Having read Susan’s The Christmas Wedding Guest, The Vineyard at Painted Moon and The Stepsisters, I was very happy to receive an invitation to the blog tour of her Beach Vibes. And again, Susan does an excellent job in sucking you in, directly from page one. Beth sees her world crumbling down, when she catches her brother cheating on her best friend. Should she tell her friend? Or should she keep her mouth shut and not betray her brother? Torn between two evils, Susan takes you with her on an impossible choice.

Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

When the email from the publisher arrived it was cold and gray and generally dreary. There was no way I could resist a warm beachy looking cover! Luckily, I've had pretty good luck with this author and the blurb did appeal to me.

I liked this one but it wasn't the most standout read to me. I really liked Jana. She's a determined woman who has made some mistakes but is turning her life around. She has a supportive and warm relationship with her brother and his kids as well as her own daughter. She has her pride but doesn't sabotage herself unnecessarily. I didn't warm up to Beth as much. She's very stuck in life and can get very repetitive with her concerns and issues. Also, her relationship with her brother Rick and her giant blind spot when it came to him got a bit annoying. The character development was a bit shallow and there were times when all the dialogue felt a bit much.

It took me about 10% to get into the story but once I did I pretty much flew through it. What's described in the blurb doesn't really fit what the bulk of the book is about. This is a story more about developing friendships as an adult, dealing with consequences and changing how you see someone you grew up with. While it won't make my favorites list I did enjoy it and look forward to reading more from this author.

In Mallery's latest hit "Beach Vibes" We meet Beth who does not trust much since her divorce. She meets Jana at a volunteer activity and they hit it off and start meeting weekly after their shift. Beth's brother Rick is an attractive and successful surgeon.

When Jana meets Rick and starts telling Beth about him, she doesn't connect the dots.
Beth meets Jana's brother Teddy and they had an instant connection as well.

The story is a little more complicated as it is multi-layered.

I loved the way this was written, the complicated relationships. Mallery has a wonderful way of weaving her characters and their endings.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy

"Beach Vibes" by Susan Mallery is an absolute masterpiece that intricately weaves family, secrets, and love in the most captivating way. This book is an emotional roller coaster that took me on a journey filled with heartfelt moments and surprising twists.

From the very first page, I was drawn into a coastal town setting that Susan Mallory vividly brings to life. The characters are so well-developed, each with their own secrets and unique personalities that add depth to the story. I especially loved how the author explores the complexities of family relationships, making them both relatable and thought-provoking.

The love stories at the center of "Beach Vibes" is incredibly moving and beautifully written. Mallory has a knack for capturing the nuances of romantic relationships, blending passion and tenderness seamlessly. It’s a story that pulls you in and makes you root for the characters as they navigate through their personal struggles and find their way to happiness.

What impressed me the most was how Susan Mallory masterfully intertwined the themes of family, secrets, and love without one overshadowing the other. Her storytelling is compelling and evocative, keeping me engaged and turning pages late into the night.

Overall, "Beach Vibes" is a must-read that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking for a book that offers both heartwarming and heart-wrenching moments. It’s a perfect blend of emotion, drama, and romance, earning a well-deserved 5-star rating from me.

Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery delivered a women’s fiction romance about finding oneself. Romance, family, and brilliant advice from a surfer dude await you in this heartwarming beach read.

Mallery always offers stories that pull me in with well-developed characters and situations that I know will leave me smiling at the end. In Beach Vibes, we meet Beth, owner of the Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches. I immediately connect with her “giver” personality.

Recently, Beth’s life has been altered by divorce and moving in with her aunt. However, she’s fiercely loyal to her brother, Rick, and recently began volunteering at a local food bank, where she befriended a single mom named Jana. Beth marvels at how Jana juggles a career, child, school and volunteering.

Twists, turns and surprises await you in this tale, as Mallery tackles loyalty vs. doing the right thing. Jana dates Rick and Beth, dates Jana’s older, widowed brother. When faced with a secret that could destroy her friend and brother, Beth must decide what to do. Family, forgiveness, betrayal and personal growth will have you lost within the pages of their stories.

Beach Vibes is the perfect beach read for fans of women’s fiction romance. Mallery once again delivered a light-hearted tale that tackles real life drama as she blends in romance, humor and friendship.

While Beth may have found love, it won’t be an easy journey. In the meantime, she’s made a new friend in Jana. Soon, Beth and Jana discover that they’re each dating one another’s siblings. Both couples are drawn to each other, but problems arise.

In addition to the conflicts in Beth and Jana’s dating relationships, this latest novel by Susan Mallery also explores family dynamics. Beth is living with her loving Aunt Agatha and is very grateful that she and her brother Rick were adopted by their aunt after being separated for a time while they were in the foster system. Jana is very close to her widowed brother Teddy. She is the mother of a little girl, and he is the father of three children, and they all live in his large house. Soon Beth begins dating Teddy.

With the excellent narration by Tonya Eby, it was easy to stay engaged in the story. However, one thing that annoyed me throughout, even more than the major conflict, was how Rick’s character was portrayed, making him rather unlikable from the start.

I enjoyed the family aspect of the story, especially the bond between Gina and Rick, despite some of the friction that existed between them. The bond that Beth has with her young daughter and her brother, as well as his children, also added a warm and heartwarming vibe to the narrative. Knowing from the blurb that at least one of these relationships wouldn’t work was a bit of a distraction, but the book itself was a good read that I was able to enjoy in just a couple of sittings.

Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

A slower read for me that didn't do it for me. Maybe it was the seasonality I am in, so going to give the print version a go to see if that helps!

"Beach Vibes" by Susan Mallery is a family drama with a touch of romance, though the romantic elements take a backseat to the emotional complexities of familial relationships. While I appreciated the family dynamics, I found the story lacking in the kind of romance I was hoping for.

One of my biggest frustrations was Rick—his character felt deeply flawed, and rather than being complex or redeemable, he came across as simply terrible. I struggled to find any empathy for him, which made it difficult to connect with certain aspects of the story. I also wished for a deeper exploration of Rick and Beth’s past, as understanding their history could have added more layers to his character and made his actions more comprehensible.

Additionally, the narration didn’t quite work for me, particularly the way the children’s voices were performed. Their dialogue felt grating, and I often found myself tempted to skip through those sections.

Overall, Beach Vibes was an okay read—I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. I just wanted more—more character growth, more emotional depth, and a stronger connection between the characters. While Mallery is skilled at weaving family drama, this book left me wishing for a richer, more developed story.

Beach Vibes, by Susan Mallery, is a romance novel of intertwined love stories, misleading relationships, and family support systems. When you think things are going one way, Mallory throws in a twist and the reader and the characters are thrown off. How they recover makes this one a happily-ever-after... for most. I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

3.5 sibling loyalty stars

Set in Malibu, we meet two women, their brothers, extended families, and friends. Things get very complicated, as lies and secrecy test loyalties.

Beth runs Surf Sandwiches, a successful sandwich shop in Malibu. Her business has created a family with dedicated employees. Her brother, Rick, is a surgeon who has built a strong medical practice. Beth and Rick lost their parents and spent some time in foster care before landing with an estranged aunt and uncle.

Jana works in medical billing and is a single mom. Her brother Teddy is a widower with three wonderful kids.

Jana runs into Rick at work, and he asks her out several times before she says yes. Jana has been reluctant to date because of her past bad experiences with men and negative interactions with her daughter. It feels like a fairy tale romance to Jana.

Beth and Jana meet while volunteering at a food bank and become friends. They eventually realize that Jana is dating Beth’s brother Rick.

While this one does have some romance vibes, it is also about family dynamics and loyalty. Would you lie for a sibling? Do you give siblings the benefit of the doubt over friends?

I liked how these characters had good growth throughout the story, and I think it ended the right way!

I enjoyed reading Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

This story took a strange, unexpected turn about halfway through the story. I didn’t like that turn and found it hard to believe. The biggest relationship in the book was the friendship between the main character, Beth, and the secondary protagonist, Jana. Beth’s romance was hard to believe. It was just insta-lust and insta-love that didn’t seem real. I really ended up being pretty disappointed with the whole story.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Susan Mallery has always been an automatic buy for me. I enjoy her romance series (Fool's Gold is my favorite) and the women's fiction she has evolved into more recently. This spring release is titled Beach Vibes and is set in Malibu Beach. Here, we find new friends, Beth and Jana, each of whom ends up dating the other's brother. How does one mix friendship with family loyalty when one of the guys is caught cheating by his sister? Sit down and read this new novel and find out all the juicy details.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This was an interesting thought provoking book about family and family loyalty.  I liked the characters of Beth, Jana, Aunt Agatha and Kai.  My feelings for Rick, Beth's brother, changed during the story as I saw him for who he was.
I liked how Beth and Jana became friends and were strong women, who had overcome their pasts and were making a future for themselves.  I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

Wonderful storyline. I couldn't put the book down.
Beth is divorced, she owns a sandwich shop.
She has a new friend, who is also dating Beth's brother, then she meets Jana's brother and she finds out what love is.
Then something happens and destroys everything.
I enjoyed this book very much.

Zero Beach Vibes. Solid Mallery Tale. I normally get a bit into the review before explaining star deductions, but in this particular case the reason for the star deduction is the most critical thing you need to know about this book:

It has *ZERO* beach vibes. Yes, it takes place in Malibu - largely across the street from the beach, at best - but the setting here is largely completely irrelevant to literally anything about the story. Mallery could have changed the location names to almost literally "Anywhere" and the overall story would read and feel *exactly* the same.

Now, with that said, this actually *is* a solid tale of its type = in other words, a women's fiction/ romance blend that Mallery is so prolific with and does so well. If you've never read her works, this is a decent one to begin with - not her worst in my own experiences with her books, yet also not her best, but solidly indicative of her overall style of writing and storytelling.

So if you're ready for a drama filled tale of two strangers who happen to become friends and who happen to develop an uncommon cross bond with each others' siblings... this tale will work well for you.

Note that the spice level here is somewhere north of a warm glass of milk yet south of habanero - again, fairly typical of Mallery's overall style. So those that prefer the warm glass of milk or those that prefer ghost peppers... either direction there, you're likely going to be left a touch disappointed. Yet the overall tale, outside the bedroom, is actually quite strong in its own right, and you really should give it a chance anyway - there will most likely be other things about this tale that you truly enjoy, and maybe you can glass over the bedroom stuff.

Overall a solid, well told tale... that simply has absolutely *zero* to do with anything remotely associated with its title.

Very much recommended.

I read this in one sitting. After a great first line, I was pulled into the lives and friendships of Agatha, Beth and Jana. Mallory explores sibling relationships and what you do for family as well as being caught between a friend and family. I did wish the blurb hadn’t set up the coming conflict as I kept waiting for it to happen. Agatha is a pip, and I appreciated the female friendships. Mallory is an auto-buy for a reason. Recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love Mallery’s older works and this new one does not disappoint! Beach Vibes follows Beth, a recent divorcee, Jana, her new best friend, and their two brothers. While Mallery is known for her romances, and this does have elements of the classic romance story, this is so much more than a traditional romance, and was much more of an emotional read than I was expecting based on the title and cover. I’d recommend this novel to someone looking for a relaxing read with great friends, everyday family life, and no shortage of drama.

3.5 stars

Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery introduces us to Beth, who is recently divorced and spends all her time at the sandwich shop she owns in Malibu and volunteering at the local food bank. While volunteering there she meets Jana, who quickly becomes her bestie. When Beth's younger brother comes into Jana's life things get a little more complicated.

While this book is marketed as a romance (and a beachy, summer read - hello beautiful cover!), I felt like it read more like a family drama/womens lit. I did enjoy the friendship and happy vibes, but wish there was less drama and more sweet romance. I didn't really enjoy Rick's character from the get-go and wish he wasn't involved.

This was a good, easy read with a happy ending for some, but if you're looking for a beachy romance, this one might not be for you. I mean, the beach wasn't really a part of this story at all? Maybe I misinterpreted the beachy vibes, I don't know.

This was my first Susan Mallery book and I'm a little indifferent. I will try another one for sure, as I've heard great things about some of her other books.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thoughtful read with lots of depth

I love Susan Mallery's books and Beach Vibes didn't disappoint! It features two strong women becoming friends but then having conflicting priorities between family and friendship. The resolution is surprising, somewhat heartbreaking, and highlights the stresses on sisters and women in general to take care of everyone. A thoughtful read with lots of depth masquerading as a romance novel! Highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.