A great story with witty lines and romance. Poppy and Alex met at college, they are opposites who become friends, he is straight laced, she is wild and they holiday together every summer til it all goes wrong, and they don’t speak for years. Great story as they repair their relationship.

At a time where going on trips to gorgeous destinations on my bucket list is more and more difficult, books set in these destinations are vital. Luckily, this portrays Palm Springs beautifully. Emily Henry is just as good a travel writer as Poppy seems to be.

This book is in a split narrative, with the present day woven between tales from Alex and Poppy's previous holidays. I thought the flashbacks were really clearly laid out, which I loved, but also interrupted the flow of the story for me a little, and I found some of them a little jarring.

This is fantastic escapist fiction with a couple I really rooted for and a gorgeous setting. I enjoyed it, but unfortunately not as much as I did Beach Read.

This was an absolutely wonderful story A perfect read for a time when we are unable to travel this book transports us to many different destinations. Alex and Poppy have this idyllic friendship where they've know each other since college and every year they go on a "summer trip" together. Now it's been two years since they've talked after a fallout on their last vacation, since this book is told with alternating chapters, in the present and on past trips, we have to wait to fin out just wait happened. After reaching out to each other Alex and Poppy decide to take another trip this time to Palm Springs for Alex's brother's wedding with the hope of getting their friendship back intact. Lots of things ensue after this causing lots of crying and some LOLing. I don't know about anybody else but I was so nervous for the end but Emily Henry has written another gem and I can't wait to read her next book!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

Although I didn’t love Beach Read as much as most people, I liked it enough to want to read You and me on vacation and after reading many glowing reviews I thought I was gonna love this but unfortunately this was just ok for me. Apart from being overhyped, I couldn’t connect with the characters AT ALL. Maybe I’m too old to appreciate the concept of millenial ennui, but instead of seeing myself in the characters I found them so irritating I couldn’t wait for them to get together and shut up about it.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the structure, jumping between the present day and the different vacations Poppy and Alex took together through the years. Also, I think the reason for them not talking for two years and the starting point of the plot was absurd and their reaction to it disproportionate and childish. Communicate, people!

Though it was quite disappointing, the writing was good enough for me to want to read whatever Ms. Henry comes out with next.

2.5⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and especially the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. When I requested this book I knew it would be good. This author has the skill to make a person laugh and cry and jump up and down all at the same time. Now, I’ve read 86 books this year .... this is the very best out of all of them.
Quick summary - Alex and Poppy, despite being polar opposites, are best friends. Every summer they go somewhere together, except for the last couple of summers. Life, other relationships and some bad decisions have aided in a rift. But Poppy needs her best friend and so, in a last ditch effort to save their 12 year bond, she invites him to go with her to Palm Springs.
A few things go wrong, then a few things go right and then Alex and Poppy have to decide what they really are to each other.
I loved this book. I loved everything about it. But especially the dialogue between the two characters who, no matter where they are in the world, only appear to see each other. Plus, I miss travel and some of the descriptions of where these characters went helped me to imagine a time when I can jump on a plane again sad discover something about the people on this planet.
If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

Beach Read was one of my favourite books of 2020 and I couldn’t wait for Emily’s next release. You and Me on Vacation was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it did not disappoint. This is a friends to lovers romance told through present day scenes and flashbacks to previous summers spent together and all from Poppy’s perspective. Like with Beach Read, I was so absorbed into the story and whenever I put it down I was thinking about Poppy and Alex.

We start at the beginning of the book knowing that Poppy and Alex haven’t spoken for two years and we don’t know why. But they take a trip together and as they book progresses, you slowly learn the whole backstory to their relationship. It was so incredibly written. I’ve said this in previous posts of mine but there is something special about Emily’s writing. There is so much emotion pouring off the pages that I had tears in my eyes at certain points but also within the first forty pages I was laughing out loud. And let’s just say the scene in the rain was one of my favourites.

