this was such a fun read!! i wil have to reread poolside this summer - it was a perfect read for the summer! i really really enjoyed the narrators

It was more than just a romance; it was a heartfelt journey of rekindling sisterly bonds and self-discovery in a summer home that was filled with cherished memories.

As a kid, I remember having the best family gatherings where my giant Mexican family would come over for BBQ, hit the beach, go camping, and celebrate holidays together. Now, as an adult, I'm just like Savannah wishing to reconnect with my cousins, wishing we could all get together to make more memories, to be able to get to know each other after all of us live our separate lives with our own kids. Reading this story, just makes me a little sad because it's so easy to drift away from those who meant the world to you as a kid.

Why didn't this get a full 5-star review? Well, one, maybe it was the audiobook's doing but man... I couldn't keep track of who was who at the beginning of the book, and it was definitely predictable. Still would highly recommend and this would be a great beach read!

This book was an absolute delight to read! It had everything I look for — engaging writing, memorable characters, and a story that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. The author’s voice is distinct and compelling, making it easy to get lost in the world they created, no matter the genre.

I'm incredibly grateful to the publisher for the early copy. It was such a joy to read this in advance, and I can’t wait for more readers to experience it. Highly recommend!

What Not To Do on Vacation by @rachelmageeauthor

Thank you @uplitreads and @harpermusebooks for the #gifted physical copy and @harperaudio for an ALC.

Swipe for the synopsis!

If you are looking for a book for your beach or pool bag this summer, look no further! This was such a fun and entertaining read about three sisters who are all going through their own situations, the oldest not wanting to tell her sisters so as not to worry them, the middle one ignoring her emotions, and the baby oblivious to hers. They have a month together at the beach to bond and maybe do a little self discovery too.

With humor and heart, Rachel Magee sucked me in from the start and I had so much fun listening to the audio narrated by @karissavacker

Rating:
I really enjoyed it!

What you’ll find:
Beach read
Sisters relationships
Humor
Sweet romance

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.

This is such a sweet, happy beachy rom-com's. And very much a clean romance, which I find more enjoyable, personally. (I like to use my imagination!) With a cast of characters that are likable, the book was a joy to pick up and so hard to put down! I wanted these characters to be real people!

This was an enjoyable light summer romance. Recommend to any that are looking for a light, fun read.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

What Not to Do on Vacation is such a fun, lighthearted summer read that is perfect for the beach! I finished it in one day!

I received the ALC and Karissa Vacker did a wonderful job with he narration. She did a great job distinguishing between the characters and keeping me engaged the whole time.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for providing with this ALC in exchange for honest thoughts.

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee is a delightful rom-com, just perfect for summer down days. Three sisters find themselves at the beach, just like when they were little. Except, nothing is like when they are little. Not them as people, not their expectations, not even their memories of their time there. There are stories within the story and still, they all blend together seamlessly and create an excitement for when the point of view switches again. I adored each of the sisters and their reasons for being there as well as their reason for staying, because let’s face it, nothing ever goes as planned. The messes, and chaos, and drama, and familial love are all wrapped up nicely with well-timed humor and poignant life lessons. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to more by this author.
In addition to the book, I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, narrated by Karissa Vacker. I thought she did a great job with distinguishing all the characters, nuances, and general essence of the story.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

What Not to Do on Vacation is a fun summer read that is perfect for the beach! If you love sister drama, fake dating with dating apps and grand plans that seem to be under control, but quickly go sideways this book is for you. I listened to the audiobook and Karissa Vacker did a wonderful job with he narration. Very easy to listen to and great tempo.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for providing an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts.

I gave this book 4 stars

🌺ℙ𝕦𝕓 𝔻𝕒𝕪 𝔸𝕃ℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨🌺

What not to do on Vacation by @rachelmageeauthor
4🌟

☀️Happy Release Day!!!!☀️
Ok what a cute summer love story!!

Really sweet adventure that started as different bets that everyone had that summer vacation to the beach
Cora was a jilted angry woman who assumed all men were the same but love that she was proven wrong with Jax

Not gonna lie her Sisters Savanah & Bianca annoyed me a little bit🤣 while I understand the reasoning for Savanah I was kinda annoyed like just talk to themmmmm and Bianca while 26 I feel acted more like a 19 year old

Overall though I really enjoyed the story & the narrator did a great job! I’d love a pov from the sisters too!!

Big thank you to @netgalley, @thomasnelson and @zondervan for a copy to listen to for Review!!

✨Review - What Not To Do On Vacation by @rachelmageeauthor

This retelling of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew brings all the beachy vibes as three sisters meet at a vacation home in Florida to fulfil their mother’s dying wish of them reconnecting to relive childhood memories.

This one was so sweet. Lots of sisterly drama that ultimately ends in reconciliation and healing. Each sister’s character was very well developed, and I loved that you got to read from each of their POV. And then of course there was some romance too. Each of our love interests came into the relationship with a secret agenda, and I loved seeing their defences wear down as they became more vulnerable with each other.

A huge thanks to @uplitreads for allowing me to be part of this campaign. All thoughts are my own.

What Not to Do on a Vacation - a modern day ode to romcoms and the taming of the shrew..

Rachel Magee has woven a beautiful tale of the dynamics and communication struggles haunting the Presley Aisters - Savannah, Cora and Bianca...
Urged by their mother's dying wish, they head back to Sunnyside Beach to recapture the magic of their childhood, but this is easier said when one also has to rehash the pain of the past..
The tale begins when Bianca declares she will marry someone from her online AI matched app, and challenges her loner middle sister, Cora, to see if she can't find love
Enter Jax Verona, who must show a sign of commitment to his uncle to gain the VP position in the family enterprise. Its a how to lise a guy in 10 days meets taming of the shrew .. (I live for the subtle referenced like when the dun deck becomes the moon deck!!!)
The narrator did a fantastic job in capturing the sarcasm of Cora, the weary motherly indictments of Savannab and the vivacity of Bianca perfectly!! A joy to listen to and i finished in a day!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the audiobook!! Looking forward to more!!!

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for an arc. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this. Fun romcom with some emotional family dynamics thrown in. Reminds you of a classic 2000’s romcom which I love. Definitely recommend.

An excellent beach read for the summer, What Not to Do on Vacation is filled with family drama and a slow burn romance that will light you on fire. I found relatability within the Prestly sisters identifying the most with Cora; a no nonsense realist who is shocked to find out her sister plans to marry a man she's never met because of an app. What starts off as a sisterly challenge turns into more when Cora joins the app just to prove her sister Bianca wrong. Meanwhile Savannah just wants to live in the past, unfortunately, sometimes you can't really go home again.

With a nice mix of family drama and romance, I found a lot to love reading What Not to Do On Vacation. Karissa Vacker did a fabulous job narrating!

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the gifted ALC.

What a perfect summer read. Sisters, Savannah, Cora and Bianca go back to their childhood vacation spot to try to connect. When Cora and Bianca make a bet about whether an AI dating app can actually find true love, the summer takes a turn and only a family emergency can bring them back together. I loved the story of 3 very different sisters managing life and coming together. The narrator is so good and gives everyone very distinct voices.

A summer beach trip use to be a summer tradition for sisters Savannah, Bianca, and Cora. Savannah is determined to recreate that childhood memory and rents the same beach house they use to go, created a bucket list of activities, and talked her sisters into clearing a whole month to join her. It should be magical and bring back the joy they had before their mom passed away. But Bianca has a surprise to share and after sharing she has gotten engaged to someone she met online and is planning to move across the country, Bianca tries to proof to her sisters that just because she is the baby of the family and has made some bad choices in the past, she has made a good choice now. Cora is happy doing her own thing and while Savannah hopes she will give love another chance, Cora agrees to being set up on a date to prove how ridiculous her sisters are being.

