I Love How Netflix's People We Meet On Vacation Changes Emily Henry's Book. Let's Discuss My 6 Favorite Differences

Spoilers for People We Meet On Vacation are ahead! Read with caution, and stream the movie with a Netflix subscription.

The conclusion I came to about the book-to-screen adaptation of People We Meet On Vacation is that while it’s a faithful adaptation, it’s also super different. This movie on Netflix’s 2026 schedule has the same heart as Emily Henry’s beloved book, and Tom Blyth and Emily Bader capture Alex and Poppy perfectly. However, the fact of the matter is, a lot of updates and changes were made.

For example, in the book, Poppy and Alex go on a vacation to Palm Springs in the present timeline, and after a few days on a classic trip, they go to a wedding for Alex’s brother. In the People We Meet On Vacation movie, there is no classic trip; it’s just a wedding, and instead of being in Palm Springs, they’re in Barcelona. Now, alongside that massive change (which I have mixed feelings about), there are quite a few other updates I was overjoyed about.

The Extended Road Trip Scene

In the book, Poppy and Alex meet during orientation at the University of Chicago, and at the end of their first year, they go on a road trip home to Ohio together. However, that’s all there really is to it; it’s simply a long car ride where they get to know each other.

Meanwhile, in the movie, this roadtrip is a whole ordeal. First of all, Poppy is late, which makes them hit traffic. While in said traffic, she eats a breakfast burrito that winds up all over Alex’s car. Then, while at a gas station, they have a nice moment at a wishing well before realizing they’re locked out of the car. So, they spend the night at a hotel and get breakfast at a diner the next morning. While it’s an all-around unwanted experience, they both ultimately enjoy themselves, and the scene ends with Alex’s stance on travel being “love.”

So, yeah, this scene is very different from the book, and it’s a way bigger deal that I adore.

Alex And Sarah Are On-Again/Off-Again High School Sweethearts

Throughout Poppy and Alex’s friendship, Tom Blyth’s character is also dealing with his relationship with Sarah Torval.

In the book, Sarah is described as “Alex’s careful, conscientious, yoga-bunny crush from the library,” he works at during college. They do wind up dating on and off, and work at the same school in the present.

However, things are a bit different in the movie. It’s established during the roadtrip that Alex and Sarah are high school sweethearts, and they date on and off for years. Personally, I thought that doing this added more stakes and tension to their relationship, which helped create a richer conflict in the long run.

The Canada Trip Where Alex Carries The Statue And Then Goes Skinny Dipping

Arguably, the moment in Canada in the movie is memorable because of the sasquatch statue Alex has to carry around and the fact that he goes skinny dipping and loses his clothes. But guess what? Neither of those things happens in the book.

Like in the source material, this is the trip where they meet Buck, and Poppy almost hooks up with him. It’s also when they agree to take annual vacations together. However, Alex really does nothing of note.

In the movie, the opposite happens. After hauling that statue for a long time, Poppy has a moment with Buck. Meanwhile, Alex literally dives into the ocean naked and traverses camp (unwillingly) without clothes. Personally, I found everything from the skinny dipping to that ridiculous statue Alex had to carry hilarious and endearing, and it helped us see that he does have a silly and carefree(ish) side.

The Pregnancy Scare And The Croatia Problem Are Turned Into One Issue

Throughout Emily Henry’s novel, Poppy and Alex’s trip to Croatia is referenced often as the thing that made them stop talking for years. It’s later revealed that they kissed on that trip, and that’s what led to their estrangement. It should be noted that in the book, the Tuscany trip and the pregnancy scare also happen.

That’s all important to know because in the movie, they combine the issues into one scene. After Poppy gets scared about possibly being pregnant, Alex comes to help her. They find out she’s not with child, and in the heat of the moment, they get very close to kissing. Cut to the next morning, and Alex has proposed to Sarah. It’s a hot mess, and this is what leads to their friend-breakup.

Overall, the one-two punch of it all in the movie really hit me like a ton of bricks, and I thought it added more weight and validity to the fact that Alex and Poppy don’t talk for years.

Alex Found Out About Poppy’s Lie Before They Slept Together, Which Ultimately Changed The Third Act Breakup

When I read People We Meet On Vacation, I remember not loving the fact that Poppy didn’t tell Alex she lied about their trip until after they got together. For context, on their trip to Palm Springs, Poppy said it was for work, when in reality, it wasn’t. That fact wasn’t revealed to Alex until the last day of their vacation, as they also argued about how Alex knows what he wants in his life while Poppy does not. And by the end, they decided they couldn’t be together.

Now, during the film, Poppy did travel to Barcelona for a story, but that wasn’t her original plan; she was supposed to be in Greece. She pitched a new piece so she could go to Alex’s brother’s wedding. That’s revealed at the rehearsal dinner and before Poppy and Alex sleep together. In fact, this reveal that she wanted to see her friend again ultimately leads to their big intimate moment. Therefore, having this conversation earlier changes the third-act breakup in the movie.

Alex and Poppy break up at the end of the reception in the movie as they realize Poppy thinks Alex is stuck in their hometown, while he thinks she’s running away from everything. They conclude that their love has never been a problem, but their places in life are, and they go their separate ways. While that conclusion is also reached in the books, it’s with the weight of the vacation secret on it. In the movie, it’s not, and I liked that because it was more emotional and betrayal wasn’t involved.

Poppy Chases Down Alex To Confess Her Love

In the book, Alex is a teacher and is at work when Poppy returns to Ohio to confess her feelings. Alex is pretty hesitant about it all in the novel, and Poppy has to try a few times to convince him that they’re supposed to be together. So, after they see each other in the school, they meet again in the parking lot. In the movie, he’s not doing that, and when Emily Bader’s character gets to him, he’s leaving his house to go for a run.

So, Poppy chases after him. It’s extra romantic because it’s established early in the movie that she hates running, so this is a big gesture. Ultimately, she catches him at a crosswalk, and after a very romantic speech (which is similar to what is said in the book), they kiss. It’s such a lovely note to end on before the epilogue. While it’s different, it totally maintains the passionate love confession in their hometown that helps Poppy and Alex finally get together for good.

In the end, yes, this 2026 romance is quite different from the 2021 book it’s based on. However, I think it’s better because of it, and overall, I loved these changes dearly!