I’d like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House for approving me for an ARC of this book. After read Beach Read last year and putting it in my top 10 reads of 2020, to say I was excited to listen to this one was an understatement.

Whilst I was excited to start this one there were some nerves too. What if this didn’t live up to the expectations I had after Beach Read? What if I hated it and felt that deep pitted disappointment us readers get when all the hype wasn’t worth it? Thankfully I don’t have any of those feelings instead I am grinning from ear to ear because Emily Henry has done it again! She has written another knockout, romance read packed with charismatic characters and a plot line that I was addicted to.

Even better Julia Whelan delivers a narration that drew all kinds of emotions from me. I was laughing at the banter between Poppy and Alex and I cried during the speeches in those final scenes. Julia gives both Poppy and Alex unique voices and for a woman to deliver a man’s voice in a sexy way is brilliant!

The story switches back and forth between present Poppy and Alex to their past holidays. During the chapters where we flip back we learn how the budding friendship began and it is in these stories that my love for both characters grows. Poppy is loud, fierce and fun but under the surface she has deep insecurities about her future and what she wants. Alex is quiet, reserved and sensible, the complete opposite of Poppy. Nothing about Alex and Poppy should work but they have this way of bringing the best out of each other. Their chemistry is undeniable and the banter between them is second to none.

It was pretty clear from the start where this was heading and whilst some may call it predictable I couldn’t think of a better way to end it. I was rooting for Alex and Poppy as individuals and from their first meeting I was willing them to admit their feelings for one another. Emily Henry has written the perfect romance complete with all the tension and intensity us readers love. By the end I was grinning from ear to ear wanting to start the read all over again.

Emily Henry’s writing is so easy to read. The ups and downs of this tale made me both love and hate the heroine at times in this story. I had both the ebook and the audioversion and switched between both. The family relationships felt real, the self doubts and worries were on point and the back and forth timeline made a really quick read. Highly enjoyable

The blurb had me really interested. The whole topic of 2 people of the opposite sex having a very close friendship and all that comes with it when it comes to them meeting future partners etc really intrigues me. It’s a light hearted listen in one sense but really does zone in on Poppy and Alex’s feelings where there friendship is concerned. The pace is very slow and it felt like going through the motions for the first half of the book. It did pick up the pace a little then and I was interested in how it was going to play out but then it became a little predictable. Thought there might have been a little more going on within the plot. It’s not that I didn’t like it or don’t recommend it but it’s just not that different to other books of a similar theme...

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Audio for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 11th of May.

**listened to the audio version**

Firstly, the narrator was so whiney it immediately made me dislike the book. But, as I was lucky enough to be sent this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review I decided to plough on, and not judge the book by its shoddy narrator. However, I really wish i hadn't wasted my time!
The two central characters - Alex and Poppy just didn't seem like they had any chemistry from the get go. I felt nothing for these characters, no empathy. I just didn't really care about their lives and obviously meant it would spoil the romance plot for me.
The book just felt so repetitive, and felt like it was going around and around in circles - something that made me feel incredibly frustrated. Just like the narrator of the book, the characters were just so annoying and whiney, and all they did was complain. I just couldn't connect.
No matter how hard I tried to stick with this book and give it the benefit of the doubt - nothing in the writing won me over.
I know based on the other reviews on Goodreads that I'm in the minority - but I really really did not like this book and just couldn't connect to the characters. Not for me! Would not recommend!

I have reviewed both ebook and audiobook of this book and I must say that the narrator for this audiobook was a joy to listen to and i found that some of the conversations came across so mush better on the audiobook rather than how i interpreted it in the book.

I finished a few days ago but i had to take a few days to recover lol. This was the perfect contemporary romance to me and I have read quite a few.

I really enjoyed this whole story and loved that the characters actually felt real and had real world problems

We get the whole story here from how they met and became friends to the vacations they took together throughout the years right up to the now when they are on their one last vacation for old times sake.

This book took me on a complete rollercoaster ride of emotions its funny, sad heartbreaking... it is so well written and so immersive.I just want more!!

Ok this book was a little slow to get going and so it definitely took some sticking with for the first part but once we got going this one felt like When Harry Met Sally with moments from You've Got Mail mixed in with some of the fun vacations you've been on yourself and so it was definitely a win for me!

I really liked spending time with Poppy and Alex. I could relate to Poppy because she keeps on hustling and she has managed to make a living out of what started out as a bit of a side hustle. I could relate to Alex because he definitely takes life a little on the serious side and he is a teacher so he was definitely speaking to me on my level. I didn't always love the choices these characters made but I did enjoy spending the book with them and I definitely wanted the best for both of them!

I listened to the audiobook in this instance and I thought the narration was pretty good. I will say that this book jumps back and forth between vacations from the past and the current vacation that we first meet Poppy planning so you do have to concentrate whilst listening to make sure you're on the right time line. I also have the physical book and it definitely makes it clearer if you are reading that so bear that in mind. The shifting back and forth though did mean that the story was more compelling because each vacation has an impact on where Alex and Poppy are now both emotionally and physically.

I really loved the friendship that Poppy and Alex have, I love where they have come from and I love where they are now and it was definitely worth listening through the slow start to get to the rest of the book because then it was very hard to step away from.

I loved this audiobook. The story is a real rollercoaster of emotion and laughs and the characters really come to life in the audio version.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK Audio for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Henry strikes again with another fantastic contemporary romance read following the success of her debut adult novel 'Beach Read' which absolutely soared through the book community in 2020, receiving numerous rave reviews.

I honestly have to say, in my opinion 'You and Me on Vacation' eclipsed 'Beach Read' by a mile. I loved the characters of Poppy and Alex and it was lovely to see these characters develop. Something that Emily Henry does so well is blending two different timelines to see the past and present of the relationships between the two characters.

I really liked that not everything was 100% fluffy and romantic in this book, we saw negatives to the characters, mistakes they'd made and also their hardships which made the whole novel feel 1000000x more real and believable as a whole.

Julia Whelan was the perfect narrator for this book, making the whole experience more immersive and enjoyable which really compliments how talented of a writer Emily Henry is and I'll be keen to see what she does next.

I loved this book so much, the characters the story and the narration by Julia Whelan, it was perfect! I got caught up in the story right from the beginning and didn’t want it to end. I loved both Poppy and Alex, and I loved their friendship and I loved their summer breaks together. They felt so real and I can easily see this as a Netflix film. I’ve no idea who’d play the characters but I can definitely see some of the big scenes on the small screen. It’s such a feel good story and with Julia Whelan’s perfect narration, it’s one of my favourite listens this year. I could listen to this again and will probably end up spending an audible credit and get my own copy.

How can two people who are so obviously right for each other take so long to find each other. Poppy and Alex met over 12 years ago. Each year they vacation together. Often with various humorous events thrown in which will have you laughing along with them.
A couple of years ago they had a disastrous trip. Now this new trip is a little strained. Will Poppy and Alex find each other and finally admit the feeling that the reads can so obviously see.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to receive this ARC .

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Henry and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

WOW. What a beautiful book. This is a wonderful story about friendship and love. I found myself completely and utterly invested in this friendship and the characters. I was routing for them the whole way through. I will be recommending this to all my friends. I hope there will be a second instalment.

Amazing, phenomenal, fantastic and pure bliss!
This deserves 6 stars and is my favourite read of the year so far.

A story following the friendship of Alex and Poppy during their summer vacations together. You honestly don't need to know more than that. If you're a fan of friends-to-lovers then you will love this book.

Firstly, Emily's writing is beautiful. It's melodic and poetic and I can't get enough of it. The way the story is written is genius with the back and forth in their history and honestly gives a fresh twist to this romance.

Secondly, this couple!! Oh my word - Alex ❤️❤️. I love how dry, pragmatic and sarcastic he is and they, as a couple, are just the They are cutest! I love the wit, the dear friendship, their banter and the love between these two - I cannot stop gushing. 😻😻😻

I started out not loving this book. I thought it was a bit of a One Day rip off, but not as good, and the fact that every female American narrator gives the exact same voice to every man was really grating on me. But. Like Poppy and Alex’s relationship, my liking this book was a slow and steady burn. I found myself laughing at their in-jokes and rooting for the pair of them to pull their fingers out and see what was right in front of them. I even welled up a few times, which I was very much not expecting. The snobbier part of me thinks that this is something Heat magazine would probably give 10 stars to, and the more rational part of me is questioning why that’s such a bad thing? Sure, it wasn’t Wuthering Heights, but.. I haven’t read Wuthering Heights anyway, and I had a really nice time with this.

This was a wonderful book. I requested the audiobook, as I've been a bit of a reading slump. And listening to romance and contemporary audiobooks has been helping me get through it. Seeing as this is one of my most anticipated releases of the year, I'm so happy that I got a chance to read this early.

You and Me on Vacation is a fun read following two best friends on their various summer trips. The last one they went on, something happened, and now our protagonist, Poppy, wants to plan the perfect trip. This book is a single POV with lots of flashbacks. But it's not at all confusing. I loved seeing the different trips they went on and their relationship as it changed.

I am glad I got to listen to the audiobook. The narrator had an easy to listen to voice, and even at 2.5 speed, I didn't struggle. She did alter her voice slightly for different characters, but never in a way that they sounded ridiculous or annoying. It was super easy to listen to, and I was able to multitask whilst doing so.

Overall one of my favourite reads of the year.

While it isn't my usual go to genre, I do enjoy a lighthearted romcom every once in a while, usually after reading something quite intense or demanding. You and Me on Vacation is the perfect book to get anyone out of a reading slump.

Detailing their summer trips spanning twelve years, it follows Poppy and Alex, two polar opposite best friends. It's a delightful, funny and warm story of friends to lovers. The narrator is great and does a fantastic job of portraying multiple characters, but by the end of the book Alexs' voice was really starting to grate on me. However it didn't detect from my overall enjoyment. If you're looking for a great beach read, this should definitely feature on your list.

The story of a lovely friendship revolving around the annual friends vacation on a budget. No matter how confident we are, when it comes to our hearts we are so guarded. I really loved the way the author describes the angst and hesitation in relationships and how a wrong signal can send someone into total confusion. Narrator managed the emotional parts really well. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook.

I've got to admit I have been so excited for this since it was announced however when it came round to reading I was a bit nervous because I wasn't sure how it could possibly fare compared to Beach Read (one of my favourite reads of 2020 / all time). But I would now like to formally apologise for ever questioning Emily Henry because she seems to just get better!

The story follows Poppy and Alex. At their first meeting they were convinced they would never speak again, however, a year later during a shared ride home they form a friendship that would last another 11 years. Despite living far apart they reunite at least once a year for The Summer Trip, until two years ago when it all went wrong. Now they have one week, one final trip, to fix everything.

We follow them in the present as well as in flashbacks to previous Summer Trips. We watch their friendship gradually develop, grow and evolve as well as getting to delve into the struggles faced by most in their 20s, and even early 30s, through them. The uncertainty. Constantly striving for more, for what? What is it we actually want? Emily Henry is able to extract from us a multitude of emotions while making us feel understood and accepted.

Friends to lovers is my favourite trope however in my opinion their actual romance was not my favourite aspect of the story. It had a few of my least favourite things (i mean it took them a looong time) but somehow, the way it was written, with these characters, I still managed to enjoy it.

I found the narrator really fit with the book and brought the story to life without detracting attention from the actual plot.

Overall a fantastic book for fans of a super slow burn friends to lovers or just wonderfully crafted characters who make us believe in them and love them. And yet we still want to shake them for being so unbelievably annoying at times, just like you would a best friend.

**Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House UK Audio for providing this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own.**

4.5 stars

Headlines:
Roller coaster friendship/love
Holiday vibes
Chem-is-try

There was nothing that I didn't enjoy about Emily Henry's upcoming release. The fact that she delivers on summery read to remember (again) and that I was lucky to read and listen in tandem to this book. Both formats were as good as one another.

You and Me on Vacation was told over a number of summers, charting the most lovely friendship; in the main this was platonic...until it wasn't. Then, oh boy, the chemistry set fire to the pages, slowly.

In all the ways, both Poppy and Alex were opposite in personality and goals. They worked so well as friends and their summer trips were fun expeditions and something they both lived for. I loved seeing these trips unfurl as the years were recounted. I loved the people they met, the places they went but nothing was more interesting than THIS SUMMER. I loved getting back to that narrative.

The pages of this book, the minutes of the audio just turned themselves and I was sad to get to the end. Emily Henry knows how to inject just a little drama and tension with a great contemporary story. I'm here for next summer's installment!

Narration-wise, this was single POV and single narration and it was excellent. I got all the sense of characterisation and the emotional feels from the listen. It's such a perfect format to absorb the story while on literal vacation!

Thank you to Penguin for the gorgeous book and audio early copies.

3.25 Stars Let's just address the elephant in the room. This is NOT Beach Read. While I personally feel like it's a similar premise (switching the tropes from enemies/lovers to friends/lovers and the setting from one place to many, the BR magic just wasn't there for me. I think it has something to do with the same problem I had with this authors last work. I didn't like the female main character. And since the story is told entirely in her POV, it makes it a bit hard to root for a couple when you find one half a little bit insufferable. I will continue to look out for work from this author, but this was just fine for me.

I am usually not a fan of friends to lovers trope because they just give me heartburn and not in a good way. This book was no different. It did give me the typical friends to lover trope with plenty of miscommunications, absent communications, missed oppurtunities, lots and lots of angst and let’s not forget, the heartburn but in the bestest possible way. Emily Henry does some kind of magic with her writings and makes even a trope I hate feel good. I loved Alex and Poppy so soooo much. It was intense, they were intense but also sweet and with witty banter but also the angst, oh the angst.... I realise I am rambling and that’s because my brain has decided it loves this book too much to form coherent sentences but anyway, I definitely recommend you checking it out if you enjoyed Beach Read and/or if you love friends to lovers. Even of you don’t like that trope, I would still recommend you to check it out because, it’s just too good 😌 The audiobook was narrated perfectly and made the listening experience truly amazing