Thank you to #NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for providing me an advance copy of Elin Hilderbrand’s latest beach read, The Hotel Nantucket, in exchange for an honest review.

#TheHotelNantucket is yet another character-driven, quintessential beach read churned out by the author Elin Hilderbrand—whose name is nearly synonymous with the genre. For those familiar with her novels, the story begins with the telltale “rumor has it” style newsletter or blog post that describes the current ongoings in a Nantucket community. Lizbet Keaton, who is our protagonist, accepts a position as the general manager of the revived Hotel Nantucket where she will attempt to pursue the elusive “fifth key” rating from an undercover and renowned hotel critic.

This was not my favorite novel by the author, but since I seem to be of the minority opinion, I will simply review what worked and what did not work for me. For those who have never read any books written by the author, #TheHotelNantucket may serve as a good introductory novel.

What worked: Clearly, the author knows how to craft well-developed characters with distinct voices and traits. She is an expert at telling a story from the perspectives of many different characters and this skill is demonstrated as always in the novel here. Her descriptions are also always on point in terms of interiors, exteriors, foods, clothing, scenery, and so forth. You taste that lobster roll when you read its ingredients, you smell the briny ocean waves rocking against a dock or houseboat, and you can envision that blue hydrangea color scheme running throughout the hotel.

What did not work: I was not wild about the ghost storyline and I do not believe the author was entirely convinced by it either. The ghost, Grace, was written to sound younger than 19 and seemed to be used as a device to demonstrate “wokeness.” Fortunately, Grace disappears for the majority of the novel, but then this leaves the reader wondering what happened to a storyline and ultimately, did not feel like the mystery portrayed in the book blurb. I have also been spoiled by the author’s previous reads, so using them as a benchmark may be unfair since this is a standalone novel.

In sum, the ghost component was relatively weak, however, there were some strong moments throughout the novel. For instance, I enjoyed the passages that involved romantic relationships between various characters (not giving away any spoilers, too good!). Again, the food sounds divine and makes me want to take a trip to Nantucket immediately. Overall, while I would not rate this up there with the author’s #28Summers, I would still argue that it is a solid beach read.

I fell in love with Nantucket and the characters in this book. The story development flowed beautifully and I genuinely wondered about the characters when I wasn’t reading. The use of the ghost was clever. I felt like I new the characters as they were very relatable and brought back memories of summer jobs. I highly recommend the read. It was pure pleasure.

Interestingly, I read "The Hotel Nantucket" right after finishing "The Summer Place" By Jennifer Weiner, which I think has many of the same ideas: a collection of people who are brought together for a specific reason. Each character is hiding his/her own secrets and the hotel is a character as well with it's resident ghost. The big difference is that Elin Hilderbrand has written characters that the reader truly cares about and looks forward to turning the page to find out if Allasandra will be caught, if little Wanda will discover the ghost's secrets, who is the mysterious hotel blogger, and who will Lizbet end up with. This is an excellent beach read and should be on everyone's afternoon to curl up with an entertaining novel reading list.

I loved this book! It’s a solid, but at the same time, a bit of a surprising book. It definitely picked me up and swept me along with the summer beach breeze.

I’ve read and enjoyed some of Elin Hilderbrand’s other books, What Happens in Paradise and Winter In Paradise, both I would term “beach reads”, but as with The Hotel Nantucket there’s more substance and much more character dimension.

I thought Lizbet, Magda and Grace were excellently voiced female characters. Each, in her own way, learned from life experiences, the good-the bad-the ugly, and came out the better. I particularly liked the way in which EH gave life to the spirit Grace. Lovely use of a ghost!

I would definitely be remiss if I failed to mention the descriptions. Ms. Hilderbrand is a master of using language to allow the reader to see, taste and feel. This book was a an example of her at the top of that game. The hotel, the bar and OMG the food! Wonderful!

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. Thank you Elin Hilderbrand for a summer vacation!

London billionaire Xavier Darling decides to refurbish a rundown Nantucket hotel with the goal of earning the first ever five key rating from a travel writer. Working remotely, he hires Lizbet Keaton who is recovering from a long term professional and personal relationship. Lizbet assembles a staff and together they try to accomplish this feat. Hilderbrand brings in a likable cast of characters including a ghost who haunts the hotel. This is a quick read and will be a great beach book. Several of the characters have secrets which are revealed through flashbacks and other means. Though this wasn’t Hilderbrand’s best, it was a fresh take on Nantucket visitors and locals and a nice departure from some of her other books. I thank Little, Brown Publishers and NetGAlley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book is a love letter to Nantucket! I loved how the author used actual history, places, facts and even people to tell this interesting story of this grand hotel rising once again. The characters were all very eclectic and interesting. The descriptive writing made me feel like I was in an old hotel on Cape Cod. Great for older students to teach some island history and good lessons about hard work. A great summer read!

Xavier Darling has bought the Hotel Nantucket. His goal is to bring it back to the elegance of its heyday and win the coveted 5th key award from a well known hotel critic. He hires Lizbet as hotel manager to make it happen. She hires a staff of capable and endearing characters who find love and their true selves over the course of the summer. Observing all is Ghost Grace Hadley. She was the mistress of the original owner killed by a fire. With summer coming to an end, will they be able continue the magic they created or will the hotel be sold for an office building?

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC! Another excellent reader from Elin Hilderbrand! After which finishing, I immediately texted my husband that we needed to go to Nantucket lol. This beach read has it all: Romance, Mystery, and a satisfying story that will leave you ready to pack your bags and visit the world Hilderbrand brought to life. A must read for this summer!

The arrival of summer is upon us as evidenced by a highly anticipated new release from Elin Hilderbrand. Set in her signature Nantucket, this novel is a fun beach read full of complex characters, drama, romance, mystery, suspense, wealth, privilege, love, deception, redemption, forgiveness, rejection, and new beginnings. The Hotel Nantucket, once a grand hotel has faced years of hardship after Grace Hadley, a chambermaid at the hotel perishes in a fire in 1922. Grace’s death went unresolved causing her to haunt the hotel resulting in hardships for the once thriving hotel. After several failed ventures, it is finally purchased by a London billionaire seeking to restore the hotel to its former glory. Lizbet Keaton, a Nantucket native, is seeking to rebuild her life after a devastating betrayal and is hired as the general manager of the newly restored Hotel Nantucket. She, along with her eccentric staff, is tasked with the job of earning a 5 key review from a renowned hotel blogger. Will they and the hotel succeed?

This novel is told from multiple points of view and each chapter focuses on a different character and storyline. This approach keeps the reader engaged and intrigued as each storyline is laced with mystery, suspense, and drama which the author cleverly unfolds over the duration of the novel. The inclusion of the supernatural element was a nice touch as it serves as the link between the various storylines and characters as well as provides a historical backdrop to the hotel. As a true fan of this author, I greatly enjoyed the incorporation of characters and places from her prior novels. She does an excellent job in her description of the surroundings, including details depicting the cobblestone streets, restaurants, bars, shops, and beaches. It serves to create such a visual environment so that the reader feels like he/she is in Nantucket themselves and familiar with these people and places. The blog posts are an excellent addition to the novel and had me laughing out loud as the observations at some of the establishments was so spot on and relatable. The author did a nice job of highlighting the hotel management industry and the hard work that goes into running a successful service industry business during the height of summer. This novel will make you rethink how you behave in a hotel.

There is a lot of activity in this novel, with a colorful cast of characters all hiding various secrets. I would have liked a little bit more depth to some of the storylines, particularly the development of the relationship between Lizbet and Mario, Chip and his family dynamics and Magda, who turns out to be quite the complex and interesting character. All the characters are entertaining, including Kimber and her two children who add to the atmosphere at the Hotel Nantucket. With so many storylines, the door is left open for a second novel to embark on the sophomore season of Hotel Nantucket.

This novel is the perfect beach read. It is captivating, highly entertaining, and enjoyable. You are going to want to clear your day, grab a towel and a cool drink and settle in to this 5 key perfection of a novel.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This is my second book by Elin Hilderbrand, the first being Golden Girl. I’m not sure if all her books showcase a spirit/ghost, but Grace’s character felt a bit trite after the fireworks of Golden Girl. Lizbet has been hired as the GM of Hotel Nantucket, the newest boutique hotel on the island, and she’s promised billionaire owner Xavier Darling that she will get the coveted, never-before given “five key” rating from hotel writer Shelly Carpenter. I love how in-depth Hilderbrand goes with her characters, and that is the main reason I’m giving this novel four stars instead of three. Otherwise I didn’t feel like there was much of a story here. There was no suspense or driving force keeping me glued to this book, but I was simply for the character development. Once it was over, I felt a little flat because even the villain of the story just wandered off into the sunset, so to speak. I enjoyed the book, but I don’t think I’d pick it up again for a reread.

Thank you to Netgalley, Little, Brown & Co and Elin Hilderbrand for this ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book. This was my first Hilderbrand book. I have seen her books all over but never felt the need to pick one up and read it. There was something about this one in the summary that grabbed my attention,. I think because it reminded me of Susan Boyer's Liz Talbot Low Country Series where there is a ghost present. I wish I would have passed on this book. I just felt like there was not much to the plot line. It just kinda drifted for me along like the summer did for her character at Hotel Nantucket. All the twists, I saw coming. I figured out who Shelly Carpenter was from the beginning. I thought Wanda in her quest to discover Grace the ghost would have taken more of the front storyline but it didn't. Pretty much all the characters had a secret that they hid all summer and because she spent so much time with each character none of them got the depth that they needed for me to really care about them. All the loose ends, were wrapped up much too neatly by the end of August. I liked Chad and Magda best. I wanted to slap Alessandra. I did not like that Bibi left without much of a goodbye with Chad. I wanted a happy ending for Grace. I wanted Wanda to find her ghost. On a side note, there was something in her description of Nantucket, the food, dress, and shopping that I found slightly east coast arrogant. I just could not get past it in a way. I have watched Elin on Friends and Fiction and I wanted to like this book. I love that she is a cancer survivor and advocate for women. I love that she is a driven writer and strong female. I really did want to like this book but at the end of the day it was not a winner for me. There really wasn't any conflict so I am not sure why I kept reading. If I would be giving it grade, I would give it C/C-.

PS - There is something about Elin that I feel I could sit down with her at a patio bar table on Nantucket and we could have a open conversation as to why this book fell flat for me.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. When I first began reading it and Grace was described, I thought, "Oh no, not a ghost story!" But it proved to be so much more. Yes, there is some haunting, and some romance, but I think this book is more about friendships and being a family. I felt a different vibe from this book than the other books by Hilderbrand and that was a pleasant surprise. 4 - 4.5 stars.

4.5/5 Stars

The more I read Elin Hilderbrand books, the more I love them. Few authors can pull you into a story like Hilderbrand. The character depth, the exquisite, detailed descriptions of visual surroundings, food and their tastes pull you in to the point you feel you are right there with her characters, experiencing it all. And even though I don’t usually love a “ghost” aspect in books this was done with just the right amount of whimsy.

If you’re reading this, Elin Hilderbrand, I hope you’re cooking up something for the future with Chad and Bibi, I’d love to see where their story goes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Company for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I was in a reading slump and this book just took me away, on vacation, to Nantucket. Elin never disappoints and just loved how all these characters stories unfolded and managed to slip in the real Nantucket. Makes me want to book a ticket and go there this weekend. Loved it

I don't know if I've ever felt so immersed in a place while reading before. The main character of this book is definitely the hotel, and what an amazing experience it was to live within its walls and secrets. I love the history the author brought in with the ghost from 1922. Every character, from the hotel staff and guests to the residents of Nantucket, was intriguing and had me riveted to the page to discover what they were hiding. I felt all the emotions for them, from shock to heartbreak to rooting for them to succeed. Also, the romance was perfection! Take a summer vacation to Nantucket from your favorite reading chair. You won't regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for access to this arc.

Another hit from Erin Hildebrand! This book has it all- great descriptions of Nantucket, characters you care about, mouth watering food, and even wire fraud and a ghost!

This book reads more like Golden Girl than 28 Summers in that it's lighthearted and fun. The best part is the gift Elin gives us at the end, finally- her guide to Nantucket! I will hopefully be referring back to that one day.

This is the first time I've read an Elin Hilderbrand book and, yes, I get it. I get why this author's books are everywhere: grocery stores, newsstands, airports, etc. What I do not get is why the cover makes it look like a light little read. This is a meaty ensemble piece with multiple story lines. I picture a cover that looks more like a Downton Abbey poster, showing the hotel staff and their more memorable guests.

At the center is general manager of the Hotel Nantucket, Lizbet Keaton, who is hired to bring the newly renovated space back to its former glory. We meet staff as she's interviewing them and guests as they check in. Then there's the self-appointed conscience of the hotel, Grace Hadley, the 19 year old ghost (or is it 119?) who died in a fire at the hotel back in 1922. She's protective, nurturing, and mischievous, depending on what she thinks people deserve. She's a lot of fun as she lurks in places where only a ghost can hide, acting as our eyes, ears, and entertainment.

Everyone has a back story, everyone has an agenda, everyone has a reason to work or stay at the hotel. Although most of the book is from the POV of Lizbet, Ghostly Grace, and sometimes Sweet Edie, there is a hidden narrator who remains unnamed. Despite being a bit long, I had a difficult time putting this book down. Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Fun read. A ghost story, mystery,family.I don't know what this book doesn't have. I have to go to Nantucket , it seems so fun

This was my first time reading Elin Hilderbrand and I enjoyed this fun beach road. There was a little bit of romance and mystery. Great summer book.

Thank you for this ARC! I was so delighted to get this copy of Elin Hilderbrand's latest book! I have read all her recent books and many backlisted books, too. This book is very similar to all her other and equally enjoyable. The summer scenes of Nantucket are a great escape, as is all the fashion and food details! The characters are lovable and the plot predictable. The perfect beach read. If you liked Hiderbrand's other books, you should definitely pick this one up!