This book is a great beach read! The main characters were written really well and there was a good twist in the middle! Beth and Jana are both strong independent women who deserve happiness is their lives. The book ended on both a sad and happy note which is very fitting. The only negative I have is that it got a little confusing with having two voices but in the same chapter. Overall, this is a great book!

I am always super-excited when I can get a new Susan Mallery audiobook! Tanya Eby is always excellent as the narrator of her books and really brings them to life.

Synopsis:

While Beth is proud of her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches, she's even prouder of her charismatic brother, Rick, who rose from foster care all the way through surgical residency. She makes subs, he saves lives. Things takes a turn for the happy after she finds out Rick is dating her new best friend, Jana. Then Jana’s handsome brother adds even more sparkle to Beth’s days…and nights.

But when she catches Rick with another woman—like, with with—her visions of an idyllic family future disappear in one awful instant. Either she betrays her brother or she keeps his secret and risks losing the man she loves and her best friend.

This was unlike any of Mallery's other books in that the love interest of Jana was such a horrible person. I was happy with the growth of the other characters however. It was still an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced digital copy of the book.

I really enjoyed the narration of this book by the narrator. There were moments of the book that were a bit slow, but the narrator was able to get me through them. This book was a nice read, but wasn't 100% the beachy feel I was thinking it was going to be. I did, however, enjoy seeing the characters and relationships grow and develop throughout the book.

Two friends start dating each other’s brother. It was rather slow paced, but still made me wonder the outcome when it became clear one of the brothers isn’t what he seems. More of a romance, women’s fiction book. It’s alright.

Beth owns and run Surf Sandwiches in Malibu Beach. Her brother Rick is a surgeon, and she is really proud of him since that were raised for a time in foster care. Beth meets Jana and they become fast friends. When Rick starts dating a new person and Jana is also dating someone new well guess what they are dating each other. Beth is happy her brother is dating a nice woman and happy for the couple. Jana lives with her brother Teddy who is a widower and they are raising her daughter and his three children together. When Teddy and Beth start dating it seems like a perfect life; until Beth sees Rick with another woman. Beth has a rude awaking about her brother that he is not who she thought he was and he tells her to stop dating Teddy and stay out of his life.
When all the secrets seem to come out some are really hurt by the lies that were keep hidden. I loved the story line in this book and the narrator was ok.

I love the narrator for these books. Susan Mallery has become one of my favorite go to authors. Her books always bring me up. This one was a little more dramatic but I did enjoy it.

Title: Beach Vibe
Author: Susan Mallery
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Tanya Eby
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Genre: Women's Fiction
Pub Date was March 18, 2025
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 384

Beth Nield and her brother Rick were in the foster care system and were happy when their Aunt Agatha rescued them.
Now Beth is nearly forty years-old and although divorced she is happy. She is the proud owner of her Malibu beach shop, ‘Surf Sandwiches’ which is very successful. She is also very proud of Rick, who is a successful surgeon. However she tends to be a bit over protective - Beth believes she need to protect him, He is handsome and single. Beth worries he will fall for a ‘gold digger.

Beth also volunteers at a food bank and has developed a friendship one of the other volunteers, Jana Mead, who is part- time medical billing clerk and a single mom.

Beth has been anxious for Rick to find the right girl and believes he has. Turns out he is dating Jana Beth’s new friend. We later find out Jana is not the only one Rick is interested in.

Beth has also been hoping for a love interest and believes she found it in Teddy - who turns out to be Jana’s widowed bother.
Now the family drama really begins . . .

Hmmm I didn’t like the last Susan Mallery I read but had high expectations for this one!
I live in Southern California and love Malibu so was hoping for more of a ‘beach vibe'.
I love a sweet romance but just did not love these characters- perhaps my mood.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio and Canary Street Press for granted me audiobook.
Publishing Release Date was March 18, 2025.

