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Golden Girl
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction (2021)In this #1 bestselling page-turner from "the queen of beach reads" ( New York Magazine ), a Nantucket novelist has one final summer to protect her secrets while her loved ones on earth learn to live without their golden girl. 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.
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.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2021
8489 people are currently reading
140808 people want to read
About the author
Elin Hilderbrand
93 books61k followersElin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,796 reviews
June 14, 2021
(Regular Review) I finished rereading The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank a couple of days ago. One of my friends then recommended me this book. He said that there was some controversy related to Anne Frank in it. The plot of this novel was interesting, and the writing was good when the novel started. But every excitement that the author evoked in me was lost when I reached the controversial part of this novel.
That was one of the most terrible things I read in a book in my entire life. I have no clue how this antisemitic comment was even published. How can an author joke about Anne Frank and one of the most brutal acts of cruelty in world history in such a manner? I am terribly disappointed with what the author wrote here. I heard that the author apologized for what she wrote and promised that the above controversial comment would be removed from future editions of this book. Still, I can't accept what she wrote and what I read in this book. This is the first time I am reading a book written by Elin Hilderbrand. I think that I won't be reading any more books from her again in my life.
"You’re suggesting I hide here all summer?” Vivi asks.
"Like…like Anne Frank?"
"This makes them both laugh—but is it really funny, and is Vivi so far off base?"
That was one of the most terrible things I read in a book in my entire life. I have no clue how this antisemitic comment was even published. How can an author joke about Anne Frank and one of the most brutal acts of cruelty in world history in such a manner? I am terribly disappointed with what the author wrote here. I heard that the author apologized for what she wrote and promised that the above controversial comment would be removed from future editions of this book. Still, I can't accept what she wrote and what I read in this book. This is the first time I am reading a book written by Elin Hilderbrand. I think that I won't be reading any more books from her again in my life.
May 17, 2022
Okay… this book is so promising with its heartbreaking family drama theme: three children of a best seller author, struggling with different problems in daily lives as their recently passed away mother who was a victim of hit and run incident watching over them , is under pressure to use her three nudges wisely to influence her children’s lives.
Yes, that paranormal element of the story makes things intriguing and interesting but it also made you question the realistic perspective of the story!
It was so ironic that a mother who is recently divorced, a quiet workaholic, devoted author, a little estranged with her own kids but her death made her realize the mistakes she’s made as a mother. Now she tries to involve in their lives by making things right as a spirit.
But it’s quiet compelling task because her children deal with several issues: they are actually suffocating because of their life choices.
Let’s give you some details about synopsis and characters: Vivian Howe, 13 famous beach novel author, mother of 3 kids, victim of hit and run incident while she was jogging near her house. After she ascended the BEYOND ( it is intimidating and thrilling ) , she’s assigned to work with Martha ( a kind of spiritual companionship they formed as you may guess)
Martha also understands why Viv is so upset for dying young! So she makes an exception to give her power to watch over her kids, her ex and her best friend. Viv is also rewarded with three nudges which may affect the outcomes of events.
Willa is her eldest daughter, married, pregnant and she’s too scared to lose another baby. She’s struggling psychologically and she needs her mother’s emotional support.
Carson is also dealing with his own inner demons, bartender of upscale Nantucket bar. He keeps self sabotaging himself for a long time with his vices: drugs, booze and secret scandalous affair.
Leo is also suffering from anger management issues, taking out his boiled up anger on innocent people around them who try to help him.
Well, I have to admit, I loved the author’s previous works more. This paranormal element gave the story some Hallmark, Disney movie vibes. ( thankfully Viv is not incarnated as a dog, coming back to earth to watch over her loved ones)
I liked dysfunctional family theme. I also enjoyed the each characterization. This is emotional paranormal family, friendship, love, reconnection story! I always adore the author’s brilliant story telling skills. Even though heaven and earth themed paranormal and a little spiritual fiction are not my cups of Chardonnay.
I’m still rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 family, addiction, self destruction, self discovery, traumas, unique bond, friendship stars!
It was another dreamy Nantucket virtual journey for me! I’m looking forward to read more books of the author as a fan girl of the beach reads!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Yes, that paranormal element of the story makes things intriguing and interesting but it also made you question the realistic perspective of the story!
It was so ironic that a mother who is recently divorced, a quiet workaholic, devoted author, a little estranged with her own kids but her death made her realize the mistakes she’s made as a mother. Now she tries to involve in their lives by making things right as a spirit.
But it’s quiet compelling task because her children deal with several issues: they are actually suffocating because of their life choices.
Let’s give you some details about synopsis and characters: Vivian Howe, 13 famous beach novel author, mother of 3 kids, victim of hit and run incident while she was jogging near her house. After she ascended the BEYOND ( it is intimidating and thrilling ) , she’s assigned to work with Martha ( a kind of spiritual companionship they formed as you may guess)
Martha also understands why Viv is so upset for dying young! So she makes an exception to give her power to watch over her kids, her ex and her best friend. Viv is also rewarded with three nudges which may affect the outcomes of events.
Willa is her eldest daughter, married, pregnant and she’s too scared to lose another baby. She’s struggling psychologically and she needs her mother’s emotional support.
Carson is also dealing with his own inner demons, bartender of upscale Nantucket bar. He keeps self sabotaging himself for a long time with his vices: drugs, booze and secret scandalous affair.
Leo is also suffering from anger management issues, taking out his boiled up anger on innocent people around them who try to help him.
Well, I have to admit, I loved the author’s previous works more. This paranormal element gave the story some Hallmark, Disney movie vibes. ( thankfully Viv is not incarnated as a dog, coming back to earth to watch over her loved ones)
I liked dysfunctional family theme. I also enjoyed the each characterization. This is emotional paranormal family, friendship, love, reconnection story! I always adore the author’s brilliant story telling skills. Even though heaven and earth themed paranormal and a little spiritual fiction are not my cups of Chardonnay.
I’m still rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 family, addiction, self destruction, self discovery, traumas, unique bond, friendship stars!
