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A review by jpaulthunders77
You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
3.0
Yes, I still stand by my previous review that Emily Henry can do nothing wrong in my eyes. But I am trying to review this book with more objectivity compared to her previous book (Beach Read—which I really loved).
Ah, yes. The familiar trope that we have. Enemies to lovers. Friends to lovers. Why not do them both? Best friends to estranged friends (are they really enemies?) to friends again and ultimately to lovers. Honestly, this is a very refreshing spin to these tropes that we always come back for.
I'm gonna make my review short. I really liked the promise and it's promise to the readers—a fun, flirty, romantic getaway ensconced inside these little pages. The descriptions of the scenes brought me back to wonderful moments when I was island hopping, kayaking, and snorkeling in Palawan. The fresh yet salty breeze and the cool, the seductive atmosphere of the night life with a promise of an imminent lay (joke!) What a moment to remember. Emily Henry's character work was also superb. She is the queen of backstories. I loved the way she introduced me to the characters, their backgrounds, their wants and their fears, and how the narrative weaves smoothly between introspection, flashback narration, and present emotions.
However, my main issue with this book was the pace. It was too long. We went back and forth through time as Poppy relieved the moments where she and Alex were still friends, and then to the time where the status quo of their friendship was woefully uncertain. Sure, there were romantic tensions, but I find them a little lackluster and underdeveloped. The banters were not as snappy and flirty compared to Beach Read, and the overall plot was a little bit jarring. Too much will they or won't they.
All in all: liked the characterization and the summer vibes, didn't like the sexual and romantic tension, the plot was little murky but serviceable. I will still read whatever Emily Henry publishes in the future even though I didn't like this book as much as I liked Beach Read, I still believe that she writes her books with all her passion. And that shows.
Ah, yes. The familiar trope that we have. Enemies to lovers. Friends to lovers. Why not do them both? Best friends to estranged friends (are they really enemies?) to friends again and ultimately to lovers. Honestly, this is a very refreshing spin to these tropes that we always come back for.
I'm gonna make my review short. I really liked the promise and it's promise to the readers—a fun, flirty, romantic getaway ensconced inside these little pages. The descriptions of the scenes brought me back to wonderful moments when I was island hopping, kayaking, and snorkeling in Palawan. The fresh yet salty breeze and the cool, the seductive atmosphere of the night life with a promise of an imminent lay (joke!) What a moment to remember. Emily Henry's character work was also superb. She is the queen of backstories. I loved the way she introduced me to the characters, their backgrounds, their wants and their fears, and how the narrative weaves smoothly between introspection, flashback narration, and present emotions.
However, my main issue with this book was the pace. It was too long. We went back and forth through time as Poppy relieved the moments where she and Alex were still friends, and then to the time where the status quo of their friendship was woefully uncertain. Sure, there were romantic tensions, but I find them a little lackluster and underdeveloped. The banters were not as snappy and flirty compared to Beach Read, and the overall plot was a little bit jarring. Too much will they or won't they.
All in all: liked the characterization and the summer vibes, didn't like the sexual and romantic tension, the plot was little murky but serviceable. I will still read whatever Emily Henry publishes in the future even though I didn't like this book as much as I liked Beach Read, I still believe that she writes her books with all her passion. And that shows.