I’ve been a huge fan of Meghan Quinn and her books for years. I will push other books to the side when one of hers releases. Seeing Vacation Wars on NetGalley was so exciting! I try to go into all books blindly, this one being no exception. I was not disappointed. From the prologue to the last page, I ate it all up. Might I add that I’m not a huge fan of prologues, but this one was by far the best one I’ve read. I loved the story, loved the main characters and loved how all of the characters evolved throughout the book. This was a great book to start my year off with, and I’ll be biding my time until A Long Time Coming comes out. Thank you Meghan Quinn for always making me laugh, giving a great amount of spice and making each book feel like a big hug at the end. I don’t know how you do it, but I’ll forever be a reader. Also thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

Tessa and her family have been vacation in Greece for many, many years. And every summer, the shy, reserved, Tessa, pined for the cute boy in the red swim trunks. Fast forward to present day, Tessa, her sister and there two best friends, travel to Greece for a wedding. While vacationing, the girls take it upon themselves to help Tessa with her love life. Tessa and Myles (aka, the Bulge, the boy in the red shorts) develop a friendship. Will they be more? You’ll have to read and find out the trajectory of the relationship. Fans of the author will definitely enjoy this read. However, this book lacks the spicy we can usually expect.

All of a sudden I want to go on holiday to Greece, it sounds idyllic. Are all hotel owners in Greece like Myles Cirillo? ‘Swoon, swoon’. Myles is sweet, sexy and fun, everything I could wish for if I were a year or two (or twenty, or thirty) younger ‘wink wink’. This is a cute, sweet, and highly addictive romantic comedy. Both Myles and Tessa have crushed on each other for years, and when Tessa is finally pushed into Myles’ arms, thanks to her sister and best friends, they find that they have so much in common. They spend their time scheming against her sister and friends to outwit their plan to set Tessa up. So funny (some of the time), yet very emotional, obviously Tessa is dealing with some major issues, but, so it seems, is Myles. Can they fix their families and still find true love? I enjoyed this story so much, Myles and Tessa were so perfect for each other, which highlighted how flawed her twin sister actually was. Not sure if I could be as forgiving as Tessa, twin sister or not, it just goes to show that maybe true love really does conquer all. A highly entertaining and fun read. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Utterly hilarious, I loved every word of it.

I loved how over the course of the story Tessa became more and more feisty and unrecognisable almost to her best friends and twin sister.

All of which she has declared war on as they are hoping to take over Tessa's love life for her, which leads to all manner of embarrassing moments.

And she is finally brave enough to talk to her life long crush Myles, and I loved the way their story developed.

This book is a lot of fun, and would be a wonderful holiday read, as I know I adored reading it poolside.

This was my first book from the author but I'd certainly be interested in reading more in the future.

Very entertaining.

Thank you to Montlake and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

The vacation wars is a most anticipated read for 2023.
It’s hilarious in the author’s mark but also covers a lot of topics . I hated her sister but understand where she’s coming from in the end.
I cheered her up when she finally let go of what everyone else was expecting from her and went along with what her heart desired. I feel bad for him and I loved his interaction with his father. I found his father selfish at the beginning but I’m so happy that in the end he realises that he shouldn’t put all his past mistakes and depression on his son’s shoulders.
It’s a story about families, redemption and most of love. A love that is worth working for and characters that grow throughout the story.

<i>“You make me feel special. Despite my awkwardness and my stumbling, you still look at me in this way that creates this ball of confidence deep in my bones.”
“How do I look at you?” ...
“Like I belong to you. Like there’s no one else on this island that could garner your attention the way I can. Like you’ve been waiting for me for so long, and I’ve finally shown up.”</i>

Tessa Doukas is back in Santorini, her families regular vacation spot, but this time she’s there with her best friends and her sister, for a girls trip before her sister gets married. In a very <i>Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</i> fashion, the group has a set of rules that they live by, and a bottle of <i>special</i> perfume that is used for only the most serious of true love circumstances.

In this list of rules they concocted as teens, Tessa is forced to forfeit her love life to her sister and friends as she is single and 30. Except, they have no chill. Tessa is not being set up for success, rather being fed to the wolves. She will do ANYTHING to avoid these tragic set ups they’re throwing her way. Even if it means teaming up with the man she’s had a crush on since she was a child.

Myles needs a distraction and the fumbling, awkward, gorgeous girl of his dreams is right in front of him. While helping her in the <i>Vaction Wars</i>, he’s dealing with his fallout with his dad and the struggles of trying to find his foot in the family business.

