People We Meet on Vacation

Poppy Wright and Alex Nilsen maintain an unlikely friendship despite their opposing personalities. For a decade, they uphold a tradition of taking summer vacations together, creating a bond that transcends their differences - until a trip to Croatia breaks their connection and leads to two years of silence. Poppy works as a travel writer in New York City, living what should be her dream life. When she realizes her happiest moments were during her summer trips with Alex, she reaches out to plan one final vacation to Palm Springs in an attempt to repair their friendship. The story moves between their present-day trip and their past vacations, revealing the evolution of their relationship through various destinations and life changes. The narrative explores their individual growth, family dynamics, and the complex nature of their connection. At its core, this is a story about the intersection of friendship and love, examining how relationships transform over time and distance. The book raises questions about choosing between security and risk, and whether two people walking different life paths can find a way to meet in the middle.

Readers frequently compare this book to "When Harry Met Sally," noting its friends-to-lovers storyline and witty dialogue. The slow-burn romance and banter between Alex and Poppy resonated with romance readers, with many highlighting the authentic portrayal of long-term friendship. Liked: - Dual timeline structure showing friendship development - Realistic, flawed characters - Humor and natural dialogue - Strong emotional payoff Disliked: - Pacing feels slow in middle sections - Some found Poppy's character unlikeable or immature - Plot predictability - Too much internal monologue Several readers mentioned struggling to connect with Poppy's career-related anxiety and privilege, while others praised the relatable depiction of millennials figuring out adulthood. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (863,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (43,000+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (5,000+ ratings) StoryGraph reports 45% of readers rated the book as "emotional," followed by "lighthearted" (41%) and "medium-paced" (38%).

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🌟 The book was an instant New York Times bestseller and remained on the list for more than 50 consecutive weeks 🌍 The novel features 10 different vacation destinations across multiple timelines, including Croatia, Palm Springs, and Vancouver 💝 Emily Henry wrote this book during the COVID-19 lockdown, drawing inspiration from her own travel nostalgia and yearning for connection 🤓 The story follows the popular "grumpy/sunshine" romance trope, which Henry has credited as being influenced by classic romantic comedies like "When Harry Met Sally" 📚 The novel's structure of alternating past and present timelines was inspired by the David Nicholls book "One Day," which Henry has cited as a major influence on her writing