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I am a sucker for a friends-to-lovers trope and, as an Emily Henry fan, I should have been the easiest audience to please. But I am also not big on book-to-movie adaptations, which meant I went into People We Meet on Vacation — finally out on Netflix — with both excitement and hesitation.

I’ve learned that a movie can never truly be as good as a romance fiction novel; it can never capture the glitter, tonality and dimension. Something always feels missing, especially when it comes to a book I have loved, devoured, read and re-read multiple times.

For me, People We Meet on Vacation was one of those books. It is, in fact, one of my favourite Henry novels (controversially), and I had definitely been overhyping the movie (while silently praying not to be disappointed), and yet, I wasn’t.

A rom-com that remembers how yearning works

Henry is the queen of the summer romance novel. I go back five years into the past; I can smell the beach — rivulets of water around me as my feet dance in the shallow beginnings of the sea. It is the feeling of something new opening up, the start of summer, the sense of endless possibility. That’s how every Henry novel has felt so far — and People We Meet on Vacation (the movie) captures all of those elements.

The movie was the perfect reawakening of the rom-com we have been waiting for. It did everything right: vacation mode, yearning, tension, bold characterisation, and a great score. But before we get too excited, I will say that there are significant differences between the book and the movie. But the changes worked. And by the end of the movie, I had goosebumps (my way of knowing if a book or movie has really gotten to me).

Two best friends, one vacation a year and a whole lot of tension. It’s fun, it’s summer, it’s filled with a whole lot of will-they-won’t-they and the perfect rom-com to start the year.

The joy (and mess) that is Poppy

Emily Bader stunned as Poppy — she was able to translate the bubbly, layered and dynamic personality Henry had created. And she was exactly how I had imagined Poppy in my head. Her outfits, dialogue and energy reverberated through the screen. She is so unabashedly herself, and it is so much fun to watch. From her bringing home a random statue to her disdain for running, she was definitely the star of the movie, and her acting was iconic, especially when it came to the New Orleans scene.

Meanwhile, Alex (Tom Blyth) is her polar opposite. Alex is quiet, stable, keeping everything on the inside. And yet, he and Poppy have that spark that everyone seems to see but them.

When the book in your head shows up on screen

It’s rare to feel a sense of déjà vu when watching a movie. But while watching the New Orleans scene, I found myself thinking, I’ve seen this before. And then I realised the visuals so perfectly matched the way I had imagined them while reading the book that it felt like I actually had. And that feeling, for me, makes for a good adaptation. It was “Forever Your Girl”, the blue wig, the outfits, the dance (obsessed), the tension and the chemistry.

I feel like part of the tension on their “Palm Springs” (Barcelona for movie-watchers) trip was because they were staying together, that the AC only changed “one degree at a time”, that Alex’s back went out and Poppy had to sleep on the sofa — all of these details which they did, in fact, keep in the movie.

When travel becomes part of the romance

The travel destinations will leave everyone desperate for a holiday. From the sun-drenched, rustic beauty of Tuscany to the sparkling beaches of Costa Brava, the travel aspect and time jumps through spaces were definitely some of my favourite parts of the movie.

I also loved the way they integrated the cover of the book into the last scene (I might have squealed when the colours of the actual cover took over the screen during the outro). I think it’s rare for a cute rom-com book to become a movie, and Emily Henry creates the perfect books to turn into films. Reading is always an intimate experience — I prefer the narrative to exist within the book, creating my own visuals in my head. And so, for a book like this to be turned into a movie feels personal and exciting.

Growing up, one trip at a time

People We Meet on Vacation was the perfect palate cleanser to begin the new year. Often, we read books or watch movies and forget to remind ourselves that while the plot starts from there, the characters existed before that — we just don’t get to see it. Part of what resonated for me was the time jump; living with Poppy and Alex as they grew up and travelled gave their story such a vivid dimension. The thirst for travel and exploration was so well done. So many of us live life in a constant need and yearning to move, to leave, to just be somewhere else. Knowing that the vacation life eventually ends is what allows us to fully enjoy it.

I loved seeing Poppy try to understand her desire for travel versus her desire for Alex. I loved the portrayal of vacation mode — the casual hair, the lack of awkwardness, the endless access to sun and sea and sand. Friends to lovers!!!! Because who doesn’t love a good friends-to-lovers trope? I think part of me kept watching because I was just waiting for it to happen. I wanted Poppy and Alex’s stories to align so badly (even though I already knew we would get our happily ever after).

Whimsical, poetic, and so much fun.