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The Breakup Vacation
The first in the MTV Beach House series, The Break-Up Vacation follows Grace, a college student, who plans a girls’ trip to Cancun with her two best friends – only they don’t know that her ex-boyfriend is also there or that Grace will do whatever it takes to get him back.
Unknown Binding
First published March 5, 2024
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About the author
Anna Gracia
4 books133 followersAnna Gracia is a former Division I athlete and tennis coach who now excels at snacking while yelling advice at the TV. Her weaknesses include crying at movies, running long distances, and temperatures over 70 degrees. Her debut YA novel, Boys I Know, was both an ABA Indies Introduce and Indie Next pick, and was featured in The New York Times, Paste, Seventeen, and more. See more at anna-gracia.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 532 reviews
March 11, 2024
Happy publication day to Anna Gracia’s The Breakup Vacation!!
I have this strong belief that a romance novel needs to have… romance in it.
I'm not talking about smut or rom-com type of sex, that's not always essential - even if never declined. But, if you’re trying to convince me about some type of relationship, you'll need that giggling, screaming-in-your-pillow, kicking-the-air, breath-taking type of romance.
In other words, a proof of love. Reasons why the two like each other. Anything that makes me think they're gonna be okay when the story is over.
The Breakup Vacation has potential but needs more work.
First of all, the most evident aspect: the cover. Grace is half Asian, Tiff has a septum, Daniel has tattoos… and there’s no sign of any of these on the cover - which is very pretty, so I was double disappointed by reading the characters' descriptions.
The narration comes straight second on my list: boring, lacking description and character deepness, filled with pop references that don't really work. Also, I’d have considered telling the story in first person, since it's already from Gemma’s POV.
I'm aware it's a story about a girl who’s still in love with her ex, but halfway in this and even I wanted to strangle the guy. Josh here, Josh there, Josh would never do this, Josh would never say that. Shut up!
The movie quotes at the start of every chapter were a nice touch, but also kind of random.
And even if the characters were almost always drunk - which means is basically impossible that they could have gotten anything done - and the fact that any redemption that was written for Grace was probably wiped off at the last minute, the biggest problem of the whole story is the discrimination towards… all of them?
In life, I try to not make assumptions regarding anyone, especially because being white doesn't get you the right to think how a minority is like or act like, and every discrimination you can think of. So, about all the Asian prejudices I've read, I'm just gonna assume it's weird but also okay since the author is also half-Asian, I guess.
But, the French. Trust me, no one hates the French as the Italians, but this is too much even for me. Camille, who is in her 20s and was accepted into an American University even if she’s never heard of the past simple, is the Emily in Paris’s adaptation of a French character: she loves French wine, French cheese, cooking, middle-age men, and her entire personality is being elitist - which it’s not completely false, but still.
I'm also not excusing the misogyny and the very unfeminist sides of this, but I consider them as an attempt to make it look more like a comedy and poorly let us know from the very first page who the “enemy” is.
↠ 1.5 star
Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
I have this strong belief that a romance novel needs to have… romance in it.
I'm not talking about smut or rom-com type of sex, that's not always essential - even if never declined. But, if you’re trying to convince me about some type of relationship, you'll need that giggling, screaming-in-your-pillow, kicking-the-air, breath-taking type of romance.
In other words, a proof of love. Reasons why the two like each other. Anything that makes me think they're gonna be okay when the story is over.
The Breakup Vacation has potential but needs more work.
First of all, the most evident aspect: the cover. Grace is half Asian, Tiff has a septum, Daniel has tattoos… and there’s no sign of any of these on the cover - which is very pretty, so I was double disappointed by reading the characters' descriptions.
The narration comes straight second on my list: boring, lacking description and character deepness, filled with pop references that don't really work. Also, I’d have considered telling the story in first person, since it's already from Gemma’s POV.
I'm aware it's a story about a girl who’s still in love with her ex, but halfway in this and even I wanted to strangle the guy. Josh here, Josh there, Josh would never do this, Josh would never say that. Shut up!
The movie quotes at the start of every chapter were a nice touch, but also kind of random.
And even if the characters were almost always drunk - which means is basically impossible that they could have gotten anything done - and the fact that any redemption that was written for Grace was probably wiped off at the last minute, the biggest problem of the whole story is the discrimination towards… all of them?
In life, I try to not make assumptions regarding anyone, especially because being white doesn't get you the right to think how a minority is like or act like, and every discrimination you can think of. So, about all the Asian prejudices I've read, I'm just gonna assume it's weird but also okay since the author is also half-Asian, I guess.
But, the French. Trust me, no one hates the French as the Italians, but this is too much even for me. Camille, who is in her 20s and was accepted into an American University even if she’s never heard of the past simple, is the Emily in Paris’s adaptation of a French character: she loves French wine, French cheese, cooking, middle-age men, and her entire personality is being elitist - which it’s not completely false, but still.
I'm also not excusing the misogyny and the very unfeminist sides of this, but I consider them as an attempt to make it look more like a comedy and poorly let us know from the very first page who the “enemy” is.
↠ 1.5 star
Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
September 25, 2023
Well, well, well! After being lured in by the colorful cover and the promising plotline that offered a gender-reversed "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" in a YA retelling set during a Cancun trip, I was excited and ready to dive in. Who could resist the charming premise of an entertaining romcom with hints of self-exploration in a holiday setting?
However, unfortunately, my expectations took a nosedive as soon as I was introduced to the main character and her besties, who were one-dimensionally constructed and acted like stereotypes right from the beginning. Despite my efforts, I couldn't find any quality or emotional depth that would allow me to connect with them.
The plot revolves around heartbroken Grace, who is dumped by her boyfriend Josh after a six-month-long relationship. Frankly, Grace's actions after the breakup reminded me of a spoiled child whose toy has been taken away by her parents as punishment, and she's whining loudly to get it back by manipulating her friends. In this case, instead of a toy, she wants to win her boyfriend back, going so far as to stalk him to Cancun and misinform her best friends, Tiff, who has no defining qualities other than being rich, and Camille, who is another stereotypical French girl created by an American author who may have never befriended a real French person in real life!
I couldn't understand why Grace was so obsessed with Josh from the beginning. Regardless, I was still holding out hope that the Cancun setting would breathe new life into the story, and maybe we'd see a well-developed love story unfold with the introduction of the hot Hawaiian soccer player, Daniel, who would show Grace what a real love story should be. However, the character of Daniel appeared with no defining traits other than being biracial and a soccer star, leaving many blank spaces in terms of character development, just like Grace, her ex-boyfriend Josh, and her besties.
As expected, the author failed to vividly depict the beautiful atmosphere and allure of Cancun, instead choosing to portray the girls taking shot after shot, making the reader feel like they've stumbled into the worst kind of tequila commercial with a triggering alcohol poisoning alert!
Another aspect that rubbed me the wrong way was Grace's intense girl-on-girl hate, which raised a red flag for misogyny when she unjustifiably resented poor Caity for merely being around her ex-boyfriend.
Overall, I couldn't fathom why Grace was so obsessed with Josh from the beginning, and I also couldn't understand why Daniel liked Grace so much. I held out hope that Grace's character would evolve as the consequences of her choices hit her hard, ultimately leading to her self-growth. Unfortunately, by the end, she remained the same unlikable stereotype, making it challenging to engage with the story.
In summary, my hopes and expectations were higher than what this book delivered. I'm hopeful that the author's future works will be more engaging for me.
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However, unfortunately, my expectations took a nosedive as soon as I was introduced to the main character and her besties, who were one-dimensionally constructed and acted like stereotypes right from the beginning. Despite my efforts, I couldn't find any quality or emotional depth that would allow me to connect with them.
The plot revolves around heartbroken Grace, who is dumped by her boyfriend Josh after a six-month-long relationship. Frankly, Grace's actions after the breakup reminded me of a spoiled child whose toy has been taken away by her parents as punishment, and she's whining loudly to get it back by manipulating her friends. In this case, instead of a toy, she wants to win her boyfriend back, going so far as to stalk him to Cancun and misinform her best friends, Tiff, who has no defining qualities other than being rich, and Camille, who is another stereotypical French girl created by an American author who may have never befriended a real French person in real life!
I couldn't understand why Grace was so obsessed with Josh from the beginning. Regardless, I was still holding out hope that the Cancun setting would breathe new life into the story, and maybe we'd see a well-developed love story unfold with the introduction of the hot Hawaiian soccer player, Daniel, who would show Grace what a real love story should be. However, the character of Daniel appeared with no defining traits other than being biracial and a soccer star, leaving many blank spaces in terms of character development, just like Grace, her ex-boyfriend Josh, and her besties.
As expected, the author failed to vividly depict the beautiful atmosphere and allure of Cancun, instead choosing to portray the girls taking shot after shot, making the reader feel like they've stumbled into the worst kind of tequila commercial with a triggering alcohol poisoning alert!
Another aspect that rubbed me the wrong way was Grace's intense girl-on-girl hate, which raised a red flag for misogyny when she unjustifiably resented poor Caity for merely being around her ex-boyfriend.
Overall, I couldn't fathom why Grace was so obsessed with Josh from the beginning, and I also couldn't understand why Daniel liked Grace so much. I held out hope that Grace's character would evolve as the consequences of her choices hit her hard, ultimately leading to her self-growth. Unfortunately, by the end, she remained the same unlikable stereotype, making it challenging to engage with the story.
In summary, my hopes and expectations were higher than what this book delivered. I'm hopeful that the author's future works will be more engaging for me.
medium.com
September 26, 2023
Why was this story such a big let-down?
1.Main character wasn't even dislikable, she was outright HATE INDUCING. Girl said so many things in this book that would get someone cancelled in real life in SECONDS. She was the opposite of a girl's girl.
2. Everyone else was also a 1 dimensional word on the paper and were erased when i finished this book..
3. NO ROMCOM In HERE JUST SEXUAL SCENES WiTH A RELATIONSHIP BEING FORMED BY THE END OF THE BOOK EVEN TOUGH IT WAS OVER A SPAN OF 5 DAYS?!?!?!?!?!?
4.Had to actually finish this because it was an arc, read another book by this author and I'm now surprised that they could write something this different.....
1.Main character wasn't even dislikable, she was outright HATE INDUCING. Girl said so many things in this book that would get someone cancelled in real life in SECONDS. She was the opposite of a girl's girl.
2. Everyone else was also a 1 dimensional word on the paper and were erased when i finished this book..
3. NO ROMCOM In HERE JUST SEXUAL SCENES WiTH A RELATIONSHIP BEING FORMED BY THE END OF THE BOOK EVEN TOUGH IT WAS OVER A SPAN OF 5 DAYS?!?!?!?!?!?
4.Had to actually finish this because it was an arc, read another book by this author and I'm now surprised that they could write something this different.....
September 30, 2024
I just can’t. I finished it because I am dumb and always have to know how things end. Even when it’s TERRIBLE
September 10, 2023
Oh, how I thought this book was going to be good. The synopsis and cover certainly draw a reader in. I was even excited to see a monstera leaf being used as a chapter motif! But, honestly, this novel was a trainwreck from start to finish and it never redeemed itself. (Yes, I did read the entire thing from page one to page three hundred and twenty.)
The Cast of Characters
I want to start by discussing the characters, because that is truly where this story made its first missteps. Any good writer (and reader!) knows that the characters are the backbone of the story. Characters can have flaws, sure, but they must also have redeeming qualities that help the character transform by the novel’s end. Unfortunately for this novel, none of the characters had redeeming qualities nor did they really transform by the end.
Let’s get into our cast, shall we?
- Grace - The main character who tricks her friends into vacationing in Cancún so she can stalk her ex-boyfriend (Josh, who broke up with her after they only dated for six months) and try to win him back. She’s also a self-proclaimed feminist (she’s not) who perpetuates misogyny and girl-on-girl hate for most of the book.
- Tiff – Grace’s best friend who’s also rich. And she also thought it was okay to punch her friends in the boobs whenever she could? (I still have questions about why the author thought that was okay.)
- Camille – Grace’s college friend who is on a study abroad and is originally from France. (Re: Is a stereotypical Frenchwoman as seen through American eyes.)
- Josh – Grace’s ex-boyfriend . . . who was romantically interested in Grace for an unknown reason. He wants to be a filmmaker.
- Daniel – Grace’s new love interest . . . who is romantically interested in Grace for an unknown reason. Oh, and he’s a soccer star? I think?
- Caity – A girl who has a crush on Josh who Grace absolutely hates for no other reason than Caity having a crush on Josh/hangs around Josh’s vicinity. Oh, and she got Josh a job working on a film in Cancún.
- And an assortment of other minor characters that really don’t add anything else to the plot.
I wish I had a single character to root for, but I didn’t. All of them were frustrating for one reason or another and never truly changed or developed as characters.
The Plot and Lack of Set-up
I would argue that this novel was character-driven, as everything that unfolded was due to Grace’s choices. She was in the driver’s seat and wasn’t afraid of manipulating her friends to get what she wanted (re: staying close by Josh to win him back over romantically). So that begs the question: was there plot in this novel? Certainly. Was it set-up well? No and that lack of set-up was detrimental to the story.
Throughout the book, I found myself sitting with many story questions. Most questions were due to the lack of set-up and backstory provided on the page.
- Why did Grace love Josh so much? The reader never saw why their six-month relationship had a profound impact on Grace. Why about Josh and their romantic relationship made her stalk him to Cancún and try to win him back?
