Golden Girl
- Downloads：7589
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-05-29 08:31:13
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Elin Hilderbrand
- ISBN：B08LD4GXQ8
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Ceecee
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3。5 rounded up。 Vivian Howe is a best selling author of ‘beach novels’。 She’s divorced from JP and they have three grown up children。 Early one morning she’s killed in a hit and run and she ascends into The Beyond where she is greeted by Hermès scarf wearing Martha。 She’s granted 75 VWs （viewing windows） in a limited time period and three nudges to influence outcomes on earth。 She has to use them wisely to help her children who have more issues than she knows。 The story is told via several persp 3。5 rounded up。 Vivian Howe is a best selling author of ‘beach novels’。 She’s divorced from JP and they have three grown up children。 Early one morning she’s killed in a hit and run and she ascends into The Beyond where she is greeted by Hermès scarf wearing Martha。 She’s granted 75 VWs （viewing windows） in a limited time period and three nudges to influence outcomes on earth。 She has to use them wisely to help her children who have more issues than she knows。 The story is told via several perspectives in the present and the past。 This is a well written novel which combines the mystery of who killed Vivi which is investigated by Nantucket Police Chief Ed Kapenash （who is a repeat character） and it’s about overcoming grief， confronting the truth and acknowledging the past which is where the title comes in。 I really like the premise and the imaginative way The Beyond plays out as we learn Vivi's secrets as well as those of her family and where their truth lies。 I enjoy how Martha gets her precious and valuable Hermès scarves which is admirable justice！ The characters are good although they are all flawed in some way but that does tend to make them more interesting。 The insights into Vivi are good and you also come to realise that she’s been too busy with her career to notice what’s really going on in her children’s lives。 I like their points of view and understanding just how damaged they are to a lesser or greater degree and all are struggling with issues。 The family dynamics are good and not just in Vivi's immediate family either。 It does have a bit of everything， there’s some humour to alleviate some of the heaviness， there’s romance and scandalous affairs， there’s the nostalgia of first love， there’s a bit of suspense and of course， the mystery of the car driver which in the end doesn’t come as much of a surprise。 The Nantucket setting is， of course， wonderful！ However， on the negative side it’s very slow in places and I find my mind wandering and it’s way too long。 There are multiple points of view and I’m not entirely convinced that all are needed。Overall， I really enjoyed 28 Summers but don’t find that this one grabs me in the same way despite loving the premise。 With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the arc in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Louise Wilson
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3，5 stars rounded up to 4Vivian Howe， author of thirteen beach novels and mother of three young adults， is killed in a hit and run car accident near her home in Nantucket。 She ascends to the Beyond where she is assigned to a Person named Martha， who agrees Vivi death was unfair。 Martha allows Vivi to watch what happens below with her children。 her best friend and her ex-husband。 Martha gives Vivi three "nudges" so that she might influence the outcome of events in the world of the living。 Vivi di 3，5 stars rounded up to 4Vivian Howe， author of thirteen beach novels and mother of three young adults， is killed in a hit and run car accident near her home in Nantucket。 She ascends to the Beyond where she is assigned to a Person named Martha， who agrees Vivi death was unfair。 Martha allows Vivi to watch what happens below with her children。 her best friend and her ex-husband。 Martha gives Vivi three "nudges" so that she might influence the outcome of events in the world of the living。 Vivi discovers her children's secrets， watches the investigation of her death and worries about a secret from her youth。You need to stretch your imagination a little bit whilst reading this book， it borders credulity。 It's part mystery and comedy but it will also pull at your heart strings。 Vivi's children all have problems: Willa is pregnant with Vivi's first grandchild， she's already had three miscarriages。 Carson is a drug addict who's having an affair with a married man。 Leo is coming to terms with his own truths。 Vivi was also concerned about the release of her new book， she already has thirteen beach reads published。 Chief Ed Kapenash is investigating the hit and run accident。The characters are well developed but flawed。 With heartfelt and humorous moments， there's also scandalous affairs， paranormal elements， grief and a murder mystery。 The story is told from multiple points of view。 the pace is steady in this well written book that held my attention throughout。I would like to thank #NetGalley #HodderStoughton and the author #ElinHilderbrand for my ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
TheBerryBookReport
