20 Books Like People We Meet on Vacation and More Emily Henry Books
In this list of books like People We Meet on Vacation, we have put all the best books about going on vacation just in time for summer. And of course, we could not leave out more Emily Henry books from this great list.
Reading about a vacation while on a vacation is ironic, but so much fun. Don’t have plans to go anywhere? Take an escape through books like People We Meet on Vacation although, fair warning, some of these vacations are not ideal for relaxation.
*Books Like People We Meet on Vacation post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Author: Emily Henry
Year: 2021
Genre: Romance
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range:18+
Plot
Do you believe Harry (from When Harry Met Sally) when he said “Women and men can’t be friends”?
We are sure think he’s wrong, but one of our favorite tropes is friends to lovers. People We Met on Vacation is the latest beach read from Emily Henry and it’s addicting.
Poppy has been best friends with Alex since a car ride home from college a decade ago. Since then, they’ve gone on vacation together every year until 2 years ago when it all came crashing down.
Will they recover their friendship with one more trip or will their relationship be irrevocably ruined? This is the perfect beach, poolside read, or vacation read. You should be sure to add it to your summer reading romance books list. And if you are looking for the best friends-to-lovers romance novel, this is it.
Why Jackie loves it
This is one of the best friends to lovers romances I have read. I love the way Emily Henry’s books. The stories are so relatable and utterly charming
Find this book in: Friends to Lovers Romance Books / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation
Romance Books Like People We Meet on Vacation
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
I absolutely adored this charming second-chance romance set at a lake house. It was one of the most popular books on Instagram this summer, and for good reason.
Sam is the teenage boy we all needed in our lives growing up, and he gets better with age! Meanwhile, I was rooting for Percy to get her happily ever after with Sam the whole time. I was swept away by their summer love story and you will be too! It is a perfect choice for a list of books like People We Meet on Vacation.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Olive and Ami are twins. While Ami seems to be lucky in everything, Olive knows that if it can happen, it will happen to her. So when everyone gets food poisoning at Ami’s wedding except Olive and her nemesis Ethan, she can’t decide if her luck has changed. This is the fake dating trope to the extreme- fake marriage.
As the two head out on the free, all-inclusive honeymoon that was supposed to be Ami and her new husband, Olive hopes they can call a truce long enough to enjoy the trip.
Why I Love it: I loved this hilarious romance as soon as I read it. It is the perfect romantic comedy book.
Find this book in Romance Tropes / Rom-Com Books / Fake Dating Books / Grumpy Sunshine Books / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation / Seaside Books
Royal Holiday
Author: Jasmine Guillory
Year: 2019
Genre: Romance
More info: The Wedding Date #4
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
When Maddie gets Kirsten’s dream gig (styling a Royal or let’s face it, hanging out with a Royal), she brings her mom, Vivian, with her to England. Vivian meets a very handsome gentleman who happens to be the Queen’s private secretary. Sparks fly but will this be more than just a holiday romance?
Why Jackie loves it
Looking for a last-minute Christmas Read, New Year’s book, or the perfect holiday book? Royal Holiday was the perfect first read for winter break, especially for those who love a royal romance.
Find this book in: Best Christmas Books Of All Time / Best Holiday Books / Jasmine Guillory Books in Order / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation / Royal Romance Books / New Year’s Eve Books
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
Do you love Christmas movies? Are you obsessed with Romance books? Do you need to swoon? If you answered yes to any of those questions, stop everything and order In a Holidaze. This is possibly my favorite Christmas novel of all time.
I adored Mae and Andrew’s love story. It’s set up like Groundhog’s Day with Mae repeating the same Christmas vacation until she gets it right. And man… does she get it right. Peppermint Kisses, Sexy Sledding, Snowball Fights, Christmas Tree trimming… this book is oozing with cheer-filled holiday goodness with a few scenes that are steamier than a cup of cocoa.
There is a reason this book made our best books of 2020 list! This vacation read is the perfect pick for a list of books like People We Need on Vacation.
