Member Reviews
The VERY LAST Elin book on Nantucket. For being the very last book, i really wanted more out of it. I feel like adding a new couple brought a lot of previous characters together but added an unnecessary mess of it all. I was expecting a huge WOW factor that i didn't find in her previous novels but unfortunately didn't find it, so i found this book just okay, when i absolutely loved her other books. I will never stop recommending her books though!
I highly recommend Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand to all her fans as well as new readers of her work. The characters are well developed and a lot of familiar places we have visited in her previous books! I have read many Hilderbrand books set in Nantucket but not the others in this series. Swan Song was enjoyable as a standalone novel.
Seen through the points of view of various characters, a Nantucket summer has drama, mystery, and glamour to spare. In the last of her novels about the Nantucket community, Hilderbrand describes the impact of some new arrivals on some characters from her other books. There is the wealthy and ostentatious couple that sets out to seduce the island with their elaborate parties and over-the-top generosity, and then there is the young woman newcomer they hire to be their "concjerge." Readers will not be surprised to learn that all is not as it seems, and that if it seems too good to be true it probably is. As always, Hilderbrand's plot and characters pull us in, and we enjoy the journey.
I am sad that the Nantucket series is over. I absolutely love Hilderbrand’s books and this one does not disappoint. There are some unsavory characters, mystery, glitz and glamor, and a lot backstabbing and betrayals in this summer must read!
Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I am so sad that this is Elin Hilderbrand’s last book. I enjoy reading a new book by her every summer. She takes you to Nantucket in all of her books and I plan to visit this area one day. The book deals with a murder and love all in one. Another page turner by this fantastic author.
🌊Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand OUT JUNE 11th, 2024🌊
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown, Company for the advanced copy!
I’m not gonna lie.. I was dragging my feet to start reading this one. I ADORE Elin Hilderbrand books and read them every summer. When I heard she was going into retirement after this book, I didn’t want to start it because I didn’t want it to be over.
It’s a classic Elin book taking place on Nantucket but this time a new couple, the Richardsons are in town. They buy a mansion and immediately starts throwing lavish parties. The book is from multiple perspectives but one main POV is from Coco their housemaid/personal assistant. Chief Ed is about to enter into retirement but he has one last case when the Richardson’s mansion burns to the ground and their assistant goes missing.
This has everything you know and love about Hilderbrand’s summer novels. Reappearing characters from previous novels, beautiful description of the island and the food, and of course, hidden easter eggs. When I finished this book on a warm day, I still had chills reading the end. I am sure I will see this book EVERYWHERE on the beach this summer. An easy 5✨ read for me.
If you've read any of Hilderbrand's Nantucket books you're going to have to read this one, her swan song about Chief Kapenash's swan song as chief of police on the island. One last summer of watching the drama of the summer people and the year-rounders, a summer filled with intrigue and drama as a new couple comes to the island and immediately start throwing lavish parties that all want to attend. The perfect summer read.
This was a very interesting book. I had never really read an Elin Hilderbrand book before, but I know she is someone our patrons love. I thought this would be a perfect chance to see what she was about, and I was not disappointed. This book is intriguing, I realized at the end it is part of a series, however I didn’t feel like I was lost picking up this book and not having read any of the other books. Which is always a good thing. I loved all the different character perspectives. I found the Richardsons to be outlandish in all the right ways to make them look super suspicious. The story was well put together, organized well even with all the different viewpoints. I can see why people enjoy her books so much. I don’t think anyone will be disappointed with this final book.
Thank you so much to Litte, Brown and Company and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.
The author says that this is her final Nantucket book, as she is retiring from writing. I'm not sure why authors ever retire, as they can just slow down and write, or not, at their own paces. Regardless, this is the last Nantucket novel, unless she changes her mind. ;) I have not read all of the Nantucket novels, but I have read enough to recognize many of the recurring characters who appear in this story. Police Chief Ed, his wife and daughter, many of their friends, and enemies, plus a new couple, the Richardsons, who cause all kinds of upheaval in the summer. It is a fitting final tribute to a wonderful series that always makes me want to visit this enticing island. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
It's a solid finish to Elin Hilderbrand's reign as the queen of Nantucket, but it did feel a little too "crime novel" to me than her others, and I wish it had focused less on unlikable characters and let the protagonists shine more.
Thank you to @littlebrown @Netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
Chief of police Ed Kapenash is finally retiring after serving the community for 35 years. With three days left to serve, a 22-million-dollar home owned by the flashy new couple in town burns to the ground and his plans are thwarted. The couple’s personal assistant is also missing.
In order to solve that case of not only the arson, but the missing woman, the chief must dig deep into the tight knit community that is known for keeping secrets.
Elin Hilderbrand has done it again and has nicely wrapped up her “Nantucket” series with this book. I loved being back in these characters’ world thought it was bittersweet knowing it would be my last. I really enjoyed that this rendition included a little more mystery than the other three, which was a lot of fun. There were so many easter eggs hidden throughout the pages as well, it really made for an engaging read. Reading these books always makes me want to jump on a plane and head to Nantucket. The writing is just so vivid and descriptive that I can almost feel the sand in my toes. I love when an author can elicit these feelings from me, it helps set the reads apart. While this book can be read as a stand-alone, I think that your reading experience will be all the better if you are able to experience them in order.
This is one of those books that you will want to take your time and savor, and as all of Ms. Hilderbrand’s books, it is the perfect beach read.
Swan Song, by Elin Hilderbrand, is a great beach read. If this is truly her last novel, she sure left me wanting more. I've loved reading her stories about Nantucket and getting to know the area through her words. It's been fun. Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.
I am sad to see Elin's Nantucket stories end. There were some novels at the beginning that I missed so while reading Swan Song, I also went back and read them. It helped me pick up on some things in the new novel. Seeing the tie ins for characters was clever and fun and I enjoyed the little breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout. The small town gossip and crazy storylines will have you laughing- especially the absurdity of the Amalfi lemons. I hope that a little time off from the island refreshes her and she comes back for a few more tales. Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the digital ARC.
I thoroughly enjoyed Hilderbrand's final Nantucket novel and was completely caught up in the story, the scenery, and the characters that populated this novel. The connections to the previous books provide a fun way to look back on those storylines fondly and the returning characters are as zany and predictable (in a good way!) as ever. Of course the island of Nantucket is a major character, showing off all of the gorgeous scenery and beaches, opulent parties, and fabulous restaurants. The plot itself is a little more of a mystery this time around and that made for a fast paced and exciting read. All in all, it's a lovely wrap up of the series and (perhaps?) Hilderbrand's career. Highly recommended for a beach read this summer! I was provided with an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love reading Elins books. They're something I always look forward to in the summer. This one is the final book in the Nantucket series and her final beach read (for now), after a fantastic run of amazing, beachy novels. I haven't read all her books but have read a lot of them. They always give me such a summery feeling. I really liked this one, just as I have her others.
A new rich couple, the Richardson's, has moved to Nantucket with their concierge Coco. They have lavish patties and all the locals are present. The local chief of police is getting ready to retire at the end of summer, but when the Richardson's mansion goes up in flames AND their concierge goes missing, he delays his retirement to handle this one last case.
If you haven't read one of her books yet, and love reading beachy reads with all the summer vibes, what are you waiting for? I still have some to get to, and hope to eventually read them all. Love her books!
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Out June 11.
What a fun read! This summer beach read goes out with bang with our favorite fictional Chief of Police, Ed Kapenash, new uber rich residents Leslie and Bull Richardson, and their newly hired personal assistant, Colleen "Coco" Coyle, As with Elin Hilderbrand's previous books, Swan Song starts at the beginning summer with some newly added characters that bring the Drama. It is a super fun story that takes the reader on a journey through Nantucket's hot spots and with different twists to keep the reader engaged. A perfect send off for Hilderbrand and Ed Kapenash.
In her latest novel, "Swan Song," Elin Hilderbrand bids farewell to the beach book genre she's dominated with 30 titles. Set against the backdrop of Nantucket Island, the story centers on police chief Ed Kapenash, nearing retirement after a 35-year career. Three days before his planned exit, a house fire erupts at the residence of flamboyant newcomers, Bull and Leslee Richardson. The Richardsons are out sailing when the fire breaks out, and their personal assistant, Coco, is missing. As a longtime Hilderbrand fan, I enjoyed all of the Easter Eggs scattered throughout the book. Spotting familiar characters and references to past novels added another layer of fun to the story. It felt like a delightful farewell to Nantucket and a celebration of Hilderbrand's incredible beach book legacy.
Another summer read by Elin Hilderbrand that does not disappoint. Written in small stories, Elin connects the reader to a wide range of characters that are interesting and intriguing. She uses her skills to bring old characters into a new story while focusing on a new storyline. With some mystery and romance, Elin provides the reader with a great way to spend the day emerged in a great story.
Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand published by Hachette Book Group is her best book ever! An intriguing group of characters each with their own distinct personality and story but Hilderbrand is able to weave all together into a captivating story. Her descriptions of Nantucket’s sites of interests and restaurants allowed me to feel I had traveled there. Once I began reading it was difficult to put the book down until the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed Swan Song.
Elin Hilderbrand does it again with a cast of both new and familiar characters, Swan Song is a quick read that will leave you wanting more!!