Cute age-gap, vacation-fling romance novel ... with enough uniqueness to make the vacation-fling romance work. Also has a bisexual lead!

This was a decent first outing for a new author. I'll admit, it was a little slow going for me but it got better the further along it went. Man, talk about a lead up to a first kiss. Did there have to be like 5 close calls before we got there? That kind of thing.

A lot of other readers talk about the age gap in this book, and although it was there, I didn't find that to be the main conflict. This, to me, was more a book about a long distance relationship after they get together.

I gave it three stars because of the slowness, but also because it ended too quickly for me. I'm not a fan of books that resolve the relationship and then it ends in one page.

This book falls both into the fauxmance and age-gap romance fiction tropes, but both are under developed and void of stakes. The fauxmance doesn't quite work because there's little point of sustaining it--the main characters stay together as friends (initially) in a honeymoon suite, reaping the benefits of...a free drink? There was absolutely no danger of them being "uncovered" and very little reason to play up that storyline. The age gap here is significant (18 years) and it's both refreshing and strange that it doesn't get much focus. Very early on there may be one throwaway line about their age difference, but other than that, it never really comes up again and doesn't play a part in the story. But despite one character being 50 and the other around 32 or so, everyone acts and sounds like they're in their early 20s. I just didn't get much chemistry from these characters at all. The strongest parts of the story take place in Hawaii, but instead of showing the characters becoming closer through action and dialogue, instead we're told. More time is spent drawing out side characters and giving them personalities then really developing these leading ladies or a believable relationship between them. Decent effort by a first time author who needs to work on showing and not telling.

I liked the fact that this novel featured two characters with a significant age gap without that being the cause of major drama. The holiday setting and general lack of angst made it a nice and light beach read. However, there were a couple of things I felt could be improved. The lead characters were likable enough but could have had more background and depth. While I appreciated that the storyline didn't revolve around the age gap, the fact that it was a complete non-issue didn't seem plausible given that Lauren knew Penny's father, and yet they never ran into each other despite being under the same roof for quite a bit of the novel. I also felt more could have been done with the connection between Lauren and Penny's mother - it was very briefly mentioned in the beginning and then forgotten. Why Lauren and Penny decided to meet for the first time during a layover when Lauren hadn't even been in touch with Penny's mum for ages was unclear, and the fact that Penny and Lauren decided to go on holiday together within hours of meeting wasn't particularly believable. I also thought the romance developed way too fast. Overall, there are a couple of things that I thought could have been done differently, but this is a nice light-hearted read for a debut and the author's voice is promising.

This story is full of clichés and some of the situations it includes have not always made much sense.

It has a wide age gap, since one of the main characters is the high school best friend of the other main character's mother. So there is an age difference between them of about 18 years. But this really don't matter much in the way which the story is developed. Then, there is age gap, but as if it were not so.

It also has a strangers to friends to lovers path in a time interval of three weeks or so. Quite unvelievable.
The two protagonists are: gorgeous, wealthy, successful, they don't seem to have defects. On the other hand, in the aspect of love relationships they have not had much luck so far. Until they meet.

One of the things that I have least appreciated has been that the story has several unnecessary characters, in my opinion, that make you lose the thread of the story, such as Timothy, or the bachelor party guys, or Paolo. I really didn't understand the role of Scott, I know that in the end it seems that he has a relatively important role but if he had not had it, the central story would not have changed much.

So I think the approach of the story is fine, but then some important parts have not been well explained. Simply a regular story.

Debut author Cheri Ritz has written a pleasant and easy to read novel called Vacation People. It is a pure romance as well as an age gap romance between two beautiful and successful women (Lauren Hansen and Penny Rothmoor). Both have just broken up with their former partners when they meet and decide to go on vacation together to Hawaii. While they are on vacation, they become attracted to each other and the romance begins. The pace of the story is good and the setting is gorgeous obviously. The sex scenes are steamy. There is little angst, in spite of how the story begins with the two women breaking up with their partners.
There are a few things that bothered me. The characters seemed one dimensional to me. This is especially true of the secondary characters, but also the two main characters as well. Some of the secondary characters were just annoying. Also, some of the story is just not believable. I can’t see these actions happening in the real world.

In spite of a few problems, I think Ms. Ritz shows promise as an author, and I will look for more of her work. If you enjoy a pleasant romance with beautiful characters and an exotic setting, you might like Vacation People.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

Penny the workaholic snaps when she learns her boyfriend has cheated and is then removed from her job from her father. The timing is perfect for Lauren, a friend of Penny’s mother, to drop into the picture. Penny is invited to join Lauren on a vacation to Hawaii since the trip was planned for two before Lauren’s relationship ended. The trip is idyllic and romance blossoms.

Perfect set-up. I like the premise and kudos to the author for making one of the main characters bisexual. The story itself was a cute, especially if you like the May/December romance trope.

Cute age-gap, vacation-fling romance novel ... with enough uniqueness to make the vacation-fling romance work. Also has a bisexual lead!

Lauren and Penny are both having a really bad time. Lauren's long-time partner has just left - right before an anniversary trip to Hawaii. Penny has been placed on leave at her job working for her family's casino business. The two women both have dilemmas: Lauren doesn't want to go to Hawaii alone and Penny needs to get away from her all-consuming job obligations. When Lauren stops by Las Vegas on her way to Hawaii to meet with Penny - the daughter of Lauren's childhood friend, a solution to their problems emerges... Penny should go with Lauren to Hawaii.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Penny is a workaholic after finding her ex Bryce cheating she throws herself into her work but when she cause a scene her father thinks she should take time off.

Lauren is a successful artist she and her partner Carolyn was suppose to go on vacation of a lifetime but her ex tells she doesn't want to be together anymore.

While in layover in Las Vegas Lauren has dinner with her friend daughter Penny who made a promise to meet Lauren. While they are out Penny friend suggest she goes on the trip to Hawaii with Lauren even though they just met and decide to do just that.

So Lauren and Penny become vacation people as they get to know each other their feelings start to change to attraction both wonder should they act on it. What I found funny is when they about act on their attraction someone always interrupt them and the moment is gone but they do get together and decide to have a fling since they both still hurting over their exes and Penny still having time off and Lauren show being postpone decide to continue their fling in Las Vegas where Penny work and lives.

This was a cute HEA story for two MCs realizing that sometimes work isn't everything sometimes you need to live.

Successful Chicago-based artist Lauren Hansen is on a layover in Las Vegas before heading to what was supposed to be the vacation of a lifetime with her partner. Until, that is, that partner became an ex. Recovering from a nasty break-up herself, workaholic Penny Rothmoor agrees to meet Lauren for dinner. Before they know it Lauren and Penny become "Vacation People" on what was to be Lauren's honeymoon in Hawaii. While in Hawaii for the week they slowly grow closer and take time to learn about each other and their respective lives.

For me the book started off very choppy with the writing and the descriptions. However, I'm happy that that didn't give up on the book. Once I got past the first 15% or so the writing become better and a delightful storyline took over. I grew to care about the characters as they grew to care about each other. There was a nice HEA ending with both characters realizing that life involves more than just work.

I would read additional books from this new author.

I received an ARC from Bella Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.