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Ok, so I adored To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, but this YA romance felt like it was geared toward a younger crowd. This is a perfect friends-to-lovers romance for teens. It is filled with a love triangle teenage antics.
Set when Belly turns 15, at the beach house she visits every summer with her mom, her brother, and her mother’s best friend’s family, this coming-of-age is geared towards 15-year-olds.
I read it for the reading challenge, and while I didn’t love it for me, I’ll be interested to see how it gets adapted though! This sweet pick is perfect for a list of books like People We Meet on Vacation and it recently became an Amazon adaptation.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
When I learned that Tessa Bailey used Schitt’s Creek’s Alexis as her inspiration for Piper, I knew I had to read this grumpy sunshine romance.
After getting in trouble one-to-many times for her party-girl lifestyle, Piper and her sister are banished back to their late father’s hometown in Washington.
While she’s learning to be responsible and money-conscious for the first time in her life, she needs to try not to fall for a local fisherman, Brendan. This is a sailing novel with heat!
Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Books similar to The Love Hypothesis / Emily Henry books.
Ultimate Beach Reads 2023: The Hottest Summer Reads
Looking for more beach reads? Check out our Ultimate List of Beach Reads for 2023
Thriller Books Like People We Meet on Vacation
Thrillers may seem like a strange genre choice for a list of books like People We Meet on Vacation; However, these thrillers all take place on vacation- even if it is a vacation I would NOT want to go on!
The Sanatorium
Author: Sarah Pearse
Year: 2021
Genre: Mystery
More info: Detective Elin Warner #1 , February 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Plot
Oh boy, was this a creepy haunted house book! I wish I had chosen to read it during the wintertime instead of the summer because seeing snow while reading it would have made it that much creepier.
With dead bodies piling up, and a blizzard keeping the guests of the fancy sanatorium-turned-hotel stuck inside, will Elin be able to solve the mystery before she becomes a victim herself?
Why Kirsten loves it
This is such a great blizzard book for mystery book lovers. It is creepy and everything else you want in a thriller and it’s an iconic book to read during a snowstorm!
Find this book in: Fiction Serial Killer Books / Locked Room Mystery / Isolation Book
We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz
August 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
A thriller that had me on the edge of my seat! Two best friends, Emily and Kristen, commit an accidental murder on vacation in Cambodia when they try to stop Emily from being sexually assaulted.
But the following year in Chile, it happens again. As Emily begins to suspect something is off with her best friend, she starts trying to distance herself from Kristen. But Kristen wants to keep Emily close.
With a narrator that is unreliable, because she can’t seem to trust her own instincts or memory, the twists and turns keep coming with this thriller. If vacation books are your thing, this thriller from books like People We Meet on Vacation is such a great pick. And, it is perfect for books with unreliable narrators.
Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
Don’t you feel that some books are just meant to be listened to and not read? That’s how I felt about Daisy Jones & The Six, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, Echo, and now Saint X. Each of these full cast audiobooks brings the novel to life.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Saint X. I think I was suspecting a thriller or a mystery because the story opens with an 18-year-old girl who dies on her tropical vacation with her family. Her then-7-year-old sister, Claire, is our narrator. Now in her 20s, after a chance meeting with someone connected to the case, Claire is trying to figure out exactly what happened all those years ago.
The story is also peppered with accounts from a few other key people in the case. Each one of these players is a different narrator which just made the entire production feel real. But it doesn’t quite fit into one genre. It’s also a book about the relationship between sisters, even those separated for years, and was perfect for our list of books about sisters. The other part of the story that I love is the subtle commentary on race and class that are woven throughout.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
June 2020 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
I’ve just read THE thriller
The murder sets the scene and then we get the story in flashbacks without knowing who is murdered until the end.
Why I Love it: I’ve become very picky about thrillers recently and this one is hands down my favorite of the year so far. It also made our Best of 2020 list!
