Rachel Magee's What Not to Do on Vacation serves up a delightful blend of sisterly chaos, secret missions, and unexpected romance, all set against the backdrop of a summer beach getaway. Savannah, the determined older sister, is on a mission to rekindle the Prestly sisters' bond by reliving their idyllic childhood summers. She's meticulously planned everything: the same beach house, convincing her sisters to take a month off, and even crafting a bucket list of their favorite coastal activities. This trip simply has to be perfect, especially given a certain secret she's harboring.

Then comes Bianca, the youngest, with a bombshell announcement: she's engaged! Her sisters' less-than-enthusiastic reaction fuels Bianca's own mission—to prove she's not the "mess" they perceive. Her grand plan? To find love for their perpetually single sister, Cora, using the very dating app where Bianca found her fiancé. The stakes are high: if Cora doesn't find "the One" on the app, Bianca vows to call off her engagement. Bianca is ready for the challenge, even if it requires a little conniving.

Cora, however, is not convinced. Love, to her, is a fairy tale for others. As she begrudgingly creates her dating profile, she's convinced she can easily prove the absurdity of the whole "love thing" to her sisters. But then she matches with Jax, who's "Hemsworth-brother hot" and, astonishingly, charming in his messages. Cora still insists "none of this is real," believing love just doesn't come easily to her. She's sure she has the situation "under control."

Magee crafts a charming narrative about family dynamics, the surprising paths to love, and the hilarious mishaps that ensue when sisters meddle. This is a perfect summer read for anyone looking for sunshine, laughs, and heartwarming connections.

This was a fun and charming summer read about three sisters – Savannah, Cora, and Bianca. Despite their busy lives, the sisters take a month off to stay at the beach house they vacationed every summer when they were children.

It was the perfect summer read with the beach setting, complicated family dynamics and of course some clean and fun romance. I loved the different POV’s and each sister’s different storylines. I especially enjoyed Cora’s story with her slow burn romance and the witty banter. Overall it was a quick and heartwarming read!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction & NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. It took me a bit to get into the book. Once the online dating bet was made the story really picked up & I was invested in the characters.

What Not to Do on Vacation is a fun summer rom com. It's a great beach or vacation read. I liked the multiple narrators & that each sister & most main characters get to tell the story from their point of view. Its a sweet story about love, family & figuring out one's direction in life. The romance is clean and suitable for young readers. The family drama is light & comical at times. The book is very current with themes of AI, online dating, pickleball etc. It was an enjoyable light read infused with humor & the author did a great job of wrapping it up at the end. I could definitely see this as a screen adaptation!

This ended up being such a cute book full of sisters being sisters (ribbing but looking out for each other) while they are revisiting their annual Florida summer rental at the beach as adults.

There are secrets, dares, and dates and I was definitely getting a 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘛𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘈 𝘎𝘶𝘺 𝘐𝘯 10 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 vibe which I was all for. The banter between both the love interests and the sisters had me smiling more than once. I'd definitely recommend this to friends who love a closed door romcom that's perfect for their beach bag!

When I read the description of this book, I knew I would love it! Well, I was right. This had humor and lots of it, tension, relationship drama, and a whole lot of love. Oh and the ocean! I loved all the characters and seeing the events unfold from each of their perspectives instead of just one. I will definitely be recommending this one often. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

After my last read I had no idea what was next. But this cover just kept catching my attention so I picked it up and so glad I did. This book was exactly what I needed!

There was a fantastic balance between family/sibling dynamics and romance. It was light, funny, and heartwarming. Also loved that we got chapters with each sisters’ POV.

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

Read if you love:
❤️ Sweet romance
👯‍♀️ Sibling dynamics
🏖️ Beach reads

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for my review copies in exchange for an honest review!

An enjoyable enough, if completely predictable, read. Sisters Savannah, Cora, and Bianca return to the Florida beach house where they spent their summers growing up. They've drifted apart, and now Savannah--for purposes of her own, but using a dying wish of their mother's to justify it--wants to use a month at the beach to bring the sisters back together. Add in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and there you go.

As noted, this book was completely predictable. Pretty much every beat of the plot was obvious.. It also got repetitive; the book is told through the POV of the three sisters and Cora's love interest (and I probably would've nixed that; I think Magee wanted the audience to be sure that Jax was actually falling for Cora, but I think it would be more effective if we had to glean that ourselves), and a sizable chunk was their monologues going over the same issues over and over again. While I have no doubt that my own interior monologue is incredibly repetitive, that doesn't make it entertaining for others to read. Magee did a good job setting up the main characters' backstories; she didn't need to hammer it home so much.

I also got very annoyed that the epilogue was told in the first person after the rest of the book was told in the third person.

Magee did do a good job setting up the characters; she shows how the sisters' parents' divorce and mother's death affected each of them differently in ways that were completely realistic. Jax possibly could've used some additional development, particularly for decisions late in the book; for all that we get his POV throughout the book, the real insights we get into him come from actual conversations with Cora (which really just shows that we didn't need his POV chapters; the dialogue was enough). I particularly appreciated Bianca's journey and the fact that Savannah's husband was legitimately a good guy. Overall, really, I liked that there wasn't really any unnecessary drama; the sisters' history was sufficient fodder for the tension in the book.

In all, this was a fairly light read that went very quickly. Perfectly cromulent.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley for an advance copy.

This is a clean charming summer read in a light-hearted adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew with hints of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days! The Prestly sisters come together for the first time in awhile to relive the fun summer vacations of their youth. But they’re not the same carefree youths that they were, so things don’t go exactly according to plan. Enter hidden secrets, matchmaking schemes, and questionable engagements! Mix in humorous banter, tender moments and both mysterious playboy and cinnamon roll male characters to bring it all together!
A combination of romance and family drama, this novel delivered on humor, family relationships, tenderness and reconnecting! Cora and Jax are using their fake dating to each of their advantage until it becomes more than either expected. Savannah learns the things can change for the better, while Bianca needs to discover that she is enough as she is.

First, me apologizing this ARC review is late, I mixed up the release date. Secondly, this was a quick and simple read which makes it perfect for summer reading/beach read.

We have family struggles, sisterhood, secrets, bets and romance. However my rating is 3 stars as I knew the ending of the book on 13%, I even looked to check at what percentage I predicted the entire thing. Which took out the enjoyment a little, as is always the case when I predict the story in full.

What I did like is the sisterhood, I could see them bickering, I could see them going to the beach and planning and while having strained relationship how they actually care for one another. Luke was a cutie and Jax did nothing for me. And sadly I couldn't get over the "I will love you forever" aspect as it's been only 28 months during the book and this grand love happened. Is it possible in real life? Sure. Does it bring a bit of a insta-love but now quite? Also yeah, in a way.

This are my own personal experiences and things I usually don't go for in stories though. I do recommend for light summer reading that will make you smile and laugh and maybe even tug on your heartstrings.

What Not to do on Vacation is a cute beach read full of romance, sisterly love and hijinks.

The multiple POV made for a well paced and character rich story, with a warm and witty narrative. The sisters felt authentic and their varied personalises shone through, often in a highly relatable way. The small town beachside setting had a nostalgic and cosy feel, rounding off this enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this as both ebook and audiobook. The audio was well narrated, and added extra interest to the emotional experiences of the varied cast.

I’d recommend for anyone looking for a warm, relaxing and entertaining beachy read.

Thank you Thomas Nelson fiction for an advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

I loved this one so much! It had all the summer vibes, family connections, sisterly drama, rebuilding of relationships, meddling, finding love, and small town vibes. This book follows the 3 sisters as they rekindle their bond with a month long cottage beach vacay in Florida. Perfect beach read that gives you all the feels!

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Savannah is on a mission to bring the Prestly sisters back together as they have grown apart, so she made it her summer mission. She booked a beach cottage, made a summer bucket list and guilted her sisters into coming. Now she has to work up the guts to tell them her big secret. Plus get them to actually spend some time together.

Bianca is the baby of the family and she just dropped the bomb she’s getting married and is moving out of state! Oh and she met the guy in an AI Dating App, its only been 5 week and never seen him in person. It sounds crazy but convinced it’s the real thing so she maid a bet with Cora. If Cora didn’t find “the one” on this app she would call off the wedding. So when Bianca overhears a stranger’s conversation in the bar, and he seemed like the perfect match she may have meddled a bit. It’s still up to the app to match Cora and Jax but they really would be perfect for each other.

Cora is the skeptical sister, fierce, independent and didn’t believe in love. So she thought this bet with Bianca would be an easy win, but then she matched with Jax. He somehow is her perfect match and the more dates she goes on the harder she has to try to sabotage their connection. As there is no way finding the one could be this easy.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝐬:

“And maybe life wasn’t perfect like they thought it was all those years ago. Maybe what was perfect, maybe the thing that had brought them healing, was just being together.”

“…sometimes what we think are life’s biggest disappointments turn into the biggest gifts.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Month Vacation w/ Sisters at Beach Cottage
* Sisterly Bonding & Summer Bucket List
* Soul Match AI Dating App Bet to “Find the One
* Meddling Sister
* Sisterly Love & Mending Relationships
* Secrets & Falling in Love
* Sunnyside, Florida
* Multi POV - Slow Burn & Kissing Only

The ultimate summer beach read! With three sisters, two love stories, a health scare, and plenty of beachy vibes and family drama, this book has everything you need to while away a sunny day on the beach or a rainy day in the cabin. The Shakespeare parallels - it's <i>Ten Things I Hate About You</i>, but Bianca's the puppetmaster- are a nice touch without being over the top, and the ensemble cast (three sisters and two love interests) provide plenty of variety. My only complaint is that a story with this many plotlines would have been a deeper, more affecting read if it had another hundred pages to spread its wings.

Filled with sun, sand, family, and romance this is a perfect vacation read! Oldest sister Savannah is determined to reconnect with her sisters Cora and Bianca by spending a month together at the beach house they visited as kids and recreating the past. The sisters each come with different memories and their own struggles. Bianca is making a fresh start and is trying to get the support of her sisters while figuring out if it is really the future she wants. Mix in a challenge for Cora to maintain a relationship with commitment phobic Jax and romance is in the air. Cora and Jax together was everything! There were moments that made me laugh and moments that touched my heart. I liked the chapters alternating between the sisters, it felt like I was part of their lives. I also need to mention how much i appreciated the illustration at the beginning of each chapter, it made me smile. I recommend this to readers looking for a vacation read filled with family and romance.

This book has all the sweet feels one wants to read during the summer. Sisterly love and some sweet romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction | Thomas Nelson for this book. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise~

This was a sweet and funny romance, perfect for summer reading. But even more than the romance, the sisterly love shone through as the real bright spot in the plot.

It was humorous and witty and felt just like watching an early 2000s romcom in all of the best ways.

I was lucky enough to receive both a digital ARC and ALC, which is my very favorite way to read books. The transition between the two was seamless and kept me engaged whether I was reading or listening.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing me with a copy of this book and audiobook, all opinions are my own.

Great story, perfect beach read!!

Savannah is determined to try to reconnect with her two younger sisters, so she invites them to spend a month at the old beach rental in Florida. They went there every summer as children until their parents got divorced. Savannah is hoping it will help Cora and Bianca remember the good old times and bond.

But Bianca, the impulsive sister, announces that she's getting married to someone she met on a dating app 5 weeks ago at the end of the summer. She's never met him physically, only via FaceTime. Her sisters are shocked. So Cora, challenges Bianca and joins the same app proving that you can't find a soulmate through technology. Only Bianca cheats and sets her up with someone she meets at a bar. Purposely swaying the odds of Cora falling for him as Bianca feeds him tips on how to win over her stubborn sister.

Cora is perfectly happy alone. She has a thriving business and doesn't need to fall in love again. But when the unexpected happens, Bianca realizes her mistake.

A must read!

*I received a complimentary ARC via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a great summer read! I enjoyed the sisters personalities and their relationships with each other, but I liked the developing love stories even more. This is a clean romance with beach town vibes, and it’s a great option for a quick and fun read this summer!

What an unexpected delight!!! I immediately fell in love with the characters and was hooked from the start.

Savannah, Cora, and Bianca are sisters who reunite at the beach house they vacationed at in their youth in an effort to recreate the connection they had in those halcyon days. Except nothing is going as planned. Bianca announces her plan to marry a man she’s only interacted with online. Major red flag for her older sisters!!! Bianca, in an effort to prove that the online matchmaking site is legit, makes a bet with Cora that the site can find her soulmate. If it does, the sisters will support the marriage. If not, Bianca will abandon her plans to marry and move to Idaho.

Cora doesn’t believe in love. Not for herself, at least. Her goal is to scare away the match in order to win the bet. That becomes a challenge when the match—Jax— is charming, handsome, and setting off butterflies in Cora’s belly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The banter is elite!!! The setting transported me to the beach and I could feel the ocean breeze. The romance tropes were complimented by the sister/family relationship plot lines. All three sisters were likable and I was rooting for each to get her HEA.

This was a fun read and an absolutely perfect summer diversion. While it may be a no spice rom-com, it still brings the tension I look for in a romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and UpLit Reads for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a beautiful story. I love that the book is told from all three sisters’ perspectives. It truly adds to the story and each sister is unique and their voices and personalities truly shine. Cora’s character is relatable. Her transformation from wanting to avoid love at all costs, to starting to open up to someone is not rushed which helps with the believability. Savanah’s struggle with health issues and worrying about telling her sisters, while trying to recreate the memories of their childhood and fake like nothing is wrong for just a moment also is perfection. Bianca truly comes into herself in this story. Figuring out what brings her joy in real life and then being faced with what she thought was bringing her joy is everything. The growth that all three of these sisters have will leave the readers enchanted. This is the perfect summer read.
Thank you so much to Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

In this charming, sister-centered romance, Savannah plans a month-long beach getaway to reconnect with her estranged sisters by recreating their childhood summers. She hopes sun, sand, and nostalgia will heal old wounds—while hiding a secret of her own. Meanwhile, Bianca drops a surprise: she’s getting married, and she’s determined to prove she has her life together by matchmaking her reluctant sister Cora using a fool-proof dating app. Cora, skeptical of love and her sisters' meddling, agrees to one disastrous date to prove them wrong. But when sparks fly with the town playboy, everything unravels. Family, love, and chaos collide in this heartfelt, hilarious summer escape.

4 stars!

This story gave me all the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes! A bet between sisters results in one agreeing to date this summer but with the intent to drive whoever she meets away. Meanwhile, the guy she falls for is up for an important role in his family's company but they want to see him settled down before they will consider him for the job. It's the perfect recipe for disaster.

Pie baking, pickleball, sandcastle contests and more fill this story with beachy vacation entertainment and the stories of each sister build this story into the ideal summer read. Author Rachel asked which sister I related to the most and I would say Savannah. Her secret is a big one, but she's desperate to create fun-filled family memories with her sisters before life gets real and unavoidable.

What Not to Do on Vacation is chock full of sweet sister chaos and getaway activities, and should be on any beach bag reads list this year!