Discover the best Elin Hilderbrand books here. You’ll learn reviews and ratings for the most popular works of the “queen of the beach reads” to help you decide what to read. Plus, get a printable PDF of Elin Hilderbrand’s books in order to track your reading.
Best Elin Hilderbrand Books: Top 3 Ranked
TOP PICKS
Summer of ’69: light historical fiction drama set during a momentous summer in Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard
28 Summers: a tear-jerker with a wealth of pop culture references
The Perfect Couple: the ultimate “death at a wedding” in Nantucket mystery
Top Rated Elin Hilderbrand Books: The Quick List
First, if you’re extra curious or in a rush, below is a quick, shoppable list of all the books that made the list.
Read these books in my Summer Reading Challenge.
10 Best Elin Hilderbrand Books: Reviews and Ratings
Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are my happy places, and since most of Elin Hilderbrand’s books take place there, they always feel like a mental escape.
And I love how, while Elin Hilderbrand’s books are beach reads, the characters and storylines have some complexity. I also love that these are preppy books!
As a fan myself, below I share with you more details about each of the best Elin Hilderbrand books to help you decide what to read next.
28 Summers
- My #2 Top Pick for Elin Hilderbrand’s best book
- #1 New York Times bestseller
My Review: ★★★★★
Best for those who enjoy popular culture references and decades-long romances
28 Summers lived up to all my expectations of a classic Elin book. It has a preppy Nantucket setting. It’s light but still has substance. It has well-drawn-out characters and realistic (yet clever) dialogue. Lastly, it’s compulsively readable.
It’s about two people, Mallory Blessing and Jake McCloud, who decide to have a “same time next year” meeting that lasts each Labor Day weekend over the course of, you guessed it, 28 Summers. Naturally, this becomes more complicated with age, marriage, and kids.
While I can normally be critical about books glamorizing affairs, I thought this book did it in a really smart way that made sense. It showed that all relationships are different and complex.
I can also be critical of books dealing with 9/11 (sometimes it feels wrongly used for the sake of drama to me), but I thought this one handled it well.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention my favorite part: Each “year” included a rundown of all the pop culture items we were talking about at the time. It was just a really fun addition to a book set over a few decades.
28 Summers was a 5-star read for me. I read it during the beginning of the Coronavirus quarantine, and I honestly felt like it “saved” me during this dark experience.
Beautiful Day
Best for those who love a good wedding story
My Review: ★★★★☆
Beautiful Day is Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket wedding novel. Years earlier, while Carmichael matriarch Beth was living her final days, she detailed instructions for daughter Jenna’s wedding in a “Notebook.”
Years later, she has passed and Jenna is planning her wedding in the backyard of the family home per her mother’s wishes.
While the idea of a “Notebook” (capital “N”) seems hokey in theory, in practice, it worked well. The tone and details were quirky and unique while never being too sentimental or sappy.
Along the way, there are “outtakes” by the guests, all the family drama that comes along with all Elin Hilderbrand novels, and the weddings themselves, to keep you entertained and wondering how (and if) the wedding will play out. I flew through this one!
The Blue Bistro
Best for foodies
My Review: ★★★★☆
Going into The Blue Bistro, I only knew that it was a summer romance taking place at a Nantucket restaurant. I was not expecting the emotional ride this book took me on!
It begins with a simple sentence that ends up meaning so much:
“Adrienne needed a job.”
After Adrienne lands an assistant manager position for the last summer the acclaimed restaurant The Blue Bistro will be in business, she experiences the events of an entire lifetime in the span of three months.
She starts dating her boss and part-owner of the restaurant, Thatcher. But, there’s a third wheel in this relationship—Thatcher’s business partner and lifelong friend, Chef Fiona, who is reclusive and hiding a very big secret.
The descriptions of food in The Blue Bistro were nothing short of delectable and tantalizing, from the opening pages, which contained a full menu of farm-fresh delights, to the daily tomato specials in the month of August.
The restaurant environment feels so real and alive that you can envision yourself actually working there, from the bustling bar to the melodic piano and the ocean views, along with the regular patrons and lively staff.
There were some plot issues, and most of the reviews I read reflect that. All three of the main characters had some really unlikable personality traits, and the ending leaves multiple loose ends.
That being said, I was still fully immersed in The Blue Bistro and really enjoyed it overall. I also know that MANY avid Elin Hilderbrand fans consider this to be one of her best books.
The Hotel Nantucket
- Instant #1 New York Times bestseller
My Review: ★★★★☆
Best for fans of The Blue Bistro and the TV show Below Deck
The Hotel Nantucket is about the summer in which a haunted old hotel is restored to the epitome of luxury and the staff who aims to get it a coveted “5 keys” rating. There are lots of references to The Blue Bistro and The Beach Club for fans of those novels, but you need not read them first by any means.
Like the TV show Below Deck (which takes place on a luxury boat instead of a hotel), the storyline follows drama and love amongst both the staff and the guests throughout the summer. There are even some twists!
Countless readers have said it’s their favorite Hilderbrand novel to date. For me, it was excellent, but it still fell below my top 3.
It’s also worth noting that there’s an amazing guide to Nantucket by Elin at the end, which I saved for future visits.
Related Post: Discussion Guide for The Hotel Nantucket
The Identicals
Best for fans of family/sibling drama
My Review: ★★★★☆
I loved the concept of The Identicals from the outset — identical female twins nearly 40 years old were split by their divorcing parents as children. Tabitha Frost stayed in Nantucket with their fashion designer mother and Harper went to Martha’s Vineyard with their father.
Around age 25, the twins became further estranged by a tragic event, the exact details of which unfold over the course of the novel.
When they experience difficult events with their parents, they “switch” islands for a summer and tackle both their past and present lives.
I loved how The Identicals incorporated more of Martha’s Vineyard (my favorite of the two islands) than most of Hilderbrand’s other books. For this reason, it made my list of the best books set on Martha’s Vineyard.
One thing that did make me cringe was some of the adult behavior of the twins toward each other. It felt immature and just plain mean to me. I really don’t like it when adult siblings take “revenge” on each other.
Those parts of The Identicals were small, though, and overall it was another really enjoyable Elin read for me.
The Love Season
Best for fans of The Blue Bistro and coastal grandmothers
My Review: ★★★★☆
Never has a book ever reminded me more of the coastal grandmother aesthetic!
The Love Season takes place in the course of one day on Nantucket, in which a middle-aged chef who made it on her own, Marguerite, goes about the day running island errands and preparing for a delectable homemade dinner with her recently engaged goddaughter, to whom she must reveal secrets about her past.
Throughout the day, Marguerite also recounts her past and sets the reader off on a jet to luxurious places like Paris, Morroco, and New York.
The novel’s short timeframe of one day and the promise that deep secrets will be revealed also add suspense. It’s everything a coastal grandmother will cherish!
The Perfect Couple (Nantucket Series)
- My #3 Top Pick for Elin Hilderbrand’s best book
- Soon to be a Netflix series
Best for fans of thrillers/mysteries
My Review: ★★★★★
The Perfect Couple is one of Elin Hilderbrand’s best books because it truly transports you to the island of Nantucket while indulging in this “death at a wedding” mystery.
As you try to figure out whether the death was an accident or murder (and if so, whodunnit?), you learn that all the major players have secrets making them darker than their glossy exteriors. Oh, the drama and intrigue!
While the bride and groom may not be the “perfect couple” after all, this is quite literally the “perfect” book for summer, a beach read, an escapist book, and/or all of the above.
And, by the way, while I have been correctly guessing the ending of the recent thrillers I have read, I did not correctly guess this ending of The Perfect Couple, so bonus points! I didn’t really find any “cons” in this book.
Silver Girl
Best for fans of middle-aged protagonists
My Review: ★★★★☆
Silver Girl has long been a popular Elin Hilderbrand backlist book. It lived up to my expectations, blending some common themes characteristic of her books with some unique themes.
Meredith Martin Delinn has lost everything, all because her husband Freddy cheated investors out of billions of dollars.
Looking at this type of scandal from the perspective of the wife of an imprisoned man was unique. I had empathy for Meredith’s struggles in dealing with public notoriety and managing feelings of guilt that she benefited from Freddy’s wealth as his wife.
Silver Girl is also very much about friendship as opposed to love, as Meredith’s old friend Connie contacts her to heal together in a summer on Nantucket, after Connie’s husband’s death.
I also really liked about it is that it was about middle-aged women, which isn’t always at the heart of the best Elin Hilderbrand books.
The story weaves in the history of their lives, loves, and friendships as they came of age in the Philadelphia suburbs. It’s a great read about starting over later in life and looking back on your past decisions.
Summer of ’69
- My #1 Top Pick for the best book by Elin Hilderbrand
- #1 New York Times bestseller
Best for fans of historical fiction with an uplifting tone
My Review: ★★★★★
Summer of ’69 is my favorite Elin Hilderbrand book, as well as one of the best summer books! It has so many things I adore blended into one — historical fiction, family drama, Martha’s Vineyard, and pop culture.
The plot follows the Levin family during a monumental summer on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
Whereas they usually all spend the summer in Nantucket with their grandmother, this year, Blair is pregnant with twins in Boston, Kirby is working in Martha’s Vineyard, Tiger is fighting in Vietnam, and only young Jessie is vacationing with their grandmother on Nantucket.
When the Summer of ’69 heats up, Senator Ted Kennedy’s car sinks in Chappaquiddick in Martha’s Vineyard, causing the death of a woman. And, a man flies to the moon, all amidst a backdrop of civil rights and war.
Summer of ’69 keeps you immersed in the family’s lives and it transports you to the 60s at the same time, making for an extremely satisfying read. I simply could not stop searching about the book and the historical context, which is always the mark of an excellent book for me.
Based on the quality of the writing and how much this book accomplishes, I recommend this one as the best of all Elin Hilderbrand’s books.
Winter in Paradise (Paradise Series)
Best for fans of stories about family secrets
My Review: ★★★☆☆
Winter in Paradise is the first of three novels in Elin Hilderbrand’s Paradise series. It will whisk you away to St. John, for a change of scene from Elin’s usual Nantucket setting.
As a middle-aged Irene Steele rings in a cold Midwestern New Year, a shocking phone call changes everything. She learns that her beloved husband, who was away on “business,” was killed in a helicopter crash on the Caribbean island.
After Irene and her two sons arrive in St. John, they soon discover that Irene’s husband was living a secret life involving some of the locals.
It’s pure drama and Winter escapism, blended with some heart. I loved visiting somewhere “different” with Elin!
Winter Street (Winter Series #1 of 4)
Best for the holiday season
My Review: ★★★★☆
In Winter Street, the first in a festive book series by Elin Hilderbrand, Kelley Quinn owns the Nantucket Winter Street Inn and is the proud father of four grown children, all of whose personal lives are in a state of chaos.
The oldest, Patrick, is a hedge fund manager dealing with a white-collar crime. Bartender Kevin has a secret relationship with the Inn’s housekeeper. Teacher Ava can’t get her dream boyfriend to commit. And Bart, the youngest, and the only child of Kelley’s second marriage to Mitzi, is fighting overseas in the Marines.
Christmas approaches, and Kelley walks in on Mitzi kissing the Inn’s Santa Claus, bringing all of the Quinn family drama to a head. It becomes up to Kelley’s first wife, famous news anchor Margaret Quinn, to attempt to save Christmas.
It’s a light yet heartfelt start Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter series of four holiday books. It’s filled with all of the family drama that can be characteristic of this festive season. While some of it is “heavy,” Hilderbrand does a great job still making it feel festive and escapist.
Printable PDF List of Elin Hilderbrand’s Books
About Author Elin Hilderbrand: Queen of the Beach Reads
about
A Pennsylvania native, Elin Hilderbrand, is a Nantucket-based American author known for her bestselling beach read novels, novellas, and short stories. Her captivating novels blend romance, high-class drama, and picturesque Nantucket settings.
She graduated from Johns Hopkins University and pursued her graduate studies at the famed University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop.
She debuted with The Beach Club in 2000 and has since published over 25 novels, amidst personal challenges, including a battle with breast cancer.
In 2021, she announced plans to retire in 2024. Swan Song will be her final novel. However, she signed a deal to co-write two books with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, to be published in 2024 and 2025.
Learn More: Elin Hilderbrand’s website
Frequently Asked Questions
According to GoodReads readers, Elin Hilderbrand’s most popular book is The Hotel Nantucket. It juxtaposes high-class people with working-class people in an aspirational setting and offers a light mystery as well.
Yes. Though The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand is technically part of her Nantucket series, it can be read as a stand alone. The plot is separate and crossovers are minimal.
Elin Hilderbrand’s popularity stems from her books’ dramatic characters, romantic storylines, and idyllic settings in Nantucket. Her novels resonate with readers looking for a blend of escapism and drama.
Elin Hilderbrand is known as the “Queen of the Beach Read.” Her captivating novels blend romance, high-class drama, and picturesque Nantucket settings, making her books staples for summer reading lists.
