There are two sides to Montauk, and the author portrays them in mesmerizing detail. There are the humble hard working families who struggle to make ends meet all year long, and the wealthy summer tourists who come to while away the summer days in The Montauk Manor, a swanky upscale seaside hotel. Most people will see one side or the other, but Beatrice Bordeax will see both. Never quite fitting in with the other wives and their trivial interests Bea finds herself befriending the laundry lady as her lonely days drag on. Her summer at the hotel was meant to rekindle her marriage, but with her husband away on "business" more days than not she begins to accompany Elizabeth the laundry lady into the village and discovers she feels more at home there than with the snobs at the hotel. It is through Elizabeth that she meets a man who seems oddly familiar and begins to imagine a more fulfilling life for herself. I could almost smell the salt air and feel the breeze off the ocean as I was swept into the story.

Historical fiction set in Montauk?! Didn’t take much convincing for me to pick up this book.

I grew up spending part of every summer in Montauk. Some of my fondest childhood memories are the times I spent with my family out in the old fisherman village. It still holds a special place in my heart even after its recent transformation – pivoting back to Carl Fisher’s initial vision of a Miami in the north.

Montauk takes place in the 1938, after Carl Fisher’s initial push to develop the town that helped leave him bankrupt. The setting? The Montauk Manor, where NYC’s elite spends their summer being chauffeured to the golf course, beach and yacht clubs, some of which still exist today.

Beatrice Bordeaux has more riding on this summer than just escaping the city heat – she is desperate to fix her marriage. After struggling to conceive for over five years she feels her husband drifting away and hopes the sea air will bring them back together. Beatrice is a bit of an outsider - having grown up lower middle class in Pennsylvania, she is new to high society. Her husband, Harry, swept her off her feet, and she became determined to fit in ever since becoming a Bordeaux.

This novel has drama and suspense, and I just couldn’t put it down! I immediately connected with Beatrice, who was kind, genuine and absolutely loveable from the start. It was amazing seeing the town through her eyes and learning more about my beloved summer paradise, especially the restaurants and local haunts that still exist today.

Overall, this is an incredible beach read, perfect for your summer list! Bonus points if you love Montauk as much as I do!

New Yorkers love to escape the summers and head for the relatively more tranquil areas along the shore, from Newport to Long Island, and Montauk, the quiet fishing village for most of the year plays host to the ‘see and be seen’ crowd for three months of summer. Filled with parties, lunches, events and relaxation, anyone who is hoping to be seen as “Anyone in the city” is there. Beatrix has gone there with her husband Harry: their life of late has hit a samey-vibe, and she’s hoping that getting away and relaxing will allow them to reconnect and help her to feel more ‘a part’ of this world that has never quite fitted in with her upbringing. Of course, there are twists and turns, and a man who is the polar opposite of Bea’s husband, involved with people who are also far different to Bea’s current companions – the ‘doyennes’ of society who focus on committees for charity, luncheons, who’s who and looking their best at all times.

To the good, the descriptions and even the sense of ‘who’ everyone that Bea encounters were solid and easy to picture. The story felt very much tied to the ‘time’ and with some of the associated social constraints that came through quite clearly. But Bea – oh Bea. Naïve to the point of stupidity and disbelief. We’re told she’s college educated and kind-hearted, but frankly her inability to navigate some of the simpler interactions – and to always be surprised when things are unexpected was tiring and wore on my patience. Part of that was Bea herself, it just didn’t seem as if she learned anything from her own experiences as the story went on, and was always ‘taken aback’ by reactions or thoughts. The naivete thing was carried a bit too far with her….I expect some seeing as she was very much a woman of her time -but enough is enough. Even in the Tudor court people were aware of hypocrisy and self-serving agendas -but not Bea.

