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.

This was such a fun book and different from my usual reads. I loved the focus on the sisters, while still giving them all their own unique story. The family dynamic was all very believable and I enjoyed seeing them work through their problems and find their way back to each other.

There were laugh out loud moments, along with more serious ones. My one complaint is that I wish the condition would’ve been shared with the sisters earlier than it was. I appreciated how it was done, but it felt last minute to me.

I’ll definitely recommend this one!

I just loved this story! This story had the same vibe as “It’s All Relative,” which I read and loved earlier this year. I smiled throughout both these books. Rachel has the unique ability to tackle stories with depth and still feel light. This story was charming and funny and I loved the cast of characters. From here on out, Rachel will be an auto buy author for me!

Overall, I think this book was a good one. I felt at times it may be a little long for what it was, but it was still one I got through without wanting to quit (which I sometimes get like if it feels like it's taking too long). I think the rom-com aspect was cute and the different dynamics of partners, friends, and family members was interesting to read.

This is a quick easy summer read, the wholesome family get together takes multiple turns, bets and hearts being healed, torn or broken. Overall a great read. Would recommend for your next beach read.

This was a fantastic story! I loved the characters and their relationships and their banter. Some of the story was a little far-fetched, but that didn't bother me. This was truly a lovely story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What Not to do on Vacation is part romance and part women’s fiction. On the outside, it’s the story of three sisters reuniting for a reenactment of the childhood summer holidays in Sunnyside, Florida.

But nothing goes according to plan … Cora arrives with no luggage. Bianca and Savannah each arrive with news, although while Bianca is delighted to share that she’s engaged to a man she’s been online dating for five weeks and has never met in real life, Savannah keeps her news a secret.

In what seems perfectly logical in a way only a rom-com can be logical, Bianca persuades the very single Cora to sign up for SoulMate, the AI matchmaker app she used to find Zander, her now-fiance. The app sets Cora up with local hotel chain heir Jax Verona, who isn’t interested in a relationship that goes past two dates except for when a much-wanted promotion is dangled in front of him.

The characters are relatable, if a little cliche: Savannah, the responsible perfectionist oldest sister. Cora, the hardworking middle sister who sometimes resents both her sisters. Bianca, the flighty youngest sister who doesn’t know what she wants from life (and whose sisters don’t believe her when she claims she’s found The Answer).

The book description discloses the plot is partly based on 10 Things I Hate About You (which is based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew), although I felt it was more like How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (which isn’t officially based on The Taming of the Shrew but has some strong parallels). As with It’s All Relative, the names do give away the underlying plot: Bianca, Jax Verona, and the Padua hotel group.

There is surprising depth and character growth … particularly given the story has three viewpoint characters (four, if you count a couple of scenes from Jax’s point of view). Each character has learned something by the end of the story, which makes for a satisfying read.

Recommended for fans of sweet and Christian contemporary romance from authors such as Tara Grace Ericson, Sarah Monzon, Courtney Walsh.

3.75 ⭐️

A funny and charming story about a beautiful sister bond. Great setting and very entertaining. I had a great time and of course it is a perfect summer read :-)

I loved the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes this gave. As someone who only has one half sister that is 12 years younger than me, I loved seeing a close sisterly relationship with multiple sisters. That dynamic was so interesting. Overall this was a great book!