I loved Poppy and I fully understood her and I was rooting for her and Alex throughout the book after a couple of chapters. I loved their relationship with how Poppy brings Alex out of his shell and I love her sense of humour! I liked how as a reader we almost had to work for the HEA, it didn’t come easily and it made sense for the characters wholeheartedly. There were a few of my favourite tropes sprinkled in throughout but I don’t want to give away any spoilers! It also features unrequited love to some degree and that has been an element in romance books that I have been enjoying recently and it was done really well in this one.

Now I need to reread Beach Read. I highly recommend You and Me on Vacation and I can’t wait to read whatever Emily publishes next.

A fun romance, perfect for a light read
Alex and Poppy are two quite different characters. Poppy is an extrovert blogger who writes for a New York travel magazine, Alex is a quieter guy. They’ve been friends for years and take an annual holiday together, a different city each year. Poppy realises she’s falling for Alex, but will he reciprocate? Half the pleasure of this book is visiting the various places with them. The story flips backwards and forwards in time, which is confusing at times, but it’s good fun.

Really fun easy reading, perfect for a day off work! It reset and recharged me, bit of lighthearted fun which we all need right now!

I received a free ebook version of this book through Netgalley. Thankyou to both Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this! My review still honest.

It's been a little while since I read this book as most of my reading and reviewing was put on hold while I finished up university. This one wasn't that memorable for me, so this review will be relatively short, but it wasn't bad! I remember it being cute and very romantic, but just not to my personal romance tastes.

This story follows Poppy and Alex, two best friends with a tradition of an annual vacation. It alternates chapters between present day, and previous vacations. It's very much a long journey kind of romance, with a lot of context and plot. You spend a lot of the book learning about their history and piecing together what has happened between them. This would appeal to a reader looking for a very fluffy, cute sort of romance and leans very rom-com/chick-lit to me.

I did like the characters and the setting, but I wasn't a fan of the chapters in the past. It's just not something I like in most books, but especially romance. This is personal preference of course, but it did mean I preferred some chapters to others. I also prefer a lot more spice in my romances, and I didn't really get that from this one. The travel aspect was really fun and will definitely appeal to a lot of people. It was a really cool idea, and was executed well. I also think it does a good job showing realistic, failed relationships.

If I could sum this up, it would be that it was a solid, fluffy romance, but just not my personal taste!

3.5:5 rounded up 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦: 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜.𝘒. 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳. 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘗𝘌𝘖𝘗𝘓𝘌 𝘞𝘌 𝘔𝘌𝘌𝘛 𝘖𝘕 𝘝𝘈𝘊𝘈𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 🇺🇸⁣
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Two best friends, a decade of summer trips... and one last chance to fall in love. Meet Poppy and Alex ... which feels like When Harry met Sally - on vacation 😂⁣
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What I Loved:⁣
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✨ The dual timelines, really getting the character development 👌🏻 We go back and forth from all their holidays together to present day⁣
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✨ Humour, it made me laugh out loud so many times! Alex and Poppy’s witty banter was just SO MUCH FUN.⁣
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✨ With no one really travelling right now... it was great to get lost in some “Arm chair travel” 🌍⁣
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🚨 Contemporary Romance lovers - you’ll want to add this to your summer TBR! Out next week in the US/July in the U.K.⁣

You and Me On Vacation by Emily Henry / Alex and Poppy are friends for life and their friendship is genuine, life long and ever lasting!

Thank you @penguinrandomhouse and @netgalley for the #gifted galley in exchange of my honest review!

Alex and Poppy are poles apart, he is laid back, book loving guy and she is a whirlwind, of emotions. He likes to stay in, she is the most outgoing person! He is tall, she is short!! Their friendship starts with a car ride from school to back home for summer break and it grows into this amazing, always there for each other types of closeness.

They take summer trips every year for last 10 years. It was a treat to visit so many beautiful destinations through this story!! They both messed up big time during their trip but to Croatia, 2 years back and haven’t talked to each since then. Poppy misses her best friend and tries to convince him to take one last trip together to Palm Springs! Pick up this book to read if Poppy finds her long lost friend back or does their friendship change into something else or do they part ways for good?

