This book was... just go get it please. The perfect blend of romantic comedy and wanderlust.

Poppy and Alex, best friends for years, haven't spoken in two years because of ... something that happened. And well, Poppy aims to correct that. Because you see Alex is her best friend. They're going to take another trip together to erase all the awkwardness of the last one, and well, what could go wrong?

I love love love Poppy and Alex. Alex who is hard working and sweet and dorky. Poppy who is lively and brave and adventerous. Somehow, they work. They meet in the middle. They bring out the best and worst from each other. The novel switches back and forth between present day, their present trip, to the last eight trips they had, counting down to their last one where everything went wrong. It's hard not to root for them as they are so clearly perfect for each other in a will they, won't they kind of way. And their conversations.... I laughed out loud a bunch of times. Good thing I'm at home and the only person looking at me like I lost my mind was my husband. And the rabbit. But you know what? They're used to it.

I like how Poppy has moved away from Ohio and ventured out into the world, but is feeling kinda stuck and unsure of herself. There's so much honesty there, trying to get out of her small town and go on to do bigger things. I like how she's achieved her goals and now, well, she maybe wants to reevaluate. I know so many people, like SO many, who this happens to. It's almost a new way of life now... second careers, different jobs in different industries, re-learning or going back to school. I liked Poppy because she felt like an honest and real portrayal of a lot of young women out there. A lot asking the question - now what?

I like how Alex knows all about Poppy's crazy home life and loving parents and accepts her as she is. Alex is solid, a rock, a good guy and he has his own issues too but it's easy to see how he gravitates towards Poppy and what she means to him. I love how sturdy he is, even and safe. It's not a bad thing at all. He's sexy and dependable and everything you could want in a best friend... and maybe a partner?

I can't say enough good things about this book. It's my favorite Emily Henry book so far and I'm sad because I don't get to go back in time and read it for the first time again.

Oh well. Re-reading it will have to do. :)

I didn't think Emily Henry could top Beach Read. Well, she did.... People We Meet on Vacation is charming, quirky, witty, and of course, steamy.

Poppy and Alex are best friends, have been since their Freshman year of college. More than just each other's halves, they've always felt that they only felt their truest and best selves when they were with each other. What begins as a summer trip during college, becomes their annual Summer Trip and eventually inspires Poppy to seek out travel and travel writing as her full time job. As relationships and moves across the country force them to drift apart physically, the two are forced to come to terms with their feelings over one last summer trip that could make or break them forever.

I adored Emily Henry's latest. I loved Poppy and Alex's relationship and how genuinely the two cared for each other despite their many differences. I especially enjoyed the backdrop of their many trips together and how resilient they were as young college students saving every penny just to travel away from their small Ohio town. Heartfelt and sexy, I wanted MORE of Poppy and Alex's story and was sad when the book came to its conclusion.

Light-hearted and fun, this book is almost a 180 from her previous book. But that's what makes her interesting. I loved the characters and their interactions. Makes me want to travel each summer as the characters did!

It's hard to follow up a book that was as good as Beach Read, yet Emily Henry has done it again! She really knows how to suck you in with her characters and get emotionally involved. If you enjoy the opposites attract, friends to lover and slow burn romance, you will definitely enjoy this!

*ARC review via NetGalley.*

When Poppy and Alex meet during freshman orientation at the University of Chicago it is quickly determined that they have nothing in common. Not even the fact that they are from neighboring towns in Ohio stimulates any good will and after a brief and awkward conversation they part ways, never to meet again...until a mutual friend sets them up for a summer carpool. Over many hours they move beyond stilted conversation to grudging respect and friendship kindled on travel is born. The polar opposites of their personality even make things easier in some ways. Poppy loosens Alex up, Alex tethers Poppy down and a romantic relationship is absolutely out of the question because it would just be too weird. For the next ten years, these two best friends whether thick and thin together and can always look towards their annual "Summer Trip" as a way to reconnect and recharge for the jobs and relationships that await them the rest of the year. But then in year ten something weird happened and Poppy and Alex don't talk for two years. As her friend diagnosis her with "millennial ennui," Poppy tries to remember the last time she was really happy. Unfortunately it's not that hard, it was the last time she travel with Alex. When a chance comes for the two to vacation together one more time Poppy jumps at the chance to fix their friendship...but before she can do that she has to be willing to confront the one truth between them neither Alex or Poppy has ever addressed.
VERDICT is that this is the traveling romance read I needed to take me away on adventure and inspire some hope during our pandemic times. I really enjoyed the set-up of the book as the author switched between present day Poppy and flashbacks to all of our duo's Summer Trips. We see a friends to lovers tale (with a sprinkle of enemy or at the very lease gross discomfort) between Poppy and Alex. I sometimes feel like the friends to lovers trope can lack a little tension, but not in this one! We have two thirty-ish year old friends who've (almost) always managed to keep that nagging little "what-if we kissed" voice at bay for a decade. Their opposite personalities work in their friendship, but there is some real fear at play when it comes to considering if it is sustainable as something more. There is some great give and take in this relationship, but I also really appreciated how each character learns they must also take care of their own baggage before sharing a suitcase for life.

3.5 stars. I really wanted to love and connect with this book but I couldn't. I found Poppy to be a bit too much of the "manic pixie dream girl" trope. But, truly my biggest struggle was if I put the book down mid chapter, I could never figure out right away if I was in a flashback or not, which made it feel unnecessary and like their wasn't much growth throughout the years. While everything wrapped up nicely, the biggest question, and what usually ends relationships, was left unanswered.

Disclaimer: I got this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love the fact that this is a friends to lovers book! Piper and Alex are complete opposites and they have different life goals. Piper detests Linfield and Khakis; which are Alex's favorite things. Piper is bubbly, loud, and energetic. Alex has a calmer demeanor. He's an avid reader and he likes to be in control. Alex prefers to stick to a routine, whereas Piper likes to be a little more spontaneous. If you loved Emily's first book, Beach Read, you're going to love this one!! Full disclaimer: I'm a sucker for the friends to lovers trope so I already knew that based off the premise this was going to be one of my favorite books of 2021.

I first discovered Emily Henry with “Beach Read,” which was absolutely fantastic btw. Somehow, Emily Henry has written a book BETTER than “Beach Read.”

Poppy and Alex have been best friends since college, and take an annual Summer Trip together. After 10 years, something happens in Croatia in which they don’t speak for two years. Poppy takes Alex on a trip to Palm Springs, where his brother is also getting married, and attempts to rekindle their friendship. Will they admit their feelings for each other? Or will their differences keep them apart?

Poppy is a loveable, hilarious character, while Alex is more subdued; the complete opposite of Poppy. You can’t help but root for the two of them from day 1. They have a friendship like no other, and frankly, I’m jealous. I want a friend like Alex! Actually, give me Poppy! The character development was fantastic, and I felt that I intimately knew both Poppy and Alex, and even the supporting characters throughout the book. I could not put this one down, and I eagerly look forward to publishing day in May!

I was generously given an e-arc of the book by Berkeley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you!

People We Meet on Vacation is now one of my favorite friends-to-lovers romance novels. I read this book in a few hours all within the same day. I hated having to put it down and I was determined to finish this book before I went to bed.

Alex and Poppy met their first year in college even though they grew up in the same town. It's not until they carpool home at the end of their freshman year that they get to know each other. Soon after that car ride, they become best friends, even though they are an unlikely pair. Alex is uptight and square like an old man. Poppy is a vibrant and quirky woman who says yes to all the new experiences life throws at her. As incompatible as they may seem, their relationship is a deep connection that they both treasure. Up until two years ago, they have taken a vacation together every summer. Their last vacation seemed to end their decade long friendship and Poppy is now brave enough to reach out to Alex after two years of no contact. She convinces him to join her on a vacation and she hopes that this vacation will help them get back to where they were before two summers ago.

You know how when you read a book, there are small parts that you pick apart and wish were different? I didn't have any moments like that while reading this book. This book was PERFECT! Each time I thought I knew I wanted where the story should go, Emily Henry surprised me with a scene that I never knew I wanted. Henry pulls out all the stops on this one to tug on your heartstrings. I found myself so overwhelmed with some of the emotionally charged scenes that I was on the verge of tears. Emily Henry's writing in this book is superb - she is clever and I can't get over her use of figure of speech in this book. There were moments when I thought, "Ah! Yes, exactly!".

The character development in this book was amazing. From Poppy and Alex, to all of the supporting characters - Henry took the time to set up each character and breathe life into them. Poppy and Alex were so funny and cute together. Their incessant teasing of one another had me laughing out loud. My husband and I tease each other a lot too, but we are nowhere nearly as funny. :)

I know we are only six weeks into 2021, but I already know that this book is going to go on my top reads of the year!

Steam level: 🔥🔥½
⚠️ bullying, loss of parent.

People We Meet on Vacation is a friends to lovers romance story. It follows Poppy and Alex through their friendship journey, their friendship breakup, and finally their romance beginning.

Unfortunately, I did not really connect with the main character Poppy, and because of that I was not invested in her success. Her best friend Alex seemed to put up with a lot of her antic even though it was not something he really enjoyed, that made her annoying to me rather than endearing. I really loved Alex’s character, probably because I was able to connect with him and he is more like me. Selfishly I wish this had been from his perspective. Overall, this was a good romance with a nice slow burn. However, it was not my favorite trope, setting, or character so it made it hard to love completely.

Thank you to Berkley Pub, NetGalley, and Emily Henry for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

People We Meet on Vacation tells the story of Alex and Poppy. Despite the fact that they are polar opposites- Poppy is boisterous, loud, and colorful while Alex is a conservative and quiet bookworm- the two become fast friends after a road trip home from their first year of college. Their close friendship endures through college and beyond even though they live in different cities- Poppy in NYC where she is a travel journalist for a prestigious magazine, and Alex in his hometown of Linfield, OH, where he is a high school literature teacher. For the past ten years, the two have come together for their 'Summer Trip'- a week-long vacation that takes place in a different destination each year- until something pushes them apart from each other. After two years of near-radio silence, Poppy resurrects the Summer Trip in a desperate attempt to breathe life back into their friendship.

GUYS. I fell head-over-heels in love with Beach Read last year, so I knew that I had to request this one as soon as I saw it pop-up on NetGalley. Similarly to Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation completely charmed me within the first few pages. By the end, it was love. There is something about the way that Henry writes her characters that make them feel so authentic and real to me. This isn't some fluffy romance book where all of the main characters are too perfect in both looks and personality. Poppy and Alex are both so beautifully-written, flaws and quirks and eccentricities intact. My favorite part of this book is the dynamic that exists between Poppy and Alex. Their banter is witty and fun, and it truthfully makes me want to be part of their friendship. A few of their exchanges actually had me laughing out loud while I read.

The plot unfolds in a nonlinear fashion- this summer's trip alternates with all of the ones that have come before it. I really enjoyed this flow, as the reader is able to follow along with where Poppy and Alex are in the relationship in the present and gradually learn how they came to be that way. There's even a small 'twist' at the end, which made things interested right as I thought that everything was resolving itself. I sped through this in a day because I couldn't put it down. I felt like I was able to do a lot of armchair traveling too (and experienced a commensurate amount of travel envy). I'm so happy I read it, but I'm also really sad that it's over.

In short, READ THIS! It's sweet and fun and filled with beautiful travel destinations that will excite you in these COVID-ridden times. I will definitely be buying a physical copy to add to my shelves alongside Beach Read.

Alex and Poppy have been friends since freshman year of college. They are completely opposite in almost every way, except their shared love of the summer vacation. Somehow their differences work for them instead of against them and they form a deep bond and friendship. They take a "summer trip" every year together ranging from locally roughing it to, to international cushy travel. Until the summer that everything changes. Now it's been years since they've spoken and Poppy is desperately trying to renew their friendship and save what was lost.

Let me just say that Emily Henry is the queen of playful banter - the way that her characters interact with each other makes me laugh out loud. She is so funny! I fell in love with her writing style while reading Beach Read (Gus and January - swoon!) and was so pleased to find that People We Meet on Vacation brought me right back to what I loved. (*so great to see the shoutout to Augustus Everett, the author, in this book!*)

The chapters switch from past summer to present day, but Henry makes the changes seamlessly and easy to follow. I devoured this book in one day - I couldn't wait to find out what happened *that* fateful summer. Emily Henry begins PWMoV letting the reader know that THE summer in question happened two years prior to present day, then she begins the retelling of Alex and Poppy's friendship from 10 summers ago and moving forward. I was 100% committed to reading through these summer adventures with the anticipation of reaching the one in question. It was the perfect amount of tension to keep me interested, yet the story was so good I didn't mind the wait.

People We Meet on Vacation is a funny, heartbreaking, insightful look at who we are, who we want to be, and the people who help us get there. I loved Beach Read and have been anxiously awaiting Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation....and now they're both officially two of my favorite books.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is going to be a controversial opinion but I just didn't love this one nearly as much as Beach Read. The witching between timelines felt less suspenseful for me and me frustrating as I was always waiting for the story to start. I also just didn't enjoy Poppy as a main character.

Phenomenal writing, hilarious and snarky dialogue, wonderful pacing, slow burn romance, best friends to lovers... this book is a recipe for success. And luckily, it didn’t disappoint one bit. It’s such a perfect blend of witty banter and romance with just the right amount of emotional depth, I found myself enamored from page one.

I completely love both Poppy and Alex as separate characters, but their chemistry was just *chef’s kiss*. Alex is an adorable and reserved guy and Poppy just lives to embarrass him. I was immediately sad when the book ended because I wanted more of them.

