Here's to Us

by Elin Hilderbrand

Overview

Celebrity chef Deacon Rowe is struggling with addiction, depression and not one, but two scandals. As summer nears, he travels to the idyllic Eastern bluff of Nantucket, where he takes his own life. In the shocking wake of Deacon's suicide, his first wife and childhood sweetheart, Laurel Rowe, sets out to gather Deacon's far-flung family--including Deacon and Laurel's son, and Deacon's other ex-wives and children--on the island. Secrets are revealed, confidences are shared, and improbable bonds are formed as this unlikely family says goodbye to the man they loved.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316375146
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	06/14/2016
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 8.80(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Elin Hilderbrand first discovered the magic of Nantucket in July 1993. Her recipe for a happy island life includes running, writing at the beach, picnics at Eel Point with her three children, and singing "Home, Sweet Home" at the Club Car piano bar. Here's to Us is her seventeenth novel.

Editorial Reviews

5/31/2016
Three headstrong women connected by one charismatic man are thrown together after his death. Deacon was a larger than life celebrity chef, and the women he married—teen years sweetheart Laurel, Hollywood hottie Belinda, and sharp-tongued southern beauty Scarlett—are just as indelible. To fulfill his last wishes, the women and their children head to the beloved Nantucket cottage where they all have history, and attempt to pay homage to his memory without tearing each other apart. Read More

B&N Reads

2016-05-04
A celebrity chef's sudden death leaves his widow, exes, children, and best friend in a quandary. And since this is a Hilderbrand novel, is there any doubt that the dilemma involves Nantucket real estate? A somewhat dilapidated (or at least, dated) and decidedly downscale beachfront cottage known as American Paradise serves as plot driver and central symbol. As his success grew, Chef Deacon Thorpe bought the house with his first wife, Laurel, as a repository of happy memories for his son, Hayes—the kind that Deacon himself had been denied. (He had one idyllic day on Nantucket with his own father, who then mysteriously and permanently disappeared.) Deacon and Laurel never wanted to upgrade the house, and there are still reminders of earlier inhabitants, including a ghost supposedly occupying the smallest attic room. Now, Deacon has died (on the cottage's back deck, of a coronary), leaving nothing but debt. American Paradise is facing foreclosure due to the three mortgages Deacon took out, unbeknownst to his family. Surprisingly, or perhaps not given Deacon's (and Hilderbrand's) sense of humor, he has left the place to his three spouses, current and former—Laurel, Belinda, the movie star he left her for, and official widow Scarlett, the Southern belle who was the nanny for his and Belinda's adopted daughter, Angie. Best friend Buck, Deacon's long-suffering fiduciary, has called the wives and children to American Paradise to scatter Deacon's ashes and—a duty Buck has been dreading—read the will. Each member of this unique blended family has a say, as they squabble over turf and mull over their past and ongoing missteps, loves, and addictions. Angie, a talented chef in her own right, prepares lavish meals (rendered in mouthwatering detail, including recipes). The question looms—if Deacon's Nantucket legacy can't be shared, can it be saved? No one captures the flavor and experience of a summer place—the outdoor showers, the seafood, the sand in the floorboards—like Hilderbrand.

Kirkus Reviews

PRAISE FOR HERE'S TO US:


"Beautiful people, dysfunctional families and Nantucket: That's Hilderbrand territory, and it wouldn't be summer without a visit...[Here's to Us is] just the thing for a day by the sea."
—Kim Hubbard, People

"It must be summer: Hilderbrand is back with a new beach read."
—Jocelyn McClurg, USA Today

"The must read that will be in everyone's beach bag this summer."
—Brenda Janowitz, Popsugar

"The queen of the summer beach read...keeps the title with another light-as-air Nantucket-centered tome."
—New York Post

"No one captures the flavor and experience of a summer place—the outdoor showers, the seafood, the sand in the floorboards—like Hilderbrand."
—Kirkus

"Hilderbrand is a master when it comes to writing the quintessential summer read and her offering this summer, Here's to Us, is no exception."
—Laurie Higgins, Wicked Local.com

"The book immediately draws you in with its scenic descriptions of the island and the Page Six-worthy life of a famous rock star chef. A comfy beach chair and Here's to Us is the perfect recipe for a delectable reading experience."
—Bronwyn Miller, BookReporter

"The perfect summer read...Fans of delectable summer reads and romances with a touch of tragedy will love this latest Hilderbrand novel, a perfect companion for a sunny summer morning and a bowl of something sweet."
—Tara Sonin, B&N Reads

"Queen of the summer beach read."
—Lambeth Hochwald, Parade

"The bestselling author of The Rumor pens yet another must-pack beach read—this time about forgiveness, unlikely friendships and the experiences that unite us."
—Ava Baccari, Hello Canada

"Here's to Us will spice up your vacation...You won't be able to put the pages down as the lies, tears, accusations and drama pile up in this crowded cottage."
—YourTango.com

"An absolutely addictive read...written with such exquisite attention to detail, you'll practically smell the salt air and feel the sand beneath your feet."
—Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press

From the Publisher