A review by amyvl93
You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
lighthearted
medium-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
2.5
Emily Henry has been my first real adventure in contemporary romance fiction since I read a bunch of Mills & Boon novels in my early teens. I enjoyed Beach Read and found Book Lovers to be genuinely a great time, so was excited to pick up You & Me on Vacation but unfortunately I think this was my least favourite of Henry's novels that I've read so far.
This one follows Poppy and Alex, who met on their first day at university and who become close friends who go on one big summer trip each year, which move from cheap student type trips when they first meet through to much fancier ones as Poppy starts working at a travel magazine. However, a couple of years ago something happened which meant they haven't spoken since. The action of the novel really kicks off when Poppy manages to convince Alex to go on one last trip with her, for old times sake.
One thing I think this novel taught me is that friends-to-lovers, at least over a 12 year period, is perhaps not my favourite trope. Poppy and Alex knew each other for ages, and had so many opportunities to tell the other how they felt about each other but they just...don't. I felt especially bad for Sarah, Alex's on-and-off again girlfriend who Poppy is mean about because she thinks Sarah doesn't like her (um...I'm not surprised?) and who I hope is thriving with an emotionally available man.
Unlike it seems a lot of reviewers, perhaps because I wasn't as invested in the relationship, I quite liked the details about the trips that we get over the years. I also quite liked Henry's portrayal of people who work as influencers for both Poppy and her friend Rachel. I also found that the other relationships around the couple were quite well drawn as well.
All in all, definitely going to continue to read what Henry puts out but this is probably 3 out of 3 for me.
This one follows Poppy and Alex, who met on their first day at university and who become close friends who go on one big summer trip each year, which move from cheap student type trips when they first meet through to much fancier ones as Poppy starts working at a travel magazine. However, a couple of years ago something happened which meant they haven't spoken since. The action of the novel really kicks off when Poppy manages to convince Alex to go on one last trip with her, for old times sake.
One thing I think this novel taught me is that friends-to-lovers, at least over a 12 year period, is perhaps not my favourite trope. Poppy and Alex knew each other for ages, and had so many opportunities to tell the other how they felt about each other but they just...don't. I felt especially bad for Sarah, Alex's on-and-off again girlfriend who Poppy is mean about because she thinks Sarah doesn't like her (um...I'm not surprised?) and who I hope is thriving with an emotionally available man.
Unlike it seems a lot of reviewers, perhaps because I wasn't as invested in the relationship, I quite liked the details about the trips that we get over the years. I also quite liked Henry's portrayal of people who work as influencers for both Poppy and her friend Rachel. I also found that the other relationships around the couple were quite well drawn as well.
All in all, definitely going to continue to read what Henry puts out but this is probably 3 out of 3 for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief