Rachel Magee’s newest book, What Not to Do on Vacation was a an absolute delight. A trio of sister return to their childhood vacation spot, hoping to reconnect and relive some of that magic of their youth, but they aren’t the kids they once were. Savannah, the oldest, has a health secret she’s keeping from her sisters. Bianca, the youngest, has a secret of her own…she’s getting married. To a man she’s only ever met online and met through an app. Naturally her sisters think she’s crazy, and Cora is determined to prove you can’t find love that way…but she’s in for quite the surprise. Both funny and touching, it’s a summer the sisters will never forget. Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for allowing me access to an ARC of What Not to Do on Vacation.

This was a cute rom com with interesting sister dynamics. At first I found the sister dynamics to be annoying but that could be because I have brothers. There were a lot of characters to keep track of which got confusing at times. Closed door romance, humor, etc. definitely lives up to 10 things I hate about you and how to lose a guy in ten days.

What a fun summer read! I really loved the 3 sisters and the depth of their personalities that we got to experience as readers. I found myself laughing out loud more than once and I always wanted to keep reading just to see what happens in this drama-pact easy read!

What’s not to love… the sisterly bonding, the summer beach town vibes, the romance!
This book would be the perfect beach read.
It was cute and lighthearted. I especially enjoyed the multiple POVs. I thought it wrapped up perfectly.

What a great story ‘
This is the first book I have read by this author. And loved it.
Thank you for ARC I will definitely look for other books by her
It was funny but yet serious and heartwarming

This is a very cute and fun story about three sisters reuniting for a beach vacation. It is a very light and quick read and would be perfect for a day at the beach or by the pool. There is a lot of banter and a plot line that makes the comparison to How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days spot on!

I did find the plot fairly predictable and formulaic, and the sisters weren't different enough for me to always be able to orient myself in their chapters.

I enjoyed this book.

This is a story of three sisters coming together and spending a summer at their childhood vacation home. Two sisters fall in love, while the third keeps a secret. It changes all their lives forever.

The book was cute while being predictable.

A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for sharing this ARC with me.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this.
I picked it because of the correlation to How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and 10 Things I hate About You. I'm a 90's girl, these are right up my alley. I could feel the vibe of that right away.
We follow three sisters as they attempt to fix their relationship by making a pact surrounding the wishes of their dead mother. I did love them all, they were so very obviously well crafted, with distinct voices. That's hard to do for 3 unique POVs. I didn't need the other POVS though, that was way too much. I definitely connected the most with Cora, but I thought the others were interesting.
I think where I Struggled the most with this, and where it made it just ok, was the predictability. I was looking for some sort of fun nugget, some twist, something that would make this stand out a bit more, and it just didn't deliver it for me. This was fun, but nothing that was overly revolutionary.

Rachel Magee is a new author for me. I am so glad I took a chance on her! This was a great contemporary women's fiction full of sister dynamics. It reminded me of me and my 2 sisters, even down to the young and free spirited youngest sister and the bossy older sister trying to hold it all together. Set in a beach town, the 3 sisters go on a sister trip. Free spirited youngest, Bianca, thinks she is in live and engages herself to a man after only 4 weeks and have never met. Cora, the middle sister refuses to date. So, they make a bet. Cora will go on dates for 3 weeks matched by the dating app. If she doesn't find love, Bianca will wait to move to Idaho and marry her mystery man. The adventure begins! and what a ride it is. Reminiscent of How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. There are no swears or alcohol and level 1 kisses only. Multiple POV from all main characters.

The Priestly sisters have grown apart in adult life and are going back to the same beach house they used to for the mom’s last wish. Savannah is determined for them to have all the summer fun they used to when Bianca announces that she is married to a guy she met online and has never met before. Cora, the always single sister, refuses to date but does let Bianca set her up on the same app that she found her fiancé and if she can’t find her person, Bianca will call off her wedding. Savannah is trying to hide her sickness from her siblings and find the perfect time to tell them but the time never seems right.

This light hearted romance had me invested in each of the sisters stories! Bianca seemed a little immature but I like the she reconnected with a friend form her childhood. Savannah realized that she could depend on her sisters and share her situation with them. Cora was probably my favorite because even though she was trying to get Jax to not like her, she fell for him anyway. Either way, this was a sweet beach read!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC. All views and opinions are my own.

“What Not To Do on Vacation” is actually a perfect read when you’re on vacation. It is a light, easygoing romance but also packed with heartwarming moments.

While the clear inspiration from “10 Things I Hate About You” is there, the author still manages to make this story unique by focusing on the three sisters’ special relationship. Each chapter is written from the perspective of a different character, and I admire how the author does this by retaining the character’s unique voice, while also smoothly integrating each character perspective into the flow of the story.

If you are looking for something meaningful to read on your beach vacation, then this one is for you.

This book pulled me in from the first chapter to the last. It is such a perfect feel good light beach read with a little bit of family drama, secrets, and some romance sprinkled in!

This story follows three sisters: Bianca, Cora, and Savannah. They are all grown and busy with their current lives which leads them to have lost touch. Their mother had a dying wish that they would continue their family beach trips to the Panhandle of Florida. Savannah is determined to reconnect with her sisters and her plan is to recreate their childhood summer vacations. She has booked their vacation beach house for a month and has planned a nostalgic beach trip with a fun bucket list.

