Name: Lauren Kelli's review of Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
Item: Winter in Paradise
Rating: 4
Author: Lauren Kelli

Elin Hilderbrand

Welcome to Paradise, the first book in the Paradise series, has everything that readers have come to know and love about an Elin Hilderbrand novel, plus a healthy dose of intrigue. Irene Steele’s idyllic life-house, husband, family-is shattered when she is woken up by a late-night phone call. Her beloved husband has been found dead, but before Irene can process this tragic news, she must confront the perplexing details of her husband’s death. He was found on St. John island, a tropical paradise far removed from their suburban life. Leaving the cold winter behind, Irene flies down to the beautiful Caribbean beaches of St. John only to make another shocking discovery: her husband had a secret second family. As Irene investigates the mysterious circumstances of her husband’s death, she is plunged into a web of intrigue and deceit belied by the pristine white sand beaches of St. John’s. This exciting first book in the Paradise series will transport readers to a new beach locale-another world that Elin knows as well as her beloved Nantucket-and have them longing for winter.

A Novel

Winter in Paradise

Lauren Kelli

A husband's secret life, a wife's new beginning: escape to the Caribbean with #1 New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand. Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to sky-writing, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a helicopter crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband's death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John. After Irene and her sons arrive at this faraway paradise, they make yet another shocking discovery: her husband had been living a secret life. As Irene untangles a web of intrigue and deceit, and as she and her sons find themselves drawn into the vibrant island culture, they have to face the truth about their family, and about their own futures. Rich with the lush beauty of the tropics and the drama, romance, and intrigue only Elin Hilderbrand can deliver, Winter in Paradise is a truly transporting novel, and the exciting start to a new series.

Not my favorite of Elin Hilderbrand’s but definitely a nice switch from the Nantucket backdrop. I enjoyed listening to Irene and shucks POV but found Baker and Cash’s fighting kind of ridiculous. But I’m excited to see where the characters go in the sequels! 

Paige Paul

Janice Walker

Patricia Nelson

This book was really a good read. A plot-driven story with really interesting characters. If you liked this author's winter series you will like this one a lot. I just finished and quickly opened up goodreads to find out when the next one in the series comes out, because this book ends with a serious if not altogether unexpected cliff-hanger. This book has the reader thinking about the complexities of love, and family relationships. Can't wait to read the next one!

Kristina B

I felt like nothing really happened? I am still excited to see where the plot goes and how the characters develop in the next 2

Kerry Kalinoski

Me at the start of this book “oh a fun little beach read in the winter”

Me in the middle of this book “how did I not see that coming?”

Me at the end of this book “what the hell”

I’ll be reading the second one ASAP

'I just LOVE [Elin Hilderbrand's] books, they are such compulsive reads' -Marian Keyes Warm up for winter on a Caribbean beach with New York Times Bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand. Irene Steele's life is idyllic, until it is rocked by a late-night phone call that brings news of her husband's sudden death. Even in the midst of her crippling grief, Irene cannot get one question out of her head: why was his body found on St. John, a tropical Caribbean paradise far removed from their suburban life? Leaving the cold Nantucket winter behind, Irene flies hundreds of miles to get to the island - only to learn that her husband had a secret second family. As she delves deeper into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of the man she loved, she is plunged into a web of intrigue and deceit belied by the pristine white sandy beaches of St. John's. ************** Praise for Elin Hilderbrand: 'Oozes plenty of drama' - Heat 'A page turner' - Coastal Living 'Her imagination is endless' - Book Reporter

Book 1 in NYT-bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand's wonderful Paradise series

Winter In Paradise

Cindy

My Review Of 
  

   Winter in Paradise 
  


In this new series Elin Hilderbrand makes a change of scenery from Nantucket to St. Johns. I immediately became engrossed in this somewhat of a murder mystery(maybe)/family saga.
Irene learns that her husband has died an accidental death in a place that she had no idea he was or ever even visited, even worse he seems to have many secrets that Irene is astonished ( to say the least) to discover. The plot just thickens as Irene travels to St. John's and just learns more and more about her husband who now seems like he was a stranger to her all along.

Russ has led a double life that Irene had no idea about until she travels to St. John's and learns of Russ's lavish lifestyle that is completely opposite from the man that she had been married to for 35 years.Not only was Russ a secretive stranger to his wife of 35 years, he was just as much a stranger to Rosie, his mistress and mother of his child.

There are about 5 or more POV's in this books and each character has a connection to each other through Rosie. These many POV's and different characters do not confuse us and Hildebrand weaves this story together in a seamless manner. This book is very scandalous but I have come to expect, even cherish these shocking scandals from this author.

