Her novels entice Hollywood

Emily Henry's cinematic universe will begin with 'People We Meet on Vacation'

- By Cate Burtner

JARED WICKERHAM For The Times ROMANCE AUTHOR Emily Henry has released six bestselling books since 2020. Five are being adapted for the screen.

Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. Emily Henry has written it all.

And soon, those lovers will be coming to a screen near you.

Henry has become the master of the contemporary romance novel, publishing six New York Times bestsellers in the genre since 2020. Now, five are being adapted for the big and small screens.

Henry's devoted fan base has grown and morphed with each release. Some have been obsessive readers of hers since 2020's “Beach Read.” Others prefer Henry's “People We Meet on Vacation” (2021) or “Happy Place” (2023) — angsty books full of longing and unrequited love. Another camp swoons for lighter fare like “Book Lovers” (2022) and “Funny Story” (2024).

The readers who have nicknamed her “EmHen” have probably read them all.

Henry grew up in Ohio with childhood aspirations to be a writer. She attended Hope College in Michigan on a creative writing scholarship and soon after completed a writers residency at the New York Center for Art & Media Studies. She published her debut novel, a young-adult book, in 2016 and wrote three more YA books before switching to romance.

“When I was younger, I was very much a romantic,” Henry told The Times. She gravitates to romance “to get back to that place of hopefulness, and affirm the beauty and magic and meaningfulness of life.”

Henry, now 34 and writing from her home in Cincinnati, affirms these values for her readers as well.

“I have continued to try to do the same kind of thing every time, which is write an authentic love story about two imperfect people," Henry said.

EMILY HENRY writes novels at her home in Cincinnati. She wants to adapt her latest book for the screen.