Thank you to NetGalley and my "book fairy" Martha from my gym who both gifted me copies. So....stick with me for a second. The book starts with an angel that flies down to escort a person on Earth to the heavens after she is killed while running. The book switches between her family on Earth and her time in transition to figure out who killed her and shows how her family is dealing with the aftermath. This is where you need to stick with me...this isn't my type of book and I almost put it down but it is Elin Hilderbrand and I knew I had to finish it! I am so glad I did! Sweet story of life, love and family!!! #goldengirl #elinhilderbrand #littlebrownpub

I am a big Hilderbrand fan and this book was no exception. Vivian Howe, like Hilderbrand herself, is an author living on Nantucket. While out for a run, she is hit by a car and killed. Vivian goes to heaven where she is met by a guide who allows her to watch the goings on of the island for the rest of the summer. The guide also grants her three “nudges” which may influence the choices of the receiver. Vivian’s three children who are 18 to 30 are crushed by her death. The story is told from their perspectives as well as the views of some other characters. Some of the tale is relayed through flashbacks. Some of the plot twists I was able to see coming but who killed Vivian was a surprise to me. This is a great summer read.. I truly enjoyed it and strongly recommend it.

This book was sent to me ny Netgalley on Kindle for review. It is not my choice of genre, unbelievable really. Maybe others will enjoy this story, but I could not discern what was happening and when...
Real or not?

Golden Girl was another captivating summer read set on Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand. This was not my most favorite book by Elin Hilderbrand but most of it worked for me. It was part family saga/ part mystery with engaging and complex characters. The part that did not work for me was the afterlife scenes where the deceased Vivi Howe, famous novelist, observed her family and close friends grieve and live life without her in it for the remaining days of summer. This part was silly and annoying. Vivi’s newest book, Golden Girl, had just been released. Hidden within the plot and characters of her new book were secrets that Vivi wasn’t sure she wanted her family to discover without her but she has no choice but trust that her family would sort it all out and be alright with it. I enjoyed the on going investigation where Chief Ed Kapenash tried tirelessly to solve the mystery of who killed Vivi Howe that June morning in a hit and run accident. As summer came near its end, Vivi continued to observe her family from above. Their complex lives and relationships with each other transformed and Vivi finally realized that they would be fine without her.

There was love and loss throughout the pages of Golden Girl. I enjoyed reading most of this book and would recommend it if you are looking for a good summer read.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read this advanced reader’s copy of Golden Girl' through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the perspective of Vivi and seeing how her family copes with her death in both good and bad ways. The idea of the three nudges was fantastic. Overall the idea of her looking down after her death was well done and I enjoyed it more than I had expected. I liked the underlying mystery too and the various perspectives in the book. Another fabulous summer read by EH!

WOW, read this book

I would love to live out this book

I read everything Elin writes, I enjoy her writing!
I have turned many friends and patrons onto her books, and will continue with this one

I honestly did not think that Elin Hilderbrand could top 28 Summers. That book gave me the longest hangover I've had in awhile from a good book. Then I read Golden Girl. I loved everything about it--the descriptions of the homes, the island life, the relationships between the siblings and their nudges. I can't wait to see what Hlderbrand does next, as usual.

I've really enjoyed reading Elin Hildebrands books as a "kickoff" to summer. This one had an interesting twist on motherhood etc. with an ending I didn't completely predict. Whenever I finish one of her books, I seem to find myself looking at VRBO for rentals in Nantucket.

I'm a big fan of Elin Hilderbrand so every time there is a new book I get excited! I liked the storyline although there were a few things I didn't agree with but overall it was another winner. I liked that there was a little of a who done it aspect to the novel. The characters were good and interesting overall I liked it.

Elin HIlderbrand can do no wrong! As always she writes a great beach read with a little mystery, love and lots of drama!

If you love Elin Hilderbrand’s books, you will love this one as well! This is slightly different than what she usually writes- but love the characters and family dynamics!