This installment of Paradise #1 ends in a huge cliffhanger that leaves me craving for more of this story. I want to know Russ and these characters on a deeper level. Is Russ a sinister type of character, a drug lord, a crime boss?

Winter In Paradise literally left me hanging and wanting more information but I am putting this on my new favorite series list.This review was originally posted on Cindy’s Book Stacks

Lauren Attaway

Beach Reading with no beach is still like a mini-vacation of the mind. Pleasant, fun, escapism.

Shay

I loved the characters and how the book was written so beautifully. There were a lot of twists and turns in this book. Overall I loved it so much, and it made me really want to read more books by Hilderbrand! I think the ending fell a little flat for me, but I think that's because it's building up for the sequels. I get having a cliffhanger to make readers want to return to the series after waiting for it to come out. Still, I just hate waiting for a book because sometimes I just get less interested in a book to the point where when it finally comes out, I either don't want to read the newer book or have to reread the previous books to remember what happened leading up to the latest book. Which kind of happened here because I've read this book and the sequel, but I haven't finished the trilogy yet even though I have the book sitting on my shelves. I just think I need to reread it before going into the last book. 

Stevie Blundell

Exactly what I needed to pull myself out of a slump

Annalee Harris

Full of deception, romance, and beautiful tropical locations, Winter in Paradise follows the Steele family as they're forced to deal with the loss of the patriarch, Russ--as well as the secrets he kept in the Virgin Islands.

Winter in Paradise is an easy read, meaning that the writing itself is extremely simple and a bit juvenile--but Hilderbrand's characters and plot progression more than make up for that. The characters, though deeply flawed and, in some instances, incredibly annoying (namely the sons), they are real, honest, and interesting. While the change in perspectives and the slow unraveling of secrets can get a bit boring, with parts of the novel feeling a bit bogged down, Hilderbrand still delivers a great part one, ending Winter in Paradise on a cliffhanger that's guaranteed to have you reaching for the second book.

Overall, this novel was equal parts fun and stressful to read (in a good way!).

Kate Gravelle

This started out slow for me but I enjoyed the suspense that built up and the ending

Stephanie Midolo

I did not like this book at all! The characters were flat. The plot was played out. Good thing I got it from the library instead of wasting one of my BOTM picks on it.

Rachel Briggs

Winter In Paradise
** Review **

4/5

You know those books that sit on your shelf, that you "want to get to one day", but you also don't want to admit that you might enjoy them? Most of Elin Hilderbrands books do that to me. Despite having now four of her novels on my shelves, I am always nervous to pick them up... 

Winter in Paradise was the first novel I ever read from Hilderbrand. And boy was I wrong about putting off reading from her! I demolished this novel in a matter of hours. And then immediately went to the bookstore to see if I could find copies of the two other books in this series. 

The story begins with Irene, who finds out her husband has passed away in a helicopter accident in St. Thomas. News to her that he was even in St. Thomas to begin with. Through the accounts of Ayers, Huck, Cash, and Baker you begin to unravel the mystery of what happened to Irene's husband, and how two families are interconnected.

Lauren Lopez

** spoiler alert **
           This book has everything you need for a fantastic summer read - lies, sex and a mystery. I was so glad to find that it’s part of a trilogy and I get to read more of these characters! 

The plot is a spin on the classic affair story. It adds spice by implying that the husband of Irene Steele, Russ, was not only hiding a mistress but a nefarious career as well. This one will get you hooked, and you’ll be ready to read the next one to see what becomes of these characters and hope for more answers regarding Russell Steele’s secret life.

Jacklyn O’Brien 

Per recommendation: This is not the type of book that I would usually pick up, but it was a wonderful book and I'm glad I did. I think the characters are relatable and flawed, and it makes me want to go on vacation so bad! The descriptions of the island made me want to sit on a white sandy beach. The reason it got 4 stars instead of 5 was because it took so long to build up to the drama. But because it took so long to build up, I will definitely be reading the next one.

Bethany Williamson

Bookworm

Peyton

Emma Byrnes

Madilyn Taylor

A husband's secret life, a wife's new beginning: escape to the Caribbean with New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand. Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to sky-writing, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a plane crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband's death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John. After Irene and her sons arrive at this faraway paradise, they make yet another shocking discovery: her husband had been living a secret life. As Irene untangles a web of intrigue and deceit, and as she and her sons find themselves drawn into the vibrant island culture, they have to face the truth about their family, and about their own futures. Rich with the lush beauty of the tropics and the drama, romance, and intrigue only Elin Hilderbrand can deliver, Winter in Paradise is a truly transporting novel, and the exciting start to a new series.

Lauren Kelli &
Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Reviews

Join the club

Lauren Kelli &Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Reviews

Join the club

Lauren Kelli &
Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand