Overall, I think this book was a good one. I felt at times it may be a little long for what it was, but it was still one I got through without wanting to quit (which I sometimes get like if it feels like it's taking too long). I think the rom-com aspect was cute and the different dynamics of partners, friends, and family members was interesting to read.

This is a quick easy summer read, the wholesome family get together takes multiple turns, bets and hearts being healed, torn or broken. Overall a great read. Would recommend for your next beach read.

This was a fantastic story! I loved the characters and their relationships and their banter. Some of the story was a little far-fetched, but that didn't bother me. This was truly a lovely story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What Not to do on Vacation is part romance and part women’s fiction. On the outside, it’s the story of three sisters reuniting for a reenactment of the childhood summer holidays in Sunnyside, Florida.

But nothing goes according to plan … Cora arrives with no luggage. Bianca and Savannah each arrive with news, although while Bianca is delighted to share that she’s engaged to a man she’s been online dating for five weeks and has never met in real life, Savannah keeps her news a secret.

In what seems perfectly logical in a way only a rom-com can be logical, Bianca persuades the very single Cora to sign up for SoulMate, the AI matchmaker app she used to find Zander, her now-fiance. The app sets Cora up with local hotel chain heir Jax Verona, who isn’t interested in a relationship that goes past two dates except for when a much-wanted promotion is dangled in front of him.

The characters are relatable, if a little cliche: Savannah, the responsible perfectionist oldest sister. Cora, the hardworking middle sister who sometimes resents both her sisters. Bianca, the flighty youngest sister who doesn’t know what she wants from life (and whose sisters don’t believe her when she claims she’s found The Answer).

The book description discloses the plot is partly based on 10 Things I Hate About You (which is based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew), although I felt it was more like How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (which isn’t officially based on The Taming of the Shrew but has some strong parallels). As with It’s All Relative, the names do give away the underlying plot: Bianca, Jax Verona, and the Padua hotel group.

There is surprising depth and character growth … particularly given the story has three viewpoint characters (four, if you count a couple of scenes from Jax’s point of view). Each character has learned something by the end of the story, which makes for a satisfying read.

Recommended for fans of sweet and Christian contemporary romance from authors such as Tara Grace Ericson, Sarah Monzon, Courtney Walsh.

3.75 ⭐️

A funny and charming story about a beautiful sister bond. Great setting and very entertaining. I had a great time and of course it is a perfect summer read :-)

I loved the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes this gave. As someone who only has one half sister that is 12 years younger than me, I loved seeing a close sisterly relationship with multiple sisters. That dynamic was so interesting. Overall this was a great book!

A cute beach read centered around sisters but I almost did not finish. Just could not get into it but definitely a good book for the right person!

A fake-dating rom-com with sisterly bonding set on a beach. A perfect summer read.

I enjoyed the dynamics of the sisters and the romance was low spice. I prefer a little more spice than this but you won't feel guilty telling someone what you're reading in public if they ask. LOL.

What Not to do on Vacation was such a charming and lighthearted read with slow burn, fake dating, summer romance, and the hilarious, heartwarming shenanigans of three sisters with a messy past. The enjoyable plot was filled with family drama and comedy with a side of not one but two summer romances. The sisterly bond between Cora, Bianca, and Savannah was well developed and felt realistic, making them very relatable and easy to connect with. I connected with Savannah, the oldest sister, almost immediately and in multiple ways. I would definitely recommend this light, clean, rom-com. It’s the perfect book to throw in your vacation bag to read on the beach or next to the pool.

The narrator, Karissa Vacker, did a phenomenal job with giving several different characters their own voice making it easy to follow and listen. I am becoming a big fan of her work. Her passion and enthusiasm shows in her work and characters. As always, she did a great job with pacing, tone, and inflection which really helped to set the summer beach vacation vibes and brought the story and characters to life, delivering a flawless performance from start to finish.

