I'm a huge Elin Hilderbrand fan and was so excited to get access to this one early! It absolutely did not disappoint. I loved how all the characters' lives were interwoven (typical for Elin!), and thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with them. A great beach read, I loved all the descriptions of the places they visited on Nantucket and the amazing food served by Hollis. Highly recommend, and can't wait for her next book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Elin Hilderbrand has knocked another summer read out of the park. She does chick-lit just right; the relationships, interactions, observations and conversations are so relatable. I could hardly put this down. As always, the Nantucket elite and their designer lifestyles were tiresome, but there was so much more to the story.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favourite authors and I will ALWAYS pick up her latest release (I am aware and more than a little sad that her next book will be her last "traditional" book), but this book is not one of my favourites, despite still being a four-star read.

In true style, there are a lot of words describing the scenery, the food, the fashion, etc. but I expect this from the author. One of the appealing factors to me is her ability to take this prairie girl and immerse her in the Nantucket lifestyle, particularly in the hot, dry days of summer. I did have a hard time connecting with the characters and their backstories and, as another reviewer mentioned, it took a while to keep them straight. I think the author did a good job at portraying five very different women with very different lives and not much in common but the main character and how they all fit in with one another (or if they even did).

A pretty realistic view of female friendship, with all the love (and pettiness) that comes along with it.

If it's summer and you're off to Nantucket, be sure to bring along this book for pleasure reading.
Here's a fun book, as are all Hilderbrand's books. The premise of inviting your closest friends from various avenues of your life is an intriguing one. It certainly sets you to thinking who you might invite which makes this book even more attractive.
This required much suspension of belief as to the invitees' relationships with the host but, then, that's what makes the plot even more fun.

Really great concept about inviting friends from different decades for a weekend together. Great book club book. A story of friendship, forgiveness, and self discovery as best told by HIlderbrand. Good character development. A weekend to truly remember.

I feel as though so much of what I could say regarding this book has already been said, so I'll keep it short and sweet- all hail the reigning queen of summer beach reading, Elin Hilderbrand! I always go into one of her novels.knowing what I'll get- a little drama, a little intrigue, interwoven characters, and a well-planned ending. (And beginning and middle, too). Oh, and a whole lot of Nantucket! In my eyes, you cannot go wrong reading one of her books. They're always just so WELL DONE. I know there is sometimes a stigma about "woman's fiction"- be willing to look past that and your find a treasure trove of books- and authors- you'll fall head over heels for.... And Hilderbrand is the leader of the pack. It isn't summer until I read one of her books, and I'm already looking forward to whatever she writes next!

Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of beach reads and her new novel The Five-Star Weekend does not disappoint!!

Every character has a story to tell. Hollis invites five friends to join her for a Five-Star weekend at her luxurious Nantucket home. Each friend has a special reason for being there. Hollis is a masterful chef and plans the weekend to a tee. Everyone enters the weekend with their own personal baggage, including Hollis.

I loved the development of the characters and their stories. Definitely add this one to your TBR list!

Special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance e-reader copy of The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand in exchange for an honest review.

If you look up “beach read” in the dictionary, a picture of this book should be next to it. A delightful Nantucket-based romp, the novel features protagonist Hollis Shaw as the center star of the constellation. Nantucket born and bred, Hollis, an Internet food influencer, is now a “summer person,” complete with a gorgeous beachfront home. When Hollis’ husband dies suddenly (it happens in chapter one so this is not a spoiler but a setup) she decides to host a “five star weekend” with her best friend from each decade of her life, and hires her film student daughter to document every dramatic moment. With an engaging plot that includes a few surprises and sly commentary on how deeply embedded the internet has become in our lives, and with beautiful descriptions of everything from the decor to the food to the clothes (color coded!) the friends wear to each outing, The Five Star Weekend is classic Elin Hildebrand. Bucking the subliminal pressure, this is a four star read for me; but one that I absolutely recommend. It’s delicious. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a perfect summer/beach read. There is drama, Nantucket and even a touch of romance. When Social Media influencer, Hollis Shaw loses her husband quite suddenly she is adrift. Her seemingly perfect life is over. To reenter the world, she hears about a thing called a Five-Star Weekend - you host a weekend surrounded by a special star from each decade of your life - Teens, twenties, thirties and mid-life. Hollis invites Tatum from high school, Dru-Ann her College BFF and Brooke, a neighbor and fellow Mom. For her midlife star, Hollis choses Gigi, a website fan who she's never met, but who she bonded with through her website and blog, Hungry with Hollis. They all enjoy an intensely planned weekend - while dealing with unresolved issues and slights. Once of them has a very deep secret. There are cat fights, jealousy, some amazing food descriptions and a glimpse into what it is like to be rich and famous on Nantucket. The descriptions of food and setting are awesome and the characters are well developed. Some of the plot points are strained at time and some of the dialogue is a little silly. In spite of this this is a five star read.

