Winter in Paradise (Paradise, 1)

I love @elinhilderbrand for so many reasons. She knows how to tell the story in the most amazing locations. But my favorite thing about every single one of her books is the mix of relationship, intrigue, emotional depth, and incredible scenery. I don’t know of another author who does it quite like her.

A man from Iowa dies in a tragic helicopter crash in the U.S. Virgin Islands. But when his wife gets the call informing her of his death, she is left with so many questions. What was he doing there? Why take a helicopter? And why did his “boss” have his body identified and then cremated before his wife and sons had a chance to see him or identify him themselves? Irene and their two boys fly to the island and uncover some unimaginable secrets. I will not give any of them away here, but I encourage you to pick up this book. I have already purchased the other two in the series.

Book Quote” “It’s newly astonishing to Irene that as much as we know about the world, we still can’t see into another person’s mind or heart.”

I zoomed through the pages of this one - it was one of those books that once you start you don't want to stop and there is no actual good part to stop at - the reader gets in the zone and doesn't want to leave - they want to keep reading and reading and never stop! I think the author did an amazing job of setting the location for the reader - it felt like they were in St. John - I could feel the climate change, the warm weather, the boat gently rocking...the drama and angst were there - the reader felt like they were in the story - and this reader never wanted to leave! The characters were equal parts likable and unlikable and it made this reader want to become their friends IRL. The author takes the reader on a roller coaster ride that they never want to end! Don't hesitate to add this one to your TBR list and move it to the top! You may also want to get the next book in the series so that you are ready to dive in once you finish - I can't wait to see what happens next!

Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to sky-writing, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a plane crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband’s death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John.

After Irene and her sons arrive at this faraway paradise, they make yet another shocking discovery: her husband had been living a secret life. As Irene untangles a web of intrigue and deceit, and as she and her sons find themselves drawn into the vibrant island culture, they have to face the truth about their family, and about their own futures.

My Thoughts: As the story opens with Irene enjoying her beautiful home and her job with Heartland Home & Style magazine, a feeling of foreboding tells us that everything she holds dear will soon be put to the test.

Meanwhile, her sons Baker and Cash are being challenged in their own ways: Cash is facing reversals in his business and Baker’s marriage is on the rocks.

The phone call that changes their lives takes them on a plane to the Virgin Islands, to a place they might have loved visiting under other circumstances.

How will Irene and her sons deal with the death of their husband and father? What will they discover about the secret life he was living?

In alternating narratives, we learn more about the islanders who are now part of Irene’s story: Huck, a ship captain and stepfather to Rosie, who now has become part of their lives; Ayers Wilson, Rosie’s best friend; and Maia, the twelve-year-old girl who has lost her mother.

Set against the backdrop of the island retreat, Winter in Paradise captured my heart with the sadness, the joy of the setting, the delicious foods that tease our taste buds, and the sense of betrayal dealt by Russell, who is no longer alive to explain himself.

Just below the surface is the sense of a mystery, and as Irene reminisces about her life with Russell, she tries to piece together what signs she might have missed along the way. At the very end, however, another tidbit of information from the authorities adds a startling conclusion. Since this book is number one in a new series, I look forward to more from these characters. 5 stars.

I enjoyed the characters and the differences among them. It was an interesting quagmire for a plot that has been written about many times--the double life of a husband that has died. I couldn't wait to find out about what happed to her husband, but nothing was tied up. There was not one conclusion to a host of sub plots. So now I have to purchase the second book, which is fine, but I thought the book was marketed as a stand alone. No biggie.