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Summer reading is never complete without a Hilderbrand novel thrown into the mix！ I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of Golden Girl and buddy read it with Kendra， JoJo and Bren。 The best part of reading it？ The buddy read banter with these lovely ladies！I have a love/hate with Elin's books。 Some are profound and have stuck with me， while others feel very formulaic and try-hard。 This was definitely the standard Nantucket setting we expect， with a twist on story line。 I found myself struggl Summer reading is never complete without a Hilderbrand novel thrown into the mix！ I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of Golden Girl and buddy read it with Kendra， JoJo and Bren。 The best part of reading it？ The buddy read banter with these lovely ladies！I have a love/hate with Elin's books。 Some are profound and have stuck with me， while others feel very formulaic and try-hard。 This was definitely the standard Nantucket setting we expect， with a twist on story line。 I found myself struggling with the fact that Elin glorified herself and essentially wrote all about her: her life， her death， her experience in the Beyond， hearing the lovely things said about her after she died。 I mean。。。felt a bit ego-centric to me， but to each their own。With that being said。。。I was sucked in hard。 I had to find out how one finishes a story about their own death and it was definitely an interesting ride。 I just don't know if this was truly what she was aiming for it to be。 To me it felt like she wanted this to be her true breakout， different-for-her， profound， moving work of art。 It was good！ I enjoyed it， but it felt a little too narcissistic for my taste。 Will this be a smash hit for 2021 beach reading lists？ For sure！ Was it my favorite HIlderbrand？ Not by a long shot。 。。。more
Joan
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Vivian Howe lives on the island of Nantucket with her husband and their three children。 She is the islands most famous resident， a prolific and popular author of Women’s Fiction。 She has an envious home and lifestyle， her publication trips see her travelling for weeks， signing newly published novels。 Then her husband J P takes on a new recruit called Amy to help in his Wine business and this is where everything changes。 He is besotted with her and eventually decides he wants to be with her not o Vivian Howe lives on the island of Nantucket with her husband and their three children。 She is the islands most famous resident， a prolific and popular author of Women’s Fiction。 She has an envious home and lifestyle， her publication trips see her travelling for weeks， signing newly published novels。 Then her husband J P takes on a new recruit called Amy to help in his Wine business and this is where everything changes。 He is besotted with her and eventually decides he wants to be with her not only at work， but forever and 24/7。 He tells Vivi who moves out but her new home is modest and functional， certainly not on the same level as her marital home。 In fact it needs so much doing to it that she names it ‘The Money Pit’。Ten years on Vivi is still alone。 Her children are all grown up。 Willa， her firstborn daughter， is married。 She confides to her Mum that she is once again pregnant， after suffering the misfortune of having had three miscarriages。 Her second daughter Carson has a steady job at a cocktail bar。 She is a dab hand at making cocktails and has just been promoted。 Vivi’s only son is called Leo and he is due to leave the nest to go to Uni。 Vivi is used to socialising with J P and Amy even if Amy is still not so keen on mixing。 Her life is on an even keel and her fourteenth novel called 'Golden Girl' is due to be published soon。 She has never had a number one hit with her novels， but this one is super special， so who knows， this could be it。It is 19th June and the season on Nantucket has more or less started。 Vivi is out on her early morning run， enjoying the sun on her shoulders and the music on her play list， when Wham！ Vivi lies dead on the path， the victim of a hit-and-run driver。 Cruz， driving his car on his way to see his best friend Leo， sees Vivi on the pathway and is quick to summons help， calling for an ambulance on his mobile。 Meanwhile Vivi leaves her earthly life and ascends to the forever life， met by her personal guide who settles her in and shows her around。Her family， friends and followers are devastated。 Ed Kapenash， the local chief is assigned her case and his investigations are initiated。 Who killed Vivi？ So the story continues。I enjoyed this quirky novel which is nothing like any of Elin Hildebrand’s other beach reads。 It is different in so many ways。 The storytelling is vivid and interesting as always。 The characters are diverse and well developed throughout the story as usual。 But the storyboard differs wildly。 I’m not a believer of the afterlife， but this element of the novel didn’t disturb me at all。 I liked the idea of Vivi， a loving mother， being able to follow the lives of her children and even influence them if the time was right and her guide thought it was relevant。 The novel is just not one of my favourites。I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Hodder & Stoughton through my membership of NetGalley。 Thank you for my copy sent in return for an honest and unbiased review。 It’s a 3。5* review from me and I recommend it as an interesting read。 。。。more
