In today's episode of "If the main characters would've just had a FORKING conversation, we wouldn't have needed this book"

You know the trend of discussing if characters would stay together after the end of a book? These two end in a fiery divorce and you can't convince me otherwise. They are so toxic and not good for each other.

People We Meet on Vacation was a fabulous read by beloved author Emily Henry. She had me hooked with Beach Read and will now be an auto-buy / pre-order author for me for life. I loved the timeline of the story reading about the fall of Alex and Poppy's friendship. Henry does a phenomenal job painting a picture of their travels over the years and I found myself envious of their trips! I was rooting for the two of them and hoping they would just communicate with one another to hopefully end up together in the end. I feel so much emotion reading EH books! Highly recommend.

“I’ve never really felt alone since I met you. I don’t think I’ll ever feel truly alone in this world again as long as you’re in it.”

Beach Read was an instant favorite from Emily Henry. I remember just being swept away by her story telling. Fast-forward some years later, and she's done it again with People We Meet on Vacation!

This book was the ultimate friends-to-lovers, unrequited love story, in which they both put aside their feelings for the sake of their friendship *be still my beating heart*.

Poppy and Alex meet in college and become the best of friends. They're complete opposites. Alex is more the rule follower. He has plans and goals, while Poppy is a wild card. She wants to travel the world and not set any expectations. When they find out they're from the same small town in Ohio, their annual summer trip is born!

Each trip is unforgettable. The story is told from a dual timeline of past and present summers. They're both in different stages of their lives, but they always come back to each other... until one moment ruins everything and they stop talking for two years.

Poppy is given one more chance to make amends and what better way to do that than go on one more vacation together, but this time to try to salvage their rocky friendship and maybe even explore more.

Ugh, this book warmed my heart and made me feel all gooey inside!! I was giddy one second and crying the next. I absolutely adored Poppy and Alex!

I'm ready to read more of Emily Henry's books and fall in love all over again!

Can total opposites truly be friends? Alex and Poppy have been ever since that car share. Poppy is a wild child and Alex is cautious. Can their friendship stand the test of time? Read People We Meet On Vacation and decide for yourself. Happy Reading!

I don’t know why I waited so long to read this book. It was on my Kindle shelf for months. I think I knew it would be amazing and I wanted to save it for a special occasion. I waited until I was on vacation, and as soon as I started it, I could not put it down. I devoured it in two days of car travel. Emily Henry is a suburb storyteller, and this book was no exception.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

After listening to Beach Read last year, I kept an eye out for Emily Henry’s next book and requested via Netgalley People We Meet On Vacation. Then I found out that Julia Whelan was narrating it- so I used one of my Audible credits and preordered that book so I could be ready to listen!

A couple or so weeks of listening while sweating my booty off while walking and I have to say that I adored Poppy and Alex. ❤

What I Liked:

This cover is SO cute!

Poppy and Alex. I loved them individually. And I loved them even more together. They were like a good meal of fried chicken and fries. Both are good on their own- but together- even better!

Julia Whelan as the narrator. If you are an author and get lucky enough to have Julia narrate your book, you should send her flowers and the largest bottle of champagne you can afford. She’s that good of a narrator.



Bottom line: Was it as good as Beach Read? Not exactly. But I loved Emily’s take on the best friends to lovers trope!



*This book was purchased by Traveling With T for her own listening while walking time. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

OMG, this book.

True confession time: When Harry Met Sally will probably always be one of my all-time favorite movies. It has been for almost (good grief, can this be right???) 32 years, and I truly can't see that changing anytime soon. Or, ever, really. So the WHMS vibes here? There's no way I'm not going to be all over that. Two people who meet in college, have nothing in common, share an awkward road trip together, and then somehow a few years later become best friends, are friends for a long time (until they're not) and then they fall in love? I. AM. HERE. FOR. IT.

Ms Henry did not disappoint.

This book was funny (I'm sorry, everyone who was in my vicinity while I read this and had to put up with my frequent snorts of laughter), touching, heartbreaking, and good grief made me cry (insanely happy tears--at least no one was around for that part!) at the end. Poppy and Alex's story was just freaking delightful, and exactly what I needed in a week when it feels like the rain will never end. The author's first book ( Beach Read ) has just moved way the heck up my TBR list; my only concern is how can it possibly live up to the awesomeness that is this book?

