I absolutely loved Emily Henry’s novel Beach Read last year and I couldn’t wait to see what she came up with next. With any big hit, there is always pressure to recreate the magic and produce an even better second novel so while I had high expectations, I also tried not to get too excited as Beach Read was fantastic and topping that would be a tall order.
Normally I am not a huge fan of the friends to lovers troupe, I generally prefer enemies to lovers but in some cases the friends to lovers troupe works out well. Beach Read was more enemies to lovers where as People We Meet on Vacation is more friends to lovers. I was eager to see how Henry would portray Alex and Poppy in this book.
If you haven’t read anything by Henry before, I would say both of her more well known novels, this one and Beach Read, are probably your best bet. Personally I preferred Beach Read over this one, but this one was still wonderful and funny not to mention a quick read that will leave you satisfied and wanting to read more books by this author, not to mention ready for your next vacation!
Summary
Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.
Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.
Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.
Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?
From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read, a sparkling new novel that will leave you with the warm, hazy afterglow usually reserved for the best vacations. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
If there is one thing that Henry is known for, it’s her ability to write snappy and funny dialogue. The banter between Alex and Poppy was exactly what I needed right now. I have been reading some heavier books and this book was a much needed break from that and it also made the story flow well making it feel like a fast read. Since I read Beach Read first, it holds a special place in my heart, but this book was equally as entertaining with characters you will fall in love with. Poppy and Alex were seemingly so mismatched and I enjoyed watching them come together as a couple.
Henry is known for creating great chemistry between her two characters and Alex and Poppy had that in spades for this book. They were so opposite but that’s what made their chemistry so great and intense. I loved it and I couldn’t get enough of their romance. Henry made the friends to lovers trope sexy and full of tension. I adored their story. Poppy was a great character with such sharp wit where as Alex was able to match her so perfectly and had all the romantic hero qualities that will leave readers swooning!
What set this one apart from some of Henry’s other books is that the story takes place over the course of a decade (give or take). I thought this was an interesting choice on her part. It really gave the reader a sense of history between the two characters. I don’t know that it fully worked for me but the characters and fierce dialogue was so great that I didn’t mind that their story was told over a longer stretch of time. If you are looking for the perfect rom-com to escape with this summer then you can stop your hunting now. This is the book to read this summer and you don’t want to miss it. I loved it and can’t wait for more books from Emily Henry!
Book Info and Rating
Format384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 11, 2021 by Berkley Books
ISBN9781984806758 (ISBN10: 1984806750)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: romance
The Lit Bitch 
I keep hearing good things about this book! I definitely need to check this one out!