When Poppy met Alex, there was no spark, no chemistry, and no reason to think they'd ever talk again. But after sharing a ride home for the summer, the two form a surprising friendship. After all, who better to confide in than someone you could never, ever date?
... an excellent reminder that a familiar trajectory doesn’t erase the fun of the journey ... absorbing and entertaining. Henry isn’t aiming for originality: This is an updated version of When Harry Met Sally, which all these years later still sets the standard for friends who become lovers. She freshens it up with her signature wit, epic near misses and steamy longing that threatens to seep through the page, fogging the reader’s glasses ... Be still, rom-com loving hearts ... The flashback vacations are terrific, vicarious fun, especially as Poppy and Alex evolve from best friends to people who are clearly pining for each other ... Henry masterfully depicts early-30s uncertainty and angst, adding an interesting personal-growth dimension to the story ... If the friends-to-lovers trope is ever in danger of feeling tired, Henry saves it with sassy wordplay. Plus, the connection between Poppy and Alex feels genuine, like the romance next door. It’s easy to imagine yourself in Poppy’s heels or Alex’s khakis, realizing you’ve fallen for your closest friend but wary of the potential costs of making a move ... lacks the pizazz — the special spark — that helped Beach Read shine. It’s not as deep as its predecessor, and more of a 'beach read' in that it doesn’t demand too much of the reader. But it’s still unabashedly fun.
... inspired and achingly romantic ... gorgeously written, delightfully original ... a wonderful tribute that puts Henry firmly on the path to becoming the millennial Nora Ephron.
... a contemporary friends-to-lovers romance novel and would be of great interest to those who enjoy travelling. Considering that most of us are not able to travel right now due, this book is the perfect way to escape reality and take a mental vacation this year ... This was my first time reading a book by Emily Henry and it was really enjoyable! I was hooked right from the start because I wanted to know what happened on the Catalina trip that forced Poppy and Alex to stop talking for two years and whether Alex and Poppy became more than friends. It was great reading about all the previous trips that Poppy went on (with Alex as well as for her job as a travel writer) because they also sounded super cool. As mentioned, this book is a great way to escape, but it would also be an excellent summer read because of all the travelling ... The are a few minor negatives about this book including that it’s slow to start, but once Poppy and Alex got to Palm Springs, the action started to pick up and the book became more engaging. Then there’s the regular switching between past and present, which was a bit difficult to keep track of, and it was also frustrating having to wait until towards the end of the book for a flashback of what went wrong between Alex and Poppy during their Catalina trip ... an enjoyable read with a unique plot and quite the satisfying ending! It would be a great read for fans of Talia Hibbert, Jojo Moyes, or Robyn Carr, and this jet-setting novel would be perfect to read during summer while sitting by the beach or pool.
