So I’ve just finished this book and it was a great rom com. I do think it would have been better sat by a pool in the sunshine rather than hibernating in the cold but it was still an enjoyable book. I really like how every chapter was separated by different trips with Alex and Poppy but keep coming back to this summer they are together. Sometimes you don’t realize the best thing you have is right in front of you all along and sometimes all it takes is a little bravery to end up finding the best thing that’s ever happened to you.

This is one of the best books of 2021, hands down! I love Emily Henry's writing and this book was the perfect contemporary read.

12 SUMMERS AGO: Poppy and Alex meet. They hate each other, and are pretty confident they'll never speak again.
11 SUMMERS AGO: They're forced to share a ride home from college and by the end of it a friendship is formed. And a pact: every year, one vacation together.
10 SUMMERS AGO: Alex discovers his fear of flying on the way to Vancouver.
Poppy holds his hand the whole way.
7 SUMMERS AGO: They get far too drunk and narrowly avoid getting matching tattoos in New Orleans.
2 SUMMERS AGO: It all goes wrong.
THIS SUMMER: Poppy asks Alex to join her on one last trip. A trip that will determine the rest of their lives.

A lovely book to read, I couldn’t wait to see how their relationship panned out and found myself willing them to just get on with it lol! I did find the first part a little slow to get into but as soon as I got into the rhythm of the book and where it was going I couldn’t put it down.
This would make a lovely RomCom film also! This is the 2nd book I’ve read by the author and I look forward to another.
Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
#YouandMeonVacation #NetGalley

This was just a "meh" for me, which was a surprise given all the buzz about this book. I enjoyed the meet-ups between Poppy and her friend but didn't find the rest of the book believable.

Poppy and Alex meet during their first week at college. They are sure they will never speak again as they are polar opposites. However, at the end of the year they carpool back to their hometowns. This starts a friendship that results in them taking a summer vacation together each year with the exception of last year, after something went horribly wrong during the trip the year before. This year, they are taking one last trip together.

This book alternates between the present day and past trips. It gives an insight into how Poppy and Alex’s friendship developed and how they change as people over time. I loved both characters - Poppy’s crazy, carefree nature and Alex’s more uptight but incredibly caring personality. Reading about their adventures firstly made me want to go on lots of amazing holidays, but had me hoping that they would eventually end up together.

A lovely romcom that is really well written!

Thanks to @netgalley and @penguinukbooks_ for the review copy.

There's something about Emily Henry's writing that is just so compelling that you cannot stop reading. I did, however, struggle a little bit to get into this story.

I started reading this a while ago and stopped at the 25% mark. I wasn't drawn to our main character, Poppy, and the premise just didn't grip me as much. I found Poppy to be an annoying character with such a strange sense of humour that I just couldn't connect with.

Yesterday I decided to try reading this book again and once I got passed the 30% mark, I was hooked. The story started becoming more complex and the characters started revealing more of themselves. I love Alex Nilsen's character. I think he is so brilliantly written and his personality is complex and layered. I definitely felt the same about Gus in Henry's 'Beach Read'. Poppy became more vulnerable and more bearable.

By the 60% mark I was fully invested in their romance and when they kissed on that balcony, I got goosebumps. I flew through the rest of the book in hours.

Comparing this book to 'Beach Read', I feel like this is more of a traditional romance. 'Beach Read' really delved into some serious topics and the romance fell into step with that. In 'You and Me on Vacation', the romance really takes centre stage and the serious topics were pushed back. I wish that some of their traumatic experiences were explored more and I felt frustrated that the resolution to their struggles were pushed into the last chapter. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if Henry had really sunk her teeth into Poppy and Alex's traumatic pasts.

I usually don't like 'friends to lovers' romances so this really surprised me. I thought that Poppy and Alex's relationship developed beautifully on page and I was fully rooting for them towards the end.

One of the biggest pet peeves I have about this particular edition of the book is the title. It just doesn't work. 'People We Meet on Vacation' is the perfect title and matches up with the title of Poppy's column at the end of the book. 'You and Me on Vacation' is such an odd choice and has definitely confused buyers and potential readers who think these are two different books.

Overall. I really enjoyed this book. Another solid read from Emily Henry. I will definitely be picking up her new book next year.

This was a very quick, easy flowing read which I devoured in just a couple of sittings. It’s cleverly written, trickling stories from the past in with the present day. It was a delight to read form beginning to end. I really enjoyed the ending and it really tugged on my heartstring’s.

Not my usual type of read but oh, how I loved it! I don't think I've ever wanted two people to get together more. Emily Henry has produced a brilliant, bang up-to-date homage to Nora Ephron's "When Harry Met Sally". I found her writing extremely engaging, some passages provoking thought and lingering. "You and Me on Vacation" is funny, insightful and I couldn't put it down - so I was up till 5am finishing it. "Beach Read" is now firmly on my radar, along with everything Emily Henry writes from now on.

