The title and the cover is incredibly misleading (not in a bad way). The story is really about relationships, cheating, and growth. I really enjoyed the story but don’t be fooled like I did. Narrator was perfect. Tanya does a great job, as always.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I used to eagerly await a new Susan Mallery book. Now they seem to all be a rinse and repeat. Two characters (sometimes three) connected by blood or friendship who find love at the same time. Yeah, I know that finding love is the point of the romance, but I feel like having the focus on multiple couples takes away from the story instead of adding to it.

My favorite character was the surfer that worked at Beth's shop. Which is sad since this is a dual romance. And I most connected with a background character.

Also, Jana's story line was visible from a billion miles away.

Tanya Eby narrates per usual.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge fan of the author, as she consistently delivers stories that are easy to engage with and offer a perspective that is both respectful and thoughtful. However, this book wasn’t my favorite. Although the characters were my age, I found it difficult to connect with their issues. I do think there’s an audience —it just wasn’t me. I also missed the laugh-out-loud humor that I usually enjoy in her books. This one felt a bit more somber and lacked the breezy, beachy vibe.

That said, I did appreciate the fresh perspective on multi-generational living. The way the families supported each other was heartwarming to read about. In the end, though, I would have enjoyed seeing a bit more revenge directed at one of the parties involved.

This has been posted to Goodreads.

I enjoyed this book. It started out kind of slow but picked up once all the drama started happening. It was predictable. I think the title Beach Vibes is a little misleading since it was mainly family drama. It is a quick, easy, enjoyable read.

3.75 stars

Beth and Jana become friends at a time in their lives when they seek meaningful connection. Jana unknowingly begins dating Beth's brother, and then Beth starts dating Jana's brother. Add drama and deceit, and you will have the recipe for a decent beach read.

I was initially skeptical when the story started, but it turned out to be mainly about the importance of the lead's friendships over the HEAs—though the HEA wasn't a bad addition!

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this Advanced Listening Copy. All opinions are my own.

This is gonna be a no from me.

I did DNF this audiobook, the prose was bland, and the characters were about as deep as a cardboard cutout of a human being. Overly redundant topics (oh MY god, how many times are we going to 1) ask about the FMC's divorce 2) hear about FMC's divorce. That's not to be cruel, but I audibly said, "WE KNOW," while reading.

The narrator, I'll give them credit, they seemed to try to add inflection and tone to an otherwise predictable, flat story. I think the fact that I disliked the main characters so much, caused me start finding the narration just as annoying.,,but it's just all so one note.

The saccharine overtones were just too much to overcome for me.
Pass.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Harlequin Audio for this generous audiobook ARC.

✨️🌟ARC REVIEW- LISTEN 🌟✨️

NETGALLERY FIND RELEASE DATE
3 / 18/25

What you will find:

✨️ Entertaining plot and a topic that is relatable and humanizing

✨️ Characters are strong, endearing and have a wonderful human side that makes the reader feel their dilemmas and pain so strongly

✨️ Heart warming and wrenching moments remind us we don't always know the person we think we do

✨️A tale of love, starting over, family drama and friendship and the bi is that intertwined

My opnion:

📚 Great storyline ; I enjoyed listening to the plot and watch the story unfold

📚 Enjoyable chractwrs; even the ones you learn to hate

📚 A beautiful cover and scenery that is painted so vividly in descriptions

My rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟

3.5 stars. Beachy setting with some family drama and secrets. Choices need to be made and there's self discovery within the FMC and some tough life lessons.

I love a beach read and with this one being set in Malibu, I thought I’d be in for a real treat. Sadly though there were only a couple of beach scenes so it didn’t have the beachy vibe I thought I was getting when I picked this one up.

It is a very easy read though.

It’s about two good friends that meet while working at the food bank, they share their life stories about past relationships, their hopes and dreams and just really hit it off. Throw one of their brothers in to the mix though and things change a lot.

I read this going between an Ebook and audiobook, I thought the narrator Tanya Eby did a great job, however Linnie annoyed me via the audio.

Nothing that blew me away but it was enjoyable and if you are looking for something easy then this will be perfect for you.

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

This was such an easy read, but besides the few (like two) scenes at the beach, it wasn’t really a beach book. Regardless, I was pulled into the story about Beth, who was recently divorced, her brother, Rick, her friend Jana, and Jana’s brother Teddy. A little confusing, but it starts out with Jana dating Rick and not knowing he was Beth’s brother. When she goes to introduce her brother to them, Beth and Teddy strike up a relationship as well. Rick had to go ruin it all when Beth catches him cheating on her friend. Rick was such a tool and while I do feel like the foster care system failed him, he was tool all on his own. He knew exactly what he was doing and continued to be a jerk just for fun. I did enjoy the friendship between Beth and Jana even after the secret keeping.

Average read! I would not say that this had really had any 'beach vibes' so the title is a bit misleading. The drama was entertaining, but feel overall that it was an average read.