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee was a good book. I was fun, emotional, and heartwarming. I love the juxtaposition of the relationship between the three sisters to the relationship between the sisters and their love interests. While parts of the story felt a bit predictable, it was still a an enjoyable read. The characters were likable and well-developed. I thought the setting was charming. This would definitely be a great beach read. I would recommend this book.

What Not To Do On Vacation is a feel-good beach read with a lot of heart and a splash of chaos. Savannah, Bianca, and Cora each come into this trip with their own baggage—and not just the kind you check at the airport. Savannah’s mission is to recreate their childhood summers and fix the cracks between them. Bianca drops a marriage bomb and has matchmaking on her mind. And Cora? She’s the grump who’s definitely not falling for the guy her sister sets her up with. Spoiler: she totally does.
Told from multiple POVs (including the love interest), this one gives you a little bit of everything—sibling drama, second-chance vibes, and a romance that slowly chips away at a character who really didn’t want to fall. While it’s definitely on the predictable side, it’s still charming in that comfort-read kind of way. Think sunshine, sand, and some solid sisterly banter.
The dynamic between the Prestley sisters is what carries this story. They’re messy, flawed, and frustrating—but also loyal in their own way. I do think the love interest’s POV wasn’t totally necessary, and some parts felt a bit cliché, but the emotional moments between the sisters made up for it.
If you’re looking for something low-angst, easy to follow, and packed with sister vibes and summer romance, this one fits the bill. Not groundbreaking, but definitely a cute, quick escape.

᪥ Sister Drama
᪥ Beach Vacation
᪥ Grumpy Sister
᪥ Multiple POVs
᪥ Closed Door

'What Not to Do on Vacation' is a fun beach read centered around dynamic family and romantic relationships. Since each of the sisters (plus one love interest) get a POV, it keeps the story lighthearted and fresh. Each of the characters are truly interesting with their unique personalities, which makes it easier to follow the varying perspectives and more satisfying to watch them overcome their weaknesses. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a clean contemporary romance to read this summer!

Special thanks to the Publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“Everything worked out in the end. Even the suitcase.” I think this quote perfectly describes this book!


Was this book predictable? Yes. Did I have a great time reading it? Also, yes. Do I love the movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”? and think this book is super similar and loved it so much because of that!? Also, YES!

This book was so cute. I loved the different POVs. This book is about life’s unexpected twists, turns, and curveballs and what we choose to do with them? Will we hold grudges or will we forgive? Will we go with the flow or will we dig in our heels?

What Not to do on Vacation follows three sisters who are spending the summer together per one of their mom’s last requests. They wrestle with becoming familiar with one another again, sharing secrets their keeping, and navigating where and who they are in life now verses how they were when they were younger. I loved the struggles and realness of what it takes to be in relationship.

The story also follows Jax who is in town to land a job in his family’s business he’s had his eye on. His uncle who is in charge of appointing the position tells Jax he needs to prove he’s serious by committing to a relationship. Enter Cora. Cora doesn’t trust men and is firm in her belief that all men leave, but especially her. So of course they end up dating. While she’s trying to get him to leave, he’s trying to get her to commit. They catch feelings and I loved how it all unraveled.

I’m a sucker for happily ever afters. While this story was lighthearted and cute, it also addressed real issues in relationships. I loved it!

A sweet story about 3 sisters rekindling their sisterhood/friendship, while finding themselves, and maybe even a bit of love. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book!

What Not to Do on Vacation follow three sisters and their struggle to get their relationship back to where it was when they were children.
Oldest sister Savannah decides the only way they can do this is to go back to their summer rental that they spent their whole summers at as children before their parents divorce and their mother's untimely passing due to cancer.
I was excited to read this book because of the fact that it's loosely based on 10 things I Hate about You(which I still love and watch a few times a year). I appreciated the little easter eggs that were dropped through the book and I think any fan of the movie would spot it.

This book is told in multiple POVs(Savannah, Cora, Bianca, and Jax) which I really enjoyed seeing all their perspectives. I could relate to all the sisters for some reason or another and I found it to be poignant and moving. I found myself almost crying at some points as they worked through their messy moments and came out stronger.
I loved the relationship between Cora and Jax and found myself routing for Bianca and Luke. Despite being a no spice Rom-Com, I found that I wasn't missing anything and that the author did a great job at building tension, emotion, an the longing on both Cora and Jax's part.

This was such a fun read. Not only was it a super sweet romance but also the relationship between the sisters was a really great addition to the plot. Would make for a cute movie honestly. Great palate cleanser if you’re going through a book hangover after a big series or just need something light and sweet to check all the boxes.

This book is all about sisterly love, comedy, romance and a fun summer! This comes with multiple point of views, lovable characters and strong connections. I really enjoyed reading this medium paced read. I felt it to be cozy, easy to read and listen to! Having both the audio and digital book versions were amazing, it really brought the book to life! The narrators did an incredible job! This novel came with diverse characters, had a clear thesis and flowed well. It made me feel lighthearted, full of love, gave me some laughs, and felt adventurous! I love the sisters in this book and their different personalities! If you are wanting a clean beach romantic comedy, this one is for you!