Customer Reviews

The Love Season

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I do love Elin Hilderbrand's books and can never wait for the next to come out, but this book didn't quite live up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong, it was a spellbinding story, but a little too depressing. It reminded quite a bit of the Blue Bistro; taking place, through memory, in a popular, exclusive restaurant in Nantucket. The main character is the eccentric chef, Marguerite, who was lured to the island by her lover, Porter, while working in Paris. Marguerite beomes best friends, and a bit obsessed, with Porter's much younger sister, Candace. The story is reminiscent through a 60 year old, lonely and reclusive Marguerite and eyes of the late Candace's 19 year old Daughter, Renata, when Renata visits the island for the first time in years with her new fiancé, Cade. Within the length of a day, both Renta and Marguerite go through channels of emotions that change their lives forever and tell the story of the death of Renata's mother and how Marguerite got to live the life she now lives alone. The two meet for the first time in 15 years to share the story. It's very well written and keeps you wanting more, it's just a little more depressing than the other books by Hilderbrand.

Elin Hildebrand's latest entry is a complex, haunting novel that centers on the various themes of love that manifest throughout life. Romantic love, friendships, and sexual relationships are explored through the eyes of two main characters, Marguerite and Renata. Marguerite's life is told in flashbacks that cover decades, while Renata's story evolves over the course of 24 hours. Both women encounter love in its many forms, and as their lives intersect at the end of the day to resolve unanswered questions about the past, the reader is propelled to the climax. Never sappy, this novel is truly a pleasure.

Elin Hilderbrand's work is hard to characterize, but it's impossible to forget. Her descriptions of island life from the perspective of both visitor and local are evocative and perfect for vacation reading (or reading that makes you feel like you're on vacation) but her characters have very true-to-life motivations and believable histories that would hold up in any setting.

As Hilderbrand's fifth novel, The Love Season builds on her previous achievement in The Blue Bistro, but differs from the wider sweep of her earlier efforts with its tight, even claustrophobic construction. The events of the The Love Season unfold during one day, as reclusive chef Marguerite prepares an elaborate meal for her teenage goddaughter Renata. While Marguerite reflects on her past, Renata races forward, bringing her own relationship to a crisis point that can only be resolved by revealing long-hidden secrets.

While Renata and Marguerite use the jewel-like island setting as an escape, the truth comes to the surface, like buried wreckage on a beach. The Love Season is a mature, fascinating, and thoroughly satisfying story with an ending that left me stunned and thoughtful.

The principal action of Elin Hildebrand's The Love Season takes place over the course of a single day (August 19, 2006): 63-year-old Marguerite Beale prepares an elaborate dinner for her goddaughter, Renata Knox, whom Marguerite has not seen since Renata's mother Candace was hit and killed by a car 14 years earlier. Marguerite is a professional chef, and is renowned in Nantucket circles for the quirkiness and culinary excellence of her one-time restaurant, Les Parapluies, but Renata's visit marks the first time she has cooked for anyone--indeed, that she has received anyone into her home--since Candace's death. The mystery of that event, how it came to have such an effect on Marguerite, is slowly revealed to the reader as Marguerite, emerging from her self-imposed exile in order to gather ingredients for dinner, allows herself to remember.

Hilderbrand tells her story primarily from the points of view of Marguerite and Renata. Through Marguerite's eyes we see her part-time, years-long affair with Porter, her friendship with Porter's sister Candace, and the uncomfortable threesome that formed when, inevitably, Candace allowed one of her many would-be suitors to win her. The pattern that emerges--an intense friendship between women intruded upon by a male--is to a degree repeated in the second generation: Renata sometimes feels torn between her best friend, Action, and her boyfriend Cade, recently turned her fiancé, the very proper son of Nantucket aristocracy. Renata is in Nantucket officially to meet her future in-laws, but her real purpose is to meet the mysterious godmother who's sent her cards and checks over the years, but whom she's never been allowed to meet. Interestingly, toward the end of the book Hilderbrand begins to tell her story also from the perspectives of other characters, as if the reader is granted a wider view of the events described even as Marguerite and Renata emerge from their respective, self-imposed prisons.

