Vivi Howe is the queen of the beach reads. Her career and her life revolve around summer, specifically summer on Nantucket. And it was a summer morning, just a month away from the launch of her next book when Vivi is hit by a car and killed. Vivi spends the next three months watching her three kids from the "beyond." She gets to watch them until Labor Day and gets three "nudges" that she can give if she finds them steering off course. Leo is her youngest, a recent high school graduate. Carson is the middle child and struggling to find her place in life. Willa is the oldest, and the most settled of Vivi's three children. Willa is recently married and trying hard to start her own family. All three kids are struggling with Vivi's death, but it is Willa who reaches out to a poster on Vivi's memorial page who says that he was Vivi's high school boyfriend. Willa discovers that their mother had an entire life that they knew nothing about. Will the kids be okay and find their way without Vivi?



Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of the beach reads. Her career centers on summers on Nantucket. So it was fun to see that the main character of Golden Girl is also an author. I am not sure how much of it was autobiographical, but Vivi Howe seems to have elements of the life I imagine that EH leads. It was easy to like Vivi, even though she had not led a perfect life. And it was easy to like her kids, in all of their destructive grief. Her ex was an ass, though. And I am glad that he was her ex. I wasn't all that shocked by the big revelation in the end. I had it figured out fairly early on - both of the twists - but it was nice to get the confirmation that I was right. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS



Bottom Line -To me, there are some things that just define summer. Watermelon, baseball, and Elin Hilderbrand novels. I know EH isn't planning on writing books forever, but as long as she publishes her writing, I will read it.



Details:

Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
On Twitter
Pages: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company
Publication Date: 6/1/2021
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the free book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of this book! Yes! Yes! Yes! Elin Hilderbrand does not disappoint. Loved every part of this book. Likeable characters, suspenseful plot and lots of drama! Perfect summer or anytime read!

Entertaining and dramatic, Elin Hilderbrand delivers yet another amazing beach read with Golden Girl. Vivi, a Nantucket novelist, dies suddenly and is given the remainder of the summer to watch over her family and nudge them in the right direction. An emotional and enjoyable read. 5 enthusiastic stars!

Elin's books are always solid. When I first read this, the Anne Frank comment was in the book and it just did not sit with me right. I'm hoping the next one is better.

Vivi is dead. There is no going back but before her real entrance to the world beyond this one, she relives the accident that caused her death, the growing up years reflected in her newly published book, "Golden Girl", her marriage, her children, and the many romances and issues that are surrounding her family at the time of her death and beyond. Vivi was divorced but still had a friendly relationship with her husband who had divorced her because he was infatuated with a very young woman. Vivi's daughter is on her third pregnancy after suffering two miscarriages. Her other daughter is happily bartending and drugging, her son devastated over the mysterious loss of his mother and the friendship of his best friend Cruz. The real mystery of what happened to Vivi and who drove the car that caused the accident will be solved as will many of the life questions posed by this fascinating book. I loved reading it. The characters were rich, flawed and so human. The plot was that of life, deep with secrets and intertwined lives and loves. This will be the beach read for the Summer of 2021. I loved it. Thanks to #GoldenGirl#Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was really interested to see what Ms. Hilderbrand brought us with Golden Girl. People have been hot and cold on this story line, but I really enjoyed it. I think for women who have hit at least mid-life, this story of mortality will resonate deeply. I will say I figured out the who dunnit aspect of the story well before it was revealed but I'm not sure she was really trying to hide it too much from the readers. Enjoyed the characters and ambiance as always. Thank you for another great summer novel!

The theme of a character dying and watching over their family is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Vivian is the victim of a hit and run accident and her guide to eternity, Martha grants her the summer and 3 nudges to see how her family handles her death. The characters are well defined and the 3 grown children are typical young adults. Her ex-husband is a pain. Set on Nantucket Island the story is a great beach read for the summer. This is one of my favorite reads of the year so far. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I look forward to an Elin Hilderbrand book every summer, and this was my favorite one in a while! While some may find the storyline depressing, I found it uplifting and sweet. I finished this one in two days flat; I could not stop reading! It was the perfect feel-good drama with a little suspense mixed in.

Elin Hilderbrand is one of those reliable authors whose books are consistently enjoyable. This one has a twist that makes it different from her other books, but it still qualifies as a great beach read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review will be posted on 7/2/21
Vivian (Vivi) Howe is a successful novelist living on the idyllic island of Nantucket. She's divorced and has three grown children. Does this sound familiar...dare I say a little autobiographical? While on a morning run on a gorgeous day in June, she gets hit by a car and dies immediately upon impact. Her son's best friend is the first person to discover her on the side of the road. Obviously her sudden death is devastating to not only her children, but to her best friend, her ex-husband, ex-boyfriend, and to the island of Nantucket. All of her children still feel like they need her in their lives and question how they will go on with her love, support, and guidance. Plus, there's the more pressing issue of who hit Vivi and then left her there? Meanwhile, Vivi enters the "Beyond" and is assigned a person, Martha, to guide her. She gets one last summer to watch her family and friends and even more exciting she gets three nudges to help guide her family. Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand at first glance may seem like a dark beach read, but ultimately it's a hopeful one that made me laugh, cry, and had me glued to the pages all while enjoying the beautiful setting of Nantucket.

Vivi is such an interesting character in Golden Girl and I couldn't help but wonder if part of her life's experiences come from Elin's. There are many similarities between the two characters, which is intriguing in and of itself. Once Vivi is in the Beyond, she watches things play out down below and in turn, finds out secrets about her children, about her ex-husband, and she is worried some of her own secrets might come out after the publication of her last novel. You see Vivi's last novel is based on her own life experiences and has a pretty big secret in it that stems back to high school. If a particular person from her past reads the novel, her secrets may become unearthed and Vivi isn't sure she is ready for that, especially since she isn't there to do any damage control. However, she does have these three nudges to help her loved ones avoid any disasters. Also, I love how Hilderbrand has us get to know Vivi through flashbacks; it was all so well done and tugged on my heartstrings.

Vivi watches from the Beyond as her children deal with her untimely death as well as the hit-and-run investigation in Golden Girl. First there's her oldest Willa, who is the most responsible and is married to her high school sweetheart. She works at the Nantucket Historical Society and has her life planned out. The only thing she doesn't have is a baby. She has had multiple miscarriages and finds herself pregnant again. Then there's wild-child Carson who is the polar opposite of Willa. She works as head bartender at a popular restaurant on Nantucket and dabbles in drugs, partakes in reckless behavior, and to top it off, she's having an affair with a married man. Obviously, this concerns Vivi. Her youngest child, Leo, just graduated high school and is off to college in the fall. Vivi learns many secrets about him while watching over him. Then there's her ex-husband, JP, who has decided that the woman he left Vivi for isn't a good fit after all. Vivi's death throws him for a loop. Who will she use her nudges on? Thankfully, Vivi has been assigned to Martha in the Beyond and she guide her through this.

Even though the premise of Golden Girl seems a bit dismal, I can promise you it isn't. There's still all the things we have come to love in Hilderbrand's novels. There's descriptions of Nantucket, the restaurants, the cocktails, the beaches, and of course, the family drama. Hilderbrand's characters feel real and her portrayal of the after-life is also well done. I really loved it actually. Hilderbrand explains at the end of her novel that the early loss of her father as well as her breast cancer journey inspired this novel and I think many people can relate to the themes....the idea that someone may be watching over us, nudging us in the right direction, or helping us to avoid a disaster. Elin's cancer diagnosis obviously impacted her life and you can see threads of it in Golden Girl. This is something I can relate to as I have dealt with my own cancer diagnosis. If something threatens your life, you start to really question how you are living and you start to think about things you didn't before and that's what Golden Girl accomplishes. I know many people complained it was dark, but I think those people have the immense privilege of living in a world of unicorns and rainbows. That's not life, at least not for most of us. Essentially, Hilderbrand gives us something to think about in Golden Girl. What would life look like without you? Do we ever lose the people we love? I, for one, certainly appreciated the important themes of love, loss, and grief. In fact, I hope the after-life is exactly like Hilderbrand's green room in the Beyond.

Needless to say, I loved Golden Girl. I could see how Hilderbrand was hoping this would be her last novel, but it appears we can expect a few more from her. Golden Girl and 28 Summers are my absolute favorite of her novels. I can't imagine that she can top these two, but if anyone can do it, she can.

Unfortunately, I will not be reading or reviewing this novel. A WIDLY insensitive Anne Frank joke was made and while it was address by the author and publisher, I am no longer interested in her or her writing. More information can be found here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jun/08/elin-hilderbrand-asks-for-anne-frank-reference-to-be-cut-from-novel-after-complaints

I love the premise behind this story! The main character is killed in a hit and run accident and she gets until the end of the summer to watch her loved ones as they come to term with her death. She’s is granted 3 nudges to use to change the outcome of events happening in the real world. I loved the mystery behind trying to figure out what happened and who hit her. I was rooting for her children as they tried to face the world without their mom. As always Elin Hilderbrand does not disappoint!!

"Golden Girl" by Elin Hilderbrand
Little, Brown and Company
June 1, 2021
10-0316420085
432 Pages
Contemporary Women's Fiction

Vivian Howe lives on Nantucket Island and is the mother of three; the oldest, Willa is married to Rip Bonham, her childhood sweetheart and desperately trying to conceive after suffering three miscarriages; middle daughter, Carson, is the wild offspring who tends bar at Oystercatcher, a local restaurant; and son, Leo, a recent high school graduate is bound for college in Colorado.

The author of 13 novels, 51-year-old Vivi finds her popularity is growing rapidly with the beach reads she pens set on her home turf and containing bits of her personal history.

Ten years ago, her husband, JP Quinboro shocked her stating he wasn't happy and had fallen in love with Amy Van Pelt his 26-year-old wine shop employee. At this point, Vivi takes his rejection in stride realizing he's a spoiled rich native who cannot make a success of anything. She is enjoying her life, loves the place she calls home, and the closeness she shares with her best friend, Savannah Hamilton, her Duke college roommate, from a family with roots in Nantucket.

On a glorious day in June to clear her head and contemplate her earlier argument with Carson and other problems concerning her children, she goes for a jog and is run down near her home, with the driver leaving the scene. As she lies dying, she is filled with intense memories of her high school boyfriend, Brett Caspian as he sings a tune he once wrote for her.

Leo's close friend, Cruz DeSantis, arrives soon after Vivi is hit. He loves Vivi as his mom, for she always treated him like her own son. Raised by his dad, Vivi is the only mother figure he's known. Distraught when Vivi succumbs to the accident, Cruz is shocked when police chief, Ed Kapenash considers him the key suspect in her death.

Just prior to Vivi's demist a woman named Martha, circles the island taking in the sights, sighing over the beauty of the area. But, she isn't there to sightsee . . . she's there to collect a sou—none other than Vivi!

As Vivi lies dying she spots a woman sporting reading glasses perched on the end of her nose:

"Whereas the scarf [she is wearing] is elegant and looks expensive--Vivi studies the elaborate animal print in the signature shade of orange and determines it's (excuse me!) an Hermès scarf—the glasses are of the drugstore variety. 'Hello, Vivian,' the woman says. 'Welcome to the Beyond. I'm Martha.'

'Martha looks familiar. She reminds Vivi vaguely of . . .

"'Of your first reader, Maribeth,' Martha says. 'Yes, she's my younger sister.'

"'You have got to be joking! You're Maribeth Schumacher's sister?' When Vivi's first novel, The Dune Daughters, came out, Maribeth Schumacher bought twenty copies and gave them to all her influential friends. These friends then told their friends and neighbors and sisters-in-law and so on and so on and so on—just like the infamous Fabergé shampoo commercial. In this way, Vivi's devoted readership was born. . . . .

. . . ."'But that's not why they assigned me to you,' Martha says. 'It's just a coincidental aside.'

"'Assigned you to me?'

"'I'm your Person,' Martha says. 'I'm here to help you transition.'

"'I think there's been a mistake.'

"'Everyone says that,' Martha says. . . .

"'It's too late,' Martha says. 'You're dead.'

"'I'm dead,' Vivi says. 'But I didn't do anything wrong. How can I be dead?' She doesn't want to sound too indignant; if there's one thing Vivi has learned in her fifty-one years, it's that you should always be polite to the people who can help you, such as flight attendants and anyone who works at the DMV. 'Martha, can you explain, please? Am I being . . . punished?'

"'Don't be silly,' Martha says.

"'So they why . . . '

"'You were hit by a car," Martha says, 'It was an accident. Random bad luck.'"

Martha cannot or will not disclose the name of the driver who killed Vivi, but she informs her she is being granted the summer to watch over her children and is allotted three "nudges" where she can intercede in certain circumstances and help them. These nudges are offered because she "met such a random and sudden end." Martha adds it's also because she likes Vivi's books.

Martha presents as an eclectic woman who wears different expensive scarves whenever she connects with Vivi; usually when Vivi needs her help. She takes Vivi to a room decorated how Vivi would love to do with the house she bought after splitting with JP which she calls "Money Pit." Now she automatically is comfortable in this new environment.

As Vivi rises to the Beyond, she ponders her life. Not realizing she is deceased, she thinks about her latest novel, Golden Girl, which is due to be released in a few days. Her biggest dream is to reach the top spot on the "New York Times" bestseller list. Coming close, she's never reached number one. This new book going back to Vivi's early years is mostly fictionalized, for she hasn't thought about Brett in years and never spoke of him to Savannah or her family.

Vivi can now face her children's problems and use her "nudges" to help. She saves Carson from a situation that could be devastating, seeing Carson is floundering and on the road to destruction. Other things come to light for all concerned as horror and heartache consumes those closest to Vivi.
A bit romance, a bit mystery, Golden Girl captures the charm of Nantucket. The island with the local spots and areas are described so one feels part of the locale; though, this could be considered overkill with the flow of the narrative by slowing down the progression of the story. It depends on the reader's likes and dislikes. Some love to have every nook and cranny depicted, and others look for a quick read. Though labeled a "beach book" this is much more. It is not fast paced, but is intense, with both depiction of the location and the awareness of each of the various and divergent characters who give their insight of their experiences in their own chapters. It also offers food for thought about what could happen once one dies. Can we get a second chance to work out difficulties and/or help others? Complex and moving, this read will get one thinking.

I always love Elin Hilderbrand's books! This was a different type of read - told from the standpoint of someone who has died and is watching her children from above. She is given three "winks" to help prod her children in the direction that she believes is best. Honestly, the book was a little hard to get into at first but I was glad I kept going. Just don't expect the typical Hildebrand beach read and you'll enjoy reading this!

Elin Hilderbrand has done it again! This is one of her best novels yet. It has the classic beach read feel her audience has come to love with all of her novels set in Nantucket; but she wrote a unique twist with the main character being an observer in her family's life as an angel. Golden Girl is enjoyable to read and I would recommend this book to anyone who is new to Elin Hilderbrand's Nantucket world.

It's never really summer for me until I've read the latest Elin Hilderbrand book and while I wanted to love this there were some elements of the story that were hard to forgive. Set on her trademark Nantucket island, this story is very meta - about a successful writer, Vivi, a mom of three grown children who dies in a hit and run accident. The unique twist is that after her death she ascends to the 'Beyond' where she is assigned a guide, Martha, who allows her to watch over her children for one last summer and gives her three 'nudges' where she can subtly alter the course of events for the better.

If you're a very literally minded person this story might not appeal but I REALLY enjoyed the paranormal element and thought the author pulled it off to great effect. Each of Vivi's three children are dealing with their own unique challenges on top of their grief and definitely benefit from Vivi's guiding hand. The oldest, Willa has suffered multiple miscarriages and is worried her latest pregnancy won't stick, while Carson the middle daughter, is having an affair with a married man and abusing drugs and alcohol. Finally, Leo, the youngest, who is about to go off to college, has a secret tied to the night his mother died.

Full of the wonderful summery feelings evoked from being on Nantucket Island, lots of thoughts on the writing life and a cast of dysfunctional characters trying to deal with their grief, this is sure to keep you turning the pages as you bask in the sun. I enjoyed this on audio but please see my content warning notes for the reasons why reading this book could be triggering.

⚠️CW: There are some very problematic issues in this book having to do with an offensive Anne Frank joke (for which the author has not yet publicly apologized) and I didn’t love that the one Black character in the book gets framed for the hit and run accident, completely because he was the only Black kid on the island and so obviously an easy scapegoat. I mean what?! (less)

It was an ok book. I feel like the whole dead person watching over their family and realizing their mistakes is so overdone and frankly, I’ve seen it done better. If you enjoy that storyline, I’m sure you’ll like this book.

Vivi Howe is a famous beach read author out for her morning jog when she is killed in a hit and run accident. She wakes up in the Beyond where she is given a viewing window to see what is happening on Earth until Labour Day. She is also given three nudges to use however she sees fit on her family to guide them in a certain direction. Vivi is worried about her three children. Her eldest is newly pregnant and has had trouble carrying to term in the past. Her middle daughter is partying too much and there is something going on with her son that she hasn’t figured out yet.

I make a point of reading one Elin every summer and this book did not disappoint. Her characters are simply amazing. They are always so real and flawed and I always fall in love with them. I loved Carson’s personality and the chapters from all sorts of people in Vivi’s life. The setting was vivid as usual with Elin falling back on her usual Nantucket Island which I am always dying to visit after I read one of her novels. I guessed some of the twists but this novel was extremely touching. I found myself tearing up in parts and Elin’s depiction of grief and what comes next and after was pulling on my heartstrings. I didn’t really care for Amy’s parts but overall I just found myself so swept up in her story. Thank you to @littlebrown and @netgalley for my review copies. This one was enjoyed over the course of a day because I just couldn’t put it down.

Okay… this book is so promising with its heartbreaking family drama theme: three children of a best seller author, struggling with different problems in daily lives as their recently passed away mother who was a victim of hit and run incident watching over them , is under pressure to use her three nudges wisely to influence her children’s lives.

Yes, that paranormal element of the story makes things intriguing and interesting but it also made you question the realistic perspective of the story!

It was so ironic that a mother who is recently divorced, a quiet workaholic, devoted author, a little estranged with her own kids but her death made her realize the mistakes she’s made as a mother. Now she tries to involve in their lives by making things right as a spirit.

But it’s quiet compelling task because her children deal with several issues: they are actually suffocating because of their life choices.

Let’s give you some details about synopsis and characters: Vivian Howe, 13 famous beach novel author, mother of 3 kids, victim of hit and run incident while she was jogging near her house. After she ascended the BEYOND ( it is intimidating and thrilling ) , she’s assigned to work with Martha ( a kind of spiritual companionship they formed as you may guess)

Martha also understands why Viv is so upset for dying young! So she makes an exception to give her power to watch over her kids, her ex and her best friend. Viv is also rewarded with three nudges which may affect the outcomes of events.

Willa is her eldest daughter, married, pregnant and she’s too scared to lose another baby. She’s struggling psychologically and she needs her mother’s emotional support.

Carson is also dealing with his own inner demons, bartender of upscale Nantucket bar. He keeps self sabotaging himself for a long time with his vices: drugs, booze and secret scandalous affair.

Leo is also suffering from anger management issues, taking out his boiled up anger on innocent people around them who try to help him.

Well, I have to admit, I loved the author’s previous works more. This paranormal element gave the story some Hallmark, Disney movie vibes. ( thankfully Viv is not incarnated as a dog, coming back to earth to watch over her loved ones)

I liked dysfunctional family theme. I also enjoyed the each characterization. This is emotional paranormal family, friendship, love, reconnection story! I always adore the author’s brilliant story telling skills. Even though heaven and earth themed paranormal and a little spiritual fiction are not my cups of Chardonnay.

I’m still rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 family, addiction, self destruction, self discovery, traumas, unique bond, friendship stars!

It was another dreamy Nantucket virtual journey for me! I’m looking forward to read more books of the author as a fan girl of the beach reads!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand is Elin's typical Nantucket summer fare, with a twist. In this novel, mother and author Vivi is killed by a hit and run driver early in the book, while out running and the family is left to deal with the aftermath. I seem to recall Cruz, young Leo's best friend from a previous novel and he becomes the main suspect in this tragedy, pigeonholed as the only black character, therefore the only suspect, of course. Vivi is given a chance to watch her family through the summer by her guardian angel Martha and is given three nudges which she can use to direct her family members to change something that they were going to do.

This is not one of Hilderbrand's best novels, although it is an enjoyable one. She again regales us with the privilege of those who have versus those who have not and does make a rather regrettable joke about Anne Frank that was just tasteless. I do enjoy her descriptions of Nantucket in the summer, it reminds me of the years I spent on Long Island (although definitely as a have not!)

If you want an enjoyable summer read, this is a good beach novel. If you're not into fluff, skip it. Thank you to the author, Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.