Elin Hilderbrand is a writer with a brand.
Labeled ‘The Queen of Beach Reads,’ Elin Hilderbrand is a staple by the poolside and every summer vacation. Her books must be judged by their cover, as they always display precisely what you can expect from them— blue skies meeting with the calm sea.
But Her Majesty of Beach Storylines does not love all oceanside places equally. Nantucket, where she lives, is her biggest inspiration and the focus of most of her stories.
That said, this does not make her stories predictable. In fact, not all her books are as serene as the beaches on their covers. While the setting and ambiance are consistent—and romance is always at the forefront—her stories cover various genres, from contemporary adult to murder mysteries.
- How Many Books Has Elin Hilderbrand Written?
- What Order to Read Elin Hilderbrand’s Books?
- The Best Elin Hilderbrand Books
- Bring The Queen of Summer with You on All Seasons
How Many Books Has Elin Hilderbrand Written?
Elin Hilderbrand is a prolific writer who began her published career in 2000. Since then, she has written 31 books, some short stories, and novellas.
Although beach reads set on Nantucket are her staple and part of her brand identity, she has announced her retirement from the genre. “I have run out of really good ideas for Nantucket novels,” Hilderbrand admitted, “I really feel this is the time to go.”
But Hilderbabes should not despair. While this may be the end of the Nantucket novels in the foreseeable future, it could mean venturing into a brand-new genre and releasing even more books in the future.
What Order to Read Elin Hilderbrand’s Books?
Those eager to start reading Elin Hilderbrand’s books in order might have gotten a tad bit intimidated after seeing her immense output. After all, trying to catch up with the developments of over thirty books is outright frightful.
But despite it all, getting into the Queen of Summer’s bibliography is not nearly as complicated as you might think. Most of Elin Hilderbrand’s books are standalone novels you can read whenever and wherever you want—feel free to pick your favorite!
However, there are two caveats.
The first one is her series. Hilderbrand has five series, which you can start to read in any order you’d like. However, if you begin a series, checking each book in order might be a good idea, as it’ll help you keep track of the characters and avoid spoilers.
The second caveat refers to her book’s settings. Most of them take place in Nantucket, so you’re bound to come across references to settings and people from other books within one story.
With that in mind, here are Elin Hilderbrand’s books in order.
Nantucket Summer Series
Perhaps her core saga, Hildebrand’s Nantucket series follows the torrid, intriguing, and complex lives of lively yet complex characters. Although the stories may seem entirely stand-alone, they interconnect in ways you wouldn’t guess.
A Summer Affair (2008)
The Castaways (2009)
The Perfect Couple (2018)
Swan Song (2024)
Winter Series
This series comprises four short books, allowing us to glimpse at the Quinn family’s members throughout the years when they gather at the family’s Winter Street Inn for the Christmas season.
Winter Street (2014)
Winter Stroll (2015)
Winter Storm (2016)
Winter Solstice (2017)
The Paradise Trilogy
Irene Steele is a woman who seemingly has it all. Or at least she did until she received a dreaded call announcing her husband’s death. But that’s far from her only shock—after all, he died on St. John Island, where he had a secret second family.
Pain, intrigue, and deception take root in the paradisiacal beaches of the Caribbean.
Winter in Paradise (2018)
What Happens in Paradise (2019)
Troubles in Paradise (2020)
28 Summers Series
This short series consists of a single book and a short story. It follows the torrid romance between Mallory Blessing and Jake McCloud, a bond that persists through 28 summers as a one-weekend-per-year love affair.
28 Summers (2020)
The Sixth Wedding (2021)
Summer of ’69 Series
Elin Hilderbrand’s first work of historical fiction takes readers to the fated summer of 69 when the man reached the moon, civil unrest increased, Ted Kennedy sank a car in Chappaquiddick—and the Levin family dealt with their personal storm amidst it all.
Summer of 69 (2019)
Summer of ’79 (2021)
Standalone Summer Novels
A collection of standalone summer books, most of them set in Nantucket.
The Beach Club (2000)
Nantucket Nights (2002)
Summer People (2003)
The Blue Bistro (2005)
The Love Season (2006)
Barefoot (2008)
The Island (2010)
Silver Girl (2011)
Summerland (2012)
Beautiful Day (2013)
The Surfing Lesson (2013)
The Matchmaker (2014)
The Rumor (2015)
Here’s to Us (2016)
The Identicals (2017)
Golden Girl (2021)
The Hotel Nantucket (2022)
The Five-Star Weekend (2023)
The Best Elin Hilderbrand Books
Elin Hilderbrand’s books have a signature: Nantucket, beaches, clear skies, and interpersonal drama. But even among the eating, swimming, sunbathing, romancing, cheating, and murdering, each story stands out as different from the one before.
For fans, choosing the best Elin Hilderbrand book from her prolific bibliography might be challenging. However, the following novels are among the most popular and well-received, making them examples of her writing skills.
The Hotel Nantucket
(2022)
The beautiful Hotel Nantucket fell into disgrace and disrepair after a tragic fire in 1922 claimed one life. A century later, London billionaire Xavier Darling purchased it and appointed Nantucket native Lizbet Keaton as general manager to oversee its renovation.
Now, the team must work hard to fulfill the vision and bring Hotel Nantucket back to life—all while dealing with a haunting that demands justice for the events of a century ago.
Golden Girl
(2021)
Nantucket novelist and mother of three Vivian Howe faces an unexpected tragic end in a hit-and-run car accident. Upon reaching the Beyond, she is granted the privilege of watching what happens on Earth for one last summer and the possibility to influence the outcome three times.
She must use them wisely to protect her family, secrets, and legacy in this fan-favorite novel, deemed one of the best Elin Hilderbrand books.
The Perfect Couple
(2018)
The Otis-Winbury wedding promises to be the event of the year in Nantucket. And it is, but for the wrong reasons: a body is discovered right before the event. Now, everyone is a suspect and the horrible hidden truths surface. It’s time for Chief Ed Kapenash to act.
As part of the Nantucket Summer series, this book also features characters from previous entries.
Winter Street
(2014)
For the Quinns, Christmas means returning to the family’s Winter Street Inn to spend the holidays. However, Kelley Quinn is having problems.
Not only did he find his wife kissing—and more—with (actor) Santa Claus, but his children also came home with their problems and drama in toe. It’s just another Christmas with the Quinns.
Swan Song
(2024)
Once again, Chief of Police Ed Kapenash is called to action when a 22-million-dollar summer home burns to the ground. The Richardsons, a flashy couple who just moved in, recently purchased the home—and return from their yacht party to discover that their assistant has vanished.
What will the Chief discover? The last summer novel by Hilderbrand concludes the Nantucket saga with a bang.
Bring The Queen of Summer with You on All Seasons
Readers with a taste for adult contemporary fiction written by women for women probably already know and love Elin Hilderbrand’s work. Her novels range from cozy to dramatic, but they all feature intriguing twists and turns that keep readers focused on the story from start to finish.
Although a summer staple, her books are a perfect way to bring a little bit of summer with you throughout the seasons.
Looking for your next read? Start with It Ends with Us book by Colleen Hoover or the captivating Twisted book series for romance and suspense. Enjoy heartfelt classics from Nicholas Sparks, thrilling books by Linda Howard, or Janet Dailey’s charming romances. Don’t miss Lucy Score’s love stories, perfect for binge-reading!
