The first 60% of this book is blah. Friends from college travel together. he is super nice to her, but she is clueless. The story is told only from her perspective and since she just thinks of him as a friend, there is no chemistry, no heat. Something happened on their last trip together that caused them to not speak for two years. Around the 50% mark we get an idea that maybe there was a little heat on their last trip. The scene where they finally get together is rewarding, but prior to that is a scene stolen from The Hating Game that took things too far and too gross (peeing in bed is not sexy...or maybe this book was just not for me).

3.5 stars. Twelve years ago, Alex and Poppy met awkward in freshman year at university, but somehow their friendship has lasted, built around their annual Summer Trips. Two years ago, something happened in Croatia and they haven’t spoken since, but now they’re having a few days together in Palm Springs before Alex’s brother’s wedding.

OK, so we know where the end destination is going to be, but what’s the journey like? I really enjoyed the interspersed chapters about their various trips, including Vancouver Island, New Orleans, and Tuscany. Ms Henry has an easy flowing and entertaining style, and these chapters bubble along with plenty to see and enjoy along the way.

I found the present day Palm Springs chapters less interesting, particularly towards the end where they get, unnecessarily in my view, very talky and wordy as emotions and motives are thrashed through, and resolutions are reached.

Poppy and Alex are typical romantic novel opposites-attract protagonists: Poppy flunked out of college, started writing a travel on the cheap blog, and now works for an online magazine able to take expensive and exotic trips for a living. She lives in New York, wears wacky clothes, doesn’t want to be tied down and the idea of living in somewhere as staid as her hometown, Linfield, Ohio, horrifies her. Alex, meanwhile, graduated, took a masters degree, and now teaches in his hometown, Linfield Ohio. He likes khakis, stability, small town life, and predictability. Though they have great chemistry and amusing banter, tbh, I’m not sure, even with the resolution that’s reached, that this couple is really going to work outside the pages of a book.

Of course, nobody (including me) reads a romcom for realism or authenticity, so these are moot points. Did I have a warm cozy feeling while reading and did I find myself a paragraph into the next chapter despite telling myself I’d stop at the end of the previous one? Yes I did on both counts, so a success in that case.

Thanks to Berkley Books and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

A fun but different rom-com. I liked this one better than her last. I wasn't sure about either character at first, neither seemed super likable but they grew on me. 4-4.5 stars, rom-com fans will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for my copy of People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry. All opinions are my own.


I fell in love with Emily Henry’s writing when I read Beach Read and her follow-up, People We Meet on Vacation, did not disappoint. While this one felt like it dragged on a little more, it was a sweet, hilarious romcom. I found myself laughing out loud and actually crying. Henry has a real talent of creating characters that you feel like you’ve known your whole life.

4.5! This was a great take on a slow burn friends to lovers romance. Best friends Alex and Poppy could not be more different but despite this they have a friendship like no other. Each summer they go on a vacation together and as the book progresses we get flashbacks from each of these trips. Inspired by the movie When Harry met Sally, Emily Henry does an amazing job exploring the complexities of falling in love with your best friend but being too scared to risk the friendship for a chance at a happily ever after. I fell in love with Poppy and Alex and couldn’t put this book down wanting to discover what happened to cause a rift in their friendship and whether they were going to get the happy ending they deserved. This book packs an emotional punch - right up there with Abby Jimenez as my favourite emotionally draining gut-punch romance writers. I enjoyed Beach Read a lot last year but I think this book was even better. I really related to Poppy’s feelings of professional burnout and yearning for purpose in her life and I was envious of her super supportive boss! This was a perfect escape read while we are all in lockdown and can’t travel places. Highly recommend this book for your summer TBR - I will be rushing to but a copy when it comes out May 11th!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced e-ARC copy!!

**Review will be published May 6th**

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

LOVED THIS.

I can break down this review really simply.

I have a hard time loving these tropes: friends to lovers, second chance, and books with flashback chapters.

People We Meet on Vacation made me love them ALL. It was written so beautifully and magnetically that I devoured this in a day. I didn’t want to put it down, I needed to know what happened. The story was a journey and gave me plenty of wanderlust about traveling.

I LOVE Alex and Poppy. Goodness gracious. Their chemistry leaped off the page into fireworks. From the get-go I knew I was in for this book. I love the opposites attract vibes and watching their love story play out over the flashbacks. It was expertly accomplished. I can’t say enough good things about how this story. I wish I could read it fresh again.

