Susan Mallery knows how to take a gal to the beach, forget all her problems, and get sucked into the sweetest most fun love story! Adored it!

What would you do if your brother started dating your friend, and then you find him cheating on that friend? Do you tell, will your friendship survive? This is the situation Beth finds herself in. Pick brother or friend? Family loyalty is tested in this romcom.
I wanted to love the book, but unfortunately it was not one of Mallery’s best.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for my advanced audio copy.

I DNF's this book at 35%. I got so confused in the begininng that I had to go back and relisten. But the FMC was insufferable. The story was not interesting to me and honestly put me to sleep several times. I am not posting this review online because i hate posting a negative review. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

What would you do if you discovered something crucial that your best friend should know?

Beth and Jana cross paths at the community food bank.

Both of them have brothers - what does that imply?

It implies that they both unknowingly develop feelings for each other’s siblings.

How does that turn out?

Beach Vibes explores themes of family, trust, loyalty, and second chances, while also presenting scenarios that prompt reflection on the true nature of family.

Which character ends up embodying someone they are pretending to be because, deep down, they are not that person.

Things get a bit intense when this persona emerges. This character reveals themselves to be a terrible individual who disrupts the lives of the other characters.

Even though this isn't my typical genre, the added tension, the thought-provoking question of what you would do, and a hint of mystery made it an enjoyable read for me. 5/5

I appreciate the publisher for providing a copy of this book. All views expressed are my own.

This latest summer read by Ms Mallery is set in Malibu. Beth runs a successful sandwich shop and her brother after living in foster care has become a doctor. Beth meets a new friend and unknown to her her brother meets her too and starts a romance. Beth meets her friend Jana's brother and there may or may not be a romance starting there. But things get complicated when Beth sees her brother with another woman. She has to weigh her loyalty to her brother and her new found friend. Oh and you can't beat the beach!

Beach Vibes is a breezy, feel-good read with heart, humor, and just the right touch of drama. Susan Mallery delivers a perfect summer escape, filled with relatable characters, emotional growth, and of course, a splash of romance. The coastal setting adds charm and warmth, making it an ideal book to curl up with by the shore—or just dream of being there. A sweet and satisfying story that reminds us of the healing power of friendship, love, and a fresh start.

This book was just so so in my opinion. The plot was developed but it lacked an energy to keep me reading and not stopping. Susan Mallery is usually a favorite, but this one was a little less than normal.

I typically love Susan Mallory books. I just didn’t connect with the characters & wasn’t initially involved /engaged in the book, thank you for the ARC of this book!

Beach Vibes wasn’t the light beachy read I expected, but it was a heartfelt story about family, friendship, loyalty, and second chances. I loved the dynamic between Beth and Jana and found the themes of adult friendship and family sacrifice relatable. Rick was easy to dislike, and the snarky dialogue added some fun. While the seaside setting was there, I wanted more true “beach vibes” to match the cover. The audio narration was good, but POV shifts weren’t always clear. Not super memorable, but still an enjoyable, emotional listen.

I find myself gravitating for Susan Mallory’s books all the time. Something about the covers draws me to them. Once I start reading them I always question the books. So many of her characters are so whiny. I feel like they all need a kick in the butt and need to be told they are adults, grow up! That being said the books always redeem them selves and the characters make enough of a turn around that I end up giving most of her books I read 4 stars.

Beach Vibes was a similar experience for me. I started off wanting to throttle a few of the characters and ended up enjoying the book as a whole.

Beach Vibes is a story that delivers on the promise of its name. It’s a story that is perfect for beach reading season, with a focus on friendship and romance, and which has a surprising amount of substance to it as well. A great choice for an afternoon spent at the beach.

Thank you Susan Mallery, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery was honestly not what I expected. From the title and cover, I really expected a light hearted, beachy good time. While I typically glance over the description, I still thought it would be less focused on the drama, and more on the atmospheric vibes. That being said, I was totally wrong. I think my biggest complaint about this book is that I just don't GET the title and cover and "vibes". If you're giving me a book called Beach Vibes, (especially with the ocean and a surfboard on it!), I'd expect there to be--I don't know--actual beach vibes? That part felt so forced--this book could have taken place wherever and omitted the tiny bits of "beach vibes" that were included. It felt a little like a bait and switch--throw in a few surfing/beach scenes to sort of kind of justify the title/cover art, and then switch it up with a totally different story.

That being said, I *did* find the story enjoyable, if not a little disjointed. I think the bait and switch of the title honestly hurts the substance of the book. The sibling drama and dating disasters that occur interested me, but I spent most of the book waiting to pick up the beach vibes I was promised. Looking back, I think I would have enjoyed it so much more if I wasn't expecting something different.

Thank you to netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair 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.

I usually enjoy audiobooks, but Tanya Eby narrates all of Susan's books. However, she is not one of my favorite narrators; her male voice makes me cringe.

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

Susan Mallery delivers a heartfelt and immersive escape in Beach Vibes, a charming summer listen that blends emotional depth with warmth, friendship, and second chances. Set in a breezy coastal town filled with sun, secrets, and healing, this audiobook captures the spirit of starting over and finding one's place in the world.

The narration is engaging and well-paced, bringing the characters' vulnerabilities and humor to life. Mallery’s trademark focus on emotionally rich storytelling, combined with relatable female protagonists navigating relationships, career shifts, and personal growth, makes this another standout in her catalog.

Perfect for fans of uplifting women’s fiction, Beach Vibes is a relaxing yet emotionally satisfying listen—ideal for those who enjoy their drama with a side of sand and sunshine.

Recommended for:
Listeners who enjoy contemporary women’s fiction, stories of friendship and self-discovery, and audiobook performances that feel both intimate and heartfelt

Beach Vibes
By: Susan Mallery

The vibes:
- follows two women’s love stories + the development of their friendship
- dual POV between the two FMCs
- best friend’s brother
- second chance romance
- single mom / single dad
- friends to lovers
- big plot twist
- beach town + charming locals

I enjoyed this book a lot!! For a while I was confused by the length of the book but understood why once the plot twist happened. The ending of Jana’s story as a result of the plot twist felt a little rushed and I wished we had gotten to see more of that relationship! The plot twist was super surprising but felt a little out of nowhere, but I guess that’s what a plot twist is! Overall it was a great story with characters I was rooting for, at least all but one 😉

The narrator was great but I think it would have been ideal to have at least 2 different narrators because it was easy to confuse which FMC’s POV we were in at times.

Content warnings: cheating, narcissistic character, neglect/abandoned by a parent, brief recollection of near miss of child sexual abuse experience, loss of partner/parent, grief

Thank you to NetGalley & the author for access to this ARC in return for my honest review!

Beth runs a great small business making sandwiches in Malibu, and though she is still dealing with the aftermath of a recent divorce, she has family who loves her dearly - namely her younger brother Rick, who rose from foster care to a surgical residency thanks to Beth’s support. Apart from Rick and her co-workers, Beth doesn’t have any close friends, but once she meets Jana, life feels great! Things get even better when Jana and Rick start dating, and Jana’s handsome brother immediately catches Beth’s eye. But can two sets of siblings survive awkward jealousy and a potential cheating incident? Beth just wants to see her brother and best friend happy, and Jana wants the right man to complete her family, but love and loyalty repeatedly clash in this emotional and funny novel.

This was a quick listen and I really enjoyed having each woman’s POV! Jana is a single mom who is weary of introducing a partner to her young daughter, and Beth is learning to value the contributions she makes to her business, friends, and family after a rough childhood and recent divorce. Somewhat predictable, but no less enjoyable, it was a fun reflection on what those we love show us, and who they are when we aren’t around!

Thank you Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the listening copy!

I was hoping for a fun, summery light hearted read, but I got family drama, secrets and questionable choices.

I really enjoyed some aspects of the book. I loved Beth's growth through the book. She really looked inside and was a much better version of herself at the end of the book. I enjoyed that things got messy and people had to struggle with what to do. I loved the small town beachy vibes of the setting but the setting was not enough to name the book after. I loved the found family aspects of the book.

What I didn't like was that there were some major plot issues. Beth never asked the name of the woman her brother was dating? Rick felt a bit too much of a jerk. I know that there are people like that out there but Beth would have seen something before now. I honestly didn't feel like chemistry between anyone in the books. Honestly, I thought Beth and Kai had the most chemistry.

The narrator was really good though. She did a great job with the voices and keeping the energy of the book going.

At times this book is like the title, light hearted sunny and full of beach vibes. And then other times the book is full of depth, hard situations, relationships and love. But this mix between the two is what makes it a good beachy read. It takes place in Malibu and you don't often find that in beach reads. The relationships are tricky and filled with real life situations. So that is good. This is my first book by this author, but it won't be my last!

A fabulous sweet romance that will have you going through all the feels. This author is extremely talented at crafting a unique cast of characters, giving them emotional depth and creating personal interactions that will have you laughing, crying and everything in between! This book in particular goes through the relationships between friends, family and significant others showing new love, long term love and second chances at love along with familial love and friendship love. I was absolutely blown away by this book as I sniffled or giggled my way through it. The narrator did an outstanding job of helping to bring the characters to life making you want to laugh with them, cry with them, smack them upside the head and a gambit of other reactions! I have been a huge fan of this author for quite some time and this audiobook once again confirmed that I am still strongly a fan!

Thank you to Netgalley & Harlequin Audio for approving this audiobook for me. I really enjoyed this story from Susan Mallery. This is the 2nd book I've read from her & I really enjoy her writing style. The narrator for the audiobook did a really good job portraying the characters & really kept my attention the whole time. I loved how she made me feel certain emotions & I felt I was going through the same feelings as the characters at certain times. Overall I really enjoyed both the physical book & the audiobook & I would definitely recommend them both to anyone that likes heart felt romantic stories.