Is People We Meet on Vacation Based on a Book? (Emily Henry Novel Explained)
Is People We Meet on Vacation Based on a Book? (Emily Henry Novel Explained)
If you just hit play on People We Meet on Vacation (or you’re seeing it everywhere on BookTok), you’re probably wondering: is it based on a book—or is the book based on the movie?
Answer: Yes, it’s based on a book. The Netflix movie People We Meet on Vacation is an adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestselling роман-com novel first published in 2021.
Quick Answer (Book vs Movie)
- The book came first. People We Meet on Vacation is a 2021 romance novel by Emily Henry.
- The movie is an adaptation. Netflix’s film version follows the same core couple and the same “friends-to-lovers across years of trips” premise.
- Some details were changed for the screen. The biggest headline change readers notice is a major location swap in the film.
About the Book (Emily Henry’s Novel, Explained)
Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation is built around an instantly addictive setup: two best friends who take one vacation together every summer—until the year it all falls apart.
The story follows Poppy (the spontaneous, travel-obsessed one) and Alex (the routine-loving, bookish one). They live in different cities most of the year, but for a decade they keep their friendship alive through one shared trip each summer.
Emily Henry tells the story in a way that feels like flipping through a photo album: the novel moves between “now” and flashbacks of past vacations, slowly revealing what went wrong and why Poppy and Alex can’t stop orbiting each other.
If you’re new to Emily Henry’s style, the signature is: rom-com energy + real emotional stakes. You’ll get witty banter and travel scenery, but also that quiet, stomach-dropping tension when two people refuse to say the one thing that could change everything.
About the Netflix Movie
Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation adapts the book into a feature-length rom-com with a modern “throwback” feel: best friends, years of history, and the slow realization that what you’ve been calling friendship might actually be your person.
Netflix categorizes it as a romance / romantic comedy and explicitly tags it as a movie based on a book.
Watch the Official Trailer
Book vs Movie: What Changed?
Adaptations always have to make tradeoffs—especially when a book spans multiple years, multiple trips, and a lot of internal narration. The movie keeps the heart of the story (Poppy + Alex + the vacations), but reshapes the timeline and settings to fit a tight runtime.
1) A major location change (the one readers notice first)
One of the most talked-about changes is that the film swaps a key book location for a different city. If you read the novel first, you’ll recognize the “same emotional beat” even when the scenery is different.
2) Fewer destinations, more compression
The novel’s structure lets Emily Henry hop across multiple trips and years with room for buildup. A movie generally has to condense, combine, or relocate moments so the emotional arc still lands without needing a mini-series length.
3) The vibe stays: friends-to-lovers + miscommunication + slow burn
Even when details shift, the core appeal remains the same: two people who fit in a way that’s obvious to everyone except them—until they finally risk the friendship for something bigger.
Cast & Crew
The Netflix adaptation brings Emily Henry’s leads to the screen with a classic rom-com contrast: Poppy as the bold free spirit and Alex as the steady, plan-loving counterbalance.
- Poppy Wright: Emily Bader
- Alex Nilsen: Tom Blyth
- Director: Brett Haley
The supporting cast includes familiar faces from comedy and TV, giving the movie that “ensemble rom-com” texture around the central couple.
Where to Read & Watch
Where to watch
The movie is streaming on Netflix. You can find it by searching “People We Meet on Vacation” in the Netflix app.
Where to read
The novel is available in multiple formats (paperback, ebook, audiobook), plus collector and tie-in editions.
FAQ
Is People We Meet on Vacation based on a true story?
No. It’s a fictional romance story written by Emily Henry.
Which came first: the book or the movie?
The book came first (published in 2021). The Netflix movie is adapted from the novel.
Is it called something else in other countries?
Yes. In some markets (including the UK), the novel has been published under a different title: You and Me on Vacation.
Is the Netflix version a movie or a series?
It’s a movie (feature-length), not a limited series.
Do I need to read the book before watching?
Not at all. If you love reading romance, the book adds more inner thoughts, extra trip moments, and a slower buildup. If you just want the main story and the vibes, the movie works as a standalone watch.