Need I mention some tropes I do love that were also included? ONE BED, slow burn and tension for days. The angst here was real. Alex was such a cinnamon roll. Poppy was vibrant and larger than life. I just love them. LOVE THEM. I found myself smiling and laughing at the banter and antics. How things were going utterly wrong in one way and perfectly right in another.

I like to mention in romances if that conflict we all know is coming took away from the story. This time? It didn’t take away at all. It fit into everything I learned about the characters over the book. It allowed for growth from both characters and learning what they truly wanted and needed from their own lives as their’s collided.

What a book. I love Emily Henry’s romances!

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary romance
- Language: some
- Romance: kisses to brief open door
- Trigger/Content Warnings: depicitons of anxiety, loss of a parent, bullying

This book is incredible and I read the whole thing over two days. Literally. Could. Not. Put. This. Down. Emily Henry has my full attention and I respect her greatly. This book wrecked me in the best possible way and I love it so much. These characters Poppy and Alex felt so real that I was so invested with their stories. I felt like these were friends I had in college and I felt their dilemma so much that I felt like I was really there. Very rarely do you come across books this immersive and I loved every minute of it. 10 out of 10

I was immediately struck by how detailed the characters are in People We Meet on Vacation. While the book is very much Poppy's story, my favorite character ended up being Alex. If you ever loved "Love Rosie" or "One Day", you have to read this! It has this same vibes of friends to maybe lovers? Slow burning and tension. Yearning, SO MUCH YEARNING. The romance People We Meet on Vacation had me swooning. I had to keep reading so my heart didn't explode.

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

I saw my friend Chloe L review this one as a cross between Normal People and Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating and now I can't unsee it! It's a perfect description for the plot and characters.

What I liked:
- The alternating timelines for providing the backstory to Poppy and Alex's friendship.
- Friends to lovers trope. And it's also opposites attract. Poppy definitely reminded me of Hazel!
- The destinations mentioned - this book allowed me to travel without leaving my home!
- Fun banter - I loved the chemistry, angst and funny lines between Poppy and Alex. There were several laugh out loud moments!

What I didn't like:
- The big secret - I don't like it when authors dangle a big secret in front of you to string you along for 75% of the book until the big reveal

Overall, I enjoyed it and can see the hype but it's still not quite a 5 star read for me yet!

Half way through reading this book, I muttered to myself “I am obsessed.”

Now, I’ve finished the book, so it’s time to just go ahead and shout it from the rooftops:

“I AM OBSESSED!!!!”

People We Meet on Vacation is everything I needed right now. It completely transported me into the friendship of Alex and Poppy (the cutest needs-to-be couple, ever). I loved how the story flashed back and forth from the current moment to the past history of all their cherished summer vacation memories.

Poppy and Alex are total opposites, but perfectly compliment one another. Their relationship was pure and sweet and their banter and sexual tension kept me giggling and smiling throughout the book.

This is a story about finding that soul mate who just gets you. - someone who sees your flaws and differences, and loves you all the more for it. Someone who you can be weird, and free with. (When you find this person, make sure you tell them and never let them go)

People We Meet on Vacation gets all the stars, all the heart eyes, and I already want to read it again just so that I can keep this dopey grin on my face a little longer. It really elevated my mood and I’m grateful to have read it.

If you’re looking for a fun friends to lovers romance, THIS IS THE BOOK. It will make the perfect summer vacation read.

‘She’s a wild child. He wears khakis’

Let me preface this by saying that I have never been more excited for an ARC in my entire life. If you enjoyed Beach Read, you will LOVE People We Meet on Vacation.


This story begins with Poppy, who is a travel writer, realizing that the last time she was truly happy was two years ago on on a trip to Croatia with her best friend, Alex. After an incident in Croatia, they haven’t spoken since. In an attempt to rekindle their friendship, Poppy invites Alex on one final trip to Palm Springs and thankfully, he agrees.

Alternating between past summer trips and their current vacation to Palm Springs, we read about Poppy and Alex’s 12 year friendship, the ‘incident’, and that Poppy is willing to risk it all by putting her feelings and their friendship on the line during this final trip.

I absolutely loved the banter between Poppy, who was extroverted and adventurous and Alex a reserved school teacher. People We Meet on Vacation, is a sweet, emotional, friends to lovers/ opposites attract story. I loved seeing Poppy and Alex’s friendship blossom from an awkward college ride share to best friends.

The Pub Date for this book is on May 11th – which is just in time for you to take this to the pool or beach for a perfect summer read.

