Elin Hilderbrand's winter wonderland...plus a book giveaway

Today I am thrilled to introduce our latest author interview, Elin Hilderbrand. Not only is she a full time mom, author, and member of her community, but she is also (thankfully) a Breast Cancer Survivor. What better way to celebrate her than in October, during Breast Cancer Awareness month. I have read every single book that Elin has written and I'm proud to call myself one of her biggest fans. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ask Elin some personal questions and get to know a little more about her and what makes her so amazing. Melissa A and I were pleased to find out that she is a fan of Billy Joel, a musician we both love! Her latest novel, Winter Stroll, was published earlier this week. It is the sequel to Winter Street, which was published last year and is now on paperback. To celebrate, Little, Brown has THREE sets of both Winter Street and Winter Stroll to give away to some lucky US readers!

Thanks for joining us here at Chick Lit Central, Elin. We are so honored to have you! #mamastrong

Visit Elin at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

To which of all of your main characters have you felt the most connected? 
Of any of my main characters, I think I feel the most connected to Margaret Quinn in the WINTER STREET series. That's a current answer. I've been writing novels since before my kids were born so I personally have done a lot of growing and changing since my first novel was published; I've not only raised my kids into teenagers, I've gotten divorced, fought breast cancer and I'm in the midst of buying a big, beautiful house now. Margaret is a very busy, very high profile woman who sacrificed a lot of mommy time in order to focus on her career (she's the anchor of the CBS Evening News). I have my own guilt about being a working mother and so I made Margaret into a working mother hero as a guide to myself.

Do you have any writing rituals or superstitions when working on a new project?
Rituals: I write longhand, I work outside when the weather permits, if I'm inside and it's raining or gloomy I light candles in my Ted Muehling candlesticks which are very precious to me.

Do you listen to a specific playlist or band/artist when writing? 
I listen only to classical music when I'm writing. I was the same way in high school -- classical only during homework, otherwise I got distracted.

Do you have any hidden or odd talents? 
I know all the state capitals. And all of the presidents, in order.

Who has been the biggest inspiration to you in your life and why? 
I have a few heroes and all of them are self-made women, women who have done amazing things in their careers on their own: Diane von Fursternberg is a great example. Love her. She's gorgeous, strong, independent, successful, a mother and a grandmother, but most of all, she is herself. Her autobiography says it all: The Woman I Wanted to Be. I fell like I get closer to being the woman I always wanted to be very day -- still a few things yet to accomplish...

If you could time travel, what year(s) would you go to and why? 
As a 50th birthday present to myself, I'm planning on writing a novel called SUMMER '69 which will come out in summer 2019. I would love to be able to come back to Nantucket in 1969 and see how things were then. Luckily, I have friends in their 70s who still have sharp memories and who kept good photo albums...

Thanks to Elin for chatting with us and to Little, Brown for sharing her books with our readers.

~Introduction and interview by Melissa Patafio.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

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US only. Giveaway ends October 20th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Winter Street

By Amy Bromberg

Of all the beach reads that come out each summer, the one I look forward to most is Elin Hilderbrand's. She's known as the queen of summer reads. When I found out this past summer that she was going to be coming out with a holiday novel, I was just over the moon with excitement! And like of all her other novels, this one didn't disappoint.

Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four, all of them grown and living in varying states of disarray. Patrick, the eldest, is a hedge fund manager with a guilty conscience. Kevin, a bartender, is secretly sleeping with a French housekeeper named Isabelle. Ava, a school teacher, is finally dating the perfect guy but can't get him to commit. And Bart, the youngest and only child of Kelley's second marriage to Mitzi, has recently shocked everyone by joining the Marines.

As Christmas approaches, Kelley is looking forward to getting the family together for some quality time at the inn. But when he walks in on Mitzi kissing Santa Claus (or the guy who's playing Santa at the inn's annual party), utter chaos descends. With the three older children each reeling in their own dramas and Bart unreachable in Afghanistan, it might be up to Kelley's ex-wife, nightly news anchor Margaret Quinn, to save Christmas at the Winter Street Inn.

Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling, in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays. (Synopsis courtesy of Hachette.)

What we find at the core of this family is some dysfunction that each of the characters is going through. Just like a soap opera, their lives are intertwined. I became so wrapped up in each of them, I flew through the book in two days. Elin’s in-depth descriptions of the story’s atmosphere made me feel like I was a part of the Quinn family.

Like all of Elin's novels, this one takes place on Nantucket. After I read each of them, I always tell my husband we have to take a vacation there. Well, the reader now gets to see Nantucket in the winter, which Elin portrays beautifully. Unfortunately, I’ve never been to a bed and breakfast, but I picture one being just like the Quinns'; rustic, quaint, and cozy, with a “you’re at home” kind of atmosphere.

If you’re looking for a great book to read on a snowy weekend in front of the fireplace, definitely pick up Winter Street.

