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The Vacationers

Bookreporter.com Bets On...

The Vacationers

July 2014

I read THE VACATIONERS by Emma Straub a bit ago and just realized that I failed to include it as a Bets On selection. I have been thinking about the Posts and their two-week vacation to Mallorca a lot since I read this; in fact, I think they owe me a postcard. So what caught my eye about THE VACATIONERS? First, it’s a story about a family; isn’t that always something ripe for reading? Now take that family and transport them across the pond from their Manhattan home --- not to a major city, but rather to an island village. Ah, now we have exotic travel.

Now layer in some secrets, and...well, let’s just say I am happier that I read about this trip rather than living it.

Franny and Jim are having some problems. It seems that Jim did a big no-no at the office and got caught. Thus he now has a LOT of vacation time on his hands, though he is still trying to keep it a secret. Franny is none too happy about this, especially as they are marking their 35th wedding anniversary; I say “marking”  because they certainly are not celebrating it!

Their daughter, Sylvia, is along for the trip and is determined to lose her virginity in Spain. Their son, Michael, brings his much older, exercise fanatic girlfriend Carmen…or was she the fiancé? It does not matter. They are serious enough that it’s giving Franny headaches. Then, because just family is not enough, Franny’s old friend, Charles, and his husband, Lawrence, are on this trip too. And there is lots of tension as they are longing to adopt a baby, or at least one of them is.

THE VACATIONERS is a great beach read, and if you crave tapas after reading, know you are not alone. If you think this would make a good movie, know I would buy a ticket!

The Vacationers
by Emma Straub

  • Publication Date: June 2, 2015
  • Genres: Fiction
  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Riverhead Books
  • ISBN-10: 1594633886
  • ISBN-13: 9781594633881