Very cute read that had me guessing until the end. This book wasn't what I was expecting from the title but it means so much more now that I have read it. Also, I am super jealous of Poppy's job. I only wish I could travel that much! I absolutely loved the banter especially in the beginning but I was so emotionally invested throughout the middle to the end. I couldn't put it down. This will be a great summer read!
Thank you to NetGalley for a free review copy!

I was SO excited to get my hands on an early copy of this book. I've heard the Emily Henry buzz and I was eager to check it out.

Unfortunately, it wasn't for me. It took me a while to get into the book. And then, for a while, I was into it - but waiting for it to really grab me by the heart. Instead, I hit the 50% mark and found myself frustrated and out of patience.

The alternating between present and flashback wasn't a dealbreaker for me, but there was literally no forward momentum. In fact, when given an opportunity for forward momentum, the storyline continually stalled out. I also am not sure what to make of the characters. Even halfway through the book I feel like I don't have a really good idea of Alex's personality, much less do I feel any real attachment to him. There were moments where there were hints of a spark, enough to keep my hope alive, but eventually I found that I just didn't care anymore.

The writing is smart, and occasionally funny. I think the storytelling may not be my cuppa, however. This was a DNF at 52% for me.

Of course another 5🌟 book from Emily Henry. I adored Beach Read and knew I was going to love this one before I even started. ❤️

‘She’s a wild child. He wears khakis’

PWMOV tells the story of opposites Poppy and Alex’s 10 year friendship told through alternating timelines of their annual summer vacations. It is full of funny vacation fails, bad timing, witty banter, finding one’s self, heartbreak, and eventually love.

I admit, it took me a bit to really get into this one, as I tend to struggle to connect at first with a book with alternating timelines and this one was no different. (But that’s on me, not EH.) Once I got more into it, I fell in love with this book. The banter between Poppy and Alex is hilarious and adorable and exactly what I want with my best friend.

The evolution of Poppy from high school outcast to overcompensating adult is great to experience. And Alex is just such a perfect male lead. Strong, deep, attractive, caring, emotional, fun (well, when with Poppy), khaki type guy that I couldn’t help but fall in love with. Watching these two find each other was an emotional ride in the best way.

If you loved Beach Read (or any other friends to lovers romcom), go preorder this book now! You won’t regret it!!

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review. ❤️

Feeling unexcited with her job as a travel writer, Poppy realises that the last time that she was truly happy was when she was with her best friend Alex, which was two years ago on their vacation to Catalina before they stopped speaking. Knowing that she must act fast to rekindle their friendship, Poppy desperately reaches out to Alex and they end up planning a nostalgic trip to Palm Springs for Alex’s brother’s wedding. But even though everything on their trip from back spasms to broken air conditioners seems to go wrong, Poppy’s romantic feelings towards Alex become harder to ignore. Just as things are finally starting to go right, Poppy returns home to New York, and Alex to Ohio, to do some major self-reflection and contemplate some major life changes.

The novel is told from Poppy’s perspective with flashbacks to previous trips with Alex placed intermittently throughout. People We Meet on Vacation is a contemporary friends-to-lovers romance novel and would be of great interest to those who enjoy travelling. Considering that most of us are not able to travel right now due, this book is the perfect way to escape reality and take a mental vacation this year, especially since Poppy and Alex do a lot of travelling and end up going on a bunch of fun adventures.

This was my first time reading a book by Emily Henry and it was really enjoyable! I was hooked right from the start because I wanted to know what happened on the Catalina trip that forced Poppy and Alex to stop talking for two years and whether Alex and Poppy became more than friends. It was great reading about all the previous trips that Poppy went on (with Alex as well as for her job as a travel writer) because they also sounded super cool. As mentioned, this book is a great way to escape, but it would also be an excellent summer read because of all the travelling. 

The are a few minor negatives about this book including that it's slow to start, but once Poppy and Alex got to Palm Springs, the action started to pick up and the book became more engaging. Then there's the regular switching between past and present, which was a bit difficult to keep track of, and it was also frustrating having to wait until towards the end of the book for a flashback of what went wrong between Alex and Poppy during their Catalina trip.

Overall, People We Meet on Vacation was an enjoyable read with a unique plot and quite the satisfying ending! It would be a great read for fans of Talia Hibbert, Jojo Moyes, or Robyn Carr, and this jet-setting novel would be perfect to read during summer while sitting by the beach or pool.

