I enjoyed this book a lot, especially loved Poppy and Alex. It felt a little slow to me at some points which made it hard for me to get through. I loved their friendship into romance and it made me feel all the things and just a reminder that true love exists all around us!

I didn’t quite LOVE it as much as Beach Read but I definitely will remember this one!

The best kind of reading is the reading I get done while on vacation- and this was the perfect book to bring! Summer vibes, travel dreams, and with in depth/dimensional characters and storylines.

Poppy can’t remember the last time she was happy… well actually she can. It was two years ago, on her yearly adventure with her best friend. But she and Alex haven’t spoken since. If she wants to get back to happy, she needs to find a way back to her best friend, and a recreation of the yearly adventures that caused her so much joy.

I love this book! I was lucky enough to read this with a few of my best friends, who I believe loved it as well. Reading a great book is only improved when you and your favorite people get to gush about it together!

I loved this book. The characters were likeable but not boring and I was totally invested in their friendship. It was the perfect summer/beach read. While I enjoyed her first book, this one is the one I would recommend.

This book let me down. After reading Beach Read and loving it I thought maybe I would love this one too. I was wrong. I didn't enjoy the characters at all. I didn't feel like I was rooting for either of them let alone for them the get together. I thought that the vacation they went on was going to be like a beach vacation instead it's just a run down motel room in the Pacific west. Definitely not beach vibes like everyone was claming it to be. The romance between the two main characters was weird. They were best friends and kiss one night and then never talk for year after. Then they randomly have sex on this vacation. It didn't seem like there was any chemistry. And the characters over reacted in order to keep the book moving.

5 ⭐️

This book ASPIRES to be 5 ⭐️ 😂😂 and it was! (You’ll get the reference when when you read the book). Do I love it more or less than Beach Read? Yea, I don’t think that’s a fair question. Both books are so different and I loved them both. I really don’t think you can compare them at all. PWMOV is more character driven, lots of dialog and not a lot happening around them, but the banter is awesome. THE BEST.

What I loved ❤️: The banter. Just the best. ❤️ Emily does an great job at developing characters ❤️ Her writing style is wonderful ❤️ The main characters are both likable and so funny. Alex is major book boyfriend material for anyone who likes that.

What I didn’t like👎🏼: Even though is low steam, I could have done with less.

What I liked 👍🏼: The humor was great, I laughed a lot. 👍🏼 I also loved the back and forth of the chapters, how every chapter was a different vacation. I totally agree with Alex, “feet should be private”, I hate seeing pics of feet on IG 😂

Emily Henry’s romances just HIT DIFFERENT. Beach Read was one of my favorite reads of last year and I just know that PWMOV will be on this years list. This is a summery, friends to lovers, opposites attract romance. With Emily Henry though, it always feels like more than just a romance - her stories stick with me. It was SO DANG SWEET and swoony while touching on real life topics. I just fell completely in love with these characters. Poppy is so much fun and my soft boy Alex has made it to the book boyfriends list. It’s told in alternating timelines, exploring Poppy & Alex’s history through their summer vacations and this really added so much depth to the story. Anyway, I’m out of my book review groove but I just want to say this one is 10/10 perfection. 🧡

I loved Henry's other book, Beach Read, so I think I had higher expectations going into this one. Great storyline but I found it to be slow and I wasn't motivated to continuously pick this up.

Of Emily Henry’s adult novels, I preferred Beach Read, but that could just be because I am such an enemies to lovers stan. This is a summer must-read for romance fans! Poppy and Alex’s relationship was cute, and I loved all the banter. I enjoyed how we were able to see from both their past and present day. The vacations were so fun!! The only thing I didn’t love is the Croatia incident—I thought something much worse had happened between them, and the situation seemed unrealistic to actually drag them apart as friends.

Source: NetGalley; ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review



Poppy and Alex first met at college where her more in-you-face approach was a contrast to Alex's low key vibe. They didn't think they'd ever see each other again after that one meeting but when it turned out that they were both from the same town and that Poppy could catch a ride home with him over the holidays well, that changed things. From there sprouted a friendship that balanced the other person. As adults, they lead separate and different lives. She's in New York working for a travel blog and gets to travel all over the country and the globe, experiencing all the perks that go along with such a job. Alex is a high school teacher back in their hometown and has a steady girlfriend. Over the years, even though they live far apart, they've always committed to travelling on vacation together. It started off with small budget holidays and went from there. However, at the beginning of the novel, there's a schism between the two once close friends that's lasted for a few years. When an assignment gets handed to Poppy she uses it as an opportunity to reach out to Alex with the sincere hope of repairing the rift between them.

The story is compellingly told through two timelines - past and present - both from Poppy's perspective. The difference in the ease between the friends before and after is so painfully clear. Poppy is so eager to bring back the nostalgia and closeness they once had that she goes out of her way to be accommodating and even a little not herself on their present vacation together, the first in years. Alex is harder to read, operating in a more standoffish way only letting his guard down occasionally. It's almost unbearable to watch how much she wants this to work and get past their problem without actually addressing the problem. But things obviously do come to a head and what results is unexpected and more than what Poppy bargained for.

I absolutely enjoyed the set up, the story being told through two timelines and how it developed. Poppy is kind of a reckless character but she's so irresistibly charming. As we get to know her and Alex, you get the feeling that her recklessness is fueled by this desire to not be caught standing still. Growing up she felt like an oddball that didn't quite belong. Nothing awful happened to her but and there's something about being in the same place that makes her feel closed in, hence the love of travelling. And despite their different personalities, Alex just gets her. He's her person and she his. They just have to be brave enough to face whatever came between them.

I realized as I read this that I love stories about the changing nature of friendships - how they begin, grow, change, fall apart, are built back together. I love exploring the fragility and resilience of the people involved. Much like her debut Beach Read, Emily Henry has written a deeply engaging story that I could sink my teeth into. I genuinely cared about the outcome and Poppy's own enlightenment through the process. It's a thrill when a story flips it around on the MC because I can very much connect with that sensation when something dawns on you for the very first time and you wonder why on earth it didn't occur to you sooner. It could've spared you a lot of heartache and trouble. Poppy went in to this wanting desperately to salvage a friendship that means the world to her and came out of it salvaging herself. I'm taken with Emily Henry's way of storytelling and I definitely recommend this read!

~ Bel

🌴PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION BOOK REVIEW🌴

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Drink rec: Chili Lime Mango Marg🍹

Wowowow!! After absolutely LOVING Beach Read, I waited to read PWMOV until my beach trip and let me tell ya—I loved it so much!! Emily Henry has a way of creating characters that you just feel like you KNOW…all of the small details she throws in really builds unique and endearing characters.🥰

I absolutely loved this friends to lovers romance and was totally rooting for Poppy and Alex! The alternate timelines between present and past summers portrayed the story so well and I couldn’t put this one down but also wanted to savor it!

If you’re looking for a summer romance with some depth, I definitely recommend this one! (And if you like audiobooks, Julia Whelan narrates it🤩)

WHY DID I LISTEN TO PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION BY EMILY HENRY?
Emily Henry’s words plus Julia Whelan’s narration is a perfect combination. I completely enjoyed the audiobook of Beach Read. So, seeing that Whelan was back to narrate People We Meet On Vacation meant that I really wanted to experience this book via audio. Turns out it was a wonderful listen. Also, what a perfect time to listen to this book — during the summer while out of work on maternity leave. FYI, not at all a vacation, but certainly different from being at work.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
People We Meet On Vacation follows Poppy and Alex, best friends who are total opposites. Poppy is short, vivacious, and loves going out and about. Alex is tall, quiet, and would rather stay in with a book. The two meet in college and become best friends during a ride home to Ohio where it turns out that one is from West Winfield and the other is from East Winfield. After that ride, Poppy and Alex go on vacation together annually — even through different relationships that they have with other people. As this book opens, Poppy is working for a magazine and getting her vacations paid for just so she can write about them. She’s had a change in relationship with Alex and things are weird for them. So, she tries to fix the relationship by taking Alex on vacation again — a vacation that is not paid for by the magazine.

