Cover Image: Winter in Paradise

Winter in Paradise

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Member Reviews

Winter in Paradise is the first book in a new series by Elin Hilderbrand. Taking a departure from her traditional Nantucket setting the author has this book taking place on St. John in the Virgin Islands. A tropical setting with a family filled with drama makes this the perfect read! I really enjoyed getting to know the Steele family and am looking forward to book #2! Read and enjoy!

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Elin Hilderbrand has an originality voice in books and I am always drawn to a new release by her. Winter in Paradise is a bit different than other books I have read by the author as they normally take place in Nantucket and this one on a Caribbean Island. But guess what? Location doesn't matter! Elin's newest series will have readers reeling! This is a fantastic, intriguing read that had me addicted. I cannot wait until the next installment.

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We start the "Winter in Paradise" series on New Year’s Day, the first day of a whole new year, laid out before us, untouched, as if each day comes in a shiny bag, to be selected one by one like candy.
Irene Steele of Iowa City, Iowa starts her day in her beloved Victorian style home, all fully refurbished and redecorated, thanks to the generous income from her husband’s Russ’s job of the last thirteen years, she encouraged him to accept. Unfortunately, a great deal of travel came with that great salary, which is why Russ had to fly off right after Christmas leaving Irene alone On New Year’s.
Miles away in Denver Colorado, her adult son Cash, was given the news just the other day, that the seed money and the two sporting-goods stores, given to him to run by his father, had just gone belly-up. How is he ever going to break this news to his parents, and worse of all, his ever-competitive older brother.
Baker, a few years older than Cash, lives in Houston, Texas with his very successful, heart surgeon wife Anna, and their four-year-old son, Floyd. Since Anna must operate in the hospital, and Baker can trade stocks from home, he has decided to be the primary care-giver to his son. Surprisingly, mostly to him, he totally enjoys it; including volunteering at Floyd’s school. This leaves Anna too comfortable to work endless hours and hardly ever sees her son and husband.
Back in Iowa, Irene gets ready to go to, what has become a tradition for the last seven years, a New Year’s Day dinner with her best friend Lydia. “Have they been doing this that long,” thinks Irene. As she walks the four short blocks to dinner she’s still wondering why Russ hasn’t called yet, this is unlike him; even though he did send a bouquet of calla lilies that morning. After a great dinner, wine, ‘girl talk’ and a stop at the bookstore, Irene heads back home still wondering about Russ. She missed a call on her cell during dinner from an unfamiliar area code and as she enters the house their landline is ringing, showing that same area code. Irene swiftly picks up and hears a woman’s voice say, “Is this Mrs. Steele?” “This is she,” says Irene.
After some discussion, Irene discover the woman is Todd Croft’s secretary. Todd is Russ’s boss. “Something has happened, an accident.” the woman says. “Happened?” says Irene. “I’m afraid your husband is dead.” she says.

What happens next, and during approximately three weeks, will be a complete shock to Irene, Cash and Baker. They will fly to St. John in the USVI, where they were told Russ’s remains were, as well as “some property” he owns. They will slowly discover or say uncover some of Russ’s secret life in the lovely island paradise. Most people have heard of Russ, but they’ve never seen or met him, because they call him, the “Invisible Man.” Even the best friend of the local woman who died with Russ that day never met him, nor did her family. So, the Steele family is in for some detective work all while trying to keep their identities under wraps as well.
The intrigue will have you turning pages until the very end, unceasingly; while enjoying the lavish descriptions of St. John and the surrounding islands. Oh, about the ending, well you’re just going to pant, dripping saliva, like Pavlov’s dogs, until the next book. Tropical Cocktail anyone?

Thank you NetGalley, Little Brown and Co. and Elin Hilderbrand

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I am glad that Hilderbrand has started a new series, but sad that I have to wait for the next one. This novel is up to her usual fantastic standards. I like the characters and it would seem that things will only get more interesting.

