People We Meet on Vacation by Emily HenryThis is one of the best books I've read in a long time! 5 HUGE STARS. I read this cover to cover in one sitting and could not take a break from these two and their history and I had to find out what happened in Croatia! If you like friends to lovers with low steam - this is your book!!
Alex and Poppy are complete opposites, best friends, and have taken a summer vacation together for the past ten years. Two years ago, their friendship was ruined and they haven't spoken since. Poppy is reaching out for one more vacation to make their friendship whole again.
I love stories with flashbacks woven into the story. These not only showed us the history of their friendship, but where they each were in their lives and where they vacationed each year. There was the perfect amount of suspense to keep you hooked to want to know how they got to where they are.

I loved these two characters so much and loved to see where they were through the years in their lives and where they vacationed every summer. Fitting in 10 vacations and their current trip is no small task and Emily made us feel like we were right there with them every trip. I LOVED their banter, I laughed so much and thought they had such a great dynamic together.
I also really connected with each of their personal struggles and loved how these were addressed and how the characters grew. Poppy struggled with finding her true happiness and what sort of career pathway would bring her fulfillment and joy. Alex struggled to put himself first ahead of others and his needs and wants.

A couple other notes - as someone that previously played the saxophone for ten years I'm offended at Alex's disdain for it! I also love so many of the things Alex hates like theme parties and owning five things of the same thing you like! And a couple fun references to Beach Read were in here! 

I imagine this book will be everywhere this summer. This publishes May 11. Thank you @berkleyromance, @berkleypublishing, and @emilyhenrywrites for my advanced copy of this gem of a book.

I may be one of the only people who didn't read Beach Read last year but now I know why everyone was raving about it! Emily Henry is an amazing writer and People We Meet on Vacation was terrific. The characters were layered and complex but still likable and their relationship was nuanced and captivating. I can't recommend this one enough!

First of all, I want to thank NetGalley and Berkley Romance for my ARC of People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry.

Publishing Date: May 11, 2021.

I was not expecting much out of this book because after being obsessed with Beach Read I really did not want to get my hopes up for this one, but wow was I shocked. I devoured this book in one day because I could not put it down. I loved the escapist vibes that made me feel like I was traveling again, and not just stuck in my house.

The main characters Poppy and Alex, seemingly polar opposites were best friends in college who decided they were going to travel on a summer trip together every year. This summer trip was sacred for most of their life until they stopped going. Poppy was a travel influencer who had it all but still felt like something from her life was missing.

The ups and downs of this book had me laughing but also took me on an emotional ride throughout the years of all of their trips. I always love when authors break up the timing like different years into different chapters so I feel like we get the whole story.

This book will definitely leave you feeling emotional, and maybe rethink how full you feel your life is and maybe think about what is missing. I could definitely relate to the main characters in totally different ways which I loved.

I highly recommend this book even if you didn’t love beach read because this is a fantastic friends to lovers romance with a lot of emotion and humor woven into the pages.

This was a fantastic romance story. I loved the characters and watching the way their relationship develop was fun and emotional. There were a few times toward the end where I wanted more of the book to be in the present and less in the past but overall this was a great read.

Emily Henry knows how to WRECK ME. I was so wrapped up in Alex and Poppy and wanting them to finally get together that I read most of this book in one sitting. I loved the glimpses of their relationship through various trips over 12 years, and the way they finally got together in the end was so satisfying. Henry's writing is absolutely hilarious while also being beautiful and heart-wrenching. I felt so much for these characters so quickly and was deeply invested in their happiness. It was the same way I felt with Beach Read, and I honestly don't know how she does it so well, but I'm so looking forward to whatever she does next!

People We Meet on Vacation is the story of Poppy Wright and Alex Nilsen, two best friends that two years ago, had a falling out. Now Poppy wants to fix their relationship and in one week, win back her best friend.

Alex and Poppy have always been opposites. While Poppy loves to travel, is carefree, and a wild child, Alex would rather sit with a good book at home. But, even though they are total opposites and quite frankly have nothing in common, they are the very best of friends.

People We Meet on Vacation brought me nothing but joy while reading and I gave this five stars. Emily Henry continues to surprise me after reading Beach Read and falling in love with that book and I felt that I wanted People We Meet on Vacation to deliver the same array of emotions that Beach Read gave me. And it did. The happiness and sadness I felt through People We Meet on Vacation was so strong when reading about Poppy and Alex. Their friendship was amazing and you can tell that even though you are polar opposites, you really can be best friends.

And oh my, the love between Alex and Poppy was strong. They have been best friends for years and the way they pine for each other even though they think that their love is unrequited was unbelievable. It has always just been the two of them and you can tell that their love is so strong. Even though their relationship was rather unrequited in the beginning, their love for each other, even in friendship was so strong. I idolize them even just as friends. They were perfect with each other and honestly for each other.