- Why did Daniel like Grace so much? The reader didn’t see a conversation about why Daniel enjoyed being with Grace or sought her out whenever they came across each other in public. He was there to serve one purpose: to be the love interest. Unfortunately, their relationship came off more as a “hook-up plot” than a fully-fledged “romance-plot.”
- Why were Grace & Co. drunk all the time? How did they get anything done when they were shooting back tequila nine times out of ten?
Outside of the missing plot set-up, another big failure was the lack of external conflict in Act III. Specifically, the lack of Grace facing the consequences of her actions which immediately undermined whatever character development was on the page. It was frustrating to see her friends (and Daniel) get upset with Grace when they all realized she manipulated them as a way of getting closer to Josh. Sure by that point she had realized Josh was actually the worst and she didn’t have feelings for him anymore, but that character growth was undermined by her overcoming the conflict with her friends after two conversations: one with Tiff and Camille, and one with Daniel. All three of these characters forgave her after a handful of paragraphs, which was frustrating. How can a character truly transform when everything is handed to them easily? A lack of obstacles doesn’t make for an interesting read, nor does it challenge the character to change and grow.
The Lack of Descriptions and Concrete Details
This is a small critique, but as a reader who really enjoys concrete details, it was difficult to get through this novel because of the lack of details and descriptions. With the story’s primary setting being in Cancún, and the general premise being about a girl’s trip, I truly wanted to disappear into that setting. I wanted to taste, feel, see, etc., the vacation the characters were enjoying. Instead, the concrete details were inconsistent. I could clearly picture the events of chapter one (where Grace visited Josh’s apartment) and chapter seventeen (where Grace and Daniel shared some spice at a public park). Anything outside of those chapters were unclear; I even forgot what the characters looked like after a few chapters.
A Sidebar
Taking a break before we hit the heavy topics, I did have one question: Were the movie quotes necessary? Every chapter began with one and they never added anything to the theme of the chapter or the overall plot arc. As a reader, nothing would be lost by omitting these quotes from the page.
The Problematic Pieces
This is where I really was upset with this novel: the problematic aspects of it. There were arguably too many problematic—and unchallenged—pieces in this story. To start, there was: stereotyping and generalizations made about other cultures; claims that the main character was a feminist when she was perpetuating internalized misogyny; and girl-on-girl hate.
As mentioned in a previous section, there are characters in here that were viewed through an American, stereotyped, and generalized lens. This was especially apparent when Grace was making commentary about her friend, Camille (from France), Caity (her alleged nemesis), or other people she interacted with in Mexico. She continually made comments about how Asians/Asian Americans should act and name their kids (when talking about Caity); she made judgements on how Asian Americans were supposed to be “cheap.” Even Camille’s characterization ran on French stereotypes. For example: French people are crazy about basketball; champagne only comes from the Champagne region in France, everything else is considered sparkling wine; French cheese/food/customs are simply better than other countries. And the worst part is that, once again, all these ideas went completely unchallenged. Grace was allowed to make these comments and make these judgments without correction, which felt wildly irresponsible. I do hope that this novel gets sensitivity readers on it to help clear up these issues.
Something I struggled with was Grace calling herself a feminist throughout the book. I struggled with this because she wasn’t a feminist—she constantly made comments that put other characters down, whether the comments were about the person themselves or about a stereotype. Worse yet, Grace was the epitome of internalized misogyny. Again, this was evident from the first chapter. For example, she repeatedly made comments about making her boobs look good, since that’s the main thing Josh liked about her. Unfortunately, this internalized misogyny was never truly challenged. Did Grace learn that Josh was only using her for sex and that he wasn’t a nice guy? Sure. But she never took that next step to challenge her own worldview and how misogyny had affected her relationships with herself and her friends.
If there is one thing I am exhausted of seeing in fiction, it’s the perpetuation of girl-on-girl hate. This is something that Grace showed from the very first chapter, and it was always directed at Caity Ruiz. Grace never gave a real, concrete reason why she disliked Caity so much—not that a reason would make this behavior okay, as it absolutely isn’t—and repeatedly used the same comment set up to riff on this girl. At one point, I swore I would throw my Kindle out the window if I saw “Caity ‘[insert insult here]’ Ruiz” one more time. That comment structure was used fifteen times in this novel—which was one time too many. Putting other minor characters down to raise up the main character is lazy writing, but it also makes the main character a bully. And no one enjoys reading about a bully or about girl-on-girl hate. It’s 2023, let’s be better, yeah?
What this Novel Could’ve Been
Looking back, there were so many things this novel could have been. With the premise of a girl trip/friend vacation, this could have explored Grace’s friendships and how she heals from a toxic relationship. With Grace being biracial, there could have been greater exploration of identity and how racism has affected Grace’s life and dreams. Instead, this novel was about a young woman stalking her ex-boyfriend and perpetuating girl-on-girl hate and racial stereotypes.
Conclusion
I’ll be honest: this novel upset and angered me from the first chapter, but I pushed through it because I wanted to see this story redeem itself. Unfortunately, it failed to do just that. Grace was an awful main character with no self-awareness and no care for how her actions affected other people. Pair that with the girl-on-girl hate, unchallenged misogyny, and unchallenged stereotyping, and, well, it made for an uncomfortable read. If anything, I was rooting for Grace and Josh to end up together since they were both awful people and acted disrespectfully toward others. In the end, I can’t recommend this novel to others. There are better, more thoughtful novels on the market that would satisfy a fun summery read.
P.S. As a Wisconsinite, the low blow about Wisconsin cheese (versus French cheese) was not appreciated.
TW: stalking, racism, stereotypical, racial generalizations, internalized misogyny, girl-on-girl hate
Thank you to Simon and Schuster, MTV Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
*~*~*~*~*
Original Thoughts:
This . . . was a book I read.
*~*~*~*~*
Connect with me on my socials!
nikiashreads' Linktree
The Cast of Characters
I want to start by discussing the characters, because that is truly where this story made its first missteps. Any good writer (and reader!) knows that the characters are the backbone of the story. Characters can have flaws, sure, but they must also have redeeming qualities that help the character transform by the novel’s end. Unfortunately for this novel, none of the characters had redeeming qualities nor did they really transform by the end.
Let’s get into our cast, shall we?
- Grace - The main character who tricks her friends into vacationing in Cancún so she can stalk her ex-boyfriend (Josh, who broke up with her after they only dated for six months) and try to win him back. She’s also a self-proclaimed feminist (she’s not) who perpetuates misogyny and girl-on-girl hate for most of the book.
- Tiff – Grace’s best friend who’s also rich. And she also thought it was okay to punch her friends in the boobs whenever she could? (I still have questions about why the author thought that was okay.)
- Camille – Grace’s college friend who is on a study abroad and is originally from France. (Re: Is a stereotypical Frenchwoman as seen through American eyes.)
- Josh – Grace’s ex-boyfriend . . . who was romantically interested in Grace for an unknown reason. He wants to be a filmmaker.
- Daniel – Grace’s new love interest . . . who is romantically interested in Grace for an unknown reason. Oh, and he’s a soccer star? I think?
- Caity – A girl who has a crush on Josh who Grace absolutely hates for no other reason than Caity having a crush on Josh/hangs around Josh’s vicinity. Oh, and she got Josh a job working on a film in Cancún.
- And an assortment of other minor characters that really don’t add anything else to the plot.
I wish I had a single character to root for, but I didn’t. All of them were frustrating for one reason or another and never truly changed or developed as characters.
The Plot and Lack of Set-up
I would argue that this novel was character-driven, as everything that unfolded was due to Grace’s choices. She was in the driver’s seat and wasn’t afraid of manipulating her friends to get what she wanted (re: staying close by Josh to win him back over romantically). So that begs the question: was there plot in this novel? Certainly. Was it set-up well? No and that lack of set-up was detrimental to the story.
Throughout the book, I found myself sitting with many story questions. Most questions were due to the lack of set-up and backstory provided on the page.
- Why did Grace love Josh so much? The reader never saw why their six-month relationship had a profound impact on Grace. Why about Josh and their romantic relationship made her stalk him to Cancún and try to win him back?
- Why did Daniel like Grace so much? The reader didn’t see a conversation about why Daniel enjoyed being with Grace or sought her out whenever they came across each other in public. He was there to serve one purpose: to be the love interest. Unfortunately, their relationship came off more as a “hook-up plot” than a fully-fledged “romance-plot.”
- Why were Grace & Co. drunk all the time? How did they get anything done when they were shooting back tequila nine times out of ten?
Outside of the missing plot set-up, another big failure was the lack of external conflict in Act III. Specifically, the lack of Grace facing the consequences of her actions which immediately undermined whatever character development was on the page. It was frustrating to see her friends (and Daniel) get upset with Grace when they all realized she manipulated them as a way of getting closer to Josh. Sure by that point she had realized Josh was actually the worst and she didn’t have feelings for him anymore, but that character growth was undermined by her overcoming the conflict with her friends after two conversations: one with Tiff and Camille, and one with Daniel. All three of these characters forgave her after a handful of paragraphs, which was frustrating. How can a character truly transform when everything is handed to them easily? A lack of obstacles doesn’t make for an interesting read, nor does it challenge the character to change and grow.
The Lack of Descriptions and Concrete Details
This is a small critique, but as a reader who really enjoys concrete details, it was difficult to get through this novel because of the lack of details and descriptions. With the story’s primary setting being in Cancún, and the general premise being about a girl’s trip, I truly wanted to disappear into that setting. I wanted to taste, feel, see, etc., the vacation the characters were enjoying. Instead, the concrete details were inconsistent. I could clearly picture the events of chapter one (where Grace visited Josh’s apartment) and chapter seventeen (where Grace and Daniel shared some spice at a public park). Anything outside of those chapters were unclear; I even forgot what the characters looked like after a few chapters.
A Sidebar
Taking a break before we hit the heavy topics, I did have one question: Were the movie quotes necessary? Every chapter began with one and they never added anything to the theme of the chapter or the overall plot arc. As a reader, nothing would be lost by omitting these quotes from the page.
The Problematic Pieces
This is where I really was upset with this novel: the problematic aspects of it. There were arguably too many problematic—and unchallenged—pieces in this story. To start, there was: stereotyping and generalizations made about other cultures; claims that the main character was a feminist when she was perpetuating internalized misogyny; and girl-on-girl hate.
As mentioned in a previous section, there are characters in here that were viewed through an American, stereotyped, and generalized lens. This was especially apparent when Grace was making commentary about her friend, Camille (from France), Caity (her alleged nemesis), or other people she interacted with in Mexico. She continually made comments about how Asians/Asian Americans should act and name their kids (when talking about Caity); she made judgements on how Asian Americans were supposed to be “cheap.” Even Camille’s characterization ran on French stereotypes. For example: French people are crazy about basketball; champagne only comes from the Champagne region in France, everything else is considered sparkling wine; French cheese/food/customs are simply better than other countries. And the worst part is that, once again, all these ideas went completely unchallenged. Grace was allowed to make these comments and make these judgments without correction, which felt wildly irresponsible. I do hope that this novel gets sensitivity readers on it to help clear up these issues.
Something I struggled with was Grace calling herself a feminist throughout the book. I struggled with this because she wasn’t a feminist—she constantly made comments that put other characters down, whether the comments were about the person themselves or about a stereotype. Worse yet, Grace was the epitome of internalized misogyny. Again, this was evident from the first chapter. For example, she repeatedly made comments about making her boobs look good, since that’s the main thing Josh liked about her. Unfortunately, this internalized misogyny was never truly challenged. Did Grace learn that Josh was only using her for sex and that he wasn’t a nice guy? Sure. But she never took that next step to challenge her own worldview and how misogyny had affected her relationships with herself and her friends.
If there is one thing I am exhausted of seeing in fiction, it’s the perpetuation of girl-on-girl hate. This is something that Grace showed from the very first chapter, and it was always directed at Caity Ruiz. Grace never gave a real, concrete reason why she disliked Caity so much—not that a reason would make this behavior okay, as it absolutely isn’t—and repeatedly used the same comment set up to riff on this girl. At one point, I swore I would throw my Kindle out the window if I saw “Caity ‘[insert insult here]’ Ruiz” one more time. That comment structure was used fifteen times in this novel—which was one time too many. Putting other minor characters down to raise up the main character is lazy writing, but it also makes the main character a bully. And no one enjoys reading about a bully or about girl-on-girl hate. It’s 2023, let’s be better, yeah?
What this Novel Could’ve Been
Looking back, there were so many things this novel could have been. With the premise of a girl trip/friend vacation, this could have explored Grace’s friendships and how she heals from a toxic relationship. With Grace being biracial, there could have been greater exploration of identity and how racism has affected Grace’s life and dreams. Instead, this novel was about a young woman stalking her ex-boyfriend and perpetuating girl-on-girl hate and racial stereotypes.
Conclusion
I’ll be honest: this novel upset and angered me from the first chapter, but I pushed through it because I wanted to see this story redeem itself. Unfortunately, it failed to do just that. Grace was an awful main character with no self-awareness and no care for how her actions affected other people. Pair that with the girl-on-girl hate, unchallenged misogyny, and unchallenged stereotyping, and, well, it made for an uncomfortable read. If anything, I was rooting for Grace and Josh to end up together since they were both awful people and acted disrespectfully toward others. In the end, I can’t recommend this novel to others. There are better, more thoughtful novels on the market that would satisfy a fun summery read.
