Seven Days of Hilderbrand: A Summer Affair

A Summer Affair is one of Elin Hilderbrand's novels I like to pull out at least once per summer. It also reminds me why I make it a point to never volunteer to chair social functions! The main character in the novel, Claire Crispin, is a frazzled mother of four taking a break from a successful glassblowing career. She is conflicted because she loves her children and wants to be a good mother, but creating beautiful glass sculptures is also part of her core being. When she was pregnant with her fourth child, she had an accident in her hot shop that resulted in her baby being born prematurely. Because of this, her husband Jason, a local contractor, encouraged her to focus on raising the children and not her glassblowing for an undetermined amount of time.

Enter wealthy millionaire Lock Dixon, who calls Claire personally one spring day and asks her to lunch. There, he gently persuades her into co-chairing a huge social function for the nonprofit he works for, Nantucket's Children. He has two different motivations for wanting her involvement. 1.) Claire's high school boyfriend Max West is now a world-famous rock star, and Lock wants Claire to ask him to play a concert as part of the benefit. And 2.) Lock wants Claire to create a one-of-a-kind glass sculpture as the auction's main big ticket item.

After immersing herself in a world of mommydom and living with a husband who is more interested in parking himself in front of television every night rather than having a meaningful conversation with his wife, Claire is instantly flattered after her conversation with Lock. She also feels guilt in his presence--his wife Daphne was involved in a terrible car accident after a night out with Claire and her girlfriends--and still has complications from a brain injury. Claire sets out to co-chair the event for the next summer, with no idea of the curveballs she will be thrown while doing so, the first of which is her beautiful and conniving co-chair, Isabelle French.

It's inevitable that Claire will begin an affair with Lock Dixon, but there are also several other storylines in the novel that keep it intriguing, including a character embezzling money from the charity and Claire's history with the rock star, Max West. The presence of food is also alive and well in this novel, as Claire's best friend and sister-in-law run a catering business the island, and description of their culinary creations abound. As the big day of the benefit approaches, you'll barely be able to keep up with all the shenanigans among the characters.

Seven Days of Hilderbrand: The Castaways

While I love most of Elin Hilderbrand's novels, The Castaways stands out as one of my favorites, probably because a mystery lies embedded in the opening pages. In an attempt to salvage their marriage, Greg and Tess McAvoy head out on a sailboat to Martha's Vineyard, but before the afternoon is over, they are both dead in a tragic drowning accident. Their best friends--wealthy couple Addison and Phoebe Wheeler, police chief Ed Kapanash and his wife Andrea, and Jeffrey and Delilah Drake--are devastated by the news as they try to put the pieces together and help care for the McAvoy's young twins, Finn and Chloe.

The Castaways is told from the viewpoints of the survivors: Addison, Phoebe, Ed, Andrea, Jeffrey, and Delilah, and you soon learn the relationship among the four couples is richly layered and complex. Part of me had a hard time believing each spouse could be so oblivious to what was going on right under their noses, but I suppose these things do happen!

Phoebe is a once vivacious woman who has given her life over to prescription painkillers after losing her twin brother in 911, and her husband Addison falls in love with kindergarten teacher Tess after years of living with the distant and drug-addicted Phoebe. Andrea is Tess's older cousin and more like the big sister Tess never had, Delilah feels stifled in her marriage to straight-as-an-arrow Jeffrey and therefore drawn to the sexy musician Greg. At the time of their deaths, Tess and Greg were both still trying to recover from a sexual misconduct accusation from one of Greg's gorgeous and promiscuous music students.

The mystery unfolds as we get a glimpse of the inner workings of each marriage, including several child-free vacations the group takes throughout the course of the book. This is another area where I feel the reader has to suspend her belief. Could a police chief of a small island and his stay-at-home mom/wife, two public school teachers, and a farmer and restaurant hostess actually afford luxe trips to places such as Miami, Las Vegas, Mexico, etc? Out of the group, Addison and Phoebe really are the only ones with the means to take such extravagant trips on a regular basis.

Even with these small issues, I consider The Castaways a page turner, and breezed through the book so I could devour each detail as it emerged. Jeffrey and Andrea dated before Andrea married the police chief? Greg pursued Delilah at the restaurant they worked at in the evenings every chance he got? Why did the innocent Tess have opiates in her blood at the time of the drowning? And why is Addison convinced Greg was the cause of the accident?

Bonus: Elin Hildebrand's publisher, Little Brown, has released a new paperback version of The Castaways that includes an excerpt from her latest novel, The Rumor, a Q&A with Hilderbrand, book club discussions, and a drink recipe perfect for summer!

Seven Days of Hilderbrand: Winter Street

When I first heard Elin Hilderbrand had published a Christmas-themed book, Winter Street, I wasn’t as anxious to read it right away. Maybe it’s because one of the things I love about her novels is the image of Nantucket at its finest—during the warm summer months when anything seems possible. That said, when I stumbled across a copy of Winter Street a few weeks ago in my library, I didn’t hesitate to snatch it up.

Winter Street tells the story of former financial wizard Kelley Quinn, who now runs a bed and breakfast with his second wife, Mitzi. I laughed out loud in the opening pages when he catches his wife in a compromising position with the man who plays Santa Claus at their annual Christmas party. The novel is a quick read, as we follow Kelley’s story, that of his ex-wife, Margaret, now a famous news anchor, his children with his first wife (Ava, Patrick, Kevin) and his son with Mitzi, (Bart, who has just been shipped overseas as a member of the Marine Corps). Hilderbrand paints a vivid and snowy picture of Nantucket during the cold, winter months, and fills the inn with rooms and rooms of Christmas-themed memorabilia (most of which belongs to the somewhat flaky and materialistic Mitzi).

We learn how Kelley has invested in life’s savings into the inn, which currently has no paying guests, and he’s close to bankruptcy. Ava, a schoolteacher on the island lives at the inn and is in love with someone who has gone back to his hometown for Christmas with plans to visit with his now-divorced ex-girlfriend. Kevin, a bartender, has been secretly romancing the inn’s housekeeper, and Patrick has received glum news about his job that sends him packing home for Christmas without his wife and sons. No one can reach Bart in Afghanistan. Can the family pull together a find happiness despite their problems?

The book ends in such a way that you just know a sequel is in the works, and when I checked, sure enough, Winter Stroll is scheduled for release in October of this year. This time, I’ll be sure to pick this one up a little more quickly, as I’m interested to see how the Kelley clan is faring after the last book.

Seven Days of Hilderbrand: The Rumor

Special Note: Welcome to Seven Days of Hilderbrand! Want to learn more about Elin Hilderbrand’s novels? In celebration of The Rumor’s release, I’ll be posting a different review of one of her novels for the next seven days. Be sure to come back by and visit!

Every summer I look forward to visiting the beaches of either North or South Carolina with my family, relaxing under a shaded umbrella, and losing myself in the world created by one of my favorite authors, Elin Hilderbrand. Imagine my excitement when I received an ARC copy of The Rumor in the mail a few months ago—I couldn’t wait to dive back into Nantucket Island with Hilderbrand’s latest cast of characters.

The first thing I noticed about the book is that it is shorter than her usual novels. I immediately attributed the shorter length to the fact that Hilderbrand was fighting breast cancer during the time she was writing this book—completely understandable. Also—the subject matter of The Rumor—how quickly gossip can spread on a small island—is decidedly lighter than her other books, such as The Matchmaker (I cried for probably two hours after finishing that one), Summerland, Barefoot, etc. The novel centers around novelist Madeline King, struggling with writer’s block and a looming deadline for her next deadline (art imitating life, perhaps?) and her best friend Grace Pancik’s crush on her hunky gardener, Benton Coe.     

As the mother of two children and a freelance writer, I found myself relating to working mom Madeline much more than Grace, who comes off as privileged and so into her house and gardens that it borders on the ridiculous. Grace’s husband, the realtor “Fast Eddie,” spends so much time wheeling and dealing (and digging them deeper into debt) that Grace is left to her own devices, which includes a beautiful estate, her gorgeous gardens, and a gardener who is just the distraction Grace is seeking. When she begins an affair with Benton and confides in Madeline, she never imagines Madeline will use the affair as the basis for her next novel as the answer to her writer's block.

