fromsarahsbooknook's review against another edition
3.0
As someone who has lived most of her life in either Florida or California, I can get behind this whole winter in paradise concept.
dannycakez8808's review against another edition
4.0
I found this to be a little predictable but I was still engrossed in the story. I read it in one sitting and it is rare that I do that nowadays. I loved how the author used the layered web of lies to create this family drama. It was a good balance of mystery, contemporary, and romance. The cliffhanger ending has me needing the next one immediately.
lpip's review against another edition
3.0
I need a tropical vacation after this read! Ayers is annoying. Actually, almost everybody is annoying (like does NO ONE know how to communicate in this book?!). And some of the island “name-dropping” feels show-offy but maybe if I was familiar with St. John I would have appreciated it more. The story was entertaining and easy to read.
megmonk's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
chrztnnn's review against another edition
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Picked up the book to ease my summer read longings, but I admittedly struggled to hold on to the story. Left it unfinished due to my worsening reading slump. HOWEVER, I decided to finally finish this to resolve my guilt of not reading anything for 2023. Glad it's done though.
The story is about a rich family mourning for the sudden death of the husband-father, Russ. Irene, the mother-wife, strives to understand and accept the fate only to discover a revelation that needs to be cleared. Her sons, Cash and Baker, also play roles in the story especially about their father as they tread attempts of winning over a beautiful island damsel.
The vivid illustrations of the setting was helpful to grasp the island summer elements, but it also contributed (I realized later on) to my growing disinterest. Took me a while to finish it because the story was challenging to clasp and connect, interest-wise. The funny and slightly spicy parts were fun. That's it.
A solid 2 stars. BUT, I also have a feeling that I'd still be reading the sequels.
The story is about a rich family mourning for the sudden death of the husband-father, Russ. Irene, the mother-wife, strives to understand and accept the fate only to discover a revelation that needs to be cleared. Her sons, Cash and Baker, also play roles in the story especially about their father as they tread attempts of winning over a beautiful island damsel.
The vivid illustrations of the setting was helpful to grasp the island summer elements, but it also contributed (I realized later on) to my growing disinterest. Took me a while to finish it because the story was challenging to clasp and connect, interest-wise. The funny and slightly spicy parts were fun. That's it.
A solid 2 stars. BUT, I also have a feeling that I'd still be reading the sequels.
nadeentalbot's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 — I definitely liked The Perfect Couple more but I appreciated the cliff hanger here and the expected realness of Hilderbrands characters esp while dealing with grief
peachyreads3's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
rebeccatc's review against another edition
4.0
Winter in Paradise is not a standalone novel but the first in a trilogy. It is not a romance but more of a domestic drama / mystery, and very little is resolved by the end of the book. The main characters, a woman and her grown sons dealing with the sudden death of their husband and father in a helicopter crash on St. John in the Virgin Islands, are not particularly likeable, but I do enjoy Hilderbrand's writing style, and loved the descriptions of the island setting. I will definitely read the rest of the series just to find out what happened. I used this for a reading prompt "book about someone leading a double life" and it fit perfectly for that. Three and a half stars.
k1berry's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5