The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand

The review is being delayed to be published for when it would probably be the best time of year to read this book. The story of Hotel Nantucket covers the course of one summer in Nantucket, but most of the action takes place in August. A fantastic beach or summer read, and not just because of the time of year. The main character Lizbet, ended last summer breaking up with her long-term (think decade plus) boyfriend J.J. when she found out he was sexting with a wine distributor. Over the course of the off season Lizabet works hard to start a new life for herself which includes becoming the general manager at a newly renovated hotel that Xavier Darling sunk millions into. That hotel is meant to impress 2 women Xavier tells Lizbet, one remains a secret and the other is hotel critic Shelly Carpenter. Lizbet puts together an amazing team, she hopes, but all of them seem to have a secret and most of those secrets will come out during the course of the summer. Of course the secrets are revealed in August and the last Friday in August reveal of who Shelly Carpenter really is, may not have been shocking to avid readers. This isn’t a mystery novel but it is interesting to think about what everyone’s secret could be. Magda, the head of house keeping, hints at her secret during the course of the story. Chad, the stereotypical version of the nickname, reveals his secret to Magda and it was not all that he had hinted about during the story. The front desk staff have their secrets exposed to the reader early on, but it is how they reveal it to others that keeps the reader’s attention. The night auditor, Richie, is great at his job and explains why he is in a bind, but his secrets are not revealed until the end of the season when he gets arrested. Kimber, a guest that pays in cash each week and booked the entire summer, has several secrets. Grace is a ghost who is trying desperately to get someone to acknowledge her death was a murder, not an accident. Grace’s wish comes true with the help of Wanda and a surprising character who makes a revelation at the end of the summer. Some of the characters with secrets are glossed over, and others reveal themselves with time. The story is fun and light-hearted it is great read when you want happy ends and something fun to take your mind off of the real world chaos.

The typical list of characters will not be given as that would reveal secrets or could give a hint that some readers would like to find out as they read.