Janet
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Date reviewed/posted: May 25， 2021Publication date: June 1， 2021When life for the entire galaxy and planet has turned on its end， you are continuing to #maskup and #lockdown to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation as the #thirdwave （ #fourthwave #fifthwave？） is upon us， superspeed readers like me can read 300+ pages/hour， so yes， I have read the book … and many more today。 Plus it is hot as all heck and nothing is more appealing than sitting in front of a fan with a kindle。！I requested and received a Date reviewed/posted: May 25， 2021Publication date: June 1， 2021When life for the entire galaxy and planet has turned on its end， you are continuing to #maskup and #lockdown to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation as the #thirdwave （ #fourthwave #fifthwave？） is upon us， superspeed readers like me can read 300+ pages/hour， so yes， I have read the book … and many more today。 Plus it is hot as all heck and nothing is more appealing than sitting in front of a fan with a kindle。！I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley， the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review。 From the publisher， as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews， I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸。On a perfect June day， Vivian Howe， author of thirteen beach novels and mother of three nearly-grown children， is killed in a hit-and-run car accident while jogging near her home on Nantucket。 She ascends to the Beyond where she's assigned to a Person named Martha， who allows Vivi to watch what happens below for one last summer。 Vivi also is granted three “nudges” to change the outcome of events on earth， and with her daughter， Willa on her third miscarriage， Carson partying until all hours， and Leo currently “off again” with his high-maintenance girlfriend， she’ll have to think carefully where to use them。From the Beyond， Vivi watches “The Chief” Ed Kapenash investigate her death， but her greatest worry is her final book， which contains a secret from her own youth that could be disastrous for her reputation。 But when hidden truths come to light， Vivi’s family will have to sort out their past and present mistakes—with or without a nudge of help from above—while Vivi finally lets them grow without her。With all of Elin’s trademark beach scenes， mouth-watering meals， and picture-perfect homes， plus a heartfelt message—the people we lose never really leave us—Golden Girl is a beach book unlike any other。Having read another librarians' ARC of this， I was delighted to be approved so I could add in my review as well。 It is not summer without Nantucket and Elin Hilderbrand！ Her latest novel was a delight to read: sun， sand， sex， family issues 。。。 all families have issues so it is nice to make fun of other people's problems， right？ （lol） I will recommend this book to friends， family， patrons， bookclubs and strangers on the tube who are reading: I find that once they figure out that I am a Canadian and not a Trump-loving MAGA-idiot they like to discuss books。 （lol！）Take this book to the beach （or your back yard， porch or balcony） and enjoy it - just wear a tonne of SPF110 as you will lose track of time as you read this。 - If we are in the 5th or 6th wave/mutation of COVID19 by then， stay inside: no tan is worth dying for。 #maddogsandenglishmenAs always， I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I simply adore emojis （outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube Millionaires/snowflakes / literally-like-overusers etc。 " on Instagram and Twitter。。。 Get a real job， people！） so let's give it 🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️ 。。。more
Cammie
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Elin Hilderbrand has done it again。。。and by "it" I mean written a spectacular novel！I must admit that I was little bit wary of the premise of Golden Girl when I first heard about it some months ago--the main character was DEAD and watching her family grieve her death。 This did not sound like the lighthearted， fun， escapist beach reads that I am used to from my favorite summer novelist。 However， Golden Girl still includes the family drama， the romance， the suspense， and the BEACH that are signatu Elin Hilderbrand has done it again。。。and by "it" I mean written a spectacular novel！I must admit that I was little bit wary of the premise of Golden Girl when I first heard about it some months ago--the main character was DEAD and watching her family grieve her death。 This did not sound like the lighthearted， fun， escapist beach reads that I am used to from my favorite summer novelist。 However， Golden Girl still includes the family drama， the romance， the suspense， and the BEACH that are signatures of Hilderbrand's writing。 As Willa， Carson， and Leo deal with their mother's death， they each find themselves and discover that they can and will survive without her （most likely because of her）。 The suspense created when Vivian's past crashed into the present when her book， Golden Girl， was published was so clever too。 I really hope that Elin writes a short story to update readers in about a year because I really want to know what happens with Willa， Carson， and Leo after this next year of finding themselves following their mother's death。 I think that's a good possibility considering she's done that for her last two summer novels。 （Fingers crossed！） 。。。more