I think I have a new favorite book. “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry made me feel so many emotions while reading it; happiness, joy, sadness, hope, anxiety, empathy, and most of all, nostalgia. You see, my husband and I couldn’t stand each other when we met, then we became good friends, and then, were both nervous to let the other know how we felt, fearing it would ruin our friendship. We just celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary, so I guess you could say that things worked out.
Poppy and Alex met at the beginning of college and the book alternates between “this summer” and each of the summers from when they first met, to the present. I loved this twist on alternating timelines. I have read so many contemporary romances that I didn’t think I’d find anything that felt as fresh and new as this book. While the “should they or shouldn’t they” premise may not be anything new, it felt so inviting and unique with the characters involved.
I won’t give you the details of Poppy and Alex, but this is the type of book that makes you believe in love and will be the hot beach read this year.

This is the second book I have read by Emily Henry, and I had just as many gushy feelings with People We Meet On Vacation as I did with Beach Read. Is it because it feels so familiar with the Midwesterner characters? This time Cincinnati was featured heavily, and it was so much fun spotting local name drops. Also, Ms. Henry’s one-liners are just so much fun. I had a happy book hangover after finishing this. I love friends-to-lovers tropes, and the unrequited love element added another layer of delightful angst. Please, can I just give Alex the biggest hug ever????

✨The People We Meet On Vacation by @emilyhenrywrites
5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date: May 11, 2021

•This book was so good, and one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. I absolutely loved Beach Read last year, and The People We Meet on Vacation did not disappoint.

•Poppy & Alex are two very unlikely best friends. They meet on orientation day in college, and their friendship definitely wasn’t immediate. Poppy is a little odd, and Alex is very quiet & reserved. But with a shared road trip home, these two unlikely people become best friends.

•This story takes place over their 12 year friendship and literally all around the world. Every year, these two take a summer trip together and I couldn’t wait for each chapter which had a new adventure, or sometimes a misadventure.

•The pure love that these two share made my heart smile throughout the entire story. I loved getting to see the world through their trips, and experience the longing and unsettled feelings. Poppy’s fears of being tied down, and her searching for that feeling of “home” & “contentment” really struck true for me. I think we all experience wanderlust from time to time, and Poppy may be one of my new favorite female main characters.

•Did you have that one friend in college or life that you were completely opposites, but somehow you ended up best friends? I did.. and this book hit me right in my feels because that friend I loved dearly, were always there for each other, passed away 6 years ago, and I still miss him every day. This book made me feel like I had my friend beside me again. If only for a few hours.

✨What to expect with this one
•Friends to lovers
•Forced proximity
•travel/wanderlust
•second chance romance
•a wee little bit of steam
•slowburn romance

✨Thank you to @netgalley @berkleyromance & @emilyhenrywrites for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Poppy and Alex are the unlikeliest of friends - totally opposite personalities, but they become best friends in college. Whereas Alex has a plan to study literature and hopefully become a professor, Poppy isn't sure what she wants to do, so she quits college and starts a blog on traveling for cheap. So begins Poppy and Alex's summer trip tradition. Every summer they go on a trip together, in the beginning it's whatever they can afford, but then Poppy gets a job writing for a travel magazine and their vacations become more luxurious. Unfortunately, two years ago, their trips stopped. Something romantic happened between the two of them and they haven't really spoken since. Now Poppy has everything she has ever wanted, professionally, but she feels like something is missing. She texts Alex and they plan another summer trip, the first after the "incident", in the hopes that seeing him will help her reconcile what is missing from her life.

Better than Beach Read, and I really enjoyed Beach Read, but Poppy may be my new favourite fictional female. She is colourful yet relatable and absolutely laugh out loud hilarious. Her banter with Alex is what made this book for me - the box of condoms, the "call me Ed", I was howling at some of the things she said, and Alex always has the perfect retort for her or explanation for those that don't understand her humour. The travel, the romance, the comedy, even the quiet moments when Poppy reflects on her happiness and their relationship, it all came together to make what I would consider the perfect romantic comedy.
People We Meet on Vacation could have been just a run of the mill story about opposites attract, but instead there is this killer chemistry and slow burn romance alongside these amazing adventures and lots of comedy. If you're looking for a book that will have you laughing out loud on one page and swooning on the next, look no further, I would highly recommend.

I loved this book. I appreciate everything Emily Henry does as an author. This book was the perfect vacation to take while I’m stuck at home. I wanted these characters to come off the page and be my friends in real life.