On the whole Hilderbrand has done a wonderful job of fleshing out her characters and their histories, even the minor ones. Only Candace fails to come to life (no pun intended) on the page: we are told that she was charming and vital, more like Grace Kelly than Grace Kelly herself, the sort of woman who attracts people to her without trying. But Candace's actions in the book don't bear this out: she comes off as a little silly, in fact, and one wonders what all the fuss was about. But as I say, the rest of Hilderbrand's characters shine. This is a very sensual book, the particular sense appealed to being taste: Hilderbrand lingers lovingly over descriptions of food--what Marguerite is preparing in the present, entrees from Les Parapluies, corn and squash and asparagus and red peppers lying crisp and fresh in out-of-the-way farmer's markets. Food is undoubtedly important to The Love Season, but for me the thick details sometimes slowed the story too much. Still, one keeps turning the pages: the mystery of Candace's death and the secrets her characters have tried to hide from themselves are compelling. This is a very good read. You're likely to live with these characters in your head for some time.

Debra Hamel -- author of Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece (Yale University Press, 2003)

I cannot put my finger on exactly what I love so much about Elin Hilderbrand's writing style, but I do know that she is the only author I have read that consistently mesmorizes me with her stories. She is also the only author who intrigues me so much to make me want to write a review on amazon.

Each time I finish reading one of Hilderbrand's books, I find myself eagerly anticipating the next one. She has never failed to disappoint me. I also find that each book is even better than the prior one. This book, "The Love Season" is no exception. It is an enchanting, beautiful story that I couldn't put down....although I feel that way about all of Elin Hilderbrand's books.

Each of Elin's stories takes place in Nantucket, which is a place I have never been. After reading her captivating descriptions of that island, however, I am determined to visit sometime. She also inspired me to decorate our Christmas tree all in seashell and lighthouse ornaments.

I have been trying to diet for the past few weeks, but I found it impossible to do so while reading "The Love Season" (and, while we're at it, "The Blue Bistro"). Elin's descriptions of the food that Margaritte prepares are so vivid that I could practically smell and see the food sitting in front of me. I am assuming that Elin must've worked in the restaurant business at one time in order to write about entrees and restaurant life the way she does.

I have one complaint. I feel that the first three books by Elin Hilderbrand ("Summer People", "Nantucket Nights" and "The Beach Club") should've had either different titles or different cover art, or possibly both. On the shelf at the bookstore, these books look like they're generic romance novels...but they are SO much better than that. These books are so fascinating and so well-written think they deserve more unique covers and titles. I only read "Summer People" because I found it in someone's cublicle at work who had quit, and, at the time, I didn't have any other books to read. After I read the first few pages, I couldn't believe I nearly passed this book up because I thought it was going to be generic.

I can't wait for Elin Hilderbrand's next book!

I was swept up in this great book from page 1, and the night I finished it stayed up until 2:30 a.m. reading it! Elin Hilderbrand writes about very interesting, conflicted, real people and weaves together a great yarn with tons of entertaining twists. The end is a COMPLETE shocker. 'Love Season' is all the great stuff of her previous novels but a lot more deep and raw. I highly recommend this book - you will not want to put it down!!!!

In her fifth novel, Elin Hilderbrand once again uses her home, the island of Nantucket, as the setting for a story of complicated love. A reclusive former chef named Marguerite and her impetuous teenaged goddaughter are the main characters. Their lives are so very different yet entwined. Marguerite understands the mysterious circumstances of best friend Candace's death that Renata's father keeps a secret.

College freshman Renata has just become engaged to Cade Driscoll, a young man whose wealthy family has a summer place on Nantucket. While Cade and Renata are visiting his family, Renata is determined to locate her godmother, Marguerite, whom she has not seen in the 14 years since her mother's death. Renata's father, Dan, has long discouraged contact with Marguerite. Renata realizes that Dan harbors bad feelings toward Candace's old friend, but Renata wants to know about her mother --- what she was like, how she died, why Dan refuses to discuss his late wife, and why Marguerite was banished from Renata's life.

Renata calls Marguerite and arranges to visit her. Though Marguerite is delighted about seeing Renata once again, she is quite anxious because the tormenting secret she has guarded for so long will be revealed. Marguerite becomes engrossed in planning a gourmet dinner for Renata. It will be the first time she has cooked in many years. The meal must be perfect in every aspect, even though it means Marguerite has to leave the security and comfort of her home to shop for fresh ingredients.

