Elin Hilderbrand, long hailed as the “Queen of the Beach Read,” is about to take her iconic Nantucket stories from page to screen once again. The upcoming television adaptation of The Five‑Star Weekend, a bestselling novel published in 2023, is generating real buzz—especially with Jennifer Garner set to star!
Hilderbrand’s career has been nothing short of prolific. She released her debut novel, The Beach Club, in 2000, and over the next two decades, she wrote more than 30 novels. Many of these novels are set on her beloved home island of Nantucket, earning her a devoted following and a reputation for creating summer reads that feel personal and real.
Even after announcing her retirement from Nantucket-based stories following her 2024 novel Swan Song, her influence on the summer-read genre remains undeniable.
Hilderbrand has successfully expanded into adaptations with The Perfect Couple, which starred Nicole Kidman and streamed on Netflix in 2024, bringing a coastal murder mystery to life. Now, with The Five‑Star Weekend TV series being developed by Peacock, fans will get another high-summer escape!
The production is moving along smoothly, and we have a complete cast list for the upcoming adaptation. So, let’s check out all the details revealed so far about the book adaptation!
What is the Plot of The Five-Star Weekend TV Series?
The book tells the story of Hollis Shaw, a popular food blogger. She is married to a heart surgeon, and the two seem to have a great relationship. However, after an argument one morning, Matthew leaves the house and meets with a fatal accident.
Devastated and unsure of what to do, Hollis feels lost until she hears about a Five-Star Weekend. It’s where a woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life, like from her teenage years, to her twenties, her thirties, and so on.
This leads her to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket! However, things don’t turn out as she had hoped.
If you haven’t read this bestselling novel, here’s the official synopsis that will give you an idea of what to expect from the upcoming TV adaptation:
Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is killed in a car accident.
The cracks in Hollis’s perfect life—her strained marriage and her complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline—grow deeper.
So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend”—one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife—she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie.
The husband of Hollis’s childhood friend Tatum arranges for Hollis’s first love, Jack Finigan, to spend time with them, stirring up old feelings. Meanwhile, Tatum is forced to play nice with abrasive and elitist Dru-Ann, Hollis’s best friend from UNC Chapel Hill. Dru-Ann’s career as a prominent Chicago sports agent is on the line after her comments about a client’s mental health issues are misconstrued online.
Brooke, Hollis’s friend from their thirties, has just discovered that her husband is having an inappropriate relationship with a woman at work. Again! And then there’s Gigi, a stranger to everyone (including Hollis) who reached out to Hollis through her blog. Gigi embodies an unusual grace and, as it happens, has many secrets.
The Five-Star Weekend TV Series Release Date:
Filming of ‘The Five Star Weekend’ adaptation is set to begin in Nantucket around September of this year. With production not starting until next month, it’s likely that the series will not be released until next year at the earliest.
As such, no release date has been announced for the adaptation.
Who is the Cast of The Five-Star Weekend TV Series?
Starring in the lead role as Hollis Shaw is Jennifer Garner, and she will be joined by Regina Hall portraying the role of Dru Ann Jones, and Chloë Sevigny playing Tatum McKenzie.
Apart from them, the series has also announced other cast members. Joining the three mentioned above are Judy Greer, West Duchovny, Tory Devon Smith, Gemma Chan, D’Arcy Carden, Harlow Jane, Timothy Olyphant, David Denman, Josh Hamilton, and Rob Huebel.
Who is Developing The Five-Star Weekend TV Series?
Peacock, a popular streaming site owned by NBC, is set to adapt and distribute the series. Jennifer Garner will not only star in the movie but also serve as executive producer.
Bekah Brunstetter serves as the creator, writer, and executive producer of the TV adaptation, with Beth Schacter also writing and executive producing the series.
Should You Read The Book Instead?
As with most book adaptations, it is always better to read the book before you watch the movie or TV adaptation, and the same is true for ‘The Five-Star Weekend’ as well!
One of the biggest tropes in The Five Star Weekend is the reunion weekend, featuring four friends and four archetypes, as well as the widow’s second act. If you love any or all of these tropes, then this book is for you!
It’s a funny, heartfelt, and at times bittersweet novel that will tug on all your heartstrings. The book is set to become a series soon, so if you want to read the book, it’s now the time to pick it up at a bookstore near you!
If you ask for my opinion, read the book as soon as you can because there is a reason why it’s a bestselling novel. Once you’ve read the book, you will be ready to watch the upcoming The Five-Star Weekend TV series adaptation!
Upcoming Book Adaptations: