The Rumor -- Free Preview -- The First 11 Chapters

by Elin Hilderbrand

Madeline King and Grace Pancik are best friends and the envy of Nantucket for their perfect marriages, their beautiful kids, their Sunday night double dates with their devoted husbands. But this summer, something's changed, and if there's anything Nantucket likes better than cocktails on the beach at sunset, it's a good rumor.
And rumor has it...
...that Madeline, a novelist, is battling writer's block, with a deadline looming, bills piling up, and blank pages driving her to desperation--and a desperately bad decision;
...that Grace, hard at work to transform her backyard into a garden paradise, has been collaborating a bit more closely that necessary with her ruggedly handsome landscape architect;
...that Grace's husband, successful island real estate developer "Fast Eddie" Pancik, has embarked on quite an unusual side project;
...that the storybook romance between Madeline's son, Brick, and Grace's daughter Allegra is on the rocks, heading for disaster.
As the gossip escalates, and they face the possible loss of the happy lives they've worked so hard to create, Grace and Madeline try mightily to set the record straight--but the truth might be even worse than rumor has it.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Summer Reads

84 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 19, 2015

About 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.

Facebook.com/ElinHilderbrand

Pinterest.com/ElinHilderbrand

Reviews

[Diane Schrempf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good beach read which was perfect because I started it just before leaving for Wildwood Crest, NJ. I like how Elin Hilderbrand writes and knowing she wrote this while going through cancer treatment makes it that much more incredible. I like how she developed the characters and the special relationship between two friends, Grace and Madeline & how Madeline decides to uncover a secret about her best friend as it becomes the basis for her next novel. A quick and spicy read!

[Nikki B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect summer/beach read! Typical EH story line but exactly what I needed to kick off my summer reading season. LOL. I loved the story & characters but the ending was a little rushed but still felt like it was a solid book.

[Kimberly Nause · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice easy read!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good beach read: the individual stories of four entwined characters unfold as bits of truth fuel the rumor mill

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read with lots going on. Did not end as I expected which I really liked!

[Erica]

No one in this book was interesting or appealing. Sorry! So unlike Hilderbrand!

[Maggie Willer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished while moving in🤯

[Jean Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexcellent read

[Margo R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the appetizer to a really good meal. After a few pages you couldn't wait for the rest. I can't wait to see what happens to Benton and Grace, Fast Eddie , Madeline, the twins and Brick.

[Svb · Rating 2 out of 5]

More of the same but less good

[Rhonda Boom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

After reading the first eleven chapters, I bought the book. You will to because it draws you right in just like all her other books.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok beach read but just too darn long and repetitive.