How Elin Hilderbrand Changed My Life Over Lobster Rolls

During the summer in Bethany Beach, DE, it’s not uncommon to see long lines at the boardwalk, usually for an ice cream cone that will melt too fast or a bucket of salty French fries.

Even a local waiter was stunned by the 400-person line at Bethany Beach Books on one evening in the middle of June. But for author Elin Hilderbrand, that is just a typical stop for her on one of her book tours. So, after a four-hour signing for her latest novel, The Hotel Nantucket, she had one thing on her mind: Finding a lobster roll.

Dubbed the queen of the beach read, it felt fitting that I ended up talking with a perfectly tanned Hilderbrand over the summer staple, complete with a side of fries—with mayo, of course. In fact, it felt like a scene pulled right from one of her books, two women sharing stories and wisdom over greasy food at an oceanfront restaurant.

Full disclosure: Our interview was initially supposed to be about a day in the life for the New York Times-best-selling author while she is on one of her stacked book tours. And it felt like kismet that she was making her 10th consecutive appearance in Bethany Beach, where my family owns a home.