It was another dreamy Nantucket virtual journey for me! I’m looking forward to read more books of the author as a fan girl of the beach reads!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
February 15, 2022
4 Stars
I really enjoyed this.
One of my best friends loves EH and has been sharing her books amongst our small three person mini "book club" (if you can even call it that). I really like her style of writing and her penchant for messy characters with messy lives and drama galore.
And, of course, as always with EH, Nantucket is like a character all its own. Love it or hate it, you know what you are getting. I will say that this book (more than others I've read by her in the past) sometimes felt like a plug for Jessica Hicks jewelry and Lilly Pulitzer clothing, but whatever.
In short, I thought the premise of the book was cool and that EH did a good job of making something that could have been super sad and depressing into something bittersweet and oftentimes comical.
I enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed this.
One of my best friends loves EH and has been sharing her books amongst our small three person mini "book club" (if you can even call it that). I really like her style of writing and her penchant for messy characters with messy lives and drama galore.
And, of course, as always with EH, Nantucket is like a character all its own. Love it or hate it, you know what you are getting. I will say that this book (more than others I've read by her in the past) sometimes felt like a plug for Jessica Hicks jewelry and Lilly Pulitzer clothing, but whatever.
In short, I thought the premise of the book was cool and that EH did a good job of making something that could have been super sad and depressing into something bittersweet and oftentimes comical.
I enjoyed it.
May 28, 2021
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.
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.
July 7, 2021
Another quintessential summer read from Elin Hilderbrand, Golden Girl follows author Vivian Howe, who meets the end of her life in a hit-and-run in early June.
She is assigned to Martha, a person in the afterlife who grants her the rest of the summer to view the aftermath of her exit from the world and use three “nudges” to guide things in the right direction down below. Vivian knows her three nearly grown children, Willa, Carson, and Leo still need her, and she spends the summer watching them each deal with their own challenges.
I tore through Golden Girl and while it was a lighter read, it was also touching, highlighting the theme of family.
She is assigned to Martha, a person in the afterlife who grants her the rest of the summer to view the aftermath of her exit from the world and use three “nudges” to guide things in the right direction down below. Vivian knows her three nearly grown children, Willa, Carson, and Leo still need her, and she spends the summer watching them each deal with their own challenges.
I tore through Golden Girl and while it was a lighter read, it was also touching, highlighting the theme of family.
August 8, 2021
3.25 stars
It's a beautiful day in Nantucket. Novelist and mother of three, Vivian Howe is out for a run near her home. Unfortunately, she is killed in a hit and run. After her death she is assigned Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what occurs for one last summer. She is given three "nudges" to change the outcome of what happens on earth. She watches her three children, Willa, Carson and Leo. All of which have things going on in their lives that well, a mother worries about.
Vivi learns the secrets of her children, protects her own and follows the investigation into the hit and run which killed her led by “The Chief” Ed Kapenash. She also worries about her novel which contains a secret from her youth.
I have been all over the place with the rating of this book. Although it is well written, it was slow at times and although I enjoyed it, I wish it has moved faster. Having said that, I liked the idea of watching from above, that our deceased loved ones are watching over us, the learning of secrets, and the giving of "nudges".
As the other books I have read by her, I found this to be well written and enjoyable. I just didn't seem to enjoy it as much as other reviewers so please read their reviews as well.
An enjoyable beach read.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
It's a beautiful day in Nantucket. Novelist and mother of three, Vivian Howe is out for a run near her home. Unfortunately, she is killed in a hit and run. After her death she is assigned Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what occurs for one last summer. She is given three "nudges" to change the outcome of what happens on earth. She watches her three children, Willa, Carson and Leo. All of which have things going on in their lives that well, a mother worries about.
Vivi learns the secrets of her children, protects her own and follows the investigation into the hit and run which killed her led by “The Chief” Ed Kapenash. She also worries about her novel which contains a secret from her youth.
I have been all over the place with the rating of this book. Although it is well written, it was slow at times and although I enjoyed it, I wish it has moved faster. Having said that, I liked the idea of watching from above, that our deceased loved ones are watching over us, the learning of secrets, and the giving of "nudges".
As the other books I have read by her, I found this to be well written and enjoyable. I just didn't seem to enjoy it as much as other reviewers so please read their reviews as well.
An enjoyable beach read.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
June 2, 2021
EXCERPT: The song changes to opening guitar chords that seize Vivi's attention. It's 'Stone in Love' by Journey. Vivi almost trips over her own shoes. She stops and stares at her phone's screen. What is this song doing on the Nine Pound Hammer playlist? Did Carson add it? But Carson hates classic rock; she calls it 'music from beyond the grave.'
Vivi is spooked. This song brings back such intense memories of high school that she feels if she turns her head, she'll see Brett Caspian standing in the middle of Kingsley Road. She nearly pushes the skip button, but she does love the song, despite her complicated history with it, and it's been so long since she heard it. When she starts running again, she sings along, 'Burning love comes once in a lifetime.'
Her eyes are closed and by the time she realises something is wrong, it's too late - Vivi's neck snaps; her heart feels like a stick of dynamite exploding. Vivi is airborne, she's flying - until her head slams against the ground. Her leg. Something is wrong with her leg.
A tinny, faraway voice sings, 'Golden Girl, I'll keep you forever.' Then the music stops. The dark turns to velvety black. The quiet becomes silence.
ABOUT 'GOLDEN GIRL': Golden Girl follows Nantucket novelist Vivi, who gets one final summer -- after she is killed in a hit-and-run accident -- to protect her secrets and learn from her mistakes while her loved ones still on earth try to solve the mystery of her death.
Vivian Howe, author of 13 beach novels and mother of three young adults, is killed in a hit and run car accident while jogging near her home in Nantucket. She ascends to the Beyond where she's assigned to a Person named Martha, who agrees Vivi's death was unfair. Martha allows Vivi to watch what happens below with her children, her best friend, and her ex-husband.