Starting with lots of promise, it was difficult to get past the up and down relationship that I had to Bea, she wasn’t endearing due to her naivete, it was annoying – and the transitions between narrative, conversations and point of view asides were choppy and frequently abrupt – several sentences could go by before it became clear what had happened, and often the why went by unnoticed. Most certainly this could have been cleaned up a bit with editing, as Harrison’s descriptions are solid and evocative, while the character of Bea needed to show some actual growth and recognition of having “experienced’ things that repeatedly surprised her. There’s promise in the overall impression of her work, however, and this means that I’ll be certain to be watching for more.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-ars/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

1938, Montauk, Long Island. The Montauk Manor is where the wealthy go to escape the heat of New York City. The women and children summer there while the men travel back on weekends to escape work. But, all is not as it seems. The females are tucked away while the males enjoy other pursuits in the city. They can have their cake and eat it too. This book explores the class differences of the elite vs the working class, money can’t buy you happiness. It’s about finding your place and not being pigeon-holed into what other people or society say we belong. It’s about love....finding it in places outside the norm, and opening your heart. It’s about friendship in unexpected places. It’s about struggles that go on even now. It’s about finding yourself and being true to who you are and who you want to be.

The book started a little slow, then took off. Beautifully written characters, some you loved, quite a few you wanted to smack, some you wanted to cheer for! I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the writing. The ending wasn’t what I was thinking, but enjoyed it, even though it seemed rushed. I could have used another chapter or two.

Take this book to the beach or a lounge chair, it’s a little heavier than a normal beach read, but very enjoyable! I look forward to reading this author again.

I received an ARC of this book. Opinion is my own!

Harry Bordeaux installs his wife in Montauk for the summer, while he spends his weeks working in the city, and vacationing at the beach on the weekends. The only problem is that he is spending his weeknights sleeping with other women, and his wife is not being a social success in Montauk. She is making the wrong friends, and making enemies of the wrong people. While her new friend Dolly is overtly “bad”, Beatrice is subversive. She doesn’t belong in her husband’s society crowd, and every choice she makes takes her further and further from being able to “fit in”.

Set in the seaside village in the run-up to World War II, this novel delivers a period atmosphere, and had enough plotting to keep me involved.

Montauk is a small fishing town recently discovered by the elite from New York City. The wealthy flock to this seaside town for an extravagant summer of excess. Among them is Beatrice Bordeaux and her husband Harry, a young married couple. What follows is a summer of leisure that leaves Beatrice going some major soul searching.⁣
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I initially thought this was a historical fiction book about the beginning of Montauk. This is actually a coming of age story with an unlikely love story. I enjoyed learning more about Montauk in 1938 and how this town came to be. I was pleasantly surprised when the story took a turn, as I thought I had it mapped out. The ending was completely unexpected. I’m impressed with this debut author and look forward to more from her in the future. For me, Montauk was ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @stmartinspress for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel, it is so engaging and beautifully written!

Montauk by Nicola Harrison takes place in 1938 when America is fighting to come back from the depression and World War II is yet a rumble on the horizon. New York City’s elite summer at Montauk, Long Island, the new “in” summer resort for the wealthy. The wives and children spend the summer, while the men work in the city during the week and come to the island for weekends. In contrast, the year-round locals live in a fishing village, full of shanty-like homes, doing whatever they can to get by.

Beatrice, the main character, grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania. Her beginnings were quite humble. Following the death of her brother, she moves to NYC, and meets Harry, a man of privilege. They marry and Bea is thrown into a social scene that she is ill-prepared for. She has a hard time fitting in with the socialites at Montauk and doesn’t understand (or agree with) their vacuous interests and values. Nor does she understand why Harry seems to find reasons not to come on the weekends and avoids spending time with her when he does. She expects more from marriage and is at a loss as to how to make things better, when Harry seems so uninterested in their relationship. More and more uncomfortable at Montauk Manor, Bea befriends Elizabeth, the local laundress. This is somewhat scandalous for the time and Bea doesn’t realize that her need for a friend could cause problems for Elizabeth. The more Bea explores the island, the more she falls in love with its natural beauty. She walks many fine lines all summer, trying to meet her “obligation” to curry the favor of the wealthy, pretending that all is well in her train-wreck of a marriage, and keeping her growing involvement with the townspeople a secret. It is a summer of great inner conflict and growth for Bea.

