Winter in Paradise

Elin Hilderbrand

47 pages 1-hour read

Elin Hilderbrand

Winter in Paradise

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Irene is an editor at Heartland Home & Style magazine who recently faced a demotion at work. She spent the last 35 years building what she believed to be an idyllic, predictable life in a restored Queen Anne home. Following the sudden death of her husband, she travels to the US Virgin Islands to uncover the truth about the secret life he kept hidden from her.

Key Relationships

Wife of Russ Steele

Mother of Baker Steele

Mother of Cash Steele

Daughter-in-law of Milly

Friend of Huck Powers

Russ is the recently deceased patriarch of the Steele family who frequently traveled for his ambiguous corporate job. To his family in Iowa, he appeared as a doting provider known for grand romantic gestures. However, his death exposes a massive, hidden existence in the Caribbean where he lived part-time under the moniker of the "Invisible Man."

Key Relationships

Husband of Irene Steele

Father of Baker Steele

Father of Cash Steele

Son of Milly

Employee of Todd Croft

Secretly connected to Rosie Small

Baker is Irene and Russ's eldest son, working as a day-trader and stay-at-home father in Texas. He initially presents as the conventional and stable sibling compared to his younger brother. When a sudden personal crisis coincides with his father's death, he travels to St. John seeking a distraction from his unraveling domestic life.

Key Relationships

Older Brother of Cash Steele

Husband of Anna

Father of Floyd

Romantic Interest of Ayers Wilson

Cash is the younger Steele son, a former ski instructor whose recent retail business venture has entirely collapsed. He initially feels overshadowed by his brother's conventional success and his father's expectations. Following the family tragedy, he steps up to become a primary emotional support for his mother and eagerly travels to the Caribbean to investigate the truth.

Key Relationships

Younger Brother of Baker Steele

Owner of Winnie

Romantic Interest of Ayers Wilson

Ayers is an independent, hardworking St. John resident who juggles jobs as a waitress and a charter boat crew member. She is recovering from a recent breakup and the sudden, tragic loss of her best friend. As a loyal local, she becomes a crucial bridge between the island community and the visiting Steele family.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Rosie Small

Surrogate Mother to Maia Small

Friend of Huck Powers

Ex-girlfriend of Mick

Romantic Interest of Baker Steele

Romantic Interest of Cash Steele

Huck is a seasoned fishing captain and a highly respected member of the St. John community. He is a pragmatic, solitary man whose world revolves around the stepdaughter he raised and his young granddaughter. When tragedy strikes the island, he firmly establishes himself as a protective guardian figure.

Key Relationships

Stepfather of Rosie Small

Grandfather of Maia Small

Friend of Ayers Wilson

Friend of Irene Steele

Rosie is a beautiful, vibrant St. John local who works as a waitress and is deeply rooted in the island community. As a single mother, she is entirely devoted to her daughter. She maintains an intensely private long-term relationship with a mysterious man she refuses to name to her friends.

Key Relationships

Mother of Maia Small

Stepdaughter of Huck Powers

Best Friend of Ayers Wilson

Secretly connected to Russ Steele

Maia is a bright, emotionally perceptive twelve-year-old girl living on St. John. She is an aspiring entrepreneur who makes bath bombs with her friends. Following a sudden tragedy, she is forced to process immense grief while handling new, confusing information about her family history.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Rosie Small

Granddaughter of Huck Powers

Ward of Ayers Wilson

Secretly connected to Russ Steele

Supporting Characters

Anna is a highly successful cardiothoracic surgeon living in Texas. She abruptly decides to leave her husband for a female colleague, a choice that shatters her family's domestic stability just hours before they receive news of a separate tragedy.

Key Relationships

Wife of Baker Steele

Mother of Floyd

Romantic Interest of Louisa

Mick is Ayers's ex-boyfriend who lives on St. John. He recently broke Ayers's heart by cheating on her, an act that leaves her wary of romantic entanglements and men who keep secrets. Despite his infidelity, he continually attempts to re-enter her life.

Key Relationships

Ex-boyfriend of Ayers Wilson

Paulette is a property manager on St. John who handles the luxurious villa on Lovers Lane. She operates on strict instructions from corporate bosses, ensuring the home remains pristine and stripped of personal effects before the grieving family arrives.

Key Relationships

Guide to Irene Steele

Employee of Russ Steele

Milly is Russ's elderly mother who lives in an assisted care facility in Iowa. Her fragile health makes her family deeply protective of her, prompting them to conceal the devastating news of her son's death to spare her the shock.

Key Relationships

Mother of Russ Steele

Mother-in-law of Irene Steele

Floyd is the four-year-old son of Baker and Anna. He is caught in the middle of his parents' sudden marital collapse, becoming a primary focus for his father's protective instincts.

Key Relationships

Son of Anna

Marilyn is the secretary for a mysterious corporate boss. She is the unfortunate bearer of bad news, tasked with calling Irene to inform her of the fatal helicopter crash and the existence of the secret Caribbean property.

Key Relationships

Employee of Todd Croft

Informant to Irene Steele

Todd is an elusive figure who employed Russ at a mysterious company. He operates completely in the shadows, ordering the St. John villa to be cleared of personal items immediately following the crash and disappearing when the family seeks answers.

Key Relationships

Employer of Russ Steele

Employer of Marilyn Monroe

Winnie is Cash's loyal golden retriever. She travels everywhere with him, providing constant, unconditional emotional support as he processes his business failures and the family tragedy.

Key Relationships

Lydia is Irene's good friend in Iowa. She represents the comfortable, predictable life Irene built, offering a sounding board for Irene's thoughts right before the devastating phone call arrives.

Key Relationships

Friend of Irene Steele

Louisa is a medical colleague of Anna's in Houston. Her new relationship with Anna serves as the catalyst for the dissolution of Baker's marriage.

Key Relationships

Romantic Interest of Anna