Martha gives Vivi the use of 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 (headed by Chief Ed Kapenash from The Perfect Couple) and worries about a secret from her youth, fictionalized in her novel, coming to light.
MY THOUGHTS: The ocean beach, mouthwatering food, incredibly interesting characters, and a plot that had me entranced - Elin Hildebrand had me hooked from page one.
This is the first book that I have read by this author, and now I understand why everyone has been telling me 'You have to read her!' The blurb doesn't do this book justice. I am glad that I didn't reread it before I started. I probably would have nudged this read further down the pile.
Elin Hildebrand not only entranced me, she amazed me with Golden Girl. I was expecting a fairly predictable family drama/romance/paranormal tale, but there is nothing predictable about Golden Girl. The wonderful characters and plotting made sure of that! From the first page I felt like I had stepped right into this novel and was right there amidst the action and drama.
The story is told from multiple points of view, mainly in the present, but with forays into Vivi's past. And what a past she had! I loved her character. She has dignity and fortitude.
I became totally invested in this family, and I shed a tear or two at Vivi's death, and again while reading Savannah's amazing tribute to her best friend.
I love sandwiches. I could live on sandwiches, and there's some delicious ones described in here. I have bookmarked them and intend to eat my way through them.
Make sure that you read the author's note at the end. It explains a lot. Elin Hildebrand is definitely an author whose backtitles will be finding a place on my shelves right beside Golden Girl.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#GoldenGirl #NetGalley
I: @elinhildebrand #hodderstoughton
T: @HodderBooks
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #paranormal #romance #womensfiction
THE AUTHOR: Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder &Stoughton via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Golden Girl by Elin Hildebrand for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Vivi is spooked. This song brings back such intense memories of high school that she feels if she turns her head, she'll see Brett Caspian standing in the middle of Kingsley Road. She nearly pushes the skip button, but she does love the song, despite her complicated history with it, and it's been so long since she heard it. When she starts running again, she sings along, 'Burning love comes once in a lifetime.'
Her eyes are closed and by the time she realises something is wrong, it's too late - Vivi's neck snaps; her heart feels like a stick of dynamite exploding. Vivi is airborne, she's flying - until her head slams against the ground. Her leg. Something is wrong with her leg.
A tinny, faraway voice sings, 'Golden Girl, I'll keep you forever.' Then the music stops. The dark turns to velvety black. The quiet becomes silence.
ABOUT 'GOLDEN GIRL': Golden Girl follows Nantucket novelist Vivi, who gets one final summer -- after she is killed in a hit-and-run accident -- to protect her secrets and learn from her mistakes while her loved ones still on earth try to solve the mystery of her death.
Vivian Howe, author of 13 beach novels and mother of three young adults, is killed in a hit and run car accident while jogging near her home in Nantucket. She ascends to the Beyond where she's assigned to a Person named Martha, who agrees Vivi's death was unfair. Martha allows Vivi to watch what happens below with her children, her best friend, and her ex-husband.
Martha gives Vivi the use of 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 (headed by Chief Ed Kapenash from The Perfect Couple) and worries about a secret from her youth, fictionalized in her novel, coming to light.
MY THOUGHTS: The ocean beach, mouthwatering food, incredibly interesting characters, and a plot that had me entranced - Elin Hildebrand had me hooked from page one.
This is the first book that I have read by this author, and now I understand why everyone has been telling me 'You have to read her!' The blurb doesn't do this book justice. I am glad that I didn't reread it before I started. I probably would have nudged this read further down the pile.
Elin Hildebrand not only entranced me, she amazed me with Golden Girl. I was expecting a fairly predictable family drama/romance/paranormal tale, but there is nothing predictable about Golden Girl. The wonderful characters and plotting made sure of that! From the first page I felt like I had stepped right into this novel and was right there amidst the action and drama.
The story is told from multiple points of view, mainly in the present, but with forays into Vivi's past. And what a past she had! I loved her character. She has dignity and fortitude.
I became totally invested in this family, and I shed a tear or two at Vivi's death, and again while reading Savannah's amazing tribute to her best friend.
I love sandwiches. I could live on sandwiches, and there's some delicious ones described in here. I have bookmarked them and intend to eat my way through them.
Make sure that you read the author's note at the end. It explains a lot. Elin Hildebrand is definitely an author whose backtitles will be finding a place on my shelves right beside Golden Girl.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#GoldenGirl #NetGalley
I: @elinhildebrand #hodderstoughton
T: @HodderBooks
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #paranormal #romance #womensfiction
THE AUTHOR: Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder &Stoughton via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Golden Girl by Elin Hildebrand for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 17, 2021
Enjoyable storytelling if you don't think too deep into it. The audio read by Erin Bennett was really good and she makes 13.5 hours fly by without you knowing.
I like the beginning of this book with whodunit mystery and tight-knit characters. This is a story about Vivi (or is it EH?), an author who died and becomes an angel looking down from heaven. I like Vivi and her angel mentor. But true to form, the story leans towards family drama and infidelity then there are gazillion characters that I stop paying close attention to the names.
I started to hate this book when one of the characters becomes a suspect. Now a beach read becomes a voice for 2020-2021 movements in the headlines. It's annoying when the author drips SJ in her novel while a reader just wants an escape.
I like the beginning of this book with whodunit mystery and tight-knit characters. This is a story about Vivi (or is it EH?), an author who died and becomes an angel looking down from heaven. I like Vivi and her angel mentor. But true to form, the story leans towards family drama and infidelity then there are gazillion characters that I stop paying close attention to the names.
I started to hate this book when one of the characters becomes a suspect. Now a beach read becomes a voice for 2020-2021 movements in the headlines. It's annoying when the author drips SJ in her novel while a reader just wants an escape.
June 29, 2021
Review to be posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
What If, You Could Look Down on Your Family From the Great Beyond and Impact Their Decisions?
Vivian (Vivi) Howe is a successful Nantucket novelist who is extremely close to her family when a hit-and-run accident strikes her down, killing her instantly. Her family is, of course, crestfallen. Little do they know that Vivi has been granted the ability to view her family from the Beyond and to guide them (using 3 nudges) in case they take the wrong path.
