Winter Storms

August 22, 2016
The complicated web of familial turmoil created by Hilderbrand in this concluding chapter of her Winter Street trilogy is almost too much to bear as the Quinn family prepares for one last holiday season on Nantucket Island. This fictional depiction of a family working through the tragedies of loss, love, divorce, and addiction brings to the forefront the issues of living in a dysfunctional family and surviving the repercussions of each other’s decisions. As readers follow career-driven Margaret, romantically confused Ava, Jennifer, the interior designer addicted to pharmaceuticals, and Margaret’s ex-husband, Kelley, now undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, they become exhaustively entangled in the events that unfold. Unfortunately, Hilderbrand’s writing does not construct a thrilling plot line. By developing all of her characters at once, leaping from one character’s perspective to another, she leaves the story without a solid, defining climax. By the time the reader becomes invested in Jennifer’s battle against addiction, Ava takes over the story as she, once again, tries to sort out her tangled love life. Those already familiar with the series will find solace in learning the fate of the main characters, but readers looking for a light read will be disappointed by this emotionally-wrought, scattered conclusion to the trilogy. Agent: David Forrer and Michael Carlisle, InkWell Management.

July 15, 2016
In the last installment of the charming Winter Street trilogy, the Quinn family braces for the storm of the century.Unlike the first two novels, which span just a few days over two consecutive Christmases at the Quinn's historic Nantucket inn, the finale covers much of a year and shifts the focus from patriarch Kelley Quinn to his four children. Youngest son Bart is still missing in action in Afghanistan--the light in his childhood room has remained on for the past 18 months. Eldest son Patrick is serving the last few months of a prison sentence for fraud, while his wife Jennifer's patrician life is crumbling thanks to prescription drugs. Kevin, the flaky middle son approaching middle age, is finally coming into his own with a successful beachside eatery and a blooming confidence--he's finally proposed to girlfriend Isabelle. Lastly, Ava is in the enviable position (or not, depending on her mood) of dating both carpenter Nathaniel and vice principal Scott. Adding to her romantic confusion, she meets Potter, a professor at Columbia, who offers her a vision of a life beyond the island. As the Quinn children finally iron out their lives, Kelley confronts the end of his own--his cancer, thought to be in remission, has moved to his brain, with increasingly debilitating results. All is brought to a frantic head on Christmas Eve, the date of Kevin and Isabelle's wedding, when an impending snowstorm strands the guests off-island. If this all seems a bit soapy, Hilderbrand's tight pacing and breezy tone keep the story from heavy-handedness. But be warned: when Bart's MIA status finds resolution, tears may be shed. A series only works when the characters are worth following over the long haul, and Hilderbrand is a master, making for a satisfying conclusion to her Christmas at the Inn story.

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May 15, 2016

In this wrap-up to the Christmas trilogy begun with 2014's Winter Street and last year's Winter Stroll, all's well at Nantucket's Winter Street Inn, with Kelley having survived a health scare and wife Mitzi home after an unfortunate yearlong sleigh ride with the inn's former Santa. Then comes word of a terrible blizzard heading for them. With a 150,000-copy first printing.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2016

The conclusion to acclaimed Hilderbrand's "Winter Street" trilogy (Winter Street; Winter Stroll) has the Quinn family trying to gather on Nantucket Island for the holidays in the midst of a snowstorm. Kelley and Mitzi are back together, running the Winter Street Inn despite Kelley's battle with cancer and their anguish over their missing son, Bart. Margaret and Drake get married while Kevin and Isabelle plan a Christmas wedding. Ava, however, still struggles to pick the right guy. At least Patrick is finally released from prison but Jennifer is still dealing with her pill addiction. After this harrowing yet hopeful year, the Quinn family reunion is bound to make for an unforgettable Christmas. VERDICT Hilderbrand satisfyingly wraps up this holiday trilogy with ample doses of joy that are bound to please her many fans. [See Prepub Alert, 4/18/16.]

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.