Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

Review:

The thing I miss most during this pandemic is travelling. I love seeing new places, eating new foods, and meeting new people.  So I was very drawn to travel writer Poppy, one of the main characters in, People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry.  She has my dream job as a professional travel writer!  But when she, herself, goes on vacation, she travels on the cheap with her male friend from college, Alex.  This novel is an ode to the movie, When Harry Met Sally.  Can male and female friends be "just friends"?  Given how deeply they connect with each other, you can guess where this goes.  This was a really fun, romantic novel, and the perfect summer read.

What I Liked:

Vacation Theme:

This book is a celebration of that freedom we all feel on vacation.  Vacations are an escape from our "real" lives.  We eat all the food we've denied ourselves, laugh more easily, and flirt with strangers.  I liked that there were a variety of different types of vacations.  Some of Poppy and Alex's trips were super touristy, where they see every kitschy tourist trap and do every stereotypical vacation activity one can imagine.  Other trips were more about relaxing and getting to know people.  Each time they met they learned to appreciate each other more and more. They were really good together.  But, if they were around each other every day, would they still get along so well?  Or was the magic of their relationship based on the ease one creates on vacation? 

Characters:

Poppy is a woman who knows what she wants.  She strives for the freedom of travel, and doesn't want anything that will tie her down, particularly having children.  Alex is the exact opposite.  He craves  having the ideal family life with a wife and children.  As the book progresses, we learn the reasons behind this.  But they also have a lot in common.  They come from the same area of Ohio, share a similar sense of humor, and are open to learn from each other.

Of the supporting characters, I really liked Poppy's glamorous boss, Swapna.  This is a strong woman who mentors Poppy in her career, even though she is rather intimidating.  I loved a scene where Swapna tells Poppy to stop apologizing for missing work, pointing out that her male colleagues would never feel the need to do that.  We all need this kind of support in our professional life!  

Throughout the book, Poppy and Alex meet a variety of wonderful characters on their trips.  Shopkeepers who give them discounts for pretending to be newlyweds, friendly older couples enjoying life, as well as free spirits, dot the landscape of their journeys.  This is one of the joys of travelling that I love.

Story:

The story is a celebration of friendship, travel and romance.  Poppy and Alex's friendship is unlikely, at first.  But over the years, from college, to first jobs and first romances to becoming more established, Poppy and Alex grow to depend on each other.  Both of them are attracted to each other, but they also don't want to ruin their friendship (Harry and Sally, meet Alex and Poppy).  Over the years the sexual tension builds as they see each other through other relationships.  There are misunderstandings, and almost declarations that keep the reader wondering (hoping) if they'll ever get together.

But the story also brought up some questions for Poppy and Alex that were uncomfortable.  Why is Alex so attached to his family?  Why does Poppy feel the need to get as far away from their small town as possible?  Are they each other's escape, or are they each other's destiny?

What I Was Mixed About:

Sex on the Page:

Sorry, but I am not a fan of graphic sex scenes in books.  That's just my personal preference.    I think since the whole story is a build upon , "will they, or won't they", it was understandable that there would be the big sex moment.  I still loved this book.  But, if you're looking for a "clean" romance, you might want to skip this novel.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date: May 11th, 2021

Author:  Emily Henry

Publisher:  Berkley Books

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Page Length:  384 pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  A fun reminder of why we love vacations!  This would make a great summer read.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They're polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She'll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he'll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

Review:

This novel was a selection from my bookclub.  We were searching for something fun, and a bit escapist, given the times we're in.  And this book fit the bill.  This was romantic, fun, and also quite lovely in its exploration of forgiveness and second chances.

What I Liked:

Setting:

I love books set in a small town.  This book had all the elements I love.  There were several fun side characters, people in the community who you'd want to get to know.  I also enjoyed the sense of community you get in a small town.  

Supporting Characters:

The people who inhabited it were supportive, but also had their own struggles and complicated relationships to deal with.  These were fully-formed characters I grew to love.  I especially liked the owner of the bookstore.  She was fun, loving, and ready to arrange book events, and give reading recommendations.

Main Characters:

Gus and January are writers who each have a chip on their shoulder.  They knew each other in college, each secretly attracted to the other.  But their competitive natures stood in the way of them making a substantial connection.

When they meet later in life, January still is seething with professional jealousy and perceived slights from Gus.  Gus is smarting from a breakup. Their relationship builds slowly with plenty of misunderstanding along the way.

Story:

When both writers suffer from writer's block, they challenge each other to write a book in the other's genre.  This was so fun to see how each of the writers approach their research and develop their stories.  As an aspiring writer, I loved the "inside baseball" aspect of the story.

Themes:

The book, aside from a lovely romance, also explores themes of forgiveness and second chances.  January is reeling from the news that her father had a long-term mistress, complete with another house (the one by the lake).  Everything she thought she knew about their parents comes into question.  As she idealized their marriage, it's a shock to realize her parents were complicated, imperfect people. Can she forgive (or at least understand) her father?

Gus had a huge crush on January in college.  She (of course) had no idea.  But before he can jump into a relationship with her, he needs to find a way to trust women again.  His ex cheated on him, and this makes him more reserved than he would normally be.  But January interprets this in the worst way.  Does he really like her or is this just a quick fling?  Gus needs to open up or risk losing January.

What I Was Mixed About:

Cover & Title:

We had a lively discussion in our book club over the title and the cover of this book.  We agreed that both were rather misleading.  This book takes place in a lakeside community.  The characters go to the lake (the beach?) briefly only twice in the book.  I felt it seemed to be a marketing gimmick.  Plus many of the subjects of the book were not light.  I liked this, as it gave the book more weight.  But this is not a fluffy book.  The publisher should have presented a more accurate representation of the novel.

Sex Scenes:

I'm just putting this out there.  Everyone has their own standards for how sexy they want a book to be.  This book lived up to the "Romance" label with several super hot love scenes.  It was just short of "Mommy Porn".  So if you want (what some label) "Clean" romance, this book will not be for you. 

Rating: 

Release Date:  May 19th, 2020

Author:  Emily Henry

Publisher:  Berkely Press

Page Length:  361 Pages

Source:  Bought

Format:  Paperback Book

Recommendation:  This is a fun, romantic book that would be a nice escape from reality.