This book exceeded my expectations, which is saying a lot because the hype is so strong! I liked Beach Read but I loved People We Meet On Vacation and all of the characters. Poppy and Alex are so funny, like I wish I were as funny as Poppy, and I loved everything about their banter. I read this one slowly but felt like I was really savoring it. The vibe reminded me a little of The Vacationers, which I also love, but this one had more depth and character development. This is one I’ll definitely reread! A summer beach bag essential.

This book fulfils a specific niche in my heart--the all-too competent, gifted, sad, modest guy who's been friends with the bubbly, spontaneous, genuine gal for years until both of them do something that will affect their friendship moving forward.

Fortunately, Henry's book isn't as angsty as I'm making it sound. There's some depth to the story as she explicates the relationship between Alex and Poppy; the flashbacks to their various vacations together aren't detours to the past but, rather, function to flesh out the present. I was so invested in their story, in their relationship, that I devoured this--other than sleeping, reading, and working, it feels like I haven't stopped reading this.

Lukewarm on Beach Read? That's okay; this one might be more your speed (as it was for me).

I thought this book was good! I had a bit of a hard time with the alternating timelines and felt like their hook-up could have been revealed to the reading earlier on to build more tension. I enjoyed both main characters and felt that they were fully developed. All in all, a good read and one I'll be recommending to people who love travel and enjoy the friends-to-lovers trope!

Emily Henry is still my hero.

You know that fear you have after loving a book so much that the next one won’t be quite as good? Emily Henry isn’t an author you need to worry about for that. Beach Read was one of my favorite books last summer so I was very excited for People We Meet on Vacation.

This friends to lovers trope alternates timelines for the last ten+ years as Alex and Poppy get to know each other. I usually don’t love the missed chances or drawn out stories, but this one was so so good.

I loved Poppy’s quirky and funny character, and how she could still get serious and introspective. Alex was such a good balance with Poppy that it felt like the story clicked into place.

Poppy and Alex couldn’t be more different. She wears floral jumpsuits; he wears khakis. She’s a travel writer; he’s a teacher in their small hometown. But ever since a fateful car share home from college after their freshman year (a la When Harry Met Sally), they are the best of friends. But despite their closeness, taking their relationship to something more is nowhere on their radar. Until it very much is. This book alternates between their yearly summer trips and present day, where Poppy plans one last summer trip as a last ditch effort to fix their friendship, which was ruined during their last trip to Croatia. Can she pull of the ultimate vacation and get their relationship back on track?

I think I’m one of the 5 people left who hasn’t read Emily Henry’s Beach Read, and boy what am I thinking? I LOVED this book. Emily’s writing is just incredible and 100% relatable. It’s funny, it’s heartfelt, its cultural references are on point. I also thought her characters were so *real*. Poppy and Alex’s friendship was perfection; from their inside jokes to their adventures together to the hard times when they were always there for each other. And while their journey from friends to lovers was obvious from the beginning (who else loves a friends to lovers book?🙋🏻‍♀️), I still, obviously, enjoyed every single page of it.

I said this with Beach Read, but it feels equally if not moreso appropriate to say it here too: Emily Henry writes the achiest romances I’ve ever read, but achey in a good way, the kind where you feel all the longing and pining that exists between two people (sometimes without them even realizing it themselves) and it’s impossible to picture anything but a HEA happening because if there isn’t one you’ll be DEVASTATED. I personally loved the jumping around with timelines; I felt it was a great way to learn the history and significance of Poppy and Alex’s relationship while they worked to try and piece back together what they used to have — only to realize the new thing was just as good if not better. Fabulous, fabulous romance that will make you long for vacations and trips but also the significance of travel with loved ones and memories that can be carved out from the biggest hardships and unlikeliest places.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 beautiful stars for this escapist romance read!

Although this one definitely felt more light hearted and "rom-comy" than Beach Read, I still just love the writing style of Emily Henry and her likeable/relatable characters she portrays. The traveling aspect of this one was a major plus and taking this one on my actual vacation to read was just perfection. Even though I was just on a lake for my vacation, Henry transported me around the world with Poppy and Alex. It was so fun to experience the memories of their past trips and the drama of the new trip they were embarking on together.