As it turns out, this vacation is disastrous. Still, Poppy is going to do her damndest to fix things between her and Alex. Will she realize that she’s caught feelings for Alex and in fact has always had feelings for him? Guess, you’ll have to read People We Meet On Vacation to find out.

WHAT DID I THINK OF PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION?
People We Meet On Vacation was such an engaging read. I think I definitely need to add Emily Henry to my must read/must listen to list of authors. Personally, I enjoyed the different vacations Poppy and Alex took. The settings were interesting. On top of that, the relationship dynamic between Poppy and Alex was so fascinating — especially as it had changed over the years. I loved when they finally had to come down to brass tacks about their feelings for each other. Plus, the way this book resolves is chef’s kiss perfection.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
Julia Whelan is perfection in her narration of People We Meet On Vacation. Her voice is melodic and easy to listen to. You can easily differentiate between characters. She never sounds like she’s being a try hard. Instead, it all just flows wonderfully and naturally. I would recommend this book to people trying to get into audiobooks as it is such a good listen. The audiobook. FYI is 10 hours and 46 minutes but it goes quick.

Let me take you on a journey: this book is everywhere and everyone else apparently loved it. I did not. I started it on my Kindle, and after forcing myself to get like 30% in, I finally gave up on it. I requested the audiobook from the library to give it another shot - like I said everyone loved it, so I figured it was me - and I let it expire. The next time I got it from the library I was determined to finish it because it had to get better, right? NO. It didn’t. I hated Poppy. I hated the flashbacks. I just hated most of it. (I think the only thing I actually liked was the super cute orange cover.) I also hate that I hate it because this was one of my most anticipated summer reads - I LOVED Beach Read last year. I think I’m the only one to ever say this, but I’d skip this one if I were you.

Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC!

Emily Henry can do no wrong. In People We Meet on Vacation, we follow Poppy and Alex's friends to lovers journey, and wow are there surely some bumps in the road. I loved the dual timelines and the dreamy settings. I felt like Poppy was whisking me away with her on her trips!

Alex and Poppy, much like the characters in Beach Read, felt so real. It was as if I could truly feel their feelings. Emily has a way of writing that you feel completely empathetic for her characters. And, as always, the banter and tension are top-notch.

It’s official: I’m a big fan of @emilyhenrywrites! Both Beach Read + this one were suuuuch fun reads, with such heart in them, such lovable characters, such sweet and just delightful storylines and relationships. I flew through this one this weekend and enjoyed it all and was just so HAPPY reading it!!!

People We Meet on Vacation was a great friends to lovers read. Poppy and Alex's once a year trips tied together travel and romance. There was awesome chemistry between the two of them and the story kept me entertained from start to finish! A funny, and easy quick read! I love Emily Henry's writing style so much!

Ok, as of right now, Emily Henry can do no wrong in my book. I LOVED Beach Read last year and this year I LOVED People We Meet On Vacation! This is the perfect book that describes how I like romances - a lot of depth, just enough tension that builds to a perfect ending that leaves you in a pile of mush. Poppy and Alex have nothing in common, that is, until they shared a car ride home from college and of course afterwards they become the best of friends. Since they live far apart for most of the year, they take a week of vacation together, and have done so for the past 10 years. Until two years ago, when they ruined everything and haven’t spoken since.

This is told in two timelines, current day and then from summers past working to the current day and it is just exquisite how we are experiencing the current day where they aren’t speaking and going back to the past where they are literally the best of friends and how that affects prior relationships they have had. Current day we are building to a vacation that Alex agrees to go on with Poppy, where she basically has a week to fix everything, and of course there are issues, but that alone was wonderful, and the prior summers were just added value imo.

