Elin Hilderbrand's Best Books (So Far) Ranked By Reviews

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If you're a fan of a summery beach read, chances are that you've come across Elin Hilderbrand's hugely popular books. The author has released more than 30 novels over her storied career, yet, surprisingly, she never intended to become synonymous with breezy romance stories. "I didn't realize that I was building a brand. I was just trying to pay the bills," she told Boston Magazine, which dubbed her "Queen of the Beach Read." Hilderbrand's global success is a true testament to her writing skills, though, as the unintentional beach novel icon has sold more than 20 million books (via Today).

But which one do fans consider Hilderbrand's best? Surprisingly, despite being considered one of her most popular releases, (spoiler alert!) it's not "The Five-Star Weekend." We ranked Hilderbrand's top releases at the time of writing based on their Goodreads rating, calculated using a 5-star metric. Then, we looked at reader reviews for each novel to ensure the next title you pick up is perfect for you. However, if you prefer a more streamlined guide, here's where to start with Hilderbrand's beach reads. 

With an impressive rating exceeding 131,000 and an average score of 3.94 stars on Goodreads at the time of writing, "Troubles in Paradise" is the third and final release in Elin Hilderbrand's Paradise Collection. It lands just inside the top 12 of her best books (so far), ranked by reviews. The novel scored higher than the lowest-ranked title in Frieda McFadden's best books list, if you're keeping score.

It picks back up with American Irene Steele after she moves to the Caribbean island of St. John. Irene first visited the tropical locale in the earlier books after discovering her late husband had a secret second life on the island. In this installment, she discovers more difficult revelations, including that he may not have died in a helicopter accident like she thought. The drama comes to a head when a storm threatens to destroy the life Irene has built on the island, and she's forced to come to terms with a seemingly endless supply of hard truths about the man she loved.

"This was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy set in the Virgin Islands. I loved all the characters because they were flawed and didn't always make the right choices, but they all did their best to be good people," one Goodreads reviewer wrote, giving the romance story a full score of 5 stars. As others praised the romance's Easter Eggs, another wrote, "The mystery in this book was less than the first two books. It's more about the characters and the islands. I loved the first two books for the mystery and humor, but this one I loved it for the characters pouring out their heartaches."

"The Blue Bistro" just missed out on the top 10 thanks to its average score of 3.95 out of 5.0 stars from more than 81,700 ratings at the time of writing. The summer romance novel introduces us to Adrienne Dealey. She moved to Nantucket following a difficult split from her ex that left her with nothing. Adrienne soon lands a job on the picturesque island in a restaurant named The Blue Bistro, where she works under the watchful eye of the handsome stranger Thatcher Smith. 

It's clear the two have an instant connection, but despite their romantic chemistry, this is no straightforward love story. Adrienne, who's understandably careful with her heart following her latest split, is left pondering a series of mysteries surrounding her new life, including why Thatcher plans to shut down the restaurant despite its popularity.

Though some Goodreads readers expressed frustration over the book's abrupt ending, others praised Hilderbrand's deep attention to detail throughout. "The layout of the book was unique. I appreciated all the research and interviews that went into making this story," one Goodreads reader stated. Another wrote, "The love story develops over time between Adrienne and Thatcher, and it's messy and emotional."

The first novel to make it inside the top 10 of Elin Hilderbrand's best books is "Summer of '69." The historical summer romance narrowly bested "The Blue Bistro" despite having the same Goodreads score. It has 3.95 stars on Goodreads and over 172,000 ratings at the time of writing.

"Summer of '69" is set, you guessed it, in the summer of 1969 and tells the Levin family's story as they embark on their annual summer tradition of vacationing in Nantucket. Only this time, things are far from normal, as Jessie Levin is the only sibling able to make the trip. The teenager soon finds that spending the summer with her grandmother isn't quite as exciting as the past summers she enjoyed with her siblings — especially with the multiple secrets being harbored.

"I love perfectly combined and developed characters' stories and I enjoyed the spirit, sensation and smartly depicted parts of the era," one Goodreads review read. Another shared how much they enjoyed Elin Hilderbrand's focus on fully fleshing out each character. "Elin Hilderbrand delivers an intriguing, vivid, atmospheric, beautifully written and retrospective tale here that has woven together some historical moments perfectly into an easy-breezy summer read with heart," a third reader astutely stated.

"The Perfect Couple" is the third installment in Elin Hilderbrand's popular "Nantucket" series. It has been rated nearly 273,000 times on Goodreads, at the time of writing, with an average score of 3.96 stars. This is another of Hilderbrand's novels set in Nantucket, which has evolved into a book that became an iconic Nicole Kidman TV show.

The plot deals with the panic that ensues after a corpse is found in the harbor. It turns out to be Celeste Otis' maid of honor, who's in town for Celeste's lavish wedding with Benji Winbury. His wealthy parents have poured a serious amount of money into their big day and have pulled out all the stops to make it perfect, but the wedding party soon finds themselves questioned by Chief of Police Ed Kapenash (a familiar face to Hilderbrand fans) over the grisly death. When Benji's family is also brought into the fold to find out what happened to Celeste's close friend, the couple learns far more than they bargained for.

"Combining [Hilderbrand's] signature backdrop, riveting cast of characters and penchant for teasing the craveable local fare with the suspense of a murder mystery—you better believe, I soaked up every moment in the Nantucket sun," one impressed fan wrote in their 5-star review. Another reader couldn't get enough of the mystery and multiple twisty secrets the author intertwined with the wedding storyline, while a third was full of praise for how Hilderbrand brought the novel to a conclusion. "The mystery of Merritt's death had me guessing until the end, and I was satisfied with the story's conclusion," a different reader wrote.

The highest-ranking book from Elin Hilderbrand's "Nantucket" series is the fourth installment, "Swan Song." At the time of writing, the fictional romance story has more than 159,000 ratings, giving it 4.02 stars on Goodreads. 

In this Nantucket-set book, the uber-rich Richardson family moves into the scenic area and immediately starts splashing their immense wealth on yachts and extravagant parties. But, suddenly, their lavish new home burns down, and one of their employees mysteriously goes missing. The events have the tight-knit community (including familiar face Chief of Police Ed Kapenash) asking serious questions about their new neighbors and their flashy lifestyle.

One reviewer of the June 2024 book release pointed out that, despite the secretive circumstances detailed in the final Nantucket installment, it's not a mystery novel. They also noted that readers don't need to have read Hilderbrand's other books in the series to make sense of this one. "So much chaos, [excitement], romance, and many scandals happen in this book, and i enjoyed every second of it!!!" another reader wrote on Goodreads.

Just besting "Swan Song" is "The Five-Star Weekend." Though the romance story also has the same average 4.02 stars on Goodreads, at the time of writing, it surpasses the aforementioned novel due to its 371,000 ratings, making it Elin Hilderbrand's most-rated release to date. 

"The Five-Star Weekend," which was turned into a Peacock TV series, centers on the life of Hollis Shaw. Hollis is dealing with the tragic, sudden death of her husband and a less-than-perfect relationship with their daughter, so she decides to take a walk down memory lane. She hosts what's known as a five-star weekend, where a person invites a friend from their teenage years, as well as from their 20s, 30s, 40s, or beyond, in the hopes of healing. Only, the gathering doesn't go as planned. One of Hollis' friends goes behind her back and invites her ex-boyfriend, Jack Finigan, into the fray, and Hollis also soon discovers that the friends from her past don't all get along, bringing major issues of their own to the table.

"This is the perfect comfort read. The story unfolds seamlessly and concludes on a positive note, leaving you with a sense of contentment," one 4-star Goodreads review read. "What truly sets this book apart is the way Hilderbrand skillfully crafts the relationships between the characters. Each member of the group possesses their own unique personality, quirks, and secrets, which made them feel like real people with relatable joys and struggles," another reviewer stated. A third highlighted how well Hilderbrand brought Nantucket to life by using real-life landmarks and locations from the Massachusetts island.

"What Happens in Paradise" is the second book in the Paradise series. It has over 148,000 ratings and 4.03 stars on Goodreads at the time of writing. 

Irene Stelle is back in this popular beach read as she continues her attempts to untangle her late husband Russ's double life in the sunny Caribbean. She continues her plight to find out more about her partner with the help of their children, first returning to the States before deciding to head back to the island where her husband lost his life. As the children continue to come to terms with their dad's secrets and lies, the family is rocked again by another major revelation about Russ's behavior.

One review commended Elin Hilderbrand for how well she took readers out of their own world and into Irene's, while another expressed on Goodreads, "This book is really quite fascinating—almost a mystery. There's plenty of good relationship drama, too and lots of curiosity about Russ' business dealings. It's so easy to get caught up in everyone's lives." Another wrote, "There is a definite feel-good aspect to reading 'What Happens in Paradise,' even while the characters grapple with some tough choices."

"The Hotel Nantucket" impressed readers enough to make it inside the top five on our countdown of Elin Hilderbrand's best books. Goodreads users loved the standalone summer beach read full of mystery and thrills, as it has 4.05 stars and nearly 324,000 ratings at the time of writing. 

We burst into the life of Xavier Darling, an uber-rich businessman who takes on the rundown Hotel Nantucket and turns it back into the lavish, 5-star destination it used to be. He appoints Lizbet Keaton as the hotel's manager, and she's tasked with keeping the new, inexperienced staff in order and restoring the hotel to its former glory. But that's easier said than done when it becomes clear that former employee Grace Hadley, who died in the hotel during a fatal fire many years ago, isn't willing to let her death — or presence — go unnoticed.

A reader on Goodreads touched on how expertly Hilderbrand juggled the multiple characters and plots, stating, "The writing is smooth and almost luxurious and easy to drop into the fictive dream. This is because of the great writing craft." A second wrote, "This book felt like the entire embodiment of what summer feels like as an adult. It's not just the detailed descriptions and sunny locations; it's every character and event and detail that ties it all together."

The fourth and final book from Elin Hilderbrand's Winter series, "Winter Solstice," is the highest-ranking from the collection on Goodreads at the time of writing. It has amassed 4.07 stars from nearly 80,000 ratings. 

Steering away from Hilderbrand's usual summer beach reads, "Winter Solstice" is set in the colder months over the holidays. We reunite with the Quinn family amid a celebratory time in their lives, including Bart Quinn's safe return from war. But as much as there is to celebrate, the clan that has a history of frosty gatherings just can't help itself. Their wholesome family get-together brings major tension to the forefront with revelations aplenty.

On Goodreads, multiple users complimented Hilderbrand on the way she wrapped up the Quinn family's story after four books. "This was a bittersweet ending to what's become a highly emotional series, I don't often cry when I read but this one got me right in the feels," one reader wrote on Goodreads. Another recommended reading all four stories in order to truly connect with the characters and their stories. "The story is beautiful, funny, but also heartbreaking yet heartwarming," shared a third reader.

"Winter In Paradise" has 4.08 stars from more than 189,000 reader ratings on Goodreads at the time of writing. It's the first novel in Elin Hilderbrand's Paradise series and introduces us to one of the author's most notable characters, Irene Steele. 

The book begins with her husband Russ's shocking, sudden death and Irene's first pilgrimage to the sunny island of St. John. She's determined to find out more about his death and why it happened on the Caribbean island. While there, Irene discovers her husband had a shocking life she never knew about and is forced to come to terms with the fact that she didn't know the father of her children anywhere near as well as she thought.

"Winter in Paradise' is contemporary family drama done right. It's coupled with the right amount of tension, heartache, and romance," read one Goodreads review. "With themes of heartache, love and loss, and most of all, hope and healing, 'Winter in Paradise' is a stunning beginning to a new series," a second gushed.

"Golden Girl" narrowly missed out on being crowned Elin Hilderbrand's best book based on Goodreads ratings. At the time of writing, the popular summer read has amassed 4.16 stars from just over 184,000 ratings. 

The fictional romance (which features a familiar face, Ed Kapenash) is a standalone book and tells Vivian Howe's story. Vivian is killed in a horrific accident and finds herself in a purgatory-esque place called the Beyond, connected to a woman named Martha. Thanks to Martha, the late Vivian is able to check in on her nearest and dearest and influence their lives on three occasions over the summer. But that's not all. Before she died, Vivian wrote a book that included a shocking revelation about her life that her family now has to deal with while they mourn.

"From the first page I felt like I had stepped right into this novel and was right there amidst the action and drama. The story is told from multiple points of view, mainly in the present, but with forays into Vivi's past. And what a past she had! I loved her character," one Goodreads review wrote about the beach read that proves summer books can still cut deep. A second gushed about how the book touched on grief. "One of the most beautiful, emotional books I've ever read," they wrote.

"28 Summers" officially takes the top spot of Elin Hilderbrand's best books ranked by ratings. On Goodreads, the uplifting romance has 4.18 stars at the time of writing with over 286,000 ratings.

The novel, the first of two books in the "28 Summers" series, is set in 2020 and introduces us to Mallory Blessing and her son, Link. Mallory is gravely ill and instructs Link to call one of her old friends before she passes away. That friend? Jake McCloud, the husband of presidential hopeful Ursula DeGournsey. The poignant romance book then takes readers back to 1993 Nantucket, when Mallory and Jake first met and developed a touching bond. But why is Mallory so intent on connecting with the now-married Jake before she dies?

In a 5-star review on Goodreads, one reader wrote, "Captivating and poignant, '28 Summers' provides a thought-provoking look at what happens when the heart's desires are given free rein for three glorious days a year." A second stated, "I enjoyed watching the progression of all the characters over three decades, and I also enjoyed the displays of friendship, forgiveness, grief and acceptance." A third complimented the author for creating a touching plot and setting the novel in Nantucket, a place Hilderbrand has become synonymous with. "Such an emotional rollercoaster!" they wrote.