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A review by aplace_inthesun
You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’d heard bits and pieces about You and Me On Vacation otherwise known as The People You Meet on Vacation so I looked forward to reading this over the summer, having picked this up on Black Friday. It’s the first Emily Henry book I’ve read.
Told in alternating time lines from the present and then the alternate being 12 summers ago, back to 10, 9 etc. essentially it gives a chronological history of the life of Poppy and Alex’s friendship/ relationship. They initially meet 12 years prior in college, don’t have much to do with one another until they rideshare to their home town, after which they become friends and decide to holiday once a year together. Over the years they go no frills or high end due to Poppy’s job as a writer for a travel magazine.
10 holidays in and things got awkward, there’s no contact for 2 years until Poppy hits a crossroad in her life and (accidentally) reaches out to Alex, who has been on her mind for … 2 years! And funnily enough, she’s been on his, albeit in a beige sort of secure, wear like a favourite coat kind of way.
This is an almighty slow burn romance. Remember …. They took nearly 12 years to get to close to acknowledgement of feelings. I struggled a bit with this yet found the meandering through their holidays bittersweet and so nostalgic. You get to know Alex well and I appreciated him all the more. In that stable, small town sexy science teacher kind of way.
Poppy, well she grew on me. She’s a bit flighty, struggles having been bullied in high school, has never really gotten past it, and won’t settle. She’s a bit immature albeit … adult Poppy, you’re an adult. I teetered in thinking she was taking the easy option with Alex and at times thought he deserved way more.
It was a story you could invest in for sure, the further you read. Best cameo to Alex’s brother and his husband. Loved them beyond belief.
Told in alternating time lines from the present and then the alternate being 12 summers ago, back to 10, 9 etc. essentially it gives a chronological history of the life of Poppy and Alex’s friendship/ relationship. They initially meet 12 years prior in college, don’t have much to do with one another until they rideshare to their home town, after which they become friends and decide to holiday once a year together. Over the years they go no frills or high end due to Poppy’s job as a writer for a travel magazine.
10 holidays in and things got awkward, there’s no contact for 2 years until Poppy hits a crossroad in her life and (accidentally) reaches out to Alex, who has been on her mind for … 2 years! And funnily enough, she’s been on his, albeit in a beige sort of secure, wear like a favourite coat kind of way.
This is an almighty slow burn romance. Remember …. They took nearly 12 years to get to close to acknowledgement of feelings. I struggled a bit with this yet found the meandering through their holidays bittersweet and so nostalgic. You get to know Alex well and I appreciated him all the more. In that stable, small town sexy science teacher kind of way.
Poppy, well she grew on me. She’s a bit flighty, struggles having been bullied in high school, has never really gotten past it, and won’t settle. She’s a bit immature albeit … adult Poppy, you’re an adult. I teetered in thinking she was taking the easy option with Alex and at times thought he deserved way more.
It was a story you could invest in for sure, the further you read. Best cameo to Alex’s brother and his husband. Loved them beyond belief.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying and Death of parent