The Academy

by Elin Hilderbrand, Shelby Cunningham

#1 bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand teams up with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, to deliver a dishy, page-turning novel following an intertwined cast of characters over the course of one drama-filled year at a New England boarding school.

It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It’s a seventeen-spot jump – was there a typo? The dorms need to be renovated, their sports teams always come in last place, and let’s just say Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. On the other hand, the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by an acclaimed New York chef. And they do have fun—lots of parties and school dances, and a piano man plays in the student lounge every Monday night.

But just as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, the wheels begin to turn – and then they fall off the bus. One by one, scandalous blind items begin to appear on phones across Tiffin’s campus, thanks to a new app called ZipZap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, international influencer and resident queen bee, to Simone Bergeron, the new and surprisingly young history teacher, to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, to Cordelia Spooner, Admissions Director with a somewhat idiosyncratic methodology – everyone has something to hide.

As if high school wasn’t dramatic enough...As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin’s students and staff are changed forever. The Academy is Elin Hilderbrand’s fresh, buzzy take on boarding school life, and a thrilling new direction from one of America’s most satisfying and popular storytellers.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, Chick Lit, Mystery, Academia

432 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 16, 2025

About the author

Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.

Facebook.com/ElinHilderbrand

Pinterest.com/ElinHilderbrand

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a boarding school book. Ever since reading Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld I’ve been hoping to find another one to enjoy. Well, Elin and daughter Shelby have provided an excellent read.

All the characters represent the best and maybe some not so best, students, teachers and staff that make up a boarding school. Kind of a, ‘all the usual suspects,’ group. The popular kids, the smart kids, the shy kids and everyone in between.

I loved the shenanigans the teenagers got into. Fortunately nothing awful. I even rooted for the kids not to get caught in one questionable endeavor.

I hope there’s a sequel so I can find out what’s in the letter Dub can’t open till his graduation.

Fun and fabulous ladies!

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company.

Note: The number 114 is mentioned several times throughout the book; anyone know its significance?

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published September 16, 2025.

3.5 stars

The book covers a very unusual year in the world of Tiffin Academy, a boarding school in New England, which has just been named the number two boarding school in the U.S., a huge jump from the year before, thanks largely to the deep pockets of the parents of one of its students, Unless it’s a terrible mistake. Because the sports teams mostly lose and the dorms could use renovating, plus it is largely known for being a “social” versus an intellectual school. Anyway, the students, faculty and staff and reveling in the achievement.

However, things are starting to get a little crazy with a new app, ZigZag posting blind items about the school and its students and staff. How will this affect queen bee and influencer Davi Banerjee, Charley Hicks, a transfer student, Simone Bergeron, the new, young history teacher, Cordelia Spooner, director of admissions, Andrew Eastman, the son of the school’s benefactor, Dub Austin, the star quarterback and other students and staff?

Hilderbrand is a very popular author so I can’t imagine this won’t do well. Her daughter, who is billed as a co-writer just graduated from boarding school and you can definitely see her influence on the book with references to music, brands, etc; I’m not familiar enough with Hilderbrand’s writing style to know whether she actually contributed to the writing, but I’m sure she was more on background here. It was very gossipy and a little exhausting…I don’t think I would have the strength anymore to be part of so much drama. I enjoyed it, though.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge Elin Hildebrand fan and was intrigued when I saw that she co-wrote a book with her daughter. The Academy is obviously so different from Elins Nantucket books. The Academy is about a year in the life at Tiffin Academy, a New England boarding school. When a new app is used to post secrets about the staff and students, you can only imagine the drama involved between this cast of characters, a book that's filled with lots of gossip. I did enjoy the descriptions of boarding school. The way it's depicted felt very accurate, such as the the teens interactions with each other. But…..there are lots of characters, so it was hard to really connect with any of them because they weren't very developed. Some issues mentioned with the characters never got expanded on so it just felt like it was brought up for no reason. So this was good, just not great.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Bre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company and Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham for this ARC read. The following is my honest review.
I absolutely loved The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham! (So cool to read a mother-daughter duo author) The lush boarding school setting and all the secrets and relationship drama made it such a fun escape. It gave me that nostalgic feeling of reading “away-from-home” school stories, even though I never went to boarding school myself.
The friendships, romances, coworkerships and dynamics between the characters were so engaging—especially Charley and Davi’s friendship. The teacher-student drama was tough to read (I’ll never think of Miss Clavel the same) but it added depth and complexity to the story. I also enjoyed the mystery elements that kept me guessing and the whole secret-society vibe the secret speakeasy kinda was -it was giving Gossip Girl meets Dead Poets Society. The whole time I was on the edge of my seat to discover who zip zap was and how it knew everyone’s business.
The beginning of the story started a bit slow for me and it wasn’t until a good chunk in that I was hooked but that proved to be worth it in the end as it set the atmosphere perfectly. And once I was hooked I was HOOOKED. Like couldn’t wait to pick it up again whenever I put it down. The other qualm I have is the cliffhangery ending! What was in the letter??? Fingers & tied crossed that this is the start of a series because I need to know and hope to explore dub’s storyline more.

