Thank you NetGalley, Uplit Reads, TNZ and the author the audio!

This is the PERFECT, must-have book to throw into your tote for a summer vacay or poolside read! That’s exactly what I did on a recent trip to PCB, Florida & I think the whole beach could hear me squeee when I realized the setting for this story was in the quaint seaside town of Sunnyside … just a mile down the road from our beach condo! Talk about an immersive reading experience on a whole new level! Gah!

And I absolutely loved the story! Messy family drama, sister bonding, lots of snark & clever banter, swoony no spice romance and a very satisfying happy ever after! It’s funny, charming, heartwarming with characters that capture your heart … all the things that make a rom-com so much fun!
I
listened to this on audio and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing this book to life and I absolutely recommend!

What Not to do on Vacation by Rachel Magee is a delightful, humorous and heartwarming romantic comedy that’s perfect for a quick escape. Narrated with charming energy, this audiobook brings to life the misadventures of its relatable main characters. The story follows a woman who after a series of unfortunate events finds herself on vacation with her sisters that turns into a rollercoaster of self-discovery, romance and lots of laughs.
The narrators performance is engaging, with distinct voices for each character helping to immerse you in the light hearted feel-good atmosphere of the story. The pacing is just right - funny, yet emotional at times.
While the plot doesn’t break any major new ground in the romance genre, the chemistry between the lead characters and the warmth of the setting make it an enjoyable listen. Whether you’re a fan of rom-coms or just looking for a light, breezy story, this audiobook is a perfect choice for vacation vibes - though it does highlight some things not to do on one!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. This was a cute story about 3 sisters coming together for the summer to bond. Each one has their own drama going on in their separate lives. I think the side story about AI dating match was a bit odd. I think we could have done without that part. But all in all it was a cute story and perfect for summer read.

Great, easy beach read! Loved this book on audio.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced audio copy . This book is a sweet story about three sisters made to spend a summer together in their summer home as adults , requested by their mother.
We go through their disagreements about how they should spend their time . Each adult sister is going through something in their own life, so how do they figure out how to get along all summer? Don’t hesitate on listening to this book !

Sisters Savannah, Cora, and Bianca head back to their family’s summer vacation destination in an attempt to reconnect and bond as adults. Each chapter alternated between 1 of the theee sisters’ POV, and as the reader it connected me to each of the women. I enjoyed watching the growing relationship between the women as well as the summer romances. This was a very sweet story, full of family love with a side of closed door romance. A great option to throw in your beach bag this summer!

This was great on audio! The narrator brought each character to life and I enjoyed listening to this story.

This book was funny, wonderful and oh so very good! Sister fun and laughs and romance between all 3 of them. Family, fun and good laughs. Really enjoyable and I really enjoyed this audio! I loved the narrator. Always enjoy listening to them. Will recommend this to anyone who will listen!

Super cute book! I always love a book set at the beach! Xander was very cringy. I’m glad Bianca came to her senses. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for allowing me to listen to the book. The narrators were perfect.

"What Not to Do on Vacation" is a heartfelt blend of romance and family drama that delivers both emotional depth and lighthearted charm. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each of the sisters through their unique points of view. Each one bringing a fresh perspective and adding richness to the story. The supporting characters were equally compelling, perfectly complementing the main cast and bringing warmth and humor to the narrative.

What begins as a simple vacation meant for bonding soon turns into a transformative journey. The sisters not only reconnect with each other, but also confront the pain of their shared past, offering forgiveness, rediscovering themselves, and, for some, even finding unexpected love. The story kept me fully engaged from start to finish and I found myself eagerly turning the pages, not wanting to put it down.

This is a touching, well-crafted novel about family, healing, and second chances and is an absolute joy to read.

A Delightful, Laugh-Out-Loud Escape!

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee is everything I want in a vacation read—charming, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt. From the very first page, I was hooked by the witty writing and the refreshingly relatable characters. Magee perfectly captures the chaos and comedy that can unfold when best-laid plans go hilariously wrong.

The protagonist's misadventures are not only entertaining but also layered with genuine moments of self-discovery and unexpected romance. The pacing is spot-on, the dialogue sparkles, and the setting made me want to book a trip—preferably with a much better itinerary!

Rachel Magee has a talent for mixing humour and heart in a way that feels effortless. If you’ve ever had a vacation that didn’t go according to plan (and let’s face it, who hasn’t?), this book will have you laughing, cringing, and cheering all at once. A perfect beach bag pick—I couldn’t put it down!

Highly recommend for fans of romantic comedies, armchair travel, and anyone who’s ever needed a vacation from their vacation.

While there are only 3 sisters to follow on this journey, at the beginning of the book, I had a heck of a time trying to separate them and keep the facts straight. But once I did, the book flowed, and the characters came to life for me and became friends. I hated seeing any of them in pain, and I was so happy to see that love won out in the end. (What's a rom-com without a happy ending?) The author did an amazing job with this book. I really look forward to reading more from her.

Karissa Vacker, the narrator, did a great job keeping each voice separate and giving us characters we could tell apart and fall in love with.

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This book was an absolute pleasure to read and a breath of fresh air. It was a fun read that I was excited to pick up each time I had to put it down for real life. This was a fun beach read that I could not put down! Savannah and her two sisters rent the beach home they rented as a family years ago to recreate their beach summers. This was a heartwarming combo of my two favorite rom com movies: How to Lose a Guy in 10 days and 10 Things I Hate About You. The characters were fun, the plot line was easy to follow and the romance was cute. Each sister finds herself again in a new light. This was a cozy story that I finished in two days. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic! A perfect summer read!

This was a great low spice, clean beach read. I liked the rom-com aspect as well as the banter. If you are looking for lighthearted sisterly love this one will catch your eye. A mix of family drama, fake dating, online dating apps and laughter! you won't be disappointed.

What an unexpected delight!!! I immediately fell in love with the characters and was hooked from the start.

Savannah, Cora, and Bianca are sisters who reunite at the beach house they vacationed at in their youth in an effort to recreate the connection they had in those halcyon days. Except nothing is going as planned. Bianca announces her plan to marry a man she’s only interacted with online. Major red flag for her older sisters!!! Bianca, in an effort to prove that the online matchmaking site is legit, makes a bet with Cora that the site can find her soulmate. If it does, the sisters will support the marriage. If not, Bianca will abandon her plans to marry and move to Idaho.

Cora doesn’t believe in love. Not for herself, at least. Her goal is to scare away the match in order to win the bet. That becomes a challenge when the match—Jax— is charming, handsome, and setting off butterflies in Cora’s belly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The banter is elite!!! The setting transported me to the beach and I could feel the ocean breeze. The romance tropes were complimented by the sister/family relationship plot lines. All three sisters were likable and I was rooting for each to get her HEA.

The audiobook is narrated my Karissa Vacker who is simply one of the best. Her ability to make each character’s perspective distinct is a tribute to her incredible talent. This was a fun read/listen and an absolutely perfect summer diversion. While it may be a no spice rom-com, it still brings the tension I look for in a romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, UpLit Reads, and Thomas Nelson Audio for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

What Not to Do on Vacation is the perfect summer beach read - a charming small town, sweet romances, and sisters who love each other but have lost some of their connection.

These kind of books always make me want to abandon my life and move to some tiny beach town. 😂

I loved the relationship between the sisters. It’s beautiful when real relationships are portrayed, relationships that have so much love but also have some issues. Watching their growth throughout the story, with each other, with romantic partners, and as individual people, was so rewarding and I couldn’t help but fall in love with all three of them.

Add in some charming romantic interests and what more can you ask for?

This audiobook was great.

This was my first time reading a book by Rachel Magee—and I loved it! What Not to Do on Vacation is a warm, funny, and heartfelt story about three estranged sisters reconnecting at their childhood beach house. The mix of family drama, sweet romance, and laugh-out-loud moments kept me hooked.

Cora and Jax’s slow-burn relationship was a highlight, and the sisterly dynamic felt so real. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author. Perfect for fans of feel-good beach reads with heart!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC to review!

“We’re all stronger when surrounded by our loved ones.”

I was so excited to read this book. Not only is it the first book I’ve read from this author, I thought it would be the perfect “start to summer book” and I was right. I loved the beach vibe of the cover too.

The story is full of humor and heart and I really enjoyed these three sisters. Savannah, Cora, and Bianca are fantastic characters. The development of these women is well done. Their healing and mending of past hurts was expressed well. The bargain the sisters make was a great lead to the story. The idea of the dating app for Cora and Jax was fun.

The multiple POVs was done well. The author does a great job of showing each sister and their needs. Savannah wants the perfect reunion, to relive all the fun things the sisters did in their youth, but her motives are for other reasons. I loved Bianca and her positivity and how she improves her situation, and hatches a plan for Cora. My favorites were Jax and Cora. They had the perfect meet-cute toothbrush argument. The two had amazing chemistry.

The audio narrator was fantastic. Karissa Vickers does a great job with all the voices. Her tone and expression brings the story to life.

Thank you to @uplitreads for including me in the tour. Thank you to the publisher for the NetGalley links for the audio/ebook and the paperback!

Perfectly bingeable, I listened to this audio in one day! Voiced by Karissa Vacker, the personalities of the characters shine!

I was immediately sucked into the lives of sisters Savannah, Cora, and Bianca, who have rented the same Florida beach they had many wonderful family vacations, for a month long holiday. Savannah, the eldest, is hiding something. Bianaca, the youngest, is set to marry a man she hasn't met IRL and has roped middle sister Cora into using the same dating app to prove it works! I enjoyed the dynamic of the sisters, the setting. And the side characters. There were two fun romances included that gave me all the heart flutters of new love, in a clean romance.

What can go wrong? Expect a fun sister drama, a sweet romance (or two) and quite a lot of laughs.

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!