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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Funny Story comes a sparkling novel that will leave you with the warm, hazy afterglow usually reserved for the best vacations.
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?
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More from Emily Henry
First they were heartbroken strangers. Then they were roommates. Now, their summer adventures could lead to something more… It’s a funny story. From the perfect couple to exes, they’re now pretending to be together for one last vacation with their best friends. Faking it for one week can’t be that hard, right? Nora and Charlie are rivals, but this summer, their carefully crafted stories might just unravel when a series of coincidences push them together. Two polar opposite authors, one summer, a genre swap challenge. They’ll finish their books and definitely won’t fall in love…
Publisher : Berkley
Publication date : May 11, 2021
Language : English
Print length : 400 pages
ISBN-10 : 1984806750
ISBN-13 : 978-1984806758
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.46 x 1.05 x 8.24 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #470 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #6 in Contemporary Women Fiction #7 in Romantic Comedy (Books) #21 in Contemporary Romance (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 80,824 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Customers say
Customers find this book to be a perfect summer read with well-developed characters and witty banter that makes them laugh out loud. The story features a unique friend-to-lover relationship, though some find the plot unrealistic. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with some appreciating the perfect pace while others find it slow, and customers love the alternating timelines that reveal the characters’ story.
Ellen E. Withers –
Friends to Lovers Theme for the Young at Heart
I giggled through the first third of People We Meet on Vacation. This “friends to lovers” theme is a perfect summer read that includes relationship substance and romance. The unusual relationship between Poppy and Alex drew me in and kept my attention. Introduced in college, these polar opposite personalities were less than impressed by what they saw during that initial meeting.Fate threw them together later when Poppy needed a ride home from college and Alex (and his car) provided transportation to her small town in Ohio. A friendship developed during the ride, which blossomed into a rich alliance that spans thousands of miles and years of time.As adults, Poppy lives in New York City, and Alex teaches in Poppy’s home town. They initially vacationed together on penny-pinching getaways. When Poppy becomes a writer for a high-end travel magazine, she invites Alex to accompany her on a yearly trip to an exquisite vacation destination.Exploring the mysteries of their relationship was intriguing. People We Meet on Vacation has a non-linear timeline, taking the reader back and forth to various events and locations. Although I felt the flipping a bit overdone, alternating between the present and the past of these characters works well to keep a reader guessing.The characters repeatedly refer to a time “two years ago” that caused the friendship to explode. This hint teases the readers for nearly half the book before divulging the reasons for the split.Both characters have emotional baggage they bring to the relationship. Poppy brims with personality, humor, and a carefree spirit. But that makes her flighty and unpredictable. Alex is the problem solver, the person who can handle any situation. He is also bookish, set in his ways, and sometimes a spoilsport.The emotional tug-of-war between the two characters is realistic. Poppy and Alex have traits the other is lacking, provide needed support for one another, and complement the other in various ways. Their chemistry is interesting but not perfect, like real life.The final third of the book was predictable, but satisfying. The author, Emily Henry, has held the number one position on the New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller list for this work, as well as others. She pens a good romantic story and keeps the storyline realistic.Although I enjoyed it, this book should appeal to young adults more than an older reader, as it contained more expletives and sexual situations than I’d prefer. However, don’t let this diminish your curiosity about this rom-com. People We Meet on Vacation reminds us to take a chance on love.
Sara W –
Strong Ending, Slower Start
I truly enjoy Emily Henry’s books. Her love stories are open door, but they’re not raunchy. I also always enjoy the side story of the romance. Where I struggled with this one was the back and forth timeline. At the very least, I wish the chapters were titled by their time instead of chapter numbers, so I could look back when I forgot. I also felt like the start was much slower than usual. I still ended up laughing, crying and swooning as I do over all of Henry’s books, though.😁
Gabrielle Grosbety –
Swoon-worthy, sweet, heartwarming…a summery delight
4.5 Stars ☆“Like a good book or an incredible outfit, being on vacation transports you to another version of yourself.”This book was as incredibly sweet as Beach Read, it moved me, filled me with the same warmth these characters brought to each other, and reminded me of the importance of finding people that feel like home. I felt the emotions, rise and fall tremulously, that being together, even sharing the same communal space, brings as our journeys connect us to people that we may not initially have felt we have anything in common with.“That crush of happiness, that feeling that this is what life’s about: being somewhere beautiful, with someone you love.”Alex and Poppy, Alex being more quiet, bookish, and reserved initially with a penchant for becoming himself once you get to know him, and Poppy, the more wildly spontaneous, bubbly firecracker, have been friends since they met at the University of Chicago and both bring out the inner weirdness and wonder of the other as their chemistry builds with a fervor matched by the electricity and lasting, poignant fulfillment of a beach sunset. My only hesitation in giving this book a full five stars comes from points in the novel where the banter between them was a bit over the top and felt too witty or manufactured to be true to life, which has moments of equivocating, unsureness, and dialogue that isn’t overly beautiful, scripted, or exciting. I did think that the seriousness and rich profoundness of their connection was more well-drawn out in the latter parts of the book, though, which won me over through and through and mostly balanced out my frustrations with being drowned in calculating wittiness.“I’m crying because I’m relieved. Because I will never again feel as alone as I did during those long nights as a kid. As long as I have him, I will never be alone again.”I could feel the swallowing pain they felt at being apart and failing to communicate, as life events happen to both that the other isn’t around to be a part of. I could also feel the want pulsing between them even when things were more strictly platonic and how much it hurts to want when you can’t read the other’s mind and know they feel the same. I desperately, urgently vied for the truth behind their love to triumph in the end and could feel on each vacation they took together, as they are famously known to vacation together to exciting, mouth-watering destinations, how they were there for each other, but also messily would say one thing while meaning another. They would end up with infuriating miscommunications that felt real and catastrophic as the unrelenting heat burning on their latest vacation. I could, however, see past the gaps in their communication and recognize all the love there that existed miraculously even when everything else in life felt wrong and irrational.“He would or he wouldn’t, but in the end, there would be someone, and I didn’t think my heart could take it.”I entered my own journey through reading this book, as I traveled into a whole new dimension with the reverberant, titillating intoxication of flavors, sights, smells, touches, and feelings. Alex and Poppy will stay best kept in a safe, eternal place in my heart.
Karyn McHale –
story was great
Great story but there was much too much detail. It took most of the book to really get into it. In the end I loved the characters who were funny and sweet. I’m glad I stuck it out.
Amazon Customer –
Anxiety Inducing, Sweet Read
This is the first book I have read by his author. I can honestly say I liked it, even if it did make me feel like I needed to take more anxiety meds at various points. The back and forth timeline in the plot nearly made me stop reading on several occasions. But I also could probably count on one hand the number of novels I ever stopped reading and never finished. Not finishing a book, even one I hate, is like personally slapping the author in my opinion. I feel compelled to finish it once I start it. I am glad I saw this one through to the end. Looking back I think the angst I felt made the ending better.
Kindle Customer –
Lovely
It was lovely. It’s fun and funny and light. It’s predictable, sure. But it was such fun following the story down the winding path.
Marcy –
Loved vacationing with Poppy and Alex
This one started out a little slow but then quickly pulled me in as I vacationed with Poppy and Alex all over the world. This is a great summer or beach read for rom-com lovers. Just be patient as the story builds and then enjoy the ride.
etit 011 –
parfait
Kindle Customer –
Extremely well written, fully fleshed out deep characters, exciting suspenseful plotting. In the end it felt a bit cliche, though. The main characters’ lack of self-confidence was also a bit eye roll inducing.
Anjali –
A perfect summer vacation read. Literally hurt my chest to put it down without reaching the end.
Damaged copy –
My favorite Emily Henry book! The yearning had me screaming, crying and blushing.
Ms.H –
وصل بحاله جداً جيدة و فقط ضرر خفيف عند الحواف. الغلاف جميل والكتاب مرناما الروايه نفسها قيمتها ١٠ من ١٠ ، جداً حبيتهابدايتي مع هالكتاب ما كانت من احسن البدايات ، و حتى اني نوعاً ما كرهت أول فصلين بسبب كثرة حديث النفس. مع تقدمي مع احداث الكتاب اكثر شيء جذبني هو الكيمياء و الصداقه بين اليكس و بوبي “حرفياً من افضل الصداقات اللي قرأت عنها! “ارتباطي العميق بالشخصيات هو اللي سبب لي كل الألم و المشاعر اللي حسيت فيها خلال قرائتي للأحداث . و شيء ثاني ساعدني في اني احب هالروايه و هو اني وقعت بالحب مع اليكس و دائماً ما كنت اتسائل عن وجهة نظرة خلال وقوع الأحداث.الروايه مو من النوع اللي تحصل فيها أحداث قوية أو يملأها الحماس و الإثارة لكن اللي يعوض هالجانب هو طريقة كتابة الشخصيات و الديناميكا بينهم و اللي اشوفها من اكبر نقاط قوة الكتاب.فيه أحداث كان مفترض انها تكون “غامضه” و “مثيره للتساؤل” في أي رواية أخرى لكن في هالروايه كانت مكتوبة بطريقة سهله التوقع لكن هالشيء ما يسلب شيء من متعة الكتاب وعشن كذا اشوف هالكاتبه عبقريه في الشيء اللي هي تسويه. مثلاً كان سهل التوقع انه بوبي و اليكس يحبوا بعضهم لكن مستحيل كنت راح اخمن مشاعرهم و افكارهم و كيف انها راح تأثر فيني رغم اني أعرف نتيجة كل هالأحداث ، و مثل اللي صار قبل سنتين كان مفترض يكون اكبر شيء غامض بالكتاب لكني توقعته بسهوله من البداية و مع كذا الحدث أثر فيني بشكل كبير.اكثر شيء كان يخلي العقدة في هالكتاب صعبة الحل هو الطبقات العميقه في علاقتهم ، العبء الكبير للماضي و العواقب اللي ممكن يحملها المستقبل من بعد انهاء صداقة ١٢ سنه. حبيت كيف انه الكتاب يوضح انه العلاقات الحميميه ما تعتمد على الحب و بس و انها تأثر على جوانب اخرى مثل الأحلام و الأهداف المستقبليه ، الزواج و العائلة ، الوظيفة و مكان المعيشة. حبيت كيف انه العقدة كانت صعبة الحل علي كقارئة رغم انها تبان بسيطة سطحياً ، وهالشيء نادراً يصير معي في الكتب من هذا التصنيف.حركة جميلة من الكاتبة انها وضعت سؤال في جزء النقاش نهاية الكتاب كان بمعنى انه ” هل بوبي و اليكس ستستمر علاقتهم ؟ ” و بالرغم من اني كنت حابه اشوفهم يتزوجوا في النهاية و يعيشوا بسعادة و سبات ونبات زي كل القصص الخيالية الا اني برضو حبيت انها حطت مجال للنقاش عن مصير علاقتهم بدال ما تسوي المعروف والشائع بكل الكتب. جداً حركة عبقرية من كاتب لما يجعل قصته موضوع مثير للأهتمام للنقاش و التأمل.قرأت جزء كبير من الكتاب وانا حاسه بألم في صدري وضيقه من كثر ما اني مرتبطه بالشخصيات عاطفياً و هاذي من العلامات اللي تخلي اي كتاب تقييمه عالي بالنسبه. طريقة السرد مو مثاليه “حسيت بالملل احياناً” لكني استمتعت بأغلب الروايهحرفياً من اكثر الكتب اللي سمعت عليها اراء سلبيه لدرجة انها نفّرتني منها لفترة طويله ، لكن سعيدة بأني اعطيتها فرصه لأني استمتعت فيها كثير و متحمسه اقرأ اعمال اخرى للكاتبة