A fun and engaging audiobook experience! Karissa Vacker's narration truly brought Rachel Magee's rom-com, What Not to Do on Vacation, to life with well-defined character voices. It's a delightful listen and a perfect companion for your next getaway.

What Not To Do On Vacation by Rachel Magee

A BIG thank you to #NetGalley Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and the author Rachel Magee for sending me this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

About the book: Savannah the oldest of 3 sisters wants to desperately reconnect with her sisters, so she develops a plan to get the 3 of them together for a little vacation at the same beach house where they spent their childhood every summer. She convinced them to take a month off work and she even made up a bucket list for them to complete together while there. It’s all going to be perfect! She also has a “little” secret she’s been hiding but we won’t get into that. Fun in the sun and sand along with some sisterly bonding, what could possibly go wrong?
Where to even start…
Let’s start with Bianca, the baby of the family. She has a huge announcement, that she’s getting married! This probably doesn’t seem like a huge deal and a bad one, but she’s marrying a guy she met on an online dating app and she’s never met him in real life! So of course her sister’s reactions are not what she was hoping for.
So Bianca is now on a mission to proof to her sisters she isn’t the immature mess up they think she is. What’s her plan to prove them wrong? Find love for her always single sister Cora using the same dating app she did to find her fiancé. So the sisters make a bet, if Cora can’t find love on the app, Bianca will call off her engagement.
Cora believes love is just a fairy tale thing, so she’s laughing to herself and rolling her eyes as she’s filling out her profile for the dating app. This will be such an easy bet to win. So what if she gets matched to a super hot guy named Jax who is absolutely perfect for her. Love isn’t real, right? Love doesn’t come easy and Cora will prove it! Or will she?
Who will win the bet? And what is Savannah’s secret?

What I thought: I thought this story was so fun! Definitely a great read to add to your summer tbr list. The story was funny but also very heartfelt. I loved all the characters, although at times I found Cora to be a little too stubborn. Each sister has their own “story” going on so it’s interesting to see how each one unfolds as you’re reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone and would rate this book 4 stars.

Narrator Karissa Vacker did an absolutely amazing job! She voices all the different characters and I swear it sounds like multiple people, like it’s an all star cast!

This book releases May 19, 2025

Three sisters, a summer together, and finding love? Sign me up! I LOVED What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee. It was a feel good story with love and banter. It was a rom-com in an audiobook. I did not love the narrator, but I did get used to the voice as the story progressed. This was my first book by Magee but certainly will not be the last.

This was a cute romance read. I really liked the cast of characters in this story and the sisterly bond between Cora, Bianca and Savannah. This book had a lot of good moments that had me smiling and overall it was a good, sweet, feel-good story that was perfect for summer reading.

Read this if you like:

📖 Sisterly bonding
📖 Multiple POV
📖 Beach reads
📖 Sweet romance

4.75 rounded up. Positively adorable and THE PERFECT summer beach read! (However, I highly recommend this on audio as Karissa Vacker is an excellent narrator!)

The three Presley sister reunite for a summer at the beach as a dying wish from their mother. The trip starts badly but gets better, even if they are all hiding something from one another. The secrets all climax at the same time but somehow, brings the sisters closer.

The only thing I didn’t love was Cora’s character at the end makes some choices that do not seem believable to me and I didn’t love the last 2-3 pages of the main book.

Advanced listener copy provided by Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio but all opinions are my own.

***Rounded up from 4.5 Stars***

This book was so cute and endearing! The story of 3 sisters fulfilling their mother’s dying wish of spending the summer together at their childhood beach house was just what I wanted.

Each sister felt like a distinct character and the way they interacted felt really authentic (as an elder sister of 3). I also love a fake dating scenario AND a betting situation. There is also NO spice which made this all the more cozy to read (FYI in case you’re looking for spice).

I really enjoyed how all 3 sisters stories tangled together to deal with their past and present. Overall, it was a light read that was both cathartic and entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for an advanced audiobook copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Oh my! This book was perfectly executed! I loved the sisters and was pleasantly surprised that I could follow all the narratives! The narrator was awesome and I truly enjoyed this book! This is my first book from this author and will not be my last!

All opinions and thoughts are my own! Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars (Outstanding)
Setting: Charming Coastal Town
Genre: Rom-Com

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee is everything a clean rom-com lover could ask for—funny, heartfelt, and refreshingly wholesome. With no bad language or spicy scenes, this delightful story is perfect for readers looking for a lighthearted escape filled with sunshine, sisterhood, and swoon-worthy (but PG-rated) romance.

Savannah’s mission to reunite the Prestly sisters at their childhood beach house sets the stage for a perfect blend of nostalgia and chaos. Her determination to create a flawless vacation—while quietly hiding a secret—gives the story heart, while her sisters’ wildly different personalities spark endless laughter and unexpected depth.

Bianca’s surprise engagement kicks off a hilarious chain of events, including a high-stakes bet that turns Cora’s dating life upside down. Watching Bianca scheme and Cora resist (and slowly unravel) is pure joy. And Jax? Let’s just say he’s the charming wildcard every good rom-com needs—handsome, witty, and unexpectedly deep.

Magee masterfully balances laugh-out-loud moments with tender family dynamics and thoughtful growth for each sister. The nods to The Taming of the Shrew are smart and subtle, giving the story a modern twist that feels both classic and fresh.

If you’re looking for a clean, feel-good read with strong female characters, hilarious banter, and sweet romance, What Not to Do on Vacation should be at the top of your summer reading list. It’s the perfect reminder that even the most carefully planned vacations—and relationships—can lead to the most unexpected joys. #netgalley #whatnottodoonvacation #booked_this_weekend

This book will draw you in right from the first chapter. Three sisters meet at their childhood beach rental for a month-long getaway for a bonding experience to fulfill their dying mothers last wish, 11 years later. The oldest sister, Savannah, is dealing with health issues. The youngest sister Bianca, is engaged and about to move to Iowa. But she has never met her fiancé in person Cora doesn't believe in love after her parents divorce, but makes a bet and agrees to try a new soulmate dating app for the month they are in Florida. What could possibly go wrong?

What Not to Do on Vacation follow three sisters and their struggle to get their relationship back to where it was when they were children.
Oldest sister Savannah decides the only way they can do this is to go back to their summer rental that they spent their whole summers at as children before their parents divorce and their mother's untimely passing due to cancer.
I was excited to read this book because of the fact that it's loosely based on 10 things I Hate about You(which I still love and watch a few times a year). I appreciated the little easter eggs that were dropped through the book and I think any fan of the movie would spot it.

This book is told in multiple POVs(Savannah, Cora, Bianca, and Jax) which I really enjoyed seeing all their perspectives. I could relate to all the sisters for some reason or another and I found it to be poignant and moving. I found myself almost crying at some points as they worked through their messy moments and came out stronger.
I loved the relationship between Cora and Jax and found myself routing for Bianca and Luke. Despite being a no spice Rom-Com, I found that I wasn't missing anything and that the author did a great job at building tension, emotion, an the longing on both Cora and Jax's part.

I really appreciated the narrator's voice and pacing throughout the book and I would listen to more books she narrates in the future.

If you are looking for a fun summer read, this book is for you! The sisters were great and I loved the storyline!

3.5⭐ rounded to 4.
This was a cozy, little, low spice romance.
Three sisters go on vacation to try and relive their childhood summers at the beach to regain their sisterly bond. Add in a questionable engagement, some online dating, miscommunication and a ton of family drama and you've got a fun, lighthearted read.
Though it was somewhat predictable, as are many books in this genre, it was enjoyable and well worth the read.

The narrator definitely had her work cut out for her with so many character voices to navigate. Well done.

Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this ARC.

This book was cute. A quick read, and an excellent palate cleanser. 3.5 stars from me.
The meet-cute between Cora and Jax at the beginning of the book was a hoot. Two travelers are arguing about a toothbrush. Then their almost fated encounters that follow this event are humorous.
Then we cut to Cora, Savannah, and Bianca, meeting up for a vacation to rekindle their relationship bonds to honor their late Mother. Bianca has news that she is engaged and marrying a man she has never met, Cora is relationship avoidant, and Savannah has a secret she needs to share with her sisters.
There are multiple points of view in this book. I will say at the beginning, I did find myself trying to make sure I understood which point of view I was getting. The plot is stuffed with comedy, romance, the bonds of sisters, and mending relationships.
For the most part, the plot is well structured. I did feel the pace got a bit slow and a couple of places felt choppy, but I always figured things out.
All of the romance is clean, so no need to worry about the level of spice in the book.
The adventures are fun.
My only complaint was the above-mentioned pace of the book. In those moments, it was a bit slow, I found myself being just the tiniest bit bored. However, the author would redeem the pace in the next chapter.
The characters are developed enough that the reader can connect with them for the majority of the book.
This was my first book by Rachel Magee, and I was fairly happy with it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rachel Magee for the opportunity to review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