Thanks to Hachette for the book in exchange for an honest review. Visit their website for more information on Elin's novels.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Matchmaker

48-year-old Nantucketer Dabney Kimball Beech has always had a gift for matchmaking. Some call her ability mystical, while others - like her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech, and her daughter, Agnes, who is clearly engaged to the wrong man - call it meddlesome, but there's no arguing with her results: With 42 happy couples to her credit and all of them still together, Dabney has never been wrong about romance.

Never, that is, except in the case of herself and Clendenin Hughes, the green-eyed boy who took her heart with him long ago when he left the island to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist. Now, after spending 27 years on the other side of the world, Clen is back on Nantucket, and Dabney has never felt so confused, or so alive.

But when tragedy threatens her own second chance, Dabney must face the choices she's made and share painful secrets with her family. Determined to make use of her gift before it's too late, she sets out to find perfect matches for those she loves most. The Matchmaker is a heartbreaking new novel from Elin Hilderbrand about losing and finding love, even as you're running out of time. (Synopsis courtesy of Hachette.)

Amy Bromberg:

The Matchmaker is the latest from Elin Hilderbrand, who has been dubbed as the “Queen of the Summer Read.” I 100% agree with this because one, I love her novels, and two, I always have them on my beach read list. So it should come as no surprise that Elin has crafted another grand slam of a story.

Every summer while reading Elin’s newest release I’m always motivated to visit Nantucket. It’s a yearly mental vacation for me. Unfortunately, I haven’t visited the island yet, but I hope to very soon. With each new book I feel I know Nantucket that much better, be it the restaurants and boutique stores on Main Street, the beaches, and some characters that show up from time to time in other novels of hers.

I fell in love with Dabney from the very beginning of the story. Her adoration and zeal for Nantucket really touched my heart. Unfortunately you don’t see this very often, where someone is this dedicated to his or her town and community (at least I don’t). I love how she was also 100% devoted to her daughter, husband, and Clendenin. To say that she has a lot on her plate is an understatement.

Talk about a fantastic love story between Dabney and Clendenin. You know what they say, first loves never die. It’s very rare that first loves get a second chance later in life. Dabney and Clendenin were very lucky.

I was drawn in right from the get go and I couldn’t put this book down. That being said, it went by way too quickly. The Matchmaker is definitely one of my favorite books of 2014 so far. Be warned though; make sure you have a box of tissues near by for the end of the story.

As a side note,  I recently had the pleasure of seeing Elin again (my first time meeting her was at Book Expo America 2013) at Books and Greetings on July 11th. Yes, I was very happy!

Melissa Patafio:

I am a huge fan of Elin Hilderbrand and it is for a good reason. She somehow manages to put every major ingredient for a great book into her stories, every single time. The Matchmaker is another perfect example of Hilderbrand's ability to write with wisdom, empathy, honesty, and wit. I couldn't put this book down, literally. I devoured it within a day and was sad when I had to say goodbye to the characters that were so real to me for the duration of the story. I found myself thinking about this book long after I finished it, and I still do.

If you are looking for something to take to the beach, any of Hilderbrand's books are perfect, but this latest gem will not disappoint you. I was surprised by the twists and turns, even though sometimes there were clues that gave away what MIGHT happen, I was still pleasantly left wondering where it was taking me. As in all of her books, the Nantucket setting is brought to life with the mention of many of the wonderful places that make Nantucket a truly magical place. Having been lucky enough to visit the Island, I can envision exactly where the characters are and appreciate the beauty they are seeing throughout the story.

While the true basis of the story is ultimately heartbreaking, the hope and love that remains a constant theme kept me smiling. I love Elin's writing and her ability to connect us so wholly with the characters each and every time. If you have not read The Matchmaker yet, you are missing out!

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have THREE copies for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada!

Visit Elin's website to learn more about and purchase her novels.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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US/Canada only. Giveaway ends August 5th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Silver Girl

By Melissa Patafio

Meredith Delinn’s life has been turned upside down ever since her husband, Freddy, was indicted for cheating investors out of billions of dollars (a la Bernie Madoff). Meredith, cut off from her sons and ousted from her social circle, heads to Nantucket to seek solace at her oldest friend Constance Flute’s home. Once there, the ladies do their best to hide from the press as well as some angry investors that also spend their summer on Nantucket. Both Meredith and Constance are alone again, after years of marriage, but they do the best they can to be a shoulder for one another. Though the women were recently estranged, over the course of the summer they realize that sometimes true friendship can outlast hurt, heartbreak, and betrayal.

I think that this may be my favorite Elin Hilderbrand novel so far. Elin does a great job of making her characters life-like and relatable. There were points in the book that I felt panicked, angry or sad and I love when an author makes me feel the same emotions as the characters. I felt the pain, hurt and confusion that the characters felt as well as their resolve to move forward. The story never slowed down for me and the description was so vivid that I felt I was on the Island of Nantucket even after I had finished reading the book.

