The five-star weekend

In this stunning, sun-drenched mix of romance and women's fiction from bestseller Hilderbrand (The Hotel Nantucket), famous food blogger Hollis Shaw gathers one important woman from each decade of her life for an unforgettable girls' trip to Nantucket. Reeling from her husband's sudden death in a car accident, Hollis is trying to make sense of their marriage, which had been failing; cope with her teen daughter's resentment; and figure out plans for her upended future when she stumbles across the idea for a "five-star weekend" online and sets about recruiting friends. Her best friend from childhood, Tatum, who still lives on Nantucket, is reluctant to renew their friendship, particularly when she knows that Hollis's college roommate, Dru Ann, a high-powered sports agent whom she fought with at Hollis's wedding, will be in attendance. Meanwhile, Hollis's friend from her 30s, Brooke, always tries too hard to fit in, filling her with anxiety that colors her interactions with the other, seemingly more self-confident women. Hollis also invites an internet friend whom she connected with through her blog and has never met in person. Hilderbrand makes the most of gathering these big personalities in Hollis's small, photograph-ready abode; as they navigate their differences, the women discover things about themselves--and may even find love along the way. This should become a beach bag staple. Agent: David Forrer and Michael Carlisle, InkWell Management. (June)

A dreamy Nantucket house party given by a meticulous hostess goes off the rails. "When Hollis posts a potato and white cheddar tart with a crispy bacon crust, her foodie community breaks the one-million-member milestone. (Leave it to bacon!)" And leave it to Hilderbrand, in her 30th book of Nantucket-based fiction, to cook up more literary bacon, this time focusing on female friendship, female "friendship," and the power of the internet and social media. When Hollis Shaw's doctor husband dies in a crash on the way to the airport, she steps back from Hungry With Hollis, her popular website. After moping around her house in "Swellesley" for a while, she returns to Nantucket for the summer, planning a kick-out-the-stops weekend party that will involve one girlfriend from each phase of her life--youth, college, motherhood--plus her favorite internet follower, an Atlanta-based airline pilot, whom she's never actually met. Two of these old pals are definitely not as close to Hollis as they once were, one of them has done her secret harm, and Hollis dramatically increases the potential for trouble by paying her angry 20-something daughter to document the weekend on film. Add two bottles each of Casa Dragones tequila, Triple 8 vodka, and Veuve Clicquot, plus some Hendricks gin and Mount Gay rum--what could possibly go wrong? Known for gently inserting social commentary into her plots, Hilderbrand here highlights the ridiculous fickleness of cancel culture when one of the characters--Dru-Ann, an extremely successful Black sports agent--almost loses her clients, her job, and her boyfriend when a video clip of a private conversation in a restaurant is posted on social media. Everyone says there's no way forward without a self-effacing apology. Dru-Ann says pass the Casa Dragones. Meanwhile, Hollis is about to learn that friendships forged on the internet are not always what they seem. Hilderbrand has announced plans to retire in 2024. Wait--that's next year! No! The people in her books may screw up, but Hilderbrand always gets it right. Kind of amazing. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Lifestyle guru Hollis Shaw is still reeling from the sudden death of her husband, but after months of mourning, she needs to do something. So she concocts a Five-Star Weekend, inviting one best friend from four stages of her life on a weekend getaway to her beloved Nantucket, with daughter Caroline along to film it for her website. She invites childhood friend Tatum, who is awaiting the results of a biopsy; college roommate Dru-Ann, a successful sports agent about to be cancelled; prime of life bestie Brooke, who is worried she won't fit in; and a wild card, Gigi, who is a commenter-turned-friend on Hollis' blog. There is immediate tension. Tatum still feels like Hollis abandoned her for life off the island. Brooke is annoying everyone, and Gigi is hiding an incredible secret. Hildebrand's latest is dripping with her signature Nantucket details; the food descriptions alone are enough to get readers to book the next ferry. Readers will be transported both by the setting and the emotional drama as Hilderbrand sets up seemingly impossible odds, then manages a convincing happy ending.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: It's not officially summer without a novel from Hilderbrand, and she delivers exactly what her readers want—female friendship, family drama, and gorgeous descriptions of Nantucket. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

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In this stunning, sun-drenched mix of romance and women's fiction from bestseller Hilderbrand (The Hotel Nantucket), famous food blogger Hollis Shaw gathers one important woman from each decade of her life for an unforgettable girls' trip to Nantucket. Reeling from her husband's sudden death in a car accident, Hollis is trying to make sense of their marriage, which had been failing; cope with her teen daughter's resentment; and figure out plans for her upended future when she stumbles across the idea for a "five-star weekend" online and sets about recruiting friends. Her best friend from childhood, Tatum, who still lives on Nantucket, is reluctant to renew their friendship, particularly when she knows that Hollis's college roommate, Dru Ann, a high-powered sports agent whom she fought with at Hollis's wedding, will be in attendance. Meanwhile, Hollis's friend from her 30s, Brooke, always tries too hard to fit in, filling her with anxiety that colors her interactions with the other, seemingly more self-confident women. Hollis also invites an internet friend whom she connected with through her blog and has never met in person. Hilderbrand makes the most of gathering these big personalities in Hollis's small, photograph-ready abode; as they navigate their differences, the women discover things about themselves—and may even find love along the way. This should become a beach bag staple. Agent: David Forrer and Michael Carlisle, InkWell Management. (June)