Willa is the eldest, happily married, pregnant (again), and desperately hoping this time it sticks. Without her mother, Willa is left trying to pick up the pieces.
Carson is the middle child, a bartender at an upscale bar on Nantucket, who was going down the wrong path before losing her mother and is now self-destructing on booze, drugs, and a secret affair.
Leo, the youngest, is angry and lost. Not knowing where to turn, he is taking out his pain on those who don’t deserve it.
A bit of a different story for Elin Hilderbrand, as this one has a paranormal element to it, it was still filled with love, family, friendship, and lots of life lessons. While I had a bit of a hard time connecting since I don’t believe the premise is possible, I found the “What If” idea of it quite compelling.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of the audiobook and to NetGalley and Little Brown and Co for the arc.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.
What If, You Could Look Down on Your Family From the Great Beyond and Impact Their Decisions?
Vivian (Vivi) Howe is a successful Nantucket novelist who is extremely close to her family when a hit-and-run accident strikes her down, killing her instantly. Her family is, of course, crestfallen. Little do they know that Vivi has been granted the ability to view her family from the Beyond and to guide them (using 3 nudges) in case they take the wrong path.
Willa is the eldest, happily married, pregnant (again), and desperately hoping this time it sticks. Without her mother, Willa is left trying to pick up the pieces.
Carson is the middle child, a bartender at an upscale bar on Nantucket, who was going down the wrong path before losing her mother and is now self-destructing on booze, drugs, and a secret affair.
Leo, the youngest, is angry and lost. Not knowing where to turn, he is taking out his pain on those who don’t deserve it.
A bit of a different story for Elin Hilderbrand, as this one has a paranormal element to it, it was still filled with love, family, friendship, and lots of life lessons. While I had a bit of a hard time connecting since I don’t believe the premise is possible, I found the “What If” idea of it quite compelling.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of the audiobook and to NetGalley and Little Brown and Co for the arc.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.
July 18, 2021
Audiobook….read by Erin Bennett
….13 hours and 26 minutes
If I say I found much of this book boring - easy to follow - but trite and shallow, would my friends tell me to keep my thoughts to myself? Tell me to F-off or go home? I hope not …..I LOVE MY FRIENDS WHO ENJOYED THIS BEFORE ME.
But…..I tried …I tried …
… I TRIED to LOVE IT…..
I even put in the hours.
I sincerely wanted to love it…..as a couple of friends whom I cherish, did.
Plus…
I promised myself I would read an Elin Hilderbrand novel since ‘totally’ enjoying her contributions in “Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank”.
I’m very willing to concur that perhaps I just didn’t the ‘right’, ‘best’ Hilderbrand book. I’m willing to try again
But??
Were all the editors on strike for ‘this’ book? Maybe the pandemic? Or, are all Hilderbrand books in need of editing?
Or…do Hilderbrand fans just don’t care?
I’m sorry I got bored. I just wasn’t all that interested in:
…Indulgent $400 lunches
Of oysters, escargot, Champagne, and bottles of wine.
…. [I was reminded…I’m just not a foodie person. I’d rather eat a grilled cheese sandwich at home in my schemata clothes than dine in a Michelin restaurant. Or a fancy oyster bar on the beach in Nantucket.
…but….
…there is more to this story than eating and drinking. We’ve got stiletto shoes with sexy slinky clothes….or… Eileen Fisher-hide-your-body-clothes. Dress for every type of woman.
…We’ve got a best-selling -dead author- who is the commentator from heaven.
…We’ve got adult children, (not without problems).
…We’ve got lots of gossip from the townspeople.
…We’ve got the beautiful island.
…We’ve got a silly plot.
…We’ve got conflicts and resolutions. (a pass that could come back kicking - Vivi, - our dead author - in the balls).
…a little mystery suspense.
“The Golden Girl” was okay!!!!! I didn’t even mind being bored—it’s not a horrible thing to ‘be bored’….but I struggled with the voice narrator.
She just wasn’t good.
3 stars
….13 hours and 26 minutes
If I say I found much of this book boring - easy to follow - but trite and shallow, would my friends tell me to keep my thoughts to myself? Tell me to F-off or go home? I hope not …..I LOVE MY FRIENDS WHO ENJOYED THIS BEFORE ME.
But…..I tried …I tried …
… I TRIED to LOVE IT…..
I even put in the hours.
I sincerely wanted to love it…..as a couple of friends whom I cherish, did.
Plus…
I promised myself I would read an Elin Hilderbrand novel since ‘totally’ enjoying her contributions in “Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank”.
I’m very willing to concur that perhaps I just didn’t the ‘right’, ‘best’ Hilderbrand book. I’m willing to try again
But??
Were all the editors on strike for ‘this’ book? Maybe the pandemic? Or, are all Hilderbrand books in need of editing?
Or…do Hilderbrand fans just don’t care?
I’m sorry I got bored. I just wasn’t all that interested in:
…Indulgent $400 lunches
Of oysters, escargot, Champagne, and bottles of wine.
…. [I was reminded…I’m just not a foodie person. I’d rather eat a grilled cheese sandwich at home in my schemata clothes than dine in a Michelin restaurant. Or a fancy oyster bar on the beach in Nantucket.
…but….
…there is more to this story than eating and drinking. We’ve got stiletto shoes with sexy slinky clothes….or… Eileen Fisher-hide-your-body-clothes. Dress for every type of woman.
…We’ve got a best-selling -dead author- who is the commentator from heaven.
…We’ve got adult children, (not without problems).
…We’ve got lots of gossip from the townspeople.
…We’ve got the beautiful island.
…We’ve got a silly plot.
…We’ve got conflicts and resolutions. (a pass that could come back kicking - Vivi, - our dead author - in the balls).
…a little mystery suspense.
“The Golden Girl” was okay!!!!! I didn’t even mind being bored—it’s not a horrible thing to ‘be bored’….but I struggled with the voice narrator.