Emily Henry is my auto buy author and I thoroughly devour her writing style and stories. This book felt so close to heart as I felt connected to Poppy and Alex at so many different levels of their friendship. I trusty enjoyed the best friends to lovers trope, where the chemistry between the characters is so genuine!

For all the romcom fans out there, this book released on May 11th, so hurry, get your copy today!!

You and Me on Vacation follows Poppy and Alex, two best friends who have taken a summer trip together every year, until two years ago when things went wrong. They haven't spoken in the two years since the eventful trip, but Poppy is determined to get their friendship back on track with one more summer trip.

I adored Beach Read, Emily Henry's 2020 release, so was excited to pick this one up. I was sure nothing could beat Beach Read, which received so much well deserved hype last year, but somehow I loved You and Me on Vacation even more.

Poppy and Alex had a really great friendship, full of fun and hilarious banter. I loved their friendship from the first page and loved getting to see their friendship develop through the flashbacks to previous summers. I also enjoyed getting to see them repair their relationship and develop it further as the present day timeline continued. It was a really sweet friends-to-lovers romance, with a lot of heart and two characters who you could tell genuinely cared so much for one another. I often find it difficult in friends-to-lovers romances to understand what kept the friends together for so long. However, this was not the case with this book. I found myself fearing for their friendship as they became closer, making it easy for me to accept their reasoning for never being together previously.

Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the travel aspect. We get to see Poppy and Alex take various summer trips throughout the book and I loved getting to travel with them. With not being able to travel with the current situation in the world, getting to escape to other places through books is even more special. It was a lot of fun to see some of the adventures these friends had in a lot of different beautiful locations.

One thing that has remained consistent from Beach Read, my first and only other read from this author, is the writing. Emily Henry is such a talented author and I fell in love with her all over again while reading this book. It was both laugh-out-loud funny and incredibly heartwarming all at once. I laughed and cried with these characters and found myself completely and utterly invested in their journey.

I adored this book and I can't wait to see what Emily Henry does next.

When I saw the email in my inbox to be a part of this blog tour, I couldn’t believe it! It was such a pleasure to read this book. Emily Henry has such a great way of adding incredible depth to her characters and stories. Beach Read last year was such a shining star in a bleak and sucky time. I didn't think it was possible, but I may have enjoyed this even more...

Friends-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites because I love to see a strong bond turn into something more. This was not only a friends-to-lovers, but also an opposites attract. Poppy and Alex could not be more different, but they compliment each other so nicely and you can really see that as we follow them from college through their 20's. Poppy was a firecracker free spirit who couldn't be tied down by the constraints of school, but once she knew what she wanted to do in life, she worked extremely hard to build her brand and career. Alex was quiet, reserved, and basically lived in school, but when his mother died when he was young and his dad couldn't hack it, he stepped up to be a pseudo-father to his three younger brothers.

As they got older, their type of relationship started to shift—it grew up with them. It was such a treat to slowly see how their relationship strengthened over their trips each summer. They didn’t have that romantic chemistry right off the bat, but their platonic chemistry was so on point, and it stayed that way throughout the entire book, no matter what their status was. I could read their banter all day long.

I would read Emily Henry's grocery lists. If you loved Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation will blow you away.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Emily Henry’s Beach Read last year and I was delighted when I was approved for her latest romance. I knew it would get me in the mood for a lovely long summer break too, so I couldn’t wait to dive in!

Poppy and Alex met 12 years ago and didn’t exactly hit it off immediately. A year later, they find themselves sharing a ride home from college and they realise that perhaps there’s more to each other than they originally thought. A solid friendship forms and they promise each other a vacation together every year until a fateful trip to Croatia, where lines are crossed and they stop speaking. Two years later, Poppy is looking for a new source of excitement and contacts Alex again. Could one last trip change everything once again?

Poppy is a travel journalist, who loves re-creating herself and experiencing a different version of life everywhere she ends up. She is a deep empath with emotions that certainly run high and it’s these traits that mean she can’t shake Alex. She is constantly searching for something else and I spent the majority of the narrative willing her to realise that she has already found everything she needs in Alex Nilsen.

