Not necessarily a Christmas story, but Christmas does come into play. Sarah & Eddie have been married 9 year and have two kids and seem to be in a rut. Neither one of theme is happy but they don't talk about it and resent towards Eddie seems to be increasing on Sarah's part. When Eddie's job send him to Chicago, Sarah is relieved and see this as the beginning of the end and Eddie, not wanting to think that way, thinks of it as a vacation. Time apart changes how they both feel about each other and they start to discover that what they wanted may have been right there all along. This was a super quick one sitting read--not her normal book but a quick read that has a happy ending! Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was disappointing I'm afraid. Very short story and seemed to be disjointed in many parts. It's been part of an anthology before apparently and it's more part of a series of stories than a story on its own

It wasn't the story for me as felt very short and underdeveloped.

I typically love Jane Green's novels but this one just didn't do anything for me. A short novella which appears to originally have been written in 2005; References in the book seemed so dated - looking for a job in the newspaper (do people still do that in 2019?) and leaving messages on an answering machine. The story was a bit unbelievable (can spouses really change that quickly?). Not a hit for me.

I absolutely love Christmas and holiday themed books! They put me in the most festive mood. This novella was originally published in the anthology called "This Christmas," so it may not be new to some readers. I enjoyed this book by Jane Green, while learning about Sarah and Eddie's marriage and the struggles that go along with it. When Eddie's job presents a transfer, Sarah views this as an opportunity for a trial separation. Each go through the trials and tribulations of trying to balance a family and a career. Vacation is a quick and easy read, and will leave you wanting more!

I loved this story. Sarah and Eddie apparently were growing apart and Sarah was unhappy about having to do everything herself. Eddie came home from work, plopped in a chair and watched TV and drank beer. Thanks to his job they are granted a vacation from each other. Both miss each other, have changed . Sarah got a job and when he comes home for Christmas does it mean stay together or Divorce.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have read of a lot of Jane Green books and this was definitely not my favorite. This book fell pretty flat for me and I had trouble connecting with the characters and caring about them. You can definitely relate to some of the marital issues and it was a fairly quick read but by the end of the book I felt that nothing really happened. I wasn't sure what I had just read. There also wasn't enough of a clear pathway between the issues and the resolution. However, there were some light and fun moments and Jane Green is a good writer.

Fun read about Sarah and her marriage. She is in a slump and when a change in location presents itself for her husband, she views this as a sign that they need to trial a separation. During this time both Sarah and Eddie take time for themselves. Time they didn't realize they needed. Was disappointed with how the book just ended, I wanted more :)

I have read a lot of Jane Green books and I tend to go for them when I am looking for something lighthearted but engaging. I was intrigued by Vacation because I didn't know she was releasing another book so soon. While the premise was good, I am not sure what the deal was with this one. It was super short and felt choppy and some of it seemed outdated? I don't know, it was very quick to read but in this case, some length would have helped.

It felt very flat and one dimensional and lacked any kind of depth that her books usually deliver while still being "easy reads'. It almost reads more like a novella? I think this storyline is promising and it covers an issue many people who have been married a decade or more could relate to, but this one needs some work. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy.

I have read a couple other books by Jane Green that I loved! This book was unfortunately just okay for me. I did see that it is an older book of hers which does make some of the things mentioned make more sense. It was a fast read, with not a ton of story to it.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Jane Green classic that drew me right in.Her characters balways come alive seem like you know them .A light enjoyable read,#netgalley #kensingtonbooks

I received this from Netgalley for a review. I'm not sure what Jane Green is doing as she used to be one of my favorite authors but then I saw this is is an actually an older book? This book didn't seem to have a lot of meaning except for the fact that women were unhappy in their marriage and a lot of complaining was going on. I'm glad it was a quick read on my kindle.

I actually have no words to describe this book, because... I still don't understand what I just finished reading.

Ignore the first paragraph of the description of this book, because it has no bearing on the story at all; we glimpse at Sarah and Eddie's 'meet-cute" mid-way through the book, and the same amount of consideration is given it as in the description. A few pages at best.

As for the rest? More from the description:

"You just sit there like a slob while I do all the work." Nine years later, this is increasingly what goes through Sarah’s mind when she looks at Evan, propped in front of the TV with a beer, ignoring their two children. The truth is, she misses her old life. She misses the old Eddie. She can’t help wondering if she’d be happier alone . . .

When Eddie’s job sends him to Chicago indefinitely, Sarah shocks him by suggesting a trial separation. But she knows it’s just a precursor to divorce—even if Eddie chooses to think of it as a “vacation.” Yet a lot can change—on both sides—as time goes by. And once Christmas arrives, Sarah and Eddie might re-discover gifts they’d forgotten they had...

So the premise is simple: unhappy marriage, trial separation. Kids don't seem affected, wife isn't affected, husband is slightly affected and decides to becomes less of a slob when he is transferred to Chicago. Suddenly he has time and motivation to learn to cook, and goes to the gym regularly. Sarah, on the other hand, commiserates with her friends, easily gets a job (which magically turns into a bigger and better job, i.e. the perfect job), and starts wearing makeup again, dying her hair and buying more fashionable clothing. (Bye Bye comfortable Birkenstocks!)

Include a brief (so brief that I wonder what the point of adding the character was for) flirtation with a contractor for Sarah, a VERY brief flirt with at the gym for Eddie, and that's about the end of the book. Christmas comes, everyone misses the family unit and the couple reunite literally in the last page of the book.

I cannot recommend this book as I still don't quite know what the book was about. But I am thankful for the advance copy.

If you've been married for a decade or beyond with family, kids, and career, you will instantly relate to this book. I read this so fast that I'm still trying to figure out if it is a novella, short story, or full-length novel. Very quick paced, not a ton of character development, but an easy to fall into story with all the typical plot points you'd expect from a Jane Green novel. I really enjoyed it but it was over way to soon!

This was an ok read. I actually think it's a recycled story due to some of the outdated things mentioned in the story such as answering machines. Sarah annoyed me. She clearly is not happy in the marriage and blamed it all on her husband, instead of admitting she may not have been happy with herself. There is character development with Eddie and Sarah working on self- improvement. The ending was a little scattered as there is no transition from what you read and then how it turns out. I've read better things from This author.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

I’m not sure what lesson I was supposed to learn here, but I don’t know that I learned it.
Fluff with no real purpose

Vacation by Jane Green is the story of a marriage in crisis that is both honest and heartfelt. It delves deeply into the lives of two people who have somehow lost that special something that first drew them together. This is a quick read that somehow manages to pack a hefty emotional punch.

Sarah and Eddie have been together for nine years and share two young children. Like many marriages, this one has become stale and fallen into a rut, a classic case of familiarity breeding contempt. When Eddie accepts a job in Chicago, Sarah is certain that divorce is the next inevitable step. But a reunion at Christmas brings out the magic of the season. Will Sarah and Eddie begin to again feel a spark of something that they thought had been forever lost?

I adore the writing of Jane Green, and quickly devoured this unexpected gift.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

I flew through this so quickly, I checked to make sure it wasn’t a novella (spoiler- it is a full-length book). Classic Jane Green, with interesting characters and well-written relationships.