Plus, there is so much TRAVEL, and wow do I miss that. Oh anddddd there’s only ONE BED. Beach Read was one of my favorite books of 2020 and I’m happy to say I loved this one too!

5 amazing stars ⭐️ the best contemporary romance of the year!

This is the story of Alex and Poppy, two people who are the polar opposite in every way. Circumstances force them on a road trip where they become friends, regardless of those differences. Even though they live far apart and have relationships with other people, they still manage to vacation together once a year, until something happens. The vacations stop. After 2 years Poppy misses her best friend and feels like something is missing so she plans a vacation and Alex agrees to go. The story unravels between the current, awkward trip and visits some of the past trips, highlighting the friendship that has developed over the past 12 years. Is there more to this friendship? How can they possibly have a relationship when they both want different things out of life?
Let’s face it most romance books are pretty formulated. It is rare that one surprises you and actually lets you feel what the characters are going through. Emily Henry tells this story in such a refreshing way that is funny, romantic and heartfelt. The dialogue and banter between Poppy and Alex is written so well, I love their relationship so much, I am sad that it is over.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc and thank you Emily Henry for writing this story!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ALL THE STARS! What can I say? I absolutely adored PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by @EmilyHenryWrites Poppy and Alex are total opposites -- she's the wild, adventurous one and he's the type of guy who reads at a night club and likes to wrap up his taxes by mid-February at the latest. Naturally, they are besties. Every year for a decade they went on vacation together, until one year when they screwed everything up so badly they stopped speaking. I'll leave it to you to figure out what happened. After some self-reflection, Poppy realizes she was at her happiest on vacation with Alex, and decides to convince him to take one last trip together. He agrees, which is where things get pretty interesting.
Emily Henry is an amazing writer, and this book was definitely one of those where you read it and then immediately wish you had the opportunity to read it all over again for the very first time. (But this time, you'd do it better -- slowly, savoring every page instead of rushing through it to see what happens next.) I always adore a good friends-to-lovers story, and Poppy and Alex's chemistry was palpable. This book is charming, swoony, and incredibly heartfelt.
PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION will be released May 11, 2021 from @penguinrandomhouse

This book gave me serious heart eyes. I love a slow burn best friend to lover story and Emily Henry did not disappoint. The banter was witty. The travel was vivid. I loved reading it so much, that I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Honestly, I am writing this review quite a while after finishing the book, so it won’t be as detailed (or rambling lol) as my usual reviews – but a good thing for me, I wrote down my immediate thoughts in the notes app right after I finished! I will share said thoughts in bullet point format:

- This book made me ACHE and YEARN (and yes, I did indeed capitalize these words to really bring the point across that this book made my heart physically HURT)
- Friends to lovers but in the most wonderful and also painful way possible
- Like if “When Harry Met Sally” and “Normal People” were mashed up into the most perfect book of all time lol (sidenote: it includes the opposites-attract deliciousness of Harry and Sally – the two friends in this book, Poppy and Alex, have that same banter/ sizzle)

In sum, please read this book – Emily Henry is so so so good at writing heartbreakingly-amazingly-wonderfully complex characters and relationships. Friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and I think this book may be the best example of it I have ever read.

Well, folx, Emily Henry has done it again. People We Meet on Vacation is the captivating story of Poppy and Alex, two friends who meet in their first year of college. Though very different, the two bond over yearly summer adventures across the globe. The book itself flips between the present and past vacations as the two grapple with what it means to belong and find happiness. Expert character development is woven with beautiful descriptions of travel adventures - perfect if you’re hoping to travel vicariously through your books during these pandemic times!

If you read and loved Beach Read, you’ll love this book (on sale on 5/11). If you haven’t read Beach Read, grab a copy while you wait!

Thank you, @berkleypub and @netgalley, for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

My favorite part of this romance is the dialogue—the funny banter between Alex and Poppy makes it easy to see how these long-time friends belong together despite their many differences.

Poppy and Alex met at the University of Chicago. They’re both from the same small town in Ohio, though they went to different high schools and had completely different experiences growing up. Alex’s mother died when he was young and his ultra-religious father withdrew from life, leaving Alex to raise his younger brothers, but he was an athlete who got along with everyone. Poppy comes from a quirky family, and that, and other things, left her ostracized, friendless, and lonely. She grew up and moved away and kept on the move by traveling and then turning her travels into a career. Alex, however, stayed in Linfield except for the once yearly trips he took with Poppy. For twelve years they remain friends who take a trip together once a year, but this year, their trip leads them to take a new look at their relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES MAY 11, 2021.