Book Review: Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand (Re-read)

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!

   Secret lives. Hidden truths. And a man at the center of a mystery that will bring several lives together. Winter in Paradise was one of my favorite books at the beginning of this year. It had mystery, romance, and some suspense. I fell in love with the Carribean locals and three-dimensional characters. This month book two has been released, which made me want to re-read book one to get myself ready. I am happy that I did because I loved it, even more, the second time around. 

    

 Winter in Paradise is the first book in a new trilogy written by Elin Hilderbrand. It is published by Little Brown & Company, an imprint of the Hatchet Book Group. In it, we are introduced to Irene Steele, a magazine editor on the way to having her role reduced at her job. Her New Year's Day is shattered by the news that her husband, Russell was killed in a helicopter crash in the Virgin Islands. Calling her sons, Irene is ready to travel to St. John to investigate for herself what happened. Her husband was a traveling businessman for his job and could be away for weeks on end. Irene wonders what her husband was doing in the Virgin Islands when he was supposed to be in Florida?  Meanwhile, on St. John, waitress Ayers discovers that her best friend, Rosie, is dead; killed in a helicopter crash. Soon the community gathers to mourn their beloved Rosie and console her family. Rosie's stepfather, Huck, is entrusted with looking after Rosie's daughter, Maia.

  As Irene and her sons begin to investigate Russell's business dealings, they are shocked to find that his mysterious business partner has arranged identification of the body and had it cremated. And the villa that Russell owns in the Caribbean has been stripped of all belongings prior to their arrival. Irene is uncomfortable that these measures have been taken on her behalf to save her the grief, which makes her more suspicious than ever.  Irene continues to look into the life her husband kept from her, she comes across information about a woman, named Rosie. As Irene and her sons dig deeper during their Winter in Paradise, they find that Russell Steele had many secrets. Could these secrets have caused his death? And what of his secret life... who is Rosie? 

  Winter in Paradise was a fun getaway to another life and another place. Vividly depicted by Hilderbrand, the Virgin Islands unfolds in front of the reader like a beautifully unfurled tapestry. She pays homage to places no longer in business due to the severe hurricanes of the past and shows the reader a paradise that they will not want to leave. The romance and family drama is forefront as the reader is given more clues to what Russell's true business dealings may have been. The novel is filled with relatable characters that I loved. I am happy this is book one of a planned trilogy because I want more of these characters. When the mystery is unfolded slowly saving more for the second and third installments. The truth circled like a hungry shark under the crystal blue waters, ultimately surfacing on the end page to deliver a shocking cliffhanger. I am excited to see where the story goes after what we have learned.

  I read this novel in part with the narration of actress, Erin Bennett. I enjoyed her slow and smooth reading style that paired very well with being sped up 1.2x or 1.5x. She has never disappointed me with her voice work, and Winter in Paradise is no exception. Thankfully, she reads the next two novels.

  Winter in Paradise was a  five-star re-read during a cold New England Autumn. I loved the way it whisked me away to a tropical paradise and gave me characters I was invested in. I loved the family drama and underlying mystery. And the cliffhanger finale left me wanting more. The second novel, What Happens in Paradise, was released on October 8th. Shake off the Autumn chill with this novel. You will not be disappointed.

 
   Have fun reading this week. Let me know in the comments below what you are reading this week.

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