She just wasn’t good.
3 stars
May 25, 2021
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!)
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!)
January 13, 2023
So much Love for this book! The setting is on Beautiful Nantucket and such a gorgeous place for an author to write 13 beach novels. With not only writing, Vivian has raised 3 children until her husband left her for a younger woman and was given custody of them. Her time has been too busy in her career, flying to different places to speak, and writing. Where did the time go?
While jogging, Vivi is hit by a car and left to die. While she is in an interim state, she is assigned to Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what happens in the days after her death, known as her final summer. Her children Willa, Carson, and Leo are all struggling with issues, such as socializing, guilt and commitments. Vivi is granted 3 nudges to interact on their behalf, but must use them wisely. At this point, I was glued to the audio to find out what would happen with each child and some interesting tidbits for her ex-husband.
An emotional standpoint, it broke my heart to see them hurting and how it would be without their mom. One of her last books she wrote was The Golden Girl. It is about her life as a teenager falling in love with a band member trying to break out with a single called Golden Girl. I loved the nostalgia of young love and couldn't wait to hear why she didn't end up with him. This story was a secret she had kept from the children, but it is revealed in the book.
Another highlight of the book is the investigation of her death with so many possibilities of who caused her death with Chief Ed struggling to find the truth. The story has so many regrets that can't be changed. An outstanding job by Elin!!
While jogging, Vivi is hit by a car and left to die. While she is in an interim state, she is assigned to Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what happens in the days after her death, known as her final summer. Her children Willa, Carson, and Leo are all struggling with issues, such as socializing, guilt and commitments. Vivi is granted 3 nudges to interact on their behalf, but must use them wisely. At this point, I was glued to the audio to find out what would happen with each child and some interesting tidbits for her ex-husband.
An emotional standpoint, it broke my heart to see them hurting and how it would be without their mom. One of her last books she wrote was The Golden Girl. It is about her life as a teenager falling in love with a band member trying to break out with a single called Golden Girl. I loved the nostalgia of young love and couldn't wait to hear why she didn't end up with him. This story was a secret she had kept from the children, but it is revealed in the book.
Another highlight of the book is the investigation of her death with so many possibilities of who caused her death with Chief Ed struggling to find the truth. The story has so many regrets that can't be changed. An outstanding job by Elin!!
August 22, 2025
3.5
Holding on to the last bits of summer with this read! Another gorgeous Nantucket novel by Elin Hilderbrand. Loved the magical realism element to this one!
Holding on to the last bits of summer with this read! Another gorgeous Nantucket novel by Elin Hilderbrand. Loved the magical realism element to this one!
June 1, 2021
I have read every single Elin Hilderbrand book. Shes from my corner of the universe and I love supporting an author that comes from our little region. I met Elin two years ago when Summer of ‘69 hit shelves and she spoke at Ursinus College. She was a lovely woman. When I got an advanced copy of Golden Girl, I was elated as it would be added to my summer reading list anyway and I have truly loved every book. It’s not summer without Elin! I read this one in a day and not because I was so enthralled but because I was hoping that in true Elin fashion, she would turn this around. I’ll be honest, the first time I wrote this review I was fueled by anger and outrage at her flippant way of talking about huge topics like fertility, race, and sexual harassment. I get it. It’s a beach read, things are supposed to be light! These topics should be treated with seriousness, understanding and empathy. Unfortunately, whether on purpose or by mistake, that was not the case. I’m not outraged anymore, I’m not fueled to write this review out of anger. I’m just...disappointed. I think the thing that made me most upset was finding the “bright side” about lying about a miscarriage. As somebody who has struggled with having a miscarriage, this seemed wildly insensitive and upsetting. To anybody who has struggled with fertility issues, I see you and I am here, wishing all good things for you. For people who are trying to find their place in this world, I see you and I cheer for you. You always have a seat at my table.
January 11, 2022
So refreshing to be back in Nantucket!
Time and again, I do my yearly visit to Nantucket using Elin Hilderbrand's eyes and I enjoyed my time there.
This time, Golden Girl introduced us to Vivian Howe but don't fall in love with her character too soon. After all, she dies at the beginning of the book in a hit and run. The person responsible for her death is a mystery to the other characters but not so much to the readers.
Vivian Howe is a mother and a friend. She was a wife too but she is divorced from her husband who left her for a younger woman.
Vivian was a writer. A well-known writer who was hoping her new book Golden Girl would push her to the top of the sales.
Vivian gets a second chance. No, not to come back to earth and be alive again, but to spend the summer following her three children from the great beyond and make sure they are all doing fine before she moves on. She even gets 3 "nudges" approved by her guide Martha to use on her children as she sees fit.
Willa is Vivian's oldest child. She is married and enjoys her work and life in general. The one thing missing is a child of her own. She has suffered a couple of miscarriages and just found out she is pregnant again when her mother passes away, She is also the one who finds out her mother's past and is not sure what to do with the information.
Carson is the middle child. She is a wild one. She enjoys a little cocaine and alcohol while she bartends at the coolest place in town. She is also hiding something that could hurt more than one family member.
Leo is the youngest. He should be getting ready for college instead of being confronted with his mother's death. He's probably the one with the biggest secret. A secret that could come out if the detective investigating the case finds out what happened the day before his mother's death.
Golden Girl was just what I needed at this time. It transported me to a beautiful town with interesting characters and it made me forget reality for a few hours.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Time and again, I do my yearly visit to Nantucket using Elin Hilderbrand's eyes and I enjoyed my time there.
This time, Golden Girl introduced us to Vivian Howe but don't fall in love with her character too soon. After all, she dies at the beginning of the book in a hit and run. The person responsible for her death is a mystery to the other characters but not so much to the readers.
Vivian Howe is a mother and a friend. She was a wife too but she is divorced from her husband who left her for a younger woman.
Vivian was a writer. A well-known writer who was hoping her new book Golden Girl would push her to the top of the sales.
