Goodreads says, "After a tragic fire in 1922 that killed 19-year-old chambermaid, Grace Hadley, The Hotel Nantucket descended from a gilded age gem to a mediocre budget-friendly lodge to inevitably an abandoned eyesore — until it's purchased and renovated top to bottom by London billionaire, Xavier Darling. Xavier hires Nantucket sweetheart Lizbet Keaton as his general manager, and Lizbet, in turn, pulls together a charismatic, if inexperienced, staff who share the vision of turning the fate of the hotel around. They face challenges in getting along with one another (and with the guests), in overcoming the hotel's bad reputation, and in surviving the (mostly) harmless shenanigans of Grace Hadley herself — who won't stop haunting the hotel until her murder is acknowledged. Filled with the emotional tension and multiple points of view that characterize Elin's books (The Blue Bistro, Golden Girl) as well as an added touch of historical reality, Hotel Nantucket offers something for everyone in this summer drama for the ages."
Xavier Darling, a London billionaire, decides to buy a run-down hotel on the idyllic island of Nantucket. He turns the desolate hotel into the grand Hotel Nantucket, which he hopes will attract amazing guests, including travel blogger, Shelly Carpenter. If Shelley features it on her blog and gives it the highest rating, The Hotel Nantucket will be sure to succeed. Managing the hotel is Lizbet Keaton, who is looking to start over at this prestigious job and make a name for herself without her ex-boyfriend's help as they previously ran The Deck. He cheated on her, so Lizbet can't wait to turn this hotel around by hiring all the best in customer service. She puts together a team of extraordinary employees, each complete with their own backstory and some with hefty baggage. Some notable secondary characters are Chad, a rich kid working as a maid this summer.....what's he hiding? Then there's Alessandra, the icy front desk manager; Zeke, the charismatic bellman; Mario, the gorgeous and illustrious chef; and let's not forget Grace, the ghost. Grace is such a captivating character as she died back at the hotel in 1922 in a suspicious fire. This casts of characters come together with such a fun setting in The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand; this novel proves to be her most lighthearted beach read yet.
I normally don't like novels that include too many characters' points of view, but Hilderbrand makes it work. Each plot line is juicier than the other, which definitely kept me flipping the pages. I will say I was rooting for Lizbet the most as she is the underdog manager trying to overcome her past and jerk ex-boyfriend. I really enjoyed her coming into her own in The Hotel Nantucket and watching her transform the hotel. I also was drawn to Alessandra's plot line, even though I didn't agree with her. It made for a very entertaining read as she is a femme fatale and pretty much uses guys to get what she wants. Sometimes it backfires on her though, but boy, was I really interested in her story and where it was going. I am glad she redeems herself by the novel's end. I also liked Magda, head of housekeeping, and there were so many more captivating subplots that came together that made for an interesting (and very soapy!) hotel. The entire time I was keeping an eye out for the elusive Shelly Carpenter, the blogger who they were hoping would review The Hotel Nantucket, as she often is incognito. I was also wondering what Grace's next move would be as she was hoping someone would find out the truth as to what happened at the hotel fire in 1922.
Fans of Hilderbrand can expect her usual romantic plot lines, descriptions of mouthwatering dinners, and gorgeous Nantucket locations. Nobody does Nantucket better than Hilderbrand and what's even better is Hilderbrand's own "Blue Book" at the end of the novel featuring all her favorite Nantucket haunts and how they relate to her novels. It really had me dreaming of a trip to Nantucket and a visit to The Chicken Box.
What I liked most about The Hotel Nantucket is Hilderbrand's tone throughout the novel. While I loved 28 Summers and Golden Girl, it could be heavy at times. The Hotel Nantucket wasn't this way in the least. It was so much damn fun and it was lighthearted throughout. That is just what I needed this summer, am I right?
So, are you a fan of Elin Hilderbrand? Have you read The Hotel Nantucket? Is it on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.
I'm pleasantly surprised that this is so lighthearted! Sounds perfect for summer!
ReplyDeleteIt really is! Her latest few novels were a bit more serious, so this was a nice escape! I hope you can read it soon. Thanks for visiting!
Delete