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I am a Meghan Quinn girly through and through. I had the <b>BEST</b> time reading this book and I really cannot remember the last time I laughed so much reading something.

I loooooved these two. My poor girl Tessa was a wreck, but in a way that was actually hilarious and not entirely cringey. Myles had the perfect balance of teasing her and adoring her. I swear I was laughing so much it hurt during some bits of this book. Tessa is an icon. For everything that she is. She’s fumbling around with no filter but my god does she have heart. She loves so much and is bold and free and fun.

MYLESSSS. I swear I would go to bat for Meghan Quinn men. My sweet sad chicken was so loving and supportive. All he wanted was to support his dad and build an empire and something to be proud of together. The family tension between them was aggravating in the way that you just wanted it to work out for him. HIS DREAMS? HIS PLANS? HIS LOVE FOR HIS DAD?

The way he just wanted to be there and help Tessa in her wild shenanigans and war against her sister was fantastic. He was also pining after her for so long and was just happy to be spending time with her. Them finding their way to each other was so f**** sweet I’ll could scream. Literally <b>”it’s always been you”</b> vibes and I loved it. They’re a perfect match. So much love, goofiness, and support.

The book is perfectly balanced. The family drama? WOO DID I WANT TO THROW HANDS. But these characters are so strong I loved seeing them stand up for themselves and then going and supporting each other when things got hard. The book is definitely on the longer side, but none of it felt like filler. It was all paced out so well.

I HIGHLY recommend if you’re looking for a <b>hilarious, swoony, vacation romance</b>. If you’re a fan of Meghan Quinn books, this is going to be such a fun ride. If you’re new to her writing? HAVE FUN. This is steam, comedy, romance, and so many more layers.

Thank you NetGalley, Meghan Quinn, and Montlake for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

I am not sure if Montlake has a word count requirement or what, but this took forever to read. Partially because I just couldn't get into it but also because it was full of a lot of unnecessary rambling. Tessa rambled when she was nervous, but there was a lot of internal rambling and fluff as well. It also felt like it was written after watching Mean Girls. The amount of second-hand embarrassment and anger I felt anytime there was a scene with Roxanne, Lois, and Clea was insane. It was not an enjoyable experience, nor do I think Roxanne's apology was sufficient. She was a Regina George and got away with it because "that's just how she is." Yuck. Overall, the setting and back story between Tessa and Myles was fun, and I liked that they were both a little awkward and reserved.

While I am always happy reading Meghan Quinn I think I have come to the conclusion that I infinitely prefer her self published books over her books that come out with Montlake. The reason could be because I love a series of interconnected books and her Montlake releases seem to be more solo projects or the fact that while I think her books are known for their humor there is something almost silly about the plots of these Montlake books. I'm mostly sad because I wish all the effort for these books could be used for more of the classic Meghan Quinn flavor I fell in love with, like maybe she could work on the Agitators series!

“Crushes like the one you had just don’t die, they live within you.”

I LOVED Vacation Wars. It was funny and emotional and had such rich character development. Tessa and Myles were so sweet and meant to be. They’d both been crushing on each other for years and once they finally connect, it is magic.

“…even in my darkest moments, he makes me feel light and bright again.”

Tessa was so adorably awkward and the way she would get flustered and just say everything she was thinking was epic. She’s a people pleaser and will do anything for those she cares about even it means sacrificing her own happiness. She never feels like she is truly seen for who she is until Myles. He uplifts her and supports her and encourages her.

“A part of me thinks that maybe my soul already loves her, my heart and my brain just have to catch up.”

Myles was such a sweetheart. His family means everything to him and his determination to mend fences with his father was so heartwarming. I loved how passionate he was and the effort he put into everything that meant anything to him. His loyalty, protectiveness and understanding was swoonworthy.

“Do you think it’s possible to feel like you belong to someone even though you’ve only truly known them for a week?”

I loved these two so much. They had both crushed on each other for years and it was adorable! Their relationship was so much fun. From the moment they met, they challenged and listened to each other. Both were incredibly supportive of the other and believed in each other. I loved how they pushed each other to think outside of the box and to grow. They were perfection!

“I like being around you. I feel lighter, more free, more like myself with you.”

I absolutely loved Tessa and Myles’ journey. Their chemistry was sizzling and their banter was alternatively laugh out loud funny and then so open and honest. Full of so much humor and heart, Vacation Wars is a beautiful and emotional story of self-growth and realizing that you need to fight for what’s important in your life.

