Netflix’s ‘People We Meet on Vacation‘ tells the same love story fans fell for in Emily Henry’s book, but it tells it in a very different way. If you read the novel and then watched the movie, you probably noticed the differences.
The heart is still there, but the path Poppy and Alex take to get there takes a completely different approach. Here are the major book vs. movie differences that I noticed.
They Don’t Travel As Much
In the book, Poppy walks us through ten full summers of trips with Alex, jumping from Nashville to Vail, Croatia, Tuscany, Vancouver Island, and more. Those trips slowly build their bond, which is why their eventual fallout hurts so much. The movie cuts several of those locations and squeezes a lot of moments together so the story doesn’t feel too long or too crowded. Because of that, some of the biggest moments get moved around.
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In the book, things fall apart in Croatia, and the final emotional mess happens in Palm Springs, where everything goes wrong, with flat tires, broken AC, and even a hotel pool getting shut down. The movie, however, changes all of that for Barcelona, where Poppy still struggles with her apartment’s air conditioning. But instead, the heat just makes her first real kiss with Alex even more intense.
The Movie Overdoes The Laughs
Emily Henry’s writing is already funny, but it’s a different kind of humor. The movie takes a bit of a different approach. Right from their first road trip, Alex, eating a giant sour-cream-covered burrito, and later Poppy’s awkward hookup with a stoner water-taxi guy; all these add up.
There’s a full dance scene in New Orleans set to Paula Abdul’s “Forever Your Girl,” and Tom Blyth really goes for it. And Poppy’s parents bring some of the most awkward humor, especially when her mom tries to give her a huge pack of condoms while her dad accidentally gives Alex a sex talk that Alex thinks is about flying.
Other Partners Suddenly Matter A Lot
In the book, Alex’s girlfriend, Sarah, and Poppy’s boyfriends mostly stay in the background. They exist, but they’re not the main reason Alex and Poppy don’t get together. Their real problem is fear; the fear of losing each other if they cross that line. The movie turns this into more of a classic love-triangle situation. Alex and Poppy keep getting stuck because other people are in the way.
In the book, Poppy even admits that while she sees Alex as just a friend most of the time, there’s a small part of her that keeps wondering, “What if we kissed? What if we dated? What if we ruined everything?”
Poppy’s Inner Struggles Seems Rushed
One of the best parts of the book is how much time we spend inside Poppy’s head. We see her go to therapy, think about her fears, and even face an old high school bully before she finally understands why commitment scares her so much. She worries she’s too much for anyone to love for the long haul.
The movie doesn’t slow down for any of that. It skips most of her personal growth and saves her big emotional breakthrough for the final romantic speech. It works in the moment, but it doesn’t feel as deep as watching her slowly figure herself out in the book.
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The Ending Goes Big and Dramatic
After Poppy and Alex finally hook up in Barcelona, Alex pulls away because he thinks she only sees him as a fun escape, not a real future. That doubt forces Poppy to realize he’s the one person she truly wants to build a life with.
Just like the book, she goes to Ohio to tell him how she feels, but the movie makes it a full rom-com moment. She quits her job, runs after him through the streets, and finally stops him in the middle of traffic to tell him, “You’re not a vacation to me, Alex. You’re home.”
They Meet In A Totally Different Way
In the book, Poppy meets Alex at the University of Chicago during orientation, thinks he’s awkward and nerdy, and barely talks to him for months. They only really connect later when they carpool back to Ohio together.
In the movie, they’re both at Boston College, and a mutual friend sets them up to drive home together right away. When Poppy locks the keys in the car, they end up sharing a motel room with just one bed, which kicks off their chemistry much faster.
The Wedding Trip Changes Everything
In the book, Alex invites Poppy to Palm Springs for his brother’s wedding, and she lies about it being a work trip so she can go. They end up stuck in a tiny rental with no air conditioning and one bed. Very uncomfortable.
In the movie, the wedding moves to Barcelona, and Alex’s brother invites Poppy directly. She gets to go as part of her job, stays in a nicer apartment, and doesn’t even have to share a place with Alex, even if the broken AC still causes problems.
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Their Families Look Very Different
The book gives Alex three younger brothers and gives Poppy two older brothers, and her family plays a bigger role. All of that adds more layers to their lives. The movie cuts most of that out.
Alex only has one brother, David, and Poppy’s brothers don’t appear at all. We only really see her parents.
Croatia Is Gone, And So Is a Huge Turning Point
In the book, Croatia is where Poppy and Alex finally cross the line and kiss, then fail to talk about it and end up ghosting each other for two years. It’s one of the most important moments in their story.
The movie removes Croatia completely and puts that emotional explosion in Tuscany instead. Their big fight and breakup happened there, which makes everything feel more sudden and compressed.
Alex Actually Tries to Propose
In the book, Alex buys a ring for Sarah and even tells his family he plans to propose, but he never does. He later admits it’s because he realizes he’s in love with Poppy.
In the movie, he goes much further. He’s ready to propose to Sarah during their Tuscany trip, and Poppy directly calls him out for settling, which leads to their huge argument and long separation.
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