It’s Christmas on Nantucket in Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Street, in which Kelley Quinn, owner and proprietor of the Winter Street Inn, has the worst Christmas of his life. He stumbles in on his wife kissing (the guy playing) Santa Claus in one of the guest rooms as part of a years-long affair. His wife leaves with Santa just as his three children descend on the inn for Christmas, each with their own problems and issues. It may be up to Kelley’s ex-wife Margaret to save Christmas for the Quinn family and the Winter Street Inn.
If you’re looking for something that captures the Christmas season without being too syrupy-sweet, Winter Street is a good choice. The novel is sweet and comforting, but there is also a lot of (mostly harmless) melodrama for the soap opera fan in all of us. Of course Hilderbrand does leave the novel open for sequels (of which there are three more, all set at the Winter Street Inn on Christmas). However, the plethora of characters can make it hard to keep track of who is who, but usually you can figure out what is going on. Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Street is an ideal Christmas read with its short length, light tone, and festive holiday spirit.
Review by Shannon Wood
Adult Services Librarian
Nordonia Hills Branch Library