All in all it was a terrific read! Mark your calendars for its release on September 16, 2025!

[Julie Kuhlman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced, full of drama, and with just the right amount of intrigue, this book was such a fun escape. The setting pulled me right in, the characters had plenty of personality, and there was never a dull moment as secrets and twists started unraveling.

It has that bingeable quality where you keep saying “one more chapter” and then realize you’ve been reading for hours. A perfect mix of juicy drama and page-turning suspense.

[vicinthemeadow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This pains me because I am an avid Elin Hilderbrand lover! But The Academy fell so flat for me with too many loose ends.

We follow a variety of high school students and their teachers/administrators at a private school as they navigate the school year. The premise is that a website is invented that starts sharing their secrets (gossip girl style) and wreaking havoc.

One of my main issues with the book were there are way too many characters introduced who were not all fully developed. To bring in a student who took her life and give no background or reason for including this subject matter was bizarre to me (and we never get the info on her document she leaves her boyfriend?). To have multiple characters dealing with serious mental health struggles like eating disorders but again, leave those serious topics so unattended to felt very blasé for 2025. I wasn't able to connect with or sympathize for anyone due to the lack of character development which was likely due to the sheer amount of character we are following.

For me this one missed the mark, the first 30% being copious character introductions and no main plot development until hundreds of pages in left me fairly indifferent. The writing style felt hard to follow, and didn't draw me in like usual! There was promise with the setting of back to school with ritzy teenagers, but the execution wasn't there for me personally.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Creya Casale | cc.shelflove]

THANK YOU, EDELWEISS!

[TwinreadsandReds · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars-this book was so different from the normal Nantucket setting we are used to reading with Elin’s books, but we absolutely loved it! You can see what each author put into this book! I love that we get so much information about all the characters and the academy setting was so fun!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, @hachetteaudio for the advanced listening copy! #hachetteaudioinfluencer

The Academy immerses readers in the privilege, pressure, and secrets of Tiffin Academy, an elite prep school, across one turbulent academic year. The story begins on move-in day, with returning students still reeling from the death of a classmate the year before. At the same time, Tiffin rockets from the bottom of the top-20 prep school rankings to the number two spot - sparking gossip, suspicion, and new rivalries. Add in entitled legacy kids, influencers chasing clout, a digital anonymous gossip site taking over the student body, a too-perfect new student, and even a secret underground speakeasy in the school’s cellars…and that’s before we get to the faculty drama!

Living near real prep schools myself, I can say Hilderbrand and Cunningham nail the mix of wealth, entitlement, and under-the-table antics. Reading this often felt like watching a documentary crew follow the cast of Gossip Girl through a school year. There are a lot of characters and not much of a central plot - it’s more a chronicle of bad decisions than a traditional narrative - but if you love “rich people behaving badly,” this book has endless amounts of it.

🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: At 13h 22m, Erin Bennett does an excellent job carrying the narration, but with such a sprawling cast, I think a multi-narrator production would have added even more dimension to the listening experience.

[Karis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gossip girl meets Gilmore girls meets a splash of Magnolia parks? This was so fun. I couldn’t take my eyes away from it. I really appreciate how Shelby Cunningham was able to accurately depict teenagers rather in a way that felt so much more authentic than someone who just googled “what are teens into”

[Phoebe (readandwright) Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Little, Brown for my copy! All thoughts are my own!

I have always loved a campus novel. I’ve been fascinated with boarding school since I learned what it was as a kid and this author always delivers with the drama and rich people problems that are brain candy to read about. This book was no different and it was interesting to see a new setting and age range to read about. It was a page turner and enjoyable, but also left me wanting more and feeling unsure about some of the topics addressed.

Synopsis:

“It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news arrives: America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It’s a seventeen-spot jump – was there a typo? The dorms need to be renovated, their sports teams always come in last place, and let’s just say Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. On the other hand, the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by an acclaimed New York chef. And they do have fun—lots of parties and school dances, and a piano man plays in the student lounge every Monday night.But just as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, the wheels begin to turn – and then they fall off the bus. One by one, scandalous blind items begin to appear on phones across Tiffin’s campus, thanks to a new app called ZipZap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, international influencer and resident queen bee, to Simone Bergeron, the new and surprisingly young history teacher, to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, to Cordelia Spooner, Admissions Director with a somewhat idiosyncratic methodology – everyone has something to hide.As if high school wasn’t dramatic enough...As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin’s students and staff are changed forever. The Academy is Elin Hilderbrand’s fresh, buzzy take on boarding school life, and a thrilling new direction from one of America’s most satisfying and popular storytellers.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—Boarding school in New England will forever be a favorite setting of mine. I also loved that we went through a whole academic year with the characters and saw the seasons change.

The Drama—Very Gossip Girl esque with the Zip Zap plot line. I will say, I was hoping for a more cathartic in regard to this…kind of felt like a throw away to me. But maybe that means there is another book coming.

The Multi-POV’s—Nothing is boring when this happens and I’ve always liked this aspect of the author’s writing.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Fatphobic Comments from Characters—It’s so hard to accurately describe how I feel about this, because I think it’s natural for self conscious teens to think and say things that are unkind. But I didn’t love all the bodytalk…however, I do know that it was part of one character’s journey. Still deciding how I feel about it.

Felt a Little Disconnected from the Story—With so many characters and so many POV’s, it’s natural to feel attached to some and want more from others. I wanted more discovery and attention applied to some plot points that felt glossed over, but it did give the vibe of being an outsider looking in.

Character Authenticity: 3/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5

Content Warnings:

fatphobia, eating disorder (bulimia), suicide, alcohol, addiction, grief, death of a parent

[Emily Goldberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO GOOD

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit that I was very upset when I found out that Erin Hildrebrand was retiring from writing Nantucket novels, but after reading The Academy, I have to say that I truly hope we get to hear more of Elin Hildrebrand exploring different areas.

I appreciated that The Academy has a cast of characters that don't only include students, but faculty and staff as well. There are romances between students, romances between faculty and even some naughtiness between a teacher and an over-18 year old student. There is drama for the school President. The hot guy who got kicked out of all the other boarding schools has a thing for the girl that - let's be honest - every booklover is going to swoon over because she's a reader and she's smart and a little different.

Descriptions of food and parties, made me realize that there are wonderful events even outside Nantucket - we just have to take the time to see the world and appreciate it the way that Elin Hildrebrand does!

[EJ Pepe · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a minute to get into this book but once I did I loved it! At first I struggled to remember all the characters, but by the end I wanted more details about each and every one of them. I loved reading about the lives of the children and staff at Tiffin Academy. This was such a fun idea from Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter Shelby Cunningham. I really hope they continue to write together and add on a sequel to this book so we can follow this group of kids into their sixth form (senior year.)

The one plot hole that has left me annoyed is Cinnamon's email! We never found out what is said and I am so curious what it was! There were several story lines that didn't get wrapped up which leads me to think we are in store for a sequel.

This was a great book that I knew would not disappoint! Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy to read and review.

[MrsRifReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this. Hoping there is a second book…Please read the blurb—this is not a beachy book. Love a boarding school!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Little Brown and Company & NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so excited to read this one, especially because I’ve been a longtime fan of Elin’s stories & writing, but unfortunately this one was a miss for me.

The story was extremely lengthy and wordy in places it didn’t need to be; and was literally being told from over 20 different points of view. It was nearly impossible to keep up with so many storylines, because it changed so rapidly every couple pages. The book also ended with so many loose ends not being tied up, it will literally aggravate me for the rest of time that we never got to see the email that was teased the entire book, being opened.

To be honest the book felt like Gossip Girl fan fiction? Just too much going on, trying to fit as many cliches as possible into the “boarding school” niche. I really wanted to love this one, but it just fell completely flat.

