The Island by Elin Hilderbrand

Is it even summer without an Elin Hilderbrand novel?  

I had The Island in my to read pile for a long time.  I bought it on discount at Barnes and Noble.  Remember the days when we could wander the aisles of bookstores stopping coffee or ice tea?  Those were the days.

The book, like all of Hildebrand's books, did not disappoint.  The novel is about a mother and her two daughters.  Birdie is recently divorced and is dating a new man.  Suddenly, her daughter Chess calls her.  She broke off her engagement, giving no reason other than that she did not love her fiancé.  Then suddenly, Chess' ex-fiance dies in a rock climbing accident with his brother. Chess becomes heartbroken and full of grief.  

So Birdie decides to take Chess along with her other daughter, Tess, and her sister, India, to their home on Tuckernuck Island.  Together they'll learn to mend their broken hearts and understand each other.

But seriously, this book was the perfect kick off to summer reading! It's beachy.  It's confessional.  It's about love! You can't go wrong. 

I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  Until the next read! 

~Jessica 

What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand- Battle of the Book

As one could guess by the title of this post, I'm bringing back the Battle of the Book!!
I just found out from Jessica what her stance on the book was and I think that warrants the different opinions on the same title.  

Why not at least make it fun to blog, you know?

What Happens in Paradise is the second book in the Paradise series by Elin Hilderbrand.  The first book in the series is Winter in Paradise.  This series is marked as being a trilogy but it seems that the second book has the flexibility of almost being a standalone novel.  You're able to read this book if you haven't read the first one- you'll be able to understand what's presented and you won't feel like you're missing anything. 

The first book in the series is Winter in Paradise.  This series is marked as being a trilogy but it seems that the second book has the flexibility of almost being a standalone novel.  You're able to read this book if you haven't read the first one- you'll be able to understand what's presented and you won't feel like you're missing anything. 

Starting back in Iowa, the reader catches up with Cash and Irene.  Cash wakes up in his mother's house, jobless and Irene is starting to make notification about Russ's death.  

While Baker is in Texas coming to terms with Anna's request to file for divorce. 

In a strange twist of fate, these three Steele’s find themselves back down in St. John’s as a way to heal. 

Cash picks up a job with Ayers on the boat giving tours and Irene helps out Huck by going to work on his fishing boat. Baker’s reason to be down there seems a little far fetched for me but if it works, it works. 

While there was some soul searching being done at Little Cinnamon, there was some searching that Ayers was doing on her own. 

Ayers was given the opportunity to help with Rosie’s belongings. In doing so, Ayers stumbles upon diaries that had been kept by Rosie, from the time that she 18 until when she died. Rosie didn’t write down everything that happened everyday but she wrote down some major and pivotal events. 

What Ayers learns turns everything upside down. 

There are more twists and turn in this book than in the first one but I liked this one more.  I say that because I liked reading Rosie's journal entries.  I liked the complexities of Russ's life and finding things out. 

There's one character that I didn't care for in the first book and I didn't care for that character now is Baker.  I found him to be whiny and pretentious and I don't like how he's uprooting him and his young son to be close to a girl who doesn't seem to be super interested in him? (Though I'm happy that Cash seemed to have found someone).

That's my only complaint!

I would definitely recommend this book and for that.... 5 coffee beans out of 5! :) 

- Jillian

The Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand - Reshelved Books

Hello Dewey Readers!

I recently finished Elin Hildebrand's latest novel, The Summer of '69.  This novel takes place during, you guessed it, the summer of 1969.  This is a historical fiction turn for Hilderbrand because the novel takes that summer of 50 years ago - the summer of the first landing of a person on the moon and of the Vietnam War, and interweaves a story of a family dealing with war, infidelity, racism, and life. 

I am never disappointed with Hildebrand's novels.  The way she writes just pulls me in and has me devouring her words.  This book was no exception.  I could not put this book down! I think part of this is because I love the way Hilderbrand writes, but also because the topic is different.  I don't think I ever read a book set in this time period (except maybe for brief parts of Kristin Hannah's Firefly Lane.)  

Pick up this book and pack it in your beach bag! You won't be disappointed.  I give you a rating of 5 out of 5 Coffee Beans.

Until the next read!

~Jessica 

Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand- Battle of the Book

I would like to say that I am the world's worst blogger. 

I thought that having these themes would help me stay on top of the task at hand but I only lied to myself... (I watched a RawBeautyKristi video last week where she said that if you announce something before actually making the accomplishment, that you are less likely to complete the task.  Why you may ask? Well, it's because you've made the announcement out loud.  This is something that I'm wholeheartedly agreeing with!)

For the "holiday" theme that I had planned for this month, I read "Winter in Paradise" by Elin Hilderbrand.  It's no big secret, that I am a big fan of Elin Hilderbrand (I don't think it is anyway). 

I looooved loved loved "The Perfect Couple" which was released this summer.  (Jess and me both read and reviewed that book - those reviews can be found by clicking on our respected names)

I was super excited to learn that she was releasing another book this year!  Usually, Hilderbrand's books take place in Nantucket but this one is different in that it takes place in St. John, US Virgin Islands.  It's also takes a similar path to "The Perfect Couple" in that involves a death! 

What kind of death? You'll just have to go and read it for yourself.  I'm not going to ruin it for anyone.

My only issue with this book is the title. I don't get it. Yes, the book starts at the New Year. Yes, they're travelling to an idyllic place.  However, they didn't spend the entire winter there and, the stuff that the Steele family had to deal with, doesn't make me think of St. John's as being a "paradise" for them. 

Aside from the title, the stuff that made the book was good.  