I'll risk it, though. ASAP ;)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Unfortunately, this was not the right book for me. The whole cat-and-mouse game and the switches between now and then were somehow annoying for me. Also, I had guessed very early, what happened two years ago during the stay in Croatia. I wanted to shout all the time: Guys, just tell each other that you are in love! Of course I know this is a friends-to-lover romance and yep there need to be some obstacles, but this was not entertaining. I will try to read another book from Emily Henry but this one could not get me on the hype train.

What a rollercoaster. This was amazing. It was funny, there was tension and amazing banter. It was just so good. Poppy's burnout was so relatable too. Definitely recommending.

Emily Henry can do no wrong at this point. Every single one of her books is delightful. Likeable characters, well-paced stories that keep you interested, and beautiful relationships. What’s not to love?

Hello,

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title.

While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

I look forward to continuing to work with you in 2023 and beyond.

Laura

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

Although I enjoyed this books, I preferred Ms. Henry’s previous book, Beach Read. Can the best of friends become lovers? Do opposites attract? Can you fall in love on vacation? Follow Poppy and Alex on their next vacation together to find out.

This is an author who can do no wrong for me. I loved the long journey through the history of the friendship. Watching the friends to lovers trope play out was great. Thankful for another Emily Henry book!

Friends to Lovers romance - If this is your kick this book is for you.

Emily Henry's latest dive into romance, People We Meet On Vacation, is once again a fun hit. Poppy and Alex are best friends. In college, they meet and while not instantly forming a perfect friendship they warm up to it, and soon become key fixtures in their lives. They spend summers traveling together forging memories and shenanigans all while maintaining their 'we're just friends' stance.

Only one summer things changed and things aren't what they used to be. Years later, Poppy is determined to get Alex back in her life with another summer vacation in Palm Springs. The only problem? Summer is hot in Palm Springs and things are still awkward.

People We Meet on Vacation is for the lovers, the ones who love to watch a slow blossoming romance, the ones who want to feel that fizzle in their heart. I appreciate this book because it got Palm Springs summer exactly right, I could feel the heat radiating off the pages (not from the spice level mind you.) It got the destinations they visited right, it felt like almost a road trip romance. Thank you Emily Henry, NetGalley and Berkely for the read. It was lovely.

This is such a fun take on a male/female friendship that wants to become something more and yet loves the way it is. Should they or shouldn't they?? Poppy and Alex are wildly different in most ways, but that's one of the thing they love most about their friendship. Their vacations together are hilarious and I loved the descriptions of the places they visited and the interesting characters they encounter there. A thoroughly entertaining listen as narrated by the magnificent Julia Whelan.

The comparisons are correct! When Harry met Sally, on a beach vacation instead, and the Emily Henry flare that only she does best.

I thought this book was just ok. The premise just did not work well for me but I know others have enjoyed it.

this was so beautiful i’m so single and SO glad tomorrow isn’t promised 😍

alex and poppy are my life! alex and poppy are my truth! friends to lovers supremacy! emily henry you are romcommom! my life is forever changed by this book + despite the fact that this review is approximately two years late and a hundred times less professional than it should be, i had to let the world hear about it. thank you and goodnight, tiger

Five stars! I had a great time getting to know the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the progression of their relationship. The writing was light and witty, exactly what I was craving.

🌴 this is definitely the perfect book to get you into a vacation mood. If you travel a lot, I bet you could relate to a lot of things mentioned here.

🌴 i've always known this book is about poppy and alex' platonic relationship and their summer trips together. But apart from the slowburn (kinda?) romance, I really appreciate the reflections of the characters in trying to figure out what they really want in life. As a millennial, I can never not relate to such adulting anxieties and dilemma.

🌴 almost half the book felt a bit boring, despite all the travel experiences Poppy shared. But a hundred pages before the end, things got more interesting. I thought the writing was funny at some parts, although I wish I could've read from Alex' perspective. He's such a dreamy guy.