Silver Girl
by Elin Hilderbrand
3 stars
Elin Hilderbrand’s Silver Girl is a perfect summer read. Meredith Delinn is under siege after her husband is convicted of stealing billions of dollars from investors (think Bernie Madoff). She calls upon an old though estranged friend, Connie Flute, for help. Connie whisks Meredith to Nantucket for the summer where Meredith hopes to stay incognito while thinking of any information the Feds can use to track down the stolen money and thus exonerate herself. Connie hopes to overcome her grief following the death of her husband. Through the thoughts of both women the reader learns about their childhood and young loves up through the present where the estranged friends are reunited but still dealing with their past treatment of each other…and trying to heal from their personal tragedies.
At first glance, Silver Girl appears to be a fluffy read with a beach setting and some predictable romantic subplots. However, there is more heft to the book than you’d imagine. Discussing this book with friends has led me to think more deeply about its similarities to the Bernie Madoff financial fiasco. In particular, how not only the victims were impacted but his family as well. There are also the avenues of mother-daughter, mother-son, and father-daughter relationships to explore. The description of Nantucket has me ready to board a plane for there right now. And the explanations of the food Connie prepared throughout the novel had my stomach rumbling and my mouth watering. This was my first Elin Hilderbrand read, but any time I’m in the mood for a semi-light read, I’ll be picking up another!
Read-alikes:
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews
Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky
