Summary:

Welcome to Paradise, the first book in the Paradise series, has everything that readers have come to know and love about an Elin Hilderbrand novel, plus a healthy dose of intrigue. Irene Steele’s idyllic life-house, husband, family-is shattered when she is woken up by a late-night phone call. Her beloved husband has been found dead, but before Irene can process this tragic news, she must confront the perplexing details of her husband’s death. He was found on St. John island, a tropical paradise far removed from their suburban life. Leaving the cold winter behind, Irene flies down to the beautiful Caribbean beaches of St. John only to make another shocking discovery: her husband had a secret second family. As Irene investigates the mysterious circumstances of her husband’s death, she is plunged into a web of intrigue and deceit belied by the pristine white sand beaches of St. John’s.

My take: 4 looks 

 Originally reviewed March 15, 2019

The perfect beach read! I found this in the bookcase of the condo in which we were staying, and dove right in. Two days on the beach was all it took to devour this story, and expectantly wait on the next one in the trilogy.

While it will not change the world, or make you think too hard, “Winter in Paradise” is an escape that will pull you from where ever you may be into the newly upside-down world of the Steele family, the Small family, and their surrounding friends. Aware almost immediately of what I would call shenanigans surrounding the death of two men and a woman, the families are too far in grief to ask the hard questions, and too gobsmacked by the situation in which they find themselves – extending their families. Once the initial shock starts to settle, you are primed and ready for book 2.

Do yourself and pick this one up. It is the perfect book to take on holiday, or if you need a “palette cleanser”.

Recommended.