PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION
BY: EMILY HENRY
PUB DATE: MAY 11TH

Synopsis: People We Meet on Vacation is an adorable friend to lover’s romance. It follows two main characters, Alex and Poppy, who could not be more opposite from each other upon meeting. Poppy a quirky vibrant heroine, constantly on the go, and Alex a wholesome realist, who prefers to stay home with his head in a book. After a fateful car share home during college, the two develop a friendship, leading to a decade long history of annual summer vacations. That is, until one summer vacation changes everything. Two years later, Alex and Poppy agree to one more summer vacation together in hopes to rekindle their friendship, but this vacation does not go as planned, and years of hidden truths and feelings are revealed.

Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleyromance for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This romance was so cute! It was fun, flirty, and the dialogue between the characters made me smile and often laugh out loud. I loved the character's quirky and silly interactions. They were able to be so unapologetically themselves with each other, and their comfort and fondness for each other realistically progressed over the course of their summer vacations. I also really appreciated the descriptions of each vacation, every city and experience felt very immersive, which further added to my enjoyment of this novel.

People We Meet on Vacation is told in a dual timeline from Poppy's perspective, showcasing both the past and present moments of their friendship across each vacation. Over the course of this novel, we can really appreciate the emotional growth of Poppy as her feelings for Alex develop from year to year, but I did find myself wondering how the addition of Alex's perspective could have contributed to this novel.

Something I really loved amidst the dialogue of this novel was the incorporated concept of how Poppy was able to see "Naked Alex", meaning his purest self and truest personality. Although he would hide parts of himself from others, he was able to be open with Poppy and simply enjoy himself, and I loved how this connection between the love interests was displayed.

This novel highlights how a strong friendship can develop into romantic feelings. It can certainly be challenging to find the courage to tell another person how you feel, in fear of rejection and ruining an important friendship in your life. This is a strong theme in this novel, and it added character building and depth to this love story.

Friend to lover's romances have a special place in my heart, as it's how my relationship developed, so I really enjoyed reading this story and smiled at many aspects I could relate to my own experiences and love story.❤

Do consider picking this book up! It is a fun summer read that I think many readers will enjoy!

I adored Emily Henry's Beach Read, and had high hopes for People We Meet on Vacation. I enjoyed it but wasn't frantically drawn into it.

This isn't a cutesy rom-com, but a bittersweet story of two people unlikely to fall in love. It's kind of a "Harry Met Sally" opposites-attract friends-to-lovers...then estrangement for a second-chance friends-romance! Even more than a romance, though, it's a story of friendship. family, purpose, and love.

I did enjoy the destinations to where they travelled (allowing me to visit from my home) and the alternating timeline (although I do feel that a few years could have been condensed). The chemistry was great - sweet at times (the sick scene!) and snarky often. Great dialogue - I definitely cracked up at how Poppy could get under Alex's skin. The characters were pretty well written, although Poppy came across more strongly.

I didn't care for "the big secret" that we had to wait until 90% (not exaggerating) of the book until the big reveal. And then it wasn't even a big deal, IMO. It just felt a bit anti-climatic, and drawn out.

While this one fell a little short of my expectations, but I'd still give it 4 stars and would recommend it!

Thanks to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

With a tag line like ~ Two best friends. Ten summer trips. Once last chance to fall in love ~, I was expecting a cutesy rom-com full of vacation cliches and summer romance. What I got was a bittersweet tale of two people who have absolutely nothing in common, but still make you fall in love with them; a story about friendship, family and love that makes you laugh, and cry, and get that feeling in your chest where you just *feel*. And I loved it.

Poppy is that small town girl who ran as far and as fast she could. Alex is that small town boy who ran straight home as soon as he finished college. They become unlikely friends after a chance meeting when a mutual friend set up a ride share at the end of freshman year of college. This leads leads to their ten years of annual Summer Trips – sometimes they only time they see each other with the long distance between their jobs and adult lives. The story alternates between dual perspectives: present, when Poppy is trying to convince Alex to take one last trip with her, to save their friendship after two years of barely speaking (thanks to a mysterious incident that occurred on their last trip); and past: where the story takes us through each of their past Summer Trips and how they became each other’s best friend.

To me, there were 3 parts to this book:

Part 1: Meeting Poppy and Alex. They’re a bit cliche – total opposites and not to sure how I feel about them being paired up romantically. I’m getting some good laughs, “It aspires to not smell like a butthole that’s smoking a blunt” (cue immature giggle here) and the setting is pleasant. But mostly I’m getting intrigued about what happened in Croatia on their last trip…

Part 2: Ok, I’m starting to like these guys. We’re getting more into their pasts, and pulling out some deep thoughts and experiences that are hitting close to home (uh oh, my feelings are starting to show). And their friendship through the past trips is so sweet. But what the hell happened in Croatia?!

