I absolutely loved this book, it was a light-hearted, romantic read. Following the lives of Poppy and Alex and their connection. The beginning I found myself laughing in places as Emily Henry just had the chemistry perfect and the whole 'trying to ignore feelings' was spot on.

I loved Alex and Poppy and their relationship, it was bitter sweet coming to the end of the book and I was sad to sad to say goodbye to them, sometimes I found myself wanting more but I do think it ended perfectly.

Emily has a beautiful way with words and the way she writes about the characters feelings, thoughts and how it was portrayed was spot on.

Thank you Emily and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC!

This is a good lovers rom-com chic-lit book and a good book to read on vacation. I don't want to give too much away, but there are some characters when you think how slow can they be to see the obvious!
But it is well written and takes the reader to some good locations.
and as with any beach read has a good romantic ending.

I'm not a huge romance reader but I read Beach Read last year and thought it was very different and I loved it. This was also super fun and would make the perfect summer read! I thought the characters were typical but I enjoyed the banter and friendship between them. I was getting When Harry Met Sally vibes especially with the college driving home chapter. As a lover of travel and someone who hasn't been able to travel because of covid, I really liked the flashbacks to past trips and it was interesting to see what Poppy and Alex got up to. I think this is a really fun book to get your mind off the negativity at the moment and made me wish it was summer!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC of this book.

I read and really enjoyed ‘Beach Read’ by the same author last year. I think she is very skilled at writing chemistry between characters and describing how people can move from an initial dislike of someone to a deep love.

Those skills are also evident is her new book and it is another fun, easy read. However, I didn’t quite enjoy this book as much as her previous book. The chemistry between the central couple, Poppy and Alex, is wonderful but too much of their relationship is based on misunderstandings which could be cleared up with one good conversation. Obviously, this trope is present in most romantic fiction, but I do find it particularly frustrating to read. In this book it means it takes 12 years for the main couple to get together, which seems like such a huge waste of time and opportunities, so I couldn’t be entirely on board with it.

I did really enjoy reading about the holiday destinations in this book. Especially, at the moment when we barely leave our village, it’s wonderful to satisfy a bit of wanderlust through reading.

Loved this! It's really cute and heart-warming and the characters are very likeable, yet distinct. Am off to find other books by the same author.

I loved this book, I am new to Emily Henry’s writing and she did not disappoint! First off I love all the characters in this book, I really felt a connection with the way Poppy was demonstrating her emotions. The relationship between Alex and Poppy was amazing yet unpredictable and the retelling of the holidays they had been on brought back brilliant memories of places I had visit ted and made me want to travel to those places. I never guessed what was coming next. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions, which had me laughing, crying and cringing. I was so determined for their relationship to blossom throughout. As soon as I had to book this book down I wanted to pick it back up again to see what would happen next.

Thanks to the author, penguin and netgalley for allowing me to access this ARC.

This is my second book from this author and I found it just as enjoyable as the first. I personally felt the pace dropped a little around the middle of the book but soon picked up again and was back ontrack . I’d happily recommend

I read Beach Read last year and I did enjoy it but it didn't blow me away, this one, however... WOW! That's all I can say. A book about travel was always going to be right up my street but a slowburn friends to lovers story about travel. I was positively OBSESSED! The relationship between these two characters was so raw and honest and you were truly rooting for them from the very beginning. I related so hard to the character of Poppy too, like way too hard, there were moments when I genuinely thought that Emily Henry had been spying on me with how accurate some of these seemingly random character traits were to my life and I loved exploring the world through her eyes. I also think Alex Nilsen may be the new literary love of my life. I'm just so so so in love with this story and I probably shouldn't be typing this at midnight but that's when you get my most honest thoughts. I just have so much love for this book and I can already see it being one of my favourites of the year!

loved it from first to last page . I would like to have a guy - girl friendship like Alex and Poppy had . The love they share for each other . They are the complete opposite but they make it work . It has many funny scenes but also i cried few times .
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Henry strikes romance gold again with YOU AND ME ON VACATION -- a fun, escapist, summer romp. After last year's BEACH READ I was very excited for her next release, and while I don't love this one quite as much, I was not disappointed. It holds a lot of similar qualities, and even leans into some similar tropes, so if you enjoyed one you're sure to enjoy the other too.