What a massively great five-star read. This is just one of those stories that will make you chuckle madly to yourself like a loon. But its so worth it, for the pink robe/dress combo alone!! My goodness the Bulge where have you been all of my life, and not just the part in red, the whole combo. There was just something in the air with this story, and not just the sunshine and alcohol, there was something brought by all of the characters. Tessa just made me smile, but she did frustrate me at times as well, but that’s what made this so great, it wasn’t all sunshine and sangria it has grit and power and will take you to the sunshine and back.

3.5 stars

Vacation Wars was a rollercoaster for me. At the beginning I was SURE I was going to DNF as I could not handle the girl group and the contract. The introduction was slow and the girls seemed catty and straight up rude to each other. I was also having a lot of trouble understanding why they were focusing so much on a girl who wasn't even the one getting married at the end of the trip.

I really liked Tessa, the main character, and how she was authentically herself despite the girl group getting in her way. I loved the back story with Myles, the Greek-American who works at the resort Tessa goes to yearly with family and she has had a crush on for years. They are a great couple so I kept reading for them.

As the contract stuff began to subside, the book was great. The romance was sweet (with a nice amount of spice) and was tons of fun. Who doesn't like to read about romantic dates with a Santorini sunset??? As the book kept going I really enjoyed the focus on familial relationships and how both Myles and Tessa had to repair these connections. Baba became a really lovely character, which was a nice surprise (Roxanne still is kind of awful).

I thought the last 10% of the book was a bit chaotic with so much that didn't necessarily need to happen for the story to be successful, but I still felt satisfied in the end.

This book is upbeat, fast paced, and dreamy. I definitely recommend!

It is only my second book by Meghan Quinn but I already love her. Her writing, her vivid descriptions of Santorini, Tessa and Myles worked perfect for me in this freezing forecast !

I could really relate to Tessa who's so socially awkward. Myles was the cutest male character I've read in a long time.

Wasn't a huge fan of Roxane and the BFFs though, even if Meghan Quinn gave each a solid subplot.

4 stars for this super funny and sweet romance.

Thanks you to Netgalley and Montlake for providing and eARC in exchange of an honest review.

ARC review time:
Vacation wars Meghan Quinn @meghanquinnbooks @netgalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🏖blurb:
From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a fun, sexy story about the family dynamics that can stand in the way of rekindling a romance.
🌴
Tessa and Myles are each others childhood crush. After a kiss 7 years ago where she said he had "luscious lips" they haven't seen each other since.
🏖
When Tessas sister is set the marry they return to the island where it all began for Myles and Tessas feelings.
🌴
I loved how Meghan writes this. Its not your normal romance. Its actually cringeworthy all the way through and makes you smile. I fell in love with the characters but also enjoyed the character development in this story. Another fab book by Meghan Quinn.
#arcreader #meghanquinn #vacationwars #netgalley.

This is the third book written by Meghan Quinn that I have read. She is now my go-to author for a fun rom-com novel. Vacation Wars is set in Santorini and tells the story of four friends, (two are twins, Roxane and Tessa). Side note, I love books that have characters who are twins.....my Mom was an identical twin. The friends are in Greece for Roxane's wedding. Tessa and Roxane have been traveling to Greece on family vacays since they were 6 years old. That first trip is when Tessa, the shy twin, first sees Myles, the son of the owner of the resort. I am not going to summarize the novel any further, as you can find a description on the internet. Vacation Wars is about family dynamics, friendship, romance, Santorini, and love! The characters are multi-faceted, the descriptions of Santorini are vivid, the plot was riveting. I loved, loved this book and I have become a huge fan of Meghan Quinn!!! Thanks to Montlake Publishing, Ms. Quinn and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Net Galley and Montlake for this ARC copy. I really wanted to like this book - the description sounded so interesting and I enjoyed Myles and Tessa's characters. I had a harder time enjoying the parts about Tessa's twin sister and her friends. Not my favorite Meghan Quinn book, but I've loved others she's written.

Tessa, her twin sister, and their best friends have returned to the Greek resort that they visited for many years as children. Tessa’s long time crush, Myles, works there. Tessa’s sister and friends begin a prank war on her while trying to set her up with men. The only problem is that Tessa only has eyes for Myles.

I have read and enjoyed many of Meghan Quinn’s books, but unfortunately this was a miss for me. The main characters (Tessa, her twin, and best friends) were unbelievably immature to the point of obnoxiousness. I just couldn’t get past how awful they were to each other and the horrible things that were said. Tessa was extremely dramatic and not likable. However, the Greek setting was nice and I’m sure some readers will enjoy Quinn’s ability to write a spicy scene. This just isn’t a book I’d recommend.

