If you have read all of Elin Hilderbrand’s previous Nantucket stories you’ll love this bitter sweet end to the series. It’s filled with all the usual family drama, small town gossip, and romance with a bit of Easter Eggs and mystery thrown in. All the great foundations of a good beach read.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Pub Date: 6-11-24

It’s summer on Nantucket. Townspeople are gearing up for the annual invasion of tourists, and police chief Ed Kapenash is trying to prepare for retirement, but then accustomed routines are jolted when the newly arrived Richardsons are revealed to be the new owners of a long vacant $22,000,000 beach house. They waste no time in hiring local Lamont Oakley to captain their yacht and free spirit Coco as their personal concierge while starting on an impressive round of dazzling entertainments. But who are these people, really? Feelings are hurt, gossip flourishes, and summer suddenly becomes much more complicated. Long time fabs of the “Queen of Beach Reads” will enjoy the returning characters and references to past stories as well as a bit of mystery while hoping that this won’t truly be Hilderbrand’s swan song. A love letter to Nantucket for readers to enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. I have loved reading all the Elin Hilderbrand books. When reading the dedication and considering the title- I googled to find that this book was indeed her last. Set on Nantucket, with gossip and a mystery, I was immediately caught up in this book. I found myself putting it down only because I didn't want it to end.

I've enjoyed Elin Hilderbrand's style from some of her other books, and this one did not disappoint. Thank you for allowing me access to this book.

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand is one of those books that starts slow but gradually pulls you in more and more and by the last half you can’t put it down. The very rich Richardsons buy a mansion on Nantucket. They immediately begin hosting lavish parties. The whole island is abuzz and intrigued with the new arrivals. But after a few months things seem to start changing for the perfect couple.

Swan Song has every thing we have grow to expect from a Hilderbrand novel and more. We meet some new characters and revisit some of our old favorites. You really see the dynamics between the characters and their relationships. The descriptions of the scenery and the sunset makes you want to pack up and head for the beach.

If you are looking for a fun, heartwarming, bittersweet, easy read, this is it! The perfect beach/summer read. You will not be disappointed.

Elin Hilderbrand’s book, Swan Song, is a wonderful story based on the island of Nantucket. There’s romance, friendships made and a bit of mystery.

Thank you Net Galley and Little Brown for an ARC of Swan Song.

What a wonderful, wonderful way to wrap up Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket novels. Her writing is so special to me, and this book was a great final chapter with all of our favorite island characters.

I ADORED all of the Easter eggs throughout the book, and I will say that this book will be most enjoyed by those who have read a good amount of Elin’s book.

However, despite all of the lovely familiarity, the story still felt new and fresh - and kept me guessing a little at the end. What really happens to the Chief?

So long Nantucket!

Many thanks to Little Brown and NetGalley for early access in exchange for my honest opinion. An excellent vacation read, I definitely recommend this book. And since it doesn't publish until June, you have plenty of time to catch up on some of Elin's previous books in the meantime.
It seemed fitting for me to read Elin’s last Nantucket novel while vacationing in St John, the location of her Paradise trilogy. And it IS paradise! To my surprise, an early chapter in Swan Song where three of the main characters first meet takes place on St John at the Banana Deck - so I obviously had to go for a painkiller (the signature cocktail around here) and to snap a picture! This is my third trip to St John, and it is such a lovely and relaxing place that I can imagine returning yet again.
Elin recommends reading (or re-reading if it's been a while!) The Rumor and The Castaways, for the best reading experience. I read The Rumor last April and listened to The Castaways in February to be fully prepared! 🤓
For Elin’s last Nantucket novel (for now, as she says in the acknowledgements!), Swan Song is a terrific way to go out. The chief of police is retiring at the end of August, but there is one last situation to handle. Starting by introducing this final situation, Swan Song takes place over one summer on Nantucket, where a new couple moves to the island and really shakes things up. The descriptions of food, parties, and people are everything readers have come to expect in an Elin novel. I did not expect a character with my own name 😍 and such an epic line of foreshadowing:
"Blythe groans. “Nantucket better watch out.”" Sounds just like me. I can't wait for everyone to be able to read this one - and while I'm sad to see Elin's Nantucket-set books ending, I know she has other exciting books on the horizon.

Elin Hilderbrand's Swan Song is the perfect swan song, for the final novel in the Nantucket series. Hilderbrand creates terrific characters, with depth and interest, wonderful, complex plots, and good resolutions that read authentic. I have loved every Hilderbrand novel I have read, and Swan Song was no exception. Even the less attractive characters are compelling. As is always the case, Hilderbrand makes Nantucket the star of Swan Song. The descriptions are so well written that I feel I have been there, even though I have not. There are multiple plots and characters who somehow blend together into one terrific story. Starting over seems to always be such an important plot of every Hilderbrand novel. Her characters are given the possibility of a better life, which is exactly what all her readers want, as well. There is no where to go but up.

Thank you to Little Brown & Co for providing me with this ARC to read and review. Thank you also to NetGalley for making ARC so easy. I do definitely recommend Swan Song.

I loved this book and will definitely be purchasing it for our library. A perfect wrap up, but never say never! Will miss Elin’s stories!

Pulling out all the stops for some over the top characters, Hilderbrand brings her audience back to Nantucket for one final summer of glittery parties, gossiping locals and "those summer people." When the Richardsons arrive and purchase the "Grand Dame" of summer homes, which is actually falling into the ocean, they set out to spread their money around, thus insuring acceptance by the locals and gaining access to private clubs and restaurants with apparent ease, much to the chagrin of some of the locals who are still waiting on club memberships. When young Coco is hired to be their personal concierge/assistant, she makes friends with the Chief of Police's daughter who has recently returned from California. When Coco goes missing from their yacht on the same night that their seaside mansion burns to the ground, suspicion falls on the missing young woman. But the soon to be retired Chief of Police has a feeling that there is more to this story and sets out to solve one last case. Who are the Richardsons? How did they obtain their wealth? Where are they really from? And where is Coco?

A fun romp across Nantucket which allows readers to experience how the "other half" as well as how "the local help" lives in the same community each summer. Those who have read other books in the Nantucket series will enjoy meeting familiar characters and taking one last dip into their lives.

I was not expecting the tears I shed at the end of this one! I loved the characters that are in this book and the mystery that surrounds them!

I finished reading Swan Song and I feel like someone has died! I have been an Elin Hilderbrand reader since her first book was published. I started reading her books every summer because I had moved to land-locked Colorado and was depressed to be so far from the beach. Every year I read her latest beach book to help me smell the sea air, hear the waves, and feel the sand between my toes even if it is all in my mind and I've never set foot in Nantucket.

Swan Song is of course set on Nantucket and includes many of the characters we have met before. It jumps around between the current story, a missing personal concierge and an arson, to the start of the summer. The mystery paired with the Chief of Police's pending retirement was entertaining, but I didn't connect with the characters like her last two novels, 28 Summers (my all time favorite) and The Five-Star Weekend (which I want to recreate). Even without my connection, I flew through the book and it gave me all of the beach feels I need. I was in tears when I finished the book because the Nantucket books are over. I understand Elin's choice to retire as I hope to myself in the next ten years, but I still feel like someone has died and my favorite summer author is gone...

A great ending to this Nantucket series! While the cast of characters are mostly from previous books, you do not have to read all the other books (though you are missing some great beach reads) to enjoy this wonderful series ender. Glitzy parties, glamorous people, beach parties, adultery, arson, back-stabbing friends, pickle ball, yachts, hot tubing - has anything caught your interest? This book has all that and more. I loved it!

This was the perfect finale to Elin’s Nantucket books! Just the right amount of suspense and drama, with sprinklings of nostalgic characters and locations. I’m sad that this chapter is coming to an end but glad the see how the lives of these old & new characters of Nantucket played out!

Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company, for providing the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was very pleased to be approved for this advance reader copy of Swan Song. I made sure to read it immediately. I was concerned when I saw this title was the last in the Nantucket books. I haven’t read all of them and feared I might be lost but that wasn’t the case. I enjoyed it enough to realize I want to read the ones I missed.
The story starts out with the retirement of police Chief Kapenash and the arrival of the Richardsons. The Richardsons are new to Nantucket and always throw lavish themed parties that everyone wants to be invited to. They have hired Coco as their concierge and Lamont as the captain of their boat. It primarily follows the story of the Richardsons and their interactions with the people of Nantucket.

I enjoyed all of the characters and liked how a bit of mystery was incorporated into the story.

Swan Song centers on Chief of Police Ed Kapenash's retirement and the entrance of Bull and Leslee Richardson onto Nantucket.
At first, everyone loves the Richardson's and can't get enough of their luxurious parties. But soon, the Richardson's start to wear on people and their true colors start to come through.
There are a lot of characters from Hilderbrand's older novels showing up in this one, although it's not necessary to have read those books.
The writing was excellent, of course, but I felt it was a little slow. There's a mystery involved but it is easy to guess where it is headed.
Although it wasn't my favorite Hilderbrand novel, readers will delight in getting their Nantucket fix.

Another book that’s sure to be a crowd- pleaser from the Queen of the beach read! In true Hilderbrand fashion, Elin takes us back to Nantucket, where we revisit old characters and meet some new ones along the way. I couldn’t put this down! I loved the way the plot was laid out, with back and forth between the beginning of summer where everything started and the aftermath of the house fire and Coco’s disappearance. This felt like more of an ensemble drama than her previous books, but I loved getting so many different viewpoints on the Richardsons, the new kids in town. Despite this being pretty lengthy, there are parts I would have loved a deeper look into, especially about Bull and Leslee’s relationship. I adored this novel, and know it will be the read of the summer that Elin’s fans have come to know and love!

Didn’t want this one to end!! Perfect way for Elin Hilderbrand to head out into retirement. Fun, cozy, familiar, perfect for a night in on the couch or day in the sun on the beach. Loved the familiar characters and the way Nantucket can feel like home. Excited to see what Elin and her daughter has for us next! 5 stars!

I was ecstatic when my request for the ARC was approved - all the other books in the TBR pile were put on an even longer hold. I could not put it down and finished it over the weekend.

Hilderbrand is at her best here. You get everything you love in her books - summer on Nantucket, beautiful people living interesting lives, drama and mystery, gorgeous descriptions of nature and spaces, and, of course, delicious food.

The easter eggs are in abundance - we get a mention, if not of the characters of most previous books, then at least the locations where they took place: from Tuckernuk and St. John to Beach Club and Hotel Nantucket.

The book will definitely be more enjoyable if you have read Hilderbrand's previous Nantucket-based books, especially "Castaways," and "The Rumor." Without the Castaways, it is hard to understand Delilah's outbursts and logic behind throwing a carton of lobster noodles on someone's car seat. With Castaways in mind, this makes perfect sense for her as a character. It is also nice to see the remaining six this much later in life, sometimes still grappling with the same demons, sometimes more in peace and much happier.

Without the Rumor, we may not fully understand the dynamics between Fast Eddie and his wife, Grace, the landscaping love affair, and the potential meaning of another real estate development that Eddie is considering.

We get a much deeper look into Chief's life and reasoning here and a nice substory for his daughter Kacy. The overall premise of the book is fun and different, and the twist of the mystery wasn't obvious to me until the very end. (The cashmere sweater gives it away.)

Overall, a lovely read and exactly what you would want from a Hilderbrand Nantucket novel. I don't know if I agree with Blond Sharon's creative writing professor's call to "kill her darlings" (BTW, he works at the same university as me!), but sometimes we get what we get.

Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company, for providing the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.