Vacationland by Susan X Meagher is a story about opening your heart to love, embracing unforeseen circumstances, simplifying your life and living fully.

Could you imagine the joy of having an off the grid vacation? You have five days of vigorous outdoor activities in an unspoilt forest in Maine coupled with favorably cool weather. It’s the ideal dream vacation that comes with a few unpleasant circumstances. You are not alone to enjoy the awesome scenery at your leisure—all due to the fact that you are accompanied by coworkers that you have no desire to socialize with after work hours are over.

Devin is more than just a breath of fresh air, she injects a light-hearted sense of wonder and humor into the group of ‘we-are-not-too-thrilled-about-this’ campers. Devin wants them to work together and be each other’s keeper but Sunny doesn’t think it is really necessary for them to rely heavily on each other. They have the best equipment and the best guide in the area, so there’s no need to be worried at all…

The Characters

Devin Savary is a professional nature guide. She is very passionate about her job and she always puts the well-being of her clients first. She is such a warm, caring and family oriented person. Devin craves her solitude and being out and about in nature recharges and energizes her. I really love Devin’s down-to-earth personality because she never does anything halfway and she simplifies complex issues by putting the people she loves high on her priority list.

Sunny Thompson is a real estate lawyer. She sets out on a five-day vacation retreat with her coworkers and she intends to enjoy the great outdoors. I really love Sunny’s fun-loving, open-hearted and non-judgmental personality. She goes out of her way to ensure that her family members are happy and she works very hard to please her clients as well. I have a great deal of respect for Sunny because she holds up really well despite all of the distressing situations she has to deal with.

The Writing Style

I was completely blown away by the vivid descriptions of Maine’s beautiful landscape. After reading this delightful story, I now have a very clear picture of what Maine would look like. I enjoyed the smooth flow of dialogue between the characters. In addition, I was very happy with the way the author used important life lessons to impart knowledge.

The Pros

I really enjoyed reading about a character who loves being surrounded by nature. I also loved learning about what professional nature guides do and the situations they encounter.

The Cons

I’m sad because the story had to end and there’s no sequel.

aprils favourite booksThe Conclusion

This old adage is so true—never judge a book by its cover. With this beautiful story, truer words haven’t been spoken because this book has exceeded my expectations. This story is so much more than an idyllic romance or a tug of war between workmates—this story will make you question the way you live your life and it will also make you really think about what matters the most. If you enjoy slow burning romances coupled with priceless nuggets of wisdom and beguiling landscapes, then this is definitely the story for you.

Excerpt from Vacationland by Susan X Meagher

Devin tried to discretely check the woman out while taking off the coat, which was making her sweat. Sunny had the kind of face that made you smile back, even if you weren’t in a smiling mood. Bright eyes, lots of color in her complexion, and a ton of body in that reddish blond hair. She looked a little more substantial than some of their Boston clients did, many of whom were painfully thin, but that might have been the coat.

Devin would have bet good money that this woman hadn’t spent any time worrying about whether she could afford the luxury of a crazy expensive coat. Something about her said that she was the kind of person who just slapped her credit card down and didn’t blink when the total climbed to astronomical heights.

“Devin,” Edie said, “come over and meet one of your clients.”

Given that she’d just planned on snagging breakfast and using Edie’s wifi, Devin fought against her surprise for a second or two after she ditched the coat. Edie never threw a trip at her without notice, but it sure seemed like she was about to do just that.

Devin extended her hand and waited while the client took off her expensive, leather-covered down mittens. When their hands met, Devin had an irrational instinct to hold on for a while. Not because the woman’s hand was so soft and warm, even though it was. It was simply nice to have her hand somewhere on a pretty woman’s body, even momentarily. She shook her head, trying to get that thought to leave in a hurry. Clearly it was time to get over to Portland or Bangor and hook up again. When you couldn’t bear to release a woman’s hand, you needed to top up your tank.

“Sunny Thompson,” the woman said. Devin liked to play a game where she guessed where people were from, but she hadn’t heard enough words to nail this accent yet. Tennessee? Kentucky? Louisiana?

“Devin Savary,” she said, snapping out of her musings when Sunny’s hand bumped hers and they shook.

“That’s a pretty name,” Sunny said. “It sounds French.”

“My dad’s great-grandfather was from Quebec, so I guess he was French,” she said, not having much interest in her genealogical roots. “What are we doing today?” she asked, turning to Edie. “A moose safari?”

Edie gave her an overly sweet smile. The kind she used when she was trying to con Devin into something awful. “You’re taking over for Matt. Come on back and I’ll tell you all about the trip.”

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Bits and Bobs

  • ISBN number: 9780998790718
  • Publisher: Brisk Press

Susan X Meagher Online

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Note: I received a free review copy of Vacationland by Susan X Meagher. No money was exchanged for this review. I will always review books as honestly as possible and on occasion I refuse to review books.