Thank you to Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for sending me this advanced release audio book.

This was such a cute hidden summer gem. I’ve never read any books by Rachel Magee before, and this was lovely.

I listened to this on audio book, and the narrator did a brilliant job at bringing the characters to life, it was a real easy listen and I know I love an audio book when I listen to it at normal speaking speed and dont speed it up to get through it!

I really enjoyed the characters from the outset, and swapping from all the sisters and MMC’s POVs was really fun and I really enjoyed that. The storyline was predictable, there was nothing shocking or wow at any stage but it made the experience really relaxing and I just wish I had a beach to lay on whilst listening to it.

A summer for sisters and family tradition turn into a bet. Between bucket list completion in order to bond and new memories and experiences comes disaster as with every family event. A lovely story about sisterhood, family traditions (old and new) and summer love that may end up lasting longer.

What Not to Do on Vacation is the perfect mix of romantic comedy and family drama. Three sisters come together to stay at the beach house from their childhood summers and in the midst of the frustration, pettiness, and challenges they each find a little personal growth along the way. The love interest was not my favorite, but narrator Karissa Vacker does an excellent job of voicing multiple POVs.

3.5 stars - 0 spice - 3 sisters

Let me start off by saying that this is a very clean romance. So if that is something that you are looking for this is the book for you!

-multiple pov (4)
-how to lose a guy in 10 days X the taming of the shrew vibes
-sisterly bonding
-beach read
-wholesome banter
-summer bucket list
-dating app love story

TW:
-lose of a parent (not on page)
-no contact with a parent
-traumatic medical diagnosis

To me this was less of a romance novel and more of a sister bonding/chick lit summer read. Yes there was some romance, but the main plot line was of the three sisters trying to come together and reignite their bond with each other. Our sisters Savannah, Cora, and Bianca are all headed to their childhood beach house for the summer to honor their mothers last dying wish. Since her death 10 years ago, they have all drifted apart and Savannah hopes that this summer will allow them to bond again and have the relationship that she always wanted with each other.

When Bianca makes a very unexpected announcement, the sisters make a bet that Cora will not be able to get a man to stay with her for the entire summer. In order to ensure that the bet goes her way, Bianca enlists Jax to woo her sister. For the month that they are at the beach, the sisters spend quality time together, go on a few dates and try to ensure that they are going to win the bet.

I thought the plot was great for this book, but I will say that the pacing was a little slow for me. It took about 30% of the book before we even got to the main story line and I did not think that there needed to be 4 pov's. I think if it wanted to be a more romance focused book it would've been fine just having Jax and Cora as the main points of view.

The audiobook was very well done. The narrator, Karissa Vacker, did a great job at trying to differentiate all of the characters. She has a very soothing voice that was very easy to listen to. I will definitely be listening to her recordings in the future.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listener copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee was listed as a combination of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days and Ten Things I Hate About You. Which is the very reason I requested this book. I can say that the aforementioned combination is definitely representative of this story. This story is part romance (the super clean-only a little kissing kind) and part the story of sisters who have grown up and drifted apart-and their attempt to reconnect. There were certainly parts of the story I found to be cheesy, but all in all it was a fun book to listen to. The narrator brought the characters to life with her excellent performance. I will recommend this to anyone who wants a clean, lighthearted story with a little romance and family drama.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelsons, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own honest review.

Rating: 5
Spice: 1
Trope: Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Family Reconnecting

What Not To Do On Vacation by Rachel Magee was the perfect blend of 10 Things I Hate About You and Nobody Wants This. Rachel Magee delivers a charming and heartfelt story in about three sisters grieving the loss of their Mom and coping very differently with the loss. This novel is the perfect blend of humor, romance, and self-discovery, set against the backdrop of a chaotic yet unforgettable beach vacation. I really loved this book. It’s a perfect fun Summer read. Karissa Vacker did an amazing job with the narration! She had several characters she voiced and did it so well. I was so invested in each of the characters stories.