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I was lucky enough to spend my Labor Day weekend reading this gem in between soccer games--it was so hard to put it down! Welcome to Paradise is the first book in Elin Hilderbrand's new winter trilogy, and it was totally engrossing from start to cliffhanger ending. It will be a long wait for the next installment! The novel opens on New Year's Eve, when Irene Steele receives a call that her husband has died in a helicoptor crash. She soon discovers that her husband, Russ, had a secret life in the Virgin Islands. Irene and her two sons travel to St. John in a desperate attempt to piece together the threads of Russ' secret island life. The descriptions of the island are so vivid, that it almost felt like I was on a vacation while I was reading. I also enjoyed getting to know Irene and her two sons through Hilderbrand's use of multiple viewpoints. Great fun and highly recommended!

Thank you to Little Brown for the advance copy!

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I love her books about Nantucket but this was even better in a way, I learned a lot about the US Virgin Islands. Oh man, the scandalous relationship, the love triangle, the beautiful scenery, etc. This book is going to be an awesome read for her fans and I think will inspire new people to read her books, too. I am so excited that this will be a trilogy. So many questions need to be answered. I guess I will have to wait til late 2019 or early 2020 for the sequel. #teamCash

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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!

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I’ve never read any of Elin Hilderbrand’s books before and I rarely read this genre. On the plus side, Winter in Paradise exceeded my expectations. Hilderbrand has an easy to read style and she offers enough character study to make the reader care, not deeply but at least a little bit, about them. The story holds enough mystery to keep the reader engaged: how did Russ live an alternate life for so many years without Irene or their sons being the least bit suspicious (the explanation doesn’t seems to stand up to close scrutiny)? Why did the heliocopter crash - if it did? How was his money really earned? Why was his body identified by a non-family member and cremated quickly? On the minus side: The bereaved families’ actions and reactions are not really believable. It is not until the end of the book that Irene mentions hiring private and forensic investigators, whereas that would have been the first move - along with having an attorney present - that any person of means would make. Since this is a trilogy, the reader who cares about finding answers to these and other questions will have to wait for the next volumes to be published. Some of the details seemed unnecessary (unless Irene’s favorite wine, which Hilderbrand notes at least 6 times, is a clue) and at times I thought the entire novel could have been compressed into a novella or a long short story. Winter in Paradise will appeal to Hilderbrand’s fans and to others looking for an easy read and a lovely setting (St. Johns, USVI).

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What a surprise this is for 2 reasons. Firstly the story is phenomenal in its manipulation of known and unknown , known them unknown again. The characters are interesting and share love but just what IS love? Huck and Irene are my favorites for their truth and acceptance that you must roll with life
Secondly...what the heck? Ending with more questions and unknowns thought to have been known. I assume there will be a sequel. It's unfair to leave us hanging... It would have been 5 stars if it was wrapped up

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Winter in Paradise is the first in a trilogy. I just finished, and already it’s too long to wait for the next book. Elin Hildebrand has always been a. great writer, but after her last few books, especially this one, I have to say she’s become a powerhouse.
It’s New Year’s Eve and Irene is alone as her husband Russ is traveling for work once again. When she receives word he’s died in a helicopter accident with an unidentified female passenger and the pilot, in St. John, she’s mystified. Why is he in the tropics? And why won’t anyone give her details? Irene and her two grown sons, Baker and Cash, fly down to try and make sense of the situation, but the opposite occurs. For every question there is only more questions and speculation. I don’t want to give anything away, but once you start to read Winter in Paradise be prepared to sit until you’ve reached the last page. And then you’ll understand why the second book can’t come soon enough.

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I must admit to being skeptical about a Hilderbrand book set somewhere besides Nantucket, but my skepticism was quickly blown away by the good plotting and character development in this new book. There is a rather trite situation, a wife learning that her husband is not only dead, but had an entire secret life and family.

Setting this on the island of St. John gives the book a very different feel, including the ability to include a great deal of diversity, which is natural and not artificially included for political correctness.

Irene learns about her husband's death in a mysterious accident, and her efforts to understand are thwarted by his boss and the staff which surrounds him. Going to St. John is her attempt to unravel all the puzzle pieces that make little sense to her in her Iowa City home. Who was the mysterious woman who died with him? How did he own a luxurious home she knew nothing about?

Coming along with her are her 2 sons, Cash and Baker, each with their own load of problems and secrets. Hilderbrand also introduces a love interest, Ayers, who serves as a connection between these worlds.

A great cast of characters is introduced, but not so many that the reader would be confused. The thing that bothered me most is that this is the first book in a trilogy and I am invested enough to want to know what happened to the characters. Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this newest Hilderbrand novel and enjoy my Labor Day weekend engrossed in the beautiful island.

