What Not to Do on Vacation

by Rachel Magee

Ten Things I Hate About You meets the charm (and sisterly shenanigans!) of Netflix's Nobody Wants This.

"I give it five umbrella drinks!" --Nancy Naigle, bestselling author

"Perfect, sweep-me-away summer beach read!" --Anna Grace, award winning author

"Don't leave this book behind." --Jennifer Shirk, bestselling author

Savannah is on a mission to reconnect the Prestly sisters the best way she knows reliving their carefree childhood summers at the beach. She's booked the same beach house, convinced her sisters to take the month off, and even made a bucket list to fit in all their favorite coastal fun. It's going to be perfect . . . or else. (And if planning this trip has anything to do with a certain secret she's hiding . . . well, let's not dwell on that.) Sun, sand, and some sisterly bonding--what could possibly go wrong?

Enter Bianca, the baby of the family, with a huge she's getting married! And her sisters' reactions are . . . not exactly what she hoped for. But Bianca is on a mission to prove that she's not the mess they think she is. Her grand plan? To find love for Cora, her perpetually single sister, on the same dating app where she found her fiancé. The stakes? A bet that if Cora can't find her 'One' on the app, Bianca will call off her engagement. A challenge Bianca is all too ready to tackle head-on, even if it means a little conniving. Cora's about to get swept off her feet, whether she likes it or not!

Meanwhile, Cora is rolling her eyes so hard they might get stuck. Love is a fairy tale for other people, not her. As she's filling out her dating profile, she thinks--nope, she knows--it'll be easy to show her sisters just how absurd this whole love thing is. So what if this Jax guy Cora just matched with is Hemsworth-brother hot? And, if his messages could be believed, maybe even slightly charming? None of this is real, anyway--love just doesn't come easily Cora. And she's getting ready to prove it. She's got this under control.

(Spoiler nothing is under control.)

What Not to Do on Vacation is a charming and lighthearted rom-com that promises low spice but high laughter. Join the leading ladies as they navigate through beach vibes, dating app drama, fake dating, and a playboy hero with a heart of gold in this modern reimagining of The Taming of the Shrew. A must-read for those who enjoy adorable romance sans the steam, a healthy dose of family drama, and a fair share of humor.

So, if you're ready to dip your toes into this sun-kissed, feel-good read, don't wait! For fans of Jenny Hale, Emma St. Clair and Melissa Ferguson. Book club discussion questions are included!

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, Summer Reads, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Summer

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 20, 2025

About the author

Rachel wrote her first novel when she was twelve and entered it into a contest for young author/illustrators. Unfortunately, the judges weren’t impressed with her stick figures. So she dropped the dream of becoming a world famous illustrator and stuck to spinning stories. When she’s not busy working on her latest book, she loves to travel with her family and friends. By far, her favorite destination is the beach, which tends to work its way into most of her stories. Between vacations, you can find her at home in The Woodlands, TX with her wonderful husband, their two adventurous kids and a couple of spirited pets, all of whom share Rachel’s love of the ocean. Well, except the cat and dog. They’re both afraid of water. Find out more about what Rachel has been up to at rachelmageebooks.com.

Reviews

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥ My Overall Thoughts ♥

This book is all about sisterly love, comedy, romance and a fun summer! This comes with multiple point of views, lovable characters and strong connections. I really enjoyed reading this medium paced read. I felt it to be cozy, easy to read and listen to! Having both the audio and digital book versions were amazing, it really brought the book to life! The narrators did an incredible job! This novel came with diverse characters, had a clear thesis and flowed well. It made me feel lighthearted, full of love, gave me some laughs, and felt adventurous! I love the sisters in this book and their different personalities! If you are wanting a clean beach romantic comedy, this one is for you!

♥ Synopsis and Rating ♥

“What Not To Do On Vacation” is about three sisters named Cora, Savannah and Bianca! They all come together for a beach vacation. They rekindle their bonds with one another during this trip. Cora uses a dating app hoping to find love, Bianca tells them that she is getting engaged with a mixed reaction from her sisters, and Savannah is there just wanting to reconnect with her sisters again! This was both entertaining and captivating! I did find the ending to be predictable, yet satisfying. Overall, I rate this 4 out of 5 stars.