I went into this one expecting all the beachy vibes based on the title and cover, but that wasn’t really the case. 🏖️ The story follows two couples, their relationships, and plenty of family drama, with a big focus on female friendship. I think the sandwich shop was on the beach, but other than that, the setting didn’t really come through. 🏝️

That said, this was a light and easy read, perfect if you're looking for a simple escape. ✨ The plot is pretty straightforward, and there aren’t a ton of characters to keep track of, which makes it an easy one to follow. I also liked seeing Beth’s personal growth throughout the story. And I really enjoyed the sandwich shop setting! 💛 The dialogue didn’t always feel super natural to me, and kids played a pretty big role in the story, which some readers might love.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed Tanya Eby’s narration! 🎙️ She brought the characters to life and made the story engaging.

Beach Vibes was a dating drama, not the whimsical, romantic beach-themed read I was expecting. That being said, I did enjoy the book. Mallory is fantastic at character development and she made me care deeply about the characters. However, the beach vibe was missing, and so was something else: whimsy. I was expecting more of a feel-good vibe and instead, it felt like a drama. It is a good story, but is mis-represented by the title and cover. Mallery’s trademark sweet comfort is missing from the story; I hope it comes back in her next book. Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 rounded to 4.

Susan Mallery is the queen of beach reads, and if Tanya Eby is narrating I am definitely going to listen to it. This duo combined is always a winner.

I loved the friendship between Beth and Jana. It highlighted some of the struggles women go through to make friends when they are older. I found it very relatable.

The romance was as always perfection. It added an interesting twist to the story without over powering the story of friendship with love. There is minimal spice - closed door some minimal kissing and insinuations of more happening. I enjoyed the fun twists she added between the couples.

I enjoyed the aspect of including the sibling relationships that each Beth and Jana had. It was fun seeing the different dynamics play out and how the sibling relationships affected their friendship.

Overall, this was a sweet and heartwarming story. Tanya's narration was fantastic. She does an amazing job on male voices. I don't know how she does it.

If you are looking for a fun beach read with a little depth this book is for you. It will make you root for strong women and their friendships. It is inspiring without being too over powering.

This is my first Susan Mallery title to read/listen to. It did not disappoint! I really loved it! She did such a beautiful job at slowing building doubt with one of the characters! The story lines in the book were emotional at times, and I felt lots of heart tugs, as well as anger at other times.

The narrator did a great job! I wasn't the biggest fan of the title of the book. I didn't feel like it matched well with the stories...but still a 5 star read!

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?
I enjoyed the audiobook, EXCEPT for how the narrator did the kids' voices—it drove me absolutely insane. At least it was a small proportion of the book, and I was able to flip back and forth between audio and Kindle.

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

Audiobook Review: Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

This was a pretty good listen—fun with a bit of scandal, though it ran a little longer than necessary. A few scenes could’ve been trimmed for a tighter, more engaging story. The pacing was solid overall, but the title felt like a bit of a stretch. It didn’t quite capture the character growth, which was a big part of the story.

The audiobook itself was decent, but I wish the narrator had done more to differentiate Beth and Jana’s voices. Their tones were too similar at times, making it hard to tell who was speaking. That said, the narration was still smooth, and the story flowed well.

Overall, this was an entertaining read, just not one that completely wowed me. If you’re in the mood for a light, drama-filled story with a beachy backdrop, it’s worth a listen.

Disclosure: Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Sandwich shop owner Beth is surprised to learn that her brother is dating her new friend Jana. Things get more complicated when Beth falls for Jana’s brother, single dad Teddy. Just as things between Beth and Teddy heat up, Beth learns a secret that tests her loyalties.

I really like the relationship between Beth and Teddy. I wish there had been a little more time spent on Beth’s relationship with Teddy’s kids. (But that’s a “me” thing—I love the found family trope.) Jana is also a fun character—I admire her resilience. The audiobook narration by Tanya Eby is entertaining as always.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I enjoyed the lighthearted story telling of Susan Mallery. The romantic connections were believable as well.

Beach Vibes brings us siblings Rick, surgical resident, and older sister Beth, owner of Surf Sandwiches shop in Malibu Beach. Beth has spent her life trying to give her brother the best life possible after a less than ideal early childhood, including giving up her own dreams of culinary school to ensure her brother had the money to go to medical school. Beth becomes friends with Jana through their volunteering at the local food bank, but soon they both learn that Jana’s new man is Beth’s younger brother, Rick. Beth then meets Jana’s brother, attractive widower Teddy, and starts falling for him. Suddenly, the friendships and relationships are more entangled than ever.. and then Beth catches her brother cheating on Jana with another woman. Beth has to choose between continuing to protect her brother, as she always has, or protecting these new relationships she’s formed with Jana and Teddy. How do you decide when someone deserves a second chance or when they might not?

Truthfully, I had a bad feeling about Rick from the beginning, but the family drama and twists definitely surpassed what I expected based on the foreshadowing alone. Beth was so intent on protecting her brother at all costs and ensuring he succeeded in every way possible that it took her way too long to really look at her brother for who he was as adult Rick. I enjoyed the narrator in this one, and I enjoyed that everyone (except Rick!) seemed to want to do the best they could in a difficult situation, despite being imperfect human beings themselves. I liked that this story challenged me to think about what I, as an imperfect human myself, would do in a less than perfect situation like the one these characters find themselves in. Do you protect your sibling, or do you protect your new friend and the person you may be falling for, head over heels? And will you be forgiven if you make the wrong decision?

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ALC! 😊

Oh the drama of it all! Set in Malibu so there is some beach vibe to it. Beth a self made entrepreneur owns the Surf Sandwiches shop and is doing well. Life is good, has a brother who is a surgeon and a brother she adores. Sometimes she does wonder about her biological clock, but there is no one it her life. She finds a new friend with Jana who she volunteers with. And as they say what a small world it is, as their friendship grows Jana meets Rick, Beth brother and they start dating. Unknown to Beth by either of them, because no one ever says a name. (I find that hard to believe). And to add more complications, Beth meets Jana brother, a widower with three kids and falls fast.
Rick is not happy about that, being that it is awkward for him. As the story progresses and more is revealed about Rick, Beth is in the middle with hard choices to make.
A good read with a lot of drama in Beth’s life. Although wasn’t quite as intriguing as other books by this author it still was enjoyable. The narrator was excellent. Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own. #BeachVibes

Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery was a book I received for free on NetGalley but unfortunately it wasn’t a favorite of mine. There were a couple things just to do with the writing that I didn’t like. The first is that the book is written in third person. I personally don’t like books that write in third person because I feel like I can’t connect to the characters. I want to read what the character is thinking and feel their emotions, not read that she thought something. The second is that this book had the point of view of both Jana and Beth which is fine. I actually like multiple point of view books. The problem was that I read this as an audio book and it would switch back and forth between Jana and Beth so I got confused at who’s point of view it was on. I prefer designated chapters for multiple point of views to keep things clear and easy. As far as the story I think it was okay. I liked it, however, I found it a little predictable. I would give this book 2.5/5 stars. If you’re okay with third person books and the back and forth of the point of views it might be something you’d like. However, the synopsis gives away what would be an exciting twist.

🏖️ 𝙄’𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨, 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪?

Susan Mallery never disappoints. I love sibling stories, and 𝘽𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙑𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙨 has two sets of siblings who become entangled in a web of friendship, love, and betrayal.

Beth and Jana meet and become fast friends. Both need friendship, and both have brothers they are fiercely protective of. But when they start dating each other’s brothers, the dynamic shifts.

Jana’s child and her brother's children play significant roles, adding depth to the story. Beth's loyalty is tested when she discovers her brother's infidelity, but the book's overall tone remains light and enjoyable.

There is a bit of repetition and overthinking, but this is a fun, breezy family drama that is easy to finish in a day.


🎧 I enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Tanya Eby. She brought out the emotions and personalities of the characters, including the children.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you @harpercollins @harlequinbooks @htpbooks and @susanmallery for this gifted ebook.
Thank you @harlequin_audio for the gifted audiobook via #NetGalley.

Beth and her brother, Rick, were raised in foster care. Rick is now a surgeon and Beth owns her own business. Beth becomes even happier when she learns Rick is now dating her best friend, Jana. Life seems to be going just right. Then Beth discovers a secret about Rick. Does she tell?

This is 3 and 1/2 stars rounded up, basically because I felt the conversations were a bit stilted. This is not my favorite Susan Mallery book. But it is a quick read, perfect for a trip to the beach.

I did enjoy Beth…up to a point. She is a bit beaten down by certain people in her life. But she comes into her own. Then there is Rick…you will have to read this find out…but boy did I want to beat him up!

Need a good tale with a huge family betrayal…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.