Irene Steele was spending New Year's Eve at dinner with one of her best friends.  Irene is a married woman, in her late 50s with two grown sons (one is living in CO and the other is living in TX with his wife and young son).  Irene is under the impression that her husband of 35 (?) years is away on a business trip.


Little does Irene know, her life is going to change for forever.

One phone call changes everything that Irene believed and known.  Her entire world is turned upside down.

A phone call that leads Irene and her sons to go down to St. Johns in the Virgin Islands.  Where they discover secrets that have been hidden for 12 years. 

Not only is she dealing with the fact that her husband is dead but she is also dealing with the fact that her husband was hiding a HUGE secret. I must say, Irene's character handled everything with dignity and grace. 

In a bizarre twist of fate, Irene's sons Cash and Banker both fell for the same girl (who's name I don't remember).  This was probably the one thing that I didn't like about the book.  I thought that Banker was a jerk about the whole thing- I wasn't really feeling how he pushed his way into going out on a date with said girl.  (In my mind, I saw Cash as being the better fit.)

Hilderbrand pens a story is able to hold the reader's attention.  In many ways this book was like her others.  The relationship that characters have, the stories that they have to tell. 

I give this book 4 coffee beans out of 5.   

~ Jillian

Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand - Battle of the Book

Hello Dewey Readers!

So Jillian let me borrow her copy of Elin Hilderbrand's new novel Winter in Paradise.  I absolutely LOVE Elin Hilderbrand so I was over the moon when Jillian passed her copy on to me (and grandma).  So this novel is in the vein of the Perfect Couple where someone dies.  It appears to be an accident, but it's a little weird and a little bit shady. *cough, cough* Did someone say double life?  

Anyway, like all Elin Hilderbrand books, I devoured this story.  Seriously, I read it in like 2 days.  I couldn't stop.  However, I didn't like the way that it was marketed.  When one reads the title Winter in Paradise,  it becomes easy to assume that this novel is like Hilderbrand's other winter novels (Winter Street, Winter Stroll, etc.) which take place over the holidays.  This novel does not, and actually there's not really any winter vibes at all except for where it mentions that this novel takes place shortly after the new year.  Also,  I'd be lying if I didn't note that I was a little disappointed the novel doesn't take place in Nantucket.. or even briefly in New England at all.  Instead the novel takes place in St. John and Iowa.   

Did I like the novel? Yes. 

Would I have liked it better if I wasn't looking for something of the Elin Hilderbrand brand?  Probably.

I guess this is why established authors sometimes use pen names.  So Dewey Readers, I give you a rating of 4.5 out of 5 Coffee Beans.

Until the next read!

~Jessica 

P.S.  Check out Jillian's review coming soon!

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand- Battle of the Book

It's the start of the fourth week of July... 

Which means....

This Tuesday is when The Spine Breakers meet!

Which means... 

This post is for the monthly Battle of the Book!

*The crowd cheers* 

I’m going to start off this review by saying that this is the BEST Elin Hilderbrand book that I’ve ever read.  And I’m totally a fan of her.  When I met her at Bookcon in 2015, I totally had a fangirl moment.

Jess did a really great job at explaining how The Perfect Couple opened. You can read that here.

Just to rehash- Greer Garrison Winsbury is hosting her son, Benji’s marriage to Celeste. The morning of the wedding, Celeste, finds her best friend and maid of honor, Merritt dead! (Yes, you heard me correctly- dead!!). 

Will Celeste still marry Benji? What happened to Merritt?

But, the story isn't all about solving this murder. No no. There is more covered!

Celeste's mother was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and her prognosis isn't good.  The story looks at Linda's relationship with Bruce and how Celeste sees them as being the "perfect couple".  The story also looks at the relationship between Greer and Tag - do they fit the notion of being a "perfect couple"?

Heck, are even Celeste and Benji the perfect couple??

Hilderbrand tells the story of what happened and how everything came to be in past tense and present tense. She does so in such a way that it’s not confusing (which is *awesome*).

She also unravels all of these relationships to show what is beneath the surface and how everything isn't always as it seems. 

I'm with Jess on this one - 5 coffee beans out of 5!!

This is seriously an awesome beach (and you betcha I've been telling patrons who check out this book at the library the same thing!).

It's even a great rainy day read! Since that's what the weather will be like here for the next few days.

~ Jillian

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand- Battle of the Book

Okay, so I finished the last Spine Breaking book a while ago, and I forgot to write the review.  Our next meeting isn't for a couple of weeks. I really hope I don't forget the book by then!

So for July we read Elin Hilderbrand's latest novel The Perfect Couple.  Hilderbrand is the QUEEN of the summer beach read.  It is not summer unless I have a Hilderbrand novel in my hand.  I love the way that she writes so authentically in her own voice while conveying the voices of her multiple characters.  I also love how she gives the Island of Nantucket it's own character perspective and voice.  It's just perfectly well done.

So unlike her other novels, this novel opens up with pure thriller drama.  A body was found in the ocean!  It's very Spine Breaker's-esc. But this body...It was the body of the maid of honor in a wedding that was supposed to happen that very day.  The woman who pulled the body out of the ocean?  That was the bride.  Hildebrand's novel delves into the whodunnit, while exploring family relationships, romantic relationships, life, death, and summertime.  If that doesn't make you want to read this book, I don't know what will.  

I give it 5 out of 5 Sizzling Coffee Beans.  

~Jessica   

P.S.  My Grandma read this book and LOVED it as well.  She probably gives it 100 and 1/2 Coffee Beans.  I'll have to ask her.  

P.S.S.  I wrote this review maybe a week or two ago and forgot to post it.  

The end.