Absolutely delightful book! Told in alternating chapters between the past and the present, People We Meet on Vacation details the long friendship of Poppy and Alex as they travel around the world. I missed Beach Read last summer and now must go back and read it.

A perfect book from start to finish, I have absolutely no critique. Emily Henry couldn’t write a bad book if she tried! 5 stars and my whole heart.

People We Meet On Vacation was a rollercoaster of an experience. For the first 70% of the book, I wasn't quite sure if I was loving the book or not, but then in the last 30% of the book, I became completely engrossed in the romance. It wound up being a strong ending for me with an achingly swoony romance. It's a book I will certainly be recommending to readers who would like to scratch their friends-to-lovers itch.

People We Meet On Vacation follows Poppy and Alex, two friends who met in college and befriended each other on an awkward car ride to their hometown. After college, the two went in different directions in life but kept up with each other and met up every summer for a memorable vacation until the last vacation two years ago. The two haven't spoken since and Poppy is desperate to fix the awkwardness between them. When Poppy hits a slump at work, she decides to invite Alex on a budget vacation to Palm Springs in the hopes of mending their relationship. To do that, however, they need to have a conversation about what happened two years ago.

I enjoy a good opposites-attract romance and Poppy and Alex fit that label well. Poppy is the whimsical dreamer of the two. In YA there's what's called the manic-pixie character and I would describe Poppy as a more mature and muted version of a manic-pixie character. She's an extrovert, who loves to travel, and befriends people wherever she goes. Alex, on the other hand, is a shy and quiet introvert who is rooted to a single place. He has grown up being the father figure to his siblings and now that they don't need a guardian, he's a little lost about what to do with himself. He's not always the easiest character to decode because he is so reserved, but the moments when he allows his real feelings to surface are all so rewarding. It's like you're just waiting with bated breath for him to truly spark as a character because you just now the man has a lot of FEELINGS about everything and when it does, it's glorious. P.S I don't know who needs to hear this but Alex is a neck kisser.

How these two did not give in to their attraction earlier on in their friendship is beyond me. There's a lot of tension that builds up during their years of friendship as they watched each other enter relationships with other people. It's obvious that the two of them are well-matched in that they balance each other out well but the timing was never right. The book relies heavily on flashbacks and Emily Henry does a very good job at building up that romantic tension and chemistry. There's a simmering level of intimacy and angst between Poppy and Alex that I adored and made their relationship super romantic and believable to me. You'll definitely need some patience because this is a slow-burn romance but Emily Henry treats readers with delicious tropes such as the "only one bed" and "caretaker/healer" tropes.

While People We Meet On Vacation was an overall enjoyable read, I have to admit that the endless descriptions of Poppy and Alex's harrowing vacation from hell were a little stressful for me. I don't know if phantom heatstroke is a thing but I swear, I was miserable reading about the broken AC in their crappy AirBnB in Palm Springs. I don't do well in the heat so my reaction to it was visceral. I know I would have taken myself to a hotel, student debts be damned, if if I were in their positions. Another thing I didn't care for was their big fight from two years that was teased heavily. I thought the build-up to that was a little disappointing.

If friends-to-lovers with banter is your thing, I would try People We Meet On Vacation. Now I'll have to go back and read Beach Read and see if I enjoy it just as much.

Although not a book I would purchase in my professional role, it is one that I will be recommending in my personal life! Thank you so much for allowing me to have access to the digital arc!

my second Emily Henry book that I read in one sitting because I ABSOLUTELY could not put it down! I devoured this one, and for good reason: the characters were so likeable and had so much depth, while not seeming naive or too deeply flawed. The friends-to-lovers storyline was so so sweet (and not what I usually go for) but definitely has inspired me to read more stories like this one. Emily Henry is a new auto-buy author for me!

You know when you read a book and you absolutely fall in love with the characters and their love story? This is that book. I am so in love with Poppy and Alex. I loved everything about them. You find yourself yelling at the pages and saying Just admit it already! I mean, we all know, we all hope, that the story is leading us to that happy ending. They have such a great shorthand with each other. Their conversations are hilarious, as is most of the writing in this book. They are lovable people with the cutest ways. Everything about this book just makes me happy. I loved Beach Read but I think this one even tops that. I will read whatever Emily Henry puts out in this world.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this wonderful book.

Yesterday I was telling myself at least I'm going to read some more, but then it was 12 am and I was finished???? How did that happen. Maybe it was the fact that I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN CROATIA!!! And I did find out hehehe.

You'll really love People We Meet on Vacation if you enjoyed reading Love, Rosie. It has that aspect of will they-won't they of them not really having the right time to be together. But this one definitely takes less time lmao *I'm still emotionally scarred by Love, Rosie and how it took them like 50 years to finally have their HEA*

Poppy and Alex are best friends since freshman year. 12 years of friendship and 10 summer trips. But after their last trip, Croatia, two years ago, they have stopped talking and are now practically estranged. Poppy wants to fix that and asks Alex for one last trip! She just wants to return to the way it was before, but she still doesn't fully realizes that it isn't possible to go back.

I really loved this book, I cried waaaay to hard by the end. The love these two have for each other is POWERFUL. They have been in love with each other for far too long, but neither of them has taken that step. They're very afraid to tell the other their feelings because what if, you know. What if the other one doesn't feel the same and their friendship just... stops.

One thing I do wanna point out is that the first half was mm slow-ish? You get tease about the big thing of Croatia and I was like please just tell me, is it really that bad, JUST TELL ME!! And that's one of the main reasons why I kept reading. If you are like me and want to know before reaching that chapter, do dm me and I'll tell you what happens lmao. I know romance books have happy endings but I'M IMPATIENT I WANT TO KNOW!

Either way, the reason why I love this book is because of Poppy and Alex. They are two people who have nothing in common, they do not like the same things and they are super different. But somehow, some way, they become the best of friends. And the evolution of this friendship, the ups and downs of their years apart, it was really beautiful and amazing to see. I really like how Emily Henry writes the little moments, the little touches, you know? Not a kiss or a hug, nope. A touch of a hand, finger gracing the back, knee bumping into the other under the table. Those are the moments that matter so much to me.

ps. poppy is very short and alex is super tall. i love it a lot.

This ranked somewhere between 3.5 to 4.5 stars at different parts of the book, so it settled at 4 stars overall. Most of the book works flawlessly, but there are aspects in the latter third of the novel that just fell flat for me.

WOW! LOVED this book--just as much as Beach Read, if not more. It was hilarious and witty and yet there were such tender moments between the characters that were so, so sweet. I LOVED both Poppy and Alex as characters and loved seeing them together in this story. I'm SO excited for more Emily Henry books!

Charming and funny. Once again, Emily Henry has made such relatable characters with depth, humor, and oh yeah, sex appeal.

A friends to lovers/ opposites-attract romantic comedy that will make you bust out laughing wishing you had a friendship like Poppy and Alex. But also it will hit you right in the feelings.

It's a perfect summer beach read.



*Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my e-ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this one! I’ve been missing being able to travel a TON and the fact that Poppy is a writer for a travel magazine was perfect for me as a reader at this point in my life. I loved Poppy’s insanely unique personality, wardrobe, and family. Alex’s dedication to his family was so pure. The idea of loving someone so powerfully that it may be too much to handle for a lifetime was powerful.

Alex and Poppy may be polar opposites, but they’re best friends. Most of their friendship is long distance, but every summer they go on a week-long vacation. That is, until two years ago when their vacation was ruined. Poppy convinces Alex to take one last vacation together to make things right again. Can she fix everything in just one week?

I was so excited when I received this ARC from Berkley. It was a wonderful escape. Who doesn’t love a book that satisfies their wanderlust? The story alternated between Alex and Poppy’s current trip and all of their precious ones. Along the way, you see how they’ve never crossed a line that would threaten their friendship, including exploring a romantic relationship. You are also figuring out what caused them to stop talking in the first place.