Find this book in Locked Room Mysteries / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation / Best British Mysteries / Books Becoming Movies in 2024 / Hulu Book Adaptations / Best Beach Reads / British Books
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
This is the Ultimate Beach Read Thriller! It’s all about 2 girls who hire a couple to charter them a boat to a deserted island.
But the island isn’t so deserted after all. As their relaxing trip turns deadly, we learn about the back story that brought each person to their destination.
Why I Like it: It’s a wonderfully addicting novel that is great in audiobook format as well. I found the setting to be so unique and integral to the party.
Find this book in Books like People We Meet on Vacation / Books set at the Beach / Isolation Novels / Ultimate Beach Reads 2023 / Boat Books
The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman
Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought I was going into a family drama like The Vacationers by Emma Straub, but it opened with a murder. I literally sat up at that point and thought “well, well, what have we here?”
It was a dynamic family drama with secrets, lies, and tension…and the whole time I was trying to figure out who had committed the murder and why. I loved it! Truly a perfect summer read and a perfect pick for poolside reads or for anyone who lives Emily Henry books.
Contemporary Fiction Books Like People We Meet on Vacation
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
Rebecca Serle has done it again with this book set in Italy. Katy’s mother, Carol, has died and left Katy to take their trip to Positano alone. When Katy leaves she is uncertain about everything and whether she will return to her marriage.
Then, the impossible happens, and Carol appears at Katy’s hotel. She is in perfect health and thirty years old. She is not the woman Katy thought she knew. As she gets to know her mother, she realizes more about herself.
Why I Love It: This is a beautiful, well-written book with a touch of magic. I loved how Katy and Carol are able to develop a relationship in Italy after Carol died. It is unique and wonderful.
Find This Book In: Contemporary Fiction / Book Set in Italy / Book About Grief / Best Magical Realism Books / Books About Mothers/ Books Set on a Beach
Castle of Water by Dane Huckelridge
When Sophie and Barry find themselves on an Island as the sole survivors of a plane crash, they learn to depend on each other. The book moves seamlessly from the past to the present, weaving an intricate tale.
Why I Love It: This is a wonderful contemporary fiction book about love and survival. It is so much more than it appears on the surface. I cried during the ending and have been singing it’s praises ever since. Everyone I’ve ever recommended this one too has had the same response.
Find this book in Kirsten’s Favorite Books / Feel-Good Books / Plane Crash Novels / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation / Books Set at the Beach
Summertime Guests by Wendy Francis
Well, this book was such a treat! It takes place at a seaside resort over one fateful weekend. We get a glimpse into the lives of the various guests and what brought them to the resort.
Oh and did I mention it opens with a woman falling to her death by the resort pool? Was it a murder? Was it a suicide? Was it an accident? And which of the guests is the victim?
It’s a light read perfect for the beach. Check out more beach reads at our beach read hub!
The Vacationers by Emma Straub
This book starts off with a family headed on a vacation to the Balearic Island of Mallorca. All seems well as Franny and Jim are celebrating their 35th anniversary and their daughter is headed to Brown University in the fall. But, not all is what it appears, and the secrets everyone is keeping come pouring out over the course of the two-week vacation.
Extended family and friends are all gathered in the house where rivalries are rekindled and old wounds are opened. This is one pick from the list of books like people we meet on vacation that is perfect for anyone looking for some serious family drama.
Historical Fiction Books Like People We Meet on Vacation
Haven Point by Virginia Hume
What a wonderful read. I truly can’t explain how much this book swept me away to Haven Point as I learned about four generations of the Demarest family.
This story focuses on the great-grandmother, grandmother (Maren), mother, and daughter (Skye) as they spend their summers in the waspy coastal town. Secrets unfold, loves bloom and fade, and the ties that bond are explored.
Why I Love It: This is a wonderful beach read with heart, I hope you take a chance and get swept away too. It’s one of the best family saga books I’ve ever read.
Find this Book in Family Saga Books / Best Beach Reads
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
I adored this second-chance love story that wasn’t too girly. There was intrigue and insight into Hollywood today versus 60 years ago. It’s about a secret love affair revolving around the movie Cleopatra and the small, seaside hotel at the center of the story.
