The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand Summary

The Five-Star Weekend follows Hollis Shaw, a successful food blogger who loses her husband Matthew in a tragic car accident. To heal from her grief and reconnect with her past, Hollis hosts a "Five-Star Weekend" on Nantucket, inviting her best friend from each life phase: teenage years, twenties, thirties, and midlife. The weekend becomes a catalyst for self-discovery as old feelings resurface and long-buried secrets emerge among the five women.

Elin Hilderbrand is a New York Times bestselling author known as "the queen of beach reads". Born in 1969, she has written 30 novels primarily set on Nantucket, where she resides. Her 2018 book The Perfect Couple was adapted into a Netflix miniseries starring Nicole Kidman in 2024. A Johns Hopkins University graduate and breast cancer survivor, Hilderbrand retired from Nantucket-based novels after publishing her 30th book.

The Five-Star Weekend is perfect for readers who enjoy emotionally rich women's fiction exploring friendship dynamics and personal transformation. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand's signature Nantucket settings will appreciate this story, as will anyone navigating grief, complicated relationships, or midlife transitions. The book appeals to those seeking character-driven narratives about female friendships across different life stages, making it ideal for book clubs and beach reading.

The Five-Star Weekend offers a captivating blend of friendship drama, romance, and self-discovery against Nantucket's scenic backdrop. The novel goes beyond typical beach read fare by addressing serious themes like grief, marital strain, and personal secrets while maintaining Hilderbrand's engaging storytelling style. Readers who enjoy character-driven narratives with multiple perspectives and emotional depth will find the book rewarding, though those seeking lighthearted escapism may find the themes heavier than expected.

A "Five-Star Weekend" is a gathering where one woman invites her best friend from each distinct phase of her life to spend a weekend together. In The Five-Star Weekend, Hollis Shaw applies this concept by bringing together friends representing her teenage years, twenties, thirties, and midlife. This framework creates a unique dynamic where women from different eras who've never met must navigate their differences while supporting Hollis through her grief.

Matthew Madden, Hollis Shaw's husband and a heart surgeon, dies in a car accident after leaving for the airport following a heated argument with Hollis on a snowy morning. His sudden death exposes the cracks in their seemingly perfect marriage and Hollis's complicated relationship with her daughter Caroline. The tragedy becomes the catalyst for Hollis hosting the Five-Star Weekend as a way to process her grief and reconnect with her life.

The four friends include:

• Tatum, Hollis's childhood friend whose husband secretly arranges for Hollis's first love Jack to visit
• Dru-Ann, an abrasive sports agent from Hollis's college years at UNC Chapel Hill facing a career crisis
• Brooke, a friend from Hollis's thirties dealing with her husband's repeated infidelity
• Gigi, a mysterious stranger who contacted Hollis through her blog and harbors many secrets

Each woman brings unresolved issues that complicate the weekend.

The Five-Star Weekend examines:

• Grief and healing following sudden loss, exploring how tragedy reveals relationship cracks
• Friendship across life stages, showing how women from different eras navigate conflicting personalities and loyalties
• Marriage complications, including infidelity and strained relationships
• Self-discovery and personal transformation through confronting past choices
• Secrets and honesty, as each character harbors hidden truths that surface during the weekend

The Five-Star Weekend maintains Hilderbrand's signature Nantucket setting and exploration of complex relationships but takes a deeper dive into grief and emotional healing than many of her earlier works. Published as her 29th novel in 2023, it shares thematic similarities with The Hotel Nantucket (2022) and Golden Girl (2021) in examining female friendship dynamics. Unlike her lighter beach reads, this novel balances romance with heavier themes of loss and personal transformation, making it more emotionally layered.

The Five-Star Weekend is set on Nantucket, the Massachusetts island that serves as Hilderbrand's signature literary backdrop. The sun-soaked coastal setting provides an enchanting contrast to the characters' emotional turmoil, creating tension between the picturesque environment and the weekend's dramatic revelations. Hilderbrand incorporates real Nantucket landmarks and local businesses into the narrative, grounding the story in authentic island life while the intimate weekend gathering forces the characters into close proximity.

Hollis Shaw's food blog "Hungry with Hollis" establishes her as a successful content creator with a seemingly perfect public life. The blog becomes significant as it's how Gigi, the mysterious fifth guest, initially connects with Hollis, adding an element of modern digital relationships to the story. The contrast between Hollis's curated online persona and her actual grief-stricken reality highlights themes of authenticity versus appearance, showing how social media can mask personal struggles.

Throughout the weekend, multiple secrets surface that complicate the gathering.

• Gigi's mysterious background remains the most significant revelation, as she embodies "unusual grace" while hiding undisclosed connections to the group.
• Brooke discovers her husband's repeated workplace infidelity, forcing her to confront patterns in her marriage.
• Dru-Ann's career crisis involves misinterpreted comments about a client's mental health that threaten her reputation as a Chicago sports agent.
• Additionally, the surprise appearance of Jack Finigan, Hollis's first love, stirs unresolved romantic feelings.