The author stays true to the social mores of the day when the roles and expectations of men and women are strictly defined and the differences between the social and economic classes are great and not meant to be breached. Her characters are fully complex and relatable (even the irritating ones!), and she is skilled at setting the scene with her descriptions.

An entertaining read from an author I look forward to reading again. This gets a 4-star rating from me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I cannot believe this is Nicola Harrison’s debut book! The writing flowed beautifully and every word just drew me and I felt I was right there breathing in the ocean air. This book takes place in 1938 in Montauk which is at the tip of Long Island. Beatrice Bordeaux who was born into the lower/ middle class went to college but did not finish when her brother died unexpectedly in an accident. She married Harry Bordeaux a wealthy businessman after meeting him while she worked as a secretary. Beau and Henry are spending the summer in Montauk a hotspot for the wealthy. Beatrice and Henry’s marriage is failing after man failed pregnancy’s and she’s hoping this vacation will fix their marriage and possibly lead to a pregnancy. She’s soon shocked when she finds that Henry plans on spending most of his time in the city drinking, working and carrying on with numerous affairs while Beatrice is left on her own acting like everything is fine in Montauk. Beatrice finds herself bored and unhappy and she doesn’t get along with the other wealthy wives at the resort in Montauk. She soon finds a friend with the laundry woman Elizabeth and finds a friend in the lighthouse keeper Thomas and finds herself falling for him. Beatrice soon discovers more about herself the more Henry is away, and she knows she needs to come to some conclusion as the end of summer draws near. Beatrice’s story pulled at my heart and I so wanted her to find happiness. I loved this book I found myself getting lost in her story and I was amazed with each character. I give this four stars I didn’t want this book to end! It’s a perfect summer read!

Montauk is more historical romance than it is historical fiction and typically that's not what I'm looking for when I pick up a historical novel but lately, I can't seem to delve into anything deep, so I was very pleasantly surprised to be swept away by the utter beauty of Nicola Harrison's debut novel. 

Harrison impressed me from the start with her writing style. It is lyrical and flows so elegantly as she describes the beauty of Montauk, the charming village off the end of Long Island known still today for its gorgeous beaches, luxury resort, and historic lighthouse.

In 1938, Beatrice Bordeaux and husband Harry head to Montauk Manor, the luxury resort built by famous financier Carl Fisher (developer of Miami Beach), with plans that she will spend the summer there with other wealthy wives while he visits from the city on the weekends―although he rarely ever visits as promised. Beatrice loses all hope in reigniting their passion and trying for a child, especially once she discovers Harry has other interests. 

Beatrice, who is from a middle-class family, soon grows bored and annoyed with the gossipy, sniping, idle other wives and takes off exploring the seaside village of Montauk where she befriends Elizabeth, the laundress for the resort. Elizabeth and her family remind Beatrice of her own roots, and she begins to clearly see what she's missing in her own marriage and life.

Beatrice also becomes close to Thomas, the lighthouse keeper, and the relationship that develops between the two is quite lovely and gives Beatrice a chance to discover the woman she really wants to be. Yet, it's emotional and bittersweet, and I shed some tears―so maybe keep some tissues handy.

I really enjoyed this one and the issues it explored such as class privileges and societal norms of the time period and true love without money versus living in a loveless marriage. If you like your hist-fic to have a romantic side, then Montauk is perfect. It's also an ideal summer read since Harrison does such a wonderful job taking you right to the beach town of Montauk! 

**Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC to read in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
What a disappointment. I counted on this book being more a romance than a mystery but was in the mood for a bit of fluff. It was very slow getting started and though it moved more quickly, I just couldn't relate to the characters and I really didn't much like them. It was a real struggle to get to the end.

This debut novel by Nicola Harrison is set in Montauk in 1938. Her main character, Beatrice Bordeaux, is parked in the Montauk Manor for three summer months by her husband who only comes to the resort on the weekends to play cards and consort with the other husbands. Beatrice, left on her own for endless days, doesn’t fit in with the other elitist wives and soon finds herself involved with a stranger.

This is a book with issues, like the author’s pacing, i.e., the book drags in the beginning, picks up, and slows down, and then races for the ending. Another is her main character who I found hard to like because the author didn’t seem able to make her relatable. It’s almost as if the author set herself a great task and was almost able to master the challenge—but not quite.

If you like a book with a bit of a historical feel with a bit of romance thrown in, then this may very well be the book for you.

Thanks to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for the eArc.

Montauk by Nicola Harrison certainly was a surprise! The setting is the summer of 1938 and the New York elite are vacationing on the resort beach of Montauk. Talk of war is just that, talk, and no one believes it could happen again especially not the rich and privileged. Beatrice Bordeaux is the main character. I loved her! She is from a blue collar background and has married into high society. The death of her brother has changed her life and a new life with Harry Boudreaux seems to be just the ticket. But when Beatrice spends the summer at Montauk with the other high society wives she realizes she isn’t as happy as she thought. And waiting every month to see if she is pregnant isn’t helping. While Harry is taking care of “.business” in the city Beatrice discovers what true happiness is. Thomas, the lighthouse keeper, changes her life in more than one unexpected way.
Montauk brings to life the last vestiges of the wide gap between the rich and the poor before World War II. I loved the descriptions of fashion and food as well as the carefree lifestyle of the rich. But the “locals” are probably the most realistic in the story. Living day to day, loving each other despite the lack of money and facing life head on. I can’t say the ending was my favorite but I still am certain this is a 5 star story!
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

If you love Beatriz Williams...Nicola Harrison will be your new favorite author! Historical fiction, a beach read & romance all wrapped up into one delicious summer novel! I held off reading this book, so I could read it closer to the summer season! I knew from reading the description was absolutely going to adore it!

I loved the romance, the scandal, the island gossip - I loved it all!

I have already recommend this book to several friends!

4.5 out of 5 stars!

What a great debut Nicola Harrison! This has all the high-drama and scandal of a soap opera. Set in 1938, Beatrice has married Harry, who is very wealthy. She, herself, came from a more humble backgroung. Spending the entire summer in Montauk, New York - a beach resort town, Beatrice tries to throw herself into the high-society curriculum and make friends. She longs for a child and wants to rekindle her marriage which has become stale. She is pretty sure Harry is cheating on her.

This is a fascinating, scandal-filled view of lives of the privileged in a country on the verge of war. I enjoyed the read and my daughter will love it as she always likes books filled with "cheating". The themes are romance, scandal, women's issues, class inequality, and political issues - quite a range. The characters come alive on the page and the book is well-written.

Thanks to Nicola Harrison and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

Nicola Harrison does an amazing job of bringing Montauk, Long Island in 1938 to life. Although I would have liked to see more descriptions of the beach and the view from the lighthouse, the setting and atmosphere of Montauk and the Montauk Manor are lush, elegant and glamourous and make it seem the perfect place to spend the summer. The looming development of Montauk and what it will do to the locals is a fascinating story. Harrison also captures the not-so-perfect restrictions, prejudices, class distinctions, anti-Semitism and male/female rules, restrictions and expectations and social mores of the time. Some of the behavior and attitudes of so-called professionals were eye-opening to say the least.

While I loved the historical aspect of Montauk, I was not as pleased with the character development and romance. Beatrice Bordeaux is naïve, immature, innocent, deeply hurt by Harry. She has never really fit in with the society life and its expectations she’s been thrust into, and now rather than the opportunity to rekindle the romance with her husband, she is faced with 12 weeks with women she doesn’t know or feel comfortable with. She may never have married Harry in the first place had she not withdrawn so much after her brother Charlie’s death.

But this is the life she chose, and she comes off as careless and irresponsible in her forced interaction with the locals. She may feel more naturally at home with them, but she is not of their world anymore and she puts their livelihood at risk. She insists on becoming a part of Elizabeth’s life, and she’s playing with fire with Thomas, putting not only her own reputation and way of life at risk but those of so many others, especially Elizabeth and her family and Thomas. Beatrice is also putting herself at risk with her newspaper articles, not just because she is doing something independent, anonymous and a little radical, keeping it secret, but because she continues to associate with a Jew after being told not to. It’s kind of hard to wrap your mind around how restrictive and confining by today’s standards the lives of these wealthy privileged pampered women were, and how narrow-minded and casually cruel everyone could be, and Beatrice seems justified in making her own choices, especially when she is welcomed into the local world. But actions have consequences and she is heedless of them.

