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Not a Vacation: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26In this warm and witty novel from the author of
You’ll Find It All Still Here
, a young woman makes a match where she least expects it—in Florida’s kooky retirement community.
Phoebe Kleiner names nail polish for a Chunky Cardigan, Heartbreak Healer, Win-Win. Too bad her marketing prowess doesn’t extend to her own love life. At twenty-nine, freshly dumped and watching her friends march down the aisle, she’s stuck wearing a shade between heartbreak and humiliation.
After her great aunt dies, Phoebe gets dragged to Boca Raton to help clean out her old apartment. It’s supposed to be a quick trip—a little sun, a little schlep, maybe a rebound fling on the apps. Instead, she walks right into her mother’s identity crisis, her aunt’s crumbling marriage, and a dating scene full of retirees and red flags.
Then she meets Levi, the blue-eyed geriatrician and popular DJ who throws raves for Boca’s seniors. He makes Phoebe feel instantly understood. But as the Florida heat beats down and her family pushes her boundaries, Phoebe must think fast or risk everything. Because this fling feels like the start of something real.
Phoebe Kleiner names nail polish for a Chunky Cardigan, Heartbreak Healer, Win-Win. Too bad her marketing prowess doesn’t extend to her own love life. At twenty-nine, freshly dumped and watching her friends march down the aisle, she’s stuck wearing a shade between heartbreak and humiliation.
After her great aunt dies, Phoebe gets dragged to Boca Raton to help clean out her old apartment. It’s supposed to be a quick trip—a little sun, a little schlep, maybe a rebound fling on the apps. Instead, she walks right into her mother’s identity crisis, her aunt’s crumbling marriage, and a dating scene full of retirees and red flags.
Then she meets Levi, the blue-eyed geriatrician and popular DJ who throws raves for Boca’s seniors. He makes Phoebe feel instantly understood. But as the Florida heat beats down and her family pushes her boundaries, Phoebe must think fast or risk everything. Because this fling feels like the start of something real.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 6, 2026
About the author
Lisa Greenwald
40 books494 followersA long bio can be kind of boring, so instead I'm going to pretend
that a famous journalist (maybe Barbara Walters) is interviewing me.
The only thing is, I'm making up the questions.
If you think of any other questions you'd like me to answer, send me an email and ask away!
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. I lived in Fairfield, Connecticut until the end of fifth grade and then I moved to Roslyn Heights, New York. That's on Long Island. But I don't have a bad Lawn Guyland accent, I promise.
Q. Do you have any siblings?
A. Yes, I have two younger brothers. I always wanted a sister, but it's kind of nice being the only daughter in the family, and my brothers and I are really close.
Q. What about the rest of your family? Are you close with them too?
A. Yes, family is really important to me. I talk to my parents and grandparents every day.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes, to a fabulous guy named Dave. We met at sleep away camp when I was sixteen.
Q. Do you have any kids?
A. Yes, my daughter Aleah Violet Rosenberg was born on May 28th, 2010 and I personally think she's the cutest baby in the world, but of course I am biased.
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. I had a miniature toy poodle named Yoffi, but he died in 2007. I miss him so much.
Q. That's sad. Do you think you will get another dog?
A. I would love to adopt one very soon!
Q. What is your favorite book?
A. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is my favorite book in the whole entire world. I read it in sixth grade in Ms. Mayer's class. I have read many books since then, but Tuck Everlasting is still my absolute favorite.
Q. What is your favorite movie?
A. I have two. Clueless and Avalon.
Q. What's one of the craziest things that's ever happened to you?
A. I won a radio contest at the end of eighth grade! Someone from Z100 called me up and asked me to say the "phrase that pays" and I answered correctly. I won a thousand dollars.
Q. Did you always want to be a writer?
A. No, not always. I wanted to be a hair stylist, then a concert pianist, then a rabbi. But I always loved making up stories, so I think writing is the perfect job for me.
Q. Where did you go to college?
A. I went to Binghamton University in upstate New York. I was an English major with a concentration in creative writing. It's reallllllllly cold in Binghamton. Then two years after I graduated college, I went to The New School to get my MFA in writing for children.
Q. You mentioned that you met Dave at sleep away camp. Did you really like sleep away camp?
A. YES! I loved it. I went to Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I would go back to camp forever if only I could. Sleep away camp is the best place in the world.
Q. Tell me some other things you really like.
A. Okay. Here's a short list: sleeping late, fancy hotels, reading and writing (duh!,) peanut m&ms, flip flops, sweatpants, people watching, New York City, cheese omelets, weddings, pedicures, looking at old pictures and re-reading old cards and letters.
Q. Tell me some things you really dislike.
A. Peas, mean people, rats and mice, sweating, pants and skirts with a side zipper, spicy food, uncomfortable shoes, people clipping their nails on the subway, feeling lonely or thinking about other people who might feel lonely.
Q. MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN is about a pharmacy. Do you really like pharmacies?
A. Yes, I love them! I love the way they smell and the way the aisles are arranged. I love when the pharmacists know the customers and I love looking at all the beauty products.
