🌴 Sparks Fly in Paradise: A Delightful Destination Wedding with a Twist 💒

1. High School Nemesis Turned Dreamy Destination Wedding Planner
In "Destination Weddings and Other Disasters" by M.C. Vaughan, Julia Stone's meticulous world is turned upside down as she teams up with her high school tormentor, Carson Miller, to plan her mother's wedding. Despite a rocky past, new sparks fly amidst the splendor of Belize.

2. Enemies-to-Lovers Chemistry Explodes 🌶️
Vaughan creates palpable chemistry between Julia and Carson, proving once again her mastery over the enemies-to-lovers trope. The tension is as hot as the Belizean sun, with a spicy sprinkle of romantic escapades that keep you on your toes — and maybe on the edge of your beach chair!

3. Emotional Growth with a Side of Laughter 😄
Both Julia and Carson exhibit mature emotional growth, each overcoming past resentments. Carson, our golden-retriever-turned-respectable-gentleman, acknowledges his past mistakes and works diligently towards redemption. Their interactions are genuine and filled with humorous banter, making their slow-burn romance rewarding.

4. Belize: More Than Just a Backdrop 🌊
Vaughan vividly transports readers to Belize, creating a stunningly immersive experience. Every description of the lush waterfalls, adventurous zip-lining, and tantalizing local flavors, feels like a mini-vacation. Her love for the location shines through effortlessly, and trust me, you’ll want to book a flight by the end!

5. Family Dynamics Adding Layers 👨‍👩‍👦
The familial connections and dynamics add extra layers to the story. As their parents' wedding looms, both protagonists must navigate the tricky waters of soon-to-be step-siblings, which leads to heartfelt and often hilarious moments along the way.

Final Thoughts 💬
M.C. Vaughan does it again with "Destination Weddings and Other Disasters", offering an intoxicating blend of romance, humor, and heart in a sun-drenched setting. This sequel is a fantastic addition to the Afterglow Books series, living up to the brilliance of "Romancing Miss Stone", but with an island twist that’s both zesty and refreshing. If you’re seeking a romantic escape with multi-dimensional characters and captivating storytelling, this book is your perfect getaway! 🌺

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was amazing! I love books that are set on a beach and are filled with tension and banter. The romance was amazing!

I absolutely cherished this book. I appreciated how Carson knew what he did was wrong but never presumed Julia would forgive him easily. I loved how strong Julia was as well and was determined to make Carson pay lol

The banter between the two was great, I loved Julia's mom as well lol she was so cute!!

I appreciated the research the author did on Belize. It was really an immersive read!

If you need a cute read with two great characters, this is the one for you!

Thank you #NetGalley for the eARC of #DestinationWeddingsandOtherDisasters by M.C. Vaughan

If you’re craving a beach escape with just enough bite to keep things interesting, Destination Weddings and Other Disasters might be your next book. Set against the backdrop of Belize, this enemies-to-lovers rom-com is equal parts charm, emotional growth, and slow-burn.

Julia Stone is a no-nonsense event planner who just got the worst news imaginable: she has to work alongside her high school nemesis to plan her mother’s last-minute destination wedding. The nemesis in question? Carson Miller—former teenage menace, now an undeniably swoony golden retriever of a man with a six-foot frame and a suspiciously sincere apology.

The setup is classic, but Vaughan keeps it fresh by leaning into the emotional payoff. Julia and Carson are thrown into close quarters, lush waterfalls, steamy zip-line moments, and local flavors.

The spice is there, but it never overshadows the characters' growth. Carson’s remorse isn’t brushed off or over-explained; he owns it, and Julia takes her time trusting him again. Their dynamic feels mature and mutual, and their professions (both in hospitality/event planning) make for a believable partnership that isn’t about one-upping, but building together.

This is a 3.5, rounded to 4 stars for me. It was a clean, cute, palate cleanser read. The MMC is golden retriever energy (as mentioned in the book) and he’s adorable! I enjoyed the FMC as well but was team MMC. The story, plot, characters, location were all refreshing and good! I felt like I was on a summer vacation and want to book a trip to Belize ASAP! The banter between the characters was also good and well written. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for an easy and well written book.

Destination Weddings and Other Disasters was such a sweet, satisfying surprise. It was a perfect palate cleanser after a couple of recent disappointments that I have had. M.C. Vaughan delivers a light, heartwarming enemies to lovers romance with a tropical twist and just enough spice to keep things interesting.

Julia and Carson are soon to be step siblings who share a messy high school past, where Carson was (in typical teenage boy fashion) an absolute jerk. Fast forward to adulthood, and fate throws them together to plan their parents' destination wedding in stunning Belize. What I loved most was how grounded this story felt despite the breezy, vacation like setting. Both leads work in similar industries like hospitality and event planning, and their dynamic felt like a genuine partnership. Neither character’s success eclipsed the other’s, which made their slow burn reconnection really worth the payoff.

Carson’s growth was particularly refreshing. He didn’t excuse or minimize his past behavior, but he owned it, apologized sincerely, and let Julia decide how and when to forgive. And she didn’t rush into it either. That element of emotional maturity made the romance even more rewarding.

I’ve never been to Belize but M.C. Vaughan painted such a vivid, immersive picture and now I really want to go. From the cuisine and music to the natural beauty and cultural nuances, it felt like a love letter to the country. You could tell the author either has deep personal experience or did some seriously thoughtful research, which I appreciate. Her details were spot on and sometimes, authors throw this stuff in but then it doesn’t sound right or come off right because they didn’t actually know about the country or its culture.

All in all, this book was exactly what I needed. It was fun, flirty, and full of charm. If you’re into enemies to lovers with heart, destination weddings, and a splash of tropical spice, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, M.C. Vaughan, Harlequin for the eARC of this book.

This book was SO much fun! Im learning lately I love travel romances and this hit the spot. Julia and Carson were super hit, the tension was wild, and the location was gorgeous! I loved all the description, I felt like I was really there. Belize sounds stunning! This was a great, fun adventure romance for anyone looking for a little escape with some great romance.

Enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite trope, so when I saw the ARC available for this, I just had to request it. This is my first time reading an M.C. Vaughan novel and I definitely need to go back and read her catalogue!

Read if you enjoy:
*** Enemies to Lovers
*** Off the charts chemistry
*** Destination setting novel
*** Sizzling steam
*** Family dynamics woven into the story

After having tumultous interactions in high school, Julia and Carson are thrown back together as their parents are marrying each other. Now they must join forces to plan the wedding in Belize. I appreciated that Carson knew how much of an a** he was in high school, and knew he must make amends with Julia. The chemistry was on fire, and the spice was spicing!

All and all, this was an enjoyable read! Would recommend!

Thank you to Harlequin Romance and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

Rating: 3.75, upgraded to 4.
This was very sweet—a super cute palate cleanser after a couple of duds that left me irritated.
Julia and Carson are soon-to-be step-siblings who knew each other from high school. As per usual, high school boys are the worst, and Carson was a real jerk to Julia back in the day. After they're thrust back into each other's lives, they're tasked with planning their parents’ destination wedding in Belize.
I really liked that they both worked in similar fields—hospitality and event planning—but neither character’s past successes outshined the other. They both used their expertise and gave each other credit. I also appreciated that Carson didn’t expect forgiveness from Julia. He knew he treated her poorly, apologized, and offered some perspective. She chose to forgive him on her own terms.

I've never been to Belize, but it's clear the author either has personal experience or did impeccable research. The cultural details were spot-on and deeply appreciated. I felt like I got a true sense of the music, cuisine, and geography of Belize.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the advanced copy.

Thank you Harlequin and netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

This is book 2 in the Belize dreams series. MC did it again. I loved book 1 so much. The enemies to lovers trope is absolutely my favorite. High school rivals to almost step siblings as they plan their parents wedding... Carson proving to Julie that he has changed since high school... a spicy enemies to lovers book that I would gladly read again