If you are a fan of Boarding school Prep reads you might enjoy this one though!

[Mary Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My girl Elin hath adjudicated that this is not a YA novel, but I actually disagree! I think the colloquialisms, slang, and boarding school dramas unfurling page to page would make this a very bingeable read, especially for high schoolers. As a secondary education teacher, I basically hated the whole staff except for Audre. Was her characterization of the messiness of interprofesional relationships off the mark though? Not too much 🤷🏼‍♀️ Simone in particular, I almost could not stomach to read her chapters, they were so loathsome and she was too static of a character. Simone is literally where this book lost a star. But the incessant, propulsive drama? Chef’s kiss! Or should I say Haz’s kiss… Couldn’t put it down!

[erin (readingwithremy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Academy was such a fun book! A huge thanks to Hachette Audio for the advance audiobook copy this week!

I immediately started listening and like any Elin book this hooks you instantly and I loved the boarding school setting. There were a lot of characters to keep straight but I liked seeing the different students and faculty point of views and how different people saw the events that happened. The setup by month was great and I liked how this book set you up for a sequel - I can't wait!

It has all of the amazing food descriptions and fun drama you expect in an Elin book in an amazing boarding school setting. I feel like this was where Shelby did a great job of making you feel like you were at Tiffin since she went to boarding school. There were some great lines that made me laugh. Of course there was drama and I liked the Gossip Girl aspect.

I love listening to Elin's book and Erin Bennett was fantastic as always! It was just over 13 hours on audio but it flew by. I will always listen to Elin's books!

The Academy comes out September 16. Definitely recommend reading this one - it's the perfect back to school read to get you on the fall mood!

[Candi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems I enjoy most of Elin’s older novels more than her newer ones as I haven’t enjoyed her past few that much. They aren’t horrible, just different. This one might be better enjoyed by young adults rather than a 50 year old. Kinda Gossip Girl wanna be Magnolia Parks (just slightly). Too many characters and the plot is just not page turning.

[Ali | flippin_and_sippin_mn · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO MUCH BINGY DRAMA FUN!
4.5⭐️ RTC

[Kailey (kmc_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fun, rich teens behaving badly at boarding school… sign me up

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you BOTM for releasing this early. I couldn’t put this one down and really hope there’s a sequel so we find out what’s in the letter

[Callie Mish · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning I found to drag a bit. I didn’t love all the storylines but all in all- I enjoyed and am awaiting next year’s release of the sequel.

[Bernadette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was starting to worry about the lack of Elin Hilderbrand in my life. After "Swan Song" (which I didn’t love), it felt like the queen of beach reads might have stepped down from her throne. But with "The Academy", she just might be claiming a new kind of crown—though I’m not quite sure what to call it. Academia Queen?

Tiffin Academy quickly became a place that felt strangely like home, thanks to the characters Hilderbrand and Cunningham brought to life. These are flawed teens, yes, but written with enough nuance and depth to keep adult readers fully engaged. I think that’s in part due to Cunningham’s younger perspective paired with Hilderbrand’s masterful ability to weave juicy, thoughtful storylines.

The ending left me a little confused—there are definitely some threads still hanging—but I’ve heard rumors of a sequel, and I really hope that’s true.

This is Elin Hilderbrand at her best: familiar and fresh all at once, stepping into a new setting with confidence and heart. I can’t wait to see where this new chapter in her career takes us.

Thank you to Elin Hilderbrand, Shelby Cunningham, Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Crystal Tipton · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is so hard for me to type because Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors and I do love the opportunity she gave her daughter by co-writing this with her, but this was bad. I struggled to get through it, It dragged on and honestly felt like it was written by a teenager. Ugh, I'm sorry Elin!

[Jill Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not an Elin Hildebrandt reader, but when this book was offered as a BOTM choice, I, who was jonesing for a back-to-school story, added this title to my choices.

It’s horrible. Every single trope you could possibly pick for a narrative about a New England prep school is present. The “omniscient voice” appears as an app, revealing the campus’ deepest darkest secrets; the vulnerable queen bee—-a TikTok superstar and internationally renowned influencer—hides deep dark secrets about herself and her home life; the outsider who arrives bringing new life and new perspectives to the campus, and falling for the ultimate bad boy—-so many of the “canon” of YA campus stories are represented here. It’s either plagiarism or satire—-and it felt to me an awful lot like satire—-near-misses at being caught breaking the rules, drunken vomiting, hanky-panky amongst the staff—-it all slurred together into a narrative I could not put down.
Following the “Boys, Booze, Bulimia” Route that dominate this type of book but are handled more skillfully and sensitively (and as individual issues) by other authors—-the 3 B’s jockey for the reader’s attention on every single page, driving the plot and invite the reader to make comparisons between “A Separate Peace,” “Dead Poets,” even “Secret History” with HILARIOUS results.

*im a little peeved, though, that we never got to read the email a self-unaliver left for her boyfriend at the end of the school year before this story starts in the fall of the new school year. Cinnamon, a girl beloved by all, unexpectedly overdosed in the closing week of her class’ sophomore (4th form) year; she leaves behind an email sent to her boyfriend, a straight-shooting-Cowboy-from-Wyoming scholarship student, with the instructions, “Do not open until the morning of our graduation.” Since this entire book encompasses that class’ junior (5th form) year, the book ends before their senior (6th form) graduation. WHAT DOES THE EMAIL SAY?!?!! The boyfriend refuses to click “open,” and there are questions about her strange unaliving all throughout the story. It’s an unresolved mystery——-unless there’s a sequel in the works? From where I’m sitting right now, I would read a sequel SO HARD.
A fun and frisky start-of-school vibes book. Glad I snapped it up!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a minute to get into this book, probably because of all of the characters. But once I was about fifty pages in, I became very invested. It's a boarding school romp, that (while set in America) reminded me a lot of the British author Jilly Cooper. The intrigues big and small of boarding school scandals felt both outrageous and believable. The book was definitely adult, but it captured both the stories of the teachers and administrators of the school with the students. I felt particularly connected to the story of new girl Charley Hicks, who has run away from her mother's new marriage to boarding school but doesn't particularly fit in. But really all the stories, even the ones from unlikable characters, were full of twists and turns that kept me reading. There was one loose thread at the end of the book that is still needling me (I won't spoil it here) but otherwise reading this book was a delight!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Report: The Academy

At First Glance: Ooohhhh that author… and co-author… her daughter! My heart!

The Gist: A scandalous story of one drama-filled year at a New England boarding school.

My Thoughts: ELIN!!!! SHELBY!!! please tell me we will be back at Tiffin in the fall of 2026 🙏🏼 because this one was a pure comfort to read. It felt nostalgic and highly addicting. From sun‑dappled beach dramas to the polished yet unruly world of elite boarding‑school life… you still get Elin’s signature rich multi POV, scandal and drama! The book felt very youthful and authentic which is where her daughter Shelby came into play and I thought the two delivered and I could only hope that this is just the start!

My Question for Elin and Shelby: Of course I’m going to ask this question…. Can readers expect a sequel or spin-off? If yes, was that always part of the plan?

Thank you Little, Brown and Company for the gifted E-Arc

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...

[Prologues and Prosecco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of Elin and her daughter's first novel together, " The Academy". I am a sucker for anything boarding school, and as I have mentioned before I love rich people behaving badly. This book focuses on Tiffin Academy. a prestigious boarding school for rich children with lofty Ivy League dreams. We follow a few students closely, my favorite being East who I envisioned as Jacob Elordi, as well as the headmaster and some staff members who are all hiding a secret. We see the parallels between students and staff where we are all insecure indiviuals who are all hiding something and yearn to be liked by our peers regardless of our age. I would read directions that were written by Elin( she is one of my favorites and her descriptions of locations are always exquisite) and I loved this book. It was the perfect book to read for the start of the school year as we quickly enter fall.

[Agrippina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy Hildebrand's writing style and will be missing her Nantucket books - but this is a great new addition! It could almost read as a YA novel, but a very well-done one.
The tricks are familiar - speaking for the whole student body as she used to speak for the people of Nantucket in some chapters, to show the public opinion or general events; introducing a cast of privileged but highly likable characters, and creating some low to middle level drama that mostly resolves by the end of the book.
I am too old to know if the way kids speak in the book is authentic enough, but it did not rub me the wrong way whatsoever - I thought both authors did a great job creating the atmosphere of the private school.
The way the novel ended clearly points to a possibility of future installations, and I look forward to reading them.

Overall, a cute, easy read - exactly what you would expect from Hilderbrand.

Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company, for providing an early reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. The book is out on September 16.