This book was described as being like Ten Things I Hate About You meets How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days and it did give those vibes, but in a less entertaining way. The writing was fine, but I didn't really care for the characters and the storyline felt very cliché. I was thinking it was going to be more about the sister relationship, and it ended up being more about the love interests. It was cutesy and had HEA for everyone. If you are looking for a simple easy rom com, this one published today, May20th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson/Zondervan for this audio ARC! The narrator, Karissa Vacker's, voice matches perfectly to this "beach" read. To my utter dismay, I was not actually listening to it on a beach. The male “voice” reminded me of Tyler from Wednesday, and I didn’t hate it (like I quite hated that character). Vacker did a great job, and all of the voices were distinctive enough that I could follow along without confusion.

"Yeah, it was going to be a long month.”

Tagging along with the three sisters on their long overdue beach vacation had all the feels. I cycled through every emotion as I devoured this, and couldn’t wait to find out if what I expected to happen, happened. It was a perfect listen on a very hot and sunny day.

If you’re looking for a fun and easy to digest “beach read” (whether actually at the beach or just pretending) this one is for you!

This is a smart, sunny rom-com with emotional depth and an Austen-like sensibility that elevates it beyond the typical beach read. As three adult sisters gather at their family’s coastal retreat, buried tensions and romantic complications surface—setting the stage for a story that explores identity, connection, and second chances with both humor and heart. The novel’s structure and tone call to mind Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, particularly in its focus on sisterly contrasts, romantic skepticism, and the slow unraveling of personal assumptions.

The audiobook, narrated by Karissa Vacker, is an excellent production. Vacker brings warmth, clarity, and distinct personality to each voice, handling gender and emotional tone with skill. Her performance enhances the lively banter, grounds the more reflective moments, and makes the family dynamics feel all the more believable.

While some of the characters’ internal monologues revisit the same emotional territory a bit too often, the sparkling dialogue, heartfelt resolutions, and layered relationships more than make up for it. The sisters themselves feel like modern echoes of Austen heroines—Savannah’s kindness and steadiness evoke Jane Bennet, Cora combines Elinor Dashwood’s quiet depth with Elizabeth Bennet’s wit, and Bianca channels both Emma’s impulsive matchmaking and Marianne’s emotional exuberance.

Overall, this was a fun, light listen that balances humor with heart and delivers a satisfying story of growth and love. It’s a perfect pick for readers who enjoy character-driven romance with literary nods, a summery setting, and strong family themes. Highly recommended for fans of Austen, sister stories, and clean contemporary romance.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio | Thomas Nelson Fiction for this ALC . This is my honest review

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and ALC of this one!

This is such a light / easy summer read. There is romance behind it but consider it a slow / PG burn. Usually with family dynamic books I tend to dislike 1-2 characters, but somehow with these three sisters and the side characters, I really liked them all. There's drama sure, but there's also humor and witty banter. What a fun read, and one that has made me want to check out more of Rachel's work.

I tandem read/listened and thought the narrator did a great job mixing up the voices to ensure each sisters personality shined through.

This is a cute, quick summer read. While I did enjoy the story and getting to know the three sisters, I did not feel there was a lot of depth to any of them. Each of their personalities is only touched on very superficially and everything is wrapped up pretty neatly at the end. The audiobook narration was a bit annoying at times with the high pitched voices and I think I would have actually preferred to read this rather than listen to the audio for this particular book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC.

One of my all-time favorite movies growing up was "10 Things I Hate About You" and still, to this day, I will watch it as a middle-aged woman :) This book had all of those angsty-vibes and lovable characters. It centers on sister bonds and is an excellent (and clean!) "beach read." I had the absolute delight of getting both the e-ARC and the audio version. The audio version was absolutely delightful!!! The narrator added an extra element with the voice acting of the different characters--I absolutely loved listening to it on my drives to/from work! I definitely recommend this book!! A solid 4 star read! **I received a complimentary audio ARC and e-ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.