Hey everyone. This past weekend, I had an incredible pleasure of bringing together a truly amazing group of authors, musicians, and storytellers, along with 250 new friends at our first Read with Jenna Book Festival.

It was a beautiful chance for readers to connect with their favorite authors and with each other, all while celebrating the magic of books.

I'm excited to share some of those conversations and insights with all of you, starting with my next

guest. Ellen Hildebrand is a New York Times bestselling author beloved for her iconic summer novels,

many set against the sun-soaked shores of Nantucket.

Last year, she announced that Swan Song would be her final Nantucket novel, marking the end of an era,

and now she's embarking on a brand new chapter.

Her latest book, The Academy, is set at a New England boarding school and is her 31st novel, her first co-written with her daughter.

She's also the co-host of the podcast, Books, Beach, and Beyond.

And her novel, The Perfect Couple, was recently adapted into a hit Netflix series, Nicole Kidman and Leibs Shriver.

In our conversation, Ellen and I chat about book adaptations, writing with her daughter,

and why Nantucket has always been such a special setting for her stories.

We also talked about how novels have helped readers through tough times, offering a sense

of escape, connection, and comfort.

Plus, Ellen answered some wonderful questions from our festival audience.

I'm Jenna Bush-Hager, and welcome to a special episode of Open Book with Jenna,

live from the Read with Jenna Book Festival in Nashville.

Thank you. We know. We know that finally summer is here, or unofficially here, And there's nothing quite like reading a good book

by the beach and the park, wherever it is. So should we take a bookcation together? Do you want

to? I can't think of a better person to kick that off. And she doesn't like this title because

she's actually prolific in every way. But then the queen of the beach read herself, Ellen Hillebrand.

Nice.

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