Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
I have read all of Elin Hilderbrand’s books and this May now be my favorite! It’s quite the emotional ride. You’ll love these characters, never wanting this book to end; I hope she writes a sequel to this. I highly recommend this book to all. I think you will love it.

This is a book that will remind you how short life can be and the value of our loved ones. It paints a beautiful picture of what may come after life on this earth and honestly, it was far better than I expected based on thr premise. I must say Hilderbrand has done it again. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book had some less than great material. Including references to Elin’s less than stellar behavior on Social media to book reviewers. Also the Anne Frank joke was in poor taste.

I really enjoyed this story of a woman who lives on Nantucket who was killed in a hit and run. When the woman arrives at the pearly gates she is greeted by Martha who explains how things work. She will be given the summer to watch her children and the police to see how they solve the crime of her death. Through out the book we learn of her life, her children’s lives, and how her ex-husband deals with her death. She is given three interventions, and uses these to help her children stay on a good path in life.
By the end of the book the police have solved her hit and run and her children are no longer paralyzed by their grief. She's feels ready to move on the the angels choir in heaven.
Enjoyable book!

Four and a half stars! It is exactly what you expect from Elin without being too predictable and corny. I loved it! Elin has a way of writing that makes you forget that there are things to do.... I just escape to the beaches and beautiful scenery Nantucket and enjoy the island and all it has to offer. The characters are never perfect, just like me and you. They have flaws, they make mistakes and some get into big trouble, but their lives are so entertaining! Thank you Elin and Netgalley for my eARC!

Elin Hilderbrand is my guilty pleasure so it’s strange for me to be critically reviewing this books as an educator. But she definitely crossed the line here into literary fiction- or dabbled with it at least. I think there will be lots of people who find issues with the racial profiling, as hard as she tried to do a good job with it. I enjoyed it though. Better writing, more intricate plot lines without the same old script, and my guilty pleasure might become something I talk about with my book snob friends.

I still remember picking up my first Elin Hilderbrand book while on summer vacation with my family in Florida. IT was a mass market paperback copy of Nantucket Nights and since that day, I have been hooked on Elin Hidlrerband and dreaming of a vacation one day to Nantucket during the summer. One of the favorite parts of summer for me is grabbing her new book on release day and spending a weekend at the pool being transported to Nantucket. Lately, I've got a fun October blast of Nantucket, but nothing sounds as heavenly as Nantucket during the summer.

Golden Girl did not disappoint.

I almost balked at the description because I'm not much for "supernatural" books, but I think Ms. Hilderbrand made it blend perfectly with the story and not too heavy hands or overly religious. The story was intriguing and the perfect beach read. A little mystery, some family drama set against a familiar backdrop. I appreciated the characters from past novels and even the tidbits of the Black History of Nantucket. I devoured this book quickly during a weekend as I wanted to know who hit Vivi and felt like part of the family and wanted to see how the summer turned out for everyone. I hope we get to see Willa, Carson, and Leo ( and maybe even Amy) in a new books.
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I did think the Cruz/Leo storyline felt a little forced. I wanted to root for them, but they built them as so brother like during the first part, that it seemed a little out of place

In Golden Girl a popular author, Vivi, dies in a hit and run while running near her home in Nantucket. She leaves three children and an abundance of fans, This book has a different spin as Vivi is allowed to watch from above after her death and even give three nudges. It is billed as a beach read and will be enjoyed by many this summer.

Written in Elin Hildebrand's unique style, Golden Girl offers an unusual and emotional perspective on life for those left behind after a loss. It's a time of second chances for Vivi Howe's 3 children after she is tragically killed in a hit and run accident. Vivi" is allowed three "nudges" that will alter the decisions and lives of her three children.and others. A really great read, except I do hope the citizens of Nantucket don't do as much drunk driving as is depicted in this book!

Every time I read an Elin Hilderbrand book, I think, "This is the best one!" I don't think her books can get any better...and then...I read the next one.

Golden Girl is the story of Vivi, a divorced Nantucket writer and mother of three. Sound like anyone we know? I am DYING for the Target edition of this book to come out because there is an essay on how much of this story is true. I feel like Elin gave us a glimpse into her life and who she is with this book.

Vivi is vivacious and fun and doesn't come from money but her college roommate invites her to Nantucket and she goes and falls in love with it and with a particular guy. They get married and have a family. She writes books. And one day, she is out running and gets hit by a car.