I received an ARC of Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery from Netgalley and Harlequin Audio in return for an honest review.
Beth is divorced and owns Surf Sandwiches in Malibu. Her brother, Rick starts dating her friend Jana and when Jana introduces her to her brother, Teddy, they also start dating. Then it takes a turn. Rick starts acting strange and it turns out he is cheating on Jana. Beth is conflicted on where her loyalty lies- with her friend or with her brother.
I really enjoyed this story when it read like contemporary fiction but either Rick is supposed to be having a psychotic break or his sister has no idea who he is. It turns out to be the latter. His personality goes from sweet, kind and doting man to condescending, rude with no remorse. It was a good story, but I found Rick’s character kind of unbelievable and very Jeckyl/Hyde.
Also, this book had some random names for characters like Galaxy, Magnolia, Atlas, Linny, Orchid.
The end of this book really dragged, like how many times can you say the same thing different ways. Beth must’ve had the same complaint 7 times of “I don’t know what to do about Jana and Teddy!” I feel like this could have been about 50-75 pages shorter!
Overall, it was a cute storyline that was very predictable and very redundant.

Beach Vibes for sure in the sense that you can read this on the beach, head empty/no thoughts and finish it in a day and then never think about it again. Other than that im confused as to why its title Beach Vibes? The characters live in Malibu but that’s about as beach as the story gets. This is my second Susan Mallory book. It was okay. The characters were quirky but the story was fine.

Jana is a single mom who meets a new friend in Beth. Then, she begins dating Beth's brother. Meanwhile, Beth meets Jana's brother and begins dating him. Sound confusing? It's about to get a lot messier.

This was a cute and low-spice romance, and I enjoyed it.

If it came down to protecting your family or doing the right thing, which would you choose? That’s what Beth had to decide. While it definitely had Beach Vibes, it is not a light-hearted beach read. It’s an emotional, family drama with unexpected character twists. Not what I expected, but oh so good.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not positive about the title as this book is way more than a Beach Vibe. Beth and Jen become friends and as close as family. Then through their friendship they help each other, discovering relationships can be hard and having a wonderful friend can make it easier. Lots of drama, spicy bits, and eye opening parts. Just loved this book. A great summer adventure.

Susan Mallery takes the term family drama to new extremes in her latest…! Beth meets a new friend Jana at the same time her brother meets a new woman… and then her new friend begins telling her about her new man…. Then it all comes out that Beth’s brother is dating Jana… and then Beth meets Jana’s brother….

And of course the reader can guess where it goes from there...

It’s a rather simple story but it’s juicy and fun with several big reveals. I always love Susan Mallery books; she’s a great in between books author for me and in particular on audiobook- they always do a great job making her books easy listening titles!

I listened to the audiobook Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery. It was a great story and the narrator is excellent. The voice gives enough personality to make the characters feel real.
I liked all the characters well, one lost being liked by me as much towards the end of the book.
I could say that this story had everything in it that makes a great story. Family, trust, loyalty, second chances and a great bunch of characters.
Susan Mallery has the perfect skills for writing that make readers anxious for more of her books to be on their TBR book list!
Thank you NetGalley, Susan Mallery and Harlequin Audio for the Audiobook of Beach Vibes. This is my personal review.

The cover of this book drew me in, but this isn't the beach read that I thought it was going to be. This is the tale of two friends and one of them is dating the others brother. Unfortunately the brother makes some choices that puts both friends in not great situations and circumstances. I like that the author wanted to get us thinking what we would do in that situation, but I was hoping for the beach read I saw on the cover and this one was more a character study. Not a bad book, just not what I expected and needed when I picked it up. The narrators voice was hard to distinguish between the two women and their points of views.

"Beach Vibes" by Susan Mallery is a captivating novel that explores the complexities of family, romance, betrayal, and personal growth. The story centers around Beth, a woman who has dedicated her life to supporting her charismatic brother, Rick, a successful doctor. After her divorce, Beth is finally discovering her own identity, pursuing her passion for running Surf Sandwiches, and nurturing new friendships, including a deep bond with Jana, a nursing student she meets while volunteering at a food bank.

As Beth falls in love with Teddy, Jana's brother, and Jana and Rick's relationship blossoms, everything seems to be falling into place. However, when Beth discovers Rick's infidelity, she is torn between exposing the truth and protecting her brother, forcing her to confront the ultimate question: what does it truly mean to love and be loyal?

The novel masterfully portrays the intricate dynamics of family relationships, showcasing how even in the darkest moments, love and loyalty can prevail. The characters are relatable and well-developed, each facing their own challenges and navigating complex emotions.

While some readers found the dialogue to be stilted and the audiobook narrator's tone to be monotone, others praised the novel's engaging plot and heartwarming characters. The book's sunny California setting, with its surfers, actors, and beachside lunches, complements the hopeful vibe that is Mallery's trademark, even as the characters grapple with serious issues.

Despite the novel's overall positive reception, some readers felt that the story dragged on a bit too long and that the ending lacked a satisfying conclusion. They felt that the book could have been more concise and that the fallout from Beth's discovery of Rick's infidelity could have been explored in greater depth.

Overall, "Beach Vibes" is a compelling read that will resonate with readers who enjoy stories about family, friendship, and the complexities of love. It is a fast-paced and engaging novel that will leave readers pondering the choices they would make in similar situations.