Bookish Buys: What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee
Bookish Buys
Inspired by What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee
Wearing a multicolored palm print swimsuit, a floppy summer hat with elegant blue trim, and blue cat-eye sunglasses while lounging on a blue-striped beach towel—binoculars and beach ball by your side—isn’t just a summer aesthetic. It’s a whole mood. It's the moment you step into the scene like you've wandered off the cover of What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee, and suddenly, you’re not just on a beach day—you’re the main character in your very own laugh-out-loud, heartwarming rom-com.
Because let’s be honest: that outfit? It doesn’t whisper “background extra.” It screams leading lady. You’re the girl with a plan (or at least a Pinterest board), a bucket list full of nostalgic beach games, and maybe one or two secrets tucked under your stylish sun hat. You’re here for the bonding, the bucket list, and maybe—just maybe—an unexpected plot twist in the form of a cute guy with a good smile and better timing.
That towel? It’s your stage. Those binoculars? A wink to your curiosity, your watchfulness, your readiness to spy on life’s wild moments (or, you know, the lifeguard). And that beach ball? A reminder that even when everything goes sideways—when your sisters don’t react how you hoped, when dating app plans spiral into chaos, when nothing is under control—you can still bounce back with style, laughter, and the kind of resilience that turns even the messiest moments into memories.
Just like Savannah, Bianca, and Cora, you don’t need a perfect plan. You need the courage to show up, make the most of the sunshine, laugh until your stomach hurts, and trust that the story will unfold just the way it’s meant to.
So toss on the suit, grab your hat, and cue the main character montage—because this vacation, you are the heart of the story.
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Bookish Buys: What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee
About What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee:
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.)
