People We Meet on Vacation (2021) follows Poppy and Alex, two polar-opposite best friends. She’s based in New York City, living her dream as a travel blogger, while he’s rooted in their small hometown, working as a high school English teacher. For 10 years, they have shared one wonderful summer vacation together each year — until an incident two years ago, left them completely out of touch. This year, stuck in a rut, Poppy reaches out to Alex for one last summer trip — and maybe one last chance to address the elephant in the middle of their friendship.
I had so much fun with this book. The timeline jumps between the present and past vacations. Non-linear storytelling certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely mine. Henry used the non-linear storyline to show the reader how this long friendship has progressed and built the tension and mystery behind what went wrong. There is a fair amount of travel description throughout the book, which can feel repetitive. But when it came to their vacation on Vancouver Island, I loved the way British Columbia was portrayed.
As much as I was entranced by the characters and their relationship, they make some truly infuriating choices — the kind that make me nod in sympathy to those who finish the book disliking them. The collateral damage of their relationship on those around them was hefty, and I would have liked to see more consequences and a better apology — they got off way too easy.
Still, their chemistry had me entranced — the emotion and banter and little hints of more had me doing something I haven’t done in a while: binge reading. I paid for this book not just when I bought it, but also in caffeine after pulling an all-nighter reading it. I think that is the way to go with this book. The timeline is short, the conflict unfolds slowly, and the stakes don’t really change, so reading it over a longer period of time might feel like a drag. Set aside an afternoon or evening for this read.
What stood out for me the most was the emotional depth of these characters — entirely human and not without fault or relatability. The story is told from Poppy’s perspective, and as we get toward the end, we see more of her internal conflict. It put words to issues I wasn’t expecting to think about, and I finished this book with a tear-streaked face.
This made me all the more excited for the movie adaptation. The cast features Emily Bader and Tom Blyth in the lead roles, and is set to release on Netflix on Jan. 9, 2026.
What I will be looking for in this adaptation is a rom-com with a genuine heart. The book made me laugh and blush and cry, it was unashamedly hopeful, human, and fun. I can accept changes to plot and superficial details if the movie stays true to that spirit. Which I am hopeful about, as when speaking about the project, Henry said that since watching the first cut, she’s existed in a state of peace and excitement. Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar about the project, she commented that the story explores how trying to stay guarded can lead to isolation.
“At its core, this movie and the book are about how easy it is to be lonely when we want to protect ourselves … I want people to leave knowing that they’re not too much, they’re not too little — they’re just right — and the people who are meant to be in their lives will accept and love the amounts that they are.”
This book came to me at a time when I needed it. It spoke to issues I had recognized, and exposed ones I didn’t. It was an escape and it was a reflection; a door into another world and a mirror to look internally. For lack of a better term, it speaks to me.