Some of the writing really did take my breath away. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to meet someone who just fits you so well, you’ll instantly recognise them in so many passages in this book. That overwhelming feeling of comfort and safety when you slot easily into their arms is such a wonderful thing to experience and I really appreciated the opportunity to re-live it through Emily Henry’s writing.

I certainly fell in love with Alex very quickly. He’s a smart, bookish, soft boy and really, what is there not to love? He is perhaps the kind of romantic hero, who doesn’t quite conform to the stereotype but who somehow DOES conform to the stereotype. There are points where he gets a little aloof and brooding. As the eldest of four boys who lost their mother at a very young age, he has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders but he lights up whenever Poppy is near. He’s funny, thoughtful and wonderfully loyal to her and I constantly wanted to give him the strength to confess his feelings to her.

Both Poppy and Alex assume that they want completely different futures. Perhaps at the beginning of their friendship, this is true but Poppy’s inability to shake her feelings for Alex causes her to re-consider what she really wants. Is it a jetset lifestyle free of ties or is it actually just Alex? I think the two year hiatus of their friendship was essential to Poppy finding the answer to this, which is an indication that even apparent mistakes are vital to setting us on the right path.

Overall, You and Me On Vacation is wonderfully romantic. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book where two characters have a love that is so all-encompassing and obsessive. It felt like fairytale love but not in the sense that it was unachievable. I guess that’s the magic of Henry’s talent for writing both eternal friendships, intoxicating romantic relationships and those rare connections that are both of those things.

As well as being a rollercoaster of a love story, You And Me On Vacation is about finding your place, your person and your path. Readers who have experienced true magical love will be able to revel in the beauty of their relationships but it also serves as hope for anyone who is yet to find it. Emily Henry is a master at writing witty banter and the dialogue is fantastically realistic, making the characters jump right off the page. It’s a heartwarming, dreamy summer romance for anyone with wanderlust and a penchant for enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers tropes.

I was a little slow at the beginning to connecting with the characters, but when I did, oh boy. I absolutely loved this book. It was an exquisite slow burn and portrayed friends to lovers in the best way. I am only a friends to lovers fan if it’s done right and this one made it so believable.

Poppy is lost and confused and not happy in her life even though she’s got what she’s always wanted. I loved watching her growth and her struggles and that she’s trying so hard.

I loved Alex so much. He knows what he wants, but life hasn’t been simple for him and he is just a sweet, reserved guy, who you see open up. Loved him.

I adored that they were complete opposites of each other, but are best friends and hold on to that friendship for so long! The chemistry was incredible, it just built and built and built!

It does like a flashback countdown to a vacation that is spoken very vaguely of, but you know it’s crucial, and I loved that. I loved seeing how they developed and grew and changed over the years.

They were so fun and hilarious. The banter was awesome, the snark and sass and their little inside jokes, it was all so great. There was also emotion and heartbreak and parts you felt in your soul.

If you are a friends to lovers, lover then this book is for you!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I received an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You and Me on Vacation (also known as People We Meet on Vacation) is the latest adult novel from Emily Henry and it is an excellent friends to lovers romance (with a hint of sick bed scene and only one bed)!

The synopsis is widely available, but briefly this book follows close friends Poppy and Alex who live apart from each other but go on one big holiday each year, until there was a big falling out two years earlier- in Croatia.

I loved this book and I absolutely flew through it. Their story and friendship is shown through a duel timeline- present day (without Covid) and with flashbacks to their earlier holidays leading up to the big fall out. I always enjoy reading duel timelines and I thought it was done very well here. Even though there were many different events/holidays covered, it was easy to follow and each trip added more facets to their character and a greater insight into them as people.

I enjoyed seeing how different Poppy and Alex were to each other whilst still having such a strong connection and I also loved that we got to learn about Poppy and Alex as friends rather than just ‘will they/won’t they’. In this case the slow-burn of their romance worked really well as the chemistry was there all along and didn’t feel forced.