Vivian gets a second chance. No, not to come back to earth and be alive again, but to spend the summer following her three children from the great beyond and make sure they are all doing fine before she moves on. She even gets 3 "nudges" approved by her guide Martha to use on her children as she sees fit.
Willa is Vivian's oldest child. She is married and enjoys her work and life in general. The one thing missing is a child of her own. She has suffered a couple of miscarriages and just found out she is pregnant again when her mother passes away, She is also the one who finds out her mother's past and is not sure what to do with the information.
Carson is the middle child. She is a wild one. She enjoys a little cocaine and alcohol while she bartends at the coolest place in town. She is also hiding something that could hurt more than one family member.
Leo is the youngest. He should be getting ready for college instead of being confronted with his mother's death. He's probably the one with the biggest secret. A secret that could come out if the detective investigating the case finds out what happened the day before his mother's death.
Golden Girl was just what I needed at this time. It transported me to a beautiful town with interesting characters and it made me forget reality for a few hours.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
October 13, 2021
‘Golden Girl’ is a love story, an intelligent beach read, and in my opinion, semi-autobiographical.
Vivian ‘Vivi’ Howe, is a fifty-one-year-old author living on the beautiful of Nantucket, divorced and mother of three children. She’s fit, vivacious and involved with island life and just that right amount in her kids’ lives.
She’s given the privilege of ‘separating herself’ from her life, sort of like an out-of-body experience, and watching her family and friends’ lives go on their course. Don’t worry about ‘the how’ she’s doing this right now because it doesn’t matter. Imagine yourself though, if you were able to do this, watch from a far, like that proverbial, ‘fly on the wall.’ Wouldn’t you want to step in and stop one of your kids from making a mistake or whispering in their ear, “no, stop, think about this first,”? Even your best friend helping choose a date, or a trip, wouldn’t you like a bit of influence? Sometimes, right?
Vivi gets this privilege, but she must give up something in return, but she gains an enormous amount of respect for her family, her children and their individual choices and needs. She finds it is truly all about love.
Now, go read ‘Golden Girl’ with this in mind and you will cherish the most important part.
Thank you Netgalley, Little, Brown and Co., and Elin Hilderbrand
Note: I met Elin tonight at JosephBeth Booksellers, and it was wonderful! She’s warm and personable and gave a great talk and discussion. Had my books signed too! 10/12/21
Vivian ‘Vivi’ Howe, is a fifty-one-year-old author living on the beautiful of Nantucket, divorced and mother of three children. She’s fit, vivacious and involved with island life and just that right amount in her kids’ lives.
She’s given the privilege of ‘separating herself’ from her life, sort of like an out-of-body experience, and watching her family and friends’ lives go on their course. Don’t worry about ‘the how’ she’s doing this right now because it doesn’t matter. Imagine yourself though, if you were able to do this, watch from a far, like that proverbial, ‘fly on the wall.’ Wouldn’t you want to step in and stop one of your kids from making a mistake or whispering in their ear, “no, stop, think about this first,”? Even your best friend helping choose a date, or a trip, wouldn’t you like a bit of influence? Sometimes, right?
Vivi gets this privilege, but she must give up something in return, but she gains an enormous amount of respect for her family, her children and their individual choices and needs. She finds it is truly all about love.
Now, go read ‘Golden Girl’ with this in mind and you will cherish the most important part.
Thank you Netgalley, Little, Brown and Co., and Elin Hilderbrand
Note: I met Elin tonight at JosephBeth Booksellers, and it was wonderful! She’s warm and personable and gave a great talk and discussion. Had my books signed too! 10/12/21
August 26, 2021
MAJOR SPOILERS. This is a big fat NOPE from me. I was lukewarm on it until about 75% through, then came the slut shaming/hypocritical Vivi that I wanted to punch in the face. She vilified Amy the entire book for "bombing her family" (having the affair with JP, him leaving Vivi for her). But the minute her DAUGHTER is revealed to be having an affair WITH A FAMILY FRIEND all she wants is to protect her and her reputation on the island. I don't care that it's her daughter, she is doing the exact same thing Amy did yet Vivi wants to make sure her life isn't "ruined" because of it. But Amy gets to be the outcast on the whole island. ALSO - around this part too - Vivi decides to use a nudge to help Carson get out of the house of her lover when his wife was coming home INSTEAD OF USING IT BEFORE WHEN SHE WAS DOING DRUGS. Then let's talk about how, despite all of the awful choices they made (they being basically EVERYONE) everything ended up working out FANTASTICALLY.
Vivi, and the awful way she manipulated Brett, he didn't care, loved her anyway, Martha showed them that because of what she did to her, Brett's life was "better" that way. Really?
JP doesn't have to answer to any of his horrible decisions, he treats women like garbage, leaves them, goes on to the next one.
Carson OF COURSE doesn't have to answer for HER affair either. She ends up with the perfect guy, doesn't get caught.
I’m glad Amy found love after the BS she put up with. No, she wasn’t perfect. But compared to these other fools, she took way more than she deserved.
This whole book was too much AND incestuous... ugh. Would not recommend.
Vivi, and the awful way she manipulated Brett, he didn't care, loved her anyway, Martha showed them that because of what she did to her, Brett's life was "better" that way. Really?
JP doesn't have to answer to any of his horrible decisions, he treats women like garbage, leaves them, goes on to the next one.
Carson OF COURSE doesn't have to answer for HER affair either. She ends up with the perfect guy, doesn't get caught.
I’m glad Amy found love after the BS she put up with. No, she wasn’t perfect. But compared to these other fools, she took way more than she deserved.
