Review: Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

Silver Girl
Elin Hilderbrand
Publisher: Reagan Arthur
Publish Date: June 21, 2011
Audio Book {14 hrs 28 min}
Source: Public Library
Genre: Women's Fiction
Meredith Martin Delinn
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Meredith Martin Delinn just lost everything: her friends, her homes, her social standing - because her husband Freddy cheated rich investors out of billions of dollars.

Desperate and facing homelessness, Meredith receives a call from her old best friend, Constance Flute. Connie's had recent worries of her own, and the two depart for a summer on Nantucket in an attempt to heal. But the island can't offer complete escape, and they're plagued by new and old troubles alike. When Connie's brother Toby - Meredith's high school boyfriend - arrives, Meredith must reconcile the differences between the life she is leading and the life she could have had.

Set against the backdrop of a Nantucket summer, Elin Hilderbrand delivers a suspenseful story of the power of friendship, the pull of love, and the beauty of forgiveness.

At times I just wanted to shake Meredith and scream at her to grow a backbone throughout the bulk of this book. She was just so whiny and wimpy throughout. I especially wanted her to stand up for herself with Amy in the salon, but no she just limped off like a kicked puppy.

But on the other hand, she was outright rude at times to Connie, the only person who would have anything to do with her after her fall from grace. If not for Connie, I don't know if I would have enjoyed this book as much. She was definitely the saving grace because Meredith was a complete let down as an overall character.

The surrounding characters all added to the overall believability of the story, because Meredith at times was hard to feel any sympathy for.

Read by Janet Metzger, Marianne Fraulo
Duration: 14 hours 28 minutes
Hachette Audio

Narration: B
The use of two female narrators was a new experience for me. There wasn't a noticeable difference in the two, so you wouldn't know it was two different people if you didn't go into the book already knowing that. Both managed to bring something different to each of the characters.

Review & Giveaway: The Island by Elin Hilderbrand

Title: The Island

Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Published: June 18, 2010
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Characters: Birdie Cousins, Chess Cousins, Tate Cousins, India
My Rating:

Synopsis:

Birdie Cousins has planned a getaway with her daughter Chess on rustic, charming Tuckernuck Island off the coast of Nantucket, a chance to bond before Chess's upcoming marriage. Birdie's been through a difficult divorce herself, so she knows the big commitment that marriage entails. She's only recently dared to tiptoe back into the waters of romance.

When Chess abruptly breaks off the wedding and her fiancé shockingly dies in a rock climbing accident, it leaves Chess feeling guilty and deeply depressed. Birdie circles the wagons, convincing her younger daughter Tate, and her own sister India to join them on Tuckernuck for the month of July. Secrets and intrigue soon make their way to the surface, as Elin Hilderbrand once again weaves a masterful story of summer suspense.

It took a little bit to warm up to this book, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. I guess I really started to become invested in the characters around the point when Birdie kept trying to call Hank while she was in Tuckernuck, and he would barely speak to her. (Hank is the man Birdie started dating after her divorce.)
 
I did find the characters to be very well developed, and Hilderbrand painted a very vivid picture of Tuckernuck. Her detail of the island made you as a reader want to visit the island. I didn't always agree with the behavior of the characters, but that's what keeps it interesting.
 
Chess's sister, Tate, I loved at times and at others I couldn't stand. I could feel for her and her situation with her sister since I too am an ordinary younger sister to an extraordinary older sister. I think we all go through it at times, but sometimes I wanted to yell at her to grow up.
 
In the end, I didn't feel that there was any closure with what Chess was going to do with her personal life. We got closure on her professional life but not what she was going to do about the romantic aspect.

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS AUDIOBOOK?

{August 24-September 7, 2010}

• Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win
• No P.O. Boxes please
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen
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