Ten Things I Hate About You mixed with How To Lose a Guy In Ten Days is the perfect description. This book was so much fun! I loved the story!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The setting was one of my favorites. The characters were well developed and the story line kept me turning the pages!

What Not To Do On Vacation by Rachel Magee

What Not To Do On Vacation was such a fun, feel-good read. Three sisters, one beach house, and a whole lot of history between them. Savannah’s trying to bring them back together with a nostalgia-packed summer, Bianca’s surprising everyone with a wedding and a matchmaking mission, and Cora… would really rather not be involved in any of it—but agrees to a date just to prove a point.

I loved how different the sisters were—there’s sass, heart, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, but also some really lovely scenes about growing up, growing apart, and figuring out how to reconnect. It’s sweet, funny, and full of that warm, summery vibe that makes it perfect for a vacation read.


🎧 Audiobook Review: Karissa Vacker absolutely nailed this audiobook. She’s so easy to listen to—it honestly felt like spending the day with a friend just telling me a really great story. She handled all four characters effortlessly, and I never once got confused about who was speaking. Every voice had its own vibe, and the emotional shifts? So natural. The banter felt even snappier, the quiet moments hit harder, and the whole family dynamic came through in such a real, relatable way. She made the whole experience even better.

What Not to Do on Vacation is a moving and lighthearted story about sisterhood, healing, and second chances. At the center is Cora, who’s running from love and holding onto resentment toward her dad for divorcing their mom—and for not being there when their mom got sick. There’s a lot of emotional weight she’s carrying, and it adds depth to her character.

The story follows Cora and her two sisters—Bianca and Savannah—as they take a trip to reconnect. Savannah, who is quietly battling an illness, encourages the trip and creates a nostalgic bucket list of fun things they used to do together. It’s her way of making sure they have one last perfect summer together.

Bianca is about to move away and marry a man she’s never met in person, which adds even more tension. Cora, skeptical of the whirlwind romance, makes a bet that she won’t fall for her match online—only to find herself caught off guard when love comes knocking for her, too.

This story beautifully balances humor, heartbreak, and healing. I loved the way it explored complicated family dynamics, the power of sisterly love, and the importance of letting go. A touching, warm summer read with emotional depth and charm.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute book with heartwarming characters and a fun plot. Great for a beach read...just the right mix of romantic comedy.

What Not to Do on Vacation is a heartwarming, funny, and charming read about sisterhood, love, and the beautiful chaos of family. I loved the multiple POVs and how each sister brought something unique to the story. The banter, family drama, and sweet romance made this a perfect light, feel-good vacation read.

Thank you @uplitreads & @rachelmageeauthor @tnzfiction for the #gifted copy for this #BookTour. All thoughts are my own.

This book had me at sisters on vacation. As one of three myself, I’d love to do something similar (but maybe less angst??). Love the angst in the book though! Rachel did a fantastic job showing all the facets of what sisterhood means, the ins and outs of being protective and nosey but also when to let go.
Savannah is determined to reconnect with her sisters and books the same beach rental from their childhood for a month. They are going to relive some memories and rekindle their relationships. But, as expected, things go a little awry when Bianca announces she’s engaged to a stranger and to convince them insta-love is legitimate, she works her magic to get Cora to fall for a summer romance too.
The 10 Things I Hate About You mixed with How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days was a fun mashup! I loved how the sisters felt relatable and ultimately out each other first. It’s a fun read that would be perfect to throw in your beach or pool bag this summer.
I think either format for reading is a great choice - the narration is well done and easy to listen to while working or running errands.

This is exactly the type of summer/beach reads i want this time of year. It was an enjoyable story of three sisters that are trying to reconnect at the beach rental property their parents took them to when they were younger. Naturally there is some romance brewing for one (or more) of the sisters and some secrets that could tear them apart.

If you are looking for something to read while by the pool or at the beach, you can't go wrong with What Not to Do on Vacation! Not too heavy and an easy read.

I did this one as an audio book - nice job by the narrator!

3.5 ⭐
If you love:
* fulfilling a bucket list
* slow-burn
* romcom
* beachy read
* family bonding/drama
This is definitely your cup of tea, my love.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio/Thomas Nelson Fiction for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

WHAT NOT TO DO ON VACATION is the perfect summer read!

I started by reading the physical book, but then switched to audio for the rest. Karissa Vacker’s narration never disappoints and I flew through the audiobook!

Three sisters reconnect by returning to the beach house where they spent their childhood summers vacations.

I love stories with family dynamics. Cora, Savannah, and Bianca are very different, but are bonded by sisterhood. The multiple POVs allowed me to see things from each of their perspectives and understand them better.

It was fun seeing how the sisters navigated love and relationships.

I loved how the beach house brought them closer and how they all healed in different ways!

I definitely got some How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes, which is one of my fav movies!!

Let's be clear: I am always planning my next vacation(s), love a long stroll on the beach, and live in Florida. I also need stories like Rachel Magee's What Not to Do On Vacation, because not only does it feature a beach vacay in Florida, but approaches the sister-bonding-vacation-romcom with emotional depth, humor, and pop culture references that make the story relatable. Plus, this is the 10 Things I Hate About You/ Taming of the Shrew for those of us in the late 20s-late 40s demographic, so enough said.

Estranged sisters Bianca, Savannah, and Cora agree to one more "perfect" sister-bonding summer at the beach in order to fulfill their mother's dying wish. This trip is 15 years overdue. Each sister arrives with their own physical and emotional baggage, except for Cora, whose luggage is lost on the way to Florida. What can go wrong does. Dares about dating apps and wagers on new jobs happen. There are meet-cutes, fierce pickleball battles, and sharp arguments that only these sisters can have on vacation.

Readers, every bit of this book is enjoyable. [I was gifted the audiobook and didn't want to stop listening.]
If you're stressed and need a vacation, pick up this book.
If you're on vacation, pick up this book.
If you're stressed and on vacation, take a deep breath and let it out. And then pick up this book. It's out now!

5 stars for a feel-good read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this gifted audiobook!

#NetGalley #WhatNottoDoonVacation #audiobook #audiobookreview

I just finished What Not to Do on Vacation and absolutely loved the witty chaos of it all! This book was the perfect mix of laugh-out-loud moments and heartwarming sisterly bonds. 💕✈️

What really stood out to me was the way the sisters’ relationship evolved — from bickering and misunderstandings to heartfelt connections and deeper understanding. It felt so real and made me root for them the whole way through. 👭💬

And the humour? Spot on! From holiday mishaps to awkward encounters, I was giggling throughout. 😂☀️ Definitely the kind of book you want to pack in your suitcase or curl up with on a rainy day dreaming of sunshine.

Not quite a 5-star for me, but a strong 4 — light, fun, and full of heart. Would totally recommend for fans of character-driven comedy with a dash of chaos and charm! 💛📚

quick and funny beach read vibes. absolutely adored these characters, and i totally loved the audiobook narrator as well. can't wait to read more from this author!

I absolutely loved this book. It is a perfect summer or vacation read that just put a constant smile on my face. It was the perfect blend of women's fiction and romance, and is just an overall feel good story.

This was made even better on audio and I think they is a great format.

This was a really sweet romance / women's fiction book! I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting. I liked the threads of romance, but more than that, I loved getting to see the relationships between the sisters and how those changed over the duration of the book. I also enjoyed the multiple perspectives (although I kind of wish there were only the three POVs of the sisters). Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot.

My Ratings:
🧍🏽‍♀️ 3.5/5 Characters
🌶️ 0/5 Spice
🎬 3/5 Ending
🧩 4/5 Plot
💫 3.5/5 Overall

Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This is the perfect summer read that follows three sisters on their journey to reconnect and keep their family together. This gives all the perfect beach vibes and I could just picture it so well. I absolutely loved the idea of the bucket list and the sentiment behind why they did each task. There is definitely tons of sister drama and arguments but they definitely have some good times and I enjoyed reading it so much. I like watching all the romances play out and think that they all ended exactly where they needed to. I would definitely say if you’re looking for your next summer (beach) read with some great characters, growth, and a bit of romance this is the book for you!!!

The synopsis gives great detail of this book.

As a review for the audiobook the narration was done well with all characters coming into their own being easy to follow and determine who was who throughout the entire story.

This is a fun cozy warm lighthearted easy listen definitely an enjoyable summer time beach read or any time you just want to have a break away from everything.

Three sisters Cora, Savannah and Bianca with rather different characteristics, outlooks and lives come together after the passing of their mother to their old family holiday home where various events take place that bring them all closer. They had drifted apart after their parents had separated and their mother passed away without adding any further spoilers various things happen over the course of their months stay at the beach house where Savannah hopes they can reunite but will it end well?

With thanks to NetGalley & Thomas Nelson Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ELC in return for an honest review. 🙏🏽🎧📚❤️

I loved this sweet beach story about three sisters and their intertwined lives. The characters were unique and well developed. The setting was beautifully described and I loved the nostalgic elements of summers past. The dialogue was fun and the supporting characters added to the storyline. A great, feel good summer book!

Three sisters go vacation and one of them reveals something that makes her and another sister go "challenge accepted". Que the fake dating and the shenanigans that follow 😁

A fun read, a fake dating rom-com that you'd absolutely want to see as a movie. It was bordering on a grumpy/sunshine with one of the sisters (look at me trying not to spoil anything haha), but somehow both were grumpy in some ways. Win-win for me! :D

It was an absolutely delightful story to read! I enjoyed every minute of it and this is coming from a big fan of angst 😅

I was worried there would be a miscommunication trope showing up, but thankfully it didn't drag and things got solved in a normal, mature way. This is something I miss in most books where miscommunication happens among adults.

I loved the sisterly dynamics. It was quite relatable. I loved how supportive and caring they were to each other, despite having differences of opinions or lifestyles.

The narrator was brilliant! I enjoyed the way she told the story. It kept me engaged and focused at all times.

Thank you, @netgalley for the ALC.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Great, fun summer read with well-created characters and an entertaining storyline. I really enjoyed this one.