LOVE! I was interested in the book by its cover and title, and had no idea what it was about when I started reading. The dual perspective writing was perfect for this book, usually I’m not a huge fan of it, but in this case it worked really well. I liked that it wasn’t the same situations told by separate storylines.
This was an easy read and had multiple plot twists, even if I could guess where the story was going at one point I was still surprised by the outcome.
I definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a more adult “beach read”, meaning the characters have lived flawed lives and are in their 30s.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were extremely well developed and to see how they progressed through the book was very interesting. Beth owns a successful sandwich shop and is in the process of getting a divorce. She lives with her aunt and is very proud of her brother, Rick, who is a surgeon. Beth has come to realize that she doesn’t have much of a life beyond her marriage. She meets Jana, a single mom, at the food bank where they volunteer, and they become fast friends. Unbeknownst to Beth, Jana meets Rick and the two begin dating. Beth meets Jana’s widower brother, and they begin dating. While things appear to be perfect, Beth discovers something that can ruin all their relationships.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

2.5 actually which was a surprise. Susan Mallery is typically an easy, predictable hit for me and so I went in blind. First, the title is misleading. Second, while I loved Beth's character arc and Jana's relationship with her family, the rest was a complete miss for me. Unfortunately, the vibe was off from the beginning with this one for me. Other than a surfer side character and it taking place in Malibu, there wasn't nothing beachy about it and it was more women's fiction with relationships, than a summer romance beach read.

I'll continue to read Mallory's books of course, we can't hit a home run every time.

I received an advance copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

More Than a Beach Read! Lola Finding Yourself in the Sand!

Thank you NetGallary for an early review copy of Beach Vibes!

Susan Mallery once again delivers her signature blend of heart, humor, and healing in Beach Vibes—a story that brings sunshine, sand, and second chances to life. Set in a picturesque coastal town, the novel weaves together the lives of women navigating love, friendship, and personal transformation.

At its core, Beach Vibes is a story about starting over. Mallery’s characters are layered and relatable, each carrying their own emotional baggage while learning to let go, trust again, and embrace joy. The beach setting adds a cozy, almost therapeutic backdrop to their journey, reminding readers that sometimes, the best way to heal is to escape—to nature, to friendship, to love.

True to Mallery’s style, the dialogue sparkles with wit, and the relationships—romantic and platonic—are the heart of the novel. There’s plenty of warmth and charm, but also enough emotional depth to keep it from becoming just another feel-good beach read.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy stories about fresh starts, female friendships, and emotional growth. If you’re looking for something that makes you feel hopeful and a little sun-kissed, Beach Vibes delivers.

4.5/5 — Light and lovely with just enough depth to linger after the final page.

Well done!

Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery is another great romance. This one delves into relationships between siblings and friends along with romantic interests.

Sometimes, I really think that I need to read about books before I well, read them. The cheating trope is not one that I ever enjoy reading, and I usually tend to avoid at all costs. I also will say that Beach Vibes is a bit off the chart for this one - Beach Vibes makes me think of something lighthearted and easy but what this actually consisted of what ALL of the red flags, so much betrayal, and so many questionable choices and decisions!

What worked for me: The vibes! The beachy small town with the absolutely adorable and successful sandwich shop? SO CUTE! The whole theme of the anguish between loyalty to family and doing the right thing - it really had me thinking and wondering about it all. I also really loved how Beth grew and changed and understood her own mistakes in everything. I also absolutely loved her strong sense of who she was as a businesswoman - she owned that title and wore it proudly and I loved every moment of that.

What didn't work for me: Rick - Rick is VILE and a walking red flag. Zero remorse for cheating because he grew up in Foster Care? So freaking what? That doesn't mean you get a free pass at being a loser - I don't care if you're training to be a surgeon or anything else - his lack of remorse and his thinking it was all a huge joke was absolutely vile. Beth learning this kind of hurt, she had obviously greatly respected her brother before and just the fact that he'd do something like this so easily....eww! Also the romance as a whole just didn't work for me - it all felt so misleading and weird and just out of the blue they were in love? So strange.

I'd recommend this one for the messy family drama that happens to occur on a beach... but if you're just looking for a light beach read I'd highly suggest you look elsewhere!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun book to read. You go through a lot of emotions reading this book. Beth sees her brother in a different light by the time this book is done. Beth also gains more family and good friends. It takes a long time for Jana to see what the rest of us already know. So pick up this great beach read and enjoy this emotional rollercoaster.

Susan Mallery’s Beach Vibes is a compelling story about family relationships, navigating pitfalls, and learning to admit when we're wrong as well as ask for (and extend) forgiveness. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous going in because I tend to avoid plots involving cheating, but I’m so glad I gave this book a chance. While infidelity plays a small part in the story, it’s not the heart of the novel. Instead, I feel Beach Vibes will appeal to readers who like relatable drama, want to root for happily ever after, and enjoy a quick read with a satisfying conclusion.