I devoured this in a couple of sittings but then immediately regretted it because it was over and I was not ready. I have only positive things to say about this one and you really need to add it to your #TBR and read it. It is the perfect summer read.

Thank you to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the advanced digital galley to review.

Poppy and Alex have been best friends since they started college and just so happened to have grown up in the same small town in Ohio (although different schools). As a travel blogger and then a travelling journalist with R & R Magazine later, they have always taken summer trips together until something happened between them a few years back. When Poppy finds herself in a rut, she takes a chance and reconnects with Alex asking him to do a summer trip together, once again, and he accepts.

Let me start with what I loved about this novel. First of all, I am a huge fan of friends-to-lovers romances because really, what makes for a better romance than that foundation of friendship! Secondly, Poppy was absolutely hilarious and made me laugh out loud at times. Her friend Rachel had some good one-liners every once in awhile, but Poppy was like my ideal friend. She was smart, humble, but absolutely hilarious. Lastly, besides the ease between Poppy and Alex I was blown away by the love that each of them felt for one another, even when reluctant to admit it.

So here was my main problem with the book – the flashbacks! I am guessing that the author did the flashbacks of their previous summer trips in order to develop them as single characters and to develop their relationship. But guess what? Those chapters were so boring I could have cried. I think I actually read about 2 of the flashback chapters and then either skimmed them or skipped through them entirely. I am not an author but I read atleast one book a day and I can say with no doubt that those chapters were not necessary. I already knew how close they had been and that there were underlying feelings between them, therefore, there was no need for endless chapters about every little thing they did on vacation each year.

I think I would recommend this novel for young adult fans who enjoy a lot of conversation without a lot of commitment. Diehard romance fans will be disappointed by all of the uncessary dialogue and filler chapters. Anyone who enjoyed Sally Rooney’s Conversation With Friends will probably appreciate this novel, but I think more mature adults will get bored with this quickly.

Although I’m torn between what I loved and hated, I give this 3 stars.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

EMILY HENRY HOW DARE YOU!!! Two spectacular books in a row that left me sobbing at 3 am?!? But in all seriousness… read this book. Read it on your ipad. Listen to it. Read the paperback. Whatever your style is, this will satisfy it.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry was a great book to read by the pool. It is also know as You and Me on Vacation in the UK. Poppy and Alex met the first day of University and became fast friends. Each year they go on a vacation, flying by the seat of their pants trying to be as frugal as possible, that is until Poppy gets a job with a travel magazine. Their trips become more extravagant and something happens on one of their trips that causes a rift in their friendship. The story shares their previous ten years of vacations, but centers on the Vacation for H*#@. Poppy accidentally sends Alex a text message and he responds, thus the beginning of rekindling their friendship and once again taking a trip together.

This is Friends to Lovers Romance, which has a lot of romcom aspects. Poppy and Alex are great characters. They are very different from each other, but they say opposites attract. They have been dancing around their feelings for each other for years, and it is time to make a decision. Poppy is a bit flighty, loves living on the edge and especially loves New York. Alex is a high school teacher in his hometown. He has had an on again off again relationship with another teacher, who does not like Poppy. He is very family oriented and serious. The story is told from Poppy’s perspective through a past and present timeline. I think the best things about this book are the witty dialogue/banter between Poppy and Alex and the descriptive travelogue of their previous trips. All has not gone well with those trips, but this one was unbelievable. I loved all the things that went wrong because it made this book everything it is. You will have to read it to find out what happens. This book was a cute romance with a lot of humor and great characters. It is a second chance romance, friends to lovers, and entirely entertaining. I recommend you pick this one up if you are looking for a fun summer read.

One sentence review: An enjoyable summer romance about best friends who have a falling out as they deal with relationship awkwardness.

Overall I liked this one. The heroine, Poppy, has a really interesting occupation and I loved the friendships in the story. If I had an issue with this one it is that at times Poppy's problems seemed very trivial, maybe because I didn't really relate to them?

I suspect however that for most people this book will be a great romance for summer reading!