Part 3: I don’t care if I ever find out what happened in Croatia, I just need Alex and Poppy to make up because I just need their friendship in my life. Please. And this part right here, this is where the story really starts to gut punch you. Where the feelings happen. Where you transition from laughing, to wanting to hug the characters and bring them a hot tea and a blanket, to reflecting on your own life.

If you’re a fan of Beach Read, I think you’ll like this one – on the surface, they’re very different. But they both hit that place of feelings that comes from a really good book. A book you’ll think about for days after you’re done; the kind that puts feelings you didn’t even know you had into words, and then it just starts to make sense.

If you could vacation (safely) anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? And who would you take with you?

After more than a year of isolation, lockdowns, and staying at home as much as possible, I know I can’t be the only one craving travel - new sights, new experiences, new people. Reading People We Meet On Vacation isn’t exactly like going on holiday myself, but it’s about as close as a book can get.

At the heart of this swoon-y, escapist romance, are, of course, the characters, and I loved both Poppy and Alex - her, defiantly lively, vibrant and always on the go; him, solidly dependable and reserved, longing for security and steadiness. They’re both so different, but I recognized a lot of myself in each of them. Which might be why I also loved them as a couple, the dynamics of their relationship played out over a decade of complicated BFFship in ways that felt simultaneously relatable and aspirational. And I loved getting to know the handful of places they visit during the story - those I’ve never seen, those close to where I live, and those I’ve only visited as a tourist.

Getting to play at being someone else for a while, living a temporary life that’s a respite from your everyday existence, is at the heart of the kind of vacations Poppy and Alex take together every summer - but while they’re pretending to be someone new, and meet someone new, the someone they should be paying attention to is right in front of them...

I had such a fun time reading this book, enjoying the trips, the banter, the messiness and beauty in a relationship, and just letting it sweep me away - if only in my imagination.


Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance review copy!

Two best friends that prove opposites attract.

Poppy and Alex are best friends. The two are complete opposites; Poppy is adventurous and full of energy while Alex is more introverted. Somehow they make a great pairing and have a wonderful friendship. They both use to take a vacation with each other every year, until two years ago. Poppy reaches out to her old friend for one more vacation; a vacation that may change their relationship forever.

The POV switches from the past and present, told from Poppy. The move from friends to lovers was slow burn and had some angst, that’s bound to happen when someone tries to become more than friends. Makes the story so real!!
I could identify with both Poppy and Alex’s characters because I like to have a routine, but I also like to go out adventuring( but with a plan!).
This is a bit of a second chance romance since they hadn’t spoken in two years before Poppy reaches out again. Poppy and Alex try to keep their feelings at a friendship level, but Poppy decided to put it all on the line. It really makes sense for her character to be the bold one and take a chance on their relationship, considering she’s the one who is more daring. I liked both of their sense of humor and each was different. It made for a funny romance and a very enjoyable read!

All the stars!!

I had a feeling that I would love PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION, but I had no idea I would love it this much.

It’s the perfect poolside, vacation, or lounging-in-bed read. I went in thinking it would be just a cutesy rom-com, but once again, Emily Henry packs the emotions and it was so much more than a Friends-To-Lovers trope.

Poppy and Alex meet in college and form an unlikely friendship. Their angsty yet opposites-attract connection, really worked for them and I loved it! I also really enjoyed the fact that the story is told from Poppy’s POV, and she was an just all around fun character to read.

I’ve now put Emily Henry on a must-read/auto-buy author list because her romance writing is to another level, and it was everything I hoped and more.

I think this will be on everyone’s top favorite reads of the year!

*many thanks to Berkley romance for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own

Oh man, there’s something to be said for a book that you’re anticipating so much and it’s even better than expected :) I loved this story.

A little background with me and this book. I read the author’s book Beach Read probably last year and loved it. When I heard about her next book, I pre-ordered it. Then I actually got sent an early ebook edition from NetGalley. I couldn’t believe it! One of the books I was most looking forward to and now I got to read it early. Then I almost felt nervous, what if it’s not as good as I’m expecting it to be? Rest assured, it met and exceeded any expectations I had.