Alicia
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I still remember picking up my first Elin Hilderbrand book while on summer vacation with my family in Florida。 IT was a mass market paperback copy of Nantucket Nights and since that day， I have been hooked on Elin Hidlrerband and dreaming of a vacation one day to Nantucket during the summer。 One of the favorite parts of summer for me is grabbing her new book on release day and spending a weekend at the pool being transported to Nantucket。 Lately， I've got a fun October blast of Nantucket， but no I still remember picking up my first Elin Hilderbrand book while on summer vacation with my family in Florida。 IT was a mass market paperback copy of Nantucket Nights and since that day， I have been hooked on Elin Hidlrerband and dreaming of a vacation one day to Nantucket during the summer。 One of the favorite parts of summer for me is grabbing her new book on release day and spending a weekend at the pool being transported to Nantucket。 Lately， I've got a fun October blast of Nantucket， but nothing sounds as heavenly as Nantucket during the summer。Golden Girl did not disappoint。I almost balked at the description because I'm not much for "supernatural" books， but I think Ms。 Hilderbrand made it blend perfectly with the story and not too heavy hands or overly religious。 The story was intriguing and the perfect beach read。 A little mystery， some family drama set against a familiar backdrop。 I appreciated the characters from past novels and even the tidbits of the Black History of Nantucket。 I devoured this book quickly during a weekend as I wanted to know who hit Vivi and felt like part of the family and wanted to see how the summer turned out for everyone。 I hope we get to see Willa， Carson， and Leo （ and maybe even Amy） in a new books。******Spoiler Alert**********I did think the Cruz/Leo storyline felt a little forced。 I wanted to root for them， but they built them as so brother like during the first part， that it seemed a little out of place 。。。more
Gea
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Written in Elin Hildebrand's unique style， Golden Girl offers an unusual and emotional perspective on life for those left behind after a loss。 It's a time of second chances for Vivi Howe's 3 children after she is tragically killed in a hit and run accident。 Vivi" is allowed three "nudges" that will alter the decisions and lives of her three children。and others。 A really great read， except I do hope the citizens of Nantucket don't do as much drunk driving as is depicted in this book！ Written in Elin Hildebrand's unique style， Golden Girl offers an unusual and emotional perspective on life for those left behind after a loss。 It's a time of second chances for Vivi Howe's 3 children after she is tragically killed in a hit and run accident。 Vivi" is allowed three "nudges" that will alter the decisions and lives of her three children。and others。 A really great read， except I do hope the citizens of Nantucket don't do as much drunk driving as is depicted in this book！ 。。。more
Theresa
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Every time I read an Elin Hilderbrand book， I think， "This is the best one！" I don't think her books can get any better。。。and then。。。I read the next one。Golden Girl is the story of Vivi， a divorced Nantucket writer and mother of three。 Sound like anyone we know？ I am DYING for the Target edition of this book to come out because there is an essay on how much of this story is true。 I feel like Elin gave us a glimpse into her life and who she is with this book。 Vivi is vivacious and fun and doesn' Every time I read an Elin Hilderbrand book， I think， "This is the best one！" I don't think her books can get any better。。。and then。。。I read the next one。Golden Girl is the story of Vivi， a divorced Nantucket writer and mother of three。 Sound like anyone we know？ I am DYING for the Target edition of this book to come out because there is an essay on how much of this story is true。 I feel like Elin gave us a glimpse into her life and who she is with this book。 Vivi is vivacious and fun and doesn't come from money but her college roommate invites her to Nantucket and she goes and falls in love with it and with a particular guy。 They get married and have a family。 She writes books。 And one day， she is out running and gets hit by a car。 This story touched on what it means to be Black in America。 It was light， but it was there and I appreciated it。 。。。more
Dakota
