How Many Books Has Elin Hilderbrand Written? The Full List of Beach Read Novels
The prolific The Five Star Weekend writer proudly wears her "Queen of the Beach Reads" moniker.
If Peacock's The Five Star Weekend series has you yearning to immerse yourself in even more heartfelt stories with a side of romance, you're in luck: Author Elin Hilderbrand, who wrote the novel of the same name adapted by series creator Bekah Brunstetter, has written a lot of books.
How to Watch
All eight episodes of The Five Star Weekend will debut Thursday, July 9, only on Peacock.
The prolific author is called the "queen of the beach reads" — a term that "does not bother" her, she told The Cut. She has also co-authored novels with one of her daughters, expanding her reach into the next generation.
Hilderbrand honed both her writing skills and her rigor at the famed Iowa Writer's Workshop, where she's said the lack of structure forced her to create an internal sense of urgency.
“You do not have to go to class. You’re supposed to go to your workshop, but you’re just there to write,” she explained to The Cut. “That is where I learned that you have to discipline yourself. I was not the most talented person at Iowa, not by a long shot. But I could get s--t done.”
Learn all about Elin Hilderbrand's complete list of books below, and watch all eight episodes of The Five Star Weekend on Peacock starting July 9.
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How many books has Elin Hilderbrand written?
32. Thanks to the stamina she cultivated, Hilderbrand is the author of 31 published novels as of 2026. In 2025, she also published a nonfiction guide book about — where else? — Nantucket.
In 2013, she also digitally released a short story, The Surfing Lesson, which provides backstory for the character Margot Carmichael from her Beautiful Day novel.
From 2014 through 2020, Hilderbrand was publishing novels at a rate of two per year! Nearly all are set in Nantucket: rare exceptions including the two co-written with daughter Shelby, which take place at a Western Massachusetts boarding school, and the Carribbean-set Paradise series.
According to Hilderbrand, the consistent setting and plot conventions are a choice, and when she shakes things up, that's equally intentional.
“Once or twice in a book, I would love to do something a bit risky — I might want more sex, or I’d like something grittier, and I’m aware that it’s not going to fly, but I don’t feel so stifled,” she told The Cut.
All of Elin Hilderbrand's books in order
You can absolutely read Hilderbrand's work in the order it was published, starting with 2000's The Beach Club. But no matter how propulsive the prose, 31 books is one tall to-be-read pile!
There's a few miniseries in her oeuvre, so if you're looking for an entry point, consider choosing either a stand-alone or the first in a set.
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Stand-alone Nantucket books in order
- The Beach Club (2000)
- Nantucket Nights (2002)
- Summer People (2003)
- The Blue Bistro (2005)
- The Love Season (2006)
- Barefoot (2008)
- The Island (2010)
- Silver Girl (2011)
- Summerland (2012)
- The Matchmaker (2014)
- The Rumor (2015)
- Here’s to Us (2016)
- The Identicals (2017)
- Summer of ’69 (2019)
- Golden Girl (2021)
- The Hotel Nantucket (2022)
- The Five-Star Weekend (2023)
- Swan Song (2024)
Interconnected Nantucket novels
- A Summer Affair (2008)
- The Castaways (2009)
- Beautiful Day (2013)
- The Perfect Couple (2018)
The Winter Series
- Winter Street (2014)
- Winter Stroll (2015)
- Winter Storms (2016)
- Winter Solstice (2017)
The Paradise Series
- Winter In Paradise (2018)
- What Happens In Paradise (2019)
- Troubles In Paradise (2020)
Nonfiction
The Blue Book: A Must-See, Can’t-Miss, Won’t-Forget Guide to Nantucket (2025)
The Academy Series
- The Academy (2025)
- The Thoroughbreds (2026)
How many of Elin Hilderbrand's books have been turned into movies or TV shows?
Two.
The Five Star Weekend isn't the first Hilderbrand adaptation to feature famous faces. The Perfect Couple became a limited series starring Nicole Kidman in 2024. And it may become an anthology show based on Hilderbrand's final Nantucket novel, Swan Song, per Deadline.
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Elin Hilderbrand hosts The Five Star Weekend Official Podcast
The best person to host Peacock's The Five Star Weekend companion podcast is the one who dreamed up Hollis Shaw's world. Hilderbrand will welcome the main cast, creator Brunstetter, director Minkie Spiro and more as guests. The first two episodes drop the same day the show hits Peacock. Two new episodes will be released every Thursday in July 2026.
Stream the podcast wherever you listen beginning July 9, or watch the video version on Peacock and the Peacock's YouTube channel.