The characterization is absolutely brilliant. Mallery has a gift for creating characters who feel like real people, each with their own flaws, struggles, and hopes. Beth was especially relatable. Her love for her brother Rick, her loyalty to her best friend Jana, and her growing feelings for Jana’s brother created such a compelling, high-stakes dynamic. My heart ached for her as she tried to navigate the impossible choices she faced.

The Malibu backdrop as a place where ordinary folks live was interesting, and Beth’s charming shop, Surf Sandwiches, added a cozy, summery vibe that balanced out the emotional tension in the story. It made me want to grab a sub, hit the beach, and soak in the California sunshine.

For audiobook fans, I highly recommend going the audio route if you can! The narration brought even more life to the characters and made the emotional beats hit even harder.

Beach Vibes is a witty, heartfelt, and beautifully crafted story that will stay with you. I was kinda bummed when I got to the end. Whether you’re a longtime Susan Mallery fan or new to her work, this one’s a must-read.

Highly recommend!

I did receive a complimentary ARC from the publisher, but I ended up listening to the audio as well on Spotify. All opinions shared here are my own.

Another wonderful women’s contemporary fiction by Susan Mallery! Beautiful writing all over about friendship, second chances at love for strong independent women. Beth and Jenna are well developed characters and I love how their stories were written and intertwined together in this book. It was fast read and I highly recommend!

I thought this was going to be a fluffy, beachy, vacation read. It was not. This book, while being light, did have substance to it.

I liked the way this story unfolded. I was able to get to know Beth and Jana as friends and then the other characters were introduced. While I didn't overly love any of the characters I couldn't stand Beth's brother from the very beginning. This shows the writing capability of the author to set a reader on edge with a character from the first they are introduced to them.

I liked the flow of the story and the pacing overall. There seemed to be repetition that could have been eliminated without hurting the story. The characters had depth and the story sparked thoughts of "what would I do in Beth's shoes?"

I think this would be a great book club book or a book to do a buddy read. Lots of things to discuss about this book. I enjoyed reading this bookmand would definitely recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

What an amazing story about doing so much for one person, yet that person really doesn't appreciate it at all, and puts you in a bad position and doesn't care! Wow, Susan delivered an amazing story right here! 5 stars!
Beth is divorced, but happy running her sandwich shop, and volunteering one day a week, where she meets Jana, and the two connect and share dinner once a week after their shift. Beth thinks she's good with where her life is at right now, until she spots something that makes her question everything. Let's just say Beth goes through some tough eye opening things, that will challenge her loyalty, and possibly miss out on the best thing to happen to her in a long time!
This book is perfect to read by the pool or on the beach, you will love the story as there is never a lull, always something holding your attention! Love Susan's books, and you will love this one too!

I loved the ending of this story. Some of the characters were not easy to like or understand and I felt nothing for them. The story moves very slowly, but I am glad I stuck with it as the best of the story was saved for the last part of the book.

I was pleasantly surprised by this story. I can typically predict romance stories but this one had a bit of a twist (and I enjoyed it). It’s fun and it got me a bit emotional. Highly recommend.

I love summer books and this gave me all the vibes! With spring break coming up pack this in your suitcase and head to the beach! The vibes will get you in such a great mood! It’s soo good!

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was expecting more of a rom-com but it definitely had a lot of family drama and conflict mixed with some romance mixed into that.. I also expected more about the beach and the story was set in Malibu with the main characters sandwich shop just off the ocean, but it didn't have a "Beach Vibe" to me.

With all this said, I did enjoy the book. I was routing for the main characters Beth and Jana. I loved Jana's brother Teddy and his friend Dex. I got bed vibes right away from Beth's brother Rick and who didn't love Aunt Agatha! I was glad by the end Jana found out the truth about her brother and was moving forward with her life.

Susan Mallery delivers another wonderful story filled with family, romance and more with her new release, BEACH VIBES. I absolutely love this author’s books and her latest book, BEACH VIBES, is full of her signature writing style and captivates the reader with family drama, romances and more within the pages of BEACH VIBES. The story flows smoothly with a lush and intriguing setting that makes me want to visit. I really enjoyed the varied and complex characters she introduces the readers to. From Beth and Jana to their families & friends, each is unique and has its own unique voice.
Meet Beth and Jana. Beth is recently divorced and trying to move on. She’s content with her life owning and running a local sandwich shop, Surfside Sandwiches and finally made a new friend, Jana, who volunteers with her at a local shelter. Even if she longs for more in her life, she feels stuck and is content not to move forward. Jana is a bubbly single mom determined to better her life for herself and her daughter. Living with her brother and his kids has helped and she is enjoying her classes for her degree as she works at the local doctor’s office. Both Beth and Jana are intriguing and captivating characters. It took me several pages to warm up to Beth as she comes across, initially, as standoffish and rigid compared to Jana, who comes across the pages as bright, sunny and open-hearted. Both characters bring something to one another’s lives, and I love how their friendship continues to grow and evolve with all its ups and downs. Their respective families are fun and had me flipping the pages to see what they would do next within the story. The romances for both women also kept me glued to the pages and when Beth finds out some things about her brother, Rick, that will affect Jana and Beth in ways she doesn’t anticipate, it was interesting to see how Beth reacted to all that. The characters in BEACH VIBES are well written and kept my attention through the whole book. I loved Beth’s Aunt Agatha and Jana’s brother Teddy, and his kids were so much fun and their responses within the story made me laugh at times in delight.
BEACH VIBES is a complex story filled with warmth, family drama and relationships that range from friendships to romantic ones to family relationships. I loved how the author delivers a story filled with a few twists that had me gasping in shock even as I rooted for Beth and Jana to get their happy ever after. If you are looking for a great spring or summer book to devour, then BEACH VIBES is the one for you. I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store for her readers next.

In the beginning I was a bit confused between the character’ shifting back and forth between Jana and Beth. Once I knew their voice I was able to follow a bit easier. This was a quick read for me. The plot easy to follow and hopeful for a good ending.

Beth is the proud owner of a Malibu sandwich shop and the even prouder younger sister of Rick, her successful, albeit seemingly awkward, older brother and surgeon. Post-divorce, Beth is looking to rebuild her life and her friendships, which seems to be off to a good start when she hits it off with Jana, a single mom to one little girl, at the food pantry where they both volunteer. Things become more complicated when Jana starts dating Rick, Beth finds herself falling for Jana's brother, Teddy, and then Beth's loyalties are tested when she discovers her brother isn't who she always thought he was.

THE VERDICT: 2.5 stars (rounded down)

This one was not for me! I was hoping for light, romantic women's fiction, and this was more twisty than the cover let me believe (I probably should have read the blurb).

WHAT I LOVED:
- Watching Jana and Teddy interact with their children!
- The struggle Beth went through and how each character had to reconcile and separate their morals and values from their family relationships and loyalties.

WHAT WAS A MISS:
- Most of this book was honestly a miss for me. Right off the bat, the title felt misleading, and while, yes, I guess the book technically took place in Malibu, there weren't many beach vibes to be had.
- The cheating!! I guess I should have known about this based on the blurb, but I always go into books blind, and this time, I probably should not have.
- Rick was just so so terrible! Like unbelievably terrible! He had zero remorse and felt more like a movie villain than a real person with depth. I think I originally had thought that Rick was potentially on the spectrum and had trouble in social situations, not that he was an objectively terrible human being, so that was hard for me to reconcile once the truth came out.
- The romances were not believable - maybe because we were trying to watch both Jana and Beth's relationships blossom simultaneously?

Thank you to Harlequin Audio, Harlequin and NetGalley for the ALC and eARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

3.5/5

Beth and Rick are siblings, foster care kids until they were saved by their Aunt. Beth is the oldest and feels responsible for her younger brother and puts his needs and wants first. She is a successful small business owner, Rick is a surgeon. He’s also a liar and manipulator. Janna is a single mom, trying to make a better life for herself and her daughter.

I requested this book solely on the author’s name and cover vibes, so the mid-book twist (given away in the book description), evolved more naturally for me. Other than Rick, the characters were likeable, although I felt frustrated with Beth’s decisions. It was nice to see Beth grow and take accountability for her actions. Janna is naive when it comes to men, believing all and questioning nothing. This is definitely a beach read, but not as many beach vibes as I expected.

After this long, cold winter, I was sorely in need of a beach book. Romance, family drama and beautiful scenery, I was all in. This was a quick read allowed me a fun distraction and mini vacation.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Susan Mallery is at her addictive best with her latest uplifting, enjoyable and captivating new page-turner, Beach Vibes.

Beth couldn’t be prouder of her brother, Rick. Having survived through foster care, Rick has not let anything get in his way of his surgical residency and is now thriving. While Rick saves lives, Beth is busy making subs at her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches – and she couldn’t be happier. When she discovers that Rick has started dating her new best friend Jana, Beth is totally thrilled – especially as Jana has a handsome brother with whom Beth has made a connection! Everything seems to be coming up roses for Beth – until the rug is well and truly pulled out from under her feet in ways she never expected…

Beth catches her brother with another woman – who is definitely not Jana! As her vision of a future where they were all going to be one big happy family evaporates, Beth wonders what on earth she is going to do. Caught between a rock and a hard place, if she tells Jana about her brother’s secret, she’ll be betraying Rick – but if she keeps mum about his affair, she’ll be hurting her best friend’s feelings. And then there’s Jana’s brother whom Beth has grown to love.

Whatever choice she makes, someone’s going to get hurt. Can Beth navigate the choppy waters ahead and find a way to keep everyone happy? Or will she end up swimming against the tide and lose everything in one fell swoop?

I have loved every single Susan Mallery book I ever read – and Beach Vibes is definitely no exception. Written with all her trademark warmth, humor and charm, Beach Vibes is a book readers will want to dive into as it brilliantly captures the joys, frustrations and highs and lows of relationships in all their complicated glory.

An entertaining novel that will keep readers glued to their sun loungers this summer, Beach Vibes is another first-class tale from the always fabulous Susan Mallery!