In making my way chronologically through the oeuvre of Elin Hilderbrand in the past year, it’s been wonderful to see how the writing evolves with each high-quality beach read she writes. THE HOTEL NANTUCKET, I found, was her cleverest yet. I also got infinitely more out of it because I read and loved her much earlier book THE BLUE BISTRO, which this book pays homage to again and again through both inviting some characters from THE BLUE BISTRO onto the pages of THE HOTEL NANTUCKET and through the incredible food writing, which is a tremendous strength of Hilderbrand’s.

The plot of THE HOTEL NANTUCKET is told through the development of the characters — the people who work at a luxury hotel during its first summer of reinvention. I loved the basic goodness of some characters and love-hated the vindictiveness of others. One of the characters — the most developed one, I might add — is a ghost! Ironically, my favorite character was the one who almost kept me from picking up this delightful summer read in the first place (I didn’t think I wanted a ghost story).

Like all her books, THE HOTEL NANTUCKET is an ode to the island that is the focus of Hilderbrand’s writing career. This one took that ode to another level because the novel takes place at and is about a hotel — which Hilderbrand describes as a place of transience and impermanence (“otherwise it would be a home,” she writes) — tasked with recommending the best the island has to offer to its guests. One of the vehicles it uses for its recommendations is a booklet the protagonist created. In preparation for the opening of the Hotel Nantucket, Lizbet (the hotel’s GM) writes a book of Nantucket recommendations, which she calls the Blue Book. Imagine my surprise, then, when, instead of an epilogue, Elin Hilderbrand includes her own Blue Book — a real-life guide to the best of Nantucket — in the back of her own novel. That in and of itself is reason enough to purchase the book, though it’s lovely to have the context of the fictional characters moving through the different real places that are featured.

When a 1922 hotel fire killed nineteen-year-old Grace Hadley, the Hotel Nantucket gained a reputation for being haunted, and eventually remained abandoned. Now billionaire Xavier Darling has decided to buy and revamp the hotel into a luxury resort in hopes of earning a “five key” review from an acclaimed, anonymous travel critic. Lizbet Keaton is hired as the general manager, and she in turn hires the rest of the staff, an eclectic group of people each with their own secrets. Lizbet and the rest of the staff hope to defy the odds and see the hotel succeed beyond their expectations.

This summer read is chock-full of drama, secrets, and scandal with multiple characters’ points of view telling the story. I enjoyed the different characters’ perspectives and their roles at the hotel. The characters were likable and relatable, and a few characters from past novels even made an appearance. I love how Elin Hilderbrand included the “Blue Book” in the back of the novel—a guide for to traveling to, lodging, dining, shopping, events, and more in Nantucket. I have always wanted to visit Nantucket, and I would definitely refer back to this guide if I ever had the chance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for my gifted e-ARC!

I this was a well written book, but I'm thinking Elin Hilderbrand just may not be the author for me. There were so many side stories, that I had a hard time caring about the actual plot. She definitely knows how to write an atmospheric book though. I'm ready to go visit this fictional hotel!

I actually bought the hard book version of this book before my ARC request was approved, so I’m only delighted to review this, as I’ve been looking forward to reading it. I was saving it for the beach but when the ARC came through I thought, “why not now?”

I love stories that have a lot of different ones intertwined and this book delivered on this.

This book follows the stories of several different characters:

Edie, Alessandra, Chadwick and Lizbet being the main characters this novel follows.

This book is an excellent work of showcasing flawed, complete people and that humans are complex and can be both good and bad and not inherently or automatically one or the other. Decent people do bad things, bad people can do good things.

There’s a comment referring to an 18 year old hooking up with a much older man where the 18 year old character thinks she doesn’t feel like a victim because she idolized him, etc. which is not my favorite choice but I do understand this is the POV of this young woman, possibly to show her naïveté. I just really didn’t like this choice.

I had the “twist” at the end figured out pretty early on but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book, it almost made it better because I felt like I was “in the know” while the characters were absolutely clueless.

This novel also leaves some things open and up to interpretation at the end, which I thought was a clever way to continue the whole view of humanity of the characters in this book.

This is a great book to pick up for the pool or beach this summer!