The Rumor is juicy, fun, and fast-paced. Rumors abound all throughout the book, and they include Grace’s twin daughters, Hope and Allegra, and Madeline’s son, Brick. Is Allegra cheating on Brick, and why does Hope seem so happy about it? Why is Madeline renting a studio apartment on the island instead of staying at home—and why did someone see Grace’s husband Eddie visiting her there? The usual Hilderbrand mainstays are all in this novel—the gourmet food, the social scene, the pristine beaches, and a whole lot of sneaking around with some calamity thrown in for good measure.

I enjoyed The Rumor for the most part, except for the resolution of the storyline involving Fast Eddie. It’s wrapped up a little too simply for my taste and doesn’t jive with information given earlier in the novel. Also, at the beginning of the book, the relationship with Hope and Allegra is horribly strained, but after an incident toward the middle, they magically repair it, which I felt happened unrealistically. Those few items aside, if you’re looking for a light, entertaining beach read, Hilderbrand remains the “Queen of the Summer Novel,” in my humble opinion.

As a fun side note, I finally read Hilderbrand’s Christmas-themed novel Winter Street recently, and noticed Eddie and Grace Pancik made an appearance in that novel as well, as did a few characters from her other novels.

Guest Post: From Nurse to Author by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre

Today I'm happy to welcome Michelle Dim-St. Pierre, author of the romance novel Pinnacle Lust, as part of her WOW! Women on Writing blog tour. She is one of many who has made the bold but satisfying transition from one successful career to that of an author. Learn more about her in this interview and then come back to read about her experiences as she followed the path to publication.

From Nurse To Author
by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre

If someone had asked me ten years ago, where I saw my career heading in the next decade, “a writer,” would not have been the first thing to roll off my tongue.

Even as a small child, I knew that caring for people was my true passion—what I was built for. I remember running around my childhood home with my first toy stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and thermometer, which my family had rather reluctantly condensed into a small leather briefcase for me after tiring of my incessant begging. I practiced and practiced—on them, on my friends, and on any visitor who happened to linger at our house longer than five minutes. Looking back, their reluctance may have stemmed from a weariness of opening their mouths and sticking their tongues out, yet again, instead of the distaste for the gathering of toy medical supplies and leather briefcases for an overly eager child.

No matter, as I grew into adulthood, I followed the path I knew to be most true to myself. I poured my heart and my soul into my studies and eventually my profession. Sometimes the hospital felt more like home than home itself. The sense of order and cleanliness juxtaposed against chaos and distress—all set amidst a regular buzz of activity, soothed my soul in a way that I still find hard to describe with mere words.

Over time, nursing became second-nature. A profession that I loved, and that fundamentally shaped my personality, intellect and emotional development, had finally reached its peak. I knew it was time for a new challenge.

I began to give in to my desire to write.

What started as a hobby—a deviation from my daily work schedule, an imaginative escape into a fantasy world that I could shape and produce as I saw fit—has turned into so much more. A few pages here grew into a few chapters. A few chapters grew into more chapters and before I knew it I had an intricate story and an admirable heroine. I felt like I’d found my second calling.

As I dipped into creative writing, I also had to learn the business side and the logistics of publishing from scratch. As much as writing was a joy it also became a challenge with concrete goals—something that I could pour myself into, and something that I could aspire to, much like I did with my nursing career.

About Michelle Dim-St. Pierre:

Michelle Dim-St. Pierre was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel, where she spent more than half of her life before relocating to the United States. She lived through four wars and served in the Israel Defense Forces for two years. Unlike her first year of service in an armored division in the Golan Heights, she spent her second year serving in the medical corps where she interacted directly with the injured soldiers of the Peace of Galilee war and their families. This interaction, along with the exposure to the hospital atmosphere, fascinated Michelle and further touched her heart.

After graduating from nursing school with a BS in Nursing in Tel-Aviv, she practiced internationally for 32 years in various positions in the surgical field and quickly advanced into health care administration. During her career she worked in the Operating Room, Recovery Room, and CCU--along with many other duties.

Writing was Michelle's outlet at first, but it soon became her passion. Recently she left nursing and became a full-time writer. Her international background, along with her military and nursing experience is always at the tip of her pen. Her first novel, Pinnacle Lust, starts the Pinnacle trilogy. 

Michelle is a world traveler who enjoys cooking epicurean food and creating original recipes.

Find out more about Michelle by visiting her online:

Website and blog: http://www.michelledimstpierre.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDimStPierre

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pinnaclelust

About Pinnacle Lust:

Pinnacle Lust by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre is the story of what happens when there isn't a happily ever after. In a Tel-Aviv hospital during Operation Desert Storm, Sharon Lapidot, a beautiful young nurse, is having an affair with a married doctor. Sharon's colorful and exciting life is ultimately destroyed by powerful and eroding mistakes. But her courage and wisdom lead her to an unregretful commitment. Vividly told, this compelling journey of love and lust, honor and betrayal, loss and redemption, will move you--and perhaps even change you.
Pinnacle Lust is a perfect balance of romance and drama--a great addition to your summer reading list or as a selection for your book club. It invites some spirited discussions on the choices people make and just who is the "villian" in Pinnacle Lust.

Want the chance to win your own copy of Pinnacle Lust for summer reading? Be sure to visit the two blogs below for giveaways:

Monday, June 8 @ Empty Nest
http://www.emptynest1.net/

Thursday, June 11 @ Romance Junkies
www.romancejunkies.com

A Portrait of Love and Honor - A Novel Based On a True Story by Susan G. Weidener
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"The emotional life cannot always be captured, is often forgotten, or left to the memory of those who remain behind."

When I first began reading A Portrait of Love and Honor by Susan Weidener, the only fact I knew was that part of the story was inspired by Weidener’s late husband John Cavalieri, a West Point Academy graduate who was never able to fully achieve his dream of a military career. But as I found myself immersed in the pages, I soon came to realize I was actually hearing the voice of a man who was honorable, intelligent, and disillusioned with the institution he had longed to be a part of for so long. In the author’s note at the end of the novel, Weidener shares the story of how John completed his memoir two years before his death in 1994. She spent many years poring over his words and trying to figure out the best way to share them with the world.

She eventually chose A Portrait of Love and Honor as a way to honor John’s memory and share his voice, which I found reminiscent of one of my favorite novelists, Pat Conroy. The novel is unique in that it blends two different stories, one in third person and the other in first. Readers are introduced to Ava, a divorced novelist, former journalist and freelance editor. She meets the character Jay Scioli when he approaches her at a book signing and asks for her help editing his memoir. The chapters alternate between the story of Jay and Ava, as they work on his memoir, and follows their love affair. In between the narrative are the chapters from Jay’s memoir, which follows his life from his entrance into West Point to the years after.

Because I knew the story of Jay Scioli was rooted in true events that occurred in the late 1960s, set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, I found myself even more invested in book. I felt Jay’s frustration as he dealt with the hazing, the rigorous physical and academic requirements, the constraints of the honor code, and the struggle to fulfill his dream and risk disappointing both himself and his strong-willed mother. When Jay becomes ill in the last year of West Point and sees his dream of military service disintegrating, I wanted to weep along with him.

He writes: "Maybe I learned to live with adversity because of events at West Point. One thing I now know is that adversity taught me true lessons in life."

A Portrait of Love and Honor is clearly a tribute to John Cavalieri, and a beautiful and moving one at that. Weidener has also published two memoirs, Again in a Heartbeat: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Dating Again, and Morning at Wellington Square that I now want to pick up and read. I commend her for sharing her husband’s story in such a beautiful way with A Portrait of Love and Honor.

View all my reviews

About the Author:
A former journalist with The Philadelphia Inquirer, Susan started the Women's Writing Circle, a support and critique group for writers in suburban Philadelphia. Her novel, A Portrait of Love and Honor, takes the reader from the halls of the United States Military Academy at West Point during the Vietnam War to a moving love story between two people destined to meet.

She is the author of two best-selling memoirs: Again in a Heartbeat, about being widowed at a young age, and its sequel, Morning at Wellington Square, a woman’s search for passion and renewal in middle age. Her work also appears in the critically-acclaimed anthology, Slants of Light, Stories and Poems From the Women's Writing Circle.

Susan offers editing services for writers aspiring to publish their manuscripts. She also teaches writing workshops and is available for talks and lectures on writing life stories. Susan lives in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. Learn more about Susan at http://www.susanweidener.com.

Book Review: Scar of the Downers By Scott Keen

“What you don’t understand is that you have to want freedom. I can offer it to you. I can even hand it to you. But freedom is nothing if you don’t take it with your bare hands. And that is what you need to do tomorrow. Take your freedom back from this city. Remember it is not theirs to hold.” 

First of all, I’d like to start out by saying I typically don’t read a lot of fantasy books, but Scar of the Downers is so unique and imaginative I couldn’t stop reading. The majority of the story follows the characters Crik and Jak, children who are branded slaves in the city of Ungstah. Beaten daily by their master and forced to steal from others and sell their findings in their master’s store, they must forage for their own food in the streets and also face mistreatment from the other residents of the city. When Jak is sold to a man much crueler than their own master, Crik must face his deepest fears in order to save the boy’s life.

However, Scar of the Downers is about more than the slaves in the city. Other intersecting storylines are woven together into one large, fantastical tale focused on finding hope in unexpected places. There’s Talorc, from the village of Arined, who sets out to avenge the death of his son, along with the characters of Gabril and Edem. Readers also meet Durgan, who is the captain of the guard in Ungstah, who harbors uncertainty toward the mysterious and tyrannical king. And why does he seem to have sympathy for the Downers?

There are so many elements of this novel to hold the reader’s attention. One is the world author Scott Keen has worked hard to create as the setting. The city of Ungstah is stark, desolate, and filled with soul-crushing characters such as the Ash Kings, who patrol the streets after dark in search of victims. Beyond the locked gates of Ungstah lies The Northern Reaches, filled with creatures lurking in the woods, such as the flesh-eating Rukmush, the “tree people,” or the Dendron, and the menacing bear-like Hurag, all of which Talorc and his companions face as they embark upon their quest.

One of my favorite things about this tale is the number of strong female characters. There’s Crik’s friend Tinker, also a Downer, Chaser, a young free girl who Crik finds living on her own in the abandoned buildings of Ungstah, and the mysterious Aniel, who plays a major role in the end of the book.

While Scar of the Downers is categorized in the young adult category, it will surely capture the hearts of readers young and old. And best of all—it’s the first book in a trilogy, so much more adventure awaits in the future for fans of the novel.

About Scar of the Downers:

Branded on the slaves in the Northern Reaches beyond Ungstah, the scar marks each one as a Downer. It is who they are. There is no escaping this world. Still, strange things are stirring.

Two foreigners ride through the Northern Reaches on a secret mission. An unknown cloaked figure wanders the streets of the dark city of Ungstah. What they want no one can be sure, but it all centers around a Downer named Crik.

Crik, too scared to seek freedom, spends his days working in his master's store, avoiding the spirit-eating Ash Kings while scavenging food for himself and his best friend, Jak. Until he steals from the wrong person. When Jak is sold to satisfy the debt, Crik burns down his master's house and is sentenced to death.

To survive, Crik and his friends must leave behind their life of slavery to do what no other Downer has ever done before--escape from the city of Ungstah.

About the Author:

Scott Keen grew up in Black River, NY, the youngest of three children. While in law school, he realized he didn't want to be a lawyer. So he did the practical thing--he became a writer. Now, many years later with an MFA in script and screenwriting, he is married with four daughters, two of whom he homeschools. He blogs at www.scottkeenbooks.com.