3 Stars

I have such mixed feelings about this one and I can’t tell if it’s something personal to me maybe orrrrrr if it’s just one of those things? I’ll try and explain things as best as I can and see how it goes.

I want to start off by saying that I really really loved Poppy and Alex, I thought they were both great characters and I genuinely feel like I have the softest spot for Alex because his character is just so kind and caring towards Poppy.

So usually I’m all for friends to lovers, like 10/10 really enjoy but I think what I found my issue is that each of the characters both had significant others and I just got the sense they were both holding out for the other person and it just kind of left me with a bad taste in my mouth I guess? I’m all for platonic friendships, it’s literally one of my favourite tropes and we don’t get enough of them but this, when reading it just wasn’t platonic for the longest time and I low key felt bad for Poppy and Alex’s significant others. Once again this is just an IMO and I guess it just gave me a book ick.

If I was to take out the friendship aspect I genuinely think I would of enjoyed it more and it wouldn’t of felt like a bit hmmm about it and I just know I would have been routing for them! The chemistry between the characters was SO good, but once again, I felt a bit like choices because of different elements throughout.

When I read more of my adult romance/chick lit I always appreciate that there tends to be a lot more communication and this is something that is just *chef kiss* for me, so for this to be so prolonged and lacking in some areas it just kind of irritated me some times.

I’m left feeling with so many mixed thoughts and feels, because of something that Alex went through towards the end with Poppy and once again personal reflection time, it low key made me angry… but I won’t go into that and it’s just a me thing.

Been a bit of a weird one, because I feel like I would of loved this if I read it at a different time in my life or some elements had been changed, still really enjoy the writing style and Emily Henry always provides amazing characters so I look forward to her next book.

Poppy and Alex have been friends for many years, they first met at Uni where they didn't really connect until they drove back home together.

Their thing is to always holiday together the summer, first on a budget, then as Poppy landed a job writing articles for a travel magazine as they get all expenses paid trips.

However are they really just friends?

I knew where the plot line was going from the beginning, but didn't make it a less interesting read. Love how the friendship between Alex and Poppy is described and developed throughout the book. Such a feel good rom com.

You And Me on Vacation by Emily Henry is my new favorite romance and I have been chasing after this exact feeling for some time now. It’s a second chance friends-to-lovers romance. Poppy and Alex are the exact opposites and did not like each other on their first meeting. To say it was awkward and tense would be an understatement. Despite the rocky start the two of them end up taking a trip back home together and realize they might have been too hasty in forming their opinions on each other. Poppy is eccentric, fun, quirky, and outgoing and Alex is the quiet guy who prefers to stay indoors and enjoy a book. The two start a friendship that becomes the highlight of their lives. With more time they not only become inseparable they also plan summer vacations together on a budget. Everything was amazing until two summers ago when things got really bad. Can Poppy and Alex repair their friendship? Will they ever be the same?

I have previously read Beach Read and enjoyed it. But the darker themes in it were a bit of a shock to me as I wasn’t expecting it and it also felt a little out of place in the story. I loved it but it wasn’t my favorite. Now when it comes to You And Me On Vacation, I had the best time with this. This was the friends-to-lovers I wanted and Emily delivered it tenfold. If a story can give me the feels then it’s going to have a special place in my heart. It was heartwarming to see the friendship bloom, the shift in their relationship, the denial, and finally, the get-together was all worth it. Usually, friends-to-lovers romances or the tropes don’t excite me because often we don’t get to see the journey of the couple or their interactions especially when it comes to second-chance friends-to-lovers. I read Anchored Hearts last month, and this was exactly what was missing in it. I remember feeling let down by the lack of interactions that showed us their journey and the friendship but rather had to rely on the author telling us they were amazing as a couple before. Thankfully, this story gave us all the flashbacks to help us build a connection with each of them, get us invested in them enough to cheer their friendship and their potential romance.

Overall, if you are a fan of romances that takes us through the journey of the couple and enjoy longer stories that deliver heartwarming romance, then definitely pick this one up. Poppy and Alex will sweep you off your feet and their romance will make you want for more. This is the perfect vacation companion you could ask for and is guaranteed to give you a good time. If this story doesn’t make you want to travel at the end of the book, I don’t know what to say honestly. The itch to pick up things and just go on a road trip or a vacation is so tempting. I really loved this book and gave it 5 warm, buttery stars. I highly recommend checking this one out.

I thought this was going to be a bit 'fluffy' for my usual tastes but it was just gorgeous from start to finish. Easy to read and enjoy, perfect for the beach and perfect to just switch off and relax with. Was just what I needed and I wish I had read it sooner!

