in Maine, but he is selling it so this time will be the last. All of them bring secrets to the nostalgia trip, which will test the boundaries of their friendship. The biggest secret is that Harriet and Wyn have broken their engagement but haven’t told their family or friends. They resolve to keep it quiet for a little longer so as not to spoil the party, but keeping up appearances is a strain. An entertaining read, the novel paints an interesting picture of the development of relationships within a friendship group and the way childhood patterns can repeat in adult life. But it is based on a flaky premise – it’s hard to believe the disengaging couple have not told anyone, especially their closest friends, in five months. The ending is predictable and a little disappointing, aiming to make a point about being true to yourself despite others’ expectations, but not quite hitting the mark.