P.S. As a Wisconsinite, the low blow about Wisconsin cheese (versus French cheese) was not appreciated.
TW: stalking, racism, stereotypical, racial generalizations, internalized misogyny, girl-on-girl hate
Thank you to Simon and Schuster, MTV Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
*~*~*~*~*
Original Thoughts:
This . . . was a book I read.
*~*~*~*~*
Connect with me on my socials!
nikiashreads' Linktree
May 10, 2025
i’m convinced grace only misses her ex bc of the sex & just spent half the book begging for him back while lying to her friends about it 😭
March 7, 2024
This book has some scaaathing reviews on goodreads, but I actually enjoyed it.
The Breakup Vacation is about 20-something college student Grace who has been broken up with her first serious boyfriend but remains in a situationship with him. When her two best girlfriends want to go on a trip together she manipulates them into picking Cancun so she can try to win him back since he’ll also be there. But, once there she meets local Daniel who also happens to be half-Taiwanese like her and a romance sparks, along with a whole lot of spicy encounters. Grace has to decide what her heart wants and needs while also trying to hide her manipulation from her friends. Hijinks ensue.
So let’s go over what other people hate about this book.
First, there’s a lot of complaints that the characters are shallow but, I feel like that’s romance par for the course, they usually are on the shallow side and that’s not often a problem for romance readers. So why be up in arms about it here?
Second, they found the love story unbelievable. It’s over 5 days and there’s no crazy proposal or anything so I’m not sure why it’s an issue. I actually find it super believable as I am a mixed-indigenous person who also fell very fast in love with another mixed-indigenous person after never having dated someone like me before. Grace and Daniel are the same—and if you’ve never experienced that specific feeling of safety and coming home that comes with dating someone who understands your life story, references and experiences to a tee then no you probably wouldn’t get it. It’s instant intimacy. And I believed it wholeheartedly.
Third, they didn’t like how she manipulated her friends and/or the friend dynamic and/or the stereotypical representation of one of her French friends. I can understand the criticism here, but I felt the dynamic real to me—it felt very early-20s coded instant best friends but you don’t know if they’ll be in your life forever, sort of thing. When your friendship is based on drinking and going out together. I remember that! Millennials know! Drinking culture was huge!
This book was spicy spicy!! 🥵 I blushed so much! I’m not a spice girlie! I didn’t hate it tho 😏
I thought this was a solid romance and I’m just not sure what it did so wrong/different in comparison to other romances to get such bad reviews ….. except not be only about white people… 👀
The Breakup Vacation is about 20-something college student Grace who has been broken up with her first serious boyfriend but remains in a situationship with him. When her two best girlfriends want to go on a trip together she manipulates them into picking Cancun so she can try to win him back since he’ll also be there. But, once there she meets local Daniel who also happens to be half-Taiwanese like her and a romance sparks, along with a whole lot of spicy encounters. Grace has to decide what her heart wants and needs while also trying to hide her manipulation from her friends. Hijinks ensue.
So let’s go over what other people hate about this book.
First, there’s a lot of complaints that the characters are shallow but, I feel like that’s romance par for the course, they usually are on the shallow side and that’s not often a problem for romance readers. So why be up in arms about it here?
Second, they found the love story unbelievable. It’s over 5 days and there’s no crazy proposal or anything so I’m not sure why it’s an issue. I actually find it super believable as I am a mixed-indigenous person who also fell very fast in love with another mixed-indigenous person after never having dated someone like me before. Grace and Daniel are the same—and if you’ve never experienced that specific feeling of safety and coming home that comes with dating someone who understands your life story, references and experiences to a tee then no you probably wouldn’t get it. It’s instant intimacy. And I believed it wholeheartedly.
Third, they didn’t like how she manipulated her friends and/or the friend dynamic and/or the stereotypical representation of one of her French friends. I can understand the criticism here, but I felt the dynamic real to me—it felt very early-20s coded instant best friends but you don’t know if they’ll be in your life forever, sort of thing. When your friendship is based on drinking and going out together. I remember that! Millennials know! Drinking culture was huge!
This book was spicy spicy!! 🥵 I blushed so much! I’m not a spice girlie! I didn’t hate it tho 😏
I thought this was a solid romance and I’m just not sure what it did so wrong/different in comparison to other romances to get such bad reviews ….. except not be only about white people… 👀
October 24, 2023
This book was actually god awful. This girl cons her friends to go on vacation on false pretenses for a man. Then spends all her time complaining about said man. I would not recommend this book to a single person. I thought the main character was extremely whiney. I probably won't read anything from this author again. BUT the cover is super cute!
March 3, 2024
This was a huge letdown for me across the board. I expected a fun spring break romance that would get me excited for a new season and it ended up being a total flop for me. From the start I didn’t connect with Grace, she was annoying in her obsessiveness with her ex to the point she just looked pathetic. The secondary characters weren’t much better either, they were all one dimensional and just weren’t bringing anything of value to the story. Last bummer thing for me was the majority of the book was set in Cancun so I expected some great descriptions of the setting and to maybe even feel like I was there myself instead there was no culture, no great descriptions and just following the three friends as they got drunk and acted stupid and immature. Blah.
September 9, 2023
The Breakup Vacation starts cringey and unfortunately never gets better. The main character Grace spends over half the book begging her fuckboy ex to take her back and lying to all her friends about it. Grace and her friends are basically just drunk for most of the book. Getting drunk and yelling at strangers in a club, or getting drunk and throwing up in a cab, are a level of messy that I'm not interested in reading about.
Then there's Grace and Daniel. I firmly believe that this isn't a romance book, it's a hookup book. While Grace and Daniel share a couple of deeper conversations, there's no wooing or dating or anything remotely romantic.
Then there's Grace and Daniel. I firmly believe that this isn't a romance book, it's a hookup book. While Grace and Daniel share a couple of deeper conversations, there's no wooing or dating or anything remotely romantic.
February 27, 2024
dnf.
This is my third reminder this week that a cute cover is sometimes just that.... a cute cover.
The real question I have is this: Why is Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing putting out this book?
This is marketed incorrectly as romance. It belongs firmly in a YA category with very little romance. Just call is YA. It's coming of age. It's learning to understand dynamics and understanding your place in this world.
We meet the main character drunk on her way to try to hook up with her ex boyfriend, who, when the fmc arrives, has another girl over and is leaving with that girl the next morning to go follow that girl's dad around a movie set. The FMC is all, "I'm an actor, I won't be emotional and he'll want me," and then her friends show up, drag her drunk butt home, and this is where any hope of the book getting better dies.
Major complaints:
- no depth to characters
- diversity (good) but done one dimensional, using stereotypical behavior (not good)
- marketing
- writing is chopping, immature
- storytelling and plotting could use some fleshing out and direction
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an ARC of this one. These are my honest thoughts.
