A Casual-but-Addictive Reading Journey Through Elin Hilderbrand’s Books

I don’t know about you, but for me, nothing beats the slow-drifting pleasure of sipping iced tea (or maybe something stronger) while flipping through the pages of an Elin Hilderbrand novel. Over time, I’ve found myself wandering through Nantucket summers, lingering in winter coziness, and getting swept up in family secrets and holiday drama, all with a warm sense of familiarity.

Writing this article, I feel like I’m that friend nudging another, whispering, “Start here…you’re in for a ride.”

Order to Read Elin Hilderbrand Books

Below is the authentic, publication-based order that gives you a true sense of Elin Hilderbrand’s evolution, her debut, her winter series, her summer sagas, and so much more:

1. The Beach Club (2000)
2. Nantucket Nights (2002)
3. Summer People (2003)
4. The Blue Bistro (2005)
5. The Love Season (2006)
6. Barefoot (2007)
7. A Summer Affair (2008)
8. The Castaways (2009)
9. The Island (2010)
10. Silver Girl (2011)
11. Summerland (2012)
12. Beautiful Day (2013)
13. The Matchmaker (2014)
14. Winter Street (2014) – begins the Winter Series
15. The Rumor (2015)
16. Winter Stroll (2015)
17. Here’s to Us (2016)
18. Winter Storms (2016)
19. The Identicals (2017)
20. Winter Solstice (2017)
21. The Perfect Couple (2018) – Paradise Trilogy start
22. Winter in Paradise (2018)
23. What Happens in Paradise (2019)
24. Summer of ’69 (2019)
25. Troubles in Paradise (2020)
26. 28 Summers (2020)
27. Golden Girl (2021)
28. The Hotel Nantucket (2022)
29. The Five-Star Weekend (2023)
30. Swan Song (2024) – Hilderbrand’s final Nantucket summer novel

Why This Order Works

• Chronological Joy: Reading from her earliest (“The Beach Club”) to her last summer novel (“Swan Song”) builds a beautiful arc, watching her style sharpen, her characters deepen, and Nantucket’s presence grow ever more immersive.
• Series Within the Catalog: The Winter Series (from Winter Street through Winter Solstice) marks a cozy, wintry detour, perfect if you’re craving seasonal feels.
• Thematic Clusters: The Paradise Trilogy and Summer of ’69, 28 Summers, Golden Girl etc., link thematically and emotionally, offering bursts of nostalgia, romance, and plot diversity.

Digging Deeper: Two Bonus Sections

1. Why Nantucket Feels Like a Character

Elin Hilderbrand doesn’t just place her stories on Nantucket, she breathes personality into the island itself. Having lived there since the ’90s, she writes lovingly about real landmarks, from The Chicken Box to Brant Point Light, making her fictional world feel lived-in and genuine.

Each novel feels like a postcard: salty air, quirky locals, couples moving through heartbreak and healing, and the undercurrent of scandal or whispered secrets that keeps you turning pages.

2. The Final Bow: “Swan Song” and What’s Next

In June 2024, Hilderbrand concluded her Nantucket summer saga with Swan Song, a fitting and bittersweet finale. She has since signaled her retirement from the genre she dominated, “the queen of beach reads”, and plans to explore new creative directions, including a collaborative project with her daughter, and keeping her voice alive through her podcast Books, Beach & Beyond.

If you’re reading with me in real time, finishing Swan Song doesn’t feel like an ending, it’s more like stepping off one dock and blinking into a new horizon together.

Final Verdict

So, what’s my verdict? If you’re craving escape, compelling characters, and emotional arcs set against sunlit shores and snowy holidays, follow this order. You’ll trace Hilderbrand’s growth as a writer, experience the seasons of Nantucket, and feel the shift of her creative journey. This isn’t just reading, it’s taking a long summer (or winter) walk with an author who invites you in, book after book.

Here’s your invite: bring a blanket, sun hat, or cocoa, and let Elin Hilderbrand guide you, one beautifully written chapter at a time.