Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry Narrator: Julia Whelan
Published by Penguin Audio on May 11, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Length: 10 hours, 46 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.
Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.
Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.
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?
I really loved the feelings and characters. I was deeply connected to them and I was in suspense as I could see the train wreck coming. It is angsty for me when the characters have to separate and take some time for personal growth and to figure out some things.
People We Meet on Vacation is kind of an odd title. The Australian(?) title of You and Me on Vacation seems more right. The story is in the current summer but we get flashbacks to when Poppy meets Alex and their summer vacations going forward. Poppy wants to travel so she first writes a blog and works her way up to being a travel writer for a big NYC magazine. Alex takes a vacation with her every summer, because he is a teacher, back in their hometown, and that is when he has time off.
Alex is awesome. Being the oldest of four boys and having a lot of responsibility after his mother dies, well Alex takes care of everyone but himself. So he likes things in order, tidy and is rather reserved. Poppy is the youngest with two older brothers and a wacky, outgoing and happy family. She loves to try new things, is spontaneous and energetic. They are opposites but they get each other. They try not to have more than a friendship because they can’t bear the thought of losing each other in life.
The only thing I disliked was when they got together and they didn’t know how to make it work. I was mad at Alex for kind of thinking Poppy had to know what to do right away. They needed to work together on a plan! But of course, they each had to know what they wanted so they could talk about it honestly. When Poppy knew what was important and went to tell Alex, I just bawled.  I loved them together so much.
Narration:
Julia Whelan is a favorite narrator and I pick books because she is narrating. Her voice for Poppy and Alex, and others, captured their emotional tones so well. Her performance was such a pleasure for listening. I was able to listen at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
About Julia Whelan
Julia Whelan is a screenwriter, life-long actor, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She graduated with a degree in English and Creative Writing from Middlebury College and Oxford University. While in England, her flirtation with tea blossomed into a full-blown love affair, culminating in her eventual certification as a tea master. When not writing her own books, you can find her reading other people’s out loud into a microphone.
About Emily Henry
Emily Henry writes stories about love and family for both teens and adults. She studied creative writing at Hope College and the now-defunct New York Center for Art & Media Studies, and now spends most of her time in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the part of Kentucky just beneath it.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- C21-Spring
I’m so psyched about this book and am happy you loved it, Anne? Like you, knowing Julia Whelan narrates a story often tips the scales for me. She’s yet to deliver anything but an outstanding performance for the books of hers I’ve listened to.
It’s a great heart story and an amazing narrator. It’s got it all.
This sounds so good. Not my normal read but one I might read on vacation! Lol
Exactly! I’m not going anywhere but I’m definitely reading more contemporary romance, beach reads, sort of thing right now.
This is the second or third positive review I’ve read. I’ll have to put this in my “get from the library” pile and try to listen to it over the summer. Thanks!
I think it’s really good and a favorite narrator. It’s a perfect summer read. But I did ugly cry.
I don’t think I’ve ever read this author but Julia Whelan is a fave narrator for me too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
I try to be straight forward about my thoughts. I think it’s a bit subjective because some people like some genres or authors or narrators more than others but this is a good contemporary romance with character growth and a favorite narrator.
I loved this one, too! It was emotional, but also super hilarious in parts! Glad to see you loved it, too, Anne! 🙂
It had a great capacity for feelings whether laughing or crying, it made me feel. I loved it!
This was a 5 star listen for me as well. I love Julia Whelan’s narration as well and even loved the book she wrote. Beach Read by Emily Henry was a 5 stars listen as well for me but I think I liked this one a bit better.
I agree. I also loved Beach Read. I love Julia Whelan and I loved the book she authored. Thank you Lorna.
Good review, Anne. From your description, the Australian (?) title does sound more appropriate. I’m curious — how does this compare with Beach Read? I really enjoyed that one. And would you consider People We Meet on Vacation a romance?
I loved both. I think of them both as more life fiction than contemporary romance. The newer Jill Shalvis and Kristin Higgins books, Christina Lauren, Katherine Center are all on this path and I enjoy them more than the usual contemporary romance.