What Not to Do on Vacation is a heartfelt tale by Rachel Magee. This story recounts the summer beach trip of the three Prestly sisters. Savannah is the eldest, married and mother of two precious little girls. Cora is two years younger than Savannah and is a fantastic photographer with her own business but not so fantastic when it comes to relationships. Then there is Bianca, the baby of the family. Eight years younger than Savannah, she is the least settled and desperately seeking her niche.

Before their late mother passed she made Savannah promise to take her sisters back to Sunnyside in Florida for an extended summer vacation to reenact the many happy times they spent on their family vacations as children. As the eldest, Savannah feels duty bound to carry out this request. Plus, Savannah’s memories are the most extensive. So reservations are made, a month at the beach planned, and bombshells are ready to be dropped.

Savannah, although well in charge, is guarding a deep secret. Cora is struggling with issues of her own. And Bianca is about to make a life altering move designed to find her place in life but she just might lose herself in the process. An accident occurs that focuses the family lens and rights their course before disaster strikes.

This was such an enjoyable read. With dynamic characters and a lovely beach setting, the reader will be rewarded with every turn of the page. I do recommend this book!

This one was exactly what not to do in a romance novel: make it blank, predictable, and forgettable. There was nothing offensive about it—just nothing memorable either.

This is a story about sisterly love, romance, fun summer adventures and lots of laughs. Great combination of story elements. There was a diverse cast of characters and the story flowed well making a quick listen. The narrators brought the story to life.

In this charming, sister-centered romance, Savannah plans a month-long beach getaway to reconnect with her estranged sisters by recreating their childhood summers. She hopes sun, sand, and nostalgia will heal old wounds—while hiding a secret of her own. Meanwhile, Bianca drops a surprise: she’s getting married, and she’s determined to prove she has her life together by matchmaking her reluctant sister Cora using a fool-proof dating app. Cora, skeptical of love and her sisters' meddling, agrees to one disastrous date to prove them wrong. But when sparks fly with the town playboy, everything unravels. Family, love, and chaos collide in this heartfelt, hilarious summer escape.

4 stars!

This story gave me all the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes! A bet between sisters results in one agreeing to date this summer but with the intent to drive whoever she meets away. Meanwhile, the guy she falls for is up for an important role in his family's company but they want to see him settled down before they will consider him for the job. It's the perfect recipe for disaster.

Pie baking, pickleball, sandcastle contests and more fill this story with beachy vacation entertainment and the stories of each sister build this story into the ideal summer read. Author Rachel asked which sister I related to the most and I would say Savannah. Her secret is a big one, but she's desperate to create fun-filled family memories with her sisters before life gets real and unavoidable.

What Not to Do on Vacation is chock full of sweet sister chaos and getaway activities, and should be on any beach bag reads list this year!

Savannah is on a mission to reconnect the Prestly sisters the best way she knows how: reliving their carefree childhood summers at the beach. She's booked the same beach house and convinced the sisters to take a month off. What could possibly go wrong?

This had a healthy dose of drama. The youngest sister Bianca was engaged to a guy she didn't know well. The middle sister Cora was being set up via a dating app and wanted to prove that all men are unreliable. Savannah was keeping a secret from them both.

I loved the romances that bloomed even as the sisters squabbled and made up. There was only one narrator for multiple POVs and though there was no change in tone, she did a good job.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5⭐
Steam level: 1🌶️ Kissing only

A great beach read- this book is light, funny, well-written and easy to read. A sunny day, a cold drink and this charming book are a perfect combination.

Rating on Storygraph: 4,5

In my opinion, this displayed the complexities of family dynamics, interactions and connectedness really well. The author managed to express these complexities very well and beautifully. The whole experience felt very realistic and I appreciated the fact that not everything turned out perfect, it was messy, it was emotional, it was funny, heartfelt, but most impotantly, the story of Savannah, Bianca and Cora.

Cora's detachment, Bianca's hopeful optimism and Bianca's determination were all things that touched me. Their experiences as individuals and as a family had so many relatable aspects,and the author still made the book into such a beachy rom-com, summer read, and we got our happy ending. I had a blast with this one.

This was a delightful and lighthearted story full of the many dynamics of family, fake dating and the drama that comes with it! The plot was captivating from start to finish! I highly recommend this clean, funny, and darling read! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

What Not To Do On Vacation is such a sweet, wonderful and refreshing story about sisters, family, love, hope and so much more. This book has just the right balance of romance, comedy and family bickering to make it believable and endearing to readers.

This is a story of three sisters who have grown apart over time. Cora, Bianca and Savannah return together to their childhood vacation spot where they spend a month trying to rekindle their relationship. While they are there, Bianca drops a bomb on her sisters that she is engaged to a man she met on a dating site whom she has never met in person and is moving away to be with him. To convince her sisters that the dating site is legit, the three of them make a bet. If Cora, who has kept herself emotionally closed off for years, joins the site and finds love, she and Savanah will support Bianca and her decision to get married. But, if Cora does not find her soulmate, Bianca will have to call off her wedding.

Told from multiple points of view, the characters are so well developed and well rounded. Their different personalities shine through. The connections between them and the relationships they share are so natural that it is easy as a reader to feel like you are right there with them.
With no spice, this book has a fresh, family vibe and is perfect for a beach blanket read! I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator, Karissa Vacker was amazing! Her voice is easy to listen to, and she did a tremendous job bringing the different characters to life.

For anyone the requires trigger warnings, there are some deep topics such as the death of a parent and medical issues such cancer and heart health.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC of this book. It was such a joy to listen to!

This was such a fun easy read! At the beginning I was alittle bored by the story and unsure where it was going or if it was going to get better. And it truly did get better! When the sisters finally got down to Savannahs illness and what actually happened with their parents divorce, it really brought the sisters back together. I was really hoping that would happen because in the beginning and even during other parts of the story, the girls more seemed like they were going to have a huge falling out or huge blow up between the sisters. I also was hoping and really glad at Cora and Jax worked on them and figured out the beer meant to be together! Also the epilogue and how all their lives turned out ?! YES!!! I was just so happy for everyone in the end! What a great ending! I am giving this book a 3.5-4 out of 5 stars just because the beginning I wasn’t in the book but it ended great! Thank you Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to listen and review this audiobook!!

Thank you, Rachel Magee & Thomas Nelson / Zondervan Fiction, for this ALC copy of What Not to Do on Vacation 🏖

Karissa Vacker did a wonderful job narrating all of these characters. She sounds great doing male & female voices, and her fun, carefree style made this an entertaining audiobook.

The plot: I loved this book so much, and I really enjoyed the Prestley sisters and their tradition and nostalgia of staying at the beach house during the summer.

The romance storylines were great and definitely had "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" vibes!

This is the perfect beach read (or any time), and I highly recommend it. The whole book made me feel cheerful. 😊

You can find What Not to Do on Vacation on Amazon, Audible, & Kindle!

Great if you are craving a wholesome beach read with some serious themes. Loved the mix between women's fiction and a romantic comedy. Definitely a predictable read, so if you are looking for a book with a crazy/unexpected ending, this isn't the one for you - but sometimes you just crave a predictable HEA!! The sisterhood aspects of novels are always a fun one for me. Enjoyed this one :)

Thank you, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, Rachel Magee, and NetGalley for this ALC!!

What Not to Do on Vacation is a breezy, feel-good escape with just enough chaos to keep things interesting. The characters are fun, the setting is sunny and irresistible, and the romance is sweet without being over-the-top. There’s a bit of mayhem, a few heartfelt moments, and a whole lot of charm. It’s not reinventing the genre, but it’s the perfect kind of book to throw in your beach bag and finish with a smile.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
Rated PG for mild language, light romantic content, and vacation mishaps.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this audiobook. I really love this narrator and she did not disappoint this go around!

The story was lighthearted and endearing. I loved the sisters and can’t wait to see if we get more in their world because I would be here for it!