The hotel isn’t the only one getting a new start in Elin Hildebrand’s latest novel The Hotel Nantucket.
Lizbet Keaton is well known on the island as half of the super couple responsible for local bar and restaurant favorite “The Deck.” But after a scandalous break-up, she needs a distraction. Enter Xavier Darling, an eccentric billionaire, who is aiming to make the Hotel Nantucket a luxurious refuge for island travelers.
Charged with operating a hotel that everyone expects to fail, Lizbet is determined to win a “five-key” review from the elusive Instagram influencer, Shelly Carpenter. She might have a chance at more than a perfect rating with renowned Chef Mario Subiaco serving up comfort-food delicacies, innovative drinks, and rugged good looks at the hotel’s “Blue Bar.”
First, she needs to find the right staff. That’s not an easy task on an island like Nantucket, but she manages to find both young and old, seasoned experts and a couple of long-shots. Each one has a story, some that even the town gossip doesn’t know yet.
The season begins with a misstep. Front desk darling Sweet Edie, a native islander, upgrades the hotel’s first guests of the season and agrees to let them pay in cash. Kimber Marsh and her two children arrive with their dog in tow to check-in for the summer. Wanda (a young detective obsessed with Nancy Drew) and Louie (a chess prodigy) become fixtures around the hotel as a colorful array of guests come and go.
All the while, Grace Hadley’s ghost haunts the hotel. The 19-year-old chamber maid died nearly 100 years ago in a suspicious fire and all she really wants is someone to know why. As she tries to make her presence known, she becomes the true judge of people, both employees and patrons. She alone can really sense and see who is ready for reinvention, redemption and romance.
Fans of Hildebrand know her writing can transport you to another place and time, generally the beautiful New England island of Nantucket. She builds rich characters with relatable backstories. This one has some twists and turns, all with a ghost for a guide.
On a personal note: Who doesn’t want to go to the beach, stay in a fancy hotel, and eat amazing food? I know I do, but if that isn’t your scene, that’s okay. You can still read this book and love it. This story is full of people and very few are truly unlikable, regardless of their sometimes questionable pasts. Hildebrand is known for her beach reads, and I personally love the way she brings plot lines together. I’m constantly surprised by where things start, where they end, and what comes in between.
By: Lisa McAlhaney
RA at Rolling Meadows Library 