Image via Netflix
These days, it’s hard to exist on the bookish internet without at least a passing awareness of Emily Henry. Her contemporary romance novels have achieved massive success, and for good reason. They are witty, well-written, and balance real-life struggles with swoony love stories. And soon, readers will get to experience Henry’s stories in a whole new way as the People We Meet on Vacation Netflix adaptation releases in January 2026.
Recently, we got a first look at on-set photos showing off the leads in People We Meet on Vacation. These had many fans, myself included, even more eager to see the movie. Like many readers, movie adaptations are always a mixed experience for me. You want to see your beloved stories come to life in a new way, but you fear they’ll be messed up. And then, there’s the inevitable movie tie-in book covers. These are almost always a travesty in my opinion, but when Emily Henry revealed the People We Meet on Vacation version, I had to admit, I couldn’t be mad at it.
People We Meet on Vacation Movie Tie-In Cover Showcases Real-Life Homage to the Original
Shortly before the Netflix tie-in cover for People We Meet on Vacation was revealed to the public, Emily Henry shared it with her newsletter audience. The book cover features our real-life Poppy and Alex on the beach. It’s a clear homage to the original U.S. cover, with both characters in lounge chairs. And honestly? It’s kind of perfect.
Generally, I’m not a fan of movie covers. They’re often not very aesthetically pleasing and feel like an obvious cash grab, aimed to capture an audience who might not even be aware that the movie they watched was a book first. I’ll almost always go for an original cover design over a movie one. And I’m not running out to grab a new copy of PWMOV to get this cover design, either. But I have to admit, as far as they go, it’s pretty good.
Above all else, this cover gives me hope that the adaptation has understood the assignment. Having a scene that winks and nods at the book’s cover tells me the movie is aimed at Emily Henry fans. It tells me that, as much as the movie will hope to cast a wider net, it hasn’t forgotten that many of us already know and love Poppy and Alex. That we want to see them and their story done justice, not mangled for a Hollywood audience.
Seeing that the tie-in cover gives this much attention to detail leaves me a little more hopeful that People We Meet on Vacation will be the movie we want to see. We’ll find out for sure when it drops on Netflix on January 9, 2026.
Looking for more breaking(ish) book news? Check out our recap of initial fan reactions to the bodice-ripping new Wuthering Heights trailer featuring Margot Robbie.
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