Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
I've read all of the books by this author and this is not one of my favorites. I didn't care for the style of this book nor did I care for the blatant southern stereotypes that were thrown in. Reading the details about the wedding was enjoyable, but I wouldn't recommend this book.
Not my favorite book. I feel like it was a lot of petty drama. The over all story wasn’t bad, but just not my favorite.
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved this one. Separated parents will always have a love for their children and each other. A wedding only reinforces this bond. The story has enough surprises and twists to make it not a ‘run of the mill’ story.
Ms. Hilderbrand is quickly becoming a MUST read for me. Her characters and storylines are so relatable and well developed. Beautiful Day definitely pulls at your heartstrings as your planning and attending a wedding that Jenna's mother Beth essentially planned while on her death bed. This book again runs the emotional gamut life, death, love, affairs you name it it's got a little of everything. Most of all another stellar read! Can't wait to find my next Hilderbrand novel to dive into.
I would have given the book four stars if I had not been annoyed for most of the book by two of the three characters from whose point of view the story is told.
3.5 stars. I love Elin Hilderbrand and I enjoyed this book but it wasn't one of my favorites of hers. The story moved quickly and had interesting characters. I loved that one of the characters was from Durham and all the local references. But I got annoyed by all the south verses north comparisons. I also found Margot really annoying. She complained about brother Nick being self involved but so was she. She left every bridal event early. Good beach read, but not as memorable as some of EH others.
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I know this sounds strange, but I absolutely loved this book, except for the premise. Elin Hildebrand really is the queen of the summer novel; her books are just exactly what I want to read on a sunny beach. The Nantucket setting always serves as a character itself, and I loved all the side stories going on, loved loved loved Margot and Ann best of all. Two fantastic characters.
Now for what I didn't love. So the story is of a family all getting together for the youngest child's wedding weekend in Nantucket. Their mother died several years earlier, but she left behind a set of instructions for her daughter Jenna's future wedding. Everyone reverently refers to this cherished document as The Notebook, but to me it read like The Control Freak's Manifesto. My god, what a nightmare mother of the bride this woman is! Every single detail is dictated in this thing, what everyone should wear, what kind of flowers (including how far into bloom each flower should be) what Jenna should register for, what the band should play, what color invitations, the something old something new etc, what vegetables to serve and how they should be prepared. Even the rehearsal dinner is mapped out in this thing even though that's traditionally hosted by the groom's family. By the end I felt so turned off by this wedding, simply because it's not Jenna's wedding, it's her mom's. Although she does go off-book by not wearing the suggested linen sheath at the rehearsal dinner. You go Jenna! What bothered me more than the infuriating Notebook itself was that nobody seems to have any issue whatsoever with how incredibly overbearing it is. It was baffling and irritating. (Side note- my mom helped me out tremendously when planning my wedding, and we disagreed on just about every point, which just became a running joke between us. My mom rules.) Still, as much as The Notebook bugged, I just love living in this author's world and will always love reading her Nantucket novels.
Now for what I didn't love. So the story is of a family all getting together for the youngest child's wedding weekend in Nantucket. Their mother died several years earlier, but she left behind a set of instructions for her daughter Jenna's future wedding. Everyone reverently refers to this cherished document as The Notebook, but to me it read like The Control Freak's Manifesto. My god, what a nightmare mother of the bride this woman is! Every single detail is dictated in this thing, what everyone should wear, what kind of flowers (including how far into bloom each flower should be) what Jenna should register for, what the band should play, what color invitations, the something old something new etc, what vegetables to serve and how they should be prepared. Even the rehearsal dinner is mapped out in this thing even though that's traditionally hosted by the groom's family. By the end I felt so turned off by this wedding, simply because it's not Jenna's wedding, it's her mom's. Although she does go off-book by not wearing the suggested linen sheath at the rehearsal dinner. You go Jenna! What bothered me more than the infuriating Notebook itself was that nobody seems to have any issue whatsoever with how incredibly overbearing it is. It was baffling and irritating. (Side note- my mom helped me out tremendously when planning my wedding, and we disagreed on just about every point, which just became a running joke between us. My mom rules.) Still, as much as The Notebook bugged, I just love living in this author's world and will always love reading her Nantucket novels.