This is my third reminder this week that a cute cover is sometimes just that.... a cute cover.
The real question I have is this: Why is Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing putting out this book?
This is marketed incorrectly as romance. It belongs firmly in a YA category with very little romance. Just call is YA. It's coming of age. It's learning to understand dynamics and understanding your place in this world.
We meet the main character drunk on her way to try to hook up with her ex boyfriend, who, when the fmc arrives, has another girl over and is leaving with that girl the next morning to go follow that girl's dad around a movie set. The FMC is all, "I'm an actor, I won't be emotional and he'll want me," and then her friends show up, drag her drunk butt home, and this is where any hope of the book getting better dies.
Major complaints:
- no depth to characters
- diversity (good) but done one dimensional, using stereotypical behavior (not good)
- marketing
- writing is chopping, immature
- storytelling and plotting could use some fleshing out and direction
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an ARC of this one. These are my honest thoughts.
September 24, 2023
I think this is the case where the cover and plot seemed promising, but the actual story and characters were a letdown. The characters were a huge disappointment to me. They were written in a way where I just could not connect any of them. Grace would say one thing, but her actions would lead the reader to believe the opposite. Her friends, especially Tiff, didn’t seem to have a grasp on reality and lived in a fantasy world where they thought they were acting like adults but came off childish and immature.
The plot lacked substance and development. There seemed to be a disconnect in the writing that made me left with the feeling of not understanding what I just read. There was no true character growth for Grace and at the end I felt like no true “lessons” were learned. I couldn’t feel the story and I truly would forget that these friends were on a trip to a tropical location. I couldn’t picture the scenes from this book because of its lack of vivid imagery.
I think this book had potential but the outcome couldn’t match the promising cover and plot. Thank you to NetGalley and MTV books for the ARC
The plot lacked substance and development. There seemed to be a disconnect in the writing that made me left with the feeling of not understanding what I just read. There was no true character growth for Grace and at the end I felt like no true “lessons” were learned. I couldn’t feel the story and I truly would forget that these friends were on a trip to a tropical location. I couldn’t picture the scenes from this book because of its lack of vivid imagery.
I think this book had potential but the outcome couldn’t match the promising cover and plot. Thank you to NetGalley and MTV books for the ARC
April 16, 2024
Lord help me. Between the space buns and the bunny dress with garters, I cant get over how cringey this girl is. The way the friends are written is like someone who has never been friends with a girl and has only seen it in movies wrote them. I was entertained but its not my favorite book ever. It hit a little too close to home with the whole “follow my ex somewhere, he’ll fall in love with me again” thing. I would give it an extra .5 stars just for the fact that Daniel was a hunky soccer player though!
March 4, 2024
No thank you! Not a lot to love in this one. The characters are surface level and annoying as hell. The plot is surface level and annoying as hell. It felt a little bit like it was written by a horny 19-year-old.
September 1, 2023
I was looking forward to a rom com in Cancun with young women, one pursuing an exboyfriend, the others thinking they were on a post-break up vacation for their friend.
I was interested when the subject of being mixed race came up. The part white and part Asian girl Grace compares herself with her all Asian friend Tiff and how Grace is seen and received in society. This was one small attempt at a serious topic that was not fully developed in the plot.
Overall, I was disappointed and appalled that the supposed seniors in college were shown to act, speak, dress. and behave like very young teenagers with adult priveleges. They were not believable and barely likeable because of this.
I was interested when the subject of being mixed race came up. The part white and part Asian girl Grace compares herself with her all Asian friend Tiff and how Grace is seen and received in society. This was one small attempt at a serious topic that was not fully developed in the plot.
Overall, I was disappointed and appalled that the supposed seniors in college were shown to act, speak, dress. and behave like very young teenagers with adult priveleges. They were not believable and barely likeable because of this.
September 16, 2023
what did I just read?!?
I got an advance copy from Netgalley
The cover, the tile and even the description looked so good. That’s what drew me in but the characters come off as young kids instead of college kids.
There was too much side stuff happening with the characters and not enough depth to them. They all seemed surface level and very very cliche. They’re always drunk and there were so many pop, cultural references, and not enough actual storytelling, and progression to keep me interested
Overall, the story and characters lacked depth for me and that’s why it’s a two star
I got an advance copy from Netgalley
The cover, the tile and even the description looked so good. That’s what drew me in but the characters come off as young kids instead of college kids.
There was too much side stuff happening with the characters and not enough depth to them. They all seemed surface level and very very cliche. They’re always drunk and there were so many pop, cultural references, and not enough actual storytelling, and progression to keep me interested
Overall, the story and characters lacked depth for me and that’s why it’s a two star
Read
March 4, 2024This...was not it. I could see where this book was picking up the pieces from where the New Adult genre was trying to take us years back, but it just fell flat in every way. Flat characters, ESPECIALLY Daniel (I HAD SUCH HIGH HOPES), friendships and character relationships. Mostly, this just made me sad.
September 10, 2023
I thank Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Unfortunately I didn’t love this book. I found the main character cringey. I kept waiting for it to get better. I almost DNF’d it but I pushed through.
Unfortunately I didn’t love this book. I found the main character cringey. I kept waiting for it to get better. I almost DNF’d it but I pushed through.
Read
May 23, 2025The Breakup Vacation is a cacophony of bad decisions born of desperation and unresolved issues and questionable choices. At the same time, it's also a portrait of transactional relationships that go awry when feelings and a yearning for connection are thrown into the mix, girl friendships, and being biracial in the entertainment industry that's interested in putting you in a neat box (when reality is never tidy).
Unapologetically messy, fun, and a bit of a wild read.
Unapologetically messy, fun, and a bit of a wild read.
August 31, 2023
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Unfortunately, I could relate to Grace from the very beginning because I have been in a relationship so much like her relationship with Josh. I immediately picked up on where things were headed. I got so frustrated seeing Grace try so hard to win Josh back when he so clearly didn’t deserve her, but I have been in Grace’s shoes and for me, that was very relatable. Of course, she redeems herself toward the very end of the book, even when she was chasing Josh she was still incredibly likable.
Daniel was perfect and such a fun character to read about. I wish we could’ve had more time with him and his friends.
I can’t even begin to explain how thankful I am that this book focused so heavily on how important it is for a sexual relationship to be consensual and not something people should be pressured into. So many women, especially young women, are made to feel like they’re possessions and that the only pleasure that matters is a man’s pleasure so it was a breath of fresh air to have a character who realizes, over the course of the story, how her own happiness in the bedroom and out of the bedroom should be as much of a priority as a mans happiness.
But seriously, how old were Daniel and his friends? I’ve been curious since the beginning.
