My letter “P” pick for this year’s A to Z Reading Challenge was PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry. I heard a lot of great things about this book, and I read another good one by this author earlier this year, so I was ready to get blown away. What I got was a warm hug of a book that entertained me but didn’t make my list of all-time great reads.

The story centers around Poppy and Alex, bestie-best platonic-but-maybe-not friends for years since college. They love to travel and take a yearly trip together, even when they each had significant others in the periphery. Alex is on the rigid side (as an autism parent I’d even say he reads like he’s neurodivergent) and Poppy is more of a free spirit, which, of course, makes them good for each other.

Two years ago, they got a leeetle too drunk on a summer trip and kinda-sorta crossed the line past friendship, then promptly ghosted each other in the awkward aftermath. Poppy, who has been seriously short on happiness lately, realizes the last time she was truly happy was when she was with Alex. She decides enough is enough, and texts him, asking him to join her on a summer trip that she hopes will reset everything and make them best friends again. To her delight, he agrees immediately.

The story flips back and forth between present day and past road trips and encounters. It’s quite predictable, but a fun read nonetheless. There’s a lot of hilarity when pretty much everything that can go wrong does go wrong on the trip, and winds up with them having a mostly great time anyway and finally admitting their feelings for each other. If you’re looking for a bit of light entertainment and a slow (I mean REALLY slow) burn romance, this book is for you. Four stars.