4.5 stars
Elin brings us to the Caribbean island of St. John in this tale that not only captivates the reader but leaves us wanting to find out more. Can't wait for the next book in the series. She has me hooked.
Irene Steel has been married for 35 years, very much in love with her husband. She finds out he has a very secret life and she and her 2 sons unravel it all in a most idyllic setting.

By FAR, my favorite Hilderbrand book to date! Finally - some female characters with independence and drive! I also liked that it was set in a different place than her typical Nantucket books. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL!!

https://www.lifewithemilyblog.com/2018/10/october-2018-reading-list-reviews.html
Elin Hilderbrand is back with a new “Winter” series and this time the scene is set in USVI, St. John to be exact. Irene has a damn near perfect life – a doting husband, a beautiful custom home, and two wonderful sons. But, like most things, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. Irene’s life quickly changes when she receives a devastating phone call on New year’s Day that her husband is dead. But the most perplexing thing is that he was on the island of St. John when he died. Surely, Russ’ business hadn’t taken him there? When Irene and her sons arrive in the Caribbean, they’re shocked to find out another shocking discovery that leads them all to question everything. review: I love the departure from Nantucket to St. John, a place that is near & dear to me! I enjoyed recognizing places that she went on the island (including the beloved Caneel Bay!) I liked how this started, but have mixed feelings about how it progressed, especially when it came to the far-fetched love triangle… I realize it’s part of a trilogy, but I still don’t think I enjoyed it as much as I’ve loved her other books! I am anxious to see how the other two books develop! rating: 3.5 or 4 of 5 stars⭐️*It’s hard to fathom giving E.H. 3.5 stars!

I am a huge Elin Hilderbrand fan. I was excited to see this title available through NetGalley and could not wait to start reading. I am a huge lover of the Caribbean so the setting in St. John Virgin Islands was perfect and the descriptions of the island were wonderful and made me want to go. The main character, Irene Steele, learns that her husband Russ has died in a helicopter crash in the Virgin Islands. Even though Russ travels for work, she has no idea why he would be in the Caribbean. She calls her two sons, Baker and Cash, and the three head to St. John to claim the body. Both of Irene's sons have situations in their lives that they are running from. Cash, who owns a business funded by his father, has lost the business and is bankrupt and Baker, who is a married stay at home father, is getting a divorce because his doctor wife is leaving him for another woman.
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When they arrive, they learn about the multi-million dollar villa that Russ owned with a second family and the second life that he was living.

I loved the characters and the surprise ending so I am so excited to see Book 2 of this series when it comes out!

So happy Elin Hilderbrand has started a new trilogy with great new characters and, once again, a fantastic and compelling plot! Can't wait until the next one comes out next year!

I loved this book! I read a few of Elin's books and they are all so good. This is the start of a new series and boy does it leave you wanting more! I can't wait to read the next one in this series. This first book was engaging and quick to get through. I just kept reading and reading, loving every twist and turn. She's quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Definitely highly recommended!

I love every one of Elin's books -- but I have to say this is my absolute favorite!! It is the first of a 3 book series and I can't wait for the next one. Elin really knows how to end a book. She has her audience waiting in anticipation for the next one!! The characters in this book are so fascinating and I love how she switches the POVs in a way that you can't wait to get to each chapter.

This fast-paced book, with an unexpected ending, was an enjoyable read as was the picturesque landscape that Hilderbrand is the master of illuminating. I can always count on Elin Hilderbrand to write relatable characters that you wish the best for and who stay with you long after the book is finished. Winter in Paradise is no different. It’s great read that will make you count down the days to the next book in the series.

I received an advanced review copy (ARC) of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Synopsis from Publisher/NetGalley.com
A husband's secret life, a wife's new beginning: escape to the Caribbean with New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.

Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to sky-writing, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a plane crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband's death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John.

After Irene and her sons arrive at this faraway paradise, they make yet another shocking discovery: her husband had been living a secret life. As Irene untangles a web of intrigue and deceit, and as she and her sons find themselves drawn into the vibrant island culture, they have to face the truth about their family, and about their own futures.

Rich with the lush beauty of the tropics and the drama, romance, and intrigue only Elin Hilderbrand can deliver, Winter in Paradise is a truly transporting novel, and the exciting start to a new series.

I loved Elin Hilderbrand's new book. It's fast-paced and really kept me turning the pages. The characters are all relatable and well developed, and the setting of St. John is perfect. My only negative is that I have to wait a year to read the next book in the series!

This book was so much fun! The characters are easily relatable and the setting is beautiful. My only complaint is that I have to wait for the second book to see what happens to these amazing characters.

I am so glad this is going to be a trilogy because I immediately fell in love with the characters!!! Elin always write such incredible stories that suck you in and leave you wanting more. I absolutely loved everything about this book! Can’t wait for the next one!!

Thanks to Elin Hilderbrand, Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Hilderbrand's books and after reading this title, I'm anxious to read the next book in the series. I loved the new characters and the plot of the story and it kept my interest through out.

Thanks to @littlebrown for the eARC of this book!
I started this on my way home from San Diego & stayed up late to finish that night.
Irene Steele feels like she has a perfect life in Iowa City, but when she gets a call on New Year’s Day that her husband, Russ, was killed on St. John, she and her adult sons are in shock—they thought he was on a business trip to Florida. They head to St. John to try to unravel the mysteries of Russ’s final days, and fall in love with the island in the process.
I think it’s a great winter book for when you need a break from winter weather! I enjoy Hilderbrand’s writing, but I wanted to know more about Russ’s life! Since this is the first in a series, I’m excited to see how the story progresses!

I loved this book so much! The Elin Hilderbrand books I've read (I think this is my fourth) have all been really enjoyable books but this one felt different. Obviously a lot of that is because she changed the location and the time frame, but it's also a different sort of book.

The idea of second families intrigues me. Does the second family know about the first? Were there really no clues at all? Wouldn't someone's absence on holidays tip you off that something was wrong? There were no answers to that in this book (we only hear from the first family, and Russ spent holidays with them) but I'm hoping it's addressed in the sequel. 

Although honestly, the ending was completely unexpected and I cannot wait for the sequel. (I would be excited anyway because I need to know what happens with everyone, but with the ending? TELL ME EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.)

Highly recommended. (But be warned, you will probably want your own tropical vacation. I know I do.)

I couldn’t put this book down! I really liked the mysterious storyline. I kept waiting for another twist.

Usually Ms. Hilderbrand’s novels take place On Nantucket. So this was a nice surprise. I could envision myself back in the Virgin Islands.

I loved the storyline, and can’t wait for the next book! Highly recommend.

What a trilogy opener! This is only my second book by Hilderbrand, and I loved it just as much as The Perfect Couple this summer (maybe even more?). I ended up reading it in less than two days, I just could not put it down. I cannot wait for the next book to come out, and maybe have been searching the internet trying to find out how long I have to wait for part two.

One of my favorite things about this book is that Hilderbrand wrote it while staying on St.John, so everything about the island feels very authentic. The Virgin Islands are definitely higher on my bucket list now. She also does a great job mixing mystery with personal interest stories, engaging you with the characters while also adding suspense.

As I am the last to discover, Elin Hilderbrand is totally engaging. Her latest novel involves a family in crisis, a trip to a tropical island, lots of romance, and a mysterious death. I was engrossed from the first page to the last. Hilderbrand's imagery is so vivid, I could almost smell the tropical flowers and see the turquoise waters. Her female characters are strong and multi-generational. All of her characters are likable, even the unfortunate dead person. Luckily, we will all get a chance to revisit and know them better as this is the first entry in a new series! Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for a candid review.
#winterinparadise #netgalley

Elin Hilderbrand has always been a sure thing for me, her books have been filled with so much and Winter in Paradise follow her roll of writing amazing stories!
This book took place in the Virgin Islands and let me tell you at the end of this book I was begging my husband to do a winter trip there! I love the mystery storyline that had me glued to my kindle!
I look forward to reading more from Elin!

Elin Hilderbrand’s newest book and first in a series, Winter in Paradise, takes a break from cozy Nantucket and whisks us away to sunny St. John!

Irene Steele is the main character that has it all. We know the one- fantastic husband, kids, the job, and home. That perfect facade has cracks, though, when her children are grown and don’t need her as much, her husband is distant, and her job is pushing retirement. The cracks shatter when she receives the late night phone call no one wants. Her husband has been found dead under mysterious circumstances. He was found far away on the island of St. John…

Irene flies to St. John with her two sons to figure things out, and she is confronted with more unexpected news: her husband has a second family.

Even with all the deceit staring her in the face, Irene won’t give up until she finds out the truth.

I know some of you may be thinking this sound dramatic and predictable, but not when Hilderbrand writes it. It reads as if this is happening to your best friend, and Irene becomes your best friend. She is human, her emotions are raw and honest, and she is fierce. She takes on all these secrets and fights for closure and peace for herself and her family.

With themes of heartache, love and loss, and most of all, hope and healing, Winter in Paradise is a stunning beginning to a new series, and I’ll be biting my nails waiting for book number two! (This is why I don’t often read series- ahh! The waiting!).

Thanks to Little, Brown for the opportunity to read and review an early copy. All opinions are my own.

I am always a fan of Elin Hilderbrand books and this one is no difference. The mystery surrounding the life and death of all of the character sets the way for a great trilogy. Hilderbrand paints a beautiful picture of the Virgin Islands and makes me want to plan a trip immediately. My only wish is that a few more questions had been answered in this book! The ending made me want more, but not feel completely satisfied either. Overall a great read and I can't wait for the next installment.