The Five-Star Weekend

Discuss the significance of Hollis’s career as a food blogger and “domestic goddess” concerning the conflicts in her life. Why does Caroline find Hollis’s work to be fake and superficial? What revelations does Caroline gain in learning about Hollis’s upbringing without a mother?

Hollis’s vision of a relaxing, indulgent weekend to battle her grief does not go according to plan. In what ways do the various crises from the weekend help Hollis to grow and move forward? How might a perfect, drama-free, five-star weekend have hindered Hollis’s journey to finding peace?

Cameos of Nantucket locals appear throughout the novel as they admire and gossip about Hollis and the five-star weekend. Why did Hilderbrand include these characters? What perspective do they add?