whackettreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Sexual content
amywong's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A solid romcom story for sure. I think my liking of this book will probably grow with time. For me, my only gripe is it's longer than I'd like. I personally don't think this book needed to be this long. However, I can also see people loving Alex and Poppy more than me and love the length to spend more time in the story. I think where I differ from that scenario is that I loved the message and lessons from the story more than the characters themselves.
Alex and Poppy had clear issues that kept them in the situation they were in for 10 years. <spoilers> Alex held himself back from confessing anything despite knowing his feelings (and I personally think he knew Poppy's feelings before she even knew) due to his issues with allowing himself to be happy. I definitely related to Poppy's challenge. Like Poppy I used my education and career to get myself out of my family situation. I totally see why she made the choices she did in using travel and changing her location to solve her problems. Until she couldn't solve her problems anymore AND because what she thinks would solve her problem didn't allow her to be with Alex who she really wanted to be with. I also loved how all of this meant they hurt their other significant others, Trevor and Sarah, and that was acknowledged. Trevor less so because Poppy and him ended amicably when they bother weren't having fun anymore and realized they were better off friends.
Really enjoyed this book and hope a movie or series comes out because I would love to see this all play out on screen.
Alex and Poppy had clear issues that kept them in the situation they were in for 10 years. <spoilers> Alex held himself back from confessing anything despite knowing his feelings (and I personally think he knew Poppy's feelings before she even knew) due to his issues with allowing himself to be happy. I definitely related to Poppy's challenge. Like Poppy I used my education and career to get myself out of my family situation. I totally see why she made the choices she did in using travel and changing her location to solve her problems. Until she couldn't solve her problems anymore AND because what she thinks would solve her problem didn't allow her to be with Alex who she really wanted to be with. I also loved how all of this meant they hurt their other significant others, Trevor and Sarah, and that was acknowledged. Trevor less so because Poppy and him ended amicably when they bother weren't having fun anymore and realized they were better off friends.
Really enjoyed this book and hope a movie or series comes out because I would love to see this all play out on screen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
4.0
I wanted to read this book because I enjoyed Book Lovers. When I read Book Lovers first, everyone was saying it was much better than her previous work and I thought they were being cryptic . . . but they were right – this book was missing a spark.
This book is based on Poppy Wright. Every year for 12 years she has spent her summers with her best friend Alex Nielsen. When they met 12 years ago, they hated each other and were pretty confident they’ll never speak again. 11 years ago, they are forced to share a ride home from college and by the end of it a friendship is formed. And a pact: every year, one vacation together. 10 years ago, Poppy discovers that Alex has a fear of flying on the way to Vancouver and Poppy holds his hand the whole way. 7 years ago, they get far too drunk and narrowly avoid getting matching tattoos in New Orleans. 2 years ago, it all goes wrong. This year, Poppy asks Alex to join her on one last trip. A trip that will determine the rest of their lives.
I liked the idea of this story, and I liked the main characters, but I just felt like it was missing something. I think it’s something to do with friends to lovers I've never seen it done well except for Final Offer by Lauren Asher. I find myself skimming through this book especially towards the end, as I can’t stand 3rd part breakups. And I felt like the 2 summers ago big event was so much of a build up for it to be a little hill and not that big of a deal. The only one who really saved this book was Alex. He was so funny and sweet and awkward and the whole time I just wanted to hug him.
I liked the writing of this book, I just didn’t personally connect to it. I didn’t really vibe with Poppy and with her being the main character and main voice during the novel, I was just skimming a lot of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying and Grief
Minor: Drug use and Pregnancy
miraileah's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5. I loved this relationship dynamic so much, and especially Alex. He was so relatable to my own experience as an eldest daughter who was emotionally parentified. Also, as somebody who frequently works in Palm Springs, the allusions to local ish spots was fun! Cabazon Dinos and the Living Desert are both places I’ve been, which is cool! And of course, the INSANE summer heat. Truly bold of them to go there at all, much less in the summer.
Spoiler
Also, LOVED the fact that both Poppy and Alex got therapy at the end!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent and Animal death
Minor: Pregnancy
gummifrog's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a fun and easy read! I liked Emily Henry's most recent book, Book Lovers, so I thought I'd give her backlist a try as a palate cleanser between heavier reads. This one was just as sexy and fun, but I have to say the reasoning for the couple not getting together just grew more confusing to me as time went on. They're not very nice to each other about the romance that hangs between them, and sometimes it felt like the masc lead was projecting way too much of his own insecurities onto the protagonist for it to be healthy (and the fact that a therapist wouldn't notice that is a baffling idea, lol).
Regardless, it was a fun and easy book for those who like travel and friends-to-lovers! I would read it again and recommend it to others for certain.
Regardless, it was a fun and easy book for those who like travel and friends-to-lovers! I would read it again and recommend it to others for certain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy and Vomit
stardustandrockets's review against another edition
4.5
I may or may not write a full review for this one, but I see a lot of myself in both Poppy and Alex. Also, idk if it's just me, but Alex definitely reads as autistic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Bullying
marioosa517's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
3.5
I like Emily Henry’s writing, and enjoyed the flipping back-and-forth between present day and past trips. I didn’t relate to the main characters very much, partly I think because they felt a little bit like caricatures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Cursing, Bullying, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy and Drug use
j_mae22's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
const_elle_ations's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent
sasabrina's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.5
Rating: 3,75/5
Potential spoilers ahead.
A cute and lighthearted book!
It started out really fun (and funny) and immediately after, came the yearning of a long lost friend and Emily Henry managed to capture the it so well. When they parted ways for two years, I could almost feel the yearning myself. Alex and Poppy’s dynamics really carried the book in the otherwise boring vacations. Their obliviousness was a little infuriating, but I guess that’s what makes a friend-to-lovers trope. The plot works out at the end, where the tension rose, all hell broke loose, and feelings poured. That was probably my second favorite part of the book: how Alex finally poured his heart out, fearing a committed relationship with his beloved best friend lest getting left behind, abandoned. Fearing he might not be able to get up from bed if Poppy’s gone. The trauma and grief of losing his loved ones was so raw.
The relieved sigh I let out when Poppy finally made peace with her past was also the highlight. “You can’t outrun yourself. Not your history, not your fears, not the part of yourself you’re worried are wrong.”
Overall an enjoyable book, only that some parts are so detailed it almost feels unnecessary. And again, the vacations were.. boring, some were uneventful. So it was most definitely character-driven book, not that it’s a bad thing, I just had an expectation of reading a more detailed settings.
Potential spoilers ahead.
A cute and lighthearted book!
It started out really fun (and funny) and immediately after, came the yearning of a long lost friend and Emily Henry managed to capture the it so well. When they parted ways for two years, I could almost feel the yearning myself. Alex and Poppy’s dynamics really carried the book in the otherwise boring vacations. Their obliviousness was a little infuriating, but I guess that’s what makes a friend-to-lovers trope. The plot works out at the end, where the tension rose, all hell broke loose, and feelings poured. That was probably my second favorite part of the book: how Alex finally poured his heart out, fearing a committed relationship with his beloved best friend lest getting left behind, abandoned. Fearing he might not be able to get up from bed if Poppy’s gone. The trauma and grief of losing his loved ones was so raw.
The relieved sigh I let out when Poppy finally made peace with her past was also the highlight. “You can’t outrun yourself. Not your history, not your fears, not the part of yourself you’re worried are wrong.”
Overall an enjoyable book, only that some parts are so detailed it almost feels unnecessary. And again, the vacations were.. boring, some were uneventful. So it was most definitely character-driven book, not that it’s a bad thing, I just had an expectation of reading a more detailed settings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual harassment