♥ Content Warnings & Who I think would enjoy this book ♥

Content warnings include death of a parent and cancer. I think anyone that loves reading a beach romance comedy would enjoy reading this book! It definitely has “10 Things I Hate About You” movie vibes!

♥ Thank You ♥

Thank you to NetGalley, author Rachel Magee, narrators, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Thomas Nelson Fiction publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy and audio copy of this book is exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

♥ Publication Date ♥

This book is expected to be published on May 20, 2025!

♥ Quick Review ♥

☀️ Romantic Comedy Novel
✔️ Sister Bonding
☀️ Multiple POV’s
✔️ Cozy & Adventurous
☀️ Clean Beach Read
✔️ Lovable Characters
☀️ Entertaining
✔️ 10 Things I Hate About You Vibes

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥

ツ౨ৎ

[Grandma Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t a genre I typically enjoy. I loved every moment of this story. The author captured the messy lives of three very different sisters. The interactions between the sisters and their love interests was stirring. The romance was squeaky clean and I appreciated it as well. As with and great book I read, I didn’t want it to end. Outstanding narration. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with an ARC. The opinions I have expressed are my own and unbiased.

[Samantha | samanthakreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, light, and fun summer read! I enjoyed the sister dynamics, dual pov, subplot romance, and a mix of laugh-out-loud and heartfelt moments. I found the story itself to be a bit predictable and felt like something I’ve read before. The characters are fun, and the romance is sweet without being over-the-top. I listened to the audiobook and may have enjoyed this story a bit more because it was narrated by Karissa Vacker, one of my favorite narrators. It’s definitely an entertaining story and a great one to read/listen to if you’re looking for a clean and easy summer read (no spice/language)!

Content considerations: loss of a parent, divorce, mention of cancer

3.5⭐️

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn into this fun beach read right away. Three sisters head to a small Florida Panhandle beach town where they vacationed as kids to fulfill their mom's wish before she passed away. This is an opportunity to bond and revisit happier times. But things don't go smoothly. The oldest steps into her mom's role with a bucket list of activities, the middle one is independent, strong, and determined to do what she wants mostly, and the youngest doesn't remember all of the memories. As girls are want to do, there are spats, dating app conniving, setbacks but there are also some happy times, remembrances, and laughter. Funny moments, new beginnings, healing, and what is important to keep the family together win out. Great characters, beach setting, and sweet romance make this a winner for me.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts..

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by Rachel Magee and since I liked the first one I thought I would give her another try. I'm a sucker for rom-coms.

Description:
Savannah is on a mission to reconnect the Prestly sisters the best way she knows reliving their carefree childhood summers at the beach. She's booked the same beach house, convinced her sisters to take the month off, and even made a bucket list to fit in all their favorite coastal fun. It's going to be perfect . . . or else. (And if planning this trip has anything to do with a certain secret she's hiding . . . well, let's not dwell on that.) Sun, sand, and some sisterly bonding--what could possibly go wrong?

Enter Bianca, the baby of the family, with a huge she's getting married! And her sisters' reactions are . . . not exactly what she hoped for. But Bianca is on a mission to prove that she's not the mess they think she is. Her grand plan? To find love for Cora, her perpetually single sister, on the same dating app where she found her fiancé. The stakes? A bet that if Cora can't find her 'One' on the app, Bianca will call off her engagement. A challenge Bianca is all too ready to tackle head-on, even if it means a little conniving. Cora's about to get swept off her feet, whether she likes it or not!

Meanwhile, Cora is rolling her eyes so hard they might get stuck. Love is a fairy tale for other people, not her. As she's filling out her dating profile, she thinks--nope, she knows--it'll be easy to show her sisters just how absurd this whole love thing is. So what if this Jax guy Cora just matched with is Hemsworth-brother hot? And, if his messages could be believed, maybe even slightly charming? None of this is real, anyway--love just doesn't come easily Cora. And she's getting ready to prove it. She's got this under control.