This story touched on what it means to be Black in America. It was light, but it was there and I appreciated it.

I love all of her books that I have read so far and this one is definitely in my top five list of her works. I love traveling to Nantucket. I’m so glad she didn’t include COVID in this book. This book broke me out of a reading slump. Can’t wait to read more of her books in the future,

Is it even summer if we don’t have a beach read from Hilderbrand?

Ah, but this one broke my heart. And the main character reminds me of the author!

Vivian Howe is the author of 13 books, she lives in Nantucket, has three children, all young adults and in a second she is killed in a hit and run. She is taken by a woman named Martha to the Beyond. She will be Vivi’s person. She lets Vivi have the summer to watch her kids and she allows her three nudges.

She watches her friends and children deal with her death. She watches the investigation. She longs to go back.

The nudges are for influencing the outcome of things in real-time. She worries about her children hurting and her secrets coming out.

This had all the charm of Nantucket and all of the emotions you could imagine yourself feeling if you were in her shoes. I cried so hard during this book and I will do it all over again!

NetGalley/June 1st, 2021 by Little, Brown, and Company

Elin Hilderbrand books are my favorites for summer reading and as usual she hit this one out of the park - a new storyline from her and I am living for it.

This book felt like a bit of a departure for Elin Hilderbrand. While certainly a fun dive into life on Nantucket, the book takes darker overtones than most of her novels. At times, it felt like the book was trying to accomplish too much; tell too many stories. That said, you do become quite invested in a few central plotlines, and ache to solve the mystery at the heart of the book. I could have done with fewer narrator perspectives, however I will always read anything Hilderbrand writes and I look forward to the next one!

Golden Girl, by Elin Hilderbrand, was a much-anticipated read for me. I was excited to start and shocked to find that Vivi's part of the story is told from the afterlife. She is mowed down by a hit-and-run driver right before her latest novel is to be released. She is given the opportunity to watch over her family and friends and spend time remembering the past in a way that reveals to we readers the secrets of her past and what effect they have on the now that her children are living. Interesting perspective of the possibilities after death. Not what I expected, but enjoyable all the same.

Golden Girl sucks you into Nantucket (like all of Hilderbrands books). There is a touch of magical realism in this book, which is delightful. Who wouldn't hope that it's possible to help your family in the afterlife? I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say the characters were all vivid, rich, well done. There were many switches of view points, but it flowed nicely and simply had this reader eager for more.
There was a touch of political polarization, but just a brief mention. This reader (and many others I know) wish that sports, books, movies, etc, would stick to entertainment and leave political ideas to the news. Also, for me, the political point was lost as the setting of the novel depicted an honest police chief, mostly open minded and accepting citizens in Nantucket.
It felt more like Hilderbrand was inserting it to perhaps to show she is "aware" - it was a subtle bounce out of the story and took a few pages to find my way back into the heart and soul of the story.
I truly cared about all these characters. The mystery was a nice touch, but easy enough to figure out.
I will be putting this book into as many hands as possible.
Another Golden Book by Hilderbrand!

I loved Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand. It touched my heart and brought back many memories. Her portrayal of what happens after death is intriguing.

Elin Hilderbrand delivers again! Every time I think Elin can't get any better or have a new angle in a Nantucket story, she proves me wrong! This was a great story of a family who lost their mother in a tragic accident, but she didn't go too far. It really made me feel like loved ones I've lost have been watching over me and nudging me in the exact right direction. Another 5 star, perfect summer read from the queen of summer reads!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Elin hits a new high with Golden Girl. It is one of the most beautifully written books I have read. The author reminds us just how precious life and family is, and how we shouldn’t take either for granted. There is a bit of a murder mystery on Nantucket, as beloved author Vivi Howe is killed by a hit and run driver.
Definitely a summer must read!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this wonderful ARC.

This was the best stand alone Elin Hilderbrand novel I have read in a long time! It weaves many Nantucket families and those outsiders who have become longtime natives with family, death, grief, lies and so much more. This was not predictable in any point and I was beginning to figure out towards the end, like it should be, who was responsible for tragedy.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as 'the summer read" even if it is not quite summer yet. A must read if you also love Elin Hilderbrand books. Just wow. I took my time reading this because I wanted to enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley, Elin Hilderbrand and Little Brown & Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 6/1/21