Poppy and Alex met in college. Both were from the same hometown. He loved his hometown, she couldn’t get away fast enough. But both went back home every summer. And on that first trip home, Poppy and Alex rode home from college together. Along the way they got to know each other. They are definitely opposites.

But more time spent together and they decided to take a trip together over a school break. The trip wasn’t perfect but they had so much fun together. They agreed to take a summer trip together every year.
That started 12 years ago. Life has changed in many ways for both of them. They are long out of college and now only get to see each other about once a year. Their trips are sacred. Poppy is never happier than when she’s with Alex every summer and it seems Alex feels the same way.

But something happened on their trip two years ago and they haven’t really talked since. Poppy isn’t happy. She realizes she hasn’t really been happy since she traveled with Alex last. Despite two years of near silence, she knows she must take the risk and she contacts him. Suddenly, the two decide to take another summer trip.

Everything about the trip is going off course. Poppy wants nothing more than for everything to go perfectly so she can have Alex back again.

I really enjoyed this story. It was 4.5 stars for me.
I would definitely recommend picking up a copy. Read it on the beach if you’re lucky or enjoy it on your couch like I did :) enjoy some fun travel with the characters.

5/5 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

I adored this book! It was cute, adorable, and heartfelt. I loved seeing the friendship bloom between these two characters and watching that turn into something more. Emily Henry just writes characters so well that I almost immediately feel connected to them. I adored how Alex and Poppy were so different from each other but still were the best of friends, they got along great and their banter had me laughing. I just love Emily Henry's romance books, I highly recommend them and can't wait to see what she comes out with in the future!

Beach Read was one of my favorite reads from last year, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one.

I started this Friday night and had to put it down so i wouldn’t stay up all night

But I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down

I loved loved loved Poppy and Alex. Loved them.

This is the perfect summer read

This book stole my heart. Poppy and Alex met on their first day in college and thought they'd never see one another again. The two are complete opposites. However, circumstances lead them to meet up again at the end of the year to head home for the summer. A friendship is formed and every summer since the two plan a trip together.

There is so much goodness in this book. Poppy is perfectly real and flawed. I think all of us can see a little of ourselves in her. I found myself cheering desperately for her. And Alex is Poppy's subtle champion. The ways in which he quietly supports her, as she does for him, over the years made me swoon.time and again. These two, while polar opposites, somehow are the perfect match and I found myself turning the pages late into the night lost in their banter and friendship and wondering if they would wind up together or not in the end. I laughed out loud multiple times and loved visiting all the places they do. The writing is warm and cozy and has such an ease to it that you lose yourself so completely in the story.

And while, on the surface, the book has a light and fun feel to it, there is deeper meaning to the story of these two that Henry somehow effortlessly conveys. The ideas of who we are and what we want in our truest selves and the notion of home are strong themes and one that most can relate to. All the little bits through the book add up to a fantastic read that I will return to again and again. It's the kind of book that you get pushy about telling everyone to read because of how universally great it is. Henry was already on a must-read list for me after Beach Read but this book cemented her there. Can't wait for more from this author!

4.5 stars!

People We Meet on Vacation jumps in time between the friendship of Alex and Poppy. They are complete and total opposites, one a fuddy duddy and the other a wild child. But as friends, they completely work. Since college they meet up once a year to take a vacation together, that is, until a mistake happened two years ago in Croatia. But Poppy wants her friend back, so she invites Alex on one more vacation to see if they can patch up their friendship.

I was not the biggest fan of Beach Read, Emily Henry’s first book. But, I always give an author more than one chance so I was more than willing to try People We Meet on Vacation. While it was a slow start for me getting into the book, but the end I was racing against the clock so I could finish the book and hopefully get some sleep in the same night (sleep and I compromised this time haha).

There are so many romance tropes in this book! Opposites attract, friends to lovers, and there’s only one bed all crammed into this book! I have to say, friends to lovers normally isn’t my favorite trope, but Henry did a fantastic job with it in this book. It was very well developed and I believe they were truly friends from the beginning. I really like that this book was just developed really well, period. The characters, the story, everything. I was really impressed with how this story turned out. After reading this sophomore novel, I’m excited to see what else Emily Henry has for us in the future.

Poppy and Alex have been best friends since freshman year of college. They are polar opposites – Poppy is loud, outgoing, and dresses in crazy outfits, while Alex would rather read a book than go to a theme party, and sees nothing wrong with the khakis Poppy is constantly belittling. Poppy lives to travel and see the world, and drags Alex along on her adventures each summer, until the summer trip to Croatia, when Something Happens that means they don’t speak for two years.

