Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead! Also, these opinions? 100% mine. No hard feelings if we disagree! Our tastes are shaped by nostalgia, life experiences, and whatever book mood we happen to be in that day.
Going into Golden Girls by Elin Hilderbrand, I hoped for a nostalgic, heartfelt read—something cozy, something rich with small-town charm. Instead, I found myself disoriented. Maybe it was the writing. The third-person POV, mostly in present tense, made it feel like a draft—unfinished, as if it needed another round of revision. The constant jumping between characters only added to the chaos. I understand the intent of capturing a tight-knit Nantucket community, but I prefer when POVs are limited to two. Here, perspectives bounced so often it felt like playing whack-a-mole with narration.
Cringe moments were sprinkled throughout, yet I kept turning pages. Almost every character had an arc, which was something to appreciate. Ironically, my favorite character, Rip, had none. Maybe that says something about me. Or maybe he was just the only one who seemed remotely sane. Compared to Carson, who miraculously kicked her cocaine, weed, alcohol, and pill addiction all at once. Recovery doesn’t happen overnight, babe; addiction rewires the brain. I may not have personal experience, but I’ve watched enough Intervention to know that quitting cold turkey just because it “feels like time” is far from realistic.
Some plot points grated on my nerves. The people of Nantucket, supposedly unfamiliar with Vivian Howe’s books, constantly compared real-life events to her novels. How could they know? Either they read them or they didn’t—pick a lane. Leo’s storyline felt predictable, playing out in the most expected way, and his friendship with Cruz was tied up far too neatly. Yes, they could have remained friends, but Cruz should have needed more time to process his best friend’s crush. That’s a complicated dynamic, and it deserved more depth.
Amy’s story frustrated me. She spent years resenting Vivi, sick of being second best, yet stayed in Nantucket, letting history repeat itself. If it were me, I’d pack my bags, take my hard-earned savings, and leave. The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results, and Amy was living it.
JP never won me over. From the beginning, he was a grown child, and nothing changed. Savannah deserved better, and the fact that ghost-Vivi was cheering them on to kiss? Absolutely unhinged behavior from the afterlife. And speaking of Vivi—her character didn’t quite line up. We’re told she was tough and sharp, a pixie-cut powerhouse, yet at times she seemed naïve, almost immature. Raising three kids, enduring betrayal, and navigating adulthood should have toughened her more than the book portrayed.
In the end, I gave Golden Girls a generous 3 out of 5 stars. I still don’t understand how it landed at #1 on the NYT bestseller list, but stranger things have happened. If you loved it, I’m genuinely happy for you. Reading should be fun, and if this book spoke to you, that’s what matters. My own favorites might be unexplainable to others, and that’s okay—reading is personal, and all opinions are valid.
As for me, I’ll be leaving Nantucket behind, off to find my next read.
