Summer reading usually brings to mind sticky sunscreen and sand between pages, but Elin Hilderbrand’s The Five-Star Weekend changed the vibe entirely when it dropped. It’s not just another beach read. Honestly, it’s a masterclass in how we curate our lives for the public eye while everything behind the scenes is basically falling apart. People call Hilderbrand the "Queen of the Beach Read," a title she’s earned over decades of writing about Nantucket, yet this specific book feels different because it taps into the weird, modern obsession we have with "perfect" aesthetics and digital footprints.
The Grief Behind the Five-Star Plan
Let’s talk about Hollis Shaw. On the surface, she’s got the life everyone wants. She runs a hugely successful food blog called Hungry with Hollis, lives in a gorgeous house, and is married to a prominent heart surgeon. Then, Matthew dies in a car accident. Suddenly, the "perfect" life is just a shell. To cope—or maybe to regain some sense of control—Hollis decides to host a The Five-Star Weekend at her home in Nantucket.
The concept is simple but kinda intense. You invite one person from each stage of your life: your best friend from childhood, your twenty-something years, your thirties, and your midlife. It’s supposed to be this ultimate celebration of female friendship. But when you gather four women who don't know each other and who all have their own baggage, things get messy fast. It’s the opposite of a relaxing getaway.
✨ Don't miss: Why Rich Goranski From Be More Chill Deserves a Second Look
Hilderbrand doesn't shy away from the fact that these women aren't always likable. Tatum, the childhood friend, is dealing with the friction of being a local in a town full of wealthy "summer people." Brooke, the friend from the thirties, is spiraling because her husband is involved in a scandal. Dru-Ann, the powerhouse sports agent, is facing a massive career crisis after a social media blunder. Then there’s Gigi, the "stranger" friend from the blog world who is carrying a secret that could blow up Hollis's entire memory of her marriage.
Why This Book Hits Differently
Most people pick up a Hilderbrand book for the descriptions of lobster rolls and the hydrangea-lined streets of Nantucket. You get all that here, sure. But The Five-Star Weekend digs into the performative nature of friendship in the age of Instagram. Hollis is constantly thinking about how things look. She wants the weekend to be five-star—the food, the decor, the itinerary. Yet, she’s grieving a husband she realized she didn't fully know.
It’s about the masks we wear.
Think about it. We all have those friends who only know one version of us. The person you were at twenty isn't the person you are at fifty, but those old friends often hold you to that outdated version of yourself. When Hollis brings these women together, those versions collide. The tension is palpable. It’s uncomfortable. It's real.
The book also addresses the "internet famous" phenomenon. Hollis has thousands of followers who think they know her because they see her kitchen and her recipes. They don't see the grief. They don't see the loneliness. Hilderbrand is really highlighting the gap between our digital avatars and our actual, messy human selves.
The Nantucket Setting as a Character
You can't talk about The Five-Star Weekend without talking about the island. Nantucket isn't just a backdrop; it’s an active participant in the story. Hilderbrand lives there, and it shows. She knows which shops are actually worth going to and which beaches have the best sunset views.
🔗 Read more: The White Lotus Season 3 and Why We Can’t Stop Watching Terrible People on Vacation
The house itself—the "Five-Star" setting—is described with such detail you can almost smell the salt air and the high-end candles. This luxury serves as a sharp contrast to the internal poverty many of the characters are feeling. They are surrounded by beauty and wealth, but they are all struggling with profound loss, whether it's a loss of a spouse, a career, or a sense of self.
The Complexity of Female Bonds
Female friendship is a recurring theme in literature, but it’s often romanticized. Hilderbrand shows the sharp edges. There is jealousy. There is judgment.
Dru-Ann and Tatum, for instance, don’t exactly hit it off. They represent different worlds and different ways of interacting with Hollis. This isn't a "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" scenario where everyone gets along for the sake of the plot. These women have to earn their way toward understanding one another. It takes some serious confrontations and a lot of honesty—the kind that usually only comes out after a few glasses of wine—to bridge those gaps.
Misconceptions About the Ending
A lot of readers go into this expecting a neat, tidy resolution where everyone lives happily ever after. That’s not quite how it goes. While there is a sense of peace at the end, it’s a hard-won peace. Hollis has to confront some ugly truths about her late husband. The secret Gigi is keeping isn't just a plot twist; it’s a catalyst for Hollis to stop living in a curated fantasy and start living in her actual reality.
🔗 Read more: How Many Movies Are in the Rocky Series? What Most Fans Actually Get Wrong
It’s a bit of a "coming of age" story for women who have already come of age. It proves that you’re never too old to find out who you really are or to make new, meaningful connections.
How to Plan Your Own (Low-Stress) Version
If the idea of a The Five-Star Weekend sounds appealing but the drama sounds exhausting, there are ways to adapt the concept without the emotional fireworks.
- Keep the guest list small. Four friends is the sweet spot. Any more and you lose the intimacy; any fewer and the dynamic can feel lopsided.
- Mix the eras, but vet the vibes. You don't have to invite people who hate each other. Choose friends who are open-minded and enjoy meeting new people.
- Focus on the "why." Hollis wanted to celebrate her life. If you’re doing this, make the focus about connection, not the "five-star" aesthetics.
- Leave room for downtime. The biggest mistake Hollis made was over-scheduling. Let people sleep in. Let them go for a walk alone. Forced fun is rarely actually fun.
Honestly, the best takeaway from the book is that true friendship doesn't require a five-star setting. It requires showing up as your real, uncurated self. Whether you're in a mansion in Nantucket or sitting on a porch with some takeout, the "stars" come from the quality of the conversation, not the thread count of the sheets.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Reading
If you’re diving into this book for a book club or just for a solo weekend, keep an eye on the food. Hilderbrand is famous for her culinary descriptions, and many readers actually recreate the menus from the book to get the full experience.
Check out the "Hungry with Hollis" recipes mentioned throughout the chapters—they’re basically a roadmap for the characters' emotional states. Also, pay attention to the perspectives. The shifting POV allows you to see how each woman perceives the same event differently, which is a great reminder that our own "truth" is often just one side of the story.
Start by looking at your own "circles" of friends. Who would be your childhood representative? Your college one? It's a fascinating thought experiment that usually reveals more about you than it does about them. Once you finish the book, look up some of the real Nantucket landmarks mentioned, like The Juice Bar or Galley Beach; it makes the world-building feel even more grounded in reality.