"Vacationland" was my first book by Meg Mitchell Moore but it won't be my last! It was the perfect read to start off the summer!

You'll begin by getting to know Kristie and then Louisa. They're both on their way to Rockland, Maine and while this is Kristie's first time traveling there, Louisa has grown up going to her family's home "Ship's View".

As characters are introduced, you'll fall in love with all of them. Especially the kids who, for me, stole the show!

Kristie's new reality is a challenge but she finds a home, a job and hopes to find herself. Louisa is spending the entire summer at Ship's View and faces several obstacles as well. Will these two women find their way?

"Vacationland" is a terrific, heartwarming story that you won't want to put down and I highly recommend it! Thank you so much to BookClubGirls and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Louisa is headed to Maine for the summer with her three kids. Tired from taking her sabbatical year to take care of the home while he husband tries to launch his company, Louisa is ready for some time to work on her book that is due in September. When an unexpected guest shows up in town, Louisa isn’t so sure about the newcomer.

This book was a bit more character driven that I normally like, but I did enjoy it! The kids were fantastic and really gave the story the most life in my opinion. Louisa and Steven bothered me a little bit as they chose to be a bit passive aggressive in their communication instead of just having a heart to heart. My heart kind of broken for Kristie and the life she had lived up until that point, and her struggles with just wanting to be wanted. Overall this was a great escapist read which is just what I needed!

Vacationland is primarily set in the quaint resort community of Owl's Head, Maine. While her husband stays in the city trying to get his podcast company off the ground, Louisa and their kids return to her parents home for the Summer. Her father was once a Chief Justice but is now suffering from Alzheimer's and her mother, while at times in denial, is contemplating how to cover the costs of his future care. Kristie is a newcomer to Owl's Head and has her own reasons for picking this particular spot to spend the Summer.

I loved the summertime in Maine setting. I enjoyed most of the different points of view and loved Abigail's letters home to her father. Vacationland was my first Meg Mitchell Moore novel and I've added her previous book Two Truths and a Lie to my TBR. Moore's writing style gave me Jennifer Weiner, Elin Hilderbrand, and Amanda Eyre Ward vibes which is a good thing in my book. Read this one if you enjoy secretive Summertime character driven family dramas.

Rating 3.5 stars.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC of Vacationland for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

The cover and title of 𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 by Meg Mitchell Moore might lead you to believe it’s a light breezy beach read without a lot of substance, but you’d be very wrong! As the summer begins, Louisa and her three children arrive at her parents' summer house in Maine. Louisa loves this home. She’s come here her entire life. It’s her safe haven. This summer, she's looking for a little space because life with her husband has been strained and she has a book due at summer's end. Her time in Maine is especially important this year as her once powerful father is slowly succumbing to Alzheimer’s. Add to the mix, Kristie, a young woman, who unbeknownst to Louisa, has newly arrived in town in search of answers to questions she only knew to ask after her mother’s recent passing.⁣
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I really liked the way the story moved with chapters of alternating perspectives. Most of those were from Louisa or Kristie, but occasionally one of Louisa’s children or another character would be given a chapter to fully flush out the story. For me 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 was a wonderful story of family and the power of secrets, those kept and those ultimately revealed. Though the subject matter was serious, the writing of it was so well done that it was a book I flew through AND one I was easily able to read amidst a family vacation (🌲☔️🏔) of my own. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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A special thank you to @williammorrowbooks for a #gifted copy of #Vacationland.

When you can’t take a vacation, you can always read about one.

Work schedules, kids’ schedules, little things like pandemics … all stuff that has made it nearly impossible to plan any kind of substantive escape these last couple of years — it’s left me grateful to still enjoy a few days off here and there and the lazy days of summer when it is the very definition of heaven to just curl up with a warm breeze, a cold drink and a book and just veg the hell out.

Meg Mitchell Moore’s “Vacationland” took me straight out to the East coast, where I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying a few summertime weeks over the years. While I hung out in Massachusetts, Moore takes the McLean clan to the shores of Maine and Owls Head, where one of her main characters, Louisa, grew up in a seaside home called Ships View, the daughter of Annie and Martin — a state supreme court judge.

It’s summer, Louisa is a professor on sabbatical trying to write a book and her husband, Steven, is trying to launch his podcast company off the startup pad to something more financially viable, so why not take the three kids out of the city and her husband’s hair to Maine where surely she’ll find time to write her book?

Of course not.

Whether it’s a father slowly succumbing to Alzheimer’s, a prepubescent son falling in love for the first time, a bit-too-big-for-her-britches daughter writing Daddy and spilling all the tea or a mysterious half-sister that shows up out of the blue, summer has a way of making you feel like you have, well, all summer to get your to do list done even when your world starts to spin out of control.