Overall, I just really enjoyed this book and I thought it was a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Henry is one of my favourite romantic comedy authors. She never fails to deliver. So if you're looking for the perfect Staycation read, this is it!

Poppy and Alex meet on their first day at university and Do Not Get On, but that doesn't matter because they'll never see each other again, right? Wrong! When Poppy's friend manages to blag her a lift back home at the end of the year with someone who lives in the same town, guess who it is? Alex. By the time they reach their home town they've developed a friendship of sorts and agree to go on a summer vacation with each other.

A few years later Alex is a teacher, happy to stay in the dead-end town where they grew up. Poppy, however, cannot wait to travel the world. The blog she writes, detailing her experiences, becomes such a success she's offered a job at a famous travel magazine. Soon she and Alex are taking holidays all around the world at the magazine's expense. Until one summer, she and Alex fall out. For two years they don't even speak until she accidentally texts him, one text leads to another, and they've agreed to go on one last holiday together...

You and Me on Vacation takes familiar romantic tropes like enemies-to-friends and opposites-attract and puts a wholly original and modern spin on them. The laughs come thick and fast, the banter between the characters is whip-smart, and the sexual tension fairly crackles off the page. Poppy is adorable, I loved her eccentric family, and Alex is a complete sweetheart.

Verdict? You and Me on Vacation is completely brilliant, I absolutely loved it and I am sure you will too! One of my favourite reads this year.

You and Me on Vacation will be published in ebook on 11th May 2021 and in paperback on 8th July 2021



Thank you to Emily Henry and Penguin for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

You and Me On Vacation is the perfect summer read, packed with incredible getaways, exotic destinations, and a sweet romance.

Poppy and Alex are unlikely best friends. She's a laid-back travel writer with a serious case of wanderlust and a vibrant vintage wardrobe. He's an uptight teacher who loves nothing more than being alone with his cat and a good book. They are both intriguing and interesting, yet they have very little in common.

This sets the stage for a 'will they, won't they' story that is as heartbreaking as it is heart-warming. From their funny in-jokes to more tender moments, it's clear that these two are perfect for each other. Despite their differences, it seems that sometimes opposites really do attract! The question is, though, will Poppy and Alex eventually find that out for themselves?

The book is told across a period of twelve years. It flicks between the present and past summer holidays, weaving the tale of Poppy and Alex's friendship - and the start of something more. Spanning multiple countries and cities as well as just years, this could easily be confusing, but it works extremely well.

This is a sweet story filled with enviable travel destinations and colourful characters. From a luxurious Tuscan villa to a questionable Canadian water taxi ride, this book follows Poppy and Alex all over the globe. In a time when overseas travel is not possible, living vicariously through their adventures definitely helps to scratch the itch!

This is a gorgeous, light read ideal for summer reading. I defy anyone not to root for Poppy and Alex!

Beneath the delicious 'will they or won't they' trope, is a story about growing up, being true to yourself, and not relying on someone else to fix your life. It's a book that made me laugh, cry and turn the last page feeling like I was enveloped in a lovely warm hug. (The fact that I could vicariously go on numerous holidays with the pair during the Covid pandemic was an added bonus).

Alex and Poppy are such great characters, who really came alive for me. Neither is perfect and each have their own insecurities and challenges to address, which only made me love them more. Spread over a period of ten years, mixing past and present, allowed an insight to each character as they matured from student to adult with real responsibilities. Their fun and carefree friendship develops into something much deeper, and, whilst frustrating, I could completely understand why neither would want to jeopardise this by admitting their romantic feelings for the other.

Emily Henry is now on my list of 'must read' authors, and I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

This delightful rom-com may seems like a typical friends-to-lovers story but it is author Emily Henry’s clever and insightful writing that makes this book so good. The dialogue is often very funny and the people Poppy and Alex meet during their vacations are very entertaining. The story will also tug at your heart as Poppy and Alex come to terms with their own pains and struggles.

If this sounds a bit like the movie When Harry Met Sally, the author notes that You and Me on Vacation is an homage to one of her favorite romantic comedies.