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People We Meet on Vacation
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I loved the book! Let's talk about it. WITH SPOILERS...
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I enjoyed this book, like my previous post on the other board it wasn’t the typical clichéd, corny romance novel with no writing strength. It had good banter, good meat and was overall enjoyable. I did think the reason for the split in Croatia wasn’t as big of a deal as the book let on- it made sense, don’t get me wrong I agree it was simple (as Amy said) but still had depth as to how that could be a wrench in their relationship. But the drama of the two years felt a little over dramatic to me for it being just a kiss. But it added a sense of drama so I get it, and I didn’t hate it.
It definitely read like a rom-com TV movie, which I’m not mad about. Those are definitely great movies to just vege out too and I felt this was a good vege out book. I did rate it a 4/5 (I think…I need to go back and check.)
I did enjoy it, for someone who doesn’t typically read romance.
I loved the book! I was not sure I would when I started. Poppy and Alex have such an amazing and unlikely friendship that just works. I like that the writer doesn’t dwell on their past traumas too much but just enough to help understand the characters enough. I love that Poppy found a job that paid her to do what she was most happy to do which was travel to new places and meet new people on the way.
I’m not one for romance and 10/10 would not have bought this book on my own - but I think I can say I quite enjoyed the book. The relationship between the two main characters is hilarious and I quite enjoyed the back and forth 😂. I did enjoy the past / present aspect as well but I did find myself wanting to read more about “this summer” when they kept flipping back and forth. I did think the chapters could have been laid out better as in page length. They seemed pretty short. But maybe that’s me just being picky 😂. Thank you for the suggestion !
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I totally agree about the wanting to read more of the "This Summer" and I would get irritated, when it would bounce back.. especially towards the end of the book.... lol
I am glad you enjoyed the book. It's romance, but not sappy, insta-love romance, and that made all the difference for me, too.
Mod
I loved that Poppy got to do what she loved, too. The back stories made me appreciate the characters, and I agree it wasn't over-the-top, but helped you to understand them.
Great thoughts everybody! I loved the cozy heartwarming feelings I received from this book and I snorted from laughter so many times. The humorous repertoire between Poppy and Alex was top notch for me. However the ridiculousness of them taking that long to finally realize they were mad for each other was slightly irritating near the end. And the ending was not ideal although it may have been very modern. it was just like hey we are both in therapy now let's give us a shot. lol I don't know a little silly to me, but maybe I'm old school I wanted to see real commitment. I wanted to see them married with kid/kids...I really loved Poppy's growth and her ability to be honest with her self and take the leap of faith to go after Alex. she put all that trauma linked to her hometown behind her to get what she has wanted forever which is Alex.
*sigh* oh and Alex he was so swoon worthy in my humble opinion. I love a super organized/clean emotionally wounded but incredibly strong guy who is shy, loves to read and lives for English/creative writing. Wants to get married and have kids. However, can we talk about his vasectomy? that seemed silly for him to do that, it feels like that was weird considering what he wanted out of life, it's not that easily reversible. I think it's weird for me to be dwelling on that, but it just seemed out of character for how Alex was written or is that just me?
I really loved the different timelines but enjoy that in a book is not everyones cup of tea but it gave me little snippets to help me understand how we got to where we were in the present time chapters.
overall I really liked this book!
@Ashlee yes yes yes! I agree that I think the ending was a little dragged out, especially after it taking sooooo long for them to realize it. Yea, therapy would probably be a great idea for them in the real world, but I’m reading the book to escape the real world and I didn’t feel it was pertinent to the story. (Don’t get me wrong I’m all about characters going to therapy and being realistic in books, but it just felt misplaced here, or idk not important to the ending?)Also…yes the vasectomy seemed strange to me too…
@Jenna I completely agree with you. I read books to escape the modern realities of today and for it not to have like a beautiful well put together ending that was giving us more of their relationship was a letdown. it was still a very enjoyable read but I was definitely left wanting something more. but you know, today's day and age is a bunch of young people that are completely afraid of commitment. and I have found in some books that authors are writing their characters that way to reflect the norm in our society. The vasectomy is extremely strange because he wants nothing but to be a father and have children and get married and have that perfect picturesque life but for him to go and get a vasectomy, just so he doesn't get somebody pregnant...because he was obviously waiting around for Poppy to finally become his and she didn't ever want to have kids or was unsure. he gave up a lot just to be with her. it's still a bit perplexing to me.
