The Five-Star Weekend

The Five-Star Weekend follows food blogger Hollis Shaw as she assembles four friends from different phases of her life for a weekend gathering in Nantucket. Each guest brings their own struggles and challenges to the reunion: childhood friend Tatum faces health concerns, college friend Dru-Ann deals with professional scandal, fellow mother Brooke grapples with marriage issues, and online friend Gigi harbors untold complications. The narrative spans a single weekend as these five women navigate their complex relationships and personal difficulties under one roof. Hollis's daughter Caroline documents the gathering through her lens as a filmmaking intern, adding another layer to the interpersonal dynamics at play. Through shared meals, conversations, and moments of both tension and connection, the characters confront long-held secrets and present-day challenges. The coastal Nantucket setting serves as both backdrop and catalyst for their evolving relationships. The novel explores themes of friendship across time, the bonds that survive distance and change, and how people can impact each other's lives in unexpected ways. The story highlights how different types of friendship - from childhood connections to digital-age bonds - shape human experience.

Readers describe this as a lighter, summer beach read compared to Hilderbrand's other works. Many found the characters relatable and enjoyed the concept of a friends reunion weekend, though some felt the story moved slowly in the first half. Readers appreciated: - The Nantucket setting details - Female friendship dynamics - Insights about social media's impact on relationships - The food and wine descriptions Common criticisms: - Too many characters to track - Lack of depth in backstories - Predictable plot resolution - Less engaging than Hilderbrand's previous novels Multiple readers noted they "couldn't connect with" the main character Hollis, finding her privileged lifestyle off-putting. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (57,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (11,000+ ratings) BookPage: 4/5 Barnes & Noble: 4.2/5 (900+ ratings) Reader Jennifer K. on Goodreads summarizes common sentiment: "An easy summer read but missing the emotional punch of her other books."

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller A Cape Cod summer retreat becomes the setting for long-buried secrets and complex relationships to surface across multiple generations of women.

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes A woman returns to her coastal Maine hometown to sort through her great-aunt's house, leading to discoveries about love, family history, and second chances.

The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner Family dynamics unravel at a Cape Cod beach house when a pandemic-era wedding brings multiple generations together with their secrets and regrets.

The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand The renovation of a historic Nantucket hotel brings together a cast of characters dealing with personal redemption, romance, and past mysteries.

Summer Longing by Jamie Brenner A successful business woman's plans for retirement in Provincetown shift when an abandoned baby appears on her doorstep, bringing the community together.

🌟 Elin Hilderbrand has been dubbed "The Queen of Beach Reads" and has written over 28 novels, with most set in her beloved Nantucket. 🌊 Nantucket, where the book is set, is a tiny island of just 47.8 square miles but attracts over 50,000 visitors during peak summer season. 📚 The author lived in a Nantucket rental for 3 months before writing her first novel, developing the intimate knowledge of the island that characterizes her work. 🎬 The inclusion of filmmaking in the plot through Caroline's character reflects a growing trend - Nantucket has become increasingly popular as a filming location for movies and TV shows. 💝 Like the food blogger character Hollis Shaw, Hilderbrand is known for incorporating detailed food descriptions in her novels, often featuring real Nantucket restaurants and recipes.