Review: People We Meet On Vacation By Emily Henry

People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry

Published by Berkley Books on May 2021
Genres: Adult Fiction, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon Goodreads

4.5 Stars

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?

This book was… just go get it please. The perfect blend of romantic comedy and wanderlust.

Poppy and Alex, best friends for years, haven’t spoken in two years because of … something that happened. And well, Poppy aims to correct that. Because you see Alex is her best friend. They’re going to take another trip together to erase all the awkwardness of the last one, and well, what could go wrong?

I love love love Poppy and Alex. Alex who is hard working and sweet and dorky. Poppy who is lively and brave and adventerous. Somehow, they work. They meet in the middle. They bring out the best and worst from each other. The novel switches back and forth between present day, their present trip, to the last eight trips they had, counting down to their last one where everything went wrong. It’s hard not to root for them as they are so clearly perfect for each other in a will they, won’t they kind of way. And their conversations…. I laughed out loud a bunch of times. Good thing I’m at home and the only person looking at me like I lost my mind was my husband. And the rabbit. But you know what? They’re used to it.

I like how Poppy has moved away from Ohio and ventured out into the world, but is feeling kinda stuck and unsure of herself. There’s so much honesty there, trying to get out of her small town and go on to do bigger things. I like how she’s achieved her goals and now, well, she maybe wants to reevaluate. I know so many people, like SO many, who this happens to. It’s almost a new way of life now… second careers, different jobs in different industries, re-learning or going back to school. I liked Poppy because she felt like an honest and real portrayal of a lot of young women out there. A lot asking the question – now what?

I like how Alex knows all about Poppy’s crazy home life and loving parents and accepts her as she is. Alex is solid, a rock, a good guy and he has his own issues too but it’s easy to see how he gravitates towards Poppy and what she means to him. I love how sturdy he is, even and safe. It’s not a bad thing at all. He’s sexy and dependable and everything you could want in a best friend… and maybe a partner?

I can’t say enough good things about this book. It’s my favorite Emily Henry book so far and I’m sad because I don’t get to go back in time and read it for the first time again.

Oh well. Re-reading it will have to do. 🙂