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Different than other novels I've read by Hilderbrand， Golden Girl had a fantastical element to it which was odd at first but I soon grew to enjoy it。 I became completely invested in the Howe family and needed to know who hit Vivi。 Listening to this on audio was enjoyable and kept my attention which typically takes a good audiobook to do so。 I think Hilderbrand fans will like this one even if it is a little different than her usual novels。 But with the sights and sounds of Nantucket， you still ge Different than other novels I've read by Hilderbrand， Golden Girl had a fantastical element to it which was odd at first but I soon grew to enjoy it。 I became completely invested in the Howe family and needed to know who hit Vivi。 Listening to this on audio was enjoyable and kept my attention which typically takes a good audiobook to do so。 I think Hilderbrand fans will like this one even if it is a little different than her usual novels。 But with the sights and sounds of Nantucket， you still get the feel of summertime and a little mystery to go along with it。 。。。more
Dina
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So grateful for an ARC of this book。 It broke me out of my reading slump。 It was nice to visit Nantucket again through one of her lovely books。
Patricia Romero
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Is it even summer if we don’t have a beach read from Hilderbrand？Ah， but this one broke my heart。 And the main character reminds me of the author！Vivian Howe is the author of 13 books， she lives in Nantucket， has three children， all young adults and in a second she is killed in a hit and run。 She is taken by a woman named Martha to the Beyond。 She will be Vivi’s person。 She lets Vivi have the summer to watch her kids and she allows her three nudges。She watches her friends and children deal with Is it even summer if we don’t have a beach read from Hilderbrand？Ah， but this one broke my heart。 And the main character reminds me of the author！Vivian Howe is the author of 13 books， she lives in Nantucket， has three children， all young adults and in a second she is killed in a hit and run。 She is taken by a woman named Martha to the Beyond。 She will be Vivi’s person。 She lets Vivi have the summer to watch her kids and she allows her three nudges。She watches her friends and children deal with her death。 She watches the investigation。 She longs to go back。The nudges are for influencing the outcome of things in real-time。 She worries about her children hurting and her secrets coming out。This had all the charm of Nantucket and all of the emotions you could imagine yourself feeling if you were in her shoes。 I cried so hard during this book and I will do it all over again！NetGalley/June 1st， 2021 by Little， Brown， and Company 。。。more
Debbie Carreiro
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As an avid reader of Elin’s this has to be one of her very best。 I had so many emotions with this one。 It is a reminder to always take the high road， and live like it’s your last day。
Alicia
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I think this is one my most favorite Elin Hildebrand books！ I really enjoyed the main protagonist， Vivi， as she deals with her own death from above and seeing the love for her kids shine through。 I finished this on Mother's Day morning and even though the plot is sad， the story is very uplifting。 I feel it shows the effect we， as moms， have on our kids and how much they have on us。 Very enjoyable！ I think this is one my most favorite Elin Hildebrand books！ I really enjoyed the main protagonist， Vivi， as she deals with her own death from above and seeing the love for her kids shine through。 I finished this on Mother's Day morning and even though the plot is sad， the story is very uplifting。 I feel it shows the effect we， as moms， have on our kids and how much they have on us。 Very enjoyable！ 。。。more
Rae
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Loved this book！ I thought it might be depressing。 It was the opposite！ I became very invested the the entire family。 I hope this will become a new series！
Emmy Griffith
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For so long， I’ve said that The Blue Bistro is my favorite standalone Elin Hilderbrand; that slot now has a serious competitor with her new release， Golden Girl。 When Vivian Howe， beloved author of beach read bestsellers 😉， is killed in a hit and run， she is granted the rest of summer to watch over her （nearly） grown children and use 3 “nudges” to change outcomes。This book really hit home for me as a mom; how will I be remembered by my children？ How will they cope without me？ While I have been f For so long， I’ve said that The Blue Bistro is my favorite standalone Elin Hilderbrand; that slot now has a serious competitor with her new release， Golden Girl。 When Vivian Howe， beloved author of beach read bestsellers 😉， is killed in a hit and run， she is granted the rest of summer to watch over her （nearly） grown children and use 3 “nudges” to change outcomes。This book really hit home for me as a mom; how will I be remembered by my children？ How will they cope without me？ While I have been fortunate to not deal with the loss of a parent myself， the grief from her children felt very real and raw。In addition to following Vivian’s kids as they learn to live in a world without her in it， we also follow Chief Ed Kapenash （who you will recognize from other books if you’re an Elin fan！） as he tries to solve the mystery of the hit and run。 Family drama and dynamics， love stories， and friendship， all set in Nantucket （which always serves as a character itself in her books！） - this one was a 5 star read for me。 Get your tissues ready。CW - loss of a parent， drug use 。。。more
Julia | gameofreading
