I loved book one but I just can’t do the step brother/sister trope. It’s just too weird for me. I tried to read this one, and see if I could get past the weirdness of the trope, but I couldn't. I'm sure others will love it, I just can't do this trope.

3.5 stars.
When I first started reading this book I did not realize it was part of a series. However, I do not think that you need to read the first book to still enjoy this book. It might enhance your experience seeing characters from previous books, but it is not needed before reading.
This is almost a second chance romance book, with a hint of bully romance? We find out almost immediately that the MMC was actually a “minor” bully to the FMC in high school. I am not a huge fan of these types of romances, but because it was in the past and it was mostly talked about and not shown it wasn’t as bad. Also the MMC shows genuine remorse which I feel like lacks a lot in bully romances.
The plot of the book is fun, even if the FMC’s mom is kind of annoying with her demands. We are able to go on adventures with the MC’s and the obvious love the FMC has for the area is contagious and makes the book that much better.
Overall, I feel like this was a fun read even if some of the troupes are “not for me”. I would like to read more from the author in the future.

A cute cozy romance that travels to Belize. I think this would be a great series to learn about other countries. I do wish there could have been a little more touristry dump.
The love story was fun and interesting and I really enjoyed the banter.
Great quick read!

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

3.5

This was fairly cute but I was definitely a little more frustrated with these characters than book 1's.

Our MMC had previously bullied our FMC when they were in high school and ultimately was part of the reasoning our FMC has anxiety and used to have anxiety attacks. I think that it was really difficult for me to get past that to really get into their relationship. The MMC POV definitely did showcase his regret and dislike over his past actions and did apologize on multiple ocassions to our FMC and proved he had changed but again, that is just a major point of her traumatic past. For our FMC, I was frustrated with how she couldn't seem to talk to her sister but from the outside looking in, and knowing the sister's story, that was kinda annoying. Not a major annoyance but was just a little ugh!

I loved being back in Belize though and did enjoy MC Vaughan's writing as a whole so I will look forward to what comes next. I just don't think this couple worked for me.

🙌🏻 What worked for me:
• The tropical setting of Belize was a major highlight, creating a great vibe for the story.
• The second-chance romance was great, especially with the high school past and the new twist of their parents getting married.
• Carson's character arc was very satisfying. I appreciated his genuine efforts to make up for how he acted in the past.
• The forced proximity trope was used perfectly, with them having to plan the wedding together in another country.
• The spicy scenes were well-integrated into the story, but also easy to skip for those who prefer less steam.
• The book works as a standalone, even though it's technically book two in a series.

🚫 What didn't work for me:
• Julia's reluctance to stand up for herself became a bit frustrating. I wished she had found her voice and challenged her family members sooner.

🤜🏻 Would I recommend: Yes! This was a fun and satisfying second-chance romance.

Read if you enjoy:
✔️ Second-chance romance
✔️ Reformed Jerks
✔️ Palpable tension
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ Tropical settings
✔️ Destination wedding chaos

Julia and Carson had a big falling out in high school. When their parents get engaged, the soon-to-be step-siblings get roped into planning the destination wedding. As sparks fly, will their past bad blood and future as a family get in the way? Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this read

Step siblings in a common taboo to play with in dark romance so it was unexpected to see it in the contemporary genre. Vaughan leaves a few breadcrumbs to indicate a drama but she leaves us in suspense until the very end.

Vaughan spelled out why women love romance novels. Carson says he wants to prove to Julia she is worth the effort. She says knowing the little things are important to her. He listens and learns the important little things (the food she likes, how she takes her coffee etc).

I had one mini-rant I saved for the blog but otherwise, I enjoyed this. The location added a lot of fun. The spicy scenes were good and flowed nicely with the plot. I was hovering between 3.5-4 stars but I opted to round up. Vaughan had some important messages a lot of women need to hear. Your happiness matters. You are worth the effort. Never forget that.

This book was so much fun! It was a quick listen with humor and deep emotion, and the conflict was thick and messy-exactly how I love my romances. The characters had great goals and fantastic growth. The story was entertaining, and I devoured this one from start to finish.
Julia and Carson had a complicated relationship. They knew and liked each other in high school, but things got complicated as relationships often do. They are thrown back together when Julia's mom and Carson's dad are getting married. To make matter's worse, both of them are in charge of the wedding plans. I adored this enemies to lovers story. This is my first book by this author, and it definitely won't be my last. I can't wait to read more! I received this book from Harlequin Romance and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

⭐ 4
🌶️ 1
🥵 Spicy chapters: 16, 19
📚 Tropes/Themes: step siblings, hate to love, enemies to lovers, it's always been you, forced proximity, opposites attract, golden retriever MMC, second chance
👀 Dual POV 3rd person
💔 Triggers: mentions of: parental death, toxic parents and parental abandonment

💬This was a cute enemies to lovers/second chance romance that actually had a believable ETL plot IMO. Most of the time they seem more like hate to love than enemies but this one was realistic.

I enjoyed the low angst drama and I'm secretly a sucker for the high school bully has always been in love with her trope, and the added layer of them being future step siblings was enjoyable. Plus, it's just a really fun idea for a plot line.

I also enjoyed following up with Alex and Bo, the MCs from the first book. Technically, this book is a standalone and you won't be too lost if you don't read Romancing Miss Stone first, but it does enhance your understanding of Julia and especially her mom.

I wasn't real thrilled with everything that happened with Julia's mom though (and I felt this way in the first book too). She is a low-key narcissist, or at least that's how she's painted in the book. I didn't really understand or like how they kept placating her.

Annnnddddd I really hope Julia gets therapy 😅

A great setting, where Julia and Carson organise a wedding for their parents. They clash at first, but can her finally convince her he isn't the bad guy she thinks he is?

3.75⭐️ rounded up to 4. This is the second book in the Belize Dreams series and can easily be read as a standalone. Julia’s mom is getting remarried to none other than to the father of Julia’s high school bully, Carson. The guy that made her life a living hell in high school is now her soon to be brother and the two have been assigned to plan their parents dream wedding.

Destination Weddings and Other Disasters was such a fun, summer read. The story takes you right into the heart of Belize. The author did an amazing job bringing Belize’s food and culture right to the reader.

There were lots of silly moments that had me giggling but it was its upbeat cute storyline that is what made this the perfect warm weather read to add to your summer TBR. I enjoyed the fast pace and the easy flowing dialogue. The characters were well developed and leapt off the page. I read in tandem with an audio ARC and you really can’t go wrong with either option. M.C. Vaughan is officially on my radar and I’m excited to checkout her other novels.

Enemies to lovers destination wedding planning snafus as the adult children have to help plan their parents wedding in Belize on very little notice. This had tons of family drama, a redemption arc for the MMC who fell first when they were kids but made a stupid mistake. There's spice and some cameos from the first book in the series but it can definitely be read as a standalone and was good on audio. A fun summer beach read romance! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

I went in to this relatively blind and was so wonderfully surprised. This story is a continuous ride of surprises as the high school bully tries to win over his high school crush (cuz you always hurt the ones you love, right?). And did I mention this reunion happens while co-planning their parents wedding? Awkward! It has been 10 years since high school but this to clearly still carry a torch. The enemies to lovers vibes abound mixed with some forbidden romance shenanigans and plenty of forced proximity. A recipe for love if I’ve ever seen one. I fully lost myself in longing for Carson and Julia to get their act together. In the end he pulls out all the stops to show her he “sees” her like no one else. A beautiful tropical HEA and a wonderful story.

This was a great and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

Julia, the people pleaser and helper, always soothes everyone’s problems. Now, she has to plan a destination wedding for her mother alongside her high school bully, Carson—the man who taunted her, made fun of her looks, and called her names. You might think, "Oh, huge red flag! I can’t imagine ever liking him." But the man has changed. After ten years, he has learned to be better and has acknowledged his past mistakes.

The romance was cute, and I enjoyed the yearning immensely. However, I felt that there wasn’t the chemistry I was looking for—perhaps because I love banter and sarcasm, which we didn't have here. I appreciated that we explored more than just romance; family issues were heavily discussed.

I honestly did not like Julia’s mother or her sister. There was so much that was not addressed regarding their constant controlling behavior and how they ignored her. It felt as though the author introduced the conflict purely for the plot and then quickly dismissed it. There were also other aspects that I found confusing and that were left unaddressed; a lot was ignored in favor of the romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin I received a ARC for an honest review !

Destination Wedding and Other Disasters is the second title in the Belize Dreams series and brings us Julia’s and Carson’s history-filled romance. During their high school years, Julia was often bullied by Carson, and she hasn’t forgotten even one encounter. It doesn’t help one bit that even though Carson’s actions hurt, Julia had a crush on the guy, which she never acknowledged. There were reasons for Carson’s behavior, and as an adult, he’s apologized, claiming to be a changed man… but not so fast, empty words won’t prove a thing. Julia challenges him to prove it, to comfortably work side by side as they organize and plan their parents’ wedding (her mother, his father). After all, they’ll soon be stepsiblings, so it’s reasonable that they get along at the very least.