Folks in Nantucket have rarely seen Marguerite since Candace died. Marguerite, they whisper, is crazy. They refer to her being like van Gogh --- tortured, depressed, self-destructive. After Candace died Marguerite closed her highly successful restaurant and effectively disappeared from sight.

Renata is easily influenced --- by her assertive roommate at college and by Cade and his mother, both of whom seem determined to make all the decisions for her. Truth be told, Renata is immature and impulsive, not at all ready to settle down and marry. She reluctantly tells her father about her engagement, knowing full well that he will disapprove and possibly even forbid it.

Bored and annoyed that Cade has gone sailing with his father and left her to amuse herself, Renata goes to the beach with Miles, an employee of the Driscolls, and Sallie. While Sallie heads for the ocean with her surfboard, Miles and Renata head for the privacy of the dunes.

Renata cancels their dinner plans but promises to visit Marguerite the next morning. Cade and Renata argue heatedly. Renata's father arrives unexpectedly on the island and will be at the Driscolls' soon. Renata is guilt-ridden and confused about many things; she sneaks out of the house and heads for Marguerite's.

Elin Hilderbrand has filled her book with memorable characters and subplots of unrequited and misplaced love, the tyranny of guilt and regret, and the long-lasting effect of the decisions we make when we are young.

--- Reviewed by Carole Turner

Elin Hilderbrand's fifth novel, The Love Season, takes place on Nantucket Island in the span of twenty-four hours, yet covers decades of information. In those twenty-four hours, Marguerite Beale and Renata Knox will face their past and each other.

Nineteen-year-old Renata Knox hasn't seen her godmother, Marguerite Beale, since the death of her mother, Candace fourteen years earlier. Renata is traveling with her wealthy fiancee to Nantucket Island and rather than spend time with her soon-to-be in-laws, she defies her father's wishes, calls Marguerite and agrees to meet her over dinner the following night.

Marguerite is a former chef and restaurant owner turned recluse who hasn't cooked a meal for anyone since the death of her best friend and her release from a psychiatric hospital.

As Marguerite prepares a meal for Renata she must step out of her self-imposed isolation and revisit the people and events of her past, all the time pondering what she will tell Renata about her mother and the tragedy that left Renata motherless. Renata yearns for contact and a connection with the woman who was her mother's best friend as she struggles with her life choices. Each woman has expectations for the dinner, but nothing turns out the way they had planned.

Hilderbrand weaves together the past and present lives of two women whose connection is being the best friend of one and the mother of the other. She uses the comfort of food and food preparation as a way to connect the characters and the events of the past and present.

The Love Season is a beautiful, poignant, yet sad story of what was, what could have been and what is. The characters are complex and compelling, and the plot is riveting. I enjoyed the use of food as a vehicle to move the story forward. The continuous shift in point of view between Marguerite and Renata, coupled with numerous flashbacks would have been more distracting than they were in the hands of someone less talented than Hilderbrand.

Armchair Interviews says: The Love Season is a novel that will be remembered long after you've finished reading it.

The first Elin Hilderbrand book I read was The Love Season and loved it. I ordered her four other books soon after. My second read was Blue Bistro - my favorite of all her books. The third read was Beach Club which was just okay. A bit choppy and didn't tie together as well as the latter books. Nantucket Nights had too many moving parts. I liked this book the least. I'm in the middle of Summer People now. It's okay but definitely no Blue Bistro. It seems that Elin's most recent books are better. Can't wait for her next release.

In Elin Hilderbrand's The Love Season, the author explores the story of one woman's quest for love and family connection. This tale takes place over a two-day period on the island of Nantucket, but through flashbacks for the primary characters, the past is revealed in stages, until finally, we have the full story.

Marguerite Beale is a chef who formerly owned a restaurant on the island - a popular hangout for many locals - until something tragic occurs. A woman - Marguerite's best friend Candace, whose daughter is Marguerite's godchild - is accidentally killed. For years afterward, the husband, Daniel Knox, refuses to see Marguerite, or to allow his daughter Renata to have contact with her. He blames Marguerite for what happened. She blames herself.

As the secrets are revealed, we come to understand the complexities of the characters and the motivations that drive them.