The chapters alternate between present day, where Poppy lives in New York and works at a travel magazine as a writer, and has travelled the world, both with and without Alex, who is a teacher at the same small town high school Poppy attended. At the start of the novel we know that Something has happened between she and Alex, and the alternating chapters flash back to summers past, moving toward the Something.

The story is told from Poppy’s first person point of view, so while we get glimpses of how she really feels about Alex, his feelings aren’t really clear until later on.

While the dialog is way too witty to be realistic, I related to the in-jokes that develop on each trip they take, and loved how they took care of each other in their times of need. They both have issues from their past that get in the way of them giving in and admitting their feelings.

Content warning – there is one somewhat steamy scene, and a few others that are less so. I wouldn’t exactly call it an open door romance, but it’s not really closed either. Maybe ajar?

I really loved People We Meet On Vacation and recommend it to anyone who likes romance, travel to both little- and well-known locations, and characters who are fun to read about.

Loved this book so much! I enjoyed the depth of emotions behind each character, the closed door romance style, and the back and forth timeline between past trips and the present one. Emily Henry is quickly becoming a favorite of mine! I read this one in two sittings! Full review to come soon.

I really liked this story. I really enjoyed the two timelines and how they built the relationship between Poppy and Alex. They are an opposites attract pairing and I just love that trope. This is fluffy for the most part, but I enjoyed that there is a heaviness to their relationship and that they both recognize that they have issues they need to work on. Yay for the therapy rep! Definitely worth picking up.

I absolutely adored Beach Read so I could not pass up the chance to read People We Meet on Vacation. This book was great, it was interesting and kept you on your toes as you hop between different vacation locales and follow this blossoming friendship turned romantic partnership of will-they, won't-they. I absolutely recommend this to fans of rom-coms and those that enjoy reading unrequited love stories and friendships turned partners. This would be fantastic to read on a beach, on vacation, in the warm summer air!

This was an incredibly fun read. This will be a perfect summer read whether you are able to travel or wish you could travel. It's a story of friendship and family and love set all over the world. I really enjoyed Emily Henry's Beach Read released last year and this is another fun one but I think I liked it even more. You have interesting characters who aren't perfect but aren't so flawed that you don't like them. Definitely pick this one up for a summer read.

Poppy and Alex are the best of friends and total opposites. They take a ‘summer trip’ every year regardless of what’s going on in their lives. Though everything changed two years ago on their trip to Croatia and nothing has been the same since. Poppy realizes she hasn’t been genuinely happy since they had their falling out and she reaches out to Alex to make amends. They plan another summer trip to Palm Springs where Poppy hopes they can make things normal and she can get her best friend back.

I never read Beach Read last summer but man did I see it everywhere, so I jumped at the chance to read this one and I was not disappointed! Poppy and Alex were such loveable characters and their banter had me laughing out loud in parts (slow loris hands set me off in particular). Poppy was so herself and vibrant and Alex just seemed like a total sweetheart...sigh. I loved their quirks and the flashbacks to their summer trips over the last 10 years made me feel like I was travelling again, which was so welcome given the pandemic we have all been living through. I found the fight at the end to be a bit silly, but overall this one is a great escape and summer read.

I loved this book so much! I don't think I've ever been more invested in a fictional relationship wondering will they ever be more than friends? It touched my heart in a way that very few books have. The majority off this book is teasing back and forth conversations between the main characters, Poppy and Alex, who are each other's favorite person in the world. It kinda reminds me of an 80's John Hughes movie. It probably will appeal more to a younger person; a lot of millennial references, social media influencers, emojis, acronyms, etc. While I am definitely not a millennial, I still appreciated the clever, witty banter so much and would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fun (but lovely at the same time) read.

After not being able to travel for a year, this was the book I needed! Two friends drift apart after a vacation gone wrong...or right.

Now, who DOESN'T love a friends-to-lovers tale? Right from the beginning, I was in love with Alex. The way he sacrifices himself for the ones he cares about, including his father, his siblings, and most of all, his best friend Poppy. I love how Poppy also learns that running away from her problems does not solve anything: she has to face them head-on in order to move past them. Her loyalty, however, to her family, despite their hoarding issues and being "abnormal" compared to other parents, is shown clearly, as she defends any boy that thinks negatively of her family. But of course, Poppy's family loves Alex. THERE were SO MANY SIGNS showcasing the love between Alex and Poppy, but they kept pushing as friends to keep their friendship. Definitely made me frustrated at times, but that FRUSTRATION is what kept me GOING with the book HAHAAAA. Really loved this book :)