Podcast Summary: "I'll Read What She's Reading" – PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION

Episode Air Date: January 28, 2026
Hosts: Mikayla, Reggie, Kennedy
Theme: A lively, bookish discussion on Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation, focusing on the recent movie adaptation versus the original book.

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the Netflix film adaptation of Emily Henry’s beloved novel People We Meet on Vacation. Hosts Mikayla, Reggie, and Kennedy compare the movie to the book, unpacking their personal ratings, favorite and least favorite aspects, casting choices, notable differences, and which adaptation choices worked (or didn’t). The conversation, true to the podcast’s tone, is energetic, a little chaotic, and packed with spoilers, making it perfect for fans eager to dissect book-to-movie translations.

Notable Discussion Topics & Insights

1. Book vs. Movie Ratings and Reading Experience

• Star Ratings:

  • Kennedy: Originally 3 stars for the book, up to 4 stars after rereading.
  • Reggie: 4 stars first read, 5 stars on reread (but now thinks maybe 4.5).
  • Mikayla: 4 stars, but liked it less on reread.

• Re-reading Before the Movie:

  • All agreed reading the book right before watching the movie led them to scrutinize every difference, dampening the viewing experience.
  • Referenced Emily Henry stating she prefers to “see the movie first” to enjoy both more.

  Quote:

  “I think if I would have watched People We Meet on Vacation and then read it, I think I would have enjoyed it more.” – Kennedy [03:31]

2. Movie as Adaptation: Praise vs. Criticism

• Strengths:

  • Casting: All hosts praise Emily Bader (Poppy) and Tom Blyth (Alex), especially Bader. The fact that leads aren’t book-accurate blondes fades away quickly in favor of performance.
    • “I want Emily Bader to star in literally everything from every rom com from now. Like, she was perfect.” – Reggie [08:13]
  • Production Value: Cinematography, color grading, and overall vibe felt “theatrical,” not “Hallmarky.”
  • Chemistry: Despite some critiques online, the hosts felt the leads had great chemistry, especially in comedic or unique movie-only scenes.

• Weaknesses:

  • Adaptation vs. Standalone Film: While the movie is enjoyable, it falls short as a faithful adaptation.
    • “I’ve seen a lot of people say that People We Meet on Vacation was a great movie, but it wasn’t a great adaptation.” – Reggie [05:51]
  • Notable Changes: Locations switched (Palm Springs becomes Barcelona), altered timeline and character arcs, new or missing scenes.

3. Favorite Movie Moments

• Fun Added Scenes (Not in the Book):
  • Alex losing his clothes (“the Full Moon” scene) [11:05]
  • Dance sequence at the bar
    • “Just a little bundle of joy from Tom Blyth. Moving those hips. That was my favorite part.” – Mikayla [11:46]
  • The “zip up my dress” scene
  • Emily Henry’s author cameo at the wedding [15:32]

4. Major Book-to-Movie Differences

• Characterization of Alex:
  Hosts miss the depth and longing Alex shows in the book—this intensity doesn’t fully translate onscreen.

  • “The yearning in the book is so top tier. And I didn’t get any of that from him in the movie … He was never standoffish to Poppy in the book.” – Kennedy [18:53]

• Changed/Cut Heartfelt Scenes:
  The “Poppy sick” turning point was glossed over in the movie.

  • “Could we not have had two seconds of her, like, falling asleep and him just looking at her … just longing for her?” – Reggie [19:39]

• Sarah Plotline:
  The film’s treatment of Sarah makes Poppy seem like an intruder and Alex like “a douche,” which differs from the book’s dynamics [22:06–23:35].

• Changed Locations:
  Swapping Palm Springs for Barcelona changed the forced proximity and emotional stakes.

  • “Palm Springs versus Barcelona is a very different trip storyline…there’s a lot of moments that really solidifies their care for each other that it was just missed in the movie.” – Mikayla [17:46]

• Story Depth:

  • Friends-to-lovers progression and backstories are flattened; underlying motivations and emotional tension aren’t as effectively communicated.

5. Casting and Adaptations Going Forward

• Speculations:
  • Discussion of dream casts for future Emily Henry adaptations (Joe Keery, Dylan O’Brien).
  • Anticipation for Funny Story, Beach Read, and Book Lovers as likely next adaptations.
  • Noted that “Happy Place” will be a series, not a movie [33:45].
  • “Honestly, I’ll take what I can get.” – Mikayla [33:49]

6. General Takeaways & Final Thoughts

• Adaptation Success:

  • All agree the movie is visually and emotionally satisfying as a rom-com, if not as an exact adaptation.
  • Emily Bader’s and Tom Blyth’s performances are highlights, despite script limitations.
  • Emily Henry’s involvement as a producer and her cameo delighted fans.