The buildup to romance was good and I did appreciate “watching” Alex and Poppy develop over the years, but the story was a bit slow for me. The alternative timelines was creative, but added a lot of length to the book (some chapters were extremely long). Ultimately, readers get to see the two for one week every year and in that time span, both an amazing vacation and character development must happen. When their relationship finally began to really progress I was relieved. Overall this was a solid friend-to-lover romance, but one that could have been pared down for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

This book was so lovely and gave me the biggest wanderlust. I loved exploring the world with Alex and Poppy in this slow burn friends to lovers troupe. I loved the quirkiness of their adventures- seeking out dive bars, used bookstores, and interesting people on their annual “summer trip.” I imagine we’ve all been feeling a little restless since the quarantine- this book was an easy cure for me!

Alex and Poppy meet their freshman year at the University of Chicago and have such a realistic friendship- easy banter and affection but also real fears, insecurities, and past traumas that keep them from being honest in their feelings for each other (can you tell I’m a social worker?! 😂).

While I adored this quirky romance, I did find myself saying “why aren’t they just together already?!” about 50 times while reading. The ‘will they won’t they’ was beginning to drive me crazy toward the end.

Please read this book to give yourself a fun getaway of two cute adventurers who get their big happy ending.

4.5/5 stars

I loved this book! People We Meet On Vacation is a contemporary romance/romantic comedy that will make you both laugh and cry.

The narrator is 30 year old Poppy (1st person POV). She is a travel journalist who lives in New York City. She works at one of the top travel magazines.

Poppy met Alex when she was in college. And every Summer they take a trip together.

The book alternates between the past and the present. The present is the main time period. But we get to go back to previous vacations to see how Poppy and Alex ended up where they are now. The past storyline is mostly told from 12 Summers ago moving forward year by year.

I loved this book right from the first chapter. I really liked Poppy's job and her friends. And I was super curious to find out more about the past vacations. Also we find out that something major happened during their last vacation. And I was dying to find out exactly what that was all about.

We don't get Alex's POV. So throughout the book I had no idea what he was thinking or feeling. This definitely added to the drama. I don't normally like past/present storylines. But the past vacations were really interesting.

I really felt like I got to know these two characters over the course of this book. It was amazing to get to know them simply through their vacations. It was definitely an interesting way to tell a story.

The book had some surprises for me. There were definitely things that I was not expecting.

Overall, this story was heartbreaking and emotional and I loved it so much!

A sweet and sentimental romance with so much heart and humor. This is one of those books that I wanted to devour whole, but also wanted to savor because I didn’t want it to end.

Emily Henry has once again written a love story full of amazing banter and great characters that come alive in the book. People We Meet on Vacation has a great friends to lovers trope, and an achingly slow burn romance with a great payoff.

Not to mention it is a love letter to travel and as I have basically been stuck at home for a year, the wanderlust is real. Every place they went felt amazing and magical. But it was so much more than where, it was also about who you are with. Because this book is really about finding your person.

I absolutely loved this book. It was funny, sweet, romantic and so incredibly readable. The perfect summer read if you are looking for a book to take to the beach or on vacation. Or even if you are staying home, pick this up and fall in love.

When I finished reading People We Meet on Vacation, all I could think is... I think I might have just read my favorite book of the year. Emily Henry wrote one of my favorite books of 2020, 'Beach Read', so I was a bit nervous about going into this one. I mean, what are the odds that she could do it again? Well, she did. I loved this just as much as 'Beach Read'.

Poppy and Alex meet their freshman year of college and become the most unlikely of friends. These two couldn't be more different. Alex is straight-laced, has plans to finish college, move home and eventually marry and start a family. Poppy is a bit of a free spirit, and wants to spend her years traveling the world. When they find out they're from the same town in Ohio and drive home together for summer break, they plan a trip together.

This summer trip turns into an annual thing and every year, no matter where they are in their lives, they take this trip together. This book is told in the present, but also goes back to many of those trips. This is one of the best friends to lovers/opposites attract books I've ever read. These two have such a connection, but the problem is, no matter how much these two care for each other, they both want a different things. Things that aren't necessarily easy to compromise on.

What I loved about this book most is that as different as Poppy and Alex were, they both felt so relatable to me in different ways. Poppy was such a fun character and I loved watching her grow and find out what she wanted from her life. And Alex... buttery, warm, and perfect Alex. I couldn't have loved these two and their journey more.

And fun but random fact... these two are from a town in Ohio called 'Linfield' (which doesn't exist) but is about 40 minutes north of Cincinnati. I live in a town called Fairfield, 35 minutes north of Cincinnati and the next town north of me is Lindenwald. Put those two together and you get 'Linfield'... coincidence, I think not LOL.

Emily Henry writes some of the best romances out there. She is solidifying herself as one of my favorite authors with each new book she writes. The People We Meet on Vacation is such a special book. It's a story of friendship, family, love, and finding yourself and what you really want out of life. It was swoony, made me smile, and made me feel so much. I loved it to pieces and can't recommend it enough!

Slow burn romance full of snarky humor, opposites attract friendship, and a trope of mutual pining that has to deal with a single bed?! UMMM YESSS PLEASE! This was an immediate winner! I absolutely adored Poppy and Alex, the way their personalities contradicted but equally complimented each other was a shot full of love right to my heart! I loved getting the flashbacks of their previous vacations together that showed how their precious relationship blossomed. Their struggles were raw and relatable and hit home a couple times, but that just made it all that much more amazing because it felt true and that just made me love it even more!

Henry knocks this book out Of book field. In People We Meet on Vacation Poppy and Alex have been friends for years. An estrangement has cooled that relationship until Poppy reaches out and they share one more vacation. The relaxing trip turns out to be anything but and they realize quite a bit avoid each other. I do adore these best friends-denying their true feelings for each other plots. I loved that Alex would go to a bar and read a book on his phone. I like that Poppy has traveled widely. I did think that it was a bit extreme and odd for Alex,to have done something that he confesses to Poppy, although he wants kids. There were ,any tender moments in the book so showing emotion is no trouble. Why meet new people in vacation when you’re traveling with you’re favorite already?

4.5 / 5

After falling in love with Henry’s Beach Read, I’m so thankful for @berkleypub and @netgalley allowing me to read People We Meet on Vacation. Emily Henry is fast becoming one of my favorite rom-com authors. She writes couples that instantly grab your heart with fresh dialogue and a perfect balance of humor and heartache.

Poppy and Alex met in college. They couldn’t be more different, but that’s what made them such good friends. That’s right, friends. After college, Poppy, now a travel writer in New York, and Alex, a teacher in small-town Ohio, both make time for one fabulous vacation together each year.

The story flashes back over the vacations Poppy and Alex have been on, all the interesting people they’ve met, and all the feelings left unsaid. Then something happens, and these friends barely speak for two years. Poppy, desperate to make things right, reaches out to Alex, suggesting one more vacation.

A delightful friends- to- lovers, opposites attract story that will be available May 11, 2021.

I don't know how Emily Henry has managed it with two books in a row. Beach Read was one of my favorite books of 2020 and I did not think there was any way her follow up could possibly compete. In fact there is a chance that I love this one more but I love them both so much that it hardly matters. There is so much to adore about this friends to lovers tale with two best friends who are almost complete opposites and only get see each other for an annual trip. A slow burn romance with characters who deeply care about each other, travel, and writing that will have you snort laughing one minute and trying not to cry the next. At one point in reading this book I set my ereader aside and literally said aloud,"Oh the swoon!" Looks like Emily Henry will make my Best Of list two years in a row,

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.