I didn’t want this book to end, yet I was dying to know how it would. I was so torn because I couldn’t put it down, yet I wanted to savor every word. I know many readers have not yet read any of Elin’s books because they are touted as “Summer Fluff” or simply as “Beach Reads”, but I really believe that you will not be disappointed. In fact, many of her books have a more serious undertone and deal with real life issues such as marriage, parenthood, infidelity and loss. Her story line, character development and crystal clear descriptions make for a great read ANY time of year! I definitely recommend “Silver Girl” to anyone looking to be swept away.

If you would like to know more about Elin, please see my recent interview.

Special thanks to Sarah Hausman of Meryl L. Moss Media Relations/Book Trib for the review copy.

More by Elin Hilderbrand:

Interview with Elin Hilderbrand

By Melissa Patafio
Today is a great day at Chick Lit Central! Elin Hilderbrand, author of "Silver Girl" and many other amazing novels, has taken the time to answer a few questions of mine. Elin is one of my favorite authors and I have NEVER been disappointed after reading one of her books. The first book of Elin's I read was "The Castaways" while I was on Nantucket and Cape Cod last summer and I am hooked. So for all of my fellow Elin Hilderbrand fans, enjoy! And for those of you that have yet to be introduced, I hope you will have the pleasure of reading one of her books very soon!

To learn more about Elin and her fabulous novels, visit her on
Facebook and Twitter.

1. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I've traveled pretty extensively already -- I've spent five winters living in Australia with my kids, and my husband and I have also taken them to Vietnam and Thailand. We've been to Chile, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Belize, Morocco, South Africa. We've trekked in the Himalayas in Nepal; we've been to Singapore and Hong Kong. So the places that remain on my list are: Macchu Picchu, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, Egypt, and some really good quality time in Paris (I've been there twice, but as a backpacker).

2. How do you come up with your story ideas? Are some inspired by real events that have taken place on Nantucket?
My story ideas come from a variety of places. The idea for my novel Silver Girl came from the real-life story of the Madoffs. However the novel I'm currently writing, Summerland, developed out of a serious situation at Nantucket High School; without getting into too many details, let's just say I decided I wanted to write about Nantucket's teenagers.

3. What made you decide to settle on Nantucket Island?
To paraphrase John Denver, when I arrived on Nantucket in 1993 at the age of 24, it was like coming home to a place I'd never been before. I came for the summer that year, and when August 31st rolled around, I had to leave and it was like having my heart ripped out. I knew then that I would be back for good -- and I was, the following summer.

Thanks to Elin for answering my questions and to Sarah Hausman from BookTrib for arranging the interview.

Although we're not having a giveaway this time, we'd still love to hear your thoughts on Elin's books or anything else Elin related!

Book of the day: "The Castaways"

In honor of International Chick Lit Month and our one year blogoversary, we're bringing you a book a day (and then some). If you've read the book and want to comment on this post with your thoughts, please do. If you haven't read it yet, we hope you'll take interest in it after hearing our thoughts. To make this fun, anyone who comments on any of these posts has a chance to be entered in a drawing for a special prize. The more posts you comment on, the more chances to win! (See here for contest details.)

"The Castaways" by Elin Hilderbrand:
Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy's closest friends for what will be revealed. (Summary courtesy of Elin Hilderbrand's Nantucket.)

Melissa P:
I just discovered Elin’s books this past summer on a trip to Cape Cod and Nantucket. I can’t believe I have missing out on her all this time! There was scandal, love, loss, and transformation in this book and I finished it quickly. See my review for more details.

More by Elin Hilderbrand:

Book Review: The Castaways

By Melissa Patafio

This past September, my husband and I were getting ready for a trip to Cape Cod and Nantucket when a friend of mine suggested I pack a couple of Elin Hilderbrand books. The author, who lives on Nantucket Island, sets all of her books there. I had seen them in bookstores and was always hesitant to read them. I can’t say why I felt that way, but I did. So when a big box of books arrived from Melissa A., I was surprised to see that “The Castaways” by Elin Hilderbrand was amongst them. I threw it into my carry on and pretty much forgot about it until we were leaving Nantucket to go back to the cape. When I finally pulled out the book and settled into my beach chair, I quickly became engrossed in “The Castaways.”

Tess and Greg MacAvoy, Phoebe and Addison Wheeler, Andrea and The Chief Kapenash, and Delilah and Jeffrey Drake are a close knit group of friends living on Nantucket Island and named themselves “The Castaways”. Just before the beginning of another perfect island summer, Greg and Tess drown when their boat capsizes as they sail to Martha’s Vineyard for their anniversary. The news devastates the rest of the group, as well as the couple’s two young children, and they all set out to figure out what really happened. Did Greg drown Tess? Were they drunk? Was it really just an accident? Nothing can prepare the group for what secrets will be revealed.

As the grief sets in, one by one the characters start to reveal their deepest darkest secrets and I quickly learned how dysfunctional the group really was. This story is filled with love, emotion, grief, infidelity, anger, regret, jealousy, and betrayal. I literally couldn’t put it down and finished it in less than two days. The plot stays exciting, the characters all have their own voice in the book, and the amount of secrets and scandal creates a perfect blend. I am so glad that I gave this book a chance, I found a new author to love and I have since just finished my second Elin Hilderbrand book!