Beach, Baggage, and a Bad Idea

Beach, Baggage, and a Bad Idea is a hilarious and heartwarming story about what happens when one very bad idea leads to one very unexpected summer.

Toby Graham - failed musical theater actor, Lyft driver with jazz ambitions, and current professional human luggage cart - didn't plan on spending his summer as the personal assistant to Carlotta Mendez: world-famous opera diva, master of spiritual meltdowns, and proud owner of fourteen silver suitcases and a Pomeranian named Bellini. But when she whisks him away to a cliffside villa in Malibu for a "soul recalibration," he finds himself trapped in a whirlwind of lavender kaftans, cursed coconuts, crystal rituals, and emotionally aggressive yoga.

Just when Toby starts questioning all his life choices (and possibly his sanity), he meets Hazel - a barefoot painter with a cactus obsession, a house made of driftwood and rebellion, and a way of seeing the world (and Toby) that makes everything feel a little less absurd.

As the summer unfolds, Toby is caught between chaos and clarity, diva drama and unexpected connection, Wi-Fi meltdowns and moments of startling honesty. Beach, Baggage, and a Bad Idea isn't just a vacation gone wrong - it's a story about burnout, reinvention, the courage to be seen, and the hilarity of trying to find peace in a world that won't stop chanting affirmations.

Perfect for fans of character-driven comedies, workplace disasters, and slow-burn romance with a deeply chaotic edge, this novel will make you laugh, sigh, and maybe re-evaluate your own idea of "healing."

Because sometimes, the worst ideas lead to the best stories.