The Rumor: A Novel
The Rumor: A Novel book cover

The Rumor: A Novel

Hardcover – June 16, 2015

Price
$22.44
Format
Hardcover
Pages
384
Publisher
Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0316334525
Dimensions
6 x 0.94 x 9.25 inches
Weight
1.32 pounds

Description

PRAISE FOR THE RUMOR:"We've said it before and we'll say it again: Hilderbrand is the queen of the summer. Rich people behaving badly--perfect poolside."― Susannah Cahalan , The New York Post "It wouldn't be summer without a breezy, sensual Nantucket tale from Hilderbrand, and her latest...doesn't disappoint. Intricately plotted and filled with fast-paced dialogue, it's as sweetly satisfying as a glass of Sancerre." ― Kim Hubbard , People "The story is packed with the details of the wonder that is summer on the small, chic island off the coast of Massachusetts." ― Catherine Mallette , The Fort Worth Star-Telegram "The detail is authentic...Expect to find it filled with all the ingredients of a great chick lit read: many characters with intertwined lives, a handsome guy (in this case a landscape architect), complicated romance, and lots of wine." ― Georgea Kovanis , The Detroit Free-Press "One of the reigning queens of the summer beach book." ― The Connecticut Post "Be forewarned: scandal and swirling tension aside, Elin's descriptions of the idyllic setting in this perfect beach read may inspire readers to book a getaway." ― Eric Cupido , Hello! Canada "Queen of the beach read, and her latest [ The Rumor ]...is nothing short of a gift."― Lynsey Eidell , Glamour.com "[ The Rumor ] explores human nature and the truth behind the gossip that people love to be the first to share."― Laurie Higgins , The Cape Codder "Elin Hilderbrand, queen of the romance novel, never disappoints her readers--and here she is at the top of her game once again. She details every character superbly, her themes and plotlines are well thought out, and you can picture every scene in your mind so vividly. I read The Rumor quickly because I needed to know what ultimately happens and had no idea how it was going to end...Rumor has it that you will enjoy this book as much as I did."― Vivian Payton , BookReporter Praise for BEAUTIFUL DAY : "A perfect summer read."― Ladies Home Journal "A wedding readers won't be able to resist crashing."― Kirkus Reviews "Hilderbrand's latest is the perfect beach read....[her] straightforward style pulls the reader into the minds of her characters, and all the secrets and sorrows that create the universal messiness of major family events."― Publishers Weekly PRAISE FOR SUMMERLAND :" Summerland is as readable as any beach book, but with a much bigger heart."― Boston Globe "The Queen of the Summer Novel...Hilderbrand blends real-life issues - depression, teen alcoholism, bullying - with her signature soapy twists and illicit romances."― Joanna Powell, People "Hilderbrand has once again written an engaging story wonderfully illustrating the often complex lives of young people struggling toward adulthood."― Booklist "A sensitive glimpse into the lives of damaged people groping their way toward healing."― Kirkus Reviews "Hilderbrand weaves a thrilling tale of friendship and betrayal."― Us Weekly The following rumors about Elin Hilderbrand are true: She writes her novels longhand, she is a good cook and a terrible gardener, and she is fighting breast cancer. Everything else is up for speculation. THE RUMOR is her 15th novel.

Features & Highlights

  • A friendship is tested in this "thrilling" page-turner from
  • New York Times
  • bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand (
  • Us Weekly
  • ).
  • Madeline King and Grace Pancik are best friends and the envy of Nantucket for their perfect marriages, their beautiful kids, their Saturday night double dates with their devoted husbands. But this summer, something's changed, and if there's anything Nantucket likes better than cocktails on the beach at sunset, it's a good rumor. And rumor has it... that Madeline, a novelist, is battling writer's block, with a deadline looming, bills piling up, and blank pages driving her to desperation — and a desperately bad decision; and that Grace, hard at work to transform her backyard into a garden paradise, has been collaborating a bit more closely than necessary with her ruggedly handsome landscape architect. As the gossip escalates, and they have the possible loss of the happy lives they've worked so hard to create, Grace and Madeline try mightily to set the record straight — but the truth might be even worse than rumor has it.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(5.5K)
★★★★
25%
(4.6K)
★★★
15%
(2.8K)
★★
7%
(1.3K)
23%
(4.3K)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

A great summer read...

Note: I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book, set in Nantucket, begins at the end of spring and ends at the end of summer. During those months, teenage first loves are questioned, hearts are broken, financial woes abound, marriage vows are tested… all providing grist for the island rumor mill.

