Review: Her Surprise Vacation Date

Review: Her Surprise Vacation Date - Unexpected Dates #1

Her Surprise Vacation Date book cover on blue background

This is a new series from Liwen Y. Ho that sounds like it will be full of the unexpected, including the first book titled Her Surprise Vacation Date.

Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Book Synopsis

I was supposed to go on vacation with my best friend… not my best friend’s little brother.

It was going to be a fun girls-only trip to Solvang, CA… before it turned into me dressing up like the Michelin Man, getting a call from my bestie telling me that she’s too sick to come, and losing my luggage.

Now I’m at the airport waiting for my best friend’s little brother to pick me up. After all the unexpected twists and turns of this morning, you’d think nothing would surprise me, that is until nothing turns out to be a six-foot-tall hazel-eyed man with a beautiful smile.

Wow.

Shane Morgan’s grown up a lot since I last saw him in high school. A hunky EMT now, he’s still sweet and funny, but also a lot bolder and charming… to the point where I wonder if he might be flirting with me. But that can’t be possible, right? He’s just an old friend. An old friend who makes my knees go weak when he leans à la While You Were Sleeping and has me regretting ever going on a dating sabbatical.

Ugh.

How am I ever going to survive my surprise vacation date without falling for my best friend’s brother?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

I love that in this book, Hope and Shane are able to reconnect after all these years, and discover a new side to each other after growing up. It's encouraging that Shane is upfront and clear in his communication, minimizing any potential misunderstandings. Instead, he is honest and truly trusts God to guide him in this relationship. Hope, on the other hand, is really struggling with her self-worth, which makes Shane's truthfulness even more endearing. I appreciate that he is willing to learn all about book tropes from Hope and that he is a good sport about it.

Even though their vacation together is quick, it builds on a lot of shared history. The two characters are largely respectful in how they interact with each other, and the light bouts of humour make the story even more fun to read. Though I'm not a fan of the one-bed trope, all of the other tropes, such as best friend’s brother and younger man, are done well. If you're looking for a light summer read that is filled with funny incidents, touches of Christian faith, and overall charm, Her Surprise Vacation Date is a breezy escape.