Looking for a captivating summer read? Look no further than Elin Hilderbrand's latest novel, "The Five Star Weekend"!

When tragedy strikes for popular food blogger, Hollis Shaw, she decides to gather four friends from four different stages of her life together at her summer home in Nantucket. Something known as a “Five Star Weekend”. Filled with friendships old and new, it’s sure to be a weekend like no other.

With Hilderbrand's hallmark enchanting storytelling, you'll be immersed in a world of friendship, love, and self-discovery. Hilderbrand's vivid descriptions will make you feel like you're basking in the sun, sipping a fancy cocktail, and feeling the Nantucket ocean breeze on your skin. Her characters are relatable, flawed, and beautifully developed, making their journeys of growth and transformation all the more compelling. There is a reason why Hilderbrand is at the top of her game!

So, grab your favorite beach towel, find a shady spot, and dive into the world of "The Five Star Weekend." You won't be disappointed! Trust me, it's a must-read for any Hilderbrand fan or anyone in need of a delightful summer escape.

Thank you Little, Brown and Co for my e-copy on NetGalley!

If it’s summer, it’s time for an Elin Hilderbrand book. The Five-Star Weekend is similar to her earlier books. The setting is Nantucket in summer, there are plenty of descriptions of sumptuous meals and beautiful surroundings, and of course lots of drama. In this book, the main character, Hollis Shaw, invites four friends from different stages of her life for one spectacular weekend on Nantucket. However, each woman brings her own tragedies, struggles, and histories to the weekend, and things do not go smoothly as planned. This was not my favorite Elin Hilderbrand book - maybe it is because I have read all her books, but this one seemed a little “copy and paste”. The book has a good pace, but I got bogged down in the constant food, scenery, and clothing descriptions, which kept me from connecting or really caring about any of the women that much. But if you are looking for a great beach book, you really cannot go wrong with any Elin Hilderbrand book. Thank you NetGalley for this advance copy.

In Elin Hilderbrand's latest novel, newly widowed Hollis is a food blogger, whose cardiothoracic surgeon passed away in a tragic accident right before the holiday. Retreating to their family home on Nantucket the summer after while still grieving the loss of her husband and strained relationship with her daughter Caroline, Hollis reads about something called “The Five-Star Weekend,” where you invite the best friends from each stage of life on a girls weekend to reconnect and celebrate friendships. Hollis decides to host her own and invites her high school best friend (Tatum, a Nantucket local), her college best friend (Dru-Ann, a freshly cancelled sports agent/TV host), Brooke (a fellow mom from Wellesley), and Gigi (a bit of a wild card; one of her blog’s most engaged readers who she’s developed a bond with) to share in a weekend packed with food, friend time, and bonding.

But each attendee of the weekend celebration is holding secrets: Gigi is not who she appears to be and has a surprising connection to Hollis and her late husband; Dru-Ann and Tatum have a long-standing feud; and Caroline (who she hired to film the weekend) is barely speaking to her. Add in the appearance of Hollis' first love Jack on Nantucket and nothing seems like it will go as planned.

Like all of Hilderbrand's novels, I absolutely loved The Five-Star Weekend - it's the perfect beach read and escape, and magically makes the reader feel like they are experiencing the lives of these characters on Nantucket as a fly on the wall. Her attention to detail and scope of her stories on Nantucket consistently bring me back and I look for her novels as the start of the summer season.

Thanks to NetGalley, Elin Hilderbrand and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“After tragedy strikes, Hollis Shaw gathers four friends from different stages in her life to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket.“

This being my first Hilderbrand, I didn’t know what to expect, beyond Summer Read, and it delivered on that score.

I think my favourite aspect was the setting. I don’t know that I’ll ever visit Nantucket, and, really, with this book, I probably don’t need to.

The descriptions of the island, the food, and the fashion were all vivid. If they ever make this book into a movie, guaranteed there’ll be a Cook Book tie-in.

The characters were also (very) well-developed. Can characters be TOO well-developed? Each character had a complete backstory (told from their own POV) and there were a few times I got a little grumpy, wading through it all. I just wanted the plot to MOVE.

All told, while I think people who enjoy a character-driven story will be very satisfied.

6.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this seasonal ARC.

Elin Hilderbrand never disappoints and this book was no different. Each time I read her books, I am transported to Nantucket, despite having never been there. Her books make me want to travel to Nantucket and see the very locations she writes about myself. In this book, I wanted to meet Hollis and her four stars at each of their scheduled events and partake, even if from afar. Not only is The Five-Star Weekend a story in and of itself, this novel also includes so many drama wrapped ladies, their stories, their pasts, and their realizations that it kept you sucked in until the very end. Fantastic book!

A perfect little beach read! Reding Elin Hilderbrand's latest book is one of my favorite ways to kick off the summer months. Recommend!

THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand is a twisty soap-opera beach read that Hilderbrand's many fans will really enjoy. The main character is Hollis Shaw, recently discovered food blogger and influencer, who has been distracted from time with her husband, Matthew (increasingly pursuing his own interests, too), and daughter Caroline, a college age film student. A LibraryReads Hall of Fame title for June, THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. And The New York Times recently recommended this beach read and the "vicarious proximity" to success and wealth. Hollis invites four friends: Tatum (from childhood and high school), Dru-Ann (from college), Brooke (fellow Mom) and Gigi (recent internet follower) to an extravagant weekend filled with gourmet meals, shopping, music/dancing, and drinking. To be honest, they are all pretty seriously messed up with plenty of insecurities and drama related to relationships, sexuality, employment, and class issues. Readers will find this guilty pleasure and its Nantucket setting to be a happy diversion for the holiday weekend.

Fabulous beach read set on Nantucket. Holly Shaw is reeling after the sudden death of her husband. She decides to host women from 5 phases of her life on an incredible girls weekend in an attempt to heal from tragedy. The weekend brings many surprises. I loved this book.

Another great beach read by Elin Hilderbrand. I loved this book, the characters are real and heartfelt, each with their own issues and stories, secrets, quirks and drama. The story transports the reader straight to Nantucket and gives me a beach read with just enough drama to keep it interesting, but not too much drama where I have to concentrate too hard! The story centers around grief, friendships old and new, and mother-daughter relationships. I love all the details the author gives on Nantucket - this book is exactly what a beach read should be! Every year I look forward to Elin Hilderbrand's newest book, and every year I am never disappointed! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Absolutely perfect! I will definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a beach read with a bit more. Love, love, love Hilderbrand.

Elin Hilderbrand is a master of her craft, queen of beach reads, and likely needs no extra promoting–if you’re a fan, you’re going to run out and buy her novel, in hardcover no less, the week it comes out. I loved The Hotel Nantucket a little bit more, and nothing quite compares, for me, to The Blue Bistro, but The Five Star Weekend is a solid addition to her oeuvre.

Recently widowed pandemic food blogging sensation Hollis has invited a friend from each era of her life to join her for a girl’s weekend in her home on Nantucket: Tatum, the high school bestie who still lives in town, cleaning and running errands for the wealthy; Dru-Ann, the college roommate/sports agent; Brooke, Hollis’s Wellesley friend who she raised her children with; and Gigi, a new Internet friend who’s been a rock as Hollis navigates Matthew’s untimely death. Each of the women is dealing with their own issues: Tatum is awaiting results of a breast biopsy; Dru-Ann has been cancelled on social media due to dismissing a client’s mental health claims; Brooke’s husband has been served for sexual harassment (again) and Gigi was having an affair with Hollis’s husband Matthew when he was killed in an automobile accident. Their interpersonal dynamics between the women adds another level to the tension and drama: Tatum hasn’t forgiven Dru-Ann for a slight from Hollis’s wedding. and Brooke is glomming onto the mysterious Gigi. Hollis’s first love, Jack Finnigan, is also on the island, visiting Tatum’s hubby and bringing back many memories of their double-dates in high school. Meanwhile, Hollis’s daughter Caroline, in the middle of an internship (and an affair) with a documentary filmmaker, has been invited to return to the island and is getting paid to film the entire proceedings. Caroline comes off as super entitled and bratty, all eye-rolling and whining… but the personal interviews become a way to understand her mother as a student, a friend, and a woman, and help to heal the rift between them.

There is a LOT going on, but Hilderbrand manages it all adeptly. As in her more recent novels, one of the narrative voices is a collective we, observing the goings on from a slightly detached perspective. We also get points of view from all of the major characters. The original concept of the five-star weekend is not Hollis’s (she reads an article about it and decides it will help her out of her funk), and I’m wondering if there is a missed opportunity to delve more deeply into ownership and appropriation issues (thinking of Black feminist and activist Tarana Burke, who coined the #MeToo movement while Alyssa Milano got a lot of recognition for promoting it, and Black poet, activist and rage baker Tangerine Jones who got scooped by white cookbook authors). Throughout the novel, Hilderbrand does address issues of race, mental health, generational gaps, the orgasm gap, and queerness.

The Five-Star Weekend has all the things we’ve come to love about an Elin Hilderbrand book set on Nantucket. It’s self-referential to other characters and their stories, it’s full of mouth-watering descriptions of gourmet food, both prepared at home and while dining out. It name-drops favorite beaches, shops, and eateries. The familiar natural beauty and landmarks are described with love. And, if you didn’t google and then buy a trendy patio dress (yep, muumuus are back!) to wear while hosting your next barbeque, you’ve missed the memo.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #TheFiveStarWeekend from #NetGalley.