I found the first half of the book excellent. Montauk was beautiful and the characters were turning out to be very, very interesting. But then the story began to lose momentum and feel rushed. In three short months Beatrice gets herself into a predicament from which there is no easy escape. Someone is going to be hurt, someone’s reputation is going to suffer, and there may be real physical danger. Again, I was pleased with her independence but couldn’t help feeling that even though this is not the life she imagined it is the life she chose and she needed a well-thought out way to extricate herself. At some point it started to feel like a thriller, as I was waiting for her to get caught. It was a bit unbelievable that she continued to sneak around without anyone seeing her and confronting her until nearly the end of the book. Even if Montauk Manor is large, she is part of a small group and it seems like someone would have been asking about or looking for her more often. Because of the secrets she kept and the corner she backed herself into, there were only so many ways the story could end.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Montauk was an enjoyable read and a good beginning for a debut author.

Beatrice is lucky to have married a very wealthy Harry and to be spending the summer vacation in Montauk. But is the social pressure and the rampant cheating really what she wants?

I really enjoyed this book. I love that Beatrice was different from the other “housewives” and that she truly stood up for her beliefs as the book went on. I loved her relationship with Elizabeth and Dolly and how both friendships grew over the course of the book.

Thank you netgalley and st martins press for allowing me to read and review this book in advance!

At first glance Montauk screams of a historic beach read, but it is so much more than that. Montauk is a sweeping summer romance set in a time lost. This book at its core is a story about love and following your heart. I am confident this one will be a bestseller.

Montauk, playground for the privileged was the perfect backdrop for this story. I enjoyed learning historical events going on in the world during that time and appreciated the author’s robust picture of class and privilege.

Beatrice realizes that her husband Harry has been unfaithful during his prolonged absences. She feels out of place, lonely and longing for something more than planning lavish parties and putting on airs.

She ultimately realizes she must build a life separate from her husband. I had high hopes for her journey to self actualization. Beatrice falls into a job as a journalist exposing Montauk’s wealthy. I enjoyed this vein of the story and wished the author dedicated more time to it. I could imagine the scrambling and chattering amongst the ultra rich. I also wished my favorite character Dolly was in the picture more. Loved her spunk and rebellious nature.

Beatrice is a middle class young woman who married into money but she craves ‘normal’ company. Unfortunately, she puts livelihoods at risk as she attaches herself to local ‘commoners’. I was not a fan of her persistently impulsive behavior and naïveté. I understand this character was not fully ‘cooked’ yet, young and bored, but the writing and Beatrice’s behavior were unrealistic at times.

Took me a while to really get into this book but oh bog did I get invested . The author managed to recreate 1930s ny with great detail of its classism and racism. The characters truly came alive for me and I would love to read more from Ms Harrison. This book was graciously provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Montauk is the debut novel by Nicola Harrison. Through the eyes of Beatrice Bordeaux, we are taken to the shores of Montauk which was still a sleepy town in the late 1930s. Beatrice finds out that she will be spending the summer at the new luxury resort Montauk Manor which is nestled in a closely knit village.

Life for both Beatrice and the U.S. is a bit tumultuous at the time and we learn about her struggles in her own marriage and roles as a woman while also getting a wider view of life around her..specfically the small fishing town and the residents who many are barely making it by.

While being a character study, there are nods to anti-Semitism, sexism, privilege, loss, and fertility. Harrison's descriptions of the people, clothing, and environment drew me right into this storyline. Her writing is captivating and engrossing and the multifaceted characters and storylines added a lot of depth that made this so much more than just a beachy romance.

I rooted for Beatrice and loved seeing her find her courage and strength once again. I highly recommend this beautifully written story and if you have enjoyed books by Anita Shreeve or Beatrix Williams I think you will enjoy this one as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.