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Like many of Elin Hilderbrand's novels, this is told third person from several main character's POV, a formula that seems to really work for her. I loved this book, and read it pretty much every free moment I could find. Although it was set in the Virgin Islands as opposed to Coastal Eastern United States, the book had the same familiar ingredients of a Hilderbrand novel- romance, chapter cliffhangers, well-developed characters that are all somehow involved in each other's lives-- and in this particular book, a hint of a mystery. I eagerly awaited the for each book in Hilderbrand' s last winter trilogy, and thanks to this book, will eagerly be awaiting for next year's book 2. Definitely an easy author to recommend, which makes my job that much easier. Fans of Hilderbrand will enjoy reading this, and it will appeal to new readers, as well.

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If you have never been to St. John, all you have to do is pick up Elin Hilderbrand's Winter in Paradise to be literally swept up into paradise.

Then, throw in some mystery, crazy family drama and you've got yourself a winner!

Elin writes with such description that I felt like I was right back in STJ - on the beaches, in my favorite restaurants, and hiking - right along with the characters of her book. Irene seems to have the perfect life - a husband and two grown sons... but everything really as perfect as it seems? When Irene receives a phone call on New Years Eve with the life altering news of her husbands death - she gets the answer to that question. What follows is mystery, and even some romance.

I'm so excited this is a trilogy as I loved every bit of this book and can't wait to see what happens with the Steele family.

Another winner by Elin Hilderbrand!!!

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A very enjoyable beach read... although predictable.. I am curious to see what parts 2 and 3 bring.. I have some ideas and do think some of the relationships were a tad unsrurprising... but even with that, it kept me going and I look forward to more....

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Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
Starts out where all are stateside based. There are many and they don't appear to be connected til you read further.
Wish there was a list of characters at the start-feel lost.
Love the details, very descriptive of the island and the culture...
Like how everyone is connected and you learn over time just how close they are. Liked being on island time and how the tourists adjust.
Love hearing of the different jobs on the island.
Interesting how the two brothers are in love with the same woman-all kinds of love are shown in this story.
Like the mystery of the invisible man-so cool and the pirate-it just fits perfectly.
Petroglifics and trails are treasures and conch shell holds a special place in my heart also as my grandmother gave me one.
Like where the future will find them...love that this is a trilogy, can't wait to uncover more mysteries and secrets.
Received this review copy from Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.
#NetGalley

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When can I read the second and third books of this trilogy? I flew through this one and now I’m lost - I need to keep reading about Irene Steele, her family, her life unraveling and yet still she’s maintaining control... There are many twists and turns possible in the next installment for these characters, whether in Iowa, St John VI, Houston,, wherever. I really am looking forward to encouraging others to read this and I’m very anxious to read more of this trilogy. Soon! Please?!

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Another fun read from Hilderbrand, this time set on the beautiful island of St John (Virgin Islands). Even though trouble brought a widow and her two grown sons to paradise, they find themselves appreciating the magic of the caribbean vibe and the laid back locals. Look forward to reading the next book in the series.

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This is one of my favorite authors so I knew I would enjoy the book. I didn’t just enjoy it I loved it. I am sad that my friends aren’t able to read it yet because I want to talk about the story and characters. I’ve preordered a few books to gift to friends

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Yet another fabulous Elin Hilderbrand novel, the first of a trilogy. It’ s going to be a long year waiting for the next one (especially with that ending). I just binge read this in a day and loved it. Elin just keeps getting better and better. I think her last 2 or 3 books have been her best yet. Taking place, not in Nantucket, but in St Johns VI, another heavenly, perfect beach destination, the story is told through the alternating voices of the various characters, and moves along so quickly, that before you know it, it is over! Highly recommend!!
Thanks to Little, Brown & Company and Netgalley for the advance digital review copy!

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A start of a new series is always something to celebrate. Her books are perfect for a weekend escape and the new series, set in the Virgin Islands, is no different. A story of being blindsided by a love one's behavior and having to find a way to make sense of it on your own, since they are dead.Heart break, disillusionment, betrayal, loyalty family, and life collide as Irene deals with the death of her husband and she discovers that he had a life she knew nothing about and never expected.

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