Any takeaways from this episode?

College friends. Annual vacations. Questionable boundaries. And the illusion that everything works better when life is on pause.

This week on RomCom Rescue, Kira Sabin and Dr. Isabelle Morley break down Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation, starring Emily Bader and Tom Blyth — a friends-to-lovers story that should work… but maybe doesn’t.

We talk about:

• Why “vacation chemistry” is not the same as real-life compatibility
• The outdated question of “Can men and women be friends?”
• Emotional intimacy, blurry boundaries, and what actually creates problems in relationships
• Why attraction alone doesn’t mean you should build a life together
• And the big miss that kept this romance from fully landing

Fair warning: we liked parts of it… and still had a lot to say.

💡 Key Love Lessons We Break Down

1. Vacation You ≠ Real-Life You

Being relaxed, playful, and day-drinking in Tuscany is not the same as navigating:

2. “Can Men and Women Be Friends?” Is the Wrong Question

Avoidance, lack of clarity, and unspoken dynamics are.

3. Attraction Is Human — What You Do With It Matters

4. Chemistry vs. Compatibility

• Chemistry asks: Do I feel pulled toward you?
• Compatibility asks: Can our lives actually work together?

5. Emotional Closeness Needs Clarity

🎧 Coming Next Week - Our Bridgerton Event!

✨ Bridgerton Pre-Game Episode
What we love. What we don’t. What we’re hoping to see.
Costumes included. Obviously.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

This week on Rom-Com Rescue, we are diving headfirst into the internet-melting, emotionally devastating, wildly addictive rom-com series Heated Rivalry starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie (2025), now streaming on HBO Max.

Hockey rivals.
Secret lovers.
A decade-long slow burn.
One cottage that changed everything.
And yes — some of the most talked-about butts on screen.

We’re breaking down why Heated Rivalry has taken over timelines, group chats, and late-night thoughts — and why this story hits so deeply for so many people.

On the surface, this is a sexy rivals-to-lovers romance between Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. But underneath? This show taps directly into anxious attachment, avoidant coping, long-distance fantasy, secrecy, and the very human desire to be chosen — fully and openly.

In this episode, Kira and Dr. Isabelle Morley unpack:

• Why long-distance + time creates powerful fantasy bonds
• How secrecy intensifies intimacy (and where it goes wrong)
• The anxious–avoidant push/pull dynamic at the heart of the story
• Why sex can feel like closeness — even when emotional intimacy is missing
• What makes this show feel emotionally safe in a way so many romances don’t

We also talk about:

• Why this story resonated so strongly with women
• What it means to feel wanted vs. chosen
• Healthy vs. unhealthy longing
• Representation without trauma
• And why so many of us are still thinking about the cottage

This is not a recap podcast.
This is a relationship dynamics deep dive — and Heated Rivalry gives us a LOT to work with.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

House swapping, hot drunk Englishman, personal movie trailers, and Mr. Napkinhead!

That's right, we are watching the 2006 rom-com series THE HOLIDAY, with Kate Winslet, Cameron DIaz, Jude Law and Jack Black.

In this episode of RomCom Rescue, Kira and Dr. Isabelle go deep into the cozy chaos of The Holiday—house swaps, emotional avoidance, unrequited “love,” and why Jasper is the human equivalent of a walking red flag.

You’ll hear us unpack:

• Iris, Jasper, and the myth of unrequited love
  • Why Iris’s “epic love story” with Jasper is actually a long-term crush with terrible ROI
  • How we confuse attention with intention
  • What it really costs you to keep hanging on to someone who will never fully choose you
• Crush vs. Love (a.k.a. Love-Adjacent Feelings)
  • What makes a crush different from genuine love
  • How fantasy can feel safer than real intimacy
  • Questions to ask yourself if you’ve been stuck on someone for months (or years)
• Amanda, emotional avoidance, and finally crying in the car
  • Why some people literally can’t cry and what’s underneath that
  • How emotional unavailability shows up in relationships
  • The difference between calling someone out vs. weaponizing their coping skills
• Graham, kids, and complicated timing
  • The rush into “I love you” after two weeks (with children involved)
  • What a healthier “I have feelings for you” might sound like
  • Why step-parent energy needs more than a holiday montage to work
• Miles, green flags, and why friendship-first relationships matter
  • Why Miles is basically a walking green flag (with one big misstep)
  • The tension between prioritizing romantic partners vs. friendships
  • How both Iris and Miles are recovering from lopsided relationships
• Best friends vs. leading ladies
  • Arthur’s iconic line about being the leading lady in your own life
  • Why we’re done equating being “the best friend” with being less deserving of love
  • How to stop sidelining yourself in your own story
• Sex, foreplay & bad messages we don’t want you absorbing
  • Why “foreplay is overrated” is a terrible love (and sex) lesson
  • What good, enthusiastic, mutual intimacy actually looks like
• Holiday comfort, nostalgia, and a little trivia
  • Nancy Meyers house porn, Blackberry sightings, and OG house swapping
  • The real-life history between Kate Winslet and Rufus Sewell
  • Why this is one of Isabelle’s all-time favorite rom-coms and Kira’s go-to holiday rewatch

Finally, we rate The Holiday on both movie joy and love lessons—with Isabelle wildly breaking the 5-star system and Kira pretending to enforce it.

Join us next for 2025 Holiday Rom-Com - My Secret Santa

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com