It features family secrets, Richard Burton, modern and old Hollywood, and so many other plot lines in a novel that isn’t very long for all it contains within it’s pages.
Why I Like it: I guessed the big reveal pretty early on, but it was still a wonderful book set in Italy about how love found, lost, and then found again can impact our lives.
Find this book in Books Set in Italy / Seaside Books / Hotel Novels
Montauk by Nicola Harrison
I anticipated a lighthearted read, but this book had more soul than I was expecting! Set in 1938 in Montauk among the glamorous world of Manhattan’s summering elite, it was full of secrets and romance.
It’s like a historical fiction version of an Elin Hildebrandt book with romance and personal growth as our heroine discovers true love in a sleepy beach town.
Why I Like it: I shed a few tears at the ending, which surprised me! There is a short, not-so-graphic rape scene – so if that’s a trigger for you, steer clear. Otherwise, I applaud this debut and recommend it for your beach bag!
Find this book in Seaside Books / Hurricane Novels / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation / Books Set in New York
More Emily Henry Books
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Daphne loved to tell the story of her meet-cute with her fiance, Peter, until he broke up with her to be with his childhood best friend, Petra. She had moved to his hometown, into a house he bought, and she is stranded with nothing but a job as a children’s librarian- a job that she absolutely loves.
With no other options, Daphne moves in with miles, Desperate, she moves in with Miles, Petra’s ex-fiance until she can find a new place to live- preferably in a new city.
As the two spend more time together and begin to heal their hearts, they realize that this can be the start of a new chapter.
Why I Love This: Emily Henry always has unique romances that hit just the right spot. You will fall in love with Daphne and Miles, flaws and all!
Find this book in Emily Henry Books / Books About Librarians / Beach Reads 2024/ New Romance Books 2024
Happy Place
Author: Emily Henry
Year: 2023
Genre: Romance
More info: Instant New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:18+
Plot
Emily Henry is an author who is always consistent with her romances. She may be the queen of romantic comedy books. Nothing says “summer reads” like Emily Henry.
Harriet and Wyn have been together for years until they broke up 5 months ago. The only problem is that they still haven’t told their best friends and now they will be sharing a room during their yearly vacation with their friends.
How hard can it be to keep up the facade of a happy couple? If you love fake dating books, this is one of the best. And if you are hoping these two will have a second chance at love, you will not be disappointed.
There is something special in every one of Emily Henry’s romances and this newest book is no exception. It is one of the best books of 2023!
Why Jackie loves it
Emily Henry finds a way to write books that are so readable with characters that are so loveable. I was rooting for these two the find their way back to each other.
Find this book in: Emily Henry Books / Second Chance Romance / Romantic Comedy Books / Fake Dating Books
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
As soon as I saw what this book was about, I knew I wanted to read it. I love Emily Henry books. Nora is a literary agent who is a shark for her clients. Her life is books and will stop and nothing for her job or her little sister, Libby.
When Libby begs Nora to take her to Sunshine Falls, the setting of one of her most famous books, she reluctantly agrees. When they get there, the town does not look anything like the book describes. In addition, her literary nemesis, book editor Charlie Lastra is in Sunshine Falls.
Now, Nora and Charlie find themselves together in a plot twist neither of them could see coming. This amazing romance about books is perfect for our list of Books Like The Love Hypothesis and is a must-read if you loved the book.
Beach Read by Emily Henry
This is one of the best romance books I have read in a long time. What could be better than a romance about writers? January is a romance writer who no longer believes in love. Until she was 28, she led an idyllic life filled with the ideas of perfect love.
Augustus Everett is a literary fiction writer who has never believed in love. They could not be more different. When they find themselves living next door to each other they decide to help each other overcome their writer’s block by challenging each other to a writer’s duel. This might be my favorite pick from our list of enemies-to-lovers books.
Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books / Grumpy Sunshine Romance / Emily Henry Books / Books About Books / Best Beach Reads