Q. Do you write every day?
A. I try to, but in addition to writing I also work in the library at The Birch Wathen Lenox School in Manhattan. I love being around kids and books and talking to kids about books!
Q. I don't have any more questions. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A. Just that I hope readers like my book, and I'd love to hear from all of them if they want to talk to me!
that a famous journalist (maybe Barbara Walters) is interviewing me.
The only thing is, I'm making up the questions.
If you think of any other questions you'd like me to answer, send me an email and ask away!
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. I lived in Fairfield, Connecticut until the end of fifth grade and then I moved to Roslyn Heights, New York. That's on Long Island. But I don't have a bad Lawn Guyland accent, I promise.
Q. Do you have any siblings?
A. Yes, I have two younger brothers. I always wanted a sister, but it's kind of nice being the only daughter in the family, and my brothers and I are really close.
Q. What about the rest of your family? Are you close with them too?
A. Yes, family is really important to me. I talk to my parents and grandparents every day.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes, to a fabulous guy named Dave. We met at sleep away camp when I was sixteen.
Q. Do you have any kids?
A. Yes, my daughter Aleah Violet Rosenberg was born on May 28th, 2010 and I personally think she's the cutest baby in the world, but of course I am biased.
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. I had a miniature toy poodle named Yoffi, but he died in 2007. I miss him so much.
Q. That's sad. Do you think you will get another dog?
A. I would love to adopt one very soon!
Q. What is your favorite book?
A. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is my favorite book in the whole entire world. I read it in sixth grade in Ms. Mayer's class. I have read many books since then, but Tuck Everlasting is still my absolute favorite.
Q. What is your favorite movie?
A. I have two. Clueless and Avalon.
Q. What's one of the craziest things that's ever happened to you?
A. I won a radio contest at the end of eighth grade! Someone from Z100 called me up and asked me to say the "phrase that pays" and I answered correctly. I won a thousand dollars.
Q. Did you always want to be a writer?
A. No, not always. I wanted to be a hair stylist, then a concert pianist, then a rabbi. But I always loved making up stories, so I think writing is the perfect job for me.
Q. Where did you go to college?
A. I went to Binghamton University in upstate New York. I was an English major with a concentration in creative writing. It's reallllllllly cold in Binghamton. Then two years after I graduated college, I went to The New School to get my MFA in writing for children.
Q. You mentioned that you met Dave at sleep away camp. Did you really like sleep away camp?
A. YES! I loved it. I went to Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I would go back to camp forever if only I could. Sleep away camp is the best place in the world.
Q. Tell me some other things you really like.
A. Okay. Here's a short list: sleeping late, fancy hotels, reading and writing (duh!,) peanut m&ms, flip flops, sweatpants, people watching, New York City, cheese omelets, weddings, pedicures, looking at old pictures and re-reading old cards and letters.
Q. Tell me some things you really dislike.
A. Peas, mean people, rats and mice, sweating, pants and skirts with a side zipper, spicy food, uncomfortable shoes, people clipping their nails on the subway, feeling lonely or thinking about other people who might feel lonely.
Q. MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN is about a pharmacy. Do you really like pharmacies?
A. Yes, I love them! I love the way they smell and the way the aisles are arranged. I love when the pharmacists know the customers and I love looking at all the beauty products.
Q. Do you write every day?
A. I try to, but in addition to writing I also work in the library at The Birch Wathen Lenox School in Manhattan. I love being around kids and books and talking to kids about books!
Q. I don't have any more questions. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A. Just that I hope readers like my book, and I'd love to hear from all of them if they want to talk to me!
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 24, 2026
I got the ARC of Not A Vacation from Netgalley and I am so happy I got the chance to read this!
First of all, from the very beginning the song Family is Family by Kacey Musgraves kept playing in my head as I read this. I think Phoebe could really relate to that song, and make it her number 2 karaoke song 😋
I enjoyed this book because it felt very real. I understood Phoebe and her mother and their rocky but loving relationship. Phoebe reminded me of myself (even tho I am a second daughter), but a lot of her inner monologue felt like my own, especially her dry humor.
Levi was also a really great character, a classic ‘good guy’ that wasn’t bogged down with unrealistic expectations we sometimes read about.
The ending was my favorite because everything tied together in a cute way but is also open-ended, anything could happen and I love that!
First of all, from the very beginning the song Family is Family by Kacey Musgraves kept playing in my head as I read this. I think Phoebe could really relate to that song, and make it her number 2 karaoke song 😋
I enjoyed this book because it felt very real. I understood Phoebe and her mother and their rocky but loving relationship. Phoebe reminded me of myself (even tho I am a second daughter), but a lot of her inner monologue felt like my own, especially her dry humor.
Levi was also a really great character, a classic ‘good guy’ that wasn’t bogged down with unrealistic expectations we sometimes read about.
The ending was my favorite because everything tied together in a cute way but is also open-ended, anything could happen and I love that!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Not a Vacation is a warm, witty, and heartfelt story that is about so much more than romance. While there is a charming love story at its center, what really stood out to me were the complex family relationships and the thoughtful exploration of mothers, daughters, and the expectations we place on ourselves and each other.
Phoebe is an engaging and relatable protagonist, reeling from heartbreak and feeling left behind as her friends move forward with their lives. What begins as a quick trip to Boca Raton quickly turns into something much deeper as she finds herself navigating family secrets, shifting relationships, and questions about what she truly wants for her future.
I especially enjoyed the multi-generational aspects of the story. The dynamics between Phoebe, her mother, and the women in her family felt authentic and layered, adding emotional depth to the novel. Lisa Greenwald does a wonderful job capturing both the frustrations and the love that exist within families.
The Florida retirement community setting was an unexpected delight, filled with humor, personality, and memorable characters. Levi was a sweet and refreshing love interest, and his work with the senior community added an extra layer of charm to the story.
At its heart, Not a Vacation is about growth, family, second chances, and finding happiness where you least expect it. Readers looking for a thoughtful contemporary novel with heart, humor, and strong family themes will find plenty to enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Phoebe is an engaging and relatable protagonist, reeling from heartbreak and feeling left behind as her friends move forward with their lives. What begins as a quick trip to Boca Raton quickly turns into something much deeper as she finds herself navigating family secrets, shifting relationships, and questions about what she truly wants for her future.
I especially enjoyed the multi-generational aspects of the story. The dynamics between Phoebe, her mother, and the women in her family felt authentic and layered, adding emotional depth to the novel. Lisa Greenwald does a wonderful job capturing both the frustrations and the love that exist within families.
The Florida retirement community setting was an unexpected delight, filled with humor, personality, and memorable characters. Levi was a sweet and refreshing love interest, and his work with the senior community added an extra layer of charm to the story.
At its heart, Not a Vacation is about growth, family, second chances, and finding happiness where you least expect it. Readers looking for a thoughtful contemporary novel with heart, humor, and strong family themes will find plenty to enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A lighthearted story about picking yourself up after the end of a relationship while at the same time dealing with the struggles of family. When Phoebe's longtime boyfriend calls it quits, she finds herself completely at a loss. What better time to take a trip to Florida with her mom and aunt? It’s not a vacation, though, as their task is to clean out a recently deceased relative's apartment. But still, vacation-like things happen. Like meeting Levi, a handsome doctor who seems to be very interested in Phoebe. She’s trying to make sense of this newly developing possible love interest while also navigating her relationship with her mother who seems to be going through some sort of midlife crisis. Oh and there’s her aunt Sara Beth, newly separated and determined to get back in the saddle. Great characters, plenty of humorous moments.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve had many conversations about wanting to be a nail-polish-color-namer so this book had already won me over because of the main character’s job. This was an easy read that flew by— and don’t mistake that for frivolous, because it was not that. My favorite part was the insertions of nail polish colors and descriptions that matched whatever was happening in the moment in thst book but overall, this was the perfect Memorial Day weekend read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advance reader copy received from Netgalley.
Phoebe is on a trip with her mom and aunt Sara Beth. They need to clear out Great Aunt Faye's apartment. This girls trip /not-a-vacation-but-kind-of-a-vacation comes with drama, new love x 2 and some deep mother-daughter conversations.
I had a good chuckle quite a few times. I enjoyed reading what was going on in Phoebe's mind, how she felt responsible for her mother and aunt, and how she was dealing with everything in-between.
Grateful that there was no smut in this book.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
Phoebe is on a trip with her mom and aunt Sara Beth. They need to clear out Great Aunt Faye's apartment. This girls trip /not-a-vacation-but-kind-of-a-vacation comes with drama, new love x 2 and some deep mother-daughter conversations.
I had a good chuckle quite a few times. I enjoyed reading what was going on in Phoebe's mind, how she felt responsible for her mother and aunt, and how she was dealing with everything in-between.
Grateful that there was no smut in this book.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was truly excellent, immediately drawing me in with its fast pace and holding my interest from the beginning to the end. I found both the storyline and the characters utterly compelling.
A beautifully crafted story about life and love, I was fully immersed in each character's journey, and the ending was perfect. This read is definitely five stars, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
A beautifully crafted story about life and love, I was fully immersed in each character's journey, and the ending was perfect. This read is definitely five stars, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I just felt that Phoebe deserved more. Gaslit into taking a trip with her Mum and Aunt to help pack up her deceased great-aunt's flat, whilst her cousins complained from afar, narry lifting a finger themselves read like a horror story. It was poignant and sweet in places, but I was so frustrated by everyone.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thankyou NetGalley and publisher for allowing me to read this for a honest review, this was such a fun read. I loved the mix of humour, romance and family drama the main characters were funny and relatable. This was very lighthearted but still had that emotional depth about it which made it very enjoyable.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was excellent. It pulled me in with its fast pace and kept me invested from beginning to end. Both the story and the characters were incredibly compelling. Beautifully written and full of heart, it explores life and love in a way that made me completely immersed in each character’s journey. The ending was perfect.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews