Here's to Us

by Elin Hilderbrand

An emotional, heartwarming story from New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand about a grieving family that finds solace where they least expect it.

Celebrity chef Deacon Thorpe has always been a force of nature with an insatiable appetite for life. But after that appetite contributes to Deacon's shocking death in his favorite place on earth, a ramshackle Nantucket summer cottage, his (messy, complicated) family is reeling. Now Deacon's three wives, his children, and his best friend gather on the island he loved to say farewell. The three very different women have long been bitter rivals, each wanting to claim the primary place in Deacon's life and his heart. But as they slowly let go of the resentments they've held onto for years and remember the good times, secrets are revealed, confidences are shared, and improbable bonds are formed as this unlikely family says goodbye to the man who brought them all together, for better or worse--and the women he loved find new ways to love again.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Romance, Beach Reads, Contemporary, Summer Reads

432 pages, Paperback

First published June 14, 2016

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

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 1 out of 5]

I mean, even for a "summer read" i.e. so fluffy and insubstantial that "brain candy" is an insult to other books deemed as such, this book was utter crap.

Not much of a plot (as evident in the summary). More of a tour guide to Nantucket than anything. The most entitled, stupid, vapid, annoying cast of women I have encountered in a chick lit. Insultingly simple resolution to major events, i.e. "Oh my god I'm so sorry I'm a drug addict. I've come to see the light and I will quit right now."

I'm chuckling at myself as I write this review, because, reader, the joke is on me. I wasted 2 hours of my life on this drivel.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes a book turns out to be so much more than I initially give it credit for. I settled in for a light summer read, but what I ended up with was a cast of characters I fell hard for and a story I didn’t want to end. I can’t say I loved everyone (I’m looking at you Belinda), but I didn’t want to let them go. There was more depth than expected, if that makes sense.

Life is messy and complicated and there isn’t always a happy ending. Sometimes life just sucks. People suck. Deacon learned that at an early age and it bled into the rest of his life. A celebrity chef with a bad boy persona and three failed marriages, Deacon has always chased after the feeling of being wanted.

He didn’t want me. But I want you.

The whole time I was reading, I kept telling myself, I shouldn’t even like him. What the heck is wrong with me? He’s been married three times, is a serial cheater and a drunk/drug addict—somehow he won me over though. Underneath it all was a broken guy. I mean, he was abandoned by his parents—who wouldn’t be messed up from that?

Seeing the love he had for his kids, especially the connection he shared with Angie, washed away most of his mistakes, in my eyes. I couldn't ignore the fact that he was a decent guy at his core and I could see why each of the women fell for him. For some reason, each wife thought she would be the one to save him, but it didn’t work out that way in the end. I think it says something that they all still cared enough, maybe even still loved him, to come together to say goodbye.

“My father didn’t really die of a heart attack, did he? He died of heartbreak.”

Can you imagine the drama with three former wives staying in the same house . . . together? Years of competitiveness and secrets surfaced and I seriously couldn’t look away. It quickly turned into a binge-reading session, for me. Of the three wives, Laurel was easily my favorite. Even after everything, I think her and Deacon shared the deepest connection. Belinda and Scarlett were such catty hypocrites most of the time, but I have to admit, they made me laugh.

The house on Hoicks Hallow Road was a character in itself really. Sort of rundown and plain, but the heart of the family. I liked that each of the wives and their children were so different and lived different lives, but they all loved that house for the same reason—they knew what it meant to Deacon.

I don’t think you can read an Elin Hilderbrand novel and walk away not wanting to visit Nantucket. Until then, I guess I have her words to transport me.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's to Us is a standalone, women's fiction novel written by the well-loved Elin Hilderbrand. The story focuses on three women and their marriages to the same man...but not at the same time - it's not that juicy! I couldn't find an ounce of care for any of these characters. The only character I liked was the owner of a house that one of the wives wanted to buy and her appearance was like five seconds long. There's really no plot or ongoing storyline in this book. We just meet these three women and learn about their histories, marriages, children, and present-day lives. TONS of character information that doesn't really go anywhere in my opinion. Maybe this book was meant to be just an exploration of the three woman who were loved by this one man. In that case, maybe it succeeded. If so though, it didn't really do anything for me. I didn't learn any life lesson or take away a new perspective unfortunately which is one of my favorite things about reading women's fiction. However, Ms. Hilderbrand did squeeze in quite a few recipes and I can admit that was a fun addition. I'm always game for some new grub...minus the crack cocaine of course ;)

My favorite quote:
Dave Letterman: "I literally cannot stop eating this. What's in it?"
Deacon: "A teaspoon of crack cocaine."

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to be posted to blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

The moral of this story: Families are complicated, messy, and sometimes, wholly dysfunctional. In abundance are love, friendship, and resentment.

When the family of Deacon Thorpe goes to Nantucket to celebrate his life, problems arise. After all, the present and former wives of the man gather together for the first time in the home that was once their own, and of course, the claws come out. Animosity runs deep between Laurel, Belinda, and Scarlett, which perhaps is as it should be as we come to discover that Deacon left the Nantucket house to the three of them to share, but left the house in such debt that it is about to be foreclosed upon.

Then there are the children of Deacon Thorpe. Angie, and Hayes, each has their own issues, and are simply trying to survive the mess they’ve made of their lives.

Elin Hilderbrand’s novels are always filled with trials and tribulations, and “Here’s to Us” was a prime example of exactly that. Out of all of the characters here, Laurel was my favorite, kind, caring, and down-to-earth. The friendship she had with Deacon throughout their lives and the relationship she had with others, including Buck, Deacon’s best friend, made her the clear favorite.

Although this wasn’t my favorite of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading/listening to more of her novels.

Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of this audiobook.

Published on Goodreads and Twitter.

[Jodi Schulz · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF on page 152. This book was so boring, I kept confusing the characters and absolutely nothing happened. I normally like Elin Hilderbrand but this was was a really bad book.

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Elin Hilderbrand's books for a few years, and was so looking forward to this latest one. What a disappointment!

What is this book about? A group of selfish adults with low priorities for family values. Added to that are drugs and way too many characters and story lines outside of Nantucket to keep track of.

At some points I considered not even finishing the book, but being a fan, I stuck with it through the end. All in all, this book has a poorly developed plot with recipes included as fluff.

[Sheyla ✎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A teaspoon of crack cocaine."

Everyone cheats seem to be the moral of this story. Although, we also have grief, anger, pettiness, forgiveness, and closure.

Here's to Us is the story of three women who have all loved one man. Deacon Thorpe has died at the age of 53. He was a famous chef celebrity who was a great father but a terrible husband.

Let's talk about his three wives and their children:

Wife #1: Laurel. Laurel was his first wife. She meet Deacon when they were in high school. She fell for him and his loneliness. She thought she could make him happy and for a while they were happy. They have one son together, Hayes. Hayes is currently hooked on heroin but no one knows it.

Wife #2: Belinda Rowe. Belinda is a famous Hollywood actress. One look at Deacon and she wants him. She's a lonely person too and she can recognize it in him as well. After getting married, Belinda tried to get pregnant to no avail. They share one adopted daughter, Angie. Angie's currently dating a married man. She was also the child who spent more time with Deacon since she's also a chef and she worked at Deacon's restaurant.

Wife #3: Scarlett Oliver. Scarlett was a fresh debutante from the south when she met Deacon. Scarlett was Angie's nanny (yes, a horrible cliche) and she wanted Deacon while he was married to Belinda. They shared a daughter, Ellery Thorpe who's still a kid.

Now that Deacon is dead, his best friend, Buck will meet all the wives at the home that at some point they all shared with Deacon, American Paradise on Hoicks Hollow Road in Nantucket Island. As you can imagine, the wives don't get along and all three under the same roof can mean nothing but trouble. To make matters worse, Deacon was in trouble financially and in a few days, they will lose the house that meant so much to him - and surprisingly to them too.

The death of Deacon forces the women to spend time together. They will try to stay civil with each other. However, old resentments are brought back to life and secrets always find a way to surface in the worst possible way.

My favorite character was Laurel. She was the nicest wife. She had always loved Deacon. She had been there when he needed someone by his side. Belinda had a lot of issues. She was an unhappy woman but she cared for her adoptive daughter Angie although she had a terrible way of showing it. I couldn't warm up to Scarlett. She was self-centered, deceitful and superfluous.

Now to the things that bothered me.

I thought Laurel had more sense than to settle for Buck. Just because she was getting older, didn't mean that she needed to be with Buck. What Buck let Belinda do was not a small thing. I for one didn't agree with Laurel letting him get away with it, no matter that he could wear a pink shirt with whales on his shorts.

Like father like daughter. Angie spent her time complaining about her mother, Belinda, and her shortcomings but she wasn't any better. She was currently sleeping with Joel, a married man.

Don't get me started on Hayes. He loved his heroine and spent all his time high as a kite. He was present in body only.

Here's to Us is an emotional story that made an impact. Despite having issues with some of the characters as a whole, I really enjoyed this story. I love how Elin finished this book. I thought it was a great way to end it.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

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[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

So there's some good news and then some bad news. The good news is that I didn't hate this book as badly as I thought when I first started it. The bad news is, it wasn't very good. There were too many characters, most of them dopey, vapid and shallow. JP was the most real, along with Chef Deacon. Deacon's story was really the only compelling part of this book. Buck's "indescretion" with Belinda was an eye rolling "wtf???" event. Laurel's anger and distrust of Buck over said "indescretion" turns into "take me upstairs and make love to me" . I kid you not. And there they are for the rest of the visit. In love. After he gets a BJ in the kitchen by another woman, her ex-husband's next ex. Ugh. The children were spoiled brats, all of them. Angie dumped her married boyfriend Joel but conveniently had JP, already in love with her after 3 days, waiting for her in the wings. And Hayes' addiction was miraculously solved after a few days and a tearful confession to his mother. Everyone ended up with a perfect life. Even moronic Scarlett bagged her man, the love of her life. Ah. If life could only be that easy.

I keep going back to Hilderbrand, maybe for the beachy feel good covers? I really don't know why, cause most of her stories are stinkers. Unless you really need something to read, skip this one.

[Susan Becraft · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed

I have always enjoyed spending time with Elin Hildebrand on her beloved island of Nantucket and looked forward to her latest book. Here's to Us missed the mark for me. The story of three vapid women who had been married to Deacon Thorpe, a celebrity chef, now deceased, did not engage me. The story, initially related by Thorpe as a child, intrigued me, and the reunion of his wives and children in the much loved Nantucket home held promise, but to quote an old saw, there was no meat on the bone.

The story had so many characters that none was properly developed. They became almost interchangeable, and I found myself bored by them. Missing was Elin Hildebrand's usual exuberance I had grown accustomed to when she painted such a vivid picture of the island that I felt as though I were making a return trip. The beachy nightlife, excellent restaurants, quaint shops and mouthwatering descriptions of lobster and clam rolls were missing. The story could have taken place anywhere.

Despite this misfire, I am already looking forward to Elin Hildebrand's next book. I have read every book she has written and do not expect to be disappointed again!

[Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict)]

Ok, normally I love Hilderbrand's novels, especially in the summertime, but this one didn't work for me. I couldn't stomach a bunch of insufferable women fighting and squabbling over every damn thing. I get that they were all once wives of Deacon, but I just couldn't.do.it. I am so tired of reading about women that don't support other women and quite frankly the first 75 pages of this book depressed me. This ex-wife will get the much coveted master bedroom at the Nantucket house, this wife will have to endure the cheap sheets, etc. Blah. I'm sure the story ends up happily, but I didn't want to take the journey to get there. I want summertime fluff that puts a smile on my face. If I want to be depressed, all I need to do is read the most recent headlines. This book just isn't for me.

[Cathy Branciforte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, my summer can officially start! Loved this book! Could be one of my favorite Elin Hilderbrand books. Binge read it this weekend- I thought it was a good story with a bunch of likable (and some not so likeable) characters. I always like the way Elin goes back and forth with the story and fills in the background, everything neatly tied up in the happy ending. A highly unlikely story, but hey, just enjoy the visit to Nantucket. I have never been to Nantucket (will be going in September for the first time), but I feel I know all about it just from reading Elin Hilderbrand novels! Just a really enjoyable beach/ summer book!

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story Here's to us is sad and brilliantly fast paced. Elin Hilderbrand is skilful adapting brilliant story lines. I enjoyed reading about the characters and I found myself having great sympathy for a dysfunctional family. A popular television chef Deacon Thorpe was found dead at the age of 53 from a heart attack in his summer cottage named America Paradise on Nuntucket Island. He was married to his high school sweetheart Laurel they had a son Haynes Thorpe. Then Deacon married an actress Belinda Rowe and they had a daughter Angela Thorpe. After divorcing his wife Belinda, he married Scarlett Oliver, they had a nine year old daughter Ellery Thorpe. All the women only shared one thing in common, the love for the man they all married. Naturally the women all dislike one another. But now the women must all come together in order to see out Deacons final wish to have his own dysfunctional family wives children and all return to his favourite place on earth, the idyllic eastern bluff of Nuntucket. I was impressed with the whole story line and the secrets that are revealed. Will the wives bond as they say their goodbyes to the man they loved? I highly recommend this emotional novel about a grieving family that finds solace where they least expect it.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm actually shocked at how bad this was. I've been a huge fan of Hilderbrand for years and I've read all of her books. Every summer I get excited to see what else she releases because I find her books so easy to read and fun - the definition of summer reading.

As a fan, I thought I knew what I would be getting myself into: rich, white, self-absorbed people on Nantucket, who would somehow be likeable or at least interesting (or both). Not with this one. I found first wife Laurel to be insufferable and unusually holier than thou, considering that she doesn't notice or ultimately seem to care all that much that her only son has a heroin addiction. Second wife Belinda is a successful, famous actress whom we are supposed to hate because her life didn't revolve around her husband and daughter. We barely get to know third wife Scarlett, the nanny turned wife, stereotypical southern gold digger.

I hope Hilderbrand can get it together for her next book because this was worse than I thought she could be.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook was wonderful. The characters were real…flawed and broken and full of mistakes. A wonderful start to the years books!

[LaGaryce]

DNF @ 37% - 8/7/24

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm. I usually love Elin Hilderbrand's books. They are my gateway to summer and each year I can't wait to read a new one. But this one was just not enjoyable, at all.

Since I've read and loved so many of her books, I am used to the flawed characters who are still endearing and very likable. I am used to the drama (which is sometimes over the top) and I think that she usually writes it in just the perfect way to keep you intrigued, but still rooting for the characters no matter what mistakes they make. The many descriptions of life on Nantucket and the beautiful island make me want to get on the ferry right away and experience it for myself.

However, I did not find one of these main characters likable or interesting. The only person in this entire book that I liked at all was JP. The rest were so petty and terrible and shallow. I don't even think that we really got a good sense of any of them as people, and just got continuous drama. All they did was think down about everyone else and so highly about themselves. For example, Laurel thinks she is so good. The spurned first wife who has turned her life into helping others as a social worker. She actually describes herself as the "good wife" who only thinks of others. But honestly she did some shady and meanly selfish things herself. The others were just as bad and did dramatic things for absolutely no reason at all. I just could not get emotionally invested in any of them and even the "juicy drama" was uninteresting.

I also hated that there was SO MUCH women blaming! From the tone we are clearly supposed to love Decon and maybe even at times feel sorry for him. (Now I understand you can morn someone, even not a nice person, but AS A READER how can I be manipulated into liking him). He was a serial cheater and left his wives and children on his own whim. But NO ONE seems to blame him. No his ex-wives just blame each other, not the MARRIED MAN. It was ridiculous and made me so mad - where are the female characters and I usually admire and root for?

Also Buck don't even get me started! Again he does something 100% consenting and then is shocked when Laurel gets bad at him for it. AND THEN she forgives him anyway. Like where is ANY accountability for things in this book?

And then oh wow look a happy ending for everyone - like they deserved it. Psh.

This was bad bad bad drama - like an extra cheesy episode of reality tv that isn't even interesting.

[Cammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following his death, the family of Deacon Thorpe gathers at the family summer home on Nantucket, American Paradise, to scatter his ashes and celebrate him.
Deacon is a celebrated chef with his own TV show and restaurant, three children, a third ex-wife in the works, and a bad boy image, but he's heartbroken. The story opens with Deacon on Nantucket as a boy with his father and the epilogue closes the story with Deacon on Nantucket where he dies, realizing the brokenness in his life from three fractured marriages and his current financial situation to his relationship with his father and his own children.
Most of the novel focuses on the family gathered at American Paradise, revealing the lives of the many people in Deacon's life: Laurel, Deacon's high school sweetheart and mother to Hayes; Belinda, the moviestar with whom Deacon adopted Angie; and Scarlett to whom Deacon is currently married and has daughter Ellery with.
Over the few days of the novel, the family members jockey for position--who gets the master bedroom, who is the favorite, and so forth--before realizing they are all literally in the same boat, and working together instead of against each other will help everyone in the end.
If not for the Deacon-focused opening and epilogue, I probably wouldn't have given this one five stars. There aren't many likeable characters, even Deacon, but I found the opening and epilogue with Deacon touching and unexpected, especially the epilogue.

[Marcia reading past dark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's to Us is the story of Deacon Thorpe, a famous chef, who has died at the age of 53, leaving behind three ex-wives, women who had all loved him, and their children. You’ve never seen a more miserable bunch. Not a single character is even close to likeable. The whole story is the sad saga of these wives who meet at the shore to say a final goodbye to Deacon. There’s plenty of sarcasm, a revealing of age-old secrets, and childish squabbling over room assignments. The whining and complaining stretches on endlessly. Is it worth reading? Yes! For the culinary artist, gourmet recipes are embedded throughout the book, but the overall story is like a failed soufflé. It just does not rise to her usual level of writing. 3.5 ⭐️

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5🌟
0🌶️ (but mentions)
Reading format: Physical 📖
Not my favorite book ever but I had a great time.
➳Plot
Deacon a famous chef dies at age 53 and his 3 wives, children, and best friend have to stay together in nantucket to take care of the responsibilities of losing someone. All these wives were very in love with him so you just watch that.
➳Characters
Scarlett- honestly pretty fierce and strong headed
Belinda- the worst out of them all. she thinks shes the center of everyone's world and she's just obnoxious.
Laura- my favorite of all of them she's the highschool sweetheart and pretty wholesome
➳Writing
Elin's writing is great because she really knows how to paint a picture she does really well with that.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ⭐️

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deacon Thorpe was well-known for his career as a tv-chef and the owner of an elite restaurant in NYC. Deacon was equally known for his social life as he was his career. He’s been married 3 times and had a child with each wife. Deacon struggled with alcohol and substance abuse and the fidelity of marriage. When Deacon passes away unexpectedly, his best friend and agent, Buck, is left to handle his affairs. To make matters worse, Deacon had more money troubles than he ever lead on, and now it’s Buck’s responsibility to break the news to Deacon’s family.

Deacon’s wives, kids and Buck all stay together in Deacon’s Nantucket home to spread his ashes. All hell breaks loose when the three wives—Laurel, Belinda and Scarlett—are under one roof. It’s safe to say that the 3 wives don’t get along and they couldn’t be more different. Laurel, Deacon’s high school sweetheart. Belinda, a scandalous actress. Scarlett, a southern debutante, and Belinda’s ex-nanny.

Deacon’s older children, Hayes and Angie, are almost as messed up as Deacon. Angie is sleeping with a married man and Hayes can’t go more than 12-hours without getting his heroin fix. For the sake of the children and to respect Deacon, the wives attempt to keep the peace in Deacon’s most cherished place, his Nantucket home—American Paradise.

But when Buck breaks the news that Deacon left the house to all 3 of his wives, split equally, everyone is quite shocked. And to make matters worse, the house is so behind in payments (over half a million dollars worth), that it’s going to be foreclosed on.

Deacon’s death brought his unconventional family together in a way that never would’ve happened otherwise. They’re all facing their own sets of problems in their personal lives and find it within themselves to forgive for the sake of Deacon.

Through the memories of Deacon’s wives and his children, it’s revealed that Deacon was far from a saint. He made mistake after mistake. He couldn’t abide by the vows of marriage to save his life. But one thing is for certain—Deacon loved his kids unconditionally and wholly until the very end. And as much as his family holds transgressions against him, they can’t help but look past his flaws and love him whole-heartedly, too.

A story about a seriously messed up family, Here’s to Us by Elin Hilderbrand is about the importance of family, the rebuilding of trust and forgiving mistakes, no matter how hard that may be. I enjoyed getting to know these highly flawed characters. By the end, I felt like I truly got to know Deacon, even though I only learned about him second hand, for the most part. Some characters were easy to like, while others were quite rough around the edges. It’s a story about grief and a family coming together to celebrate a man they all loved. I enjoyed this story, but not as much as my first Elin Hilderbrand read—3.75/5 stars.

[Melike · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loathed most of the characters, the ex wives are a miserable bunch and the kids are not a whole lot better. The plot is weak, I found myself rolling my eyes repeatedly.
This was my first Elin Hilderbrand book and it was pretty disappointing. It won't stop me from reading another one of her books though. I know she is well loved and maybe this particular book did not click for me.

[Samantha Bockelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved everyone of Elin Hilderbrand's books. Some more than others...But Here's to Us is one of my favorites. I highly recommend it to anyone that wants a "beach read" that isn't all fluff.

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. This family is brought together, under one roof, to celebrate the passing of someone they loved dearly. The time spent together is full of arguments, laughter, regrets, and honesty. I like the writing style of this author. She takes the reader from the present to the past to define how things got this way. It's a drama full of people who have real feelings of hatred toward another person in the family but within the three days spent on Nantucket Island, will change the hearts of many and develop a closeness that was needed all along.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had seen several folks reading her books so i gave it a try. Prologue was ok, liked the main child character Deacon. Who in less than two pages, maybe just one, Deacon was 40+ and dead. What? After that, it devolved into a litany of characters that were seemingly cut from cardboard (affair? Check. Drug user? Check. Financially and morally bankrupt? Check). My suspension of disbelief was stretched to the limit and then some. Finally just gave up on finding inspiration to keep reading.

[Lisa Berkovits · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how these women dealt with their grief and their resentments with each other at the same time. Of course, if you are a foodie you will love this book even more! The recipes and Island food Oh My!

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celebrity chef Deacon Thorpe is dead. Now his three former wives and their children are gathered in his summer home one Nantucket to spread his ashes for one final goodbye.

Elin Hilderbrand was once one of my favorite writers, her books almost always five stars. I eagerly awaited the release of her next book each summer, to escape to Nantucket vicariously through her characters. I've been disappointed with her last few books, none more than HERE'S TO US, which felt like one big advertisement for the Nantucket Tourism Bureau with product placement and plugs for shops and eateries on the island. I love that Nantucket is always a character in Hilderbrand's novels, but in this story it felt like overkill.

HERE'S TO US did have unique characters with interesting backstories. Hilderbrand included a bit of diversity with Angie, the adopted daughter of Deacon and his second wife. I wish Hilderbrand had gone further and made his ex-wife nonwhite. After twenty-some novels, I think the time has come for her novels to look more like America. I've never been to Nantucket, maybe it's not diverse but surely there must be LGBT, nonwhite and differently abled residents and visitors.

HERE'S TO US is the first Hilderbrand novel I didn't preorder and read on release day. If not for a Daily Kindle Deal, I probably wouldn't have purchased. It's an average story with interesting characters and an average plot.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sitting here on the island of Mauritius, famous for being the home of the dodo, and wondering if my love of Elin Hilderbrand books has gone the same way because I really didn't enjoy this book.

Of all of Hilderbrand's many books, this is one of the most read and highest-rated. But I just didn't care for it.

As far as dysfunctional family stories told from multiple viewpoints, I much prefer the Winter Street series. For a stand-alone Hilderbrand, my favorite so far is A Summer Affair.

Something about the characters in this book was very unlikable for me. The entire, extended Thorpe family was tough and tough to love. There was very little loving feeling in this book; the atmosphere was toxic, hostile and hatefully vengeful. I was at a loss to find one character on whom I could latch to help navigate this family weekend. The characters felt vapid and synthetic (especially Scarlett and Belinda), and I couldn't generate a strong liking for patriarch Deacon or any of his three kids either.

At times I wanted to rate this 1-star. I'll keep reading the next Hilderbrand (I have another 6 or 7 on my shelf, unread) and hope this rating was a one-time fluke and that as a go-to author, she hasn't gone the way of the dodo.

[Charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

What could be more perfect than a Memorial Day weekend and a new book from Elin Hilderbrand. Deacon Thorpe, the highly successful chef and star of Pitchfork dies of a sudden heart attack at his beloved summer home on Nantucket Island. His "family" which is composed of two x-wives and one current wife who was going to file for divorce plus their 3 children gather to spread his ashes and remember the complicated man that Deacon was. Naturally, there are complications--the most significant of which is that Deacon was broke and the beloved house on Nantucket is mortgaged to the hilt, the 3 wives don't get a long, his oldest son, Hayes has a serious drug addiction, his oldest daughter, Angie has relationship issues, and his agent and best friend is in love with Deacon's first wife. Combined it makes a delicious summer stew of family love and discord coupled with Hilderbrand's vivid descriptions of Nantucket island and several mouth watering recipes, fans won't be disappointed in this latest installment.

[Lisa Montanaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and I really loved it! What a wonderful surprise. The writing was really great, the plot was very interesting, the characters were well-developed, and I found the book just being extremely real. It dealt with real life in all of its messy beauty. I liked that it was told from each character's perspective and that there were interesting flashbacks that added to the story but didn't pull you away from it too much.