I am a pretty big fan of Elin Hilderbrand’s books. I look forward to reading her newest release while sitting on the beach every summer. They are perfect beach reads that are typically set on the island of Nantucket. A couple of years ago, Elin wrote a series about a family that took place in the winter on Nantucket. Every October, the newest book in the series was released and I was sad to see it end in 2017. Even though that series is not the focus of the blog today, I highly recommend the Winter Street series if you haven’t read it! There are 4 books and they are great holiday reading!
In 2018, Elin announced a new winter series called “Winter in Paradise.” I quickly purchased the first book in the series and devoured it as I normally do with her books. The only problem was that meant I had to wait a full year for the next installment. Thankfully BOTM had it in their October 2019 box. But even though it technically takes place in the winter, this series is a little more “beachy” to me, so I saved it for my first summer read of 2020. I will admit that I almost wish I had reread the first one to refresh my memory, but Elin did a good job at recapping the important details. The last book in the series is set to be released in October of this year. If you are not a fan of cliffhangers, you may want to wait until that one comes out and then read them all back to back 😉
Here’s the first one is this series:
Summary: I’m actually going to try to summarize both of the books in this series, since I read the first one before I started blogging. And there is really no break in time between the two novels. In the first book, Irene has just received a phone call that her husband Russ has died in a helicopter crash off the island of St. John along with a young woman. She has no idea what he was doing in St. John, and so in an effort to find answers, she and her two sons Cash and Baker head to the island. They soon discover that Russ had been hiding lots of secrets from them including a second family and a large island villa. The woman who died with him, Rosie, is actually the mother of his young daughter Maia that no one even knew existed.
At a loss after discovering Russ’ double life, Irene and her sons spend some time on the island seeking explanations. They soon find themselves drawn to the island and the people they meet there including young Maia and her grandfather. The first book ends with a cliffhanger as everyone on the island receives more news about the helicopter crash that killed Russ and Rosie.
The second book picks up about a week later with Irene, Baker, and Cash returning to their home in Iowa City still reeling from the news and trying to figure out their next steps. One by one, they each find themselves drawn back to St. John. This time around, the book focuses on the relationships between them and the islanders they met during their last visit. The reader also gets to hear Rosie’s side of the story through a series of journal entries. As the trio settle into island life, they find out that Russ actually had a few more secrets. And this time the secrets may cost them everything they have.
This book also ends with an even bigger cliffhanger than the first one. I don’t want to give anything away, but there are plenty of things that will need explained in book #3. I’m just sad I have to wait until October to find out!
Genre: General Fiction
My Review:
What I Liked: Elin’s books are always easy reading for me and I love how she describes her characters. You feel like you know these people and you can literally picture the beaches as you read. The series aspect allows for even more character development, which makes the reader invested in the story and what happens in the characters’ lives. I liked that in book #2, we got to hear the story of how Russ and Rosie met through her diary entries. The first book gave no inkling of what had brought the two of them together. I also liked the relationships between the main characters and how they started to intertwine with the people who live on the island. There is some mystery involved too regarding the helicopter crash and Russ’ secret life.
What I Didn’t Like: Honestly, the only thing I didn’t like in both books were the cliffhanger endings, but that’s what makes you want to keep reading the series. So I understand it is necessary in this case. I just wish that I had read them closer together and maybe closer to the last release.
Disclaimer: PG-13 for adult themes maybe? There’s nothing really graphic, but the topics are kind of heavy.
Do You Read Me?: Yes! Read this series and then closer to Christmas, read the Winter Street series. And this summer pick up some of her other books for sitting on the beach or sitting by the pool. (Or even just sitting in your backyard). My favorites are The Identicals, The Rumor, and The Perfect Couple. And you can also preorder her newest release “28 Summers,” which will be out June 16th. I already did 😉