This whole book was too much AND incestuous... ugh. Would not recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2021
Golden Girl was another captivating summer read set on Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand. This was not my most favorite book by Elin Hilderbrand but most of it worked for me. It was part family saga/ part mystery with engaging and complex characters. The part that did not work for me was the afterlife scenes where the deceased Vivi Howe, famous novelist, observed her family and close friends grieve and live life without her in it for the remaining days of summer. This part was silly and annoying. Vivi’s newest book, Golden Girl, had just been released. Hidden within the plot and characters of her new book were secrets that Vivi wasn’t sure she wanted her family to discover without her but she has no choice but trust that her family would sort it all out and be alright with it. I enjoyed the on going investigation where Chief Ed Kapenash tried tirelessly to solve the mystery of who killed Vivi Howe that June morning in a hit and run accident. As summer came near its end, Vivi continued to observe her family from above. Their complex lives and relationships with each other transformed and Vivi finally realized that they would be fine without her.
There was love and loss throughout the pages of Golden Girl. I enjoyed reading most of this book and would recommend it if you are looking for a good summer read.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read this advanced reader’s copy of Golden Girl' through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
There was love and loss throughout the pages of Golden Girl. I enjoyed reading most of this book and would recommend it if you are looking for a good summer read.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read this advanced reader’s copy of Golden Girl' through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
February 3, 2022
Another lovely summer beach read by Elin Hilderbrand. Vivi is a novelist who lives in Nantucket, has three adult children, and an ex-husband. When she’s killed on her early morning run, she’s told upon arriving in heaven that she’ll be able to observe her beloved family members for 3 more months and will get three “nudges”, three chances to influence events slightly, before it will be her time to move on. That summer, we watch her children, Willa, Carson and Leo, several of their friends, some of Vivi and ex-husband’s JP’s friends, and untangle their messy history. As always in an Elin Hilderbrand novel, the characters and setting are what make the reading experience delightful. I absolutely relished spending time with these flawed, interesting characters, and hearing stories from local restaurants and beaches on Nantucket—very much like taking a trip there. Of course, the matter of Vivi’s hit and run has yet to be solved, and time is ticking down…
September 10, 2021
I've enjoyed other books by this author, so I'm familiar with the drama and descriptions of the Nantucket setting. While there's plenty of that in this story, this one didn't quite work for me. I was drawn to its supernatural aspect, since that's a first for an Elin Hilderbrand novel.
The story wasn't as compelling as I expected, even with the added touch of watching from beyond and the nudges. The characters were too cliched to come across as real. The plot and situations came across forced, not genuine. Overall, I thought this story was ok, but not as good as I'd expected.
The story wasn't as compelling as I expected, even with the added touch of watching from beyond and the nudges. The characters were too cliched to come across as real. The plot and situations came across forced, not genuine. Overall, I thought this story was ok, but not as good as I'd expected.
August 31, 2021
I going to put this one in the ‘it shouldn’t have been written’ category. The characters are unlikeable, everyone’s priorities are morally flawed, and the whole story line is just ridiculous.
June 28, 2024
2.5 stars, rounded down. This had a promising start with a likeable immediate family, but the author slipped up by introducing too many minor characters way too fast. The story is told from the viewpoint of close to a dozen people, and I spent the second half of the book trying to keep track of all the intertwining relationships and their histories. I’ve enjoyed this author before and won’t count her out if I come across more of her books at a bargain, but this one was just a bit of a miss for me.
One critique I must give is regarding the casual pill usage throughout the book as multiple characters deal with their grief, even the protagonist’s barely 18 year old son. In a world where prescription drug abuse is so rampant, widespread and life-ruining, I thought it far too nonchalant for the author to throw in taking a pill to feel better, or not cry, etc etc. While the protagonist speaks critically of her kids’ pill usage and tries to stop it, the adults in their lives use the same thing to cope. It’s so dangerous for people to trust these toxic little pills instead of allowing themselves to FEEL.
One critique I must give is regarding the casual pill usage throughout the book as multiple characters deal with their grief, even the protagonist’s barely 18 year old son. In a world where prescription drug abuse is so rampant, widespread and life-ruining, I thought it far too nonchalant for the author to throw in taking a pill to feel better, or not cry, etc etc. While the protagonist speaks critically of her kids’ pill usage and tries to stop it, the adults in their lives use the same thing to cope. It’s so dangerous for people to trust these toxic little pills instead of allowing themselves to FEEL.
June 6, 2023
The book was okay, nothing memorable but the audiobook was fun.
I'll write my review later.
I'll write my review later.
August 7, 2024
Another really good story. I'm starting to really like this author after being introduced to her in my Laides' Book Club. I've read quite a few of her books and so far this one is the best. I loved the main character Vivi and her "guardian angel" Martha. This is story about a woman who is hit by a car while out for a run and dies. She goes to "the great beyond" or whatever you want to call it (heaven) and has a guardian to help her adjust. She is able to see her children and give them a poke once in a while to help them but this only lasts for a short time and then she has to move on, no choice. Really good story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2021
Books that include anti-Semitic jokes are trash. Therefore, this book is trash.
June 11, 2021
4.5 stars
Ever since I've discovered Elin Hilderbrand's books, her novels have become my summer holiday treat. Golden Girl was no exception. I savoured the book, visiting Nantucket yet again with a new cast of flawed characters and their complicated relationships, and an unpredictable plotline. As usual with Elin's books, I was hooked from page 1.
What's the book about? I suggest going into the book blind as it's hard describing the plot. I've tried and couldn't do it justice so I'm going to leave it.
Charming and compulsive, Golden Girl should be on everyone's reading list this summer 🌞🍹⛱📚
Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ever since I've discovered Elin Hilderbrand's books, her novels have become my summer holiday treat. Golden Girl was no exception. I savoured the book, visiting Nantucket yet again with a new cast of flawed characters and their complicated relationships, and an unpredictable plotline. As usual with Elin's books, I was hooked from page 1.
What's the book about? I suggest going into the book blind as it's hard describing the plot. I've tried and couldn't do it justice so I'm going to leave it.
Charming and compulsive, Golden Girl should be on everyone's reading list this summer 🌞🍹⛱📚
Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2021
Be sure to visit my Favorites Shelf for the books I found most entertaining.
"Having a sister doesn't always mean an automatic best friend."
