Staff Review – People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

I’d had “People We Meet on Vacation” on hold for more months than I could remember. When it was finally my turn to read this summer romance, I was quite excited. As my introduction to Emily Henry’s writing, I was looking forward to reading what all the fuss was about, as I knew this was a popular choice here at TBPL, as well as on #BookTok online. “People We Meet on Vacation” tells the story of Poppy and Alex. These best friends have taken a summer vacation every year for 10 years, and were going strong until 2 years ago when things went sour. Their relationship fizzled, and now, as Poppy remembers how she hasn’t been truly happy since those fateful summer trips with her best friend, she reaches out to Alex to try and rekindle their friendship. They take a trip to Palm Springs, partly for Alex’s brother’s wedding, and Poppy hopes to repair their broken friendship – while trying to ignore that small part of her that has always wanted more from their relationship.

If you’re into romance tropes, this novel has got you covered! Friends to lovers, second chance romance, even the “there’s only one bed” trope all make an appearance in this fun, romantic read! The summer trips that Alex and Poppy take grow as the pair go from “poor college students” to working adults. Poppy’s love of travel takes her to a job working for a travel magazine, which helps with the cost associated with the trips. While the friends have more options available to them as their money increases, they still enjoy the unexpected and quirky moments they can find within their trips. As a lover of travel myself, I really enjoyed reading this novel – giving me the itch to get back out there and travel as soon as I can!

Not only is this novel sweet and romantic, it’s also laugh-out-loud funny. Alex and Poppy were both so witty and their friendship read so natural, I was smiling and laughing throughout the book! Henry’s writing style was so smooth, and I will be happily picking up more of her novels in the future! The dry sarcasm and quick banter between these two friends was so entertaining to read. Poppy and Alex are total opposites, which of course makes for the perfect friendship. She is wild and adventurous, he is reserved and likes to plan ahead. They both bring out the best in each other though, saying they are the most themselves when they are together. The book read as modern without trying too hard to be relevant and current – it just is. Between Poppy’s influencer friend and the dialogue in general, I think that this novel will stand the test of time.

It’s easy to see why “People We Meet on Vacation” was voted the GoodReads Best Romance novel of 2021, opens a new window! This book is full of fun, heart, friendship and pure love. If you’re looking for something happy and bright, check out Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation today!