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and Meghan Quinn for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes: childhood crush, friends to lovers, holiday romance

First of all, I'm cackling at the fact I said I light jogged to netgalley to grab this because running (even figuratively) stresses me out and then I read rule number three of the contract (will get to that later): "we don't run for fun, we cheat to save out feet". Kindred spirits actually.

Meghan Quinn has, and always will be, one of my favourite authors so it’s safe to say I was squealing that I had to chance to read this.

‘Vacation Wars’ follows Tessa Doukas - shy, awkward, heart for all things numbers (be still MY heart), the background twin… you get the gist - who every year vacations at the Anissa’s Palace Beach Resort in Santorini with her family. Enter Myles Cirllo - Greek-god, Mr.Red Shorts and just so happens to be the child of the owner’s of the resort - you see where this is going right? Queue a crush that spans over several years, missed opportunities during a 7-year break and the most painfully awkward reunion.

You are told in the prologue to mentally prepare yourself ‘for a whirlwind of embarrassment’ and I really wish I listened because the second-hand embarrassment I experienced for Tessa was WILD, I was simultaneously reading through my hands and cackling so hard at some of her antics. Tessa was so shy and socially awkward, but it was relatable to the point that you cannot help but love her despite
Myles was hands-down the sweetest MC, always so encouraging and supportive of Tessa and never once tried to change her or make her feel like she was less than (despite what Roxane - see below - would say). His loyalty to his family was admirable and I loved watching him try to repair his relationship with his Baba.
Together, Tessa and Myles just made sense - adored them together. As mentioned, Myles was so supportive of Tessa but the reverse holds true too. Their crushes on each other never manifested into over the previous years, so it was truly lovely seeing them go for their HEA!


In all honesty by the time I reached the end of the book I could take or leave Roxane (Tessa’s twin sister) and their two best friends, Clea and Lois. Their relationships just seemed so toxic and juvenile, especially as they clung to keep their relationship alive by enforcing ‘the contract’ their adolescent selves had pulled together made of five rules they had very clearly outgrown. The chaos that ensues after rule number five is enacted, while funny the majority of the time could at times dwell into the realms of being borderline cruel and immature. I do appreciate the self-awareness and development they all had towards the end albeit it was a little rushed, but I think I spent so much time not particularly liking these secondary characters that I was left feeling ambivalent (for better choice of the words) towards them.

‘Vacation Wars’ is a ‘sit down and binge in a day’ type of book, with a plot that will have you full on laughing out loud (although not quite MQ’s signature humour) against a back drop that will have you wishing to catch the first flight to Greece.

It's really, really hard for me not to like a Meghan Quinn book these days and this one is no exception. I loved it! The banter between the main characters, fleshed-out back story, and silly antics that she's known for abound in Vacation Wars.

I really loved the setting of Santorini as it gave that vacation vibe the title indicates. My only criticism is that sometimes the behavior of Tessa, Roxanne, and their friends seemed out of the ordinary for a quartet of women who are supposed to be in their 30s. I got over it quickly, though, as I remember being 30 and having some relapses in my own behavior at that age. Bottom line is, while it may seem like some of their actions are a bit childish, the truth is we all have those moments when we lose sight of our maturity and do and say really dumb things. These actions led to the growth of their characters individually and as a group of lifelong friends.

The hero was dreamy, as Meghan usually delivers, and I loved his own journey toward understanding himself and his relationship with his father. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a little bit of silliness with their angst. Don't worry though, it's not too angsty and the journey to that HEA is satisfying.

Vacation Wars was SO MUCH FUN! I adore everything Meghan writes but this was so far one of my favorite reads!
Tessa and Myles have admired each other from afar for years and now its Tessa's time to be the stand out twin and finally get her man!

This is a very Meghan Quinn book - the humor, the fun, the angst and the perfectly wrapped package at the end. I can't wait to see who will narrate this book!

Fun, humorous and quirky, Vacation Wars is a perfect getaway.

With the beautiful Santorini backdrop, a captivating plotline and great, relatable characters, and full of so much humor, emotion and heat, this story is a vacation in a book.
An ode to love, longing and family, the developing relationship between Myles and Tess stole my heart while the dynamic with her sister and friends gave me all the feels. I laughed, cried and swooned in earnest and mostly, loved every second.

4.5 stars and a contract