What Not to Do on Vacation: A Slow-Burn, Fake Dating Rom-Com

Written by Rachel Magee

Narrated by Karissa Vacker

Ten Things I Hate About You meets the charm (and sisterly shenanigans!) of Netflix's Nobody Wants This.

"I give it five umbrella drinks!" --Nancy Naigle, bestselling author

"Perfect, sweep-me-away summer beach read!" --Anna Grace, award winning author

"Don't leave this book behind." --Jennifer Shirk, bestselling author

Savannah is on a mission to reconnect the Prestly sisters the best way she knows how: reliving their carefree childhood summers at the beach. She's booked the same beach house, convinced her sisters to take the month off, and even made a bucket list to fit in all their favorite coastal fun. It's going to be perfect . . . or else. (And if planning this trip has anything to do with a certain secret she's hiding . . . well, let's not dwell on that.) Sun, sand, and some sisterly bonding--what could possibly go wrong?

Enter Bianca, the baby of the family, with a huge announcement: she's getting married! And her sisters' reactions are . . . not exactly what she hoped for. But Bianca is on a mission to prove that she's not the mess they think she is. Her grand plan? To find love for Cora, her perpetually single sister, on the same dating app where she found her fiancé. The stakes? A bet that if Cora can't find her 'One' on the app, Bianca will call off her engagement. A challenge Bianca is all too ready to tackle head-on, even if it means a little conniving. Cora's about to get swept off her feet, whether she likes it or not!

Meanwhile, Cora is rolling her eyes so hard they might get stuck. Love is a fairy tale for other people, not her. As she's filling out her dating profile, she thinks--nope, she knows--it'll be easy to show her sisters just how absurd this whole love thing is. So what if this Jax guy Cora just matched with is Hemsworth-brother hot? And, if his messages could be believed, maybe even slightly charming? None of this is real, anyway--love just doesn't come easily Cora. And she's getting ready to prove it. She's got this under control.

(Spoiler alert: nothing is under control.)

What Not to Do on Vacation is a charming and lighthearted rom-com that promises low spice but high laughter. Join the leading ladies as they navigate through beach vibes, dating app drama, fake dating, and a playboy hero with a heart of gold in this modern reimagining of The Taming of the Shrew. A must-read for those who enjoy adorable romance sans the steam, a healthy dose of family drama, and a fair share of humor.

So, if you're ready to dip your toes into this sun-kissed, feel-good read, don't wait! For fans of Jenny Hale, Emma St. Clair and Melissa Ferguson. Book club discussion questions are included!

Audio read by Karissa Vacker, narrator of Good Spirits and When in Rome.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: May 20, 2025
• ISBN: 9780840716996

Rachel Magee

Rachel Magee writes rom-coms and women’s fiction with relatable characters, witty dialogue, and plenty of happily-ever-afters. Her stories are usually set in fun, sunny locations where she doesn’t mind spending lots of time “researching”. When she’s not out scouting the setting of her next book, you can find her at home in The Woodlands, TX, with her amazing husband and their two adventurous kids. Connect with her online at rachelmageebooks.com; Facebook: @rachelmageeauthor; X: @rachell_magee

Reviews for What Not to Do on Vacation

[greendeja · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A quintessential beach read! Clean, sweet, fun and lots of sister banter. This won’t disappoint!

[erinclark_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Three sisters Savannah, Cora and Bianca are to spend a month together on the beach in Florida on vacation in the vacation home they shared with their family as children. Only this time it's just them as their family split up after the last visit and then their mother passed away from cancer. It is supposed to be a time of reconnecting as sisters but when Bianca announces that she is engaged to a man she's never met in person, only through the internet on an online dating site the vacation vibe definitely goes south. Enter family drama, handsome single men and romance and you have yourself a lovely romantic comedy with clever banter and sparks a plenty. This was a very fun and lovely read with a great message as well. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was great. Recommended. 4 stars.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio | Thomas Nelson Fiction for a chance to listen/read an ARC version of this audio book.

[brittany76 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I actually liked this book way better than I thought I would. I don't normally reach for the Hallmark-esk stories, so I was pleasantly surprised when the three sisters relationships with each other was more of a focus. For being such a short read, I feel like author, Magee, did a good job of character development and growth in the end. Of course, everything got tied up with a nice bow, but the embrace of imperfections and plans going awry in the midst of happy endings was really nice too. It took me a little bit to get used to the different POVs, but by the end of the book, I was enjoying seeing what each character thought and how different it was to the next. This was a clean read too, which is something I am always looking for!


I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. A positive review is not required and all opinions are my own.