I enjoyed Destination Wedding and Other Disasters by M.C. Vaughan very much. It’s well-written, full of wit and banter, confessions and forgiveness, and conflicted emotions. While I haven’t yet read the first book in this series, I believe you can enjoy this one as a standalone without any problem. If you love an enemies-to-lovers romance with likable characters, discovering love with an adult perspective, and simply a fun, cute romance, then you’d love Destination Wedding and Other Disasters.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

What do you do when you realize that the woman your dad is marrying is the mother of the girl you teased in high school? Despite taunting and teasing Julia Stone in high school Carson Miller secretly liked her. Upon news that his father is about to marry her mother. his life is about to be turned upside down.

Julia Stone remembers the boy who teased her in high school and is less than thrilled their parents are about to be married. Will she be able to handle sharing the responsibilities of planning or will the past impact their success. Two event planners, unresolved issues, and a fear of trust will lead her to make choices that could impact her family, future, and finding her own happy-ever-after.

It's time to find out what happens when frenemies are forced to plan their parents destination wedding in Belize. Will the close proximity in a tropical destination wedding elevate them to lovers or the realization they are about to become step-siblings be enough to douse that spark?

A spicy forbidden romance with adventure, drama, spice, and a whole lot more if you're looking for a quick vacation read.

While this is the second book in the Belize Dreams series it can be read as a standalone read.

Thank you Harlequin - Romance for this arc.


I loved last year’s “Romancing Miss Stone” and was thrilled to be offered an arc for the next book in the series. Not gonna lie – enemies to lovers is not my favorite trope but … see sentence one. I was hoping that I’d get something more along the lines of the first book.

I made it more than halfway through this one but even before I stopped, I was having trouble. As another reviewer says, we know from the start that Carson is basically head over heels in love – or lust – with Julia and has been for years. Meanwhile Julia had feelings for Carson but initially thinks of him as that bully who ruined her teenage years. This pretty much gets resolved early on. Part of me likes that this didn’t get dragged out and yet, what’s left if such a major plot issue is more or less resolved? Nevertheless, I pushed on.

There’s plenty of lust and ogling. Lots and lots of ogling and thinking naughty thoughts and jealousy – mainly from Carson when any other man looks at Julia. She is obsessed with what Carson is wearing or not wearing as well as feeling left out of her family’s major life events. The wedding planning allows lots of descriptions of how amazing Belize seems to be so yay for that.

But the scene at an evening beach music concert when suddenly Julia locks lips with Carson and then does a 180, sprinting away and worried that half of the country was watching her and that she’ll be the major person in the next week’s local news cycle baffled me. When Carson hurries after her, we get treated to Julia moaning about her lack of relationship potential in the face of hot Carson telling her she’s hot, too. Sorry but Julia sounds like she’s still sixteen. And suddenly, I’d reached the end of my patience with this story.

I wanted more fun as in the first book. Instead there’s too much wedding planning, too much Julia whingeing and more lusting than romance. Sadly this one is a DNF for me.

Destination Weddings and Other Disasters is a light, funny, and easy read that blends romance with chaos in sunny settings. M.C. Vaughan brings humor to the forefront, making it perfect for readers who enjoy a breezy rom-com escape. The mishaps and miscommunications around the destination wedding setup deliver their fair share of laughs and eye rolls—in a good way.

Carson and Julia are likable characters, and their dynamic has a lot of charm at the start. However, as the story progresses, their conflicts become a bit too repetitive. They circle around the same emotional roadblocks without much growth, which makes the second half feel predictable. The tension loses its punch when it’s recycled too often, and some plot points felt like déjà vu.

That said, if you're in the mood for something undemanding and cheerful—with a dash of romantic drama—this book will still entertain. Just don’t expect anything particularly fresh or surprising.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy - all thoughts and opinions are my own!

I had not read the first book in the Belize Dreams series, and sadly, never having been to Belize, I was excited to read a book focusing on the gorgeous Central American paradise.

This book didn't disappoint. By making Julia a Belize native, the book shows some interesting dynamic of growing up in such a tourist hub - Julia, her sister Alex and all their friends really do make a living catering to tourists who visit, but also discuss the difference between haute cuisine for the tourists and the more everyday local dishes that they enjoy.

I thought the book handled the main characters past well (let she who was not an idiot in high school cast the first stone at our hero, former high school idiot Carson), and I loved the message that we can also continue to grow and be better people. Thanks to Harlequin for the early copy. I'd recommend to fans of Emily Henry's "People We Meet on Vacation"