People We Meet on Vacation talks about two people who were lonely, but found each other and were no longer alone. This book could not be any more perfect and urge everyone to pick this up. And if you have the chance, pick up Beach Read as well.

Thank you again to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Great read, the character's chemistry pushed this story forward. Beach Read was my favorite of the past year or so, I entered this read with trepidation.. but I was not let down.

I loved this book!! It was a light, fun, beautiful, and romantic journey that had me entertained from start to finish. The story is told in Poppy’s POV and bounces around between the present day and flashbacks from eleven years worth of summer trips she takes with her best friend Alex.

I absolutely love Emily Henry’s writing style. It flows so well and has the perfect balance of humor and heart. The dialogue in this book was amazing!! The witty banter had me laughing out loud at the things these two would say, and the emotional comments were so heartfelt. While Poppy is the stronger character, both she and Alex felt genuine and relatable and I absolutely loved them both! This is a slow burn friends-to-lovers tale. While you build the pieces of their relationship and history, you get to enjoy their travel and adventures, and during Covid times I was very grateful to be able to travel vicariously with them! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it! 5/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me this eARC to read and review.

TW: discussions of past bullying

I didn't think that Henry's writing and storytelling could get better than Beach Read, but she managed to top herself. If you loved Beach Read then you are going to enjoy this book just as much. She comes back with anotherin enderaing, real life love story that showcases just how complex relationships can be. I adored Poppy and Alex as we follow them through the years. We understand all of their history while also starting to piece together what would have caused these two friends to fall out. Henry's writing remains witty and laughable at moments, while dropping in nuggets of profound sentimentality. It's easy to read and captures you attention from the start.

Emily Henry has done it again–created another contemporary romance that you’ll want to read in one sitting and them ruminate in for a few hours over a glass of wine, in the good way. I LOVED Beach Read–freaking devoured it in one night–and I ended up picking up my ARC of People We Meet on Vacation when I decided my super-literary 18th century novel for a book club just wasn’t what I was in the mood for. Ultimately, I thought People We Meet on Vacation was a great 5 star read–it brought up some friendship TRAumA for me, but it was good.

Two unlikely friends–Poppy and Alex–an annual summer vacation, and a story that takes you back in forth through time as you recount the previous twleve years of vacations as Poppy attempts to make this one–their first in two years since their trip to Croatia went wrong. As Henry toggles back and forth betwee Poppy’s attempt to make their too-hot vacay in Palm Springs special with all the trips they took before, you get to watch these friends develop, fall in love in the subtle ways, deal with outside relationships butting in, but you keep asking “WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED IN CROATIA.” It’s a rom-com full of friends to lovers with a travel bug (a bit odd during a pandemic to read, right?). It’s got “only one bed” and AirBnB drama and gushy love confessions and awkward encounters and I really enjoyed it, even if it reminded me a little bit TOOO much of a situation I escaped from last year.

I thought the dynamic between Poppy and Alex felt realistic–friends that find themselves drawn to how different they are, and do fight sometimes, and don’t assume from the get-go they end up together, and say stupid stuff sometimes, and have REAL jobs (my fave part of rom coms, haha). I was a bit underwhelmed by “what happened in Croatia” but it also felt sadly a bit realistically underwhelming–sometimes it’s not the BIG things that break you, you know.

I did like the internal debate over Poppy’s feelings towards her hometown in Ohio–how she loved her family, wasn’t ashamed of them, but wanted out when she could get out, and how the idea of returning felt like a joke.I feeeeeeelt that.

This book will definitely be well received by the contemporary romance lovers of the world–for good reasons. It’s the right mix of friends-to-lovers with “omg, travel?” pandemic fatigue, so expect to see it on every list every where.

Emily Henry didn’t have to rip my heart out but she did. when it started snowing yet again, I decided to pick up this ARC because I figured it would be a nice light vacation-y read. it wasn’t and I love it.

Beach Read was my favorite 2020 release and while I have trouble comparing the two, PWMOV is definitely a 2021 favorite. Poppy and Alex’s dynamic was EVERYTHING. this is a sloooow burn in the best way, so much longing and just enough angst. this read more like a contemporary than a romance in my opinion (although the ~love~ was definitely there) which I think makes it great as a wide recommendation for different readers.

for me personally, what I loved most was how seen I felt by this book. a lot of Poppy’s insecurities and feelings about life overlap with mine (millennial ennui!!!) and it really felt like Emily Henry saw straight into my soul while writing some parts. like, I cried actual tears, THAT’S how seen I felt.

