> At a Glance
> – Poppy and Alex reunite at a Barcelona wedding after two years of silence.
> – A rain-soaked balcony confession seals their romantic fate.
> – Poppy quits her NYC travel-mag job and sprints through Linfield to win Alex back.
> – Why it matters: The finale shows how risking comfort for love pays off-plus how the film tweaks the book’s last chapter.
Netflix’s adaptation of Emily Henry’s hit novel People We Meet on Vacation lands its central duo-travel writer Poppy and hometown teacher Alex-in exactly the messy, globe-trotting, timing-challenged romance fans expected. The film, released Jan. 9, tracks a decade of annual summer trips, one catastrophic fallout, and a final Hail-Mary dash through small-town Ohio.
How the Final Trip Plays Out
After a broken-AC blowup in Barcelona, Alex learns Poppy fibbed about her Greece itinerary just to see him. Their fight melts into admissions of long-held love and a steamy balcony kiss during a rainstorm. The next morning they arrive at David’s wedding hand-in-hand, but Alex bolts mid-dance, convinced they still want different lives.
Back in New York, Poppy realizes her fear of commitment cost her the one person who ever felt like home. She:
- Resigns from glossy travel mag R&R
- Flies to Linfield
- Chases Alex on foot-her most-hated activity-until she catches him
She promises to build something new wherever he is; they kiss amid the corn-silk quiet of Main Street.
Why They Stopped Talking
Two years earlier, a joint Tuscany vacation with their respective partners-Trey for Poppy, Sarah for Alex-imploded. A pregnancy scare prompted an almost-kiss between the best friends. Alex recoiled, asked, “What am I to you?”, and proposed to Sarah the next morning. Poppy’s accusation that he was “settling” ended the trip and their friendship.
Book vs. Screen Changes
| Element | Book | Film |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Gesture Location | Linfield High School | Running through town |
| Alex’s Next Job | Substitute teacher in NYC | Professor at Sarah Lawrence College |
| Final Timeline | Epilogue: one year later | Identical |
Both versions find Poppy freelancing and Alex teaching while they restart their annual trips-now as a couple.
Key Takeaways
- Poppy’s sprint through Linfield replaces the book’s high-school hallway scene.
- Alex ends his on-again engagement because he’s always loved Poppy.
- The movie keeps the epilogue’s one-year jump to a shared New York apartment and a new joint vacation.
Love, the finale argues, sometimes demands trading a passport-full of escapes for one brave run toward home.