Unfortunately, I could relate to Grace from the very beginning because I have been in a relationship so much like her relationship with Josh. I immediately picked up on where things were headed. I got so frustrated seeing Grace try so hard to win Josh back when he so clearly didn’t deserve her, but I have been in Grace’s shoes and for me, that was very relatable. Of course, she redeems herself toward the very end of the book, even when she was chasing Josh she was still incredibly likable.
Daniel was perfect and such a fun character to read about. I wish we could’ve had more time with him and his friends.
I can’t even begin to explain how thankful I am that this book focused so heavily on how important it is for a sexual relationship to be consensual and not something people should be pressured into. So many women, especially young women, are made to feel like they’re possessions and that the only pleasure that matters is a man’s pleasure so it was a breath of fresh air to have a character who realizes, over the course of the story, how her own happiness in the bedroom and out of the bedroom should be as much of a priority as a mans happiness.
But seriously, how old were Daniel and his friends? I’ve been curious since the beginning.
December 8, 2023
💔 Won in a giveaway 🏖
So..this isn't normally a book I think I'd be into. In fact, the first few pages or so made me groan. It definitely is like a rom com/reality show. Not really my thing. For all it's worth, I really did enjoy reading this. It may be because I have some serious stuff going on in real life and I could just turn my brain "off" for a while and get wrapped up in this story. Three friends go on vacation. Two of them don't know the third planned it to follow an ex. I liked the friendships with the three young women, Grace, Tiff and Camille. Such different personalities. Reminds me of some of my friends at that age (in their early 20s). Grace finds her ex and meets up with him secretly. They also meet some new guys and hit it off. Well, two of them do. The new guy, Daniel, that Grace meets sounds like a genuine, courteous, cool guy. Are some of the lines cheesy? Sure. Are some of the decisions a few of the characters make annoying? They can be. Would I do some of the things the characters did? No way. Did I enjoy reading it? You bet. To me, this was a fun read. I zipped through this book. Thank you to the author, Anna Gracia, Atria Books and Goodeeads for my Advanced Reader's Edition. Happy reading! 🍹🕶
So..this isn't normally a book I think I'd be into. In fact, the first few pages or so made me groan. It definitely is like a rom com/reality show. Not really my thing. For all it's worth, I really did enjoy reading this. It may be because I have some serious stuff going on in real life and I could just turn my brain "off" for a while and get wrapped up in this story. Three friends go on vacation. Two of them don't know the third planned it to follow an ex. I liked the friendships with the three young women, Grace, Tiff and Camille. Such different personalities. Reminds me of some of my friends at that age (in their early 20s). Grace finds her ex and meets up with him secretly. They also meet some new guys and hit it off. Well, two of them do. The new guy, Daniel, that Grace meets sounds like a genuine, courteous, cool guy. Are some of the lines cheesy? Sure. Are some of the decisions a few of the characters make annoying? They can be. Would I do some of the things the characters did? No way. Did I enjoy reading it? You bet. To me, this was a fun read. I zipped through this book. Thank you to the author, Anna Gracia, Atria Books and Goodeeads for my Advanced Reader's Edition. Happy reading! 🍹🕶
June 22, 2024
✨Book Review✨
The Breakup Vacation by Anna Gracia
⭐️⭐️
.
I feel badly adding to the negative reviews of this book, but it's pretty hard to say something nice about. Someone said it feels like it was written by a horny teenager and I couldn't agree more. The entire plot of this book was drinking and sex. The characters were awful and the dynamics between the three friends were terrible. I don't know if I've ever read a book before where the friends seemed so wrong for each other.
.
I did appreciate that this book tried to call out racism and sexism, but it really did not succeed. The "love" interest (I can't even call him that without quotes because there was no love) was only interested in sex, but because he asked her what she wanted and didn't force himself on her, he was supposed to be the perfect man.
.
I should have stopped reading, but I wanted to see how everything unfolded. It just got worse and worse. Let this be your sign if you're trying to decide if you should stop reading, don't bother making it to the end.
The Breakup Vacation by Anna Gracia
⭐️⭐️
.
I feel badly adding to the negative reviews of this book, but it's pretty hard to say something nice about. Someone said it feels like it was written by a horny teenager and I couldn't agree more. The entire plot of this book was drinking and sex. The characters were awful and the dynamics between the three friends were terrible. I don't know if I've ever read a book before where the friends seemed so wrong for each other.
.
I did appreciate that this book tried to call out racism and sexism, but it really did not succeed. The "love" interest (I can't even call him that without quotes because there was no love) was only interested in sex, but because he asked her what she wanted and didn't force himself on her, he was supposed to be the perfect man.
.
I should have stopped reading, but I wanted to see how everything unfolded. It just got worse and worse. Let this be your sign if you're trying to decide if you should stop reading, don't bother making it to the end.
March 9, 2024
After Grace is dumped by her boyfriend, she’s desperate to find a way to get him back and salvage their relationship. When she learns he’s going to be working on a film set in Cancun, Grace tricks her best friends into taking a vacation there in an attempt to remind her ex what he’s missing. However, she ends up meeting Daniel, a super sexy, respectful guy who makes her forget her ex ever existed. Will her growing attraction sizzle out once the vacation is over, or will she end up going back to her ex?
The Breakup Vacation had several deep topics, such as race and the pressure women face in heterosexual relationships. Unfortunately, the toxic friendships, over mentioning of “boob punches”, and rampant alcohol abuse just really dragged the book down for me. It would go from serious topics to screaming, drunken antics or one of Grace’s best friends being insufferable. I think this romance could’ve been more successful if the author didn’t lean so far into the comedic relief to the point it was cringey. There were several moments that were great, and I did love Grace discovering how her relationship with Josh wasn’t healthy, and that she deserved much more. Overall, this was a little disappointing but definitely not the worst thing I’ve ever read.
Thank you to NetGalley, MTV Books, and the author for providing an early copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
The Breakup Vacation had several deep topics, such as race and the pressure women face in heterosexual relationships. Unfortunately, the toxic friendships, over mentioning of “boob punches”, and rampant alcohol abuse just really dragged the book down for me. It would go from serious topics to screaming, drunken antics or one of Grace’s best friends being insufferable. I think this romance could’ve been more successful if the author didn’t lean so far into the comedic relief to the point it was cringey. There were several moments that were great, and I did love Grace discovering how her relationship with Josh wasn’t healthy, and that she deserved much more. Overall, this was a little disappointing but definitely not the worst thing I’ve ever read.
Thank you to NetGalley, MTV Books, and the author for providing an early copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
March 31, 2024
Upon delving into this book, I embarked on a journey through the nuances of youthful romance. While the narrative attempted to navigate the complexities of love, I found myself struggling to fully immerse in the unfolding story. Despite the engaging characters and their relatable experiences, I yearned for a deeper emotional connection to the plot.