All in all I can't recommend this book enough to take with you on vacation or just to read for a little escape from home! Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for my e-arc and I have purchased my own copy and will most likely always auto-buy Emily Henry's books from now on!

This was such an amazing book! Simply a perfect rom-com!!! Poppy and Alex meet in college. Both really think their first meeting was enough but life truly doesn't work that way. Over the years, they become best friends and each year take a vacation to exotic places just the two of them. One year the vacation in Croatia, something happens and they don't speak for 2 years. When Poppy feels like she is in a rut and just truly unhappy she thinks back to when she was truly happy, being with Alex. She starts texting him and they continue talking and Poppy asks Alex to go on another vacation with her. Can Poppy and Alex figure out what makes them happy is each other and make things work? I laughed and I cried. This book has everything- humor, emotional real feelings, and absolutely real and amazing characters. I just finished reading the book last night and I already miss Poppy and Alex! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review People We Meet on Vacation. This book was everything I'd hoped for after Beach Read.

WOW. This was AMAZING! All I want to do is scream about this book from the rooftops because I loved it. This is a story about friendship, love, travel, all the good things and I cannot recommend it enough. I'll start by saying I'm not a big friends-to-lovers trope person just because I tend to think they were better off as friends or the relationship misses something or the transition from friends to more is not quite romantic, but this book took all that and threw it down the drain. This was the perfect friends-to-lovers book and one of my new favorite books of the year. The character development was similarly incredible, Poppy and Alex were both so realistic and lovable and I think in part it's because we kinda grow up with them over the past summer vacations. Speaking of which, typically flashbacks like the ones in this book aren't my favorite and I don't understand why they're necessary, but again, this book blew it out of the water and I enjoyed the flashbacks just as much as the present-day story. Wow, just wow, I'm in love.

Just finished reading People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry and I have to say that I absolutely loved the story of Poppy and Alex. I loved how the story built up over the years with the time shifting back and forth from the present to the past. Of course, I was rooting for the both of them the whole time. I'm always a sucker for books with a HEA. Cute, romantic story and I would definitely read more from Emily Henry!!

This book is my favorite read of 2021 so far! I had so many emotions! I woke my husband up laughing around 11 pm and then around. 1 am he woke to find me in tears. Such a sweet story with characters I fell in love with right away from page 1. My heart felt like it was busting wide open when I closed the book. I read this over a 2 day period and that’s only because I had to go to work or else I would have finished in one sitting. I made the mistake of starting this late at night and could not stop myself from saying, “one more chapter”, over and over. I am an official fan of Emily Henry now and will read everything she writes!

There’s no question I’m a huge Emily Henry fan and People We Meet on Vacation did not disappoint.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how hard it must be for authors who have huge first books (not that Beach Read was a first, but it was Henry’s first adult book). The expectations for the second book are so high, and I imagine it must be impossible to meet all of them. So I’ll say up front that this is not Beach Read the sequel. It is, however, just as beautifully written with the same deft hand building amazing chemistry between the two main characters.

Poppy and Alex meet in college and their first impressions of each other aren’t great. But when her roommate says she has a friend who wants to do a ride share home over break, Poppy and Alex end up together again and forge a friendship built on witty repartee and the way their differences sort of complete each other. They go on vacation together every year, until one year something happens.

The story is told in flashbacks. The current timeline is when the friends are estranged and Poppy, a New York travel writer who’s feeling lost in her life, reaches out to Alex, a teacher back in their small hometown, to suggest they take a trip. The chapters alternate between now and previous vacations.

In some ways, this is a quieter book than Beach Read. There’s the mystery of what happened between them—but it’s not exactly a jaw dropping reveal. But there’s something magical about both characters, and the way Henry builds their backstory leaves you with these really complete pictures of two people I would love to meet on vacation. I loved watching buttoned up Alex open up for Poppy and I loved carefree Poppy try to be more careful with her best friend.

The author’s note mentions When Harry Met Sally was an inspiration and I completely see that in the very best way. This story is all about conversations between friends and history and the sum of these shared experiences adding up to so much more than the individual moments.