I’m a big believer in every book having an audience. Vacationland is, for me, the kind of book that makes for a great weekend read, and one that you could comfortably leave in a beachside Little Free Library for the next sun worshipper to curl up on the sand with. It isn’t difficult to follow, isn’t going to frustrate you (beyond debating with yourself who may or may not be at fault in varying scenarios — I’m looking at you, Louisa) and has a lot to unpack, from faltering marriages and tenuous mother/daughter relationships, to the perils of parenting and struggling with unjustified jealousies.

Mostly, it makes me miss the ocean and seaside towns and ice cream and just the sights, smells and sounds of places like Cape Cod. Someday, I know. In the meantime, more books and more summer weather please. My favorite time of year.

Louisa and her three kids are spending the summer with her parents at their beloved waterfront Maine cottage. She's a college professor struggling to write an expected book burnt out from juggling her family's needs and finances as well as her career. She's left her husband behind in Brooklyn as he toils at his demanding podcast media company start-up. Louisa's Maine summer isn't as relaxing or productive as she had hoped with a father struggling with Alzheimer's and a newcomer to town who might just rattle the entire family's foundation.

Vacationland is everything I want for my summer reading. A multi-generational family saga with drama, love, both old and new, and a hint of mystery set in a well loved coastal cottage in a small town in Maine populated by well drawn characters. Members of each generation are facing their own challenges and the shifting point of view really keeps the pages turning.

Pitch perfect summer reading which begs to be read on a beach somewhere.

Vacationland is the perfect start to summer. Meg Mitchell Moore has written a book that captures all the feels of hopes and dreams for the lazy days of summer - the days when you go to camp, or grandmas house. Summer is the time where you can lay around as a kid and enjoy the beach and no school. Summer is when you set goals and sometimes dont reach them because life gets in the way and has other plans for you. Summer is when everything is possible. Vacationland captures all of this and so much more.

This is the story of a family, grandma, grandpa, mom, dad and 3 kids. Set in Maine, Louisa and her 3 kiddos, Matty, Abigail and Claire head off to spend the entire summer at Ships View, the summer home of her childhood, with her aging parents, Each of them is facing change in their lives either monetarily, health-wise or emotionally. And everyone sees growth over summer. This is the year the past comes back and their view of family shifts.

I must agree with other readers, the kids are the heart of this book, full of wisdom and life. Matty finds his first love, Abigail writes letters from her heart and soul to daddy and Claire, while the youngest, is wise beyond her years and ready to tell it like it is. Vacationland is a story about family, relationships and challenges we all face.

I truly enjoyed this book and think it would be a super book club read. Told from each persons point of view, you really feel like these are your friends and family. Ultimately, Vacationland is about the love of family and it's a book you need to read and savor.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Meg Mitchell Moore and William Morrow for a charming book about love and forgiveness as seen from all ages (young and old). And thank you for introducing me to MItchell - I now must find, open and read other books she has written!

The novel is told through a couple eyes, one of which being Louisa. She’s gone to stay at her parents house in Maine for the summer with her three kids, leaving her husband behind in Brooklyn. She’s brought a lot of baggage, metaphorically, and despite maybe seeming like she has it all under control, she’s got a lot of frustrations about her husband’s lack of help at the moment. She’s desperately wishing for the small Maine-based town to refresh her from things weighing her down and get her back on track. But life isn’t going to be that simple. Her father is suffering from Alzheimer’s and her mother is pretending about, well, everything. It’s not exactly what Louisa needs, either, when one of her kids finds a very perplexing letter—one that leaves Louisa wondering what on Earth her father could have done.

Kristie is another one of the voices we hear, and happens to be my favourite character. She’s also wanting to have a re-fresh, but hers is more of a complete fresh start. She has a past she wants to forget about and more things than she can think about that she’d prefer to outrun. She’s come from Pennsylvania all the way to Maine with not much to her name or life, just trying to get by and move through her grief. And as Kristie and Louisa go through months, secrets and breakthroughs that rock their worlds, it’s not a matter of how they will get to where they want to be: it’s if their family—or personal—secrets will let them.

Overall, Vacationland was one of those books that comes along at the right time and fits in perfectly. I can’t remember the last time I read a whole book in a day, and this beauty managed to break the curse. I thoroughly loved reading the well-crafted world Meg had written, about imperfect families, illness, grief, happiness—and all the in-between. Even though at times it was predictable, it left such a lasting impression on me. It’s pretty much a delightful, yet deep novel exploring the beauty of Maine and the fragility of family—and how desperately we try to keep it from breaking at the seams. Four stars!

