This was fun and sweet. I liked the on/off relationship and the focus on travel. I felt the slow burn of the friendship turned romance!

I loved this book. I'm in the middle of finals week, and I still couldn't put it down! It was just what I needed. This romance is exactly what you expect after reading the blurbs and first few chapters, yet it's also so much more. Henry created really complex, interesting characters in Alex and Poppy - something that most in this genre lack.

Although I knew where the plot was headed, I was really drawn into the unique history and personalities of the characters. I felt like they were real people. Often when I read romances, I think of how cheesy it is that the two individuals could fall in love so easily and quickly, but Henry painted a picture of a deep knowledge of the other person through a shared history. It felt true.

I'll be buying this for the library and recommending it as a perfect summer read - light, but with surprising depth.

HJ Recommended Read!

Be ready to be swept away to locations across the globe and to root on an opposites-attract couple who start as the best of friends--and who become so very much more--in Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation.

I had a whole lot of fun reading Emily Henry's latest novel. It bounced back and forth between the present day, with Poppy and Alex having not seen or talked to each other for about two years, to flashback chapters starting with how they met at college twelve years ago and worked its way forward from there. I got a little lost in the timeline a couple of times and had to backtrack to the beginning of the chapter. But overall I enjoyed the way Emily Henry showed the tension and attraction between Alex and Poppy that built oh so slowly over the years. And I think it's something that was realistic. They didn't want to ruin the friendship that meant everything to them. So of course neither wanted to act on it. Instead, they ignored their chemistry and kept it as platonic as possible.

Poppy and Alex were truly opposites in almost every way, so their conversations were ridiculously fun. That is one of the areas in which Emily Henry always shines, in my humble opinion, with the dialogue she creates. Poppy was outspoken and loved to wear clothes as colorful as her namesake. She grew up in a lively household, the youngest who always felt like she didn't belong at school. Alex was a rather introverted, very studious and intelligent man--a beta hero, swoon!--who was the eldest sibling that kept the family running. But somehow Poppy and Alex balanced each other out. There was always something to debate or talk about considering their differing opinions and experiences which was highly entertaining.

I do have to admit, though, that up until about the last quarter of the book, I wasn't wholly rooting for Poppy. I liked her. It's just that she came across as a wee bit on the selfish side. Like she wanted Alex to constantly be there for her and talk about her personal/professional problems but she didn't always seem to support him. Once their entire history was laid out for us and Poppy had some epiphanies, it was much easier to cheer her and Alex on.

People We Meet on Vacation will be a wonderfully quirky beach read for romance fans. With its slow burn, friends to lovers storyline and hilarious characters you'll want to hang out with, Emily Henry charmed me all over again with her witty writing voice.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am happy to give my honest review.

After Beach Read, I wanted to read every single word that Emily Henry wrote. This book was no exception and did not disappointed.

Alex and Poppy have been friends since the first week of college. They just fit in a way that you know you can't force. Poppy is loud and eccentric while Alex is quiet and observant. Two peas on a pod. The book goes through several flashbacks spanning over a decade of vacations with the two. I'm not usually a fan of flashbacks but these were so seamless and built on the characters and their love for each other.

Their final vacation is 2 years after a big trip to Croatia when they stopped talking to each other. Poppy's heart is broken with the loss of her friend and is unhappy with her professional life. She decides that to regain her happiness she needs to take Alex on another vacation. He's game and so begins the most awkward vacation ever. Rideshare cars, broken A/C in an AirBNB, and a back spasm later, they come to blows about what really happened 2 years ago.

I couldn't put this book down. The characters are rich and you're rooting so hard for them both. Alex is the quintessential book boyfriend and Poppy is everyone of us. My only complaint is that I want more - I would love to have read Alex's point of view and get his take on the events that you only hear Poppy's thoughts. This is definitely going on my re-read list and I'll be eagerly waiting for the next book by Emily.