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Elin Hilderbrand delivers again！ Every time I think Elin can't get any better or have a new angle in a Nantucket story， she proves me wrong！ This was a great story of a family who lost their mother in a tragic accident， but she didn't go too far。 It really made me feel like loved ones I've lost have been watching over me and nudging me in the exact right direction。 Another 5 star， perfect summer read from the queen of summer reads！Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exc Elin Hilderbrand delivers again！ Every time I think Elin can't get any better or have a new angle in a Nantucket story， she proves me wrong！ This was a great story of a family who lost their mother in a tragic accident， but she didn't go too far。 It really made me feel like loved ones I've lost have been watching over me and nudging me in the exact right direction。 Another 5 star， perfect summer read from the queen of summer reads！Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Tiffany Breyne
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Like all EH books， this one reliably has a lot of characters and overlapping storylines， which I generally love in a book。 While I didenjoy it， it sometimes felt like there too much going on。 There were so many main characters that I often thought， "I haven't heard from [character] in awhile。" With the nonlinear plot， a murder mystery， and a grieving family， there's a lot packed into this book。 Still worth a read for EH/family saga fans。 Like all EH books， this one reliably has a lot of characters and overlapping storylines， which I generally love in a book。 While I didenjoy it， it sometimes felt like there too much going on。 There were so many main characters that I often thought， "I haven't heard from [character] in awhile。" With the nonlinear plot， a murder mystery， and a grieving family， there's a lot packed into this book。 Still worth a read for EH/family saga fans。 。。。more
Pam Page
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This is by far my favorite Elin Hilderbrand book。 Despite it taking place on Nantucket， it is different than her regular beach reads （which I love also）。 I loved the way Elin kept me wondering about Vivi's past and her death throughout the entire book。 So enjoyable from start to finish！ This is by far my favorite Elin Hilderbrand book。 Despite it taking place on Nantucket， it is different than her regular beach reads （which I love also）。 I loved the way Elin kept me wondering about Vivi's past and her death throughout the entire book。 So enjoyable from start to finish！ 。。。more
Lisa M
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Elin hits a new high with Golden Girl。 It is one of the most beautifully written books I have read。 The author reminds us just how precious life and family is， and how we shouldn’t take either for granted。 There is a bit of a murder mystery on Nantucket， as beloved author Vivi Howe is killed by a hit and run driver。 Definitely a summer must read！ Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this wonderful ARC。
Beth
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I'm a Hiderbrand fan and look forward to her Nantucket novels every summer。 Her latest doesn't disappoint。When 50-something Nantucket novelists Vivian Howe is hit by a car when out for daily morning run， her death and the search for the hit and run driver sets off a fat-reaching chain of events。 We hear from Vivian in heaven limbo and from those she left behind。 There are fun literary references， not only to Hilderbrand's own books but also to other writers and the book world in general。 The dra I'm a Hiderbrand fan and look forward to her Nantucket novels every summer。 Her latest doesn't disappoint。When 50-something Nantucket novelists Vivian Howe is hit by a car when out for daily morning run， her death and the search for the hit and run driver sets off a fat-reaching chain of events。 We hear from Vivian in heaven limbo and from those she left behind。 There are fun literary references， not only to Hilderbrand's own books but also to other writers and the book world in general。 The drama， the food， the relationships， the satisfactory ending -- put this on your summer reading list。Audiobook fans will be relieved that Erin Bennett was available to narrate。 She and Hilderbrand make a perfect audiobook marriage。 。。。more
Nicole Toft
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Hilderbrand does not disappoint。 I enjoyed the hell out this novel set in Nantucket。 Our main character， Vivi， gets killed in a hit and run in the very beginning of the book， but she remains our main character because she is allowed to watch her family for the summer and has three nudges to help them along if they need it。 The aftermath of Vivi’s death causes chaos and heartbreak for her daughters， Willa and Carson， and her son， Leo。 Throw in her ex-husband， her best friend， her ex-boyfriend and Hilderbrand does not disappoint。 I enjoyed the hell out this novel set in Nantucket。 Our main character， Vivi， gets killed in a hit and run in the very beginning of the book， but she remains our main character because she is allowed to watch her family for the summer and has three nudges to help them along if they need it。 The aftermath of Vivi’s death causes chaos and heartbreak for her daughters， Willa and Carson， and her son， Leo。 Throw in her ex-husband， her best friend， her ex-boyfriend and the muster of who hit her into the mix， and the reader has a page-turner of a novel。 。。。more