The lives of the characters in the book are all intertwined… Grace and Madeline are best friends….Grace’s daughter Allegra and Madeline’s son Brick are in a relationship that is tenuous at best…. Eddie, Grace’s husband, owes Madeline and her husband a large sum of money and gets involved in some shady dealings to try to pay them back…Madeline is an author with a serious case of writer’s block and how she overcomes that block threatens her relationship with her BFF… Grace is obsessed with her lovely garden and landscaping, while her escapades with the landscaper add fuel to the rumors flying fast and furious throughout the island.

This is a fun summer read and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Grab a beach chair, a glass of iced tea, your sunglasses and go for a visit to Nantucket courtesy of Elin
9 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

What a disappointment!

Like so many reviewers, every summer I look forward to an enjoyable new beach read from this author. The Rumor has been a total disappointment and waste of money. Usually I finish one of Hilderbrand's book in a day, two at most; I have been struggling to make myself finish this one for almost two weeks. The characters are flat and foolish. The plot is weak and trite. None of the adults are admirable or smart. Not sure I will waste any more of my time trying to finish this one!
5 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

BEACH FLUFF

This is what I refer to in literature as, "beach fluff." I wouldn't recommend it. The characters are shallow and very predictable.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

A fun beach read

Just in time for the summer comes another book that belongs in a beach bag or vacation suitcase. Elin Hilderbrand's The Rumor takes the reader back to her beloved Nantucket Island and shows just how easily and quickly rumors can spread... true or not. Novelist Madeline King's publisher is looking for her new novel and she has nothing. Stressed, she does everything she can to help herself, including renting a small apartment to write in. Nothing clicks, until her best friend Grace confesses that she has feelings for her landscaper. Worried about money, Madeline starts writing about Grace's relationship and the words flow. In the meantime, Madeline asks Grace's husband Eddie to return their investment, and their dating children have their own issues. Misunderstandings, gossip, and rumors spread in small town Nantucket, threatening friendships, marriages, and lives.
This novel was definitely a page-turner. I started and got pulled in right away. I enjoyed how the relationships of the characters were explored, as well as how they related to each other, and then seeing how actions and gossip started affecting both the character and the different relationships. It does focus on some sensitive and controversial issues, including infidelity, that I felt were handled well. Hilderbrand has a writing style that I find strong and engaging. I loved that her descriptions enabled me to imagine not only the setting but the different characters and see them as real people with real-life problems.
I had only read a couple of Hilderbrand's previous novels, but her writing has me seeking out other novels and looking forward to her next.

*I received an Advanced Copy of the Novel from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Three Stars

Her books are getting too sexually explicit. I won't be buying any more.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Horrible characters with an awful storyline.

I HATED this book. Trashy drivel. I threw it in my fireplace and burned it.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Skip "The Rumor."

"The Rumor" did not favorably compare to Elin's previous novels. Not even close. Too much character detail without much to say about the wonderful island of Nantucket and its many nuances.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Very well written summer story

Just like most of the author’s books, I loved it yet had so many issues with parts of it I wanted to not read it but again, I love this author’s writing! It’s so confusing when I try to know how to feel about the book but all in all I really did love it, just not the one bit because there really isn't any justification for certain things, but I’ll get into that in a bit.
Madeline and Grace are the very best of friends and so many people in Nantucket are envious of them. They have perfect marriages, perfect beautiful children, and every Saturday they double date with their highly devoted husbands. However, this particular summer something has changed and Nantucket just loves those juicy rumors.
Rumor has it that Madeline, who is a novelist, is stuck with a big dose of writer's block. She has a deadline looming and a lot of bills are piling up. She’s getting quite desperate and so she makes a desperate decision. Grace is working on turning her garden into a backyard paradise. She’s been working on it with her ruggedly handsome landscape architect and they are far closer than they should be.
The gossip keeps getting more and more intense and the happy little lives that Grace and Madeline have built up just may be in jeopardy. Of course, the truth may just be more damaging than the circulating rumors.
This book is incredibly well written and if you have read the authors other books you will pretty much know what you are in for. Slight spoiler here, but not if you read the author's other books, there is of course that nasty little extramarital affair that is “justified”. However, in this case I think that the husband is the one I feel horrible for. It was like he did what he did, no matter how good or bad it was, to try to be able to give his girls what they were used to having. I won’t say more because you have to read the book for yourself and I’m sure a lot of people will feel differently than I do but I just didn’t see the justification in this one.
Now, that aside, the rest of the book is fantastic. It’s just such a nice little escape into a world I am so far from being in that I really get to have a nice little summer break in the book. As usual, I definitely recommend this and her other books as well.
✓ Verified Purchase

Best author

Whatever this author writes, BUY IT !! This is great writing. Great story.
✓ Verified Purchase

Daughter Liked it

Gift for daughter, she says she liked it. She collects Elin Hilderbrand.