Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

108 reviews

blewballoon's review

adventurous emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I went into this not really being in the mood for another contemporary romance and also having heard nothing good about this book. I picked it up used a couple years ago because I knew Emily Henry was a popular author, but then everyone I talked to who has read her books said this was their least favorite. I put the audiobook on reluctantly in the car, assuming I'd probably DNF at some point, and then I found myself laughing within the first 10 minutes. I get why Emily Henry is so popular, it's deserved. There is so much texture to all of the characters and to the world that make them feel more like real people in a real place. The writing is clear and immersive. I thought the format of having the current events interspersed with the snippets from the vacations Poppy and Alex had taken over the years was done really well. Friends to Lovers is probably my favorite romance trope, and this book nailed it. The audiobook narrator was great. Can't wait to read more Emily Henry now if this is apparently the least good book?

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

bookswithlauren's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent

moriahleigh's review

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

emfield's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

dilani's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i rarely read this kind of romance, but it’s clear to me that i’ve been missing out. i was expecting not to like this book but i loved it 😭 am i in my romance era??

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Animal death and Pregnancy

heresyourletter's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Easy beach read that uses lots of contemporary romance tropes. I didn’t find it laugh out loud funny and felt some plot aspects could have been fleshed out more, but there were some witty lines that made me smile.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Pregnancy

One of the main character’s mothers passes away in childbirth before the story begins. There is discussion of how the character’s father never recovered from his grief. One main character recounts several instances of bullying from her childhood. One character is made fun of (in an unnecessarily aggressive way) by two other characters for liking reality tv. One character gets pneumonia (there is a detailed account of her illness). One minor character is described smoking marijuana. Another minor character smokes a cigarette. Lots of drinking (including one scene where the two in characters get quite drunk). A few mentions of pets that passed away. Several brief sex scenes. Occasional use of “f*ck” and other swear words.

One character has a pregnancy scare, but the tests come back negative. One character has a vasectomy. Although there is no physical cheating, the two main characters are physically affectionate and emotionally intimate, even when they are in relationships with other people. The two main characters go to therapy (separately) to work out their issues.

callistag1's review

emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Animal death, Grief, and Death of parent

karina_dreamsinwords's review

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

”home is my favorite place.”

This slow burn, friends to lovers romance filled with inside jokes, pining and tender moments was such a joy to read! I love how Emily Henry is able to create not only a beautiful love story, but one that also dives into more meaningful topics such as therapy and grief.

I actually loved the back and forth dual timeline aspect and getting to see how their friendship blossomed over the years and the current day chapters showing the aftereffects of their fractured relationship with Poppy & Alex finding their way back to each other.

I just can’t wait to pick up more from EH❤️

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death

daniofthewood's review

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, and Mental illness

pantslint's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is by far the funniest fucking book by Emily Henry, and ultimately my favorite. The friendship between Poppy and Alex is so well-written; their dialogue reads so authentically as people who've known each other for over a decade. They feel so real, with real problems and real insecurities. The sarcastic, teasing banter between them is hilarious—from callbacks of inside-joke phrases peppered throughout the book, to reminiscing about events that happened only between them. And then, the beautiful friends-to-lovers transition. Of course they should shut up and just be together already, but executing the built tension and pining is so well-done. The way the chapters alternate between past and present to build up to their romance was such a good way to drive me crazy. Like, thank you Emily Henry, but also what the fuck.

Don't get me wrong... this book made me fucking cry, too. The following is a list of quotes/moments from the book where I sobbed:

• During David and Tham's wedding, after Mr. Nilsen's speech, where Poppy narrates, "Maybe things can always get better between people who want to do a good job loving each other. Maybe that's all it takes."
• When Alex and Poppy part at the airport, and she tells him she loves him, and he says, "I love you too, Poppy... That's never been our problem." And they just have to fucking LEAVE?
• And then after that, Poppy sits alone and narrates, "For the first time in my life, the airport strikes me as the loneliest place in the world."
• When Poppy meets Sarah at the high school and apologizes to her, "I'm sorry. I wish I'd understood what I was feeling before it had a chance to hurt anyone."
• And a bunch of shit Alex said, but particularly when he tells Poppy during his big come-to-Jesus confession, "I'm afraid I won't be able to keep getting out of bed if you're gone, and if we had kids, they'd have these horrible lives where their amazing mom is gone, and their dad can't look at them."

Anyway, I can't wait to make the phrase,

"too many wine"

my entire personality for the next few weeks.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death and Pregnancy