5 Books To Pick Up That Give The Same Vibes As Emily Henry's 'People We Meet On Vacation'

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Emily Henry fans, rejoice! The author's 2021 novel "People We Meet On Vacation" is set to release its big screen adaptation in January 2026. Fans were stoked to hear there would be a book-to-film adaptation when news broke in the summer of 2024. The film will star Tom Blyth as Alex Nilsen and Emily Bader as Poppy Wright. And while we wait to see how their friends-to-lovers trope translates on screen, perhaps you'll want to sink yourself into some books that capture the same breezy charm and heartfelt coziness that Henry's book graced readers with.

With a bit of research, we found that countless readers often turn to Reddit in search of book recommendations that give similar vibes to "People We Meet on Vacation," and we wanted to scratch that itch for our readers who might be chasing the feeling that Henry's novel gave them when they first read it. While you might be thinking that we've already covered authors to try if you love Henry's books, this list is completely fresh. We've made sure to fill it with books that echo the same warmth, wit, and escapism while spotlighting unique authors.

We're always aiming to provide our readers with thoughtful recommendations that feel fresh, and this lineup of titles does exactly that. From an unexpected love story in Tennessee to a forbidden teenage connection that spans across continents, these books just might be able to give you that soft spark that "People We Meet on Vacation" delivered to your heart.

You may be familiar with Jesse Q. Sutanto as we also recommended her book "Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)" as one of the best April 2025 releases for your book club. But her new release, "Next Time Will Be Our Turn," will take you by surprise as it's a genre the author has never stepped foot in before. Sutanto was so passionate about telling this story that she wrote it despite not being able to sell it in her family's home country, Indonesia, in which promoting LGBTQ+ content is illegal. Sutanto approached this book with so much care and caution to tell a thoughtful story of two teens navigating romance, identity, and living up to cultural expectations.

Sutanto's teenage love story has escapism at its core, as the main character moves to a completely new country and meets someone who will end up changing the trajectory of her life forever. Similar to "People We Meet on Vacation," the story follows two individuals who form a life-changing bond in a new environment. Picture Emily Henry's style of storytelling exploring a thoughtful teenage LGBTQ+ romance. Trust us when we say that Sutanto's book needs to be added to your TBR.

Bestselling author Jodi Picoult recommended "Eight Perfect Hours" by Lia Louis and said she finished it in "four perfect hours, because [she] couldn't bear to put it down without knowing the ending." And if you love the way Emily Henry blends humor, emotional intimacy, and the sense that two people simply belong together (but just don't know it yet), Louis' storytelling will have a similar spark for you. "Eight Perfect Hours" is a book about two strangers who spend one magical night together after a snowstorm strands them. Thinking it was just one night, they quickly return to their own lives. What they don't know is that they'll be drawn together again in the most unexpected and serendipitous ways.

An Amazon reviewer began their review of "Eight Perfect Hours" with, "Lia Louis, I've officially added you to my favorite authors list!," and concluded with, "If you enjoy reading Beth O'Leary, Emily Henry, Jenny Colgan, and Milly Johnson, I think you'll really love Lia Louis as well." After reading countless reviews, we've concluded it's the perfect book to read when you're craving a fate-touched romance that leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

If you end up picking up "Eight Perfect Hours" and fall in love with it, then you'll definitely want to add Louis' 2020 romance novel "Dear Emmie Blue" to your TBR. Reviewers said both carry the same soft, glowing emotions and slow-burn romance, which are two traits that echo the subtle sense of witty destiny-driven love stories that Henry is best known for.

Now, if you want something that even Emily Henry approves, then you're going to want to read Yulin Kuang's "How to End a Love Story." Kuang jumped on the production of the film adaptation of "People We Meet on Vacation" as a screenwriter, and it was also announced in 2023 that she would direct the film adaptation of Henry's "Beach Read." Because of this, it's simply no surprise that Kuang's debut novel is so appropriately Emily Henry-esque. There are elements of beautifully tangled emotions, witty and sharp humor, and a slow, aching tension that makes you root for the two main characters to just hurry up and realize they're meant for each other.

Emily Henry fans will love Kuang's debut novel because it captures the story of an author and a screenwriter who don't really seem to belong together, but there's too much tension, emotional gravity, and history between them to ignore. It's a love story between two people with a shared past that tugs them toward one another over and over again, no matter how much they try to stay away.

"How to End a Love Story" was also recommended by us a Reese's Book Club pick that feels like a warm hug, and we really don't know how else to describe it. If you need more convincing to grab Kuang's debut novel, Henry herself even shared she loved reading Kuang's book when she and the author sat down as guests for the very first episode of "Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club" podcast.

The first book of Kristina Forest's The Greene Sisters series, "The Neighbor Favor" is another warm love story that's soft and lingering with a delicately paced connection that grows stronger and stronger as you turn the pages. Forest's writing is similar to that of Emily Henry's as there's lighthearted banter between the characters, but also emotional honesty that gives the story depth and makes the connection feel genuine.

At the moment, Lily Greene has one thing going for her, and it's the email exchanges she has with a writer, who seems to understand her better than anyone ever has or even tried to. But now that he has disappeared, Lily is left hurt and yearning for the lost connection. That's when a new neighbor appears. He's surely handsome and kind, but who is he? And, why in the world is Lily so drawn to him? It may only be a matter of time before Lily discovers why.

Forest's book isn't just perfect for when you're missing the Emily Henry-type storytelling, but also when you just want a lighthearted and easy read. An Amazon reviewer wrote, "I loved this book. So easy and relaxing to read. A fantastic book that I'd definitely recommend to everyone. Great as a 'palate cleanser' after a heavy read. Loved the characters and storyline." The best part? As mentioned above, this book is part of a series with a total of three books. So, you have plenty to read if you end up loving the book.

If you're a Emily Henry fan, you know what we mean when we say there's always this strong sense of meant-to-be-together energy woven into her stories: the quiet yet strong magnetic pull that brings the two main characters back into each other's lives again. Well, "So We Meet Again" by Suzanne Park taps into that kind of storytelling so eloquently. In fact, Emily Henry — the rom-com queen herself – wrote a blurb for the book and called it "a cinematic, charming heart-squeeze of a book" and she's added it to her collection of "ultimate comfort reads."

When Jessie Kim ends up back at home in Tennessee after getting fired from her cushy investment banking job, she has to find a way to get back on her feet somehow. She just never expected it would be through her dead YouTube channel and with the help of her worst nightmare from childhood, Daniel Choi. He was always the overachiever who could simply do no wrong in her Korean-American parents' eyes. Will she be able to get her life back on track with the help of Daniel? Or is he just there to prove he's still better than her? Unbeknownst to Jessie, the two will reconnect and unravel something deeper between the two of them.

Henry didn't just write a blurb for the book. She loved the book so much, she even left a five-star review of the book and simply said, "I just had such a nice time" (via Goodreads). So, this is definitely another Emily Henry-esque book that you can add to your TBR.

We're well aware just how much fans of rom-coms love to seek out authors and books that give strong Emily Henry vibes. Subreddits and TikToks are filled with the same question: What should I read next if I love Emily Henry? And of course, there are some authors, like Ali Hazelwood and Beth O'Leary, who are constantly recommended — and with good reason! But we hoped to take a different approach. We didn't want to provide our readers with authors who would be expected in this list.

That's why we set out to find and spotlight writers and books that perfectly capture a warmth similar to that of Henry, but aren't overly recommended. As always, once we had a good number of authors and books we wanted to narrow our focus on, we made sure these books were reader-approved by looking through a countless number of reviews. We tried our best to only include books that have at least 40% of four stars or higher. With that, we truly hope this list brings you something new that completely captures your heart, just like Emily Henry's storytelling often does.