My Thoughts:
These sisters sure have a lot going on. What can go wrong with a fun trip to the beach they used to vacation at as children? The trip got off to a bad start - but it got really interesting fast. Lots of sister drama, and not one but two romances. These sisters each had their own agenda and they all conflicted. Lots of fun to read and loved the characters. There is a lot happening that kept my interest high throughout the book. Anyone who likes a good rom-com will enjoy this.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction through Netgalley for an advance copy.

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy" · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a second for me by this author with her definitely engaging stories and the satisfying conclusions yet again!...Kind of a rom com, chic lit but also one of family relationships, reconciliations , forgiveness etc to make for such a pleasant and feel good read. I figured where it was head to as any of us would most likely but didn't mind it one bit as I enjoyed reading how it all was sorted out :)
The three sisters bonded as the eldest wanted to recreate a beach get together as they did growing up despite not being able to as it used to be; as life changes indeed but it beautiful regardless.

This was a lovely "escape" read I call it; a clean one suitable for anyone and able to be recommended.

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•

{𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝑫𝒐 𝒐𝒏 𝑽𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏}

“𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎’𝚜 𝚋𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚜.”

🏖️ Release Date: May 20, 2025 🏖️
.
.
.
If I had to choose only one word to describe this book, it would have to be “predictable.” I felt like I already knew everything that was going to happen in this book only a few chapters in, so I spent most of my time reading being bored out of my mind. So while I wouldn’t call this story “bad”, it definitely wasn’t captivating by any means and overall, I’d consider it a letdown.

This story focused on three sisters and their journey to fixing their relationship after their mom died. We got the pov of all three sisters, plus the pov of one of the love interests. Honestly, I feel like they should have just left the love interest’s pov out and the story would have been just fine. Most of the characters felt extremely cliché and it was hard to connect with any of them in general. As you would expect, the ending tied everything up with a big red bow and everyone got their HEAs.

This was a new-to-me author and honestly, I don’t think I’ll be reading any more of her books. Like I mentioned earlier, her writing style in this book was very predictable and that just takes all the fun out of reading. So while her other books may not be as predictable, I’m just not willing to take that chance.
.
.
.
I received a complimentary arc of this book from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction. All opinions listed are purely my own.

[N.Y. Dunlap · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beginning, Cora, and Jax, and their toothbrush argument, and practically every encounter after that was such a crack up! They had very different objectives. Cora had a desire to win a wager against her sister by not being able to keep a date. Meanwhile, misunderstood womanizer Jax needed to carry on the same relationship with the same person for a month. A month lol. That isn’t much time, but Cora wasn’t making it easy on him.
The story had other point-of-views from Cora’s oldest and youngest sisters, but Cora and Jax’s POVs made me want to give this story even more than a five-star review! Lord Farquaad’s appearance makes this a solid ten star! And thus, I leave you with one of the best quotes from the story, starring Lord Farquaad….
“It was also worth noting that whoever had done his implants hadn’t done a particularly great job. The tiny tufts of hair sticking up sort of resembled an old hairbrush that had lost half its bristles.”

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

[Alyss Sage · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

There are some books where everything is objectively great, but it didn't become even a favorite or anything. This is one of those books that's kind of ... cringe, but I kinda liked it anyway? But not objectively liked it.
Characters: 5/10
Equal amount of good and bad. Cora was snarky - unprovoked and for no reason but just because she can, basically? I've read worse though. I don't get Jax. I know what he was supposed to be, like the bad boy playboy heartthrob type but he's super duper nice? Volunteer visits with kids in hospitals! He recommends toothbrushes to strangers, like Cora! (I don't know why Cora was so angry over the toothbrush rec though.)

To call Bianca a ditz is an understatement. Gave me a major ego boost as a young lady reading this, with Bianca being about maybe a decade older, and trust me, even she knows she's a ditz and whines about how her family doesn't take her seriously.