Thank you @thomasnelson, @rachelmageeauthor, and @uplitreads for the #giftedbyuplit fun PR box with a finished copy and audio. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee is a cute and fun summer read that definitely gives 10 Things I Hate About You vibes. While the storyline may have been a little predictable, it was still enjoyable. As someone who only has brothers, the sister dynamics made me laugh. I liked the sweet romance subplot and appreciated that the whole book was clean in regards to romance and language. This is a great summer read to pick up if you're looking for a quick and easy book for the pool or beach. I will be looking for others by this author at my library and on my Libby app!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

What Not to Do on Vacation is a fun read! Savannah schedules a month at the beach house where she and her sisters went every summer with their mom and dad to try to reconnect with her sisters. She says it was one of mom's last wishes to have the sisters reconnect. Cora is a photographer who lives in Houston. On her way to vacation, her luggage is lost. Not a great way to start a vacation. Bianca announces on their first night there that she's engaged to be married - to a man she has only met online! Her sisters immediately try to tell her she's crazy to do such a thing. Not a great way to start a vacation. Bianca swears that the online app that she used to meet her fiance is the real deal. Cora challenges her and says she will sign up for the app and prove Bianca wrong. She plans to dump whatever guy the app places her with! Savannah has her own news, which she does not share with her sisters - she is facing major surgery, which she doesn't want to effect her life with her husband and young daughters.

Well, you can imagine how the sister's plans come crashing down during their vacation - Cora actually likes the man that the app set her up with. Bianca seems to enjoy spending time with the landlord of the rental, and Savannah can't seem to get anyone to follow the list of "sister bonding" activities that she has charted out!

Thanks to Net Galley and the Publisher for the advanced readers copy of this title. What Not to Do on Vacation is available now!

Three estranged Prestly sisters reunite in sunny Sunnyside, Florida, recreating childhood beach holidays. Bianca drops a surprise engagement to a guy she overdosed on – yep, she met him online just five weeks prior – while Savannah's orchestrated month-long escape hides a secret of her own. And poker-faced Cora? Bianca ropes her into using the same AI matchmaker app to prove love is a joke. Cue jaw-dropping sparks with local playboy Jax Verona… but nothing goes according to plan

This was the perfect easy read for a beach day! The beginning reeled me in, I was sitting in that parking lot not wanting to get soaked. I enjoyed the humor as we followed the sister’s on their attempt at a vacation.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Such a good beach reach. Clean and fun with three sisters working together to sort of find their way back together.
I love the bucket list idea and loved the story. Thanks for the advanced copy.

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.

Thank you @rachelmageeauthor, @harpermusebooks and @uplitreads for the #gifted book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was a lovely read. At first, I was really drawn in, as it offered a refreshing twist on the typical romance, family drama, and holiday tropes. However, by the middle, I found it a bit harder to stay engaged. That said, I would still recommend this book for its witty banter and the overall feel-good vibe it delivers.

This made a great book club read for my mom book club! It was a real feel good, laugh out loud reminder of what really matters in life. If you like clean rom coms with coastal vibes and summer shenanigans this is worth the read!
Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley from whom I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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

I was very quickly hooked in this book. It was a great story and hard to put down. The three Prestly sisters take a month vacation together after the urging of the sister Savannah, back to their childhood vacation home. The sisters have not had a close relationship since their parents divorced and their mom passed away. As the month goes on each sister has their own challenge to get through. Read on to see if the sisters can mend their relationship.

Pick this one up and read it! It's such a great story.

☀️ What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel McGee — Book Review

Told through multiple POVs, What Not to Do on Vacation is a heartwarming and often humorous story centered on three sisters navigating life, relationships, and complicated family dynamics during a much-needed vacation. While I’m not usually drawn to books with several narrators, this one kept me engaged.

The sisterly bond stood out most—equal parts chaotic, caring, and deeply relatable. Their banter, old grudges, and moments of unexpected vulnerability made their interactions feel authentic and emotionally grounded. Each sister brought a different layer to the story, and I appreciated seeing how their struggles and personalities wove into the larger family dynamic.

That said, I found myself especially drawn to Savannah’s character. Her arc felt like it had more to uncover, and I would have loved a deeper dive into her backstory and inner world. Still, the blend of laughter, heartache, and self-discovery made this a thoroughly enjoyable read, perfect for fans of character-driven stories about family, healing, and the beautiful messiness of sibling relationships. It's a 3.5-star for me.

Favorite Quote:
“Family. We couldn’t live without them, but sometimes they make it hard to live with them.”

I received an advance reader copy from Thomas Nelson Fiction via NetGalley. My review reflects my honest and unbiased thoughts.

This was an amazing book about sisters reconnecting! I loved it and would highly recommend it! Thank you Rachel Magee and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.