I enjoyed the “lightness” of the book as it was an easy read. Laughed during the conversation about khaki pants and saxophones. The little bits and pieces of their individuality that once seemed annoying to the other becoming the pieces that brought them together was a nice touch and very realistic for relationships. I did find different parts of the novel
to be drawn out a little too much- half way through I felt like “we get it-they’re in love” and found myself annoyed that it took 12 years for them to come to that conclusion.
Thanks again for selecting this book and motivating me to get it out of my TBR pile!
It’s a feel good book, so I liked it. I liked Alex, even though he was straight from a fairytale. Poppy, I couldn’t figure out if I like or not. The love story was cute, even if not very believable. All in all, nice read:)
I didn't love the book, for mr it was just okay, but I'm not really a romance novel person. In fact I read in my life very few romances. Also for me it felt a little but dragged in some places, and I was bored, especially toward the end if the book and I found Alex and Poppy's behaviour toward the end really annoying. However, I must say I shed a tear or two in the end.
And this vasectomy felt really weird for me and didn't make sense for me.
I rated it 3/5 and it was solid 3 stars read for me. I enjoyed parts of it, but I was expect better after all good things I heard about this book.
loved the book! When I started I didn't think I'd actually finish it but the bond between both of Alex and Poppy is just so beautiful that I had to know how it ended? What did happen in Croatia?
I mean of course I had some guessing going on but I never thought the 2 years are just about a kiss!!! Also I know it helped a little in the plot; but I couldn't stop thinking what if it was a love confession and one of them simply freaked out... that would be easier to make things (I don't know different and intense I guess!).
Any way I loved their friendship and that flirting going on back and forth without anyone admitting anything.
And for Alex he is just a sweetheart. I kept reading and all I was thinking that OMG I'm boring too. I want to live in the same place for along time and have family and love my daily life and make it as my own adventure.
I too take care of my beloved ones more than myself and honestly he sounds like the right guy for me lol. But yet he figures out a relation so right for him and makes him happy.
Sure the book was super predictable fore but it was ok.
1) If they had gotten together right from the start, would they have understood each other enough to stay together? I mean was it their years of growing up, in a way together, that made them so ... umm together?
2) It seems their families knew they were for each other. I got that impression, from both sides, throughout the book. Makes me wonder if their families never talked about it. At all. ?
3) Umm.. big thing. Alex got a vasectomy. Say what? The guy who wanted kids got fixed. For Poppy. Did he do that for Poppy? Or did he do that so he wouldn't end up with someone else (Sarah?), while he waited for Poppy because of a baby scare? (The baby scare?)
4) Yes this is a romance book, but I enjoyed the almost romance of "what if" tremendously. Makes me think of a few "what ifs"...
5) And.. I could totally relate to Poppy's not wanting to go back to her hometown. And her need to re-invent herself to distance herself from her old self. I left my hometown when I was 20. I have yet to go back...and I'm soo not 20 anymore. lol. I could really understand her loneliness and being the odd one. All through that section, I was thinking, "Me too, Poppy, me too." And I married the quiet guy too. And we joined the Army. And we have traveled so many places. And I've had to reinvent myself several times now. And still I have no regrets about leaving my hometown and all those people behind. And I know my hometown is just going along and the people are doing their own thing...like Jason in the book. We all have grown up. We all have lives of our own. And that apology.. yeah... I felt that.
So, I am going to say that this book will receive a good review on Goodreads, but since some of you are my friends on the site, I won't be writing it up until after we have finished reading it and discussing it here. I don't want any spoilers to leak out, on the update feed, for those of you who haven't read it, yet. ;)
So what were your thoughts on this book? Tell us!