I’m confidently predicting that People We Meet on Vacation will be a runaway hit this summer, packed away in many a beach bag. Emily Henry follows her 2020 hit, Beach Read, with her newest novel, and in my opinion, an even better beach read. The college friendship between the main characters, Poppy and Alex, develops through the years revealing layers upon layers of emotion. Friendship blossoming into love and the many facets of all of these layers is at the core of their relationship. This is a beautifully written and totally engaging book which takes the reader along on many adventures and journeys with these entertaining characters. Pack your bags, take a vacation, and be sure to tuck this gem into your carry-on. You’ll be happy you did. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced eCopy.

This book activated my wanderlust and made me feel deeply invested in the characters and their happiness. This is exactly the kind of emotionally satisfying friends-to-lovers romance I've been looking for. Great characters, great settings, great fun.

Upon meeting on the first day of college nothing is more apparent than the fact that Poppy and Alex are complete opposites. She's loud, he's serious. She wear bright clothing, he wears...khakis. Poppy can't think of anything more than getting away from her small and oppressive hometown and travelling the world. Alex, wants to settle down close to his family, get married and have kids.

Somehow, Poppy and Alex form and unshakable bond. One that sees them taking an annual summer vacation with one another to all the far-off exotic locations of Poppy's dreams.

Except something happened two years ago to change the dynamic and they haven't spoken since. Now, Poppy having a crisis of faith, is determined to get back to the last place she was happy. Except her place is not a place, but a person: Alex. Poppy is determined to set things right between them and Alex's brother's upcoming wedding provides a perfect opportunity for them to get together. But are either of them ready to confront what happened and risk losing each other permanently?

After reading Emily Henry's previous book, [book:Beach Read|52867387], I just have to say she's done it again, but even better! I immediately took to Poppy and Alex. I loved their dynamic from page one. The care they have for each other just jumps off the page, and I enjoyed so much that we, as readers, got invited to witness their special bond. The inside jokes and the vulnerabilities. Really digging in and getting to know someone inside and out completely.

Of course with that comes an inevitable fear. Fear of losing all that you hold dear. I'll say that it's pretty easy to discern what went down between them two years ago. The way in which the story is laid out we get pretty much alternating chapters between present day vacation and like a countdown from the first summer back to that infamous summer two years ago. It really drives the story, as even though as I said it's easy to figure out what happened, I still wanted confirmation and I wanted to go through that journey with Poppy and Alex. In doing so, readers also begin to truly see where Poppy and Alex are coming from in their personal lives. How things have happened to them that has informed the way they treat their relationship with one another. Emily Henry just really gets to the heart of these characters. You want to see them work things out with each other, but you also want to see them work things out for themselves.

If anything, I would have loved if the story alternated between both Poppy and Alex's points of view. As it stands we're getting everything through Poppy which I understand as she's the person who is trying to get back to happy, but Alex also equally has things to work out for himself and I would have liked his side of things on a few instances.

But this book, this book will make you yearn for travel. For exploring and meeting new people and discovering new places. It will have you missing what all of us have missed in the past year and what we can hopefully get back to again soon. You'll fall into this story of friendship and love and, if you're like me, you won't want to stop until you reach the end.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I was happy when I got the request to review People we Meet on Vacation, seemed like a fun summer read. And it did not disappoint! I loved following the life of Poppy and her travel career. Poppy didnt fit in growing up, but she was determined to set goals and achieve them as she grew older. In college, she met Alex. The two awkwardly grew their friendship and became vacation buddies. During their college years these vacations were often on a budget with funny experiences.

As adults, Poppy got her dream job and got her vacations paid for and well documented for a travel lifestyle magazine. With this job, she was able to bring a friend, in her case Alex. The novel bounces back and from from present time to different vacations over the years. Though there were a few years of not talking, Alex and Poppy decide to take a vacation again, this time to Palm Springs. Opposites always attract....

I recommend taking this book on vacation!

Absolutely delightful book! Told in alternating chapters between the past and the present, People We Meet on Vacation details the long friendship of Poppy and Alex as they travel around the world. I missed Beach Read last summer and now must go back and read it.

A perfect book from start to finish, I have absolutely no critique. Emily Henry couldn’t write a bad book if she tried! 5 stars and my whole heart.

People We Meet On Vacation was a rollercoaster of an experience. For the first 70% of the book, I wasn't quite sure if I was loving the book or not, but then in the last 30% of the book, I became completely engrossed in the romance. It wound up being a strong ending for me with an achingly swoony romance. It's a book I will certainly be recommending to readers who would like to scratch their friends-to-lovers itch.

People We Meet On Vacation follows Poppy and Alex, two friends who met in college and befriended each other on an awkward car ride to their hometown. After college, the two went in different directions in life but kept up with each other and met up every summer for a memorable vacation until the last vacation two years ago. The two haven't spoken since and Poppy is desperate to fix the awkwardness between them. When Poppy hits a slump at work, she decides to invite Alex on a budget vacation to Palm Springs in the hopes of mending their relationship. To do that, however, they need to have a conversation about what happened two years ago.

I enjoy a good opposites-attract romance and Poppy and Alex fit that label well. Poppy is the whimsical dreamer of the two. In YA there's what's called the manic-pixie character and I would describe Poppy as a more mature and muted version of a manic-pixie character. She's an extrovert, who loves to travel, and befriends people wherever she goes. Alex, on the other hand, is a shy and quiet introvert who is rooted to a single place. He has grown up being the father figure to his siblings and now that they don't need a guardian, he's a little lost about what to do with himself. He's not always the easiest character to decode because he is so reserved, but the moments when he allows his real feelings to surface are all so rewarding. It's like you're just waiting with bated breath for him to truly spark as a character because you just now the man has a lot of FEELINGS about everything and when it does, it's glorious. P.S I don't know who needs to hear this but Alex is a neck kisser.

How these two did not give in to their attraction earlier on in their friendship is beyond me. There's a lot of tension that builds up during their years of friendship as they watched each other enter relationships with other people. It's obvious that the two of them are well-matched in that they balance each other out well but the timing was never right. The book relies heavily on flashbacks and Emily Henry does a very good job at building up that romantic tension and chemistry. There's a simmering level of intimacy and angst between Poppy and Alex that I adored and made their relationship super romantic and believable to me. You'll definitely need some patience because this is a slow-burn romance but Emily Henry treats readers with delicious tropes such as the "only one bed" and "caretaker/healer" tropes.

While People We Meet On Vacation was an overall enjoyable read, I have to admit that the endless descriptions of Poppy and Alex's harrowing vacation from hell were a little stressful for me. I don't know if phantom heatstroke is a thing but I swear, I was miserable reading about the broken AC in their crappy AirBnB in Palm Springs. I don't do well in the heat so my reaction to it was visceral. I know I would have taken myself to a hotel, student debts be damned, if if I were in their positions. Another thing I didn't care for was their big fight from two years that was teased heavily. I thought the build-up to that was a little disappointing.

If friends-to-lovers with banter is your thing, I would try People We Meet On Vacation. Now I'll have to go back and read Beach Read and see if I enjoy it just as much.

Although not a book I would purchase in my professional role, it is one that I will be recommending in my personal life! Thank you so much for allowing me to have access to the digital arc!

my second Emily Henry book that I read in one sitting because I ABSOLUTELY could not put it down! I devoured this one, and for good reason: the characters were so likeable and had so much depth, while not seeming naive or too deeply flawed. The friends-to-lovers storyline was so so sweet (and not what I usually go for) but definitely has inspired me to read more stories like this one. Emily Henry is a new auto-buy author for me!

You know when you read a book and you absolutely fall in love with the characters and their love story? This is that book. I am so in love with Poppy and Alex. I loved everything about them. You find yourself yelling at the pages and saying Just admit it already! I mean, we all know, we all hope, that the story is leading us to that happy ending. They have such a great shorthand with each other. Their conversations are hilarious, as is most of the writing in this book. They are lovable people with the cutest ways. Everything about this book just makes me happy. I loved Beach Read but I think this one even tops that. I will read whatever Emily Henry puts out in this world.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this wonderful book.