Vacationland by Meg Mitchell Moore is a great summer beach read. It is beautifully written and you can almost see and feel the wonderful coastline of Maine. This book has lots a family drama and secrets and I highly recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley for this Arc.

This is my favorite Meg Mitchell Moore book so far, and the absolute perfect summer beach/pool read. The story centers around one family, and the people in their orbit (cooking and landscaping staff) over the course of one summer in a coastal Maine "vacationland". I was immediately absorbed into their world and found myself wanting to read "just one more chapter'. I really enjoyed how the author wrote to the perspectives primarily of the two main characters, but also showcased the older and younger generations really well. I do agree with another GoodReads reviewer that while the book focused the family, their secrets and struggles, it realIy showed the inequality of "free labor" and inequality in so many women's worlds when it comes to managing a career, family, and self. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a book for a long weekend or getaway - it's so easy to pick up and if you get distracted, easy to fall right back into the reading groove. This author is definitely making a mark as my go-to for summer books.

Another hit by an author who is always on my summer must read list.
What a summer it is for Louisa and her family. She decamps to,the family home in Maine, determined to finish her book and make the best with her father’s declining health.
She unearths a major secret from the past and has to reckon with her own life by the end of summer.
I thought little Claire stole the book. Little pitchers have big ears and bigger mouths that spout the truths in the most in opportune times.
I loved Abigail’s letters, they were hilarious.
I thought Louisa acted rather childish at times. The ending left a couple of things up in the air that left me in limbo, but I know how I want them to turn out.
I absolutely want to dove into that cover!

#Vacationland:⁣
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“How do you not lose your temper with him, ever? How are you always so calm? Where does it come from, this endless reservoir of patience?” Annie laughs without mirth. “It comes from your imagination, I think.”⁣
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Initial reaction: I really need to go to Maine. Note to self: vaycay at Vacationland.⁣
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Review: Vacationland is a family drama full of lies, confrontation, and growth. There’s a lot going on and a lot of players in the game, but it seemed almost too many and too much. The audio with Stacey Glemboski is so good, and this could be written as a screenplay with every POV a different episode. As a book, it was just something to pass the time. ⁣
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There are alternating POVs, alongside the summer being broken up by month. I really enjoyed how towards the end, we did get Martin’s POV. (He has Alzheimer’s and has others caring for him) I wanted to know what he was actually thinking, and I’m glad we got to hear his side as he was lucid. (Also, points for the dog Fenway since we had a dog named Fenway as well) However, there are a lot of POVs, a lot of drama, and I feel like some of the stories were just filler.⁣
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The kids were probably my favorite part. Abigail’s letters to her father were such a fun medium to add and gave us a child’s POV on the situation. I found Steven (the father) to be insufferable, so I’m glad his kids made up for it. ⁣
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Stacey Glemboski does it once again. Also, can I say I’m so thankful a southern accent was portrayed correctly. A bad southern accent will have me DNF an audio so fast, and this was not the case. I think she did each character so well and I was able to really distinguish them all from how she portrayed them. You would have thought it was a full cast.⁣
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Overall, I’m in the middle of the road with this one. It just didn’t.. grab me, but it wasn’t terrible. Thank you so much @williammorrowbooks and @harperaudio for the gifted copy. Vacationland is out 6/14!

The story of a family spending the summer in Maine, while a lot of different factors are causing this summer to be different from summers before. Louisa, an NYU History professor on sabbatical, and her three children come to Owls Head, Maine to visit her parents in their home, Ship's View. Louisa's husband Steven stays behind in Brooklyn to continue work on his podcast company, All Ears. Added to the stress of helping her mother care for her father Martin, whose Alzheimer's is progressing, caring for her own three independent, energetic children, and trying to finish writing her book, Louisa's future is flipped upside down when a newcomer arrives in town, revealing a family secret which will be impossible to ignore. The story unfolds over two summer months, and in multiple points of view between Louisa, and Kristie, as each of these strong, charismatic women attempt to do the right thing in what becomes a very difficult situation. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Mary Kay Andrews will enjoy this family drama set in picturesque coastal Maine. It was especially enjoyable for me to read, as I've visited Maine many times due to my husband's family being from there. I have fond memories of visiting many of the towns mentioned, including Rockland, Camden, Wiscasset, Damariscotta, and Rockport. Highly recommend this for an enjoyable summer beach read!