Throughout the book, themes of love and loss were interwoven into the fabric of the narrative. While these themes held promise, they lacked the depth needed to truly resonate with me. I longed for a more profound exploration of the characters' emotions and struggles, yet found myself only scratching the surface of their experiences.
Despite its shortcomings, the book did offer moments of enjoyment and entertainment. The characters were well-developed, and their interactions provided glimpses into the complexities of human relationships. However, these glimpses fell short of capturing the full depth of the human experience.
In conclusion, while this book had its merits, it ultimately left me wanting more. I hoped for a deeper dive into the intricacies of love and loss, but found myself skimming the surface of the story. Nevertheless, it provided an enjoyable reading experience, albeit one that fell short of my expectations for profound emotional engagement.
Throughout the book, themes of love and loss were interwoven into the fabric of the narrative. While these themes held promise, they lacked the depth needed to truly resonate with me. I longed for a more profound exploration of the characters' emotions and struggles, yet found myself only scratching the surface of their experiences.
Despite its shortcomings, the book did offer moments of enjoyment and entertainment. The characters were well-developed, and their interactions provided glimpses into the complexities of human relationships. However, these glimpses fell short of capturing the full depth of the human experience.
In conclusion, while this book had its merits, it ultimately left me wanting more. I hoped for a deeper dive into the intricacies of love and loss, but found myself skimming the surface of the story. Nevertheless, it provided an enjoyable reading experience, albeit one that fell short of my expectations for profound emotional engagement.
September 26, 2024
This is NO shade to Sarah because she's the one that told me to read this.
anyway, a naïve, ANNOYING, insecure girl randomly gets with sexy sex god and suddenly gets over her ex, who was the worst, and who she pined after for approximately 70% of the book?
anyway, a naïve, ANNOYING, insecure girl randomly gets with sexy sex god and suddenly gets over her ex, who was the worst, and who she pined after for approximately 70% of the book?
January 26, 2025
DNF
Ugh I never DNF a book. I am the queen of powering through. I just couldn’t waste more time this summer reading crappy, unorganized (and somehow prejudiced against author’s own race?) writing. Most of the other one and two star reviews on this book will say exactly what I would write in a review so I’ll be short. It felt too try-hard to be adult. Like a 14 year old writing an adult story. No depth to any character. No sign of character or real plot development. Just seemingly promiscuous people not caring about anyone but themselves, and somehow a lot of Asian stereotypes and prejudices?? I know it’s not entirely my place to make that statement but I’ve read plenty of other books from Asian authors with various Asian characters and somehow this one felt almost racist ? It just didn’t sit right with me and again, felt like it was trying too hard to be “cool” and “adult”
Ugh I never DNF a book. I am the queen of powering through. I just couldn’t waste more time this summer reading crappy, unorganized (and somehow prejudiced against author’s own race?) writing. Most of the other one and two star reviews on this book will say exactly what I would write in a review so I’ll be short. It felt too try-hard to be adult. Like a 14 year old writing an adult story. No depth to any character. No sign of character or real plot development. Just seemingly promiscuous people not caring about anyone but themselves, and somehow a lot of Asian stereotypes and prejudices?? I know it’s not entirely my place to make that statement but I’ve read plenty of other books from Asian authors with various Asian characters and somehow this one felt almost racist ? It just didn’t sit right with me and again, felt like it was trying too hard to be “cool” and “adult”
September 5, 2023
I really enjoyed reading The Breakup Vacation. It’s such a fun messy read. The main character, Grace, is going through a breakup and she’s a little unhinged. She plans this whole vacation with her friends just so she can see her ex. Honestly, I’m here for the messiness! I love a little drama because it’s so interesting. I loved the friendship between Grace, Tiff, and Camille. Daniel is so dreamy, he’s literally the perfect guy! I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to read something fun that has big rom com energy. Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Anna Garcia for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
April 25, 2024
I refuse to DNF books because I paid money for them and I will see them through despite how miserable I am reading them. And that is exactly what happened in this case.
Every single character was unlikeable, especially the FMC. Gosh she was so irritating and I wasn't rooting for her a single time during this story. If my best friend conned me into a vacation (THAT I PAID FOR) just so she could try and get back together with a MAN (a shitty one at that), you best believe we're never speaking again 💀
Every single character was unlikeable, especially the FMC. Gosh she was so irritating and I wasn't rooting for her a single time during this story. If my best friend conned me into a vacation (THAT I PAID FOR) just so she could try and get back together with a MAN (a shitty one at that), you best believe we're never speaking again 💀
March 15, 2024
I loved pieces of this, but not the whole picture.
September 3, 2023
The Breakup Vacation is a cute rom-com that focuses on the importance of friendships.
The main lady, Grace goes through a self-reflecting adventure. She was a bit unhinged trying to win her undeserving ex-boyfriend back during Summer vacation, making bad decisions and being a bad friend at some points but who hasn't? I can relate and I'm sure others can too, making poor choices with rose-colored glasses all in the name of love. I wanted to scream at how stupid she was being but I couldn't help but root for her and I was glad to see her get a dose of reality when everything blew up in her face and she finally had to face the consequences. At the end of the day, she redeemed herself and her friends were there for her, giving their love and support.
Daniel, oh how I loved his character. Their meeting was spontaneous and the spark was instant, the chemistry was even better. I just wish there was a bit more romance and time spent with him. It sort of took a backseat to all the drama with the ex and the friends. I would say this was more women's fiction with the romance being the subplot. I sort of found myself getting annoyed at the friend group's antics, they were messy and their monologues were sometimes exhausting to read. The ending was left open and I guess that's realistic for a vacation fling.
All in all, this was the quick and perfect beach read I needed, you'll laugh, judge, and root for these characters along the way.
Thank you Netgalley, Simon and Schuster, and Anna Gracia for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
The main lady, Grace goes through a self-reflecting adventure. She was a bit unhinged trying to win her undeserving ex-boyfriend back during Summer vacation, making bad decisions and being a bad friend at some points but who hasn't? I can relate and I'm sure others can too, making poor choices with rose-colored glasses all in the name of love. I wanted to scream at how stupid she was being but I couldn't help but root for her and I was glad to see her get a dose of reality when everything blew up in her face and she finally had to face the consequences. At the end of the day, she redeemed herself and her friends were there for her, giving their love and support.
Daniel, oh how I loved his character. Their meeting was spontaneous and the spark was instant, the chemistry was even better. I just wish there was a bit more romance and time spent with him. It sort of took a backseat to all the drama with the ex and the friends. I would say this was more women's fiction with the romance being the subplot. I sort of found myself getting annoyed at the friend group's antics, they were messy and their monologues were sometimes exhausting to read. The ending was left open and I guess that's realistic for a vacation fling.
All in all, this was the quick and perfect beach read I needed, you'll laugh, judge, and root for these characters along the way.
Thank you Netgalley, Simon and Schuster, and Anna Gracia for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
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