• Movie vs. Book:

  • Movie: “refreshing,” “fun,” “serious moments,” “vibes.”
  • Book: deeper connection, more tension, richer character development.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• [01:29] “...when I originally read it, I read Tower of Dawn right before and then I read People We Meet on Vacation and sometimes the fantasy to romance pipeline is really hard.” – Kennedy
• [03:31] “I think if I would have watched People We Meet on Vacation and then read it, I think I would have enjoyed it more.” – Kennedy
• [05:51] “I’ve seen a lot of people say that People We Meet on Vacation was a great movie, but it wasn’t a great adaptation.” – Reggie
• [08:13] “I want Emily Bader to star in literally everything from every rom com from now. Like, she was perfect.” – Reggie
• [11:46] “That was, you know, just a little bundle of joy from Tom Blyth. Moving those hips.” – Mikayla
• [12:34] “...there was a steamier cut that audiences didn’t like, so they decided to go with a more tame version, which is great.” – Kennedy
• [18:53] “I think the main thing that the movie did not portray well was how much Alex yearned for her… the yearning in the book is so top tier.” – Kennedy
• [19:39] “...could we not have had two seconds of her, like, falling asleep and him, like, just looking at her? Like, just a second of him just looking at her and just longing for her?” – Reggie
• [25:10] “They literally took Alex and made him just this vanilla man. There was no character depth towards him.” – Kennedy
• [29:39] “Well, and also when you’re in a character’s mind, you’re hearing all of their inner dialogue and you just don’t get that in a movie… left there was some room for depth. However, Emily Bader truly was a perfect poppy.” – Kennedy

Segment Timestamps

• 00:10–01:15 | Introductions, themed party anecdotes, setup for book vs. movie conversation
• 01:16–04:57 | Initial book star ratings, reread reactions, Emily Henry’s interview on adaptation order
• 05:11–07:10 | General adaptation discourse, movie’s details vs. book’s depth, dual timeline discussion
• 08:03–13:00 | Praise for casting, production, and on-screen chemistry
• 13:12–16:19 | Group ratings of the movie, wardrobe and visual highlights
• 16:23–18:45 | Location changes and plot implications (Palm Springs to Barcelona)
• 18:46–21:01 | Depth and longing lost in the adaptation, missing “sick” scene
• 22:01–24:29 | Unpacking Sarah’s portrayal and the “proposal” scene
• 24:50–26:28 | Missed stakes, hometown vs. city life conflict, Tinder scene omission
• 26:43–29:39 | Forced proximity, location-based plot changes, comic additions, recap of missing depth vs. movie’s strengths
• 29:39–31:01 | Final thoughts on casting and performance, excitement for future adaptations
• 33:20–36:18 | Musings on dream casts, next adaptations, the actors’ potential
• 36:29–37:29 | Emily Henry’s involvement, final reflections, and wrap-up

Overall Tone and Language

The conversation is candid, enthusiastic, and book-clubby. The hosts use casual, playful language (“iconic,” “slay the house down”, “bundle of joy”), interspersed with pointed criticisms or love for both the adaptation and source material. The episode is filled with laughter, mild exasperation over movie choices, and shared fangirl moments.

Summary: For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

If you adore comparing page to screen, this episode gives you an honest, energetic look at what People We Meet on Vacation gains and loses in translation to Netflix. You’ll get an affectionate breakdown of the book’s charm (especially Alex’s yearning), why certain beloved scenes hit differently (or were left out), which movie-only moments brought unexpected delight, and which adaptation decisions left the hosts frustrated. Whether you’re a book-first or movie-first fan, you’ll appreciate their nuanced discussion, especially if you like knowing what hardcore fans notice that casual viewers might not.

Recommended for:
Emily Henry fans, rom-com enthusiasts, adaptation watchers, and anyone who loves a deep book chat with a bit of chaos and heart.

Memorable Closing:

“Honestly, I’ll take any adaptations that are done well. And this was... the movie itself was really great.” – Mikayla [36:18] “Love you Emily Henry. This was a great first adaptation.” – Kennedy [36:14]