4 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank You to NetGalley and Little Brown and Co for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found it a bit hard to keep up with the multiple characters and POVs in this book. While I thought the plot was interesting, I didn't feel extremely connected or invested in any of the storylines or characters. The ending was rushed in my opinion and unsatisfactory. However, this was still a good beach read written with typical Elin Hilderbrand flair.

The Hotel Nantucket introduces this rundown hotel that has been purchased by a billionaire from England and is being refurbished. Many of the locals think it is a waste of time as it’s haunted. But more important than that are the people, including the ghost, who staff the small hotel. It’s manager is a local girl, if one counts 15 years as local. She is not a hotelier but is very conversant with the hospitality business having run a local, very popular, eatery, the Deck. The story is interesting as it is compiled stories of the people who work there and a few snippets of other Nantucket residents’ stories. They are are motley group, but all interesting in doing their very best. To add to that, the owner, Xavier, offers a weekly $1000 bonus awarded based on reviews on an Internet site. Lisbet, the manager, is not thrilled with this as she has been trying to install team work and not competition. The front desk manager has an interesting way of getting mentions and earns four of the coveted $1,000 awards before others join in the accolades, mostly because she stopped what she had been doing. The other front desk clerk is Edie, known around town as Sweet Edie-that says it all. Two of the three doormen/bellhops, Raoul and Adam, were a married couple, men, who based on reference calls, needed to never be on the same shift. The third was a local boy, Zeke, wanting to make good. His aunt was the housekeeping manager, and a more exacting supervisor than Magda never existed. There is more and it is mostly entertaining, although at one point I thought that this book was filled with negativity, not Hilderbrand’s normal style. Shortly after, it turned a corner.

The sketches of each of the staff opened us to their stories and how they fit together to make as cohesive a unit as there had ever been. Considering what a night at the Hotel Nantucket cost, everything needed to be not only beautiful, but every detail must be attended to with pleasure and genuine smiles. The goal was the coveted five keys from a popular hotel reviewer/blogger, something that had never been given. The reasons for missing the five keys were usually minor, for instance, a pen that was out of ink. There were checklists that must be attended to at every workstation. The bar/lounge was not under Lisbet’s purview. The chef/manager there was a long-standing Nantucket personality, Mario Subiaco, was perfection itself, both in the kitchen and in the bedroom, as Lisbet discovered. The ghost was a nice touch and a terrific character. I enjoyed her as did many of the guests.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Hotel Nantucket by Little Brown, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #littlebrown #erinhilderbrand #thehotelnantucket

This was a totally escapist read. If you've never wanted to go to Nantucket, you absolutely will after reading The Hotel Nantucket. I loved the concept of a London billionaire purchasing an abandoned eyesore on the island and restoring it to its former glory. While I didn't love all of the characters, I found that they all worked well in the story together and these characters truly made the book what it is. While I found the idea of a fire having destroyed the hotel in the past, I didn't love the personification and inclusion of the ghost of Grace Hadley. That was really my only big issue with this book. And while I don't have any immediate plans to visit Nantucket, I love that Elin Hilderbrand included her version of the Blue Book with recommended places to stay, eat, and do while on the island!

It’s summertime so it’s Elin Hilderbrand time. Another quick, easy beach read. A quirky cast of characters including a ghost make an enjoyable read.

Five Stars is not enough for this book! It has so much to offer. Great characters and so many secrets and surprises revealed even a Ghost Story!! This was my first book by Elin Hilderbrand and it will not be my last!
I can't wait to read more by her. The characters stay with you long after the last page is turned!
What a wonderful escape! Thank you Little, Brown & Company and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC!

In The Hotel Nantucket, author Elin Hilderbrand transports the reader to the tranquil island of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The long-ago gilded Hotel Nantucket has sat as an abandoned eyesore for years, that was until Xavier Darling, a London billionaire businessman, bought the hotel and is going to renovate and open it by the upcoming summer season. Can this once elegant hotel overcome it's bad reputation and restore it's rightful place on the island?

In The Hotel Nantucket, author Elin Hilderbrand easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written tale through a seamless and flowing storyline, a wonderful description of a tranquil island setting, and characters who draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, along with their complexities, flaws and secrets.

The Hotel Nantucket is an intricate story of interweaving friendships, life events, and deeply held secrets and drama. It is a wonderful story that introduces the reader to hotel general manager Lizbet Keaton and her hotel staff: front desk manager Alessandra Powell and front desk clerk Edie Robbins; night auditor Richie Decameron; bellmen Zeke English and married couple Adam and Raoul Wasserman-Ramirez; housekeeping director Magda English and housekeeping staff Octavia, Neves, Bibi Evans, and Chad Winslow. Each of the hotel staff members have their own story and secrets that unfold, while they try to get The Hotel Nantucket up and running during the summer season.

Hotel owner Xavier Darling tells Lizbet that he wants her and the staff to accomplish one thing: get the elusive five-key review from Hotel Confidential Instagram blogger Shelly Carpenter; and that he bought the hotel for a special mystery woman. Oh and there is a special person in residence at the hotel, nineteen year old ghost Grace Hadley, the hotel chambermaid who died in a fire at the hotel one hundred years ago in 1922. Grace wants the truth of her death to come to light, she claims she was murdered! So can the hotel regain it's prominence, it's staff overcome their individual dramas, and one ghost get justice?

The author keeps the reader engaged as Lizbet and her staff work to get the hotel up and running for the summer season, with the help of a little ghost haunting by Grace, and her story brought to light by a eight year old hotel guest Wanda Marsh. The hotel staff work hard to earn the prestigous five-key review from the elusive blogger Shelly Carpenter, never knowing when she would show up as she checks in under a pseudonym. So come along with The Hotel Nantucket staff as the Nantucket summer season unfolds with drama and the hope for success and second chances!

Disclaimer: I purchased a hardcover copy of the book from Book Of The Month and Literati monthly book club memberships. I also received a copy via NetGalley.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-hotel-nantucket-by-elin-hilderbrand.html

I really expected to love this novel given Hilderbrand's other titles and this book's description. Unfortunately, it very much felt like it had been autogenerated by a novel-writing app. There was a lot going on, too many half-thought out characters and very little to love. Although the setting of the book is endearing, the lazily constructed characters make it very tough to fall in love with the Hotel Nantucket. This book SCREAMS white privilege. It attempts to problematize some of the issues but really ends up just highlighting how out of touch it is. This is not a book where you are able to enjoy the escapism of delving into a world of excess - it just comes off as ignorant and out of touch. Additionally, the book's handling of issues such as revenge porn felt extremely disrespectful. The best character in the book is by far Grace the ghost. If the entire story had been told through her unique perspective, it would have been significantly more successful. Not only would I not recommend this book I will also think twice about reading about Hilderbrand book.

The perfect beach read. As always Elin’s newest summer release goes first into my beach book bag. I loved a hotel Nantucket with an eclectic group of characters. I escaped instantly into her novel as I dug my toes into the sand. It has all the elements of a hot summer book. Told from multiple points of view so pay attention as there are a lot of people to keep track of. A ghost who haunts the hotel in a fun way. Her story was fascinating and I love how EH developed the storyline for her. The Hotel Nantucket was the perfect place for this charismatic staff. Each one of whom carries secrets.Typical of EH she gives just enough tidbit to peak your interest and to keep the story moving at a good pace. Xavier the billionaire owner puts Lizbet in charge of creating the best group of people to run the show as he tries for the elusive 5 key rating from Shelly Carpenter an Instagram phenom who’s identity is kept hidden. Everyone comes together to run the best hotel but there are blips in the road and mysteries to be solved. This is a smokin summer drama that unfolds slowly but is tied up nicely. Imo another winner. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

It's not summer without a new read from Elin Hilderbrand. This story sucked me in from the beginning and kept me engaged throughout.

Thank you Netgalley, Little Brown and Elin Hilderbrand for the advanced copy of The Hotel Nantucket! I am a longtime Elin Hilderbrand fan and have read nearly all of her books, so receiving an advanced copy of this one was a HUGE treat!

The Hotel Nantucket was yet another beach read masterpiece by Elin. You could also truly tell that this was her love letter to Nantucket. I have personally never been to Nantucket, but vacation in Cape Cod every year and Elin has me sold on needing to try Nantucket one year. If I'm being 100% honest, my favorite part of the book was her "Blue Book" at the end when she provided her personal guide to Nantucket. I will surely be using this in the future!

I absolutely loved that The Hotel Nantucket was about the happenings in a hotel. This concept was genius. In true EH fashion, it was told through multiple perspectives and yes, it definitely worked again in this one! I personally didn't love the ghost (that's just not my thing), but I'm sure many readers will and I completely understand why Elin chose to include Grace in the story.

Was this my favorite EH novel? No... but it was still a great summer escape that I certainly enjoyed reading while vacationing in Cape Cod! 3.5 stars

Elin Hilderbrand packs another punch. I don’t typically like historical fiction but it’s impossible not to love an Elin Hilderbrand book. She writes in a way that makes you feel the surroundings. You feel like you’re inside the book. Every building, every bite of food, and all of the amazing scenery. This book lived up to all of these signatures of Ms. Hilderbrand. There’s always a little romance in her books and always some suspense. The ghost chapters in this book were my favorite and I was really invested in finding out what happened to her. Highly recommend this gem!

What can I say about Elin Hilderbrand? She is the queen of beach reads and I will faithfully start every summer holiday with her latest read until she stops making them. Every one of the books she writes has me so wrapped up in the lives of her characters, and although I have never set foot on Nantucket, it's like I'm vacationing there every summer as I get lost in her description of this lovely place.

The Hotel Nantucket had me escaping my real world for the hectic and non-stop adventures in hotel management. Lisbet, the Hotel Nantucket's manager, gets the hotel up and running for billionaire owner Xavier Darling. From hiring staff to meeting the guests demands, making sure everything is perfect for their stay, Lisbet works away, attempting to score the elusive "Fifth Key" from a World renowned travel blogger. Can she do it? You will have to read to find out! Read this book! If you love a good beach read, you won't regret it!

I love Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket books, and this one was a page turner for sure. Of course, the setting is Nantucket, and the characters all have interesting backgrounds and stories, including the hotel itself. The hotel is purchased by a millionaire, and after extensive renovations, the staff hired is led by Lizbet, a former restaurant owner who recently found out her boyfriend and business partner cheated on her. The two main desk receptionists include a local nicknamed Sweet Edie, as well as Alessandra, who is not to be trusted. One of the main characters is Grace, a ghost of a woman who was murdered at the hotel, and is determined to make an impression on the new staff and the guests. I highly recommend this fun, well written beach read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Hotel Nantucket is classic Ellen Hildebrand summer beach read material but, with a fun twist! History with a mystery, secrets and broken trusts, intrigue, underhanded dealings, hard work, play hard, success, broken hearts, self discovery, surprises, love. Will the newly renovated Hotel Nantucket survived its 1st season? Will it earn the coveted 5th key? Is it haunted?? Is being haunted good or bad? And will the Hotel Nantucket survive to and entertain guests for yet another summer on the island? A perfect summer beach read/vacation book!

My favorite Elin Hildberbrand yet! This story was fun and frothy, but still had substance. And I loved the call backs to the previous books — especially the return of Mario from The Blue Bistro.

review 🌊✨

After a tragic 1922 fire kills young housekeeper Grace, The Hotel Nantucket has gone from luxury getaway to an abandoned eyesore. After a huge remodel that puts newly single Lizbet in charge, she staffs the hotel with a wide-array of character. They work to secure a 5-key review from popular insta-travel blogger, with a little help from the hotel’s friendly ghost Grace 👻

•••

I lovedddd this book!! The chapters alternate from different hotel staff members, as their stories and secrets are revealed. There is so much to love here — romance, beachy Nantucket setting, so many great food descriptions, unlikely friendships, and a 100-year mystery.

This was such a charming and light summer read, perfect for your next pool-beach-lake-river day 📚

Thank you @netgalley and @littlebrown for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

📖 416 pages
🕰 published 2022
✨ my rating: 🗝🗝🗝🗝🗝
💜 read if you liked Last Summer at the Golden Hotel