TRULY INSPIRATIONAL LIFE CHANGING MIND BENDING AMAZING NEVER THE SAME I CRIED I GOT SHOT I LAUGHED 5/5

This is the second book by this author that I have read this year, the first being Beach Read - which I also enjoyed. I devoured this book, I really wanted something a little lighter and more fun after reading a few thrillers, and this definitely hit the spot. The book follows Poppy and Alex, who have been the greatest of friends since meeting at college, and who have taken an annual trip together ever since. Life events and significant others have come and gone, and in this book they find themselves rekindling the annual trip after a two year break.
I have to say at the beginning it all feels a little predictable, but what I like about both of Emily Henry's books, is that she takes the predictable and sends it on a fun little tangent. The book explores the friendship from the start, the annual trips, the events that have tested their friendship, the reason they have had a two year friendship hiatus, and we discover what the future holds for the two of them.
I couldn't put it down and found myself trying to find any window I could to pick it back up and keep going. I'll be right there in line for the next book from this author.
If you haven't read any Emily Henry books yet, but have read The Switch or The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary I'm certain you will enjoy these too.

A.will they, won't they romantic drama about a pair of friends over the course of twelve years. Ideal holiday reading but too predictable for me.

I absolutely devoured this book - so SO quickly. And yes, I am very very late coming to this party, but I'm finally here and I'll just share some small thoughts that I had whilst reading this book (taken from my phone notes as I was reading back in June):

~ Who doesn't like the saxophone?!
~ These characters feels so different from Beach Read, but still real. I guess I see some similiarities in the extrovert-girl meets introvert-guy parts, but still feels different.

And that's it! Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk.

No, but really. I read and really loved Beach Read at the start of this year, but I somehow loved this one even more. The characters? Amazing. The flaws in those characters? Perfect. The reveals? Often shocking. The SEX? Is chef's kiss still a thing? Either way, just so so good. I can't really find fault with this book because I just loved it so much. I mean, personal preference for me leans away from typical cis-hetero pairings, but that doesn't mean that I didn't still love this to bits.

If you're at all into romance, I do recommend this one whole-heartedly. Great fun. I may just have to read it again soon.

This book grabbed my attention - I’d previously read Beach Read and the cover was fab. So I was very happy to receive a copy.

This was a great book, a bit of a rollercoaster, but enjoyable to read and very engaging.

I really liked the characters and felt they were realistic and well written. The story is paced well, despite covering a large period of time!

I love a good enemies to lovers story, so I wasn’t sure how I’d get on with friends to lovers. But the author wrote this so well that I was praying for the romantic happy ending.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

Poppy and Alex met at Art College and have been taking holidays together ever since. They just seem to click. Then Croatia happens and it may mean the end of their friendship. Can more more vacation bring them back together?

I had read Emily’s previous novel, Beach Read and loved it so I jumped at the chance to be part of the blog tour for You and Me on Vacation and couldn’t wait to get started.

I loved Poppy and Alex immediately. They are lovely together so obviously, I wanted them to be a couple. If only they could get out of their own way.

The premise of the plot was great. It reminded me of a cross between One Day by David Nicholls and Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern (two books I loved.) It had a similar optimism and warmth to it.

Told from Poppy’s point of view, it goes between flashbacks to the previous summers and present day. It gave me a real chance to get to know these wonderful characters. I would love to read it from Alex’s point of view too. I think that would be as interesting and a totally different perspective on their story. Anything to be able to revisit Poppy and Alex.

I know I always say this but I am not sure what else I can say without giving too much away. What I will say is that I both laughed and cried my way through it. There were also times where I wanted to reach in and either give them both a big hug or a frustrating talking to. Haha.

This novel has a bit of everything. It deals with love, friendships, family, heartbreak and grief and does so with compassion and humour.

You and Me on Vacation is a wonderful novel which I totally enjoyed escaping into and thoroughly recommend. I am off to deal with my book hangover. Emily Henry, in case you’ve not realised already, is becoming one of my favourite authors. Happy publication day to you.

I was a huge fan of Beach Read so I was really excited to pick this one up. Little did I know that I had just discovered my new favourite read of 2021. Emily Henry is a genius; this is the perfect summer read (or autumn or winter or spring…).

You and Me on Vacation follows two close friends Poppy and Alex through twelve years of summers, vacations, heartbreak and friendship. I’m not usually a huge fan of the friends-to-lovers trope but, boy, did this work for me. I flew through this book from basically the first page and loved every moment of their journey.

I have read some criticism of the two timeline criticism not working well in this novel, which, for me, I really enjoyed. The problem with this narrative device, I’ve found, is often one half of the story is more compelling than the other so you spend half the book racing ahead; here, I was equally invested in both halves of the journey and I really felt it added an extra layer to reading about their relationship.

Honestly, 10/10 experience – I would pay to go back and read this book again for the first time. Thank you Emily Henry!

Despite the fact thay this took me a LONG while to read - reading slump, summer holidays - I really enjoyed it. It was a light and airy read, with a somewhat heavier undertone thay really worked well for me.