There are beach reads, and then there are Elin Hilderbrand beach reads. The Five Star Weekend became an instant bestseller thanks to its blend of friendship, heartbreak, self-discovery and the kind of summer escapism you wish you could step into yourself.

Now streaming on STACKTV, the beloved novel comes to life as a new series starring Jennifer Garner as Hollis Shaw, a food influencer who brings together four women from different chapters of her life for a transformative Nantucket getaway. What begins as a reunion soon becomes a journey of reflection, reconnection and unexpected revelations.

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We caught up with star and executive producer Jennifer Garner to talk about bringing the story to the screen, the moment she thinks book fans will love most and the ways she’s most like Hollis herself.

Related: Meet the Star-Studded Cast of The Five Star Weekend

Were there any scenes that you think will have book fans saying, “This is exactly how I imagined it”?

Oh, gosh. I have to say that deeper into the series, as many times as I’ve read the book, now that it’s been a year, they’re starting to bleed together. But while we were shooting the dance party outside, the pajama dance party, I thought, how could people who read the books and loved it not love seeing these characters having this night together?

Which of the “five stars” are you most like in real life?

There are probably aspects of all of the women. I mean, we contain multitudes, right? But Hollis and I do have some similarities. We both like to cook. We love to feed people. Like Hollis, I have friends from each phase of my life. They get along better than maybe Hollis’ friends do. But I have a little bit of Brooke’s social insecurity in a group, Tatum’s stubbornness about my hometown and Dru-Ann’s ambition in certain ways. So, yeah, I think a little bit of everyone.

In what ways do you feel most connected to Hollis, and where do your personalities differ?

Hollis has grown as a wife and a mother. She’s been really dependent. She has been a homemaker and she did not have her own income stream. My mom stayed at home, and so many of my girlfriends have stayed at home. For me personally, I’ve always been a worker bee.

I’ve been lucky because I have had chunks of time where I got to stay at home and then chunks of time where I’ve fully immersed in work. That’s just the best of both worlds. I think it’s part of why I’ve enjoyed being a mom so much, is that I’ve had both.

But I don’t think that is something that I could have done forever. I’m really grateful for the outlet of work.

Hollis is known for bringing people together through food. What’s your go-to dish when you’re hosting friends and family?

Every Christmas Eve, I make the same thing for my family. I make a huge batch of beef bourguignon from Barefoot Contessa’s Barefoot in Paris. Everyone looks forward to it all year, and sometimes I’ll make a homemade bread to go with it, a big crusty bread.

I make lots of extras, so there’s plenty for the next day and the next. It’s really just my family, as the rest of my family is gathering together—my sisters, niece and nephews, and brothers-in-law—but it really makes me happy to see everyone dipping into that huge pot.

Watch new episodes of The Five Star Weekend every Thursday on STACKTV. Try it free today!

@stacktv Chatting with #JenniferGarner about #TheFiveStarWeekend ♬ Cozy Night Vibes – ProdbyRich

Read more: 9 Fierce On-Screen Women and Why We Love Them