While this took me a minute to finish, I couldn't stop reading it. Life doesn't always goes has planned, but that's the beauty of it.
I enjoyed the character development and the story line; however, some parts felt rushed and it would have added more depth to the characters and even be easier to connect with them.

What Not to Do on Vacation was my first book by Rachel Magee, and it was such a joy to read! Light, witty, and full of charm, it’s the perfect escape. The characters pulled me in right away, and the story had that breezy, feel-good flow that makes you want to pack a bag and go along for the ride.

It’s equal parts fun, sweet, and heartwarming—the kind of rom-com that keeps you smiling from start to finish. After this, I’ll definitely be picking up more of Magee’s books!

I enjoyed this entertaining read of three sisters reconnecting at their childhood holiday place on the beach, told from each of their point of view, going through their love lives, health, and new romances. Liked all the characters and how everything resolved.

Super cute and heartwarming! A fun, feel-good beach read with sister drama, dating chaos, and sweet romance. Light, funny, and perfect for summer.

Three sisters reunite at their family's Florida vacation home for the summer. Each one is struggling with something they haven't shared with their sisters and over the course of the summer secrets come to light, old hurts heal and two even find love. I enjoyed this book WAY more than I was expecting to! It was excellent on audio narrated by Karissa Vacker (one of my favs), had a fun sibling dynamic, nostalgic vacation vibes and the romance between middle sister Cora and Jax was delightful! There was also great disability rep through the oldest sister, Savannah who discovers she was born with a congenital heart defect and needs surgery. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Sarah Morgan.

What Not to Do on Vacation is a sweet and lighthearted rom-com that blends sisterly dynamics with a fun beachside romance. I enjoyed the mix of family drama, nostalgic summer vibes, and the playful bucket-list adventures. The sisters felt authentic, and I liked seeing how their relationships grew throughout the story. The romance was clean, charming, and had just the right amount of slow burn.

This is a feel-good, easy read that is perfect for summer or when you want something uplifting and heartwarming.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for the eARC!

✨ Plot and characters
This is a book that makes a perfect beach read. The characters gather for a vacation of their own, in the spot where they used to hang out as a family every summer.

The trip is organised by Savannah, the eldest sister and perpetual cat herder to her siblings. Bianca is the youngest and the antithesis of Savannah - goes with the flow, believes in instant true love and goes by vibes alone. Cora is closer in age to Savannah but she's a more reserved person, which sparks Bianca's interest in finding her a match, hoping to feed two birds with one scone: both to help Cora but also to prove to her sisters that she's mature enough to make good decisions.

✨ Tropes and vibes
This book has a lot going on, which is not necessarily a good thing, but it's pretty easy to follow because all the storylines intersect. There are two romance storylines happening and the third has character keeping a secret from loved ones.
- small town romance
- a rich MMC
- childhood friends to lovers
- (kind of) a bonus kid
- fake dating
- slow burn and some yearning
- family dynamics (oldest / middle / youngest daughter)
- all kinds of fun activities the characters do in the seaside town

✨ The fun thing
This book has 4 POVs - it's really fun to see the story progress from different perspectives.

In this fun new summer rom-com novel, readers will join Savannah Prestly and her sisters Bianca and Cora as they return to the beach house they used to stay at as kids for a month of bucket list activities and sisterly bonding. Bianca, recently engaged, wants her sister to be happier for her, so she decides to find Cora’s happy ending on the same dating app -- because if Cora doesn’t find love, Bianca will call off her engagement. Cora, on the other hand, is perfectly happy single, and ready to prove her sisters wrong even if her match, Jax, is hot and charming. Told by three different characters and packed with incredible details, readers will love the cozy and charming summer atmosphere of this entertaining novel. The setting is a fantastic backdrop for the sisters’ different relationships, and their different personalities balance each other incredibly well. The different storylines and relationships combine to create this fantastic and immersive new novel, and the details add some great dimension to this entertaining story. The romance tropes and different elements add to the characters’ chemistry, which is also well-written and immersive. Fun, emotional, and entertaining, readers will love this sisterly and heartwarming new summer rom-com.