Jodi Golis
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This is my favorite Elin Hilderbrand ever！ I was hooked from the beginning。 This book， as a woman and as mother especially， was everything I never new I wanted and needed！ Famous author， Vivi Howe， is victim of a hit and run but is able to spend the summer watching and “nudging” her loved ones。 Elin touched all my mom buttons - What will happen when I’m gone and not able to do everything？ And maybe some nostalgic buttons - Does my high school boyfriend think of me fondly （and could possibly have This is my favorite Elin Hilderbrand ever！ I was hooked from the beginning。 This book， as a woman and as mother especially， was everything I never new I wanted and needed！ Famous author， Vivi Howe， is victim of a hit and run but is able to spend the summer watching and “nudging” her loved ones。 Elin touched all my mom buttons - What will happen when I’m gone and not able to do everything？ And maybe some nostalgic buttons - Does my high school boyfriend think of me fondly （and could possibly have written a love song about us 30 years ago！？！） I Hope everyone reading this review loved this book as much as I did！ 。。。more
Laura Jones
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I'm sure I say this every time I read a new Elin Hilderbrand novel， but I'm going to say it once again。 This is my new favorite Elin Hilderbrand book。 It carries all of Elin's trademark drama， scandal， and beach read goodness， while also being set in Nantucket， the place her readers have come to know and love through her novels。 In Golden Girl， we see well known Nantucket restaurants and shops which Elin herself frequents， such as Mitchell's Book Corner and The Chicken Box。 The main character in I'm sure I say this every time I read a new Elin Hilderbrand novel， but I'm going to say it once again。 This is my new favorite Elin Hilderbrand book。 It carries all of Elin's trademark drama， scandal， and beach read goodness， while also being set in Nantucket， the place her readers have come to know and love through her novels。 In Golden Girl， we see well known Nantucket restaurants and shops which Elin herself frequents， such as Mitchell's Book Corner and The Chicken Box。 The main character in this book， Vivian Howe， has so many similarities to Elin herself， that it was almost eerie to read the book， imagining Elin as Vivian。 it got me wondering if any of the backstory about Vivian was based on Elin's actual backstory。 Like Elin， Vivian is divorced and has 3 children， lives on Nantucket， and has authored over a dozen beach reads。 They even drink the same Veuve Clicquot champagne， wear Jessica Hicks jewelry and love Mystique sandals。 It's been a joy to follow Elin on her social media for so many years and be able to recognize all of her favorite things that are loved by her characters。 She even has Vivian recommend two books to another character near the end of the novel that Elin herself recommend to her readers on her social media - Hamnet and Sea Wife。 I read both and loved them， based upon Elin's recommendation！ Very cool to see little sprinkles of Elin's life shine through in the dynamically drawn character of Vivian。 New York Times bestselling author， Vivian Howe is in her 50's， living her best life in Nantucket， anxiously anticipating the release of her new beach read titled Golden Girl， when she is killed tragically in a hit and run accident while out on her daily run through the neighborhood。 After such a sudden， heartbreaking loss， Vivi's family， best friend Savannah， ex-husband， recent boyfriend， and the whole Nantucket community are reeling， as they try to piece together what really happened to their very own Golden Girl。 Hilderbrand's beloved character， Chief Ed Kapenash makes an appearance in Golden Girl， as he works to investigate the hit and run and bring closure to Vivi's family。 Meanwhile in the Beyond， Vivi， is assigned to a lady named Martha who will be her "Person，" helping her through the summer and allowing her three nudges as she watches over her children for one final summer before joining the Heavenly Choir。 Martha and her backstory is a bit of hoot in itself， causing me to laugh out loud when it was revealed。 Secrets are uncovered as Vivi watched over her three children， Willa， Carson， and Leo。 Each have their own drama going on， causing Vivi to be rather selective in the use of her motherly nudges from the Beyond。 Hilderbrand's 27th novel， Golden Girl is a beautiful tribute to honor those who are gone too soon。 It's also a love letter to both summer time and Nantucket。 There are both hilarious and heartfelt moments。 There is also tender romance， scandalous affairs， and complicated sibling relationships， which all combine to make a compulsively binge-able novel。 Golden Girl is truly Elin at her finest。 Absolutely adored this book and I hope you do as well。 Thank you to LibroFM and Hachette Audio for providing me with an early listening copy of this amazing book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Lisa Konet
