Alex and Poppy are the best! They are best friends who go on vacation together every year. Until 2 years ago. Now Poppy asked for one more vacation. This slow burn friends to lovers is everything you would want in a romance. Don’t miss out!

I enjoyed PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION even more than BEACH READ, which is saying something! Writing a romance involving best friends can be tricky, but I fell for both Poppy and Alex as individuals before I ever rooted for them as a couple. Henry keeps the reader guessing enough and takes you on Poppy's journey — both global and personal. It's smart, funny, heart-rending and escapist in all the best ways.

Unlike Beach Reads, I started this book with low expectations, and apparently it was the best decision, because I really enjoyed it.
I loved the slow burn romance, the friends to lovers trope, how she connected with the characters, and the theme behind the story: find that people that feel like home.

Such a great love story. This was a perfect beach read. Love prevails. Highly recommend ❤️ It was fun watching the characters develop and their love grow as they realized how much they really did need each other

okay first off, did i hate this book? no. but did i find really any sort of entertainment in this book? also no.

mostly my problems lie in the characters in this book since there is not a lot of plot going on. the plot mainly consists of flashbacks that we get of the two "best friends", poppy and alex, of all their vacations for the past 10 years interspersed with the current vacation they are on. they had a falling out before this current vacation which put them on pause, and we get a big lead-up to what caused it.

so basically most of this book was hella boring and nothing happened. i have a problem with a lot of romance books today because i feel like they want to be fun and light but also have a little bit of depth too but it just ends of disjointed. if you want to be emotional. GO THERE. if you want to be funny. GO THERE. you can definitely achieve both of those in the same book too but unfortunately, i think ms. henry half assed both aspects instead of putting her emdussy into both.

the big falling out was basically pointless to me personally and this is coming from a very sensitive person who also is petty. while there was some legitimate reasons behind the falling out that i do understand but for grown adults it seemed a bit immature to not talk for that long. this is something i could look past a bit because ya know things get awkward but i think these 2 could use some good communication advice in therapy. as a 19 year old i feel like i have more self aware about communication than both of them combined tbh.

now moving onto my real problems.

poppy is the most pick me, wannabe quirky, white girl i've EVER seen.

alex has the personality of a saltine cracker.

so poppy literally is giving an insecure woman who wants to be different so bad that it simply becomes annoying. to me a lot of her personality and traits resembled that of a 15 year old trying to find themself while experiencing puberty. i'm not saying you don't have identity crises and still aren't finding yourself later in life but it feels as if she's stuck in that stage. again even though i'm 19, i feel like freshman year of high school me related to poppy more than i do currently. and when i tell you i was the most annoying creature to touch this earth then, that says a lot about poppy.

next up, alex. this man literally was unseasoned chicken breast rinsed off after cooking. he had no personality besides being uptight and ya know what i feel like he actually is a realistic late 20s/early 30s white man but i personally do not find that desirable. i need a little spice. a lil zest. and he was giving dry wonder bread. i actually don't blame alex much for this because i think he does have a lil somethin somethin buried in there but this whole book was told from poppy's perspective so we never see anything at all.

i didn't hate these characters together or anything of the sort. i didn't feel like they had no chemistry whatsoever either. i did think that since we didn't have alex's perspective, it was hard for me to truly see how he cared about poppy in a romantic sense.

the writing wasn't bad either but it was unmemoriable. i literally forgot that i read this book and had to put a rating/review.

this is just the most boring romance with some of the blandest millennial characters that i've ever read. i can see it being relatable for some but as a gen z, mixed, black, bisexual, woman this was not giving what it was suppose to. it lacked spice and that's that.

thank you to berkley publishing, emily henry, and netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

Thus book was AMAZING! Emily Henry does it again. This was such a sweeet romance read. I did not want it to end at all.

Another winner from Emily Henry! I think this release has cemented her as one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. I loved the Then/Now storyline -- a structure that doesn't always work for me. While it doesn't top my list of favorite tropes, People We Meet on Vacation reminded me of why I do love a good friends-to-lovers story. The friendship between Poppy and Alex was so well developed, and I loved how it transitioned into something more. As I've come to expect from Henry, the banter and dialogue was so spot on and engaging! While it would be perfect any time of the year, there is definitely something about this read that screams summer. This was my 100th read of 2021 and was the perfect book to mark the occasion. I look forward to re-reading this one... and seeing what Henry does next! I'm So Obsessed With It.

Emily Henry is quickly becoming a must-read for me! I really enjoyed this book, the characters, and the setting. It had me laughing out loud at times!

I absolutely adore Emily Henry's writing style, and have enjoyed all of their books. I found this one to be exactly what I expected, a fun, quick and easy beach read.

The character's back story was executed so well, with alternating chapters of the past and present. Our two main characters went on so many fun vacations, that were awesome to read about.

I found the story itself a bit predictable, but in the best way possible. It was exactly the read I was looking forward to while sitting by the pool. If you are looking for a fun friends to lovers book, look no further.

I finally got around to this book and I was so excited to read it. The start of the summer seemed like the perfect time to read it. I loved Beach Read by this author and was confident I would feel the same about this book. Unfortunately, that was not the case at all. I did not like the characters, they got on my nerves and to me me, it felt like they were entitled. The back and forth of the timeline drove me crazy and I found myself not knowing what period of time we were in throughout the story.

This fell flat for me and I was disappointed.

I was hesitant to read another Emily Henry book after Beach Read, because I wasn't a huge fan of it even though people seemed to really like it. However, I was pleasantly surprised with People We Meet on Vacation! I felt that the characters were much more well developed, and the storyline was easy to follow even though it went back and forth between present and past. I really enjoyed this book! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Absolutely loved this novel and author Emily Henry has become a go-to favorite of mine! If you have read her latest release, Book Lovers, you must try this one and you will not be disappointed! Henry's writing is superb and I love the character development in this story.

Vacation seemed like the perfect time to finally, FINALLY, read People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry. Alas, it didn't quite live up to my hopes 😬 I didn't dislike it, but it definitely didn't hit me as hard as Beach Read. The romance is cute, and I love a slow burn friends-to-lovers, but I just didn't care for Poppy which was obviously an issue. If you can't root for your romance heroine, what's the point? She's not the absolute worst, but I found her to be selfish and impulsive in a way that didn't make me especially want her to get her happy ending 🤷🏼‍♀️ ah well, it was still a cute, quick read if not my absolute favourite.

Poppy and Alex have been friends since their first year in college. They are as different as could be. Poppy is carefree, fly by the seat of her pants type and Alex is a buttoned-down, rule-follower type. But every year since college they have taken a "summer trip" together. Even though they live in different cities, they come together for their summer trip. As a travel writer, Poppy gets them the most amazing trips to some of the most exotic locales in the world. Their summer vacations are the one thing that both of them look forward to all year. But two years ago, something happened and they haven't spoken since. Poppy has been adrift ever since. She gives it another try to invite Alex on this year's trip. Only this year's trip isn't for work. And she will pay out of pocket, but it will be worth it if they can repair their friendship. And at the end of this trip is the wedding of Alex's brother. Will Poppy and Alex be able to repair their friendship, or have they grown out of their relationship?


I absolutely adored People We Meet on Vacation. Poppy and Alex are charming characters that make it easy for the ready to connect with early on. As the reader, you don't know what happened two years ago, but Poppy tells the story as she reminisces on trips gone by. I didn't know where the story was going to take us, but I knew I wanted nothing more than Poppy and Alex to become a couple. I firmly believe that men and women can be "just friends," but I wanted Poppy and Alex to become more than friends. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS.



Bottom Line - People We Meet on Vacation is one of those books that just leaves you feeling good after you finish reading it. And who doesn't like feeling good?



Details:

People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry
On Instagram
Pages: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: 5/11/2021
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley

I adored Beach Read and the way that Emily Henry weaves a story. Her authorial voice is clear and fresh. Henry is an expert at craft. And as delightful as the prose of PWMOV was, I felt like the romance was lacking. I wasn’t invested in the story and could have done without some of the side story lines.

Emily Henry does it again!!

People We Meet on Vacation is a beautiful follow-up to Beach Read. Especially because it is very different from Beach Read.

The relationship between Poppy and Alex is literally one of the best (potentially, the best) I have ever read. From page 2 (only because they haven't yet interacted on page 1), their connection is obvious. A large feat for characters that aren't actually real.

The format of the book is also really well executed. We flip between present day and Poppy and Alex's past vacations. It's perfect for learning more about the characters and their history, especially as it relates to their current selves.

The plot was a 3.5/5 for me, it's interesting and engaging but a lot of the points that could have had that "wow-factor" just fell a bit flat. There were some scenes that wanted to be that memorable moment for the reader, but I felt like they were all missing something.

Poppy and Alex more than make up for any of that, though. I am definitely going to remember them as one of my favorite book couples ever.

I read this last year and just realized I never wrote my review…ooops! But it says something about it that I’m still thinking about it and can write a review like I just finished it yesterday.

There is just something about a sunshine girl and a grumpy boy that makes my heart swoon. But it isn’t even that Alex is grumpy he is sensitive and kind and patient and Poppy is wild and free and it makes him anxious. Ana yet they are perfect for each other. Still makes my heart swoon.

Honestly after Emily Henry’s novel Beach Read dominated the perfect vacation read the year it came out, it is clear that she is not just the author of Beach Read, she’s the rising star of beach reads! The People We Meet on Vacation is no exception. Grab this one for your next vacation or even to read and pretend you are on vacation!

There is something so satisfying about reading a book where a relationship evolves over many years. Told largely in flashbacks, The People We Meet on Vacation is the story of Alex and Poppy. One year they drive home from college together for break and ever since they have been best friends. Their post-college friendship is largely based around annual summer vacations they take together.

Poppy is a travel journalist so vacations are part of her job. Since the magazine she works for covers upscale travel, her vacations have become more lavish over the years. But Alex and Poppy have lost touch over the past two years, with their last trip being to Croatia. In an attempt to re-connect their friendship, Poppy plans a trip to Palm Springs to attend Alex’s brother’s wedding. Letting Alex think her work is paying for it, Poppy is actually funding the trip herself. She realized several years ago she has feelings for Alex.

As their trip to Palm Springs unfolds in present day, we see flashbacks to their prior vacations over the years and see how their friendship evolves. This is a romance so there isn’t much to spoil, but I want to leave the plot here so that readers can experience the story for themselves.

I really enjoy the way Emily Henry writes and develops her characters throughout her novels. Poppy is not only reconnecting with Alex, she is also going through some self-discovery as she realizes her life should be making her happy, but isn’t. There is also a lot to learn about Poppy’s past and childhood that added a lot of depth to her character and story.

A quick and breezy read that delivers on some deeper notes that is reminiscent of When Harry Met Sally, I definitely recommend grabbing The People We Meet On Vacation for your next weekend getaway!

People We Meet on Vacation was a delightful rom-com that was a joy to read. Emily Henry put together a beautiful story.

I was worried about the hype around this book, and it was okay.

I really enjoyed Beach Read, and was so excited to get this ARC. I am not a big fan of the friends to lovers trope, but loved Emily's writing that I thought I would give it a try. It was hard for me to get into, but I did end up enjoying it. A great read for Spring Break or a long weekend. Alex and Poppy's flashbacks were the best parts of the book for me.