The book that will warm you up during this Autumn: People We Meet on Vacation

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry is going to make you fall in love with its slow built romance and picturesque description, the perfect atmosphere to rekindle a lost spark.

Ana Beatriz Ribeiro

Rating: 4/5 stars

There’s no better time to read this book than now, since Netflix announced in September that the cast for a People We Meet on Vacation adaptation, the first Emily Henry book to get the honour of an adaptation.

I was never a huge fan of Romance books. I had a very common misconception about these
types of books: the story didn’t change much and the ending was always the same aka the main
characters always end together. But who says that’s a bad thing?

The Premise

Poppy and Alex have been best friends since their college days, despite being complete
opposites. While Poppy was more outgoing and fun, Alex was more introverted and serious, but
they just get each other. Over the years, as life goes and they end up living in different places,
one thing that doesn’t fail are their summer trips, that they have been doing since their freshmen
days. However, a fight two years ago caused a falling out. Now, Poppy is determined to plan
one last trip to mend their broken friendship.

“Like a good book or an incredible outfit, being of vacation transports you into
another version of yourself”

Poppy, People We Meet on Vacation

I first fell in love with the structure of this book.

In between the present time in which Poppy tries to reconnect with Alex, we get a view of all
their past vacations together, from the first one, back when they were freshman’s, to the last
one, where the reader learns early on, that something not yet known caused their fall out
This structure helped the book having a natural build up to the conflict and had me in a choke
hold to know the reason behind their separation. So when the fall out in the past and the big
discussion in the present happened, both things were so full of feeling that everything just
connected in that moment altogether.

But none of that could have happen if the reader didn’t fall in love with the characters.

Of course, this is a very personal experience, in my opinion every reading experience is, and I
believe it changes according to the mood and mindset of the person reading. However, Emily
Henry did a great job presenting and writing the characters in the way that, even if I didn’t relate
or like them (and sometimes I didn’t), I still allowed myself to fall in love with their quirks and
perks.

I specially loved Poppy and Alex’s dialogues and the way they would always poke around with
each other and overall the chemistry between the contrast of their personalities that seemed to fit
so well.

The characters weren’t caricatures

Another thing I don’t like in Romance books that is very common is the narrative only
surrounding love and only that relationship’s problems. So, I really liked the aspect of the
character’s being real. Having insecurities with themselves and also having other unresolved
issues regarding other things (like, work, family, past relations…) besides their mutual
relationship.
On the other hand, I wished the characters where a bit different and, even though I didn’t
despise them they fitted in the cliché shy guy, extroverted girl, or what you might know as the
“grumpy/ sunshine” trope.

I also wished the cast of characters where more diverse, which sometimes this genre misses.

“I’ve always felt like once someone sees me deep down, that’s it. There’s something ugly in there, or unlovable, and you’re the only person who’s ever made me feel like I’m okay.”

Poppy, People We Meet on Vacation

The comedy was okay.

I genuinely thought that the book was going to be funnier, because it was presented as a book
with a Rom-Com vibe to it. So, at first, the jokes weren’t really landing to me and set me off a
bit: for example, all of the saxophone shtick, for me it came out of the blue that it did not read as
funny, and it went on for more time then what I would have liked. But as the book kept going
and I started being emerged in the narrative and started to understand more the dynamic of the
characters I started to like and understand the jokes.

Conclusion.

The reason why I enjoyed this book, despite usually not liking romance, was because I knew
what I was getting. Yes, I know in the beginning I said I didn’t like the predictable part of
Romance books, but sometimes you’re just a girl and just want to read something light, fun and
cliché.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you’re someone that’s stressed with work, school, or just daily life and you just need a break. Or the opposite, if you are already in a relaxed headspace and just want a cute story about two people learning that after all the pinning and the back and forward, they loved each-other all along.

Contemporary fiction, Romance book, Rom-com, Book review, Summer vacation reads