In 1957, newlyweds Effie and Henry travel to Cape May for their honeymoon. They stumble through the first few days, awkward and shy around each other in this new life. Then they meet Clara and her friends, including her lover Max and his half-sister Alma who instantly intrigue them and pull them into their wild world of drinking all day, going sailing and breaking into the empty houses. Before long various temptations befall the couple, leading to betrayals that will last a lifetime.

I really wanted to like this book. I thought the synopsis sounded incredibly intriguing and like it would be a fun, dark and sexy read. I found it to be an incredibly boring story with a whole cast of unlikable characters. I struggled to really understand the characters' motivations for their actions. The best way I can describe my overall feelings about this book would be: weird.

2.5/5 stars

Cape May by Chip Cheek began with so much promise and anticipation, which totally disappeared about a third of the way through the book. The story had little to no substance and although the main cast of characters was limited to 6 people, you never really felt anything for them as they were not properly developed. The story abruptly takes a turn at the very end when it suddenly jumps ahead many years. This seems odd, almost like the author decided he has written enough, since the rest of the book concerns only a few weeks. Overall I did not find this to be a very satisfying or worthwhile read, even though it started with such promise!

Will I read another book by this author? With so, so many good books out there, it would definitely not be my first choice.

The beginning started so well! Cape May, New Jersey 1957. Effie, aged 18, spent summers of her childhood at her aunt’s house in Cape May returns with her husband Henry, aged 20 to spend their honeymoon. It is off-season and the perfect place for two virgins to get to know each other. From this point forward, there is no plot except graphic sex with different people. I really could find no redeming qualities except that the book was short. This book had promise in the beginning. I thought we would see this young couple grow over the years, maybe returning to Cape May at various times. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I received this ARC from Bookish First and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been reading a lot of historical novels set in seaside locations lately and Cape May seemed as though it would slide nicely into place with the others. As it turns out, Cape May is also about characters—and a country—on the verge of change, played out in a sleepy seaside town, but this book has a darker edge and journey.
It’s 1957 and newlyweds Henry and Effie have traveled to Cape May on their honeymoon. Having arrived from Georgia during the off season, they find that most of the town is closed down and weather is miserable. Before they can pack up and leave, they come across a trio of wealthy socialites, one of whom Effie knew during her childhood trips to Cape May. What follows is a gin-fueled, hedonistic loss of naivety and an introduction to evolving sexual dynamics and the consequences of those relationships.
I’m torn about my feelings toward Cape May, on one hand the setting was spectacularly portrayed and the evolution of Effie and Henry’s relationship intriguing (like any catastrophe would be to watch). On the other, I just didn’t feel any strong ties to any of the characters, so I never felt invested in the story to the point that I would rave about it.

*I received a copy of Cape May from NetGalley and Celadon Books in exchange for an honest review

I thought that this book would have more historical details of the Cape May area in the 1950's but it was really about one couple's loss of innocence. Henry and Effie get married in fall of 1957 and head to a deserted out-of-season Cape May from rural Georgia. They are both virgins and spend most of their honeymoon discovering the sexual side of their relationship. They are quickly bored as the town is mostly shuttered but as they decide to cut their honeymoon short, they run into some more worldly characters-Clara, Max and Alma. The rest of the story is about their descent into unfortunate sexual situations which are fueled by a lot of liquor. I didn't find either Henry or Effie particularly charismatic or relatable but the story did propel me along to finish it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Cape May tells the story of a young couple on their honeymoon in the 1950's. This book focuses on sexuality more than anything else, so the reader needs to know going in that this gets very sexual and pretty graphic at times (not 50 Shades level, but still, graphic).
Effie and Henry head to Cape May in the fall (off-season) and the book starts with them making love for the first time. It continues as they explore the desolate town and each other. They find another house with lights on, just when they are getting ready to cut their honeymoon short because they're bored.
They befriend the people in the house and this certainly spices up their time in Cape May. This is a story of love, lust, attraction and morality. The plot is vague and the hypocritical character of Henry is wholly unlikeable. Effie isn't much better, as we don't get to see enough of her.
This was a quick read, but it could have used more emotion and character development rather than sex.

I felt like I needed a shower after I read this book. And not because of the drinking and sex. I have no problem with adult, consensual sex positive exploration and relationships. I was grossed out because one of the main characters, Henry, spends the entire book chasing after Alma- we never find out how old she is but considering Henry is fresh out of high school and she's younger than them I'm going to guess she's under 18 and thus not an adult - and then when Henry and his wife engage in a consensual although drunken foursome with their neighbors, he treats his brand new wife like a whore-ish pariah. He's a completely boorish disgusting, unsympathetic character and I spent the entire book hating him. He's over here dipping his wick into 3 different women throughout the ENTIRE book and his wife gets drunk WITH HIM IN THE ROOM AND ENGAGES IN AN ACT THAT HE'S AWARE OF AND HE GETS MAD??? THE UNMITIGATED GALL! I get that this book is set in another era (1950s), but you don't to claim the moral high ground and treat your wife like garbage when you literally cheat on her and then act like she's a slut because she did the same thing you were doing on the carpet NEXT to her. UGH. Anyway, I didn't give the book 2 stars because the main character was gross, even though he was, I gave it 2 stars because the book just didn't seem to have much point. It was just kind of a drunken rambling of a series of sex acts, Henry screwing Effie, Henry screwing Alma, everyone getting drunk, they stay together, miserably for decades out of spite it mostly seems, she cheats, he cheats, they both die and then the book ends. It was just kind of words slapped on paper with booze, sex, and pantyhose.

1950s: Henry and Effie are newlyweds honeymooning during the off-season in Cape May, New Jersey, in Effie’s uncle’s beach house. They don’t really know each other very well, they’re sexually inexperienced, and are having some difficulty with the awkwardness of being around each other all day. Bored and restless, they decide to leave early and go home.

BUT! They see lights on at a nearby house . . . neighbors! They get excited, thinking maybe meeting some new people will liven things up. They have no idea just how much.

Their new neighbors, Clara and Max, are not completely unfamiliar to Effie. Clara was a friend of the family while she was growing up during the summers at Cape May, and Clara often teased the younger Effie to the point of bullying. Effie is reluctant to spend any time with her, but they can’t escape Clara’s constant invitations to parties, and soon they’re captivated by Clara’s carefree bohemian lifestyle with her lover, Max.

Clara throws wild parties that quickly get out of hand, replete with gin and casual sex. She brings in cosmopolitan friends from New York, and the bumpkin Georgia newlyweds are swept away with the hedonism. This decadence, however fun at first, quickly devolves into dangerous flirtations and destruction.

The drunken sex parties got somewhat repetitive, and the story takes a while to get going, but nevertheless, it maintained my interest. Just about every character is loathsome, but even though these people are self-centered and repugnant, I couldn’t help but keep reading to see what they would do. The focus on Henry’s experience offered some specific insights, but the lack of attention to other characters, specifically Effie, were detrimental to rounding out the story’s perspective. There is a strange leap forward in time in a rushed epilogue, but at least it serves to answer the curiosity of “So, what happened to them?”

It’s a fun book with a psychological bent of what superficially milquetoast people are capable of when shown a wilder side of life.

Many thanks to Celadon Books, Netgalley, and BookishFirst for the advance copy in exchange for my review.

Wooohoooo, is this is a steamy one!! Effie and Henry are on their honeymoon and the sexual tension is high. As Effie tries to make the best of her ho-hum honeymoon in Cape May, her and Henry come across a childhood friend. Before too long everyone’s attraction to each other, mixed with long days and lots of drinks, becomes clear and lines are crossed. Betrayal, sneaking, and lies throughout the whole story, but it’s well written and the characters are well developed. I didn’t expect the ending to be that way, but wasn’t surprised or disappointed knowing who they all are and the things they’ve already done.

Effie and Henry are in Cape May for their honeymoon. What begins as a sweet story about a newlywed couple discovering each other becomes something entirely different. After a few days virtually alone the house down the street is having a party. Clara, someone that once bullied Effie when she was younger, is throwing a party for her brother. Effie and Henry stay and hang out and then when the party is over Clara, Max, and Alma stay a little longer. The five begin to drink, swim, and hang out for days. Then there's all the sex. I think that's what surprised me the most about the book. It was hard to remember this was set in the late 1950s with all the sex. By the end of the book I literally hated every single character. Overall though the book was well written, but all the graphic sex was just unexpected for me.