Calling all romcom lovers! Grab a copy of What Not to Do on Vacation, your beach towel, and a pair of sunglasses, because this is the beach read of the season! It was light and romantic, while still having a little bit of depth to it. Each character was lovable (well, except for Zander….) and I loved the family dynamics at play in the story. The hard truths of complex family relationships were relatable, as was the sisterly love that triumphs over all. Some readers might not appreciate some of the classic tropes, but I thought it was such a sweet story. If you're looking for a breezy beach read, What Not to Do on Vacation fits the bill perfectly!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to have an advanced copy of this book. Three sisters head to a Florida beach town to fulfill their mother’s last wish. Savannah, the oldest, is all about recreating traditions. Cora, the middle, has been burned by love and wants to focus on work and herself. Bianca, the youngest, plans to marry a man she has only met online. This story covers sisterhood, love, friendship, and messy relationships. It was a great summer read.

This was such a cute read! I've not read a romance in quite a while and this was the perfect reintroduction, right from the beginning, it felt familiar, almost like I'd read it before - it was heartwarming! I fell in love with all of the characters, it was just a little predictable for me unfortuntely, otherwise it would have been a hard 5 stars. But still, I loved this book and will definitely be picking up a physical copy to read again!

Would love to read more from this author, I hadn't read any of her work before this but I'm definitely keen to now!

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee was such a sweet and cute read! It’s about three sisters who come together for a summer month to reconnect and recapture the magic of their childhood vacation, and as someone who’s one of three sisters myself, I really connected with the sister dynamics. The story explores how growing up and not living close anymore can shift those relationships, but also how strong that bond still is. The book is light-hearted, funny, and full of feel-good moments. I appreciated the clean romance and all the fun sprinkled throughout the story. The sisterly banter and heartwarming moments felt very real to me. Just an all-around enjoyable, comforting read that I smiled through from beginning to end. Also, the Lord Farquaad stuff actually cracked me up, the descriptions were so good!

Such a great book! All three sisters are so different and each has their own story going on. I love how it all came together.

I received an ARC copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

I loved how well written this was. It was like reading about friends. Three sisters meet in Florida for a vacation that they always had when they were children. Trying to recreate that magic isn’t easy, but eventually they find value in their relationships as adults. Romance, sisterhood, and finding yourself are part of this story. I loved every moment and now I want to read this author’s backlog.

I loved this! The different personality types between the sisters and the 'How to Lose A Guy In 10 Days' of it all had me kicking my feet while the summer rolled along. I hope there are more to come from the summer house!

Super cute and quick beach read. I always wanted a sister to have a sisterly bond with so this book gave me all the feels!

This was my first by Rachel Magee but I will definitely be going back to check out her other books!

3.5 stars

3 estranged sisters, 1 month summer vacation at their childhood beach house, some secrets and some more things to prove.

Savannah used her “it’s our mom’s wish” card to force her sisters to agree on that trip, but she has her own reasons she’s not ready to share yet. Cora was so sure from the beginning that the trip was a bad idea, because since the moment she took the flight, nothing had gone as she planned. not long after they reunited, Bianca dropped a bomb: she’s going to get married with a guy she met on a dating app and she didn’t care that they’d never met irl. she wanted to show her sisters that she has plan for her life.

In order to prove the legitimacy of the dating app, Bianca prompted Cora to try it herself. Cora agreed, feeling so sure that it wouldn’t work for her. little did she know Bianca had a little plan to make sure it would work.

this started off fun but later it got a little frustrating not gonna lie, especially the peak conflict😅 like it all could be avoided but y’all decided to being dense and NOT act like normal adult. okay. the resolution was too quick to my liking but glad it all worked out nicely for everyone at the end!

Multiple POVs
Sister bonding
Cozy
Clean romance
Funny
Beach setting
New beginnings
Heartfelt moment


This is a good beach read for those that like romance with no or low spice.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing an advanced copy for an honest review.

I just wrapped up What Not to Do on Vacation and honestly, it’s such a fun, easy read. It’s all about these sisters trying to relive their old beach vacations, but of course, nothing goes as planned. One of them’s getting married to a guy she barely knows from online dating, and another sister’s there to prove how ridiculous that is. Cue lots of laughs, awkward moments, and some sweet romance.

It’s kinda like a summer rom-com with family drama and that slow-burn love story you can’t help but root for. Super chill vibe, nothing too heavy—just good fun if you want something light and breezy.

If you’re looking for a book that feels like hanging out with your friends on vacation (but without the sunburn), this one’s a solid pick.

I enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers. Will post a proper review on my instagram soon.