Cora! What a legend. The cynicism, the sarcasm, the competitiveness, the independence. I loved her character so much. The other sisters, Savannah and Bianca, were alright. (I mean, they were perfectly lovely, but they were no Cora.) My xennial heart loved the Ten Things I Hate About You and How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days vibes coming from this novel. I guess that kinda means Shakespeare is the inspiration, but whatever. This was a great mix of women's fic and rom com. You get a bit of enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-lovers, sibling relationships, family secrets and character growth. And there were a few cute kids too. I had requested this because of Karissa Vacker's narration, so this author is new to me. But I really enjoyed this.

And Karissa Vacker was amazing, as usual. I'm not even bothered by the fact that they had her narrate four different character POVs, including a male POV. Just meant that we got more Karissa.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5

This book gave off “How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days” vibes and I loved it. Stories like this make me wish I had sisters. There are a lot of characters with many points of view but it didn’t feel overwhelming.

Read this book if you like:
- the beach
- family traditions
- hotdogs

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Rachel Magee for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

AMAZING AUDIO. FABULOUS STORY. The epilgue *chefs kiss. FIVE STARS FIVE STARS.I loved this book! it was perfect. I loved the 4 pov; made it more engaging

This was a fun and heartwarming story about three sisters reuniting at the place they spent their summers as children. I enjoyed each sister’s pov, and what they were each going through. It did take me a bit to differentiate each character though, because one hardworking narrator is doing it all in this audiobook. If there was ever a time an audiobook should spring for a whole cast it would be a book with multiple povs.

This was a bit chaotic, but also sweet. It’s very reminiscent of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days and 10 Things I Hate About You with a touch of Serendipity. There’s bets, a dating app, secrets being kept, and there’s sweet romances abound.

So if you’re looking for a sweet story about 3 sisters, I recommend this!

I loved this book!

This book follows 4 people in a tourist town in Florida. 3 are sister's who are there on a vacation to honor their late mother.

Savanah is the oldest of the 3 sister's, she is your typical big sister, aka the stand-in mother. She wants this vacation to be exactly how it was when they were younger to try to bring her sister's back together. But from the beginning, this vacation was off to a bad start.

Cora is the middle sister, she withdrawn and living in Texas away from her sister's. She is jaded by love and doesn't want to get close to anyone new or old, including her sister's.

Bianca is the little sister. She is lost and misunderstood and just looking for something ,anything to give herself purpose. She is engaged to a man from a dating app she never met ,moving to a state she's never been. Not surprised by her sister's lack of support for her life choices, she comes up with a plan to show them she was matched with her soul mate.... Setting her jaded middle sister up on a date through the app.

Jax is a local looking for his uncle to take him seriously and hand over the family business. With Jaxs reputation for loving and leaving women and his past of literary leaving , he has to prove to his uncle he is ready to settle down. His intentions were never to fall in love .

This was a great book. The characters are well developed from beginning to end. It had the perfect amount of drama for me personally, and the heavier topics were not portrayed as heavy as they could have been. Leaving this book to still be light and fun. The banter between all of them was funny, and I loved watching these relationships form and come back together.

I received this ARC and as audiobook and thought it was done really well. The narrator did an amazing job of voicing 4 different people. I was able to follow along easily, something I thought would be difficult with 4 POVs.

Thank you, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, for the ARC.

🎧 AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧

4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Zondervan Audio for the ARC!

I loved this story so much! First of all really enjoyed the narrator she did a great job! The audio flowed nice and it’s a recommend listen!

The story…adorable!!! I loved the story between these 3 sisters so much. I loved seeing their relationship in the past present and what comes for the future. Highly recommend

I listened to the audiobook version of this cutie and really enjoyed it. It made me envious of those people who have sisters. What Not To Do On Vacation is a light hearted story about sisters taking a trip to their childhood beach. A chance to relive the past and spend precious time together. The sisters are close but each of them has a secret that the other might not be happy with and it threatens to ruin their trip.
I highly recommend you take this book on vacation or at the very least find a body of water and grab a drink with a little umbrella in it to set the mood! I read mine while on vacation in Hawaii and it really helped set the mood. It was like I was was on a trip with the sisters in the book!