An amusing escape but didn't quite enrapture me like her other romance.
Summary:
Their annual summer trips together have always been the highlight of the year for best friends Poppy and Alex...until two summers ago. They haven't talked since, and Poppy finds traveling just isn't as much fun without Alex. Anxiously, she sets out to plan the perfect trip to mend their bond and rekindle their friendship... or maybe spark something more.
Verdict: 7/10
I wanted a quick light-hearted romance for my own trip, and this fulfilled that desire. But with all my own traveling around, I didn't always appreciate the time jumps. Henry juxtaposes Poppy's current quest to reconnect with their trips in the past. And while you get to see a lot of cool destinations and their relationship throughout, I got a bit lost on where this fit in their relational timeline.
Favorably, the banter and flashbacks reminded me of When Harry Met Sally, seeing how opposites attract in both relationships and friendships and benefit both sides. I love Henry's dialogue and how she creates inside jokes among the characters, and therefore the readers. It makes the whole story and its cast seem very familiar.
The plot was good and interesting enough to keep the story moving. The reader really felt the awkwardness of reigniting a relationship and navigating taboo topics after years of not seeing each other. At the same time, that awkwardness also lessened the spark for me. Yes, you wanted to see Alex and Poppy back together, and the flashbacks made it apparent that there could be something there. But the present-day scenes made me feel like the author was forcing a flame between them. The attraction felt less genuine to me personally.
The novel was a nice getaway and change of pace. Still, I think it could have been better considering how much I loved Book Lovers. Worth the read, but not one I'm likely to revisit.
留言