“I don’t think I knew I was lonely until I met you.”
If you loved People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, you’re probably the type of reader who loves stories that blend witty banter, heartfelt romance and swoon-worthy chemistry. Whether you’re drawn to the classic best friends-to-lovers trope, summer vacation settings, or irresistible modern-day romances, there are plenty of books like People We Meet on Vacation to add to your TBR pile. From lighthearted beach reads to emotionally rich love stories, these novels all capture the same charm that has made Emily Henry such a household favourite. Whether you want a travel-themed romance, books brimming with unforgettable friendships or stories filled with humour and heart, we’ve got you covered here at What We Reading. Join us as we round up the best books like People We Meet on Vacation – perfect for fans of Emily Henry and contemporary romance lovers alike!
People We Meet on Vacation Summary
In People We Meet on Vacation, Poppy and Alex are best friends with opposite personalities – Poppy is adventurous and spontaneous, whereas Alex is reserved and practical. Despite their differences, they form a deep bond in college and start a tradition of taking a summer vacation together each year. For ten years, their trips have been full of laughter, memories for a lifetime, and an undeniable connection. But two years ago, something happened that ruined everything, and they stopped speaking to each other afterwards.
Now, hoping to fix their friendship, Poppy convinces Alex to take one final trip together. As they travel, old memories resurface, tensions rise, and Poppy comes to realise that she doesn’t just miss Alex – she’s in love with him. But will they be able to overcome the past and risk their friendship for a shot at something more?
Check Out The Best Vacation Books For The Perfect Escape
Happy Place – Emily Henry
Kicking off our list of the best books like People We Meet on Vacation is another one of Emily Henry’s best books, Happy Place. This 2023 summer vacation bestseller follows Harriet and Wyn, the seemingly perfect couple who broke up six months ago. And they still haven’t told their best friends. The reason for this is their annual retreat to Maine, where they and their friends are free to enjoy cheese, wine, seafood and the coastal sea breeze with the people who know them best.
With the cottage up for sale, Harriet and Wyn have agreed to play their parts as a couple for the sake of enjoying what will be their final time in this special place. It should be the perfect plan. After years of being in love with one another, how hard can it be to fake it for just a single week?
You, Again – Kate Goldbeck
When Ari and Josh first meet, the wrong sort of sparks fly. They hate each other. Instantly. The two only have one thing in common: they both sleep with the same woman. Ari and Josh never expected their paths to cross again. But, years on, a chance encounter soon leads to a surprising connection.
As friends-without-benefits, they soon find comfort in late-night Netflix binges, swiping through one another’s dating profiles and bickering across boroughs. That is, until one night, when the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur. Like People We Meet on Vacation, Kate Goldbeck’s You, Again is a sizzling contemporary romance that puts a fresh spin on the friends-to-lovers trope.
Something Wilder – Christina Lauren
Growing up as the daughter of the infamous treasure hunter and absentee father, Duke Wilder left Lily without much yearning for a career or much money in the bank. She makes her way by using Duke’s hand-drawn maps to guide tour groups on fake treasure hunts through the red canyons of Utah. It pays the bills, but it isn’t nearly enough for her to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley band of friends eager to hit the trails.
Leo Grady wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first and only love. Unfortunately for him, Lily is all business and draws a clear line in the sand that it is never going to happen. When their trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, the group wonders if maybe the legend of hidden treasures wasn’t a gimmick after all. One of the best second-chance romances similar to People We Meet on Vacation, Christina Lauren’s Something Wilder follows Leo and Lily as they decide whether they’ll risk their lives and hearts on an adventure of a lifetime.
Check Out The Best Books Like Something Wilder
One Day – David Nicholls
One Day follows Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, who meet on the 15th of July 1988, the night of their university graduation. Though they only spend one day together, a deep connection forms between them. Instead of becoming a couple, they wind up going their separate ways, but the novel revisits their lives on the same date – July 15th – every year for the next twenty years.
Emma is ambitious and idealistic, struggling to find her place in the world, while Dexter is charming and privileged, pursuing a flashy career in television. As their lives take different paths – careers, relationships, and personal struggles – they remain constants in each other’s lives, sometimes as best friends, sometimes as something more. Through witty banter, heartache and moments of joy, One Day explores fate, missed opportunities and the power of enduring love in a way any fan of People We Meet on Vacation is sure to love.
Check Out The Best Books Like One Day
The Cheat Sheet – Sarah Adams
Bree Camden has been secretly in love with her best friend, Nathan Donelson, for years. Nathan, an NFL quarterback, is charismatic, kind, and entirely oblivious to Bree’s feelings. Convinced that he only views her as a friend, Bree keeps her love hidden – until a drunken confession to a reporter puts their entire relationship into the public spotlight.
Now, the media is abuzz about a potentially blossoming romance between them, and Nathan’s team senses an opportunity. They propose a fake dating arrangement to elevate his public image, and Bree reluctantly agrees. As they get to grips with their staged dates and the mounting speculation, the lines between fake and real begin to blur. Sarah Adams’ The Cheat Sheet is one of the most heartwarming best friends-to-lovers books, like People We Meet on Vacation, and it will have you rooting for Bree and Nathan to realise what’s been in front of them all along.
The Layover – Lacie Waldon
After a decade as a flight attendant, Ava Greene is set to hang up her wings and finally set down her roots. She has one final trip left, and plans to enjoy every last second of it. Until she discovers that former pilot Jack Stone – the handsome, infuriatingly cocky man she’s held a secret grudge against for years – is on her flight.
When their plane hits mechanical issues, what should have been a quick pitstop at Belize airport suddenly becomes a weekend layover. Ava knows it will take all the rum punch in the country to make being stranded with her nemesis in a luxury resort bearable. But, as they spend more time together under the Caribbean sun, the more Ava discovers she might have gotten wrong about Jack, and what she wants from her own life. Soon enough, she may have to choose between keeping her feet on the ground and her head in the clouds.
Shipped – Angie Hockman
Another one of the best feel-good contemporary romance books like People We Meet on Vacation, Angie Hockman’s Shipped introduces readers to Henley Evans and Graeme Crawford-Collins. The pair have never met, but their sparring over email has become the stuff of office legend. They are both up for the promotion of their dreams, and their boss tasks them with drafting a proposal on how to boost bookings in the Galapagos. The only catch? They both have to go on a company cruise to the islands. Together.
But when they meet each other on the ship, Henley is shocked to discover that the real Graeme is nothing like she imagined. As they explore the islands together, she soon finds that the line between loathing and liking is far thinner than a postcard home. With her career dreams in her sights and a growing attraction to the competition, Henley starts questioning all her life choices. After all, what’s the point of working all the time if you never find time to live?
The Summer List – Amy Mason Doan
Laura and Casey were once inseparable. Until one summer night, when a shocking betrayal sent Laura running through the pines, down the dock of her lakeside California town, and into a new life, leaving Casey and a first love in her wake. Now, seventeen years later, Laura is called home and into a reunion with Casey, and she is unable to resist.
From the glistening Jade Cove to the vintage skating ice rink, their tour through their most cherished summer memories becomes a bittersweet memory of the friendship they once shared. But, just as the game brings Laura and Casey together again, a stunning secret from the past soon threatens to tear them apart again. A tender second-chance summer romance, The Summer List is Amy Mason Doan’s debut novel, and the perfect follow-up for anyone who loved People We Meet on Vacation!
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
