Fans ‘Will Eat That Up’

Emily Henry is giving readers a glimpse of what to expect when People We Meet on Vacation makes its way to the screen.

The beloved author took to Netflix’s official Instagram account on Tuesday, Nov. 25, to highlight the differences between her hit 2021 novel and the upcoming Netflix film, starring Emily Bader as Poppy Wright and Tom Blyth as Alex Nilsen.

“There are a couple of differences between the book and the movie that I’m really excited for the readers to see,” the New York Times bestselling author said. “We’ve moved a lot of the book from Palm Springs to Barcelona, so there’s some fun new like set dressing that they haven’t already experienced. But more than that, I think it’s like these added scenes that were used to do, like a truncated version of stuff that happens in the book.”

“So that means we get new dialog between Poppy and Alex, new moments, new jokes, new beats of affection,” she continued. “And it’s kind of just like we get extra pieces of them and I really think that the readers are gonna just like eat that up.”

Fans flooded the comment section to express their excitement over the upcoming film, which is scheduled to be released on Netflix on Jan. 9, 2026. The movie, based on the book by Henry, will be available to stream globally on that date. 

“If she is saying positive things as the author, I’m 1000% sure it’s going to be amazing!! I absolutely cannot wait AHHHHH,” one fan responded. “I don’t think I have ever been more seated — Emily Henry is just peak romance,” another wrote, while one follower commented, “I genuinely could cry and probably will, I am ecstatic.”

People We Meet on Vacation is the first of Henry’s five books to go into production. In August 2024, Netflix announced Bader and Blyth as the two leads, with Brett Haley set to direct.

For longtime readers, and for viewers meeting Poppy and Alex for the first time, the film is shaping up to deliver a familiar love story enhanced with new moments crafted specifically for the screen.

People We Meet on Vacation tells the story of Alex and Poppy, two best friends who can never seem to get their timing right. Poppy is an outgoing writer with a passion for travel, often running away on vacation in a desperate desire to get away from any mundane stability in her life. Alex is the opposite — a quiet high school teacher perfectly happy to sit at home with a book.

The two became friends after sharing a car ride home from college their freshman year, and have stuck together since. Now, Poppy lives in New York City and Alex is still in their small hometown in Ohio, so they only have one chance to see each other: their annual week-long trip.

However, after an incident on their last trip, the unlikely pair haven’t spoken in years. Poppy misses Alex and asks him on one last trip together and, much to her surprise, he agrees. What ensues is a vacation full of ups and downs that begs the question: Will they make it?

People We Meet on Vacation hits Netflix Jan. 9, 2026.