5 STARS for GOLDEN GIRL by Elin Hilderbrand.

Vivian Howe is a best selling author and known for her Nantucket novels across the country. When she gets hit by a car on a morning run, her family's lives change forever... and Vivian gets to watch on for a limited time. She's granted 3 nudges to use on her family or friends to help nudge them in the right direction at the moments she chooses, but she must choose wisely as they learn to navigate life without the matriarch. Golden Girl follows the Howe family in the aftermath of Vivian's death and Vivian coming to terms with that her time on Earth is over forever.

This is in my top five favorite Elin Hilderbrand books of all time -- and I've read every single one! The premise was so unique and put such a different spin on things along with the signature drama, scandal, and beach read charm that I've come to love with Elin Hilderbrand novels. I loved the added layer of mystery that is not found as often in Hilderbrand novels and it reminded me of a previous novel of hers, The Perfect Couple. It keeped me hooked in and intriqued until the very end.

GOLDEN GIRL is a dramatic, thought provoking, and heartwarming read that belongs in your beach bag this summer.

Thank you to Little Brown Co. and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Golden Girl was a truly enjoyable book to read even though I found myself crying through the first quarter of the book. As a woman in my 50's with older kids, it was just so incredibly difficult to imagine suddenly not being there for my family. The fact that I kept reading and was so invested in the outcome of each character is a testimony to what a talented writer Elin Hilderbrand is!

I loved this book, as I have loved all of this author’s writing style and content. Vivi is a prolific author with three grown children; Willa is the married always responsible daughter, Carson, the wild child always in trouble, and Leo, a young man ready for college off island. The setting is Nantucket, as it is in most of Hilderbrand’s books. Vivi is killed by a hit and run driver, setting up one of the plots of the book as a mystery. There is so much more, as Vivi is in the Beyond given three “nudges” granted to help her children after she is dead. As a woman getting older, there is so much in this story to identify with, as Vivi also looks back at formative moments in her life. Thank you Elin Hilderbrand, and please don’t stop writing. Thanks to both NetGalley and Edelweiss for making this book available.

Another great book by Elin Hilderbrand. Vivian (Vivi) is killed in a hit and run accident at the beginning of the book. The book follows the lives of her children and loved ones left behind all while Vivi watches them from up above with the help of Martha, the person assigned to help her in her afterlife. A fantastic read that pulled at my heart strings.

5 stars!

I NEED MORE!!!!

I’m so sad this is over! This book was so, so, so good! (And full of drama!) The way that everything was revealed at the end was fantastic and I was eagerly waiting to see how it would wrap up - needless to say, I was not disappointed.

I loved that we go to follow Vivi from up above and see through her eyes what was going on. There were a lot of characters and different POVs but it wasn’t confusing at all and was brilliantly done.

I also feel like this was different than what Hilderbrand usually does when she writes a novel. It still is a beach read, full of drama, that takes place on Nantucket. But it’s also a mystery and has the interesting play of following Vivi in the afterlife; which I feel like she hasn’t done before.

It was also fun to see the parallels between Elin’s real life and Vivi’s fictional one. I would love to see if this story was inspired by Elin’s own life and more detail in that.

I do agree, Elin is the Queen of Beach Reads!

Elin HIlderbrand just keeps getting better and better. Fans of "28 Summers" will love "Golden Girl" as well. Hilderbrand writes the perfect summertime novel, but it's not just fluff. "Golden Girl" is super readable and tugs at the heartstrings. Loved this one.

Golden Girl was touted as THE summer read by a fellow book influencer. I’ve read Elin Hildebrand before, and enjoyed her work, but I’m not the drop everything right this minute so I can read her newest release type of fan. With such a strong recommendation from my friend, I moved it up on my TBR list.

Honestly, I was sucked in immediately. I loved the premise about where you go when you die, getting assigned a “person”, your Pinterest board coming to life and the ability to make nudges to those you love. This story read quickly and as always, brought Nantucket to life through Hildebrand’s descriptions of the land, the incredible seafood and the people that summered there. There was also an interesting mystery running through the plot. Honestly, it was a terrific summer read until I was affronted by an off the cuff, flippant joke about Anne Frank.

As a Jewish woman, I am no stranger to funny jokes or mean jokes, inappropriate remarks and simple ignorance when it comes to my religion. So, I was quite surprised when I read the line on page 144, “You’re suggesting I hide here all summer? Like…Anne Frank?” I kept reading on, but that line kept nagging at me. Of all the comparisons Hildebrand could’ve used, why did she lean on the one of the most famous victims of the Holocaust in a joking manner?

Obviously, with the horrifying rise of anti-Semitism in the US, it’s these small one-liners, off- hand remarks that begin to add up into something much bigger. Let me be clear, I do not believe for one minute that Hildebrand is anti-Semitic, but I do think that her editor and/or sensitivity readers should have 100% called this out. Perhaps ten years ago, I would’ve let it slide and not even mentioned it, but the world is a scary place right now, and jabbing (even slightly) in the face of an iconic Jewish diarist and victim was wrong.

Obviously, this bothered me, but as a whole, I really enjoyed the book.

I'm sure I say this every time I read a new Elin Hilderbrand novel, but I'm going to say it once again. This is my new favorite Elin Hilderbrand book. It carries all of Elin's trademark drama, scandal, and beach read goodness, while also being set in Nantucket, the place her readers have come to know and love through her novels. In Golden Girl, we see well known Nantucket restaurants and shops which Elin herself frequents, such as Mitchell's Book Corner and The Chicken Box. The main character in this book, Vivian Howe, has so many similarities to Elin herself, that it was almost eerie to read the book, imagining Elin as Vivian. it got me wondering if any of the backstory about Vivian was based on Elin's actual backstory. Like Elin, Vivian is divorced and has 3 children, lives on Nantucket, and has authored over a dozen beach reads. They even drink the same Veuve Clicquot champagne, wear Jessica Hicks jewelry and love Mystique sandals. It's been a joy to follow Elin on her social media for so many years and be able to recognize all of her favorite things that are loved by her characters. She even has Vivian recommend two books to another character near the end of the novel that Elin herself recommend to her readers on her social media - Hamnet and Sea Wife. I read both and loved them, based upon Elin's recommendation! Very cool to see little sprinkles of Elin's life shine through in the dynamically drawn character of Vivian.

New York Times bestselling author, Vivian Howe is in her 50's, living her best life in Nantucket, anxiously anticipating the release of her new beach read titled Golden Girl, when she is killed tragically in a hit and run accident while out on her daily run through the neighborhood. After such a sudden, heartbreaking loss, Vivi's family, best friend Savannah, ex-husband, recent boyfriend, and the whole Nantucket community are reeling, as they try to piece together what really happened to their very own Golden Girl. Hilderbrand's beloved character, Chief Ed Kapenash makes an appearance in Golden Girl, as he works to investigate the hit and run and bring closure to Vivi's family. Meanwhile in the Beyond, Vivi, is assigned to a lady named Martha who will be her "Person," helping her through the summer and allowing her three nudges as she watches over her children for one final summer before joining the Heavenly Choir. Martha and her backstory is a bit of hoot in itself, causing me to laugh out loud when it was revealed. Secrets are uncovered as Vivi watched over her three children, Willa, Carson, and Leo. Each have their own drama going on, causing Vivi to be rather selective in the use of her motherly nudges from the Beyond.

Hilderbrand's 27th novel, Golden Girl is a beautiful tribute to honor those who are gone too soon. It's also a love letter to both summer time and Nantucket. There are both hilarious and heartfelt moments. There is also tender romance, scandalous affairs, and complicated sibling relationships, which all combine to make a compulsively binge-able novel. Golden Girl is truly Elin at her finest. Absolutely adored this book and I hope you do as well.

Another excellent summer read written by our favorite Nantucket author! A mystery hit and run who did it!