Perhaps I should review this book for a predominantly YA audience, as I was not feeling it as a twenty year reader of Elin’s previous books. She collaborated with her daughter, and while I applaud this joint venture, for me it was pretty clear who wrote what. I just could not get into the storyline or characters. But that’s not to say that others won’t enjoy. We are taken into the world of New England boarding schools, which is rich w fodder. Secrets abound. Lives will change for all. Recommended for public libraries. After all it *is* Elin Hilderbrand. .

This book was an absolute delight. Juicy, mysterious and fun set against a richly drawn setting. I loved how the authors used so many different narrators and felt that it added a lot to the story, especially when it switched between faculty and students. I wish I could step onto the campus of Tiffins, it was described in such an interesting, beautiful way. There was one end that didn’t get wrapped up which makes me hopeful that the authors will continue to write within this world. This is going to be such a fun read for Fall 2025!

I was a bit skeptical about a type of book from Elin - without a Nantucket Summer read - however I really enjoyed this - much more than I expected. Looking forward to the continued success of the mother daughter duo and can't wait to for the next installation of the series

Elin Hildenbrand is a great story teller and I have always loved her books. A good escape, great for a weekend afternoon read and this one did not disappoint either. Thanks for the advanced read.

I struggled to fully engage with this title. Rather than having a smooth, cohesive flow, it felt as though two distinct writing styles were at play. The adult storyline was well-written and flowed naturally, but the student sections lacked clarity in terms of point of view. The author’s opinions were frequently inserted directly into the narrative, making it difficult to form my own judgment about the students. While I understand this is an ARC, I also noticed several sentence fragments throughout. Overall, the premise had great potential, but it didn’t quite live up to it.

It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy, and this year not only brings the new ranking as second-best boarding school in America by America Today but also a new fifth year student. Charley Hicks.
Charley Hicks is an outcast- she’s a book worm, confident in her self (and old school style) and is not interested in making friends.
As the year progress so does the rumors. Friendships and relationships and secrets are made and broken.

I’ve read most of Elin Hildebrand’s work, and while I’m excited she’s taking a soft retirement approach- I still wanted a little more from this book.
This book definitely has a Hilderbrand book feel- lots of different characters and their POV. With each POV of view we get a hint at secret or backstory. Typically, we see the resolution with these dangled carrots, but not in this book. I didn’t realize when I started this book that it was part of a series which ultimately left me disappointed at the end. There was so many secrets building up but not resolution.
UGH, I want to know what’s on that email attachment.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC in return for my honest review.

BOARDING SCHOOOOOOL, take me away! I love this setting for a story; it's exciting and leaves me wanting more in similar settings. This was overall a really well constructed story. Really cool to see Elin and her daughter writing together! Shelby, welcome to the club! :)

This was fantastic! I do not read adult books very often, especially by household name authors such as Elin Hilderbrand. I enjoyed this one very much!

I had a very hard time determining who was speaking in many parts of the book. Lots of things in the book were predicted, which isn’t always a bad thing. This book covered a few deep topics suicide & eating disorder, but we’re never discussed at all except to say Cinnamon was no longer there, Charlie took her room, and Davi was throwing up. How did she stop doing this? Did she seek a counselor? Were her parents confronted? Lots of big lead ups with no answers..Dubs email from Cinnamon? Guess that will be another book?

This one started out slow for me and I almost threw in the towel at 30% but I kept going and ended up really enjoying the book. I feel like there were too many characters to try and keep track of and really disliked most of the adults (maybe I was supposed to?), but I loved the setting and the teens, and am looking forward to the next installation.

Book Review: The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand’s and Shelby Cunningham's The Academy is an addictive, character-driven novel that perfectly blends the elite drama of Gossip Girl with the heartfelt relationships of Gilmore Girls. Set in a prestigious New England boarding school, the story immerses readers in a world of privilege, ambition, and scandal, all wrapped in Hilderbrand’s signature storytelling and Cunningham's first-hand knowledge.

The novel follows a diverse cast of students navigating friendships, rivalries, and family pressures while uncovering secrets that threaten to upend their lives. The richly drawn characters and their intertwining stories make for an unputdownable read, full of sharp dialogue and emotional depth. Hilderbrand masterfully captures the intoxicating allure of an exclusive academic setting, where power plays and whispered secrets keep the pages turning.

If you love stories set in elite circles with a mix of heart and intrigue, The Academy is a must-read. It’s the perfect escape for fans of coming-of-age drama, where every chapter feels like an episode of a binge-worthy series.

Boarding school with so many characters (you'll love some and you'll hate others). Charley is every girl that didn't fit in and would rather read than socialize. What a dream to be able to leave a home life that just isn't satisfactory to go to boarding school. though.. I'm a fan of Elin's and I love the addition of her daughter, Shelby. What a fun, enlightening read.

The queen of beach reads and her daughter take on the elite boarding school world in "The Academy." I love Elin's Nantucket novels and while this one had all of her signature parts - a cast of relatable and complicated characters, a beautiful setting, rich people behaving badly, sumptuous descriptions of food and fashion - something was just missing for me. And I think it might be Nantucket. While it was fun to follow the hijinks of adults and students on the campus of Tiffin Academy, I don't daydream about attending a boarding school. And that's not Elin or Shelby's fault. Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the sequel, but I'll be returning to Nantucket novels for winter escapism.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for an ARC copy of “The Academy” in exchange for an honest review.

Is a boarding school really that different from an island? This is still very much an Elon Hilderbrand book for all the reasons I love her writing. She’s an amazing storyteller with such empathy for her characters. And she’s such a good writer!

Thanks so much for allowing me the chance to read this early!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGtyhzrMSWK/?igsh=MWI3M244NWtuZXVoZw==

I was very excited to read this book for a few reasons. I wanted to see how Elin Hilderbrand pivoted from adult romance and drama to teen romance and drama. I also wanted to see how a mother daughter duo co authored together. The Academy, a boarding school drama, is filled with all the things! Secrets, lies, relationships, and so much more. How does this small boarding school's ranking go to the 2nd spot in the country? I enjoyed this book a lot. The one thing that was a bit difficult, was keeping all of the characters straight. So many characters! But overall, I enjoyed this book.

Elin Hilderbrand has and will continue to be an auto-read author for me. I love the way her writing sucks you into the story and this book was no different. As someone who went to a prep school in high school I really loved reading about all the perspectives from students to teachers to administration. There were moments of depth and of lightheartedness. This was a great book and one I will be recommending for a summer read. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this!

This was exactly what I needed - something a little glossy and gossipy, but not vacuous. It’s a little like YA for adults, and I love YA.

Tiffin Academy’s staff and students are in for a dramatic school year, what with the head of school coming to grips with the academy’s new ranking, a new teacher behaving badly, students coming to terms with the death of a friend, and an influencer with an eating disorder. Then there’s the new girl finding her place, a gambling chef, an under-wraps love affair between teachers, and some teens building a secret speakeasy under the dorms.

There’s a big cast, and a lot going on, but the characters are well-developed, and their motives don’t get lost in the details.

Thanks to Little, Brown & Co. and NetGalley for the ARC!

I must admit I probably shouldn’t have requested this book as the material was fairly juvenile and I’m beyond wanting to know what happens in a high school. It was fine but nothing more than that.

“The Academy” by Elin Hilderbrand, co-authored with her daughter Shelby Cunningham, follows students at an exclusive New England boarding school. It delves into bullying, eating disorders, relationships, and drama. Perfect for fans of Gossip Girl. Looking forward to the next book.