YOU AND ME ON VACATION particularly leans into the way that being on holiday allows us to feel like different and more adventurous people, but 12 times over, over 12 summers. The reader really get to know Poppy and Alex, both as they grow as people across the span of their 20s, and in their relationship to each other. Their dynamic feels true, and evokes both the comfort of close friends, and the tension of the unspoken possibility of something more. It's a delicious dynamic to watch unfold before your eyes, with all the ups and downs that you'd expect. Henry flashes between the present summer and past summers in a creative and tension building way, as we wait to find out what went wrong 2 summers ago: what could possibly have happened to take Poppy and Alex from spending every summer together, to not speaking at all.

While I understood what Poppy was feeling, I found some aspects of her so-called "millennial ennui" annoying and rather privileged. I get that the message was that it's not until you get everything you thought you wanted that you realise it may not have been what you really wanted at all; that life's about *the journey*; that confronting what you really want can be difficult and often requires compromise -- and yet something didn't quite sit right. However, she was still very enjoyable to read from. I related more so to Alex (well, except him being a health crazy gym bunny, and wanting to stay in his home town) in terms of personality and outlook, although neither character quite clicked for me like I wanted them to.

And yet, overall, I feel like this was exactly the novel it should have been. It's about the fun we can have on both physical and, essentially, emotional vacations; what it means when we have to come home, and finding what we want to come home to.

You and Me on Vacation was a difficult book for me. I think I liked it; I certainly really wanted to enjoy it. But I was baulked by the timeline which I found very difficult to keep a hold of. Perhaps in hard copy it would be easier but I was never entirely sure at which point in Alex and Poppy's life I was.

Poppy and Alex have been best friend since they rideshared together from university ten years ago. They have been going on holiday every year together for the "summer trip" until two years ago, when something happened and they stopped. Poppy is a writer for travel magazine which was her dream job but recently, she isn't happy anymore. Last time she truly was happy was during her last "summer trip" with Alex. So to try to find herself and her happiness back, she organise one last trip with Alex. This was an enjoyable book, perfect as a summer romance book. The previous summer trips were one chapter every few chapter of this summer and we can see the friendship of Poppy and Alex develop. It was a bit slow at the beginning but got better halfway through.

2 SUMMERS AGO: Poppy and Alex meet. They hate each other and are pretty confident they'll never speak again.

11 SUMMERS AGO: They're forced to share a ride home from college and by the end of it a friendship is formed. And a pact: every year, one vacation together.

10 SUMMERS AGO: Alex discovers his fear of flying on the way to Vancouver.
Poppy holds his hand the whole way.

7 SUMMERS AGO: They get far too drunk and narrowly avoid getting matching tattoos in New Orleans.

2 SUMMERS AGO: It all goes wrong.

THIS SUMMER: Poppy asks Alex to join her on one last trip. A trip that will determine the rest of their lives.

This is a perfect Rom-com, easy and light-hearted read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, loved getting to know the characters and their development Overall, this is a book that made me laugh and smile! This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

When I read Beach Read last year, I fell in love. It was easy to read, comedic, romantic but serious at the same time.
Emily Henry has blown it out of the park again with You and Me on Vacation.
Transportive, addictive, feel good, tear jerking, belly laughing, binge-worthy, slow burn romance. I devoured every page.
This was the most intense slow burn I’ve ever read but my god was it good! It was worth it! Instantly, I loved Poppy. She’s so likeable, down to earth and funny. Then Alex came along and I loved that he’s the opposite, he’s withdrawn, quiet and very serious... apart from when he’s with Poppy.
I lived for their dynamic, their inside jokes, their friendship, how deeply they care for each other. They have such a beautiful relationship and I found it all the more powerful that it was beautiful, but not perfect.
They’re each fighting their own demons, they’re both struggling. It was honest and raw and I loved every second.

A slow-burning beauty! I was apprehensive when I first started this one as the style is quite unique, but I eventually thoroughly enjoyed it. The premise, writing and characters were interesting and good food for thought too. Having read this novel, I’m definitely going to read “Standard Deviation” too, as I’m very much converted to Heiny!

