Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Series whisks you away to Nantucket for four holiday seasons. This post shares the books’ order, summaries, reviews, tips, and more to help you read them better.
If you love Elin Hilderbrand’s books, you can’t miss these festive books in which the quirky Quinn family will get you in the holiday spirit with Christmastime drama at their Nantucket inn. Let’s get literary!
Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Series in Order
- Winter Street (2014)
- Winter Stroll (2015)
- Winter Storms (2016)
- Winter Solstice (2017)
PRO TIPS
- Hilderbrand’s Winter Series is a series of Christmas-themed books. It should not be confused with Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket series or Elin Hilderbrand’s Paradise series, which are Winter-themed books but take place on the Caribbean island of St. John.
- You should definitely read all four books in this Elin Hilderbrand book series in order of publication, as the plot is chronological. Do so as a Christmas reading challenge!
- Winter Street is being adapted to a play!
Reviews of the Winter Series of Christmas Books
Warning: THERE ARE SOME MINOR SPOILERS BELOW. I try to limit them as much as possible, but in summarizing the plot points of each book in a series, some details must be revealed.
As a longtime fan of Elin Hilderbrand’s books, I was pleasantly surprised by my reading experience of this entire series! It’s a must for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and/or festive reads.
FUN FACT
The Winter Series was first intended to be one book, then a trilogy, and finally, a quartet. I wasn’t expecting to learn this, as I felt all four books followed a natural progression overall and seemed like a complete story split into four “parts.”
1. Winter Street (2014)
My Review: ★★★★☆
Plot: Winter Street is one of the most popular Elin Hilderbrand books. Kelley Quinn owns the Nantucket Winter Street Inn. He is the proud father of four grown children whose personal lives are in chaos as the holiday season approaches.
The oldest, Patrick, is a hedge fund manager dealing with a white-collar crime. Bartender Kevin has a secret relationship with the Inn’s housekeeper. Teacher Ava can’t get her dream boyfriend to commit. Bart, the youngest and the only child of Kelley’s second marriage to Mitzi, is fighting overseas in the Marines.
Christmas approaches, and Kelley walks in on Mitzi kissing the Inn’s Santa Claus, bringing the family drama to a head. It becomes up to Kelley’s first wife, famous news anchor Margaret Quinn, to attempt to save Christmas.
My Thoughts: It’s a light yet heartfelt holiday novel filled with all of the family drama that can be characteristic of this festive season. It’s a modern classic in the holiday book genre!
2. Winter Stroll (2015)
My Review: ★★★☆☆
Plot: Winter Stroll picks up during the following Christmas season after Winter Street, particularly during Nantucket’s Christmas Stroll. But, all is not as happy-go-lucky as it may seem.
Kelley is single, but he is getting along with his first wife, Margaret, who uses her fame to make the Winter Street Inn a hit. Kevin and the Inn’s housekeeper, Isabelle, have a daughter named Genevieve. Ava is dating Scott, her dedicated co-worker. Patrick is in jail, and his wife, Jennifer, is struggling. Lastly, Bart’s whereabouts are unknown.
The family looks forward to celebrating Genevieve’s baptism, but Kelley’s second ex-wife, Mitzi, and another guest from Christmas past appear to stir the pot. This year, the Quinns must find a balance between old and new loves to have a happy holiday season.
My Thoughts: It’s a super quick read that keeps the storylines moving while anticipating what may happen next Christmas.
3. Winter Storms (2016)
My Review: ★★★☆☆
Plot: In Winter Storms, Mitzi returns, Patrick is about to be released from prison, Kevin’s new business is thriving, and news about Bart in Afghanistan is hopeful. While all may seem well, the remaining family members struggle with really big issues like health, addiction, and a love triangle.
With all this family joy and drama as a backdrop, this Christmas brings Kevin’s and Isabelle’s wedding at the Winter Street Inn, where a massive blizzard threatens their happy day.
My Thoughts: In this third of four books in the series, both the storylines of the characters and the festivity of the season all felt like they reached a climax. There’s a lot more action in this particular book, and it kept me super engaged in the events and feeling all the feelings of the holidays as well.
4. Winter Solstice (2017)
My Review: ★★★☆☆
Plot: Winter Solstice concludes the 4-book Winter series of Elin Hilderbrand books in order. Bart arrives home safely from Afghanistan, and the remainder of the family is finally experiencing joyful times as well… that is, except for one very important family member whose health is in crisis.
It wouldn’t be Christmas at the Winter Street Inn without some drama in this epic finale to the holiday tales of the Quinn family. This book is filled with happiness, sadness, and change as the solstice arrives and the days begin to get longer again.
My Thoughts: To me, this book truly felt like the end of the story of the Quinn family Christmases.
About Elin Hilderbrand
about
Elin Hilderbrand is one of the most famous book authors today. A Pennsylvania native and graduate of Johns Hopkins University, she also attended the University of Iowa writers workshop and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree.
Notably, she has three children, lives on Nantucket island (which often serves as the setting for her beachy romance novels), is a breast cancer survivor, and has a twin brother.
She planned to retire after her 30th book, Swan Song, was released in 2024. However, she has already signed a deal to co-author two books set at a New England boarding school with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham.
Recap
The four books in Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Series make for a truly festive and enjoyable holiday reading experience in which you can indulge in a Nantucket setting and the lives of the same characters over several holiday seasons. It remains a Christmastime favorite for both Elin Hilderbrand fans worldwide and me.
To recap the most important point, you should read them in order of publication to avoid spoilers:
- Winter Street (2014)
- Winter Stroll (2015)
- Winter Storms (2016)
- Winter Solstice (2017)
Related Christmas Posts
If you loved the Winter Series, you will love these ideas for Christmas books:
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