And then later on, some type of arc or smth is her sister (Cora?) telling her that Bianca really is smart, strong, driven, determined, etc, etc. There's no evidence Bianca grew to be this way; there's not even evidence that Cora thinks so!

I don't have much to say about Savannah. She was the bucket-lister, therefore the plot-driver. This woman is weird with her checklist. I did like the sass of Bianca and Cora towards that.

Atmosphere: 6/10
We don't really know where this is set? Except that it's small vacation town Sunnyside or smth. Everyone is sus of Jax' because they don't know all about his job. So many of his ex girlfriends are here (but they're not really ex girlfriends - and they're not jealous, even though they keep coming up to Cora and 'warning' her - idk)

But it was easily visible inside my mind, so points for that.

Writing: 6/10
It was funny. And I don't have a copy anymore so I can't find the quotes that annoyed me, but e.g that kid (10? 12?) in the hospital Jax played board games with, who gave him relationship advice when he screwed up over Cora - that was just... not good. So twee. Magical sage wise child who sees more than adults because he's chronically ill.

Something like 'you seem upset, Jax. Is everything okay?' 'I'm sad because I was stupid and I made my friend mad.' The kid nods 'sagely', 'That really sucks. Sometimes we just need to say we're sorry when we mess up with our friends.'

Then something about how the kid is discharged from the hospital (until he has to come back), he's being wheeled away with his parents, he waves to Jax, 'see you again soon over Monopoly! Can't wait!' But Jax says in his POV, that he hopes he won't see (Hay?) again, because he knows why that kid is in the hospital.
Uhh, are you telling me that the sick kid is unaware of his illness? But Jax knows, he's the one who knows.

Plot: 6/10
Bianca's going to marry some hottie love of her life she met on an app, and never in person...yet. But the only way Cora can get her not to, is if she dates Jax (it makes more sense in the book.)

I did like Cora and Jax's dates...kind of. They got creative, I guess. What was NOT creative of this book, was to have Cora find out about his deal made with...someone that he had to date her or else, as soon as they were in love/confessed/kissed/rode off into the sunset. IT WAS ALL A LIE. all.of.it. She will never trust him again. No Cora!! It was like that at first but not now!!

(The subplot with Luke, Bianca's real book love interest, was cute and I wish there was more of that.)

Impact/Intrigue: 5/10
There are so many rom com beach reads, and I don't know if this one is much better than the others. I don't read much of that subgenre.

Logic: 4/10

I forgot to mention about Bianca: that why she doesn't end up with her hottie-soulmate-who-shes-never-met-before is because he shows up in a surprise visit and... isn't hot. He's short!!! And balding a little! But he's not 6 feet ++ !! Bianca never noticed this on Zoom because he wore a ball cap all the time, and was always seeming taller some how.

Girl, I don't care how he presented himself on camera. Your basic logic muscles as a human are very weak. (Lol thats all ok for Bianca, because it all worked out for her somehow! Lucky thing Luke is this for her: 🐶🥺😍 (illogically)

Enjoyment: 7/10
This book was nice to read this summer. Bye.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. Running to watch 10 Thing I Hate About You, now. Byyeeee

[Kremena Koleva · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Family. We couldn’t do life without them, but sometimes they make it so dang hard to do life with them.”

[Andrea | andrea.c.lowry.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Not to Do on Vacation is one of those sweet and charming beachy stories that will put a smile on your face!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

I’m always a huge fan of a book that has a cast of characters that are likable and in this story, I felt like I wanted to not only be friends with a group of sisters but have them adopt me.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Beach Vibes
Sisterhood
Family Drama
Banter
Fake Dating
Laugh out loud moments

🔥Steam level: Clean

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

Karissa Vacker did a wonderful job bringing each one of the characters to life with their own unique personalities.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

Slow Burn

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

If you are looking for some light summer reading, then check this fun romcom out!

3.5 stars

Thank you Thomas Nelson for this gifted copy.

[Sarah Monzon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I loved the perfect blend of women’s fiction and romcom. I love books that have depth but aren’t heavy/depressing and have the romcom lightness/punchiness. For me, Maggie’s writing hit that intersection perfectly. I loved the play on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew with the addition of some sisterly dynamics. I’ll be looking forward to reading more books by this author.

[Leezaslibrary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me. Felt like they were so focused on the AI dating site rather than the sisters and what they were going through in their lives.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how well written this was. It was like reading about friends. Three sisters meet in Florida for a vacation that they always had when they were children. Trying to recreate that magic isn’t easy, but eventually they find value in their relationships as adults. Romance, sisterhood, and finding yourself are part of this story. I loved every moment and now I want to read this author’s backlog.

[Evelyn (Ev’s Novel Delights) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Clean Rom-com)

3.5 stars rounded to 4

review to come

[Charissa James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun beach read. I really enjoyed the sisters' relationships. It was sweet to see them go from annoyance to trust as they each dealt with the problems in their lives and learned to come alongside and help each other. Cora's view that love didn't exist for her made for a fun romantic plot. From the moment she met Jax, I eagerly anticipated seeing what it would take for her to give in. If you're looking for a great summer read that features sisters and romance, your search could end here!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ALC. All opinions are my own.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an unexpected gem.
A heartwarming and fun story of three sisters navigating life's ups and downs, all the while trying to rediscover the summer magic of their childhood.
This is going to be a cosy summer/beach read for 2025!

What Not to Do on Vacation begins with the three Prestley sister's fulfilling their mothers final wish for the girls to spend one last summer holiday together, like they used to as kids.
Savannah has orchestrated the whole thing, right down to the same activities they used to love and ensuring quality sister time is shared. She has a secret, but she won't let that ruin her summer.

Cora knew this trip was doomed from the start, and that's not just because the airline lost her luggage. Her memories of the beach house are linked to happier times when their family was whole, and isn't interested in playing along with Savannah's trip down memory lane.

Bianca, the baby of the family and has always been treated as such. She can't wait to tell her sisters the good news; she's engaged and moving away to finally start her own life. Savannah and Cora think she's impulsive, Bianca thinks it's true love. But can you really love someone you have never met?

After an argument on their first night, the sisters set out to prove each other wrong - what's a little bet to make things interesting?
Their summer of sisterly fun is now overshadowed by scheming, plotting and an unexpected romance. But maybe a bit of "serendipitous" meddling is just what the sisters need...

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks Netgalley!

[vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

this was so enjoyable and exactly what i needed out of a little vacation romance omg.

this book felt like a 90’s rom-com, it definitely has the charm of 10 things i hate about you and how to lose a guy in ten days, book wise it almost reminds me of an emily henry novel. the book follows multiple points and view and has everything you’d need in a book like this, sisterhood, romance, comedy and the perfect summer setting. It light and fluffy while also tackling some darker themes from our characters past and present.

genuinely all of our characters in this book are so charming and likeable. i feel like everyone could definitely see themself in at one of these sisters. this was the perfect cozy beach read i was looking for.

the narrator Karissa Vacker did such a beautiful job on bringing this lovely novel to life.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley for this advance copy!

I am so behind on my books and I got this book over a year ago, and I'm sorry I didn't get to it earlier! This is sort of a "10 things I hate about you" retelling, but honestly, I could barely tell and it really didn't matter. This was a lovely romance/women's fiction book in the spirit of Jennifer Weiner that felt like a wonderful book to read as summer winds down. Cora and her sisters are trying to recreate past wonderful family summers, but each sister has secrets. As the women move through the summer, people get honest and also fall in love. It's fun and flirty and a great beach read. I'm excited to see whatelse Magee is writing.

[Jaimes_Mystical_Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute romance read. I really liked the cast of characters in this story and the sisterly bond between Cora, Bianca and Savannah. This book had a lot of good moments that had me smiling and overall it was a good, sweet, feel-good story that was perfect for summer reading.

Read this if you like:

📖 Sisterly bonding
📖 Multiple POV
📖 Beach reads
📖 Sweet romance

Thank you to @uplitreads for the gifted copy.

[Hannah Shrewsbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ cutie lil vacay read!

[Jennifer Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives all the how to loose a guy in ten days vibes! Enjoyed it so much! Perfect summer read 🌊☀️

[Sarahscurrentread · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect summer read. Sisters, Savannah, Cora and Bianca go back to their childhood vacation spot to try to connect. When Cora and Bianca make a bet about whether an AI dating app can actually find true love, the summer takes a turn and only a family emergency can bring them back together. I loved the story of 3 very different sisters managing life and coming together. The narrator is so good and gives everyone very distinct voices.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun read, it has the classic romance novel formula with a few twists thrown in for good measure. Savannah, Cora, and Bianca are sisters who are meeting at their favorite beach house they visited as children in order to fulfill a wish their dead mother had. Bianca comes with the news that she is getting married to a man she met online but not in real life. Savannah has her own secrets that she's bringing to the sisters' vacation. Cora isn't bringing a secret but she's not totally buying what Bianca is selling.
It is through Bianca's machinations that Cora meets Jax and eventually they become an item. Cora never really wanted the relationship to work to prove a point to Bianca. That it did become a relationship surprised Cora. Where the romance novel formula breaks down is that Jax is not the one who throws a spanner into the works, but someone else who had nothing better to do than gossip.

Rachel Magee has written a cute rom-com that gives her readers the escape they need for an afternoon or to take to the beach for a vacation read. Strong Four Stars

Thomas Nelson Fiction provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Brynn | readyourworriesaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT NOT TO DO ON VACATION is the perfect summer read!

I started by reading the physical book, but then switched to audio for the rest. Karissa Vacker’s narration never disappoints and I flew through the audiobook!

Three sisters reconnect by returning to the beach house where they spent their childhood summers vacations.

I love stories with family dynamics. Cora, Savannah, and Bianca are very different, but are bonded by sisterhood. The multiple POVs allowed me to see things from each of their perspectives and understand them better.

It was fun seeing how the sisters navigated love and relationships.

I loved how the beach house brought them closer and how they all healed in different ways!

I definitely got some How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes, which is one of my fav movies!!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Not To Do On Vacation has definite How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days & Ten Things I Hate About You vibes. It’s a cute rom-com with ver likable character.

It was fun, funny, & engaging with a little bit of drama mixed in.

Three sisters meet up for a summer vacation at the family beach house following their mother’s last wishes and how they reconnect with each other.

Rachel Magee is a new author for me and I will be reading more of her stories in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer Shirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, heartwarming read!

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5⭐️

There were some parts that genuinely made me chuckle, but the lack of continuity was distracting. And narration across the board was.. something.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Las hermanas Prestly tienen que hacer un viaje anual a Sunnyside como último deseo de su mamá, con la esperanza de sanar viejas heridas y reconstruir su relación. Cora acepta ir a regañadientes, ya que es la que está más alejada de sus hermanas. Savannah, la mayor, parece tener la vida perfecta, pero no es así, y está ansiosa por ver a sus hermanas para contarles algo sobre su salud. Bianca, la menor, no sabe qué quiere hacer con su vida, pero lo que sí sabe es que se va a casar con su novio, a quien conoció en una aplicación y con el que nunca se ha encontrado en persona. Cuando se lo cuenta a sus hermanas, ellas intentarán hacerla recapacitar sobre el error que está por cometer. Bianca, al ver que no la apoyan, decide hacer un trato: que Cora se haga un perfil en la aplicación, salga con su "alma gemela" y logre enamorarse de él. Si no se enamora, Bianca no se casará con su prometido.
Para Cora era el trato es una tonteria ya que no cree en el amor, sabe perfectamente que nadie se queda, entonces decide aceptar.


~

Disfruté del libro. Me gustó que cada hermana tuviera su propio punto de vista. La historia tiene buen ritmo, y me agradó ver cómo fueron sanando. Lo único que siento que faltó fue más participación del esposo y de los hijos de Savannah.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.