NEW FAVORITE 🧡 Golden Girl is my first Elin Hilderbrand book. (It won't be my last)
I thought this book was engaging and quite the pageturner. I enjoyed the flawed, complex characters. And with multiple points of view, the story moved along quickly. Fantastic book all around.
"Having a sister doesn't always mean an automatic best friend."
NEW FAVORITE 🧡 Golden Girl is my first Elin Hilderbrand book. (It won't be my last)
I thought this book was engaging and quite the pageturner. I enjoyed the flawed, complex characters. And with multiple points of view, the story moved along quickly. Fantastic book all around.
June 1, 2021
"Eventually, all of them are going to have to learn to live without you. This summer is going to end....Summer always ends." -Elin Hilderbrand, Golden Girl
In her twenty-seventh novel, Elin Hilderbrand tries something new....she's written "beach reads" "escapist novels" simple love stories, she tried her hand at a murder mystery a few years ago with The Perfect Couple, and this year, Hilderbrand has decided to tackle a paranormal element....and shockingly, it kinda works. This book is also a murder mystery, and if you're a fan of EH, the Chief Ed Kapenash is back with his witty observations and sharp dialogue.
The set-up of Golden Girl is relatively simple, Vivian Howe is a successful New York Times bestselling author who is divorced and has three children, and lives on Nantucket writing beach novels about Nantucket...(wink wink nudge nudge).....and then she is murdered in chapter two in a freak hit and run accident where she ascends to the above and meets Martha, her Person, who is assigned to help her transcend to heaven...Martha gives Vivi a summer viewing window to look down on Nantucket on her grieving family and make three "nudges" to push her family members in the right direction to change the course of there lives, before she must face the fact that the summer will eventually end, and her family must accept that Vivi has died and things will never be the same.
I liked the novel alot, it made me happy somehow....a book about the power of forgiveness and grief, and the struggles that a family has to overcome when they face the very sudden loss of a loved one. If you've ever lost someone to a freak accident, I think this book will connect with you on many levels.The book was heavy and full of dark topics that we've now come to expect Hilderbrand to tackle.
I don't think the murderer was a big surprise....I guessed who it was the minute the first red herring clue was dropped and I was right....but, I don't think that was Elin's point in writing this book. She doesn't want you to read the book trying to find out who murdered Vivi. She wants you to read this book and know that life does get better. Everything happens for a reason, and sometimes, we can't change destiny. This is going to be a very poignant read for many people this year in the trying times of COVID-19.
Does the book have some flaws? Yes. It's too long...could have been wrapped up quicker, and there's too many flashback scenes to Vivi's past....but at the same time, I loved every one of those scenes, they are what gave Vivi's character so much heart and made you root for her. So the book is probably a 4.25, but it's expertly written and was exactly the book I needed to read today, and I finished it in under 24 hours....so it's getting the 5th star! My favorite Hilderbrand remains 28 Summers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for the advanced copy of GOLDEN GIRL.
EDIT: HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO THE QUEEN, EH! Go get that next number one, Elin!
In her twenty-seventh novel, Elin Hilderbrand tries something new....she's written "beach reads" "escapist novels" simple love stories, she tried her hand at a murder mystery a few years ago with The Perfect Couple, and this year, Hilderbrand has decided to tackle a paranormal element....and shockingly, it kinda works. This book is also a murder mystery, and if you're a fan of EH, the Chief Ed Kapenash is back with his witty observations and sharp dialogue.
The set-up of Golden Girl is relatively simple, Vivian Howe is a successful New York Times bestselling author who is divorced and has three children, and lives on Nantucket writing beach novels about Nantucket...(wink wink nudge nudge).....and then she is murdered in chapter two in a freak hit and run accident where she ascends to the above and meets Martha, her Person, who is assigned to help her transcend to heaven...Martha gives Vivi a summer viewing window to look down on Nantucket on her grieving family and make three "nudges" to push her family members in the right direction to change the course of there lives, before she must face the fact that the summer will eventually end, and her family must accept that Vivi has died and things will never be the same.
I liked the novel alot, it made me happy somehow....a book about the power of forgiveness and grief, and the struggles that a family has to overcome when they face the very sudden loss of a loved one. If you've ever lost someone to a freak accident, I think this book will connect with you on many levels.The book was heavy and full of dark topics that we've now come to expect Hilderbrand to tackle.
I don't think the murderer was a big surprise....I guessed who it was the minute the first red herring clue was dropped and I was right....but, I don't think that was Elin's point in writing this book. She doesn't want you to read the book trying to find out who murdered Vivi. She wants you to read this book and know that life does get better. Everything happens for a reason, and sometimes, we can't change destiny. This is going to be a very poignant read for many people this year in the trying times of COVID-19.
Does the book have some flaws? Yes. It's too long...could have been wrapped up quicker, and there's too many flashback scenes to Vivi's past....but at the same time, I loved every one of those scenes, they are what gave Vivi's character so much heart and made you root for her. So the book is probably a 4.25, but it's expertly written and was exactly the book I needed to read today, and I finished it in under 24 hours....so it's getting the 5th star! My favorite Hilderbrand remains 28 Summers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for the advanced copy of GOLDEN GIRL.
EDIT: HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO THE QUEEN, EH! Go get that next number one, Elin!
February 3, 2021
One of the most beautiful, emotional books I’ve ever read. I loved loved loved it. Such a raw way of dealing with grief. I loved these characters. Elins best book yet
Thank you edelweiss Elin and little brown for my advanced copy
Thank you edelweiss Elin and little brown for my advanced copy
June 12, 2021
I love Elin!!! Her books are always so perfect for the summer. In Golden Girl, we follow the not so perfect Howe-Quinboro family. There are two mysteries at hand: who killed best-selling author Vivian Howe, and what is Vivi’s secret past that she chose to keep hidden from her family and friends? Oh, and who the heck is Brett Caspian? With 40 pages to go, I was EXTREMELY NERVOUS about how this book was going to end. It seemed there would be several loose ends and unanswered questions. I’m sorry I doubted you, Elin, because of course the ending was seamless. Can’t wait for my Gram to read this one!
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