When was the last time you were truly happy? For Poppy Wright the answer to that question is easy. The last time she was happy was when she was with her best friend Alex Nilsen. But that was two years ago, and she doesn't know if things will ever go back to how they used to be with him. In a last ditch effort to save their relationship, Poppy invites him on The Summer Trip, an annual event that went back ten years before it all fell apart two summers ago. When they get to Palm Springs, however, it's one disaster after another. Failing to recapture the magic of past trips, Poppy begins to wonder if maybe it's time to start looking forward rather than back.

Emily Henry has done it again! I could not stop reading People We Meet on Vacation. Poppy and Alex are so real and relatable as they move from their college years into the uncertainty of early adulthood. It honestly made me feel seen. Add to that equal doses of witty banter and wanderlust, and you have one of my new favorite books.

Emily Henry's follow up to her smash hit "Beach Read" is likely going to be a huge success. With a non linear plot line that includes a millennial main character venturing off on ten different vacations, readers are sure enjoy escapism in the form of this novel. However this departure from reality is not solely based on exotic locations, Author Emily Henry also provides readers with a slow burn romance, witty banter and a friends to lovers story that will capture hearts.

Among all of the vacations that the main character goes on, I loved the details and the dreamy nature of the trip to Vail. (Hold the drama though!) I appreciated that throughout the book, the main character is dealing with work burnout, fatigue and some internal struggles like loss of directional focus. This provided some empathy for her and connected me to the story. With that being said, at times the dialogue was a bit disorganized and train of thoughts were hard to follow. It can be argued that real life is often like this, but I was left to wonder if that was the intended purpose of those passages.

Themes of friendship, love and home are ever present throughout the novel. The timeliness of this novel is not lost. At a time when many people are feeling a strong sense of wanderlust, this book will arrive into their thirsty hands and provide the refreshment they require. Was this novel perfect for me? No. Was it worth the read? Absolutely yes.

Recommendations: Pick up this novel for a heartwarming friends to lovers romance that is sure to fill the travel void this pandemic has created.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is a charming read that taps into the nostalgia so many of us had for our college days, travel abroad, and the one that got away. Our main characters, Poppy, a magazine writer and Alex, a. high school teacher, are winning on every level. And the structure of the novel, flipping back and forth from present to past works to let the reader into their long, platonic relationship before it gets romantic. Sharp dialogue with a sense of fun will remind you of the kind of conversations you used to have in your twenties, before life got complicated. And an HEA that works on every level.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars

This is a cute friends-to-lovers romance that has a very slow burn. The story is told with flashbacks of Poppy and Alex's relationship and travels through the years. Slowly, the story of their friendship and crisis is told which is juxtaposed with their present day. As the relationship nuances become more clear, the situation they are in in the present becomes more profound and the combination of the two is a perfect blend.

Great characters, great build and a really enjoyable read.

Emily Henry just writes books for me, books I LOVE. She mixes sassy and sweet and heartfelt with relatable in such a down-to-earth and fun way. Her writing and characters will make you laugh and tear up at the same time. You feel all the emotions, and I love it!

People We Meet on Vacation follows the story of Poppy, a quirky and sweet journalist who's full of wanderlust and ambition, and her journey with her best friend Alex through the summers of their annual vacation trips. Over the years, we see how each trip alters their relationship hovering on the edge of something more.

I ADORE this book! I absolutely loved Beach Read, and this one has the same wit and charm about it that Henry nails so beautifully. She writes the dynamic between these characters so well, and it left me completely smitten. I felt their longing, admiration, and respect for each other and the love!

It was a beautiful, thoughtful story about friendship, finding yourself, discovering what you want out of life, and on top of it all, love, and it will completely melt your heart. This book is 100% a new favorite for me!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Emily Henry surprised me with Beach Read and then she did it again with this book. Yes, give me more millennial love stories that can be sexy but also deeper and darker. I can't help but fall in love with her very FULL characters, their friends, and their stories, while also being completely jealous of all the travelling happening.

There's also just something so relatable about everything Poppy talks about from the feeling of loneliness, to running away, and even to understanding what home really means. I loved every minute of this book. Thank you for pulling me out of MY funk.

Pandemic ennui, I swear to god.

It’s not a traditional love story. It goes back and forth between the present and flashbacks to trips that best friends Poppy and Alex took together. It was a clever way to show how the friendship and eventual love story progressed.

Well, let me start by saying I got approved for this book on Netgalley today...and I finished the book tonight. If that doesn’t tell you how good this is, I don’t know what will! Emily Henry can do no wrong in my opinion, and this book had everything I love in a romance. Friends to lovers, forced proximity (having to share a bed...LOVE IT), witty banter, and more! This is a PERFECT each read and now I am so sad that it’s over. Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! 5 stars from me.

I loved this book! Another homerun for Emily Henry. This was the sweetest tale of friendship, and love in its purest form. The will they won't they struggle kept me "shipping" Alex and Poppy throughout the whole book. This book was a joy to read, and a wonderful escape from reality. I really enjoyed it!