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A review by lenoreo
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
5.0
https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/08/13/summer-of-love-buddy-read-people-we-meet-on-vacation-by-emily-henry/
4.5 stars — I avoided this book at times because it made me feel so many things. While it was fucking hilarious for a great deal of it, it was also heart wrenching and emotional. And not always full on cry emotional, just ouchie my heart hurts emotional.
I know it’s only been two books, but the combination of Emily Henry’s writing and Julia Whelan’s narration is pretty hard to beat. I could marry Julia Whelan’s Alex voice, if that were a thing one could do. Her dry humour, wit, fun and distinctive voices, and pacing always hit with me. But it’s her ability to convey genuine emotion that fucking gets me every time. My eyes leaked. On multiple occasions.
Poppy — I connected with her so hardcore at times. Hearing her stories about her childhood and being tormented but still being fucking unable to be anyone but herself just brought everything back for me. When she talked about wearing the overalls her Mom patched up for her, I remember wearing some of the awesome (and frankly weird) outfits that Mom made me (or helped me make). It’s hard when you find it impossible to squelch your inner self when that’s what most kids do. Apparently I had a lot to say about that. But yeah. I got that about Poppy more than I expected.
And frankly, she was fucking hilarious. *THEY* were fucking hilarious together. Jesus, I can’t even tell you how often I laughed or gleefully grinned (because I don’t always laugh out loud). Their banter was just off the walls sometimes, and they were so quick. I loved seeing them find their soulmate in one another, even before they realized it was an all the way soulmate and not just a friendship soulmate dealio. They just…fit. They made me so happy and so mad and sometimes it would swap in seconds. Like, holy cow you guys. I guess that is one of the things that frustrated me about Poppy — that she was so ruled by fear that she cut off her own legs at times and didn’t give Alex a chance. I got it, to a degree, but it was harder and harder to watch.
Alex — Even not having Alex’s POV, I still honestly feel like I knew him. They were such an odd fucking pair, like the odd couple. But they fit. THEY SERIOUSLY FIT. Their weird crazy edges just welded right onto each other. And I guess I appreciated that he was also full of fear and made some boneheaded moves at times… I find sometimes in books it’s all one character, and that just makes it so hard. But they both had moments.
Together — They were just fiery and funny and sassy and sweet and…and… It was a LONG road to get answers and to get pay off, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed the journey, even if I kept saying “WTF HAPPENED IN CROATIA???!!!” over and over again.
It reminded me of Love, Rosie (I only saw the movie). It popped into my head in Tuscany (for those that read it) and it was so obvious. But I enjoyed this way more. I enjoyed them together way more.
It was kind of a long ride listening to this one. I was in a book funk, but I was genuinely enjoying this one. I think it was just a bit too much for my heart and so I had to take sips. You know, until the end when I started chugging.
4.5 stars — I avoided this book at times because it made me feel so many things. While it was fucking hilarious for a great deal of it, it was also heart wrenching and emotional. And not always full on cry emotional, just ouchie my heart hurts emotional.
I know it’s only been two books, but the combination of Emily Henry’s writing and Julia Whelan’s narration is pretty hard to beat. I could marry Julia Whelan’s Alex voice, if that were a thing one could do. Her dry humour, wit, fun and distinctive voices, and pacing always hit with me. But it’s her ability to convey genuine emotion that fucking gets me every time. My eyes leaked. On multiple occasions.
Poppy — I connected with her so hardcore at times. Hearing her stories about her childhood and being tormented but still being fucking unable to be anyone but herself just brought everything back for me. When she talked about wearing the overalls her Mom patched up for her, I remember wearing some of the awesome (and frankly weird) outfits that Mom made me (or helped me make). It’s hard when you find it impossible to squelch your inner self when that’s what most kids do. Apparently I had a lot to say about that. But yeah. I got that about Poppy more than I expected.
And frankly, she was fucking hilarious. *THEY* were fucking hilarious together. Jesus, I can’t even tell you how often I laughed or gleefully grinned (because I don’t always laugh out loud). Their banter was just off the walls sometimes, and they were so quick. I loved seeing them find their soulmate in one another, even before they realized it was an all the way soulmate and not just a friendship soulmate dealio. They just…fit. They made me so happy and so mad and sometimes it would swap in seconds. Like, holy cow you guys. I guess that is one of the things that frustrated me about Poppy — that she was so ruled by fear that she cut off her own legs at times and didn’t give Alex a chance. I got it, to a degree, but it was harder and harder to watch.
Alex — Even not having Alex’s POV, I still honestly feel like I knew him. They were such an odd fucking pair, like the odd couple. But they fit. THEY SERIOUSLY FIT. Their weird crazy edges just welded right onto each other. And I guess I appreciated that he was also full of fear and made some boneheaded moves at times… I find sometimes in books it’s all one character, and that just makes it so hard. But they both had moments.
Together — They were just fiery and funny and sassy and sweet and…and… It was a LONG road to get answers and to get pay off, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed the journey, even if I kept saying “WTF HAPPENED IN CROATIA???!!!” over and over again.
It reminded me of Love, Rosie (I only saw the movie). It popped into my head in Tuscany (for those that read it) and it was so obvious. But I enjoyed this way more. I enjoyed them together way more.
It was kind of a long ride listening to this one. I was in a book funk, but I was genuinely enjoying this one. I think it was just a bit too much for my heart and so I had to take sips. You know, until the end when I started chugging.