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Paradise #1
Winter in Paradise
Spend the coldest days of winter on a Caribbean beach with New York Times Bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.
Join New York Times Bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand on the stunning beaches of St. John for the beginning of her thrilling new winter series-The Paradise. Welcome to Paradise, the first book in the Paradise series, has everything that readers have come to know and love about an Elin Hilderbrand novel, plus a healthy dose of intrigue. Irene Steele’s idyllic life-house, husband, family-is shattered when she is woken up by a late-night phone call. Her beloved husband has been found dead, but before Irene can process this tragic news, she must confront the perplexing details of her husband’s death. He was found on St. John island, a tropical paradise far removed from their suburban life. Leaving the cold winter behind, Irene flies down to the beautiful Caribbean beaches of St. John only to make another shocking discovery: her husband had a secret second family. As Irene investigates the mysterious circumstances of her husband’s death, she is plunged into a web of intrigue and deceit belied by the pristine white sand beaches of St. John’s. This exciting first book in the Paradise series will transport readers to a new beach locale-another world that Elin knows as well as her beloved Nantucket-and have them longing for winter
Join New York Times Bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand on the stunning beaches of St. John for the beginning of her thrilling new winter series-The Paradise. Welcome to Paradise, the first book in the Paradise series, has everything that readers have come to know and love about an Elin Hilderbrand novel, plus a healthy dose of intrigue. Irene Steele’s idyllic life-house, husband, family-is shattered when she is woken up by a late-night phone call. Her beloved husband has been found dead, but before Irene can process this tragic news, she must confront the perplexing details of her husband’s death. He was found on St. John island, a tropical paradise far removed from their suburban life. Leaving the cold winter behind, Irene flies down to the beautiful Caribbean beaches of St. John only to make another shocking discovery: her husband had a secret second family. As Irene investigates the mysterious circumstances of her husband’s death, she is plunged into a web of intrigue and deceit belied by the pristine white sand beaches of St. John’s. This exciting first book in the Paradise series will transport readers to a new beach locale-another world that Elin knows as well as her beloved Nantucket-and have them longing for winter
320 pages, ebook
First published October 9, 2018
About the author
Elin Hilderbrand
79 books51.7k followersElin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,530 reviews
December 1, 2023
4.5 - SO good! In typical Elin fashion you get love, some mystery, and a ton of characters you’re going to fall in love with. Immediately going to start book 2!
March 27, 2019
“But love is messy, complicated and unfair.”
A sentiment fitting for just about everyone in this angsty start to Elin Hilderbrand’s newest winter series.
For readers looking to fill the void left behind after four holiday seasons spent with the Quinn family, brace yourselves. The enormity of the betrayal and questionable decision-making here is sure to go one of two ways. The curiosity of how things could play out—*spoiler* things end on a bit of a cliffhanger—may be enough to warrant a return trip to picturesque St. John or the indecisiveness of one and selfishness of many within these pages might find some readers making other winter plans. This Hilderbrand fan is determined to stick it out for the long haul.
Absent is the abundant holiday spirit that was always front and center at the Winter Street Inn, replaced instead with the beauty of life on the Caribbean Island of St. John.
It’s a phone call on none other than New Year’s night that skews Irene Steele’s perspective on her entire existence. A mid-western magazine editor, with two grown sons, and often embarrassed by her husband’s outward showing of affection, she’s content spending time alone in the Victorian that’s been her pet project. Russ, her husband, is constantly on the go for work, jettisoning from one locale to the next. Although, Irene was pretty sure he hadn’t mentioned the Caribbean as his next destination. Naturally, the news of her husband’s death in a helicopter crash over the expanse of turquoise water, with an unknown woman, leaves her with more questions than answers. With her two sons, Irene descends on the island, determined to find the truth.
Both Baker and Cash’s own lives are in turmoil, but it does nothing to mend the dissension and competitiveness that’s always burned between them. In fact, the flames are stoked when they find themselves vying for the same woman. Caught up in the grief of losing her best friend, Ayers is willing to overlook her one staunch rule—to never date a tourist—in the hopes of alleviating just a fraction of her pain. The resulting relationships (or love square?) are complicated at best.
Sure, do I wish someone in particular—I won’t mention any names here for fear of spoiling it for someone else—had been more decisive from the start and not fallen back on what felt like the easy choice in the end? Sure. Was there one relationship that left me choking on the combining phrase that often precedes the word love when referring to underdeveloped feelings? Yes. It didn’t help matters that this particular he wasn’t my pick for her. Although, in his defense, he did categorized his own feelings as love at first sight. And, even I have to admit, their time together was kind of brazen and comical.
What draws me to Hilderbrand’s work time and again is her innate ability to create complicated but relatable relationship dynamics. And to do so through multiple voices. Characters I often find myself enamored with, even in the midst of some of their biggest mistakes. It’s safe to say, despite their faults and penchant for keeping secrets, there’s a lot to cling to here.
And now I’m left to ponder, how would things have to play out in order to get what I want for the characters? What comes to mind—one adjective, two syllables: awk·ward. Only a return to St. John will tell.
September 11, 2018
5 sun kissed take me to the beach stars
Elin Hilderbrand heard the silent sobbing of her devoted readers after she ended the Winter Street series and has rewarded us by creating a new trilogy series set in the Virgin Islands; specifically St John. Irene Steele, second cousin to Winter Street's Mitzi Quinn, is at 57 facing a lot of challenges. It's the end of another year, her employer wants her to retire, her husband, Russ, is away on business, her mother in law is ailing and her two grown sons don't seem to need her anymore. Then her phone rings and Irene receives the news that her husband is dead, having died in a helicopter crash. Mitzi and her sons, Baker and Cash, head to the Island where more secrets await.
Winter in Paradise is contemporary family drama done right. It's coupled with the right amount of tension, heartache, and romance. Irene Steele might just be my favorite EH character at the moment as she faces an uphill battle of reeling from the secrets her husband kept hidden, trying to grieve but also trying to forgive. This book is definitely going to make the book club circuit!
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Elin Hilderbrand heard the silent sobbing of her devoted readers after she ended the Winter Street series and has rewarded us by creating a new trilogy series set in the Virgin Islands; specifically St John. Irene Steele, second cousin to Winter Street's Mitzi Quinn, is at 57 facing a lot of challenges. It's the end of another year, her employer wants her to retire, her husband, Russ, is away on business, her mother in law is ailing and her two grown sons don't seem to need her anymore. Then her phone rings and Irene receives the news that her husband is dead, having died in a helicopter crash. Mitzi and her sons, Baker and Cash, head to the Island where more secrets await.
Winter in Paradise is contemporary family drama done right. It's coupled with the right amount of tension, heartache, and romance. Irene Steele might just be my favorite EH character at the moment as she faces an uphill battle of reeling from the secrets her husband kept hidden, trying to grieve but also trying to forgive. This book is definitely going to make the book club circuit!
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 14, 2018
Wow, this is how to start a series! 🏖 🏝 🏖 🏝 🏖
Elin Hilderbrand’s newest book and first in a series, Winter in Paradise, takes a break from cozy Nantucket and whisks us away to sunny St. John!
Irene Steele is the main character that has it all. We know the one- fantastic husband, kids, the job, and home. That perfect facade has cracks, though, when her children are grown and don’t need her as much, her husband is distant, and her job is pushing retirement. The cracks shatter when she receives the late night phone call no one wants. Her husband has been found dead under mysterious circumstances. He was found far away on the island of St. John…
Irene flies to St. John with her two sons to figure things out, and she is confronted with more unexpected news: her husband has a second family.
Even with all the deceit staring her in the face, Irene won’t give up until she finds out the truth.
I know some of you may be thinking this sound dramatic and predictable, but not when Hilderbrand writes it. It reads as if this is happening to your best friend, and Irene becomes your best friend. She is human, her emotions are raw and honest, and she is fierce. She takes on all these secrets and fights for closure and peace for herself and her family.
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, and I’ll be biting my nails waiting for book number two! (This is why I don’t often read series- ahh! The waiting!).
Thanks to Little, Brown for the opportunity to read and review an early copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Elin Hilderbrand’s newest book and first in a series, Winter in Paradise, takes a break from cozy Nantucket and whisks us away to sunny St. John!
Irene Steele is the main character that has it all. We know the one- fantastic husband, kids, the job, and home. That perfect facade has cracks, though, when her children are grown and don’t need her as much, her husband is distant, and her job is pushing retirement. The cracks shatter when she receives the late night phone call no one wants. Her husband has been found dead under mysterious circumstances. He was found far away on the island of St. John…
Irene flies to St. John with her two sons to figure things out, and she is confronted with more unexpected news: her husband has a second family.
Even with all the deceit staring her in the face, Irene won’t give up until she finds out the truth.
I know some of you may be thinking this sound dramatic and predictable, but not when Hilderbrand writes it. It reads as if this is happening to your best friend, and Irene becomes your best friend. She is human, her emotions are raw and honest, and she is fierce. She takes on all these secrets and fights for closure and peace for herself and her family.
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, and I’ll be biting my nails waiting for book number two! (This is why I don’t often read series- ahh! The waiting!).
Thanks to Little, Brown for the opportunity to read and review an early copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog www.jennifertarheelreader.com
February 28, 2019
This book is everything it should be!
Set in the islands it’s a perfect read for those of us in the midst of winter. What a wonderful escape from the cold.
I typically read serious books and this was an entertaining change!
When doesn’t the beach give us pleasure...
4 out of 5 stars
Set in the islands it’s a perfect read for those of us in the midst of winter. What a wonderful escape from the cold.
I typically read serious books and this was an entertaining change!
When doesn’t the beach give us pleasure...
4 out of 5 stars
December 25, 2018
*My review will contain spoilers*
I want to know why Elin went with this particular ending. To say that I was disappointed it's an understatement.
Winter in Paradise tells the story of Irene Steel. A woman in her fifties, married to Russ and who has two grown children, Cash and Baker.
She recently received a promotion at her job but she understands it really leads to an early retirement. She is very unhappy about this news when she receives a phone call after New Year's telling her that her husband has been in an accident and he has perished in a helicopter crash in the Caribbean. Irene doesn't understand what her husband was doing in St. John. Worse, when he died, he wasn't alone, a West Indian woman was with him. She calls her sons to inform them about the accident and they all fly together to learn more about his death.
Cash and Baker both had bad news before this particular phone call. Cash has lost his two business stores (which Russ gave him the money for) and Baker's wife, Anna a cardiothoracic surgeon, has told him she has fallen in love with another woman.
Soon after arriving at the USVI, the brothers learn that her father was not as good as they thought. He had a mistress and probably was working in something illegal. Russ owns a secluded villa with nine bedrooms which had to cost millions.
I'm going to stop here with the plot and I'm going to tell you what I dislike about it.
*Spoilers ahead*
*All the family members had very poor communication. They all kept secrets from each other. A complete disconnect in a family that should be mourning together.
*There is insta-love (which I hate) between both brothers and one island girl, Ayers. Although, it's more like a square since she also has a cheating ex-boyfriend (one that by the end of the book she chooses to go back to because it's the one she knows the best. Really?? Her choice as a woman is to go to the cheating guy because she can't do any better (she doesn't even consider staying alone) or because every man cheats????
*The two brothers were always acting like brats, fighting over the same girl. Neither was good enough. One was a pot head and the other one wanted to live like a bum. Neither had any type of aspiration. Cash lost his two stores and the only thing he was looking forward was to go back to skiing. He didn't seem worried about his future and no money. I thought Cash was so immature. He calls Ayers to tell on his brother. He spent his time trying to undermine Baker. The worst part was that Irene had a favorite son and she was blinded to his incompetence.
*Then there is a particular scene between one of the brothers and Ayers having sex on the beach. No protection needed (or mentioned) and when they get interrupted, life goes on without much fanfare.
I believe Irene, Huck, and Maia saved this book. They were so much more interesting to me. Huck was grieving the loss of his step-daughter while trying to be a good grandparent to Maia. He was nice to Irene when he didn't need to be. He also supported Ayers emotionally.
Maia was a sweet kid who lost her mother Rosie (Russ's mistress) and yet she was dealing with it in a positive way. She behaves much more like an adult than Baker or Cash ever did. They should learn from her!
I had no idea this was a trilogy and when it ended in a cliffhanger, it took me by surprise. One last thing, I'm still mad at Irene for having favorites.
Cliffhanger: Yes
2/5 Fangs
October 9, 2018
Happy publication date to this book <3 <3.
Oh MY!! Ok.. my first thought is why in heck have I waited SO long to read a Elin Hilderbrand book?! No excuses! This was FANTASTIC!
I've got to go back to all her previous series and get going here! ;).
I fell in love with everything about this book. The characters are relatable, deep, emotional, and the setting is godly! haha. Hilderbrand I think you've just convinced me where I want to take my honeymoon with my new husband next year!
Irene's husband dies in a tragic helicopter accident... along with his deception of living an entire double life in the island of St. John's. Can you imagine.. not only finding out your husband is dead but also living a double live in a beautiful island of St. John's?! Yikes....
In grief, Irene drops everything along with her two sons Baker and Cash who travel to the island of St. John's. Of course, nothing is as easy as it may seem and secrets upon secrets are waiting for them.
Winter in Paradise is the perfect amount of romance, heartache, love, and tension. I would not categorize this as a romance per say but it's so much more than that and I am SO glad I read this. If this is anything like Hilderbrand's previous novels... I am definitely in for a treat!
I loved Irene Steele's character the most... but characterization is so strong in this novel. This is a must read my friends!!
Beautifully well crafted novel!!
Huge 5 stars for Winter in Paradise! Highly recommend.
Huge thank you to Little Brown and Company and Netgalley for the advanced arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication date: 10/9/18
Published to GR: 9/30/18
Oh MY!! Ok.. my first thought is why in heck have I waited SO long to read a Elin Hilderbrand book?! No excuses! This was FANTASTIC!
I've got to go back to all her previous series and get going here! ;).
I fell in love with everything about this book. The characters are relatable, deep, emotional, and the setting is godly! haha. Hilderbrand I think you've just convinced me where I want to take my honeymoon with my new husband next year!
Irene's husband dies in a tragic helicopter accident... along with his deception of living an entire double life in the island of St. John's. Can you imagine.. not only finding out your husband is dead but also living a double live in a beautiful island of St. John's?! Yikes....
In grief, Irene drops everything along with her two sons Baker and Cash who travel to the island of St. John's. Of course, nothing is as easy as it may seem and secrets upon secrets are waiting for them.
Winter in Paradise is the perfect amount of romance, heartache, love, and tension. I would not categorize this as a romance per say but it's so much more than that and I am SO glad I read this. If this is anything like Hilderbrand's previous novels... I am definitely in for a treat!
I loved Irene Steele's character the most... but characterization is so strong in this novel. This is a must read my friends!!
Beautifully well crafted novel!!
Huge 5 stars for Winter in Paradise! Highly recommend.
Huge thank you to Little Brown and Company and Netgalley for the advanced arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication date: 10/9/18
Published to GR: 9/30/18
October 2, 2018
My feelings about this book have truly shocked me. I absolutely loved Elin’s last Winter books so to say I was excited about this new series is an understatement. Unfortunately, for me, this story was way over the top and at times a bit boring.
Irene Steele is celebrating New Years Eve at home alone and receives the worst news anyone can ever get— her husband, who is away on business, has died in a plane accident. When facts about the accident come to light, she realizes that her husband was leading a secret life in the Caribbean Island of St. John. Irene and her two grown sons travel to St. John to figure out what exactly happened and why they didn’t know about his secret life on this beautiful island.
Sounds super intriguing right? I thought so, too. But as I began reading I was overwhelmed with very little dialogue and a lot of telling instead of the author showing us the story. Instead of writing a huge review with everything that didn’t work for me, I’m just going to create a short list of a few of the major points.
1. This book contained not a love triangle, but a love square. Three men all “in love” with one woman. So over the top.
2. Insta-love— and not the realistic kind. More of a “I see her and know before she even opens her mouth that I’m in love with her.”. Extremely unrealistic and frustrating.
3. Character flaws. I really hated both brothers. They were petty and just spoiled men. I didn’t fully understand their animosity and dislike towards each other. I think the author tried to put SO many characters in one book that she didn’t fully make me empathize or like the characters.
4. Not enough dialogue. Like I said above there was just a lot of telling us things. We didn’t discover or learn about the characters through situations or the plot. The way we learned about the characters really muddied the plot for me so I could’t fully enjoy the mystery.
Like her other Winter series, this book ends on a cliffhanger and will span a couple more books as we learn about what the dad was hiding. Will I read the next book? At this point I’m not sure. Maybe next year I’ll feel differently and decide to pick it up. But at this point, this reader is so disappointed that she didn’t LOVE the book. . . so the answer is no.
Irene Steele is celebrating New Years Eve at home alone and receives the worst news anyone can ever get— her husband, who is away on business, has died in a plane accident. When facts about the accident come to light, she realizes that her husband was leading a secret life in the Caribbean Island of St. John. Irene and her two grown sons travel to St. John to figure out what exactly happened and why they didn’t know about his secret life on this beautiful island.
Sounds super intriguing right? I thought so, too. But as I began reading I was overwhelmed with very little dialogue and a lot of telling instead of the author showing us the story. Instead of writing a huge review with everything that didn’t work for me, I’m just going to create a short list of a few of the major points.
1. This book contained not a love triangle, but a love square. Three men all “in love” with one woman. So over the top.
2. Insta-love— and not the realistic kind. More of a “I see her and know before she even opens her mouth that I’m in love with her.”. Extremely unrealistic and frustrating.
3. Character flaws. I really hated both brothers. They were petty and just spoiled men. I didn’t fully understand their animosity and dislike towards each other. I think the author tried to put SO many characters in one book that she didn’t fully make me empathize or like the characters.
4. Not enough dialogue. Like I said above there was just a lot of telling us things. We didn’t discover or learn about the characters through situations or the plot. The way we learned about the characters really muddied the plot for me so I could’t fully enjoy the mystery.
Like her other Winter series, this book ends on a cliffhanger and will span a couple more books as we learn about what the dad was hiding. Will I read the next book? At this point I’m not sure. Maybe next year I’ll feel differently and decide to pick it up. But at this point, this reader is so disappointed that she didn’t LOVE the book. . . so the answer is no.
December 3, 2018
4 Stars!
This was my first Elin Hilderbrand book. It certainly did not disappointed! It was exactly what I needed going into the holiday season: beach, love, loss, betrayal and mystery. What could be a more perfect combo?
Ireene has a great life. She has a successful husband who is away on business quite a bit but still makes time to send her flowers. She has two boys who are grown and out of the house. She has her dream house, which she just remodeled. She has great friends who she spends holidays with, what really could be wrong?
One day Ireene gets a phone call that her husband has been in a helicopter accident in St. Johns. But why was he in St. John's and who is this woman and pilot that he was with when the helicopter crashed? Ireene has to put her life on hold and go down to the Caribbean only to find out about his second life that he was living. She discovers so many new secrets about the man she's been married to for almost 20 years and just can't believe what she's found. I won't say too much more as the secrets are fun to find out as they come...
Overall I read this book at the exact time I needed it. It's an easy read and not too long. It also had great pacing so it made me want to come back for more. I read it in about a day and half but easily could have read it in one sitting!
The only thing that is tough for me is the ending. It left us in a total cliffhanger and yes, I know this is a series but I was hoping I wouldn't have to wait another year to get more!! Nevertheless, I will definitely be picking up the second and third (when it comes out) in this series. I need more Steele family in my life!
This was my first Elin Hilderbrand book. It certainly did not disappointed! It was exactly what I needed going into the holiday season: beach, love, loss, betrayal and mystery. What could be a more perfect combo?
Ireene has a great life. She has a successful husband who is away on business quite a bit but still makes time to send her flowers. She has two boys who are grown and out of the house. She has her dream house, which she just remodeled. She has great friends who she spends holidays with, what really could be wrong?
One day Ireene gets a phone call that her husband has been in a helicopter accident in St. Johns. But why was he in St. John's and who is this woman and pilot that he was with when the helicopter crashed? Ireene has to put her life on hold and go down to the Caribbean only to find out about his second life that he was living. She discovers so many new secrets about the man she's been married to for almost 20 years and just can't believe what she's found. I won't say too much more as the secrets are fun to find out as they come...
Overall I read this book at the exact time I needed it. It's an easy read and not too long. It also had great pacing so it made me want to come back for more. I read it in about a day and half but easily could have read it in one sitting!
The only thing that is tough for me is the ending. It left us in a total cliffhanger and yes, I know this is a series but I was hoping I wouldn't have to wait another year to get more!! Nevertheless, I will definitely be picking up the second and third (when it comes out) in this series. I need more Steele family in my life!
January 3, 2021
4.5 stars, rounded up.
It’s never fun to find out your life isn’t what you think it is. At least that's what happens in Elin Hilderbrand's Winter in Paradise .
It’s New Year’s Eve. With her workaholic husband traveling for business, Irene meets a friend for dinner and then heads home for a quiet, solitary evening. But her peace is shattered when she learns her husband Russ has died in a helicopter crash near St. John in the US Virgin Islands.
What was her husband doing in the Virgin Islands when he was supposedly working? Who was the "local woman" that was with him on the helicopter? Why is she being discouraged from coming to St. John by local people who notified her of Russ’ death?
Irene and her two adult sons, Baker and Cash, travel to this unfamiliar island paradise. While they are taken by its beauty, they’re shocked by what they found out about Russ and his secret life. As the three try to figure out what happened, they must navigate through their grief and anger and disbelief, as well as come to terms with their own secrets. The trip will upend their lives in many different ways.
I’ve definitely become hooked on Hilderbrand’s books this year, and I really liked this one. It’s a departure in that the majority of her books are set in Nantucket, but her ability to create fascinating, emotional stories and complex characters didn’t change.
I’m so glad Winter in Paradise is the first book in a trilogy because I’m loving this story. (I purchased book 2 last night when I finished reading this one!)
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
It’s never fun to find out your life isn’t what you think it is. At least that's what happens in Elin Hilderbrand's Winter in Paradise .
It’s New Year’s Eve. With her workaholic husband traveling for business, Irene meets a friend for dinner and then heads home for a quiet, solitary evening. But her peace is shattered when she learns her husband Russ has died in a helicopter crash near St. John in the US Virgin Islands.
What was her husband doing in the Virgin Islands when he was supposedly working? Who was the "local woman" that was with him on the helicopter? Why is she being discouraged from coming to St. John by local people who notified her of Russ’ death?
Irene and her two adult sons, Baker and Cash, travel to this unfamiliar island paradise. While they are taken by its beauty, they’re shocked by what they found out about Russ and his secret life. As the three try to figure out what happened, they must navigate through their grief and anger and disbelief, as well as come to terms with their own secrets. The trip will upend their lives in many different ways.
I’ve definitely become hooked on Hilderbrand’s books this year, and I really liked this one. It’s a departure in that the majority of her books are set in Nantucket, but her ability to create fascinating, emotional stories and complex characters didn’t change.
I’m so glad Winter in Paradise is the first book in a trilogy because I’m loving this story. (I purchased book 2 last night when I finished reading this one!)
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
October 13, 2023
Bite-sized review:
Not my favorite Hildebrand. Love her gray characters, but can’t say I really loved, liked, or even connected with anyone here outside of Irene. And nothing but super loose ends at the conclusion; however, this is supposed to be the first of a new series, so hoping for more answers in book two. Definitely enjoyed it enough to continue, but can’t say I loved it. Solid “liked it” though.
Not my favorite Hildebrand. Love her gray characters, but can’t say I really loved, liked, or even connected with anyone here outside of Irene. And nothing but super loose ends at the conclusion; however, this is supposed to be the first of a new series, so hoping for more answers in book two. Definitely enjoyed it enough to continue, but can’t say I loved it. Solid “liked it” though.
October 11, 2018
Gosh. I’m so torn on this one. I’m a big fan of this author but this one just kind of missed the mark for me. I found the love triangle part really annoying and unlikely. I mean… both brothers fell head over heels in love with this girl immediately? And am I really supposed to believe that a day trading pothead from Houston would use the words “unwashed floozy”? Honestly both brothers seem like jackasses to me.Also I feel like there was a lot of telling us instead of showing us. I wish there was more dialogue. It just felt very stilted to me for lack of a better word. Nevertheless I’m excited to read the second book in the series.
January 28, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Confession time: I have never read nor really had the desire to read anything by Elin Hildebrand. Partially because I had no clue where to even begin and partially because my “poolside” types of reads tend to be a little heavier handed on tattoed alpha men than it appears would be present in her books. Buuuuuuuuuut, much like with every end cap I have ever passed at Wal-Mart or Target, this book was errrrrrrywhere on the Instagram and after experiencing weather like this for the past month . . . .
I needed an escape.
All that being said, I had no idea what this was about before beginning aside from I knew it was the first in a series. I did know I wanted to be the woman on the cover and . . . .
My reaction upon starting and discovering the jumping off point to getting from horrible Iowa winter to tropical St. John was not only a husband who died courtesy of a helicopter crash, but one who also HAD. A. SECOND. SECRET. FAMILY was pretty much like . . . .
So we get introduced to Irene, the original 50-something wife of dead adulterer Russ, and her two grown men children Baker and Cash, and then Huck, the stepfather of Russ’ mistress Rosie who also happened to be on the chopper when it went down AND then Rosie’s best friend Ayers AND Rosie’s kid Maia and a handful of other ancillary characters and it’s pretty obvious that Russ must have been dealing in some shenanigans in order to have this multi-million dollar villa that is usually only featured on shows like “My Lottery Dream House,” but you never really get to that point because all these peoples’ lives start mixing and then maybe love is in the air and . . . .
Especially because I was running out of pages like PRONTO and how the eff was anything going to get wrapped up? Then I realized my mistake. You see, I have become accustomed to reading “series” that uses the term as loosely as possible because each book focuses on a new main character. Meeting all of the peeps above had me believing that would be the case here. But I was wrong . . . .
I would love to be petty and give this zero stars, but since there is absolutely no chance I won’t be reading the next one I’m going with 3.5 instead ; )
Oh, and even though I am technically done with the Winter Reading Challenge, I requested this book because it fit the bill by taking me to the U.S. Virgin Islands. It just queued up about 12 seconds too late to make the cut.
Confession time: I have never read nor really had the desire to read anything by Elin Hildebrand. Partially because I had no clue where to even begin and partially because my “poolside” types of reads tend to be a little heavier handed on tattoed alpha men than it appears would be present in her books. Buuuuuuuuuut, much like with every end cap I have ever passed at Wal-Mart or Target, this book was errrrrrrywhere on the Instagram and after experiencing weather like this for the past month . . . .
I needed an escape.
All that being said, I had no idea what this was about before beginning aside from I knew it was the first in a series. I did know I wanted to be the woman on the cover and . . . .
My reaction upon starting and discovering the jumping off point to getting from horrible Iowa winter to tropical St. John was not only a husband who died courtesy of a helicopter crash, but one who also HAD. A. SECOND. SECRET. FAMILY was pretty much like . . . .
So we get introduced to Irene, the original 50-something wife of dead adulterer Russ, and her two grown men children Baker and Cash, and then Huck, the stepfather of Russ’ mistress Rosie who also happened to be on the chopper when it went down AND then Rosie’s best friend Ayers AND Rosie’s kid Maia and a handful of other ancillary characters and it’s pretty obvious that Russ must have been dealing in some shenanigans in order to have this multi-million dollar villa that is usually only featured on shows like “My Lottery Dream House,” but you never really get to that point because all these peoples’ lives start mixing and then maybe love is in the air and . . . .
Especially because I was running out of pages like PRONTO and how the eff was anything going to get wrapped up? Then I realized my mistake. You see, I have become accustomed to reading “series” that uses the term as loosely as possible because each book focuses on a new main character. Meeting all of the peeps above had me believing that would be the case here. But I was wrong . . . .
I would love to be petty and give this zero stars, but since there is absolutely no chance I won’t be reading the next one I’m going with 3.5 instead ; )
Oh, and even though I am technically done with the Winter Reading Challenge, I requested this book because it fit the bill by taking me to the U.S. Virgin Islands. It just queued up about 12 seconds too late to make the cut.
December 15, 2021
I devoured this book in a single day. The thing I love about Elin Hildebrand novels is she always packs them with fascinating characters and then you get drama, drama, drama and the twists just keep coming! This one is set in both Iowa and the Virgin Islands. After the death of Russ, a businessman who is often away, his Iowa family discovers he’s been keeping a HUGE secret down in the Virgin Islands. The characters are really great, and there are hints Elin Hildebrand may yet be able to turn this story of marital disaster into something of a hopeful note one day as lost characters from the states meet lonely souls on the island.
I found myself falling in love with the way she wrote the island and the characters, even as I found myself a little wistful for snowy Nantucket and the uber-Christmas scene of the “Winter Street” series, which will always be one of my favorite Christmas series of all time. Still, this book on its own is an absolute delight, particularly in the lush descriptions of the islands, the fishing, the rivalry between the two brothers (so believably written! ), and the way two families are forced to confront what has been going on behind their backs for over a decade. Amazing! And of course the twists keep coming in this one right until the end. I will definitely be reading on in the series.
I found myself falling in love with the way she wrote the island and the characters, even as I found myself a little wistful for snowy Nantucket and the uber-Christmas scene of the “Winter Street” series, which will always be one of my favorite Christmas series of all time. Still, this book on its own is an absolute delight, particularly in the lush descriptions of the islands, the fishing, the rivalry between the two brothers (so believably written! ), and the way two families are forced to confront what has been going on behind their backs for over a decade. Amazing! And of course the twists keep coming in this one right until the end. I will definitely be reading on in the series.
December 3, 2019
4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m not an experienced Elin Hilderbrand reader, but I can say this...what a fantastic start to her latest series! I loved it!
What’s inside: The island of St. John, love, loss, deception and betrayal. A Caribbean setting AND juicy drama? I’m hooked.
I currently have major thriller burnout going on, so this book is just what the doctor ordered. The author did such a great job of creating relatable characters and relationship scenarios. You won’t necessarily like all of the characters, but there are a few in here that really make the book entertaining. Yes, there is a cliffhanger - since it’s part of a series - but lucky for me book #2 has already been released, so no waiting! 😜
I’m not an experienced Elin Hilderbrand reader, but I can say this...what a fantastic start to her latest series! I loved it!
What’s inside: The island of St. John, love, loss, deception and betrayal. A Caribbean setting AND juicy drama? I’m hooked.
I currently have major thriller burnout going on, so this book is just what the doctor ordered. The author did such a great job of creating relatable characters and relationship scenarios. You won’t necessarily like all of the characters, but there are a few in here that really make the book entertaining. Yes, there is a cliffhanger - since it’s part of a series - but lucky for me book #2 has already been released, so no waiting! 😜
December 12, 2018
I went into Winter in Paradise thinking that it would be the perfect beachy blend of mystery and family drama. Irene gets a phone call on New Years that her devoted husband has died from a helicopter crash while away on business. What follows is the dangling of the proverbial mystery bait, where hints abound that not everything is as it seems. And then some more bait dangling. And then the book just ends, on a cliffhanger, without anything being resolved.
Ugh! That was not at all what I expected. I knew this book was the first in a series, but I assumed that the mysteries of this book would be solved by the end of the book (or at least big parts of it), and the following books would have new mysteries to uncover and unravel. A big reason I even picked up this book in the first place was for the mystery, and to have it end without any forward progress is a huge disappointment.
Most of this book is just fluffy drama between the characters, and unfortunately, the main characters are not likable. Irene is a mother who plays favorites but can't see it. The two brothers both act like spoiled children, trying to best each other. The whole family keeps secrets from each other, sometimes for no particular reason. And there is so much insta-love I feel like I got whiplash.
Will I read the rest of the series when those books come out? Maybe, but only because I have been so thoroughly baited with this mystery. I do hope the payoff is good eventually, if it's going to take three whole books to get there.
Ugh! That was not at all what I expected. I knew this book was the first in a series, but I assumed that the mysteries of this book would be solved by the end of the book (or at least big parts of it), and the following books would have new mysteries to uncover and unravel. A big reason I even picked up this book in the first place was for the mystery, and to have it end without any forward progress is a huge disappointment.
Most of this book is just fluffy drama between the characters, and unfortunately, the main characters are not likable. Irene is a mother who plays favorites but can't see it. The two brothers both act like spoiled children, trying to best each other. The whole family keeps secrets from each other, sometimes for no particular reason. And there is so much insta-love I feel like I got whiplash.
Will I read the rest of the series when those books come out? Maybe, but only because I have been so thoroughly baited with this mystery. I do hope the payoff is good eventually, if it's going to take three whole books to get there.
October 22, 2018
This book was so much fun! The characters are easily relatable and the setting is beautiful. My only complaint is that I have to wait for the second book to see what happens to these amazing characters.
February 10, 2019
It's New Year's Eve in chilly Iowa, and Irene Steele has just enjoyed a lovely evening with a friend--her husband away on business per usual. But Irene's idyllic life is quickly shattered when she receives a phone call: her husband Russ' helicopter has crashed on St. John island, in the Virgin Islands. It was carrying him, the pilot, and a woman. Irene had no idea her husband was even in St. John. So, she heads to warmth of the Caribbean with her two sons, Cash and Baker, and they are shocked to learn that Russ owned property in St. John, where he was known as the "Invisible Man" to many. As Irene digs deeper, she realizes Russ had a secret life on the island and a second family. Devastated, she and her boys try to unravel what her husband left behind, but they may only be at the tip of the iceberg.
"Nobody can hold a candle to the Steele family when it comes to personal drama."
This was such a good book. I found it to be totally engrossing. It was a compelling read: dramatic in some places and fun and engaging in others. As always, Hilderbrand has a way of reeling you in. Her characters are so real and fully formed. I could feel Irene's pain and shock; Baker and Cash's disbelief; and the horror of those on the island, who lost someone they loved, as well.
Maybe it's just the part of me who loves a good soap opera, but I was totally swept up in the drama of this novel. I felt completely transported into the world of the Steeles and St. John island. While I'll have to wait a while for the next book in this series (more on that in a bit), I enjoyed this book so much that it had me tracking down Hilderbrand's Winter series, so I could continue reading her work. I have the first three books (of four), so I will be digging into those soon. Not since I read a book by Liane Moriarty and then read her entire catalog, have I felt so into an author at the moment.
And speaking of this series, there's definitely a cliffhanger at the end. Be prepared. I'm quite excited to read the next book and see where the Steele family and all their drama and intrigue takes us. Such unlikely partnerships form in this one; there's an exciting love triangle; there are interesting island characters--it's such a fun book.
Overall, this is a great read. It's engaging, and heartbreaking at times and sweet and funny at others. I loved the characters and felt totally caught up in the story. I am very much looking forward to book #2 (if not the wait for it!). 4.5 stars.
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"Nobody can hold a candle to the Steele family when it comes to personal drama."
This was such a good book. I found it to be totally engrossing. It was a compelling read: dramatic in some places and fun and engaging in others. As always, Hilderbrand has a way of reeling you in. Her characters are so real and fully formed. I could feel Irene's pain and shock; Baker and Cash's disbelief; and the horror of those on the island, who lost someone they loved, as well.
Maybe it's just the part of me who loves a good soap opera, but I was totally swept up in the drama of this novel. I felt completely transported into the world of the Steeles and St. John island. While I'll have to wait a while for the next book in this series (more on that in a bit), I enjoyed this book so much that it had me tracking down Hilderbrand's Winter series, so I could continue reading her work. I have the first three books (of four), so I will be digging into those soon. Not since I read a book by Liane Moriarty and then read her entire catalog, have I felt so into an author at the moment.
And speaking of this series, there's definitely a cliffhanger at the end. Be prepared. I'm quite excited to read the next book and see where the Steele family and all their drama and intrigue takes us. Such unlikely partnerships form in this one; there's an exciting love triangle; there are interesting island characters--it's such a fun book.
Overall, this is a great read. It's engaging, and heartbreaking at times and sweet and funny at others. I loved the characters and felt totally caught up in the story. I am very much looking forward to book #2 (if not the wait for it!). 4.5 stars.
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August 27, 2018
Elin Hildebrand signature style of writing & a Caribbean island - what is not to love?! I devoured this book in one day and loved every single page. My only regret is now I need to wait a year for book two in this amazing Paradise series! When Irene receives a middle of the night call informing her her husband has died on St. John USVI, she is baffled - what was her husband doing there?! Irene along with her two sons, Cash & Baker (who both have quite a few issues of their own) travel to St. Johns to gather the remains of their husband and father, respectively.
Now, this would not be an Elin Hildebrand book without some juicy drama, so of course, once the Steele family arrives, they discover that Russ owned a multi million dollar villa...with a second family. As the Steele family uncovers more and more about the life of the man they thought they knew, they encounter many USVI locals and romance and more starts to build.
In true Hildebrand style, look for a cameo from the Winter series early on! And be sure to pick this one up in October!
Thank you to Little Brown for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Now, this would not be an Elin Hildebrand book without some juicy drama, so of course, once the Steele family arrives, they discover that Russ owned a multi million dollar villa...with a second family. As the Steele family uncovers more and more about the life of the man they thought they knew, they encounter many USVI locals and romance and more starts to build.
In true Hildebrand style, look for a cameo from the Winter series early on! And be sure to pick this one up in October!
Thank you to Little Brown for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
October 21, 2018
Me reading this book......
Me having to wait for the next one in the series....
Elin,
Me having to wait for the next one in the series....
Elin,
August 11, 2020
Normally I don’t like books that end in cliffhangers, but I got addicted to this novel very quickly and am happy to keep reading about these characters in books two and three.
Irene lives In Iowa City, Iowa, in a beautiful home she spent years renovating. After her husband took his new job thirteen years ago, money has become no object. It does mean he’s gone for work an awful lot. One night Irene gets a phone call that her husband died in the Virgin Islands in a helicopter crash. When Irene and her two adult sons travel there to learn more about how he died, they don’t get clear answers about his death, but they do learn a whole lot about his life that they had never known—specifically about his mistress and daughter.
The chapters are told from various members of the Steele family as well as different people who knew Russ Steele and Rosie, the woman who was with him in the crash. I don’t even like the ocean, but I have to say, reading about this tropical paradise, especially after months of staying home most of the time, was a delightful escape. It’s fun when characters go snorkeling and see beautiful fish and coral so I don’t have to.
I’m looking forward to the next books in this series.
Irene lives In Iowa City, Iowa, in a beautiful home she spent years renovating. After her husband took his new job thirteen years ago, money has become no object. It does mean he’s gone for work an awful lot. One night Irene gets a phone call that her husband died in the Virgin Islands in a helicopter crash. When Irene and her two adult sons travel there to learn more about how he died, they don’t get clear answers about his death, but they do learn a whole lot about his life that they had never known—specifically about his mistress and daughter.
The chapters are told from various members of the Steele family as well as different people who knew Russ Steele and Rosie, the woman who was with him in the crash. I don’t even like the ocean, but I have to say, reading about this tropical paradise, especially after months of staying home most of the time, was a delightful escape. It’s fun when characters go snorkeling and see beautiful fish and coral so I don’t have to.
I’m looking forward to the next books in this series.
December 5, 2018
I used to think that Elin Hilderbrand's books were not for me. And then I read my first Elin Hilderbrand novel (The Perfect Couple), only a couple of months ago and I loved it!
3.5 stars
Winter in Paradise is another perfect light beach read, with plenty of family drama set in the beautiful surroundings of St John's (Virgin Islands). Irene Steele has been happily married to Russ for 35 years, and they have two grown up sons together. Russ is a successful businessman who is always away 'on business'. Out of nowhere Irene receives a call that her husband had died in a helicopter crash on St John's when taking a trip from his holiday home. All three passengers, the pilot, Irene's husband and a local woman are dead. Irene is devasted, but also very confused. What was Russ doing in the Virgin Islands? What holiday home? And who is the local woman? Irene knows that the only way to find out what is going on, is to travel to St John's and see for herself. She is joined by her two sons who have problems of their own. Everything gets more complicated when the boys realise they are both interested in the same girl. With each chapter narrated by a different character, we get to experience the story from different angles and see Russ' secret life in a different light.
I find Erin's book entertaining and very addictive. The pacing of the story was perfect, I was never bored, but it was not rushed either. You have time to get to know the diverse cast of characters who are relatable, with every day problems. You might not like all of them, but you are still curious to see how their story ends.
This is a book #1 in a mini-series and for me, it had the right mix of family drama, romance and interesting cast that I'll be happy to pick up the book #2 to see where the story goes. Especially as Winter in Paradise finished with a cliffhanger!
*Many thanks to Hodder & Stoighton for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
3.5 stars
Winter in Paradise is another perfect light beach read, with plenty of family drama set in the beautiful surroundings of St John's (Virgin Islands). Irene Steele has been happily married to Russ for 35 years, and they have two grown up sons together. Russ is a successful businessman who is always away 'on business'. Out of nowhere Irene receives a call that her husband had died in a helicopter crash on St John's when taking a trip from his holiday home. All three passengers, the pilot, Irene's husband and a local woman are dead. Irene is devasted, but also very confused. What was Russ doing in the Virgin Islands? What holiday home? And who is the local woman? Irene knows that the only way to find out what is going on, is to travel to St John's and see for herself. She is joined by her two sons who have problems of their own. Everything gets more complicated when the boys realise they are both interested in the same girl. With each chapter narrated by a different character, we get to experience the story from different angles and see Russ' secret life in a different light.
I find Erin's book entertaining and very addictive. The pacing of the story was perfect, I was never bored, but it was not rushed either. You have time to get to know the diverse cast of characters who are relatable, with every day problems. You might not like all of them, but you are still curious to see how their story ends.
This is a book #1 in a mini-series and for me, it had the right mix of family drama, romance and interesting cast that I'll be happy to pick up the book #2 to see where the story goes. Especially as Winter in Paradise finished with a cliffhanger!
*Many thanks to Hodder & Stoighton for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
August 24, 2018
If you’re anything like me and were super sad when Hilderbrand’s last series came to an end then I’m sure you’re going to fall in love with this new series as well. Per usual the characters are immediately relatable and feel like fast friends and the setting is idyllic. It’s a departure for the author, it’s not set in Nantucket but in St. John and I’m currently trying to figure out how to talk my husband into taking me there for our tenth wedding anniversary!
Irene’s husband dies in a tragic accident and if that isn’t devastating enough the discovery of his secret double life is revealed. You hear from Irene and her two sons Baker and Cash and you also hear from St. John’s locals, Huck and Ayers. (Quick side note, don’t these characters have the most interesting names?! They’re not pointless either, they all have a story and meaning) One of the many things that intrigued me about this was that it focuses on a group of people who’s lives were heavily impacted by one man but since he dies at the start of the book you never actually get to hear from him. You definitely get a strong sense of who Russ is through the other characters narrative, but he’s this silent, looming presence who intersected lives that otherwise would’ve never crossed paths.
I was a little hesitant about reading a Hilderbrand book not set in Nantucket but I worried needlessly because the authors ability to bring a setting to life is unmatched. I have this perfect picture in my mind of how the islands look, feel, sound and smell and that’s why I need to experience it for myself! Throw in a mysterious angle and amazing characterization and you have such a fun read, I’m already dying for the second book in the series and I don’t even know if it’s done being written yet! 😂
Winter in Paradise in the words: Escapist, Picturesque and Lush.
Irene’s husband dies in a tragic accident and if that isn’t devastating enough the discovery of his secret double life is revealed. You hear from Irene and her two sons Baker and Cash and you also hear from St. John’s locals, Huck and Ayers. (Quick side note, don’t these characters have the most interesting names?! They’re not pointless either, they all have a story and meaning) One of the many things that intrigued me about this was that it focuses on a group of people who’s lives were heavily impacted by one man but since he dies at the start of the book you never actually get to hear from him. You definitely get a strong sense of who Russ is through the other characters narrative, but he’s this silent, looming presence who intersected lives that otherwise would’ve never crossed paths.
I was a little hesitant about reading a Hilderbrand book not set in Nantucket but I worried needlessly because the authors ability to bring a setting to life is unmatched. I have this perfect picture in my mind of how the islands look, feel, sound and smell and that’s why I need to experience it for myself! Throw in a mysterious angle and amazing characterization and you have such a fun read, I’m already dying for the second book in the series and I don’t even know if it’s done being written yet! 😂
Winter in Paradise in the words: Escapist, Picturesque and Lush.
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October 1, 2018Why I love it
by Etaf Rum
As an author, it’s not a stretch to say that books are the one true love of my life. Though there’s magic in all of them, I am most captivated by plot-driven stories that deal with the mysteries of everyday life—stories that pose the question: What if everything you know is a lie?
Irene seems to have the perfect life as a wife, mother, and magazine editor. But when her husband dies in a mysterious helicopter crash in the Caribbean, she’s left to wonder: Was everything really as perfect as it seemed? Leaving the suburbs behind, Irene journeys to the Caribbean in search of answers not only about her husband, but also about herself—about the woman she wants to be and the life she wants to lead.
I was drawn from the start to this vivid story of heartbreak, betrayal, and the life-altering effects of being blindsided by love. Hilderbrand writes with such detail and clarity that I felt like I was on vacation in St. John right beside Irene and her family. Winter in Paradise is as well-crafted as it is compelling, and while—fair warning—this story ends with a cliffhanger, I can’t wait to read the sequel and find out what happens next to the Steele family.
Read more at: https://www.bookofthemonth.com/winter...
by Etaf Rum
As an author, it’s not a stretch to say that books are the one true love of my life. Though there’s magic in all of them, I am most captivated by plot-driven stories that deal with the mysteries of everyday life—stories that pose the question: What if everything you know is a lie?
Irene seems to have the perfect life as a wife, mother, and magazine editor. But when her husband dies in a mysterious helicopter crash in the Caribbean, she’s left to wonder: Was everything really as perfect as it seemed? Leaving the suburbs behind, Irene journeys to the Caribbean in search of answers not only about her husband, but also about herself—about the woman she wants to be and the life she wants to lead.
I was drawn from the start to this vivid story of heartbreak, betrayal, and the life-altering effects of being blindsided by love. Hilderbrand writes with such detail and clarity that I felt like I was on vacation in St. John right beside Irene and her family. Winter in Paradise is as well-crafted as it is compelling, and while—fair warning—this story ends with a cliffhanger, I can’t wait to read the sequel and find out what happens next to the Steele family.
Read more at: https://www.bookofthemonth.com/winter...
March 15, 2022
Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely loved this fun, mysterious, what’s going to happen next read. I have already ordered “What Happens in Paradise” by Elin Hilderbrand the sequel to “Winter Paradise”. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen to all the incredible characters from “Winter in Paradise”.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely loved this fun, mysterious, what’s going to happen next read. I have already ordered “What Happens in Paradise” by Elin Hilderbrand the sequel to “Winter Paradise”. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen to all the incredible characters from “Winter in Paradise”.
May 3, 2024
This weekend I'll write all the reviews.
October 24, 2019
This book is an excellent read! I like the mentioned of Eileen Fisher and Montessori because my son attended that school and I took noticed of that brand of clothing due to its crazy high price tag. It's real and relatable how Irene's family is spread out across United States, just like my family. It's funny how small town people react when hearing the names of the islands in the Caribbean. I can imagine I feel the same way about the Virgin Islands. Cash's view is honest and cute when he reveals that he's like his mom's daughter because he's close to her. I like Irene's family dynamic.
This book is told in the third person point of view following Irene, 57, editor at a magazine, as she busy being productive at home. At the end of the day, she went out to dinner with her friend Lydia for New Year's Eve. The second view is Ayers, 31, a server at a restaurant in St. Johns. A busy New Year's Eve night at work doesn't get any better for her when her ex-boyfriend come strolling into the restaurant with his new girlfriend. Her friend and co-worker Rosie is out with her Invisible Man boyfriend. The third view is Cash, 28, Irene and Russ' youngest son. His business failed and he felt free and relieved. He only opened the business to make his dad happy. The fourth view is Huck, 61, Rosie's dad. He's looking forward to spending New Year's Eve with his granddaughter Maia. The fifth view is Baker, 30, Irene and Russ' oldest son who is a stay-at-home dad. They all received the unexpected news of their loved ones after a night of celebrating New Year's. The sixth view is a surprise. This book is divided into 3 parts.
Winter in Paradise is well written and a fast paced read! Baker's view is hilarious, especially what he thinks of his brother Cash. I find this book entertaining when the brothers fight over a girl, both claim to love her at first sight. I like Ayers, the supporting character. It's cool how her parents and her traveled around the world when she was young and for her to turn around and just go anywhere to live. That life is also risky because she doesn't have family with her and totally on her own. I like the reminder of the power of friendship because without friends, Ayers life can be hard. The characters in this book are great to read. They sure don't hold anything back in their views. That cliffhanger ending is awesome and I highly recommend everyone to read this book!
Pro: fast paced, page turner, humor, family, secrets & lies, Caribbean, outdoors, love, friendship Con: none I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest. xoxo, Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
This book is told in the third person point of view following Irene, 57, editor at a magazine, as she busy being productive at home. At the end of the day, she went out to dinner with her friend Lydia for New Year's Eve. The second view is Ayers, 31, a server at a restaurant in St. Johns. A busy New Year's Eve night at work doesn't get any better for her when her ex-boyfriend come strolling into the restaurant with his new girlfriend. Her friend and co-worker Rosie is out with her Invisible Man boyfriend. The third view is Cash, 28, Irene and Russ' youngest son. His business failed and he felt free and relieved. He only opened the business to make his dad happy. The fourth view is Huck, 61, Rosie's dad. He's looking forward to spending New Year's Eve with his granddaughter Maia. The fifth view is Baker, 30, Irene and Russ' oldest son who is a stay-at-home dad. They all received the unexpected news of their loved ones after a night of celebrating New Year's. The sixth view is a surprise. This book is divided into 3 parts.
Winter in Paradise is well written and a fast paced read! Baker's view is hilarious, especially what he thinks of his brother Cash. I find this book entertaining when the brothers fight over a girl, both claim to love her at first sight. I like Ayers, the supporting character. It's cool how her parents and her traveled around the world when she was young and for her to turn around and just go anywhere to live. That life is also risky because she doesn't have family with her and totally on her own. I like the reminder of the power of friendship because without friends, Ayers life can be hard. The characters in this book are great to read. They sure don't hold anything back in their views. That cliffhanger ending is awesome and I highly recommend everyone to read this book!
Pro: fast paced, page turner, humor, family, secrets & lies, Caribbean, outdoors, love, friendship Con: none I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest. xoxo, Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
November 16, 2018
I'm a fan of this authors, and excited to read the first installment of this series. Whatcha love about her books is the detail and development of her characters. I could visualize this story unfolding in color.
The story begins with the news of Irene's husband of 35 years has died suddenly from a helicopter crash. This news prompts her and her two sons to go to St. John's where they learn he had another life and another family. They learn that there was another victim in the crash who was his misress. More questions surface. Russ had an oppulent lifestyle that is contrary to the one they know living in a small town. It's as if he is a stranger to them because they know nothing about his life or business there and the people they meet who were close to his mistress, Rosie, are just as clueless. The story escalates to new information that leaves you hanging........and ready for the next installment in the series.
Well done, I can't wait.
The story begins with the news of Irene's husband of 35 years has died suddenly from a helicopter crash. This news prompts her and her two sons to go to St. John's where they learn he had another life and another family. They learn that there was another victim in the crash who was his misress. More questions surface. Russ had an oppulent lifestyle that is contrary to the one they know living in a small town. It's as if he is a stranger to them because they know nothing about his life or business there and the people they meet who were close to his mistress, Rosie, are just as clueless. The story escalates to new information that leaves you hanging........and ready for the next installment in the series.
Well done, I can't wait.
November 30, 2018
🏖 LOVED IT! Thx to @littlebrown for this free review copy 😘
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Elian Hilderbrand has always been one of my favorites and her newest novel is no exception ~ I absolutely loved Winter in Paradise and am already mourning the fact that I’m going to have to wait a whole year to get my hands on the next in the series!
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Set at first in Iowa City, Iowa and then on the tiny Caribbean island of St. John, with family secrets and drama and a mysterious death, this book doesn’t at all read like a suspense novel. It’s somehow cozy despite the nature of the content and I loved every page. It’s smart and witty and dreamy all at the same time. Hilderbrand writes in her author’s note about her strong personal connection to the island, and that shines through so clearly throughout the entire book. I’m definitely adding St. John to my list of travel dreams!
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NOTE: This actually isn’t a holiday book at ALL, but I’m keeping it on my holiday reading list and my shelf on Goodreads because of the title 😉 If you don’t have time to get to it in December, it’s a perfect one for that cold dark period of late winter!
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Elian Hilderbrand has always been one of my favorites and her newest novel is no exception ~ I absolutely loved Winter in Paradise and am already mourning the fact that I’m going to have to wait a whole year to get my hands on the next in the series!
.
Set at first in Iowa City, Iowa and then on the tiny Caribbean island of St. John, with family secrets and drama and a mysterious death, this book doesn’t at all read like a suspense novel. It’s somehow cozy despite the nature of the content and I loved every page. It’s smart and witty and dreamy all at the same time. Hilderbrand writes in her author’s note about her strong personal connection to the island, and that shines through so clearly throughout the entire book. I’m definitely adding St. John to my list of travel dreams!
.
NOTE: This actually isn’t a holiday book at ALL, but I’m keeping it on my holiday reading list and my shelf on Goodreads because of the title 😉 If you don’t have time to get to it in December, it’s a perfect one for that cold dark period of late winter!
August 16, 2020
Dramatic and Mysterious!
When Irene Steele receives a phone call informing her that her husband Russ has died on St. John, she is destroyed. Frantic calls to her sons Cash and Baker ensue with all three making plans to go to St. John immediately. Soon after, Russ’ secrets come to light. On St. John, Russ had a Villa and another family and as it turns out, the woman who was on the helicopter with him when it went down was his girlfriend.
After they arrive on St. John, the Steele family finds themselves enmeshed in the lives of Rosie, Maia, Huck and Ayers and none of them can tear themselves away.
“Winter in Paradise” is a twisty and turny novel filled with both mystery, romance, heartache, love and loss as Irene, Cash and Baker delve into their father’s past and discover the beauty of St. John and all it has to offer. This book is a dramatic mystery suspense with romantic undertones that was highly entertaining and made me eagerly grab the second book in the series from my library.
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of the library book.
Published on Goodreads on 8.16.20.
When Irene Steele receives a phone call informing her that her husband Russ has died on St. John, she is destroyed. Frantic calls to her sons Cash and Baker ensue with all three making plans to go to St. John immediately. Soon after, Russ’ secrets come to light. On St. John, Russ had a Villa and another family and as it turns out, the woman who was on the helicopter with him when it went down was his girlfriend.
After they arrive on St. John, the Steele family finds themselves enmeshed in the lives of Rosie, Maia, Huck and Ayers and none of them can tear themselves away.
“Winter in Paradise” is a twisty and turny novel filled with both mystery, romance, heartache, love and loss as Irene, Cash and Baker delve into their father’s past and discover the beauty of St. John and all it has to offer. This book is a dramatic mystery suspense with romantic undertones that was highly entertaining and made me eagerly grab the second book in the series from my library.
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of the library book.
Published on Goodreads on 8.16.20.
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