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This was the best stand alone Elin Hilderbrand novel I have read in a long time！ It weaves many Nantucket families and those outsiders who have become longtime natives with family， death， grief， lies and so much more。 This was not predictable in any point and I was beginning to figure out towards the end， like it should be， who was responsible for tragedy。VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as 'the summer read" even if it is not quite summer yet。 A must read if you also love Elin Hilderbrand books。 Just wow This was the best stand alone Elin Hilderbrand novel I have read in a long time！ It weaves many Nantucket families and those outsiders who have become longtime natives with family， death， grief， lies and so much more。 This was not predictable in any point and I was beginning to figure out towards the end， like it should be， who was responsible for tragedy。VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as 'the summer read" even if it is not quite summer yet。 A must read if you also love Elin Hilderbrand books。 Just wow。 I took my time reading this because I wanted to enjoy it。Thanks to Netgalley， Elin Hilderbrand and Little Brown & Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。Available: 6/1/21 。。。more
Kelly Faulkner
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Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review。 This book lived up to every expectation I had for it。 The story line had a lot of characters， as most of Elin’s books do， but yet again I found myself loving each of them。 The formatting of so many different chapters/character point of views kept my interested peaked so much that I couldn’t put it down。 The story in itself was heart breaking， exciting， and a little suspenseful as Vivi watched over and occasionally guided her fam Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review。 This book lived up to every expectation I had for it。 The story line had a lot of characters， as most of Elin’s books do， but yet again I found myself loving each of them。 The formatting of so many different chapters/character point of views kept my interested peaked so much that I couldn’t put it down。 The story in itself was heart breaking， exciting， and a little suspenseful as Vivi watched over and occasionally guided her family and friends through the summer。 It made me want to call my family and tell them how much I love them。 。。。more
Michelle
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A creative and entertaining family drama with mystery， this novel is full of interesting plot lines。 Elin Hilderbrand creates believable characters and I never figured out the mystery （but liked the resolution）！ The novel handles grief， past choices， love and family relationships。 The perspective of Vivi from death （and what that world looks like） is different， but I liked the creativity of it and what it allowed us （the readers） to see！ This is a well crafted work and was a satisfying and compe A creative and entertaining family drama with mystery， this novel is full of interesting plot lines。 Elin Hilderbrand creates believable characters and I never figured out the mystery （but liked the resolution）！ The novel handles grief， past choices， love and family relationships。 The perspective of Vivi from death （and what that world looks like） is different， but I liked the creativity of it and what it allowed us （the readers） to see！ This is a well crafted work and was a satisfying and compelling read。 。。。more
Jennifer
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I liked this a lot。 A minimal amount of dramatic plot compared to her other books （I'm looking at you Night Road）。 But also not as fluffy as some of her other beach reads （I see you Winter Street series）。 A quick read， enjoyable characters。 I liked this a lot。 A minimal amount of dramatic plot compared to her other books （I'm looking at you Night Road）。 But also not as fluffy as some of her other beach reads （I see you Winter Street series）。 A quick read， enjoyable characters。 。。。more
Tara | Booktenders
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4。5 / 5 stars rounded up！ I predict this will be the ‘It Book’ of Summer 2021。 The premise is sublime。 A Nantucket novelist arrives in Heaven after she is suddenly killed in a hit-and-run accident。 There she is given one last summer to watch （and nudge） what happens below with her children， her ex-husband， and even an old high school boyfriend。 I devoured it。 Read this when you are in the mood for a whimsical story that is also a charming celebration of life。 It is a ‘beach read’ version of the 4。5 / 5 stars rounded up！ I predict this will be the ‘It Book’ of Summer 2021。 The premise is sublime。 A Nantucket novelist arrives in Heaven after she is suddenly killed in a hit-and-run accident。 There she is given one last summer to watch （and nudge） what happens below with her children， her ex-husband， and even an old high school boyfriend。 I devoured it。 Read this when you are in the mood for a whimsical story that is also a charming celebration of life。 It is a ‘beach read’ version of the movie It’s a Wonderful Life。 Best paired with a bottle of Cliff Lede Cabarnet and bourbon-marinated steak tips。 XO， Tara 。。。more
Linda Quinn
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