This was without a contest the best romance book I've read all year. Not a surprise at all, considering that it was written by Emily Henry. Heartwarming and a little tear-inducing at times, in the best way possible.

Wow. Just ... wow.

I wasn't sure what to expect, since I didn't love BEACH READ, but I definitely didn't expect this to be one of my only 5-star reads of the year.

I. LOVED. IT!

The structure of this BFFs-to-lovers story was so well executed, I'm still in awe. We get glimpses of the different stages of Poppy and Alex's friendship through the vacations they took together over the course of 12 years, and the way this slowly reveals the romance is all kinds of delicious. It's the ultimate slow burn, and it is *so* well done!

It's funny, heartwarming, poignant, and I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so just trust me ... READ THIS BOOK! You're going to love it!!

Rating: A

Beach Reads was one of my favorite books of 2020 and I wanted to love this a little more than I did. Still a really solid, easy read, but it lacked the depth of her previous work.

Truthfully, I almost DNF'd this book right from the beginning. I really hate doing that though so I stuck it out. I was just not moved by this story. I thought it was boring and I was not a fan of the characters. Its a bummer because Beach Read was so good!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the #gifted arc.

Emily Henry is on fire. Wow! This was wonderful. I love "friends to lovers" stories and Emily Henry did it so right! This book is swoon worthy. Definitely worth a re-read this summer.

I wasn't sure that Emily Henry would be able to top "Beach Read," but she has hit another home run with "People We Meet on Vacation." This is an un-put-downable novel that romance readers will DEVOUR. Poppy and Alex are so wholesome, so lovable, and so charismatic that readers will be desperate for them to find their happily ever after.

Poppy and Alex are polar opposites. She is a vintage clothes clad, travel-loving, extrovert. While Alex owns the same six outfits in slight variations and would prefer to spend every night at home reading with his cat. Two more unlikely friends may never have existed, but after bonding on a rideshare their freshman year of college, these two have been inseparable. Inseparable, that is, until their big summer trip two years ago ended in calamity and left the two on such bad terms they haven't spoken since.

Now Poppy feels strangled by her job, unhappy with her life, and unsure of how to get things back on track. The one person she needs, Alex, is the one person she feels she can't turn to. Finally, she works up the courage to reach out to him and suggest one final summer trip. She's determined to make everything so perfect that the awkwardness of the past two years will evaporate until she's one half of Alex and Poppy instead of one lonely singleton.

Told in alternating viewpoints that jump between their current summer getaway and each of their previous twelve summer trips this tender tale is sure to be a fan favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me a widget of People We Meet On Vacation in exchange for an honest review.

I loved People We Meet on Vacation so much. Alex and Poppy's story unraveled perfectly. I enjoyed the timeline back and forth with each chapter and the slow burn of what happened between them in the end and how their story came together. I also listened to parts of the audiobook and the narrator was so good. The steamy scenes were well done too!

Read this book if you've ever had a crush on your BFF or someone you were close to. Read it if you want a feel good story about two best friends. Read it if you are in a reading slump because it helped me come out of mine. Read it.

The characters create this story! Poppy's passion for traveling gave me some serious wanderlust here. She's sarcastic and ambitious. While Alex is more reserved and well read. I really liked them and tbh (no matter how predictable) wanted them to end up together. The best friends turned lovers trope is a tale as old as time. You could sense the bit more than friendship between them from the start.
The way Poppy talked about Alex had me swooning a bit. You journey through their unexpected friendship in a mish mashed timeline. I liked reading about them navigating their feelings. Henry wrote their emotions very well.
While at times cheesy and predictable, this storyline was a fun play on the "will they or won't they" thing.

I was in a mood for a fun romance and this booked checked all the boxes for me; friends to lovers/opposites attract, traveling (because you know, the pandemic), great characters and sometimes over the top yet adorable situations.
I loved the dual timelines from previous vacations and current. Poppy and Alex felt like real people and that’s what I think I enjoyed the most. Loved the dialogue between them, it’s more than just a romance as it had a couple deep topics.
Pick this up you won’t regret it. I’ll post synopsis in comments.

I received a free advanced reading copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This fun, easy read was full of charming characters, paced well, and had a predictable but super fun plot.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I’ve read by Henry, and I have to say I’m becoming a big fan. I love her style and stories and really enjoy the characters. By the end of the book I feel like I’ve spent time with a friend rather than read a book. I will definitely read more by this author!

Fans of Beach Read will not be disappointed with Emily Henry's latest rom com. Something about Henry's writing gets me more emotionally invested in the characters than anyone else's. I will read everything she comes out with.

20/30s library book clubs will eat this up.

This was much better than Beach Read. I’m so happy I gave this author another chance. I’ll be thinking about this for awhile.

The chemistry between Poppy and Alex is undeniable! I enjoyed reading about their yearly summer trips and the relatable experiences they had together. All I kept thinking while reading this book was this could turn into a cute romcom movie. The sexual tension between them kept building up to a point that didn’t disappoint. I also love that their backgrounds are so different yet they’re perfect for each other. The connections they made with other people on their trips were also very wonderful. It was an easy, fun read that made me fall in love all over again.

After meeting in college Poppy and Alex are best friends. They are complete polar opposites, Poppy is loud and loves attention and bit of a free spirit, while Alex is quite , loves bookstores and plans to move back home and start a family, somehow this friendship works. After discovering their both from the same small town in Ohio they drive home together and begin to plan their first trip together. After their first big trip together this turns into a regular thing every year. Until two summers ago something happened that changed everything. Now they don’t talk or even see eachother. Feeling stuck and really missing Alex, Poppy convinces Alex to take one more trip. She hopes to fix their fractured friendship and confess her feelings. The book goes back and forth between the present and past trips and what led to their broken friendship. I loved this friends to lovers story line. After not leaving my house due to the pandemic this book was a perfect escape. Five stars! I never wanted to leave Alex and Poppy!!

I loved everything about this book. I am so glad I took my co-workers word and picked it up. It was a quick, easy, extremely enjoyable read I would recommend to anyone looking for something sweet to melt your heart just a little bit. Its the perfect balance of love, self discovery, and adventure.

Friends to lovers in the best possible way. Such fun and funny characters. Alex and Poppy couldn't be more opposite, but their relationship (in all versions) makes sense. Loved the steam. Loved the ending. What a fantastic follow up to Beach Read.

As someone who did not love Beach Read, I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED The People We Meet on Vacation! I've already pre ordered her next book!

I wish I could give this 4 and 1/2 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept reminding me of When Harry Met Sally, one of my favorite movies. So this was like When harry Met Sally, in book form, with travel, for today's 20- and 30-somethings. Really sweet, really fun. This author does dialogue so well.

I can see why this book has gotten so much buzz.

Poppy and Alex have been best friends since college and although life circumstances/work may have separated them they still manage to get together once a year for an adventure in some fantastic location. This of course due to Poppy’s job which sends her off to places all over the world to write about them. Poppy and Alex had the best relationship until two years ago when everything changed.

Now Poppy feels stuck in a rut. Is this what she always wanted? What she misses most is Alex and she will do anything to have one last vacation and perhaps they can sort things out. Through flashbacks we see how Poppy and Alex first met and became inseparable all leading up to the falling out.

This is a romance so of course there are going to be a lot of misunderstandings and some minor things which become big things. You can’t help but think if they would only sit and talk all of this angst would have been prevented but I liked both characters a lot and of course with all the jet setting, I couldn’t help but enjoy this one.