Yesterday I was telling myself at least I'm going to read some more, but then it was 12 am and I was finished???? How did that happen. Maybe it was the fact that I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN CROATIA!!! And I did find out hehehe.

You'll really love People We Meet on Vacation if you enjoyed reading Love, Rosie. It has that aspect of will they-won't they of them not really having the right time to be together. But this one definitely takes less time lmao *I'm still emotionally scarred by Love, Rosie and how it took them like 50 years to finally have their HEA*

Poppy and Alex are best friends since freshman year. 12 years of friendship and 10 summer trips. But after their last trip, Croatia, two years ago, they have stopped talking and are now practically estranged. Poppy wants to fix that and asks Alex for one last trip! She just wants to return to the way it was before, but she still doesn't fully realizes that it isn't possible to go back.

I really loved this book, I cried waaaay to hard by the end. The love these two have for each other is POWERFUL. They have been in love with each other for far too long, but neither of them has taken that step. They're very afraid to tell the other their feelings because what if, you know. What if the other one doesn't feel the same and their friendship just... stops.

One thing I do wanna point out is that the first half was mm slow-ish? You get tease about the big thing of Croatia and I was like please just tell me, is it really that bad, JUST TELL ME!! And that's one of the main reasons why I kept reading. If you are like me and want to know before reaching that chapter, do dm me and I'll tell you what happens lmao. I know romance books have happy endings but I'M IMPATIENT I WANT TO KNOW!

Either way, the reason why I love this book is because of Poppy and Alex. They are two people who have nothing in common, they do not like the same things and they are super different. But somehow, some way, they become the best of friends. And the evolution of this friendship, the ups and downs of their years apart, it was really beautiful and amazing to see. I really like how Emily Henry writes the little moments, the little touches, you know? Not a kiss or a hug, nope. A touch of a hand, finger gracing the back, knee bumping into the other under the table. Those are the moments that matter so much to me.

ps. poppy is very short and alex is super tall. i love it a lot.

This ranked somewhere between 3.5 to 4.5 stars at different parts of the book, so it settled at 4 stars overall. Most of the book works flawlessly, but there are aspects in the latter third of the novel that just fell flat for me.

WOW! LOVED this book--just as much as Beach Read, if not more. It was hilarious and witty and yet there were such tender moments between the characters that were so, so sweet. I LOVED both Poppy and Alex as characters and loved seeing them together in this story. I'm SO excited for more Emily Henry books!

Charming and funny. Once again, Emily Henry has made such relatable characters with depth, humor, and oh yeah, sex appeal.

A friends to lovers/ opposites-attract romantic comedy that will make you bust out laughing wishing you had a friendship like Poppy and Alex. But also it will hit you right in the feelings.

It's a perfect summer beach read.



*Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my e-ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this one! I’ve been missing being able to travel a TON and the fact that Poppy is a writer for a travel magazine was perfect for me as a reader at this point in my life. I loved Poppy’s insanely unique personality, wardrobe, and family. Alex’s dedication to his family was so pure. The idea of loving someone so powerfully that it may be too much to handle for a lifetime was powerful.

Alex and Poppy may be polar opposites, but they’re best friends. Most of their friendship is long distance, but every summer they go on a week-long vacation. That is, until two years ago when their vacation was ruined. Poppy convinces Alex to take one last vacation together to make things right again. Can she fix everything in just one week?

I was so excited when I received this ARC from Berkley. It was a wonderful escape. Who doesn’t love a book that satisfies their wanderlust? The story alternated between Alex and Poppy’s current trip and all of their precious ones. Along the way, you see how they’ve never crossed a line that would threaten their friendship, including exploring a romantic relationship. You are also figuring out what caused them to stop talking in the first place.

The buildup to romance was good and I did appreciate “watching” Alex and Poppy develop over the years, but the story was a bit slow for me. The alternative timelines was creative, but added a lot of length to the book (some chapters were extremely long). Ultimately, readers get to see the two for one week every year and in that time span, both an amazing vacation and character development must happen. When their relationship finally began to really progress I was relieved. Overall this was a solid friend-to-lover romance, but one that could have been pared down for me.