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In the sea of book-to-screen adaptations popping up every other week these days, they honestly start to blur together. Sure, I get excited when one of my favorite books gets the on-screen treatment, but somewhere between the announcement and the two years that pass before it actually hits our TVs, some of that enthusiasm starts to wane. But not with Peacock’s latest adaptation, The Five-Star Weekend, which has been living rent-free in my head ever since it was announced.
When I heard the queen of beach reads, Elin Hilderbrand, was gifting us another adaptation after we all fell in love with The Perfect Couple in 2024, I immediately started counting down the days. After what felt like a painfully long wait, The Five-Star Weekend has finally arrived. But with coastal boat shoes as big as Elin Hilderbrand’s to fill, did the adaptation recreate the same magic as the book? I binged the entire series to find out. Below, my full The Five-Star Weekend review.
Stream on PeacockWhat is The Five-Star Weekend about?
Based on Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling 2023 novel, The Five-Star Weekend follows food influencer Hollis Shaw in the wake of tragedy as she copes with the sudden death of her husband. In an attempt to put her life back together, she hosts a “Five-Star Weekend,” inviting one best friend from each chapter of her life to her coastal grandma Nantucket home for a weekend of shopping, relaxing, and reconnecting. But these women haven’t all been together in years, and they’re each harboring secrets of their own, especially Hollis’ newest friend, Gigi, whom she met online after her husband’s death.
How does The Five-Star Weekend compare to the book?
As book adaptations become more and more popular, devoted fan bases like Elin Hilderbrand’s may worry that each one won’t be treated with the same care. Thankfully, this beach read adaptation lives up to the hype. While I’ll almost always argue that the book is better than the TV show, and this adaptation isn’t quite good enough to make me take that back entirely, it’s still an incredibly satisfying watch for both longtime fans of the novel and viewers just discovering Elin Hilderbrand through the series.
Of course, no adaptation is ever going to be 100 percent faithful, but The Five-Star Weekend preserves the emotional heart of the novel. You may not see all of your favorite lines translated word for word, but the series recreates the feeling of being completely glued to the page, transporting you straight to Nantucket.
Speaking of the setting, Elin Hilderbrand fans know that Nantucket is practically a character in its own right. Her novels bring the island to life with such vivid detail and affection that even readers who’ve never set foot there can understand why it’s so special. That’s an incredibly difficult thing to recreate onscreen, but The Five-Star Weekend rises to the occasion. Between the sweeping seaside shots and coastal home interiors that would make Nancy Meyers jealous, the setting radiates the kind of cozy charm that makes you want to step right through the screen—even when the characters’ lives are anything but peaceful.
Another standout aspect of this book-to-screen adaptation is the cast. Obviously, Jennifer Garner as Hollis immediately had my attention, but the entire ensemble completely won me over. Each actor embodies their character so well that it was hard to believe they weren’t exactly who I’d imagined while reading the book. Regina Hall, Gemma Chan, Chloë Sevigny, and D’Arcy Carden all steal scene after scene, despite sharing the screen with so many heavy hitters. Their portrayal of female friendship, the highs, the lows, and the beauty of relationships that evolve over decades, is one of the show’s greatest strengths.
Should Elin Hilderbrand fans watch The Five-Star Weekend?
Whether you’ve read every book in Elin Hilderbrand’s catalog or you’ve never picked up one of her iconic beach reads, The Five-Star Weekend is an undeniable crowd-pleaser. I don’t think it’s a series that will stay with me long after the credits roll, but it’s an incredibly enjoyable summer watch—and one that captures enough of what makes Elin Hilderbrand’s novels so beloved to satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
If you find yourself craving even more coastal energy once you race your way through the show, bring the same aesthetic to all of your screens with our coastal grandma tech backgrounds.
Lauren Blue, Associate Editor & Book Club Co-Host
As an Associate Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives, from must-read books and behind-the-scenes interviews to beauty products she can’t live without. When she isn’t sitting in an AMC watching the latest buzzy release, she can be found scouring Goodreads for the perfect pick for The Everygirl Book Club. There, she co-hosts discussions with members, debating plotlines, fancasting characters, and, of course, tossing in her own recommendations.
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This article was originally published on The Everygirl