I loved this book, and for optimal enjoyment, I recommend going in without too many expectations.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry was an unexpected, but welcome delight! I wasn’t a big fan of last years hit Beach Read but adored The Love That Split the World so I wasn’t sure what I would feel for this one. It was unique, fresh, and rewarding. Alex and Poppy were such sweet, real, relatable characters and I adored them both. This deeply romantic books hit all the marks for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Last year I read and reviewed Emily Henry's Beach Reach (see my review here)and I loved it so much! I basically have been anticipating her next book since I read (and reread) that one so when I got a chance to be on the blog tour I hoped on that. 

PLOT: Poppy and Alex have been best friends since college. Life has taken them to different places, but every summer they take a trip together and it is the highlight of their year. However, two years ago something happened while on their trip and they have barely spoken since. After facing some burnout at work and remembering the nostalgic for the Poppy and Alex they used to be, she suggests they take another trip. Alex agrees and suddenly they are going to Palm Springs together.

I was hesitant about this one. I knew I loved Beach Read, but I went into that with super low expectations and then it became one of my top reads of 2020. I also knew this had flashbacks to their past vacations and was a friends to lovers romance, both of which are not my jam. But, I should’ve had more faith in Ms. Emily Henry because I READ THIS IN ONE SITTING AND LOVED IT SO MUCH.

I’ll be honest I’m not sure how I can put into words how much I loved this book. It spoke to me on so many levels. From the inability you have to controlling the future to how I see traveling and experiencing other places, it just hit me right in the feels.

WHAT I LOVED

First of all this book is FUNNY

Poppy is hilarious and some of the dialogue had me literally cackling

Her sense of humor doesn’t work for everyone in the book and I don't think it will work for all readers, but I loved it so much. 

They go to Palm Springs and I was there like two years ago so a lot of the places they go I’ve been or I’ve heard about

The way that Palm Springs just makes me think of La Quinta (Bachelorette Fans you know what’s up)

All the side characters totally stand out and on their own. Sometimes characters blend together, but not here!! I loved Rachel and Poppy’s mom

The Midwest vibes though!!

How the flashbacks only showed us what we needed to see. I am not a fan when flashbacks are super long and unnecessary, but here they are mostly short and only show the important parts.

I really liked the road trip part in the one of the flashbacks where they met. It was adorable and you can see the roots forming of who Poppy and Alex are going to be as friends. 

Alex!! I could relate to him so much and I just loved seeing an anxious person who wants to be in control of everything try to control his life.

Poppy! What a fun narrator! She is chaotic and a mess at times, but gosh I loved her humor and seeing the story through her eyes.

This novel made me want to travel again.

I will admit I am not the biggest fan of friends to lovers, but I really loved it here. For their journey to work and be as impactful as it was they had to be friends first and it really worked for me here. 

All the random people they meet. I mean it is called "People we meet on vacation" but this novel really focuses on that. 

WHAT I DID NOT LOVE
Their car doesn’t have AC and legit you will die if this is the case. My mom’s garage door remote MELTED once when we went to Palm Springs. Not that they drive a lot and this is a super petty thing, but STILL. 

Their reason for not getting together earlier seems dumb, but whatever I will let it slide. 


5/5 stars



*thanks to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review*

Highly anticipated and worth the wait! Fantastic, five star romance. Friends to lovers, themes of drifting apart and reconciliation that is believable and relatable. Poppy and Alex have such great chemistry with their friendship and their eventual romance.  Well written and engaging. Perfect read for summer

At the outset of this story, Poppy and Alex seem like total opposites although they have been best friends since college because they are from the same small Ohio town and began sharing rides home. Poppy has moved on to bright lights and big city living in New York. Traveling has always been her catnip and so being paid by a high profile, lux life travel magazine to do just that and write about it seemed like her ultimate dream job. Every summer Poppy took Alex on a fabulous trip paid for by the company’s travel account. Their annual summer trips started when they were in college living on student odd jobs income so those trips were on a shoestring budget. Poppy and Alex always had great fun exploring new places with some quirky characters in the mix.

Two years ago, Poppy and Alex had a falling out and have not spoken since their last trip. Besides missing her best friend who is perhaps in reality something more, Poppy is desperately unhappy because everything she thought was essential for success, which she attained, has fallen flat. In finally reconnecting with Alex and convincing him to take another summer trip, Poppy hopes to find the magic she lost as well as the man who has always been there for her.

Alex’s life is the opposite of Poppy’s glam one; he teaches High School English in the same small town where they grew up surrounded by family as working with his ex-girlfriend. Poppy had such an odious experience in school that she never wants to live there again despite loving her oddball, loud, and raucous parents. Since her boss is not on board with this trip, Poppy recreates their early experiences of low budget travel with Alex connected to his brother’s wedding celebration in Palm Springs. Poppy is keeping more than a few secrets from Alex about this trip and her life. Alex is also less than forthcoming about his feelings on their many years long relationship.

Told in tandem of the trips past and with Poppy and Alex’s present one, this story develops slowly showing their dynamics of their previous travels together, and the ties that have bound them for twelve years. Poppy and Alex both have some serious self-esteem issues relating in part to their families who also ground them at the same time causing something of a dichotomy of emotions. Ms. Henry’s writing is always quite witty and often entertaining. The slow burn romance in this Women’s Fiction drags at times as well as the frustration level with the main characters who seem all but blind to their true feelings or at least, in big time denial. The multiplicity of flashbacks bogs the book down in places, but overall, it is an enjoyable read.

This book took me by surprise! It was one of those unputdownable books that I didn't want to stop reading to work/sleep/do real world things. I absolutely loved Poppy and Alex and thought they were super cute!! This book also really made me want to travel again. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a light, cute beach read.

I couldn’t help feeling smitten by this romance because it begins just as my sweetheart and I did, with friendship. When Poppy and Alex meet at a freshman mixer at the University of Chicago, she’s wearing a neon orange and pink floral jumpsuit, he’s dressed in khakis, and it’s immediately clear they have nothing in common except for growing up in neighboring small towns in Ohio. They don’t run into each other again till Alex turns out to be Poppy’s ride home for summer vacation, and on the long drive they confirm how truly different they are but have so much fun talking to each other they become friends and eventually best friends. Even when they land in different cities after college, even when they’re in relationships with other people, the highlight of the year for each of them is the Summer Trip they take together.

But at the beginning of the novel, told in the first person by ebullient, funny Poppy, she and Alex haven’t spoken in two years, and she misses him so much she convinces him to take another Summer Trip. Alex’s brother is getting married in Palm Springs, and though Poppy, who has become a successful travel writer, can’t convince her boss that a desert vacation in the middle of the summer would make a great feature, she meets him there determined to repair the rift between them. This story line is interspersed with chapters about all their previous Summer Trips and a growing attraction that Poppy does her best to ignore and tamp down because she knows they’re too different to make a romance work. Alex wants marriage and kids and a home, and she wants the freedom to take spontaneous trips, meet new people, and maybe never settle down. Can she save their friendship is by keeping it platonic?

What I loved about this novel is that it’s both sexy and deeply romantic, and it doesn’t hurt that Emily Henry brings Poppy and Alex to life with vivid, witty writing. Thanks to #netgalley for the complimentary e-galley, this is the summer read I’ll be recommending to all my friends!

Emily Henry's "Beach Read" was one of my absolute favorite books last year so I was so excited to read her new book, "People We Meet on Vacation," and although I did enjoy it as a breezy, fun read, it did not live up to my too high expectations.
The story follows two long-time best friends, Poppy and Alex, and jumps back and forth between their present day annual summer trip and past summer trips. I love a friends-to-loves and will-they-won't-they set up and Emily Henry does a great job building the tension between these two mismatched best friends. I had trouble liking or related to either character, which is why I think the book fell a little flat for me, whereas I adored January and Gus, the two main characters in "Beach Read."
Poppy is a travel writer and I liked reading about her trips and her deep love of these experiences: "I'm on vacation. Vacations always end. It's the very fact that it's finite that makes traveling special. You could move to any one of those destinations you loved in small doses, and it wouldn't be the spellbinding, life-altering seven days you spend there as a guest, letting a place into your heart fully, letting it change you."
Emily Henry's writing is sharp, funny, and insightful and I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed "Beach Read" (just don't go in with too high expectations like me). Readers who liked "One Day In December" by Josie Silver and "In Five Years" by Rebecca Serle will also enjoy "People We Meet on Vacation."