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Quick answer: If you loved Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation, try Book Lovers, Beach Read, Happy Place, The Flatshare, One Day and Seven Days in June. They share banter, friendship and a long, slow burn.
Henry's 2021 novel follows Poppy and Alex, best friends who take a vacation together every summer, until one trip goes wrong and the friendship breaks. It is a story about love, timing and the people who know you best. Readers who finish it want more friends-to-lovers, more trips and more banter. These 15 books fit that wish.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book Lovers | Emily Henry | Adult | more Emily Henry |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who like banter |
| Happy Place | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who like second-chance romance |
| Funny Story | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who want more Henry |
| The Flatshare | Beth O'Leary | Adult | readers who like quirky romance |
| One Day | David Nicholls | Adult | readers who like friends-to-lovers over time |
| Seven Days in June | Tia Williams | Adult | readers who like adult romance |
| One Last Stop | Casey McQuiston | Adult | readers who like romance with a twist |
| The Unhoneymooners | Christina Lauren | Adult | readers who like enemies-to-lovers |
| Love on the Brain | Ali Hazelwood | Adult | readers who like STEM romance |
| The Hating Game | Sally Thorne | Adult | workplace romance fans |
| Red, White & Royal Blue | Casey McQuiston | Adult | readers who like rivals-to-lovers |
| Love & Other Words | Christina Lauren | Adult | readers who like childhood sweethearts |
| The Summer I Turned Pretty | Jenny Han | 13+ | readers who want YA |
| Normal People | Sally Rooney | Adult | readers who want literary romance |
1. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Nora, a literary agent, keeps meeting Charlie, an editor, in a small town. A story about sisters and second chances.
Best for: more Emily Henry.
2. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two rival writers swap genres for a summer. Funny, moving and about grief.
Best for: readers who like banter.
3. Happy Place by Emily Henry
Harriet and Wyn, a broken-up couple, fake being together for their friends' trip. Full of friendship and ache.
Best for: readers who like second-chance romance.
4. Funny Story by Emily Henry
Daphne is left by her fiancé for his best friend and decides to fake-date the best friend's ex. Warm and funny.
Best for: readers who want more Henry.
5. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
Tiffy and Leon share a bed in a flat but never meet. Sweet, funny and charming.
Best for: readers who like quirky romance.
6. One Day by David Nicholls
Dex and Em meet on one day in July and the book checks in each year for twenty years. Bittersweet and classic.
Best for: readers who like friends-to-lovers over time.
7. Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Two writers reunite after a teenage fling at a literary event. Sexy and smart.
Best for: readers who like adult romance.
8. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
August falls for a woman who is stuck on the Q train in time. Magical and sweet.
Best for: readers who like romance with a twist.
9. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Olive and Ethan take a free honeymoon. Fast and funny.
Best for: readers who like enemies-to-lovers.
10. Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
A neuroscientist works with her old rival at NASA. Funny and fast.
Best for: readers who like STEM romance.
11. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Lucy and Joshua are office rivals who might be more. A classic of the genre.
Best for: workplace romance fans.
12. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The son of the U.S. president and a British prince fall in love. Funny and romantic.
Best for: readers who like rivals-to-lovers.
13. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
Macy and Elliot, childhood best friends, reunite years later. Tender and nostalgic.
Best for: readers who like childhood sweethearts.
14. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Belly spends a summer at a beach house with two brothers. A YA first-love story.
Best for: readers who want YA.
15. Normal People by Sally Rooney
Connell and Marianne's on-off relationship across school and college. Quiet and intense.
Best for: readers who want literary romance.
How to Choose
For more Henry, read Book Lovers or Beach Read. For friends-to-lovers over time, choose One Day or Love & Other Words. For humor, try The Flatshare or The Unhoneymooners. For a more literary pick, read Normal People. Bring a book for the beach and plan to finish it in a weekend. A beach-week plan: pair one Henry book with a lighter one (The Unhoneymooners) and a classic (One Day). Many of these books also work as audiobooks, with narrators who capture the banter. If you like travel in your romances, add a trip of your own.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is People We Meet on Vacation being adapted?
Yes. A film adaptation was released on Netflix.
Is it a slow burn?
Yes. The friendship develops over a decade before the romance becomes clear.
Does it have open-door scenes?
It has a few, but they are less explicit than many romances.
What should I read after Emily Henry?
Book Lovers and Beach Read are the next most popular.
Is it a good first Emily Henry book?
Yes, many readers start with People We Meet on Vacation or Beach Read.
Does it have a happy ending?
Yes, it is a romance with a satisfying ending.