Winter Street (Winter Street, #1)

by Elin Hilderbrand

[Liz (Bent Bookworm)]

What’s this? A re-read? What is the world coming to?!?

My husband bought this book for me a couple of years ago. I read it then, and gave it 3 stars. I was just really “eh” about the whole concept and all the people and relationships. I’ve recently heard people raving about Elin Hilderbrand though, and I thought well…maybe I missed something? I wasn’t in a great head-space at the time I read it, so maybe it was me and not the book. I also have some vague recollection of thinking it was a standalone and when I got to the end it clearly wasn’t and I was put out. Now, there are three more books in this series and after reading this again I’m very eager to get to them! Not sure if I’ll make it this season or if they will have to wait until next year. I do love having a FINISHED series to binge.

Winter Street is the story of a multi-layered family that is falling apart at the seams. Despite all that, there are enough threads of happiness woven throughout to keep one reading AND to make one hope that maybe after all, everything will work out for the Quinns.

This being the first in a series of four, there is a lot of ground level introductory work going on. The cast is large and varied, and I was quite impressed that Hilderbrand managed to make everyone different enough to keep them straight. The story too, seems to be quite complex, as there’s not only the many different romantic relationships going on (and ending), but the whole plotline with the inn as well! Some reviewers have complained about the sheer amount of drama in this book – and yes, there is that. A lot of it. But coming from a family that loves to infuse the holidays with as much drama as humanly possible, it really struck a nerve and I thoroughly enjoyed the telling.

If you are looking for a happily ever after, this probably isn’t it. At least not in this particular book – I’m personally holding out hope that maybe there will be a HEA for everyone in the end of the series! But this story appeals, I think, to a large audience – both people from the Quinn kids’ generation (late 20s-30s) and those of their parents’. Life and love doesn’t end when the kids grow up! Yay! Maybe I’m getting old myself, but I love stories like that. Life is also never simple, never cut and dry and easy…at least not in my experience, and this story illustrates that SO well. Life is messy. But it can still be beautiful.

4/5 stars.

1.5/5 flames, because while there isn’t MUCH going on in the way of sex and making out, etc., what there was was cute and sweet and I wanted there to be more, particularly between certain characters!

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