After having read Beach Read, I was intrigued to read Emily Henry's new book, and I was not disappointed. I would even say, that I enjoyed this new novel more than her debut.
It was super easy to get into the book and I basically flew through the pages because I was hooked. I was hooked on the story and the characters. I wanted to know what had happened between Alex and Poppy that led to them not talking anymore. To be honest...the reason wasn't very surprising, but it did fit the story so I'm not disappointed about it. I really like the way the story was told through a dual timeline and we get a glimpse into every summer trip Alex and Poppy took while, at the same time, following them both as they get in touch again and are on their most recent summer trip.
The pacing of the story was almost perfect. Just in the second half I was a little bit bored for some time, but that changed rather quickly again. My biggest complaint though, is, that for the most time in the 'This Summer' timeline, I didn't feel the chemistry between Alex and Poppy. I really liked them both as characters and I loved seeing their growth, especially towards the end of the novel, but for a long time I felt like the spark was missing. Or at least the spark didn't reach me as a reader. By the end, I was in love with their relationship and I can totally see why they are perfect for each other, but I wish I had felt that before so I would've rooted for them from the very beginning.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I cannot wait for Emily Henry's next novel. I have a feeling that she's the type of author who's going to keep improving!

This is an enjoyable read, a good distraction from real life. It tells the story of Poppy and Alex as their relationship changes over the years.
The characters are likeable and you are willing them to get together as they clearly adore each other but as with any romance, the true course never runs smooth.
I could see this book translating well into a film as it has the perfect formula of sexual tension, lost moments and regret.
This will be a great beach read, even if that may be Hastings rather than Honolulu

Two friends. 10 summer trips. You And Me on Vacation follows best friends Poppy and Alex, who make a pact, every year to spend one vacation together. We follow them on trips to Vancouver when Alex discovered his fear of flying, get very drunk but manage to talk each other out of matching tattoos in New Orleans. Then there’s one summer where it all goes wrong. And then there’s now. A final trip that will determine the rest of their lives.

Oh my goodness do they or don’t they make it? This is another fantastic read. If you loved Beach Read then you’ll love this one too.

It kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. I really enjoyed it.

10 years, 10 years Poppy and Alex have loved each other, it’s not rocket science, everyone can see it. They are in love with each other! However, they are not compatible, not right for each other for marriage or children, well so they think and they don’t want to ruin a friendship by going a step too far, so they keep it platonic.

Henry keeps you wondering, wishing and hoping that these two come to their senses and get together, all in all they are made for each other. Don’t opposites attract?

They have an amazing friendship, which plays around with your emotions and their trips brought back some great memories. Henry gets across their sexual chemistry with ease.

I smiled, I laughed, I cried, I cringed and couldn’t help myself taking deep breaths at times and screaming out loud 🤣🤣🤣 and there were a few ‘oh my goodness’ moments.

TBH the first half of the book sets the scene and it doesn’t really get to the nitty gritty until the second half, I didn’t mind this as it was such an easy and enjoyable read.

This is fun and interesting, real and believable and I loved all of the characters. The backstory, going from the past to the present day worked too.

Quote:

“And that was what I set out to write in this book. Two characters with no obvious reason to like each other, let alone love each other. Two people with so little in common that romance never seemed to be on the table, and thus friendship could blossom. That once-in-a-lifetime kind of true, bone-deep, unconditional friendship that becomes such a part of your DNA that you could never feel quite like yourself again without it. Alex and Poppy, Poppy and Alex.”

And that’s what Henry achieved. 👏👏👏

Thank you Viking Books, Penguin Random House, NetGalley and Emily Henry for this ARC provided in exchange for my unbiased review.

You and Me on Vacation was a lovely way to experience a vicarious twenty-something life without having to leave the comfort of my armchair...or my thirties. I really enjoyed travelling from place to place as the story unfolded and felt a real warmth towards the two main characters and the lives that are unfolding in front of them.

Poppy, the protagonist, is fun, vulnerable and relatable and Alex comes across as a gentle giant; you're rooting for them both from the beginning. My favourite element of this book was definitely the witty banter between them. You feel like an insider to their jokes and I really did laugh out loud at some points.

The only reason I didn't give five stars was the pace; I'm impatient and I just wanted the romance to move a little more quickly! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for their next summer romance book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Emily Henry and Penguin for the advanced reader copy.

Oh I loved this book ! I read it in a day. Poppy and Alex are friends from college and over the years spend vacations together as friends - I kept thinking of When Harry Met Sally ( fab film!) I loved Poppy and Alex, its a real page turner and I enjoyed hearing all of their backstory to their vacations as each chapter unfolded. The best of it all for me is the humor! I haven't laughed out loud when reading a book in ages !