#CapeMay #NetGalley by Chip Cheek is a trashy beach read (no pun intended) From the cover you might think this novel is a sweet story of an idyllic summer romance. It’s anything but! A newly married innocent young couple head from a small town in Georgia to Cape May, NJ for their honeymoon.
If you are looking to read an x-rated story look no further.
The book has no redeeming qualities and is a total waste of time!

I found this book very disturbing. A young married couple on their honeymoon are just discovering each other personally and physically. They get involved with a woman that the young bride knew when she was a child visiting her Aunt in Cape May. This past acquaintance is wealthy and pulls the young couple into a world of sex, drinking and constant partying. The betrayals start and become a pattern for the rest of their lives.

Newlyweds Henry and Effie are young newlyweds on their honeymoon. They may start their lives together as naive, but that is long and well behind them by the time they leave Cape May and head home. Boom Boom Boom - this book hits highs and lows and never quits.

Could NOT put this book down. Tore right through it. Beautifully written and such a steamy story, while also exploring human nature in a brilliant way. Had an amazing conversation about this book with Chip for the podcast- episode coming soon. So many great insights, especially on how he decided the book had to be set in the 1950s. This book will be on everyone's must-read list this spring, and through the summer as well, I have no doubt.

When I read the sneak peek of this novel on Bookishfirst, I knew it was one I would want to read. So when I won an ebook version, I was thrilled. It quickly moved up to the top of my to-be-read list. Immersive, atmospheric, Cape May lulls you in with its quaint beginning. Newly married and very young in the late 1950s, Henry and Effie are spending their honeymoon in the deserted town of Cape May at her uncle's cottage during the off season. While out for a walk, they spot cars at a house down the street, the only other house they've seen occupied during their short stay. They make a spur of the moment decision to stop by and say hello. That small decision sets off a chain of events that will change their lives. Chip Cheek successfully sets the tone of the divergent time period with the innocent southerners contrasted against the free-loving urbanites. If you have an issue with explicit sexual scenes, this one might not be for you, although the scenes are not gratuitous, and support the theme of the novel. This novel read like a classic, and I have a feeling it will stick with me for awhile.

This is a shorter contribution to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and is book 16.5. I haven't read too many in the series but this can be read as a stand alone to understand this particular story. Ahmar is willing to do anything to to save her brother who has been kidnapped by an evil warlord. In the same dungeon is Duran who has been held for over 20 years. The warlord will free Ahmar's brother if she returns with a magical pearl. He offers her the help of Duran who knows the hiding place of the pearl. This book is sensual and pretty graphic in the torture scenes. Not my cup of tea. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 - Lawd, have mercy. This book, “Cape May” was a wild ride. A young (very young) newly married couple from Georgia are going to Cape May, NJ to spend two-weeks as honeymooners. This virginial couple leaves a safe & sheltered country town and arrives at a disappointingly deserted (out of season) vacation retreat. On their own, they realize they don’t know each other or have much to share. Thoughts of an early return home are considered until they meet another couple who are in town to party…and by party…I mean drink and behave with wild abandon and without guilt! This young couple, who have never left their own small town, begin mingling with big-city revelry makers who would make Hugh Hefner blush. At first, this wanton behavior shocks our young newlyweds, but they are slowly wooed by the decadent lifestyle and sexual promiscuity of the visitors. The honeymoon veers off course as the booze and babes start to get co-mingled and this bacchanal festival reaches new lows. When sheltered virgins are let loose in the wild…the life lessons learned can really change everything. It certainly changes the marital dynamics of our young couple. This is a solid 3.5 star book and my main reservation was the ending. It didn’t flow with the rest of the story. However, a good debut novel for author Chip Cheek and a lot of fun to read. Be prepared, the sexual portions of this book are detailed and lurid. This novel is not for the faint of heart. Thank you NetGalley for the free e-read. My opinions are my own. #bookstore #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #book #books #releasedateapproaching #capemay #chipcheek @chipcheek #debauchery #sex #lust #honeymoon #compromise #capemaynj #netgalley @net-galley

Cape May kept me turning the pages. The writing put me right there at Cape May with the characters. When you first start reading Cape May, you think its going to be one thing and then....its not what you think. Effie and Henry are very young newlyweds and it shows. When you put 2 very young ,inexperienced people in a nearly deserted Cape May, they are going to find trouble. Cape May takes place during Henry and Effie's 2 week honeymoon and includes excessive drinking, sex, and all kinds of trouble. The story is told through Henry's point of view. My rating would have been higher if not for the rushed ending.

This book could also be titled How to Destroy your Relationship in Two Weeks.  But that's just my opinion.

The time period is the 1950’s and setting is off-season Cape May, New Jersey.  Some of the appeal was the cover,  the time period and subject of a relationships.

It’s the tale of virginal newlyweds Henry and Effie slowly and shyly getting to know one another. Seemingly good people at heart, they cautiously learn about each other’s bodies and love. They talk about their future, having children, settling down in their small Georgia town.   A few days into the honeymoon Effie wants to go home because Cape May during off-season isn’t as fun as remembered it. When she visited as a young girl it was the summer high season. So much was going on then.

If only they had left when Effie first suggested it.  But then we wouldn't have a story as it all revolves around the two week honeymoon.   The holiday homes are empty and most stores are closed.  One afternoon they notice cars at one home down the block.  As they stop by to say hello,  Effie is surprised to see a woman from her childhood.  Clara was  much older and used to tease Effie when she was a young girl, embarrassing her.  Clara, who has the moral code of a cat in heat, is partying with her friends Max and Alma. 

Against Effie’s better judgement they are cajoled into staying longer and have dinner and drinks with Clara, Max and Alma. Things start spiraling out of control soon afterwards. Gin and tonics are consumed by the bucketful. Eventually they break into the other homes, vacant holiday homes that won’t be visited until the following May. They walk through the houses on the block and look at the possessions as if they are in a museum. They try on clothes and play with homeowner's belongings. Creepy isn’t it?

Here come some spoilers

Henry is a complete piece of crap. While he cheats on his wife he also wonders how she could have gone off on a boat outing without him. He wouldn’t have gone anywhere without her, he muses. Seriously, one of the worst examples of a husband Ever.
Not that any of the other characters are sterling examples of virtue. None of them.

The last 15% of the book seems to be written by someone else. Almost the entire book focuses on the two week honeymoon period and the interactions with Clara and her group. Honestly, the best way I can categorize it is under the genre pornography. There are graphic sex scenes, very detailed, throughout the book. It was expected there would be passages about love and sex as the book is advertised as a plot of “marriage, love and sexuality and the lifelong repercussions a group of debauched cosmopolitans may have.” That’s an understatement.

Another unbelievable part is when Effie wonders if she is pregnant.  OK, so.....she was a virgin and it's only been two weeks at the most and she thinks she's pregnant.  I can suspend disbelief for many scenarios but this didn't qualify.  Never mind the other "relationships" that formed, also unlikely but hey....maybe I'm naive.

The last bit of the story wraps up with the final 50 years of Henry and Effie’s respective lives. Bam, bam, bam you are given the life story in a fast forward mode.

If graphic sex scenes offend then skip this book. If you would like a snapshot of 1950’s depravity and a dose of double standards from our Henry, by all means pick this one up.  

Netgalley kindly gave me a complimentary copy prior to it's publication on April 30, 2019.  Opinions are mine and I was not compensated for my honest review.

Another fabulous summer read! This one deviates from my normal selections. Set in Cape May in New Jersey in 1957, two newlyweds find themselves honeymooning in a nearly deserted town until they meet up with some New England socialites. The book explores the sexuality of the 1950s with the more sophisticated socialites. The book has some sexual scenes and some rather far-out ideas that the couples think of to do, but overall the storyline was interesting and compelling. As you are reading you are kept wondering if the newlyweds can survive this encounter or will their honeymoon turn into the scandal of a one-week marriage. I got caught up in the glamour of 1950s life: the gin, the yachts, the dresses, the food... it all came together for me as a glimpse into the 50s we don't see often. I would consider this a psychodrama, exploring themes of lust, betrayal, and manipulation.