Try these authors like Elin Hilderbrand: Nantucket authors, Nancy Thayer and Pamela Kelley, also write beach reads set on Nantucket. Hilderbrand’s author friend, Dorothea Benton Frank, also writes similar books set in the South.
For new readers of Elin Hilderbrand, The Hotel Nantucket is an excellent starting point. It’s a newer book that quickly became her most popular overall with readers. It juxtaposes high-class people with working-class people in an aspirational setting and offers a light mystery as well.
Conclusion
This list of the best Elin Hilderbrand books guided you through the “must read” titles from the “queen of the beach reads,” so you can devour all her most popular books first.
SHOP THE POST
To recap and help you decide what to read first or next, my top 3 best books by Elin Hilderbrand, ranked in order, are:
- Summer of ’69: light historical fiction drama set during a momentous summer on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard
- 28 Summers: a tear-jerker with a wealth of pop culture references
- The Perfect Couple: the ultimate “death at a wedding” in Nantucket mystery.
Share your favorite Elin Hilderbrand book in the comments below.
The Rumor seems to be included in the winter series??? I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t read it first. My question is there another book that I should read that is part of the winter series??
I’m not 100% sure about this. I don’t recall there being a major connection. Sometimes Elin uses the same characters throughout several novels (like the police chief) but I’m not aware of any books being part of the Winter series other than the Winter series itself.
Is there going to be another book following Troubles in Paradise ? I keep wondering what happened to everyone especially Irene and Huck.
Thanks
I haven’t heard an answer to that question yet!
Hello! Lovely blog! Who doesn’t love a good, beachy book by Elin Hilderbrand?!
I just finished Golden Girl, I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. Right before I read Golden Girl I read Summer of ‘69 and 28 Summers, and those two books were the ones that created my obsession with Elin Hilderbrand novels. 28 Summers is, so far, my all time favorite book by Elin, Summer of ‘69 is my second favorite and picking a third favorite is hard because I read some of her other books years ago, but I do LOVE the Winter Street Series! In fact, the Winter Street Series were the first books I had read by Elin and I liked the first book of the series so much that when I realized it was a series, I immediately found the other 3 books and devoured them!
I am currently listening to Summerland and I’ve restarted it multiple times, I just can’t seem to get into it, so I think I’m going to put it on my DNF (for now) pile and start a new EL book; my instincts are telling me to go with your #3 favorite EL read, The Perfect Couple! Reading your review I realized The Perfect Couple is a murder mystery book but still on Nantucket! Does a book get any better than “mystery murder on Nantucket” or “beach murder mystery?” I don’t think so! I hope there’s some typical “breakin’ up to be makin’ up” in there or some sparks flying between between the wrong people!
Speaking of, for the critics and trolls who do not approve of the “adultery” and “sexual scenes” then DON’t read it! No one is forcing you! The books are FICTIONAL, meaning, it’s not real or true, those things didn’t happen and the characters don’t exist! I don’t understand people who read an entire series of books only to go behind their computer/iPad/phone, etc., just to author/actress/actor/politician/influencer (whomever) put these people down! It’s cowardly and mean.
On that note, I enjoy your blog and your reviews! I get to read them in between helping my youngest on the potty and helping my daughter with homework. Haha. Thank you and take care! I’ll check back in when I need to pick a new read! 🙂
Thanks for your thoughtful comment! I DEFINITELY recommend Perfect Couple! I recommend it to so many people, and it seems you and I have similar tastes. Blue Bistro is also a really well-liked, unique book, as is Silver Girl.
Reading Golden Girl now! I have read every book. I have had the pleasure of meeting Elin at the Moravian Bookstore in Bethlehem Pa. I was a nervous wreck and she was so nice. Can’t get enough. Please write more. Love her.
I plan on it! I have a few more books on my TBR and I update this post every time I read one. Enjoy the rest of Golden Girl.
Hi Jules!
I just finished my first Elin book .. actually I read the winter series over the last two months! What an outstanding series ! I’m hooked on Hilderbrand!! Thanks to your wonderful blog and information , I will be heading to my local library to check out the Perfect Couple ! Winter series helped me to experience the joy of the holiday season !!!.. I have to agree with you .. I believe I may only be able to read Hilderbrand novels! Lol !!
So many people got into the Winter series this December! I hope you enjoy The Perfect Couple — I sure did!
Thanks for sharing! My faves are Hotel Nantucket, The Rumor and Blue Bistro. I do better when there aren’t so many characters involved, love all the books!
It’s hard NOT to love those three! Looking forward to Swan Song next.