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adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
🩷🩷🩷🩷/5
Every summer I look forward to my annual trip to Nantucket via an Elin Hilderbrand novel — it’s basically a tradition at this point. So when I realized I didn’t have a new one to pack this year, I felt a little lost. Enter Mansion Beach, which came highly recommended by Elin herself, and let me just say: she did notsteer me wrong.
Set on Block Island, this book gave me everything I crave in a beach read — coastal chaos, mysterious neighbors, a little wealth-induced recklessness, and characters you kind of want to shake and kind of want to be. Nicola is our main character, spending the summer working on the island and staying at a charming cottage owned by her cousin and his wife, the very Gatsby-coded Taylor Buchanan. Next door? Juliana George, a glamorous, elusive entrepreneur who throws parties that everyone talks about and no one forgets.
This is a fresh, modern take on The Great Gatsby — if Gatsby wore linen and drank cold rosé on a deck overlooking the water. It’s equal parts glittery and messy, and I devoured it in a matter of days. The vibes? Immaculate. The pacing? Perfect for vacation. The drama? Absolutely delicious.
If you’ve already read your way through Elin’s backlist and are looking for your next seaside escape, Mansion Beach should be at the top of your list.
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes