For example, the stakes get higher, the younger generation gets older, and the protagonists who were planning their lives now look back and see how it went. They open the doors of mansions and cottages, serve buffets of everything from fried clam strips to bouillabaisse, and introduce people of all ages, backgrounds, and incomes.Ī lot of things change if you read Hilderbrand's books in order. They're beach reads with a strong undercurrent: a mix of fun (picnics, convertibles, flings) and gravity (divorce, deception, loss). These books are escape hatches for hard-core readers, bridges between mothers and daughters, and cat's cradles that connect people. When I read these books, I'd be able to get from the ferry dock to Madaket Beach, Sankaty Head Light, Jewel Pond, or any other place Hilderbrand's characters eat, drink (and cheat on) and even get married and die. The last 15 years, she has at least one a year, sometimes two. You're now on your way to Nantucket, which is where most of Hilderbrand's 27 books take place. The fact that you can only see the water through binoculars from the roof won't bother you after you find a big Hilderbrand book. Their well-worn books haven't been left behind, but given to the next wave of vacationers. There, you'll find her next to Dean Koontz, Emily Giffin, Terry McMillan, and other big names in summer reading. It is on the wicker shelf in your new rental beach house, so look there. The best way to find out about Elin Hilderbrand is to read her books.

Ellen hillenbrand author