3.5

Read this if you like: Beach reads, beautiful destinations (Maine), family secrets, multiple POVs

Louisa has come to her parent's house in Maine this summer. She's brought all three of her young kids, a barely written book, and tons of resentment for her husband. He has promised that after this final round of fundraising at his startup he will once again pick up his share of the household responsibilities.

While there she discovers all isn't well with her parents. Her dad is suffering from Alzheimer's. It's gotten so much worse. Her mom is switching between pretending everything is fine and not pretending at all.

Then, one of Louisa's children finds a very confusing and heartfelt letter referring to something Louisa doesn't think her father could possibly have done. It rocks the Summer a bit.

Louisa's not the only one searching for something in Maine this summer. Kristie has taken a Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania with one small suitcase, $761, and a lot of baggage. She's got a past she's trying to outrun, a secret she's trying to unpack, and a new boyfriend who's impossibly kind to her.

I enjoyed this book. It felt realistic in the characters, the kids especially. I didn't love Kristie and Louisa but I enjoyed the rest of the cast. They just never really grew on me. I love how the story was told. It felt very real, not overly dramatic but not boring either. I definitely recommend! It comes out June 14th.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and William Morrow for the gifted copy! ❤️

What is summer without a multi-generational drama? Vacationland takes us to the family summer home of the Fitzgeralds. Many of the family members are at challenging times in their lives, and secrets come out amidst all the drama.

I liked that Neverland clearly was set in an area of utmost privilege and wealth but didn't shy away from reality in terms of how those choices impacted each person, and the way the characters were crafted was done well with empathy.

Content Warning: Cancer, Alzheimers

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle, @wIlliammorrowbooks for my NetGalley ARC and physical copies of Vacationland. I love Meg Mitchell Moore's summery, beach-y dramas, so I was really excited to read this one!

Pub date: 6/14/22
Genre: family drama
In one sentence: Louisa and Kristie are two very different, but very desperate women who come to Penobscot Bay, Maine for a fresh start - but Vacationland isn't all fun and games.

This is an easy read that will fit well in your beach bag, especially if you love family drama! I enjoyed seeing Louisa and Kristie trying to balance their busy lives and figure out what was next for them. Maine makes a beautiful backdrop for the story, and we get a love story, lobster fishing, and lots of lies to spice things up. 3.5 stars from me, and I'll continue to be a loyal MMM reader.

Review posted to Goodreads 6/12/22, to be posted to Instagram on book tour date 6/25/22.

3.5 stars rounded up. I feel like this book is a hard one for me to rate and review. The writing was great and I loved the characters, but not much really happened. The plot was pretty minimal, I kept expecting more was going to happen or be revealed. Though I guess that might just be what the family drama genre is like. Overall though I did enjoy this book!

Vacationland follows a family on their summer vacation in Maine. Louisa and her kids travel to her family’s vacation home for the entire summer, leaving her husband behind to focus on his start-up. Louisa hopes that this visit, and help from her parents, will give her plenty of time to work on her book whose deadline is quickly catching up to her, while she also enjoys being back in a place that she loves dearly. However, the summer doesn’t quite go to plan, family secrets come out, tough decisions are forced to be made, and ultimately real life isn’t able to be escaped.

In this book we follow Louisa and her family from their points of view. From young summer love, to a 40 year marriage with its secrets and complexities, a new romance that moves a little too quickly, a not quite middle-aged married couple who are experiencing a little turbulence in their relationship, and to kids just experiencing the summer as kids, this story includes very relatable aspects of summer for many people.

I really enjoyed this book and I only wish I had been on vacation while reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and Willam Morrow Publishing for an ARC copy of Vacationland!

I am so sad to give this book three stars. It started off with a bang with some really dynamic and interesting characters, and pandered off into a rather boring story about a whiney working mom.

The real stars of this book are the breathtaking descriptions of coastal, summertime Maine, and a sweet sub-plot of young love.

Had higher hopes for this book, but just really didn't end in a way that felt satisfying.

CONTAINS SPOILERS

I find myself very confused by the raving review of this book. Meg Mitchell Moore's writing is fine, and I have no complaints about the flow of the story.

However, I did not find this book to especially believable or heartwarming. Louisa's relationship with her husband is infuriating and I can't believe how she was expected to just get over all of the ways he took advantage of her and get on with life....like her own mother had to do. In both cases, the women deserve better and should not have had to settle for their husband's poor behavior. Also I find it IMPOSSIBLE to believe that two of the most selfish people on the planet would up and decide to give their VERY SIZABLE EF to a random woman they met a few weeks ago in the summer. It just doesn't compute.

The kids were fun and definite scene stealers. Abigail especially is a kindred spirit.

Thank you to William Morrow, Book Club Girl, and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for the review.