What a beautiful story, everything you want in a book: love, heartbreak, drama, etc. This book has incredible imagery, the description of the landscape and buildings made it so enjoyable to read. The story kept me guessing right up until the end, I really enjoyed seeing this story through Bea’s eyes. 5/5 stars

I really enjoyed this historical romance book. The year is 1938 and Beatrice is staying in Montauk Long Island. The setting is just beautiful. Beatrice is longing for a baby but her husband is in New York living his life while Beatrice in Montauk. I enjoyed Beatrice's transformation into a strong woman. Beatrice doesn't fit in with the other society wives which leads her to find her own way. I enjoyed this book and can not wait to read more by this debut author. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This book has it all, love, lust, romance, greed, and tragedy, plus an examination of how we treat each other, and how we treat our natural resources.

In the summer of 1938, the town of Montauk was the newest playground for the rich and famous, especially those who lived in and around Manhattan. In her book of the same name, Nicola Harrison explores class differences and the ways in which all people are the same, as well as how people, in general, haven’t changed over the decades.

There always have been, and always will be cheats, bullies, those who feel superior to others, and those who know they are not. Beatrice Bordeaux and her husband Harry visited Montauk for the first time that summer. Believing the vacation will rekindle their romance, she agrees to spend the weekdays there, while Harry works in Manhattan, returning to the island on weekends.

Meek and kind, Bea is surrounded by social climbers who kowtow to Jeanie, the self-appointed “queen bee” of the women left on the island during the week. Pressured by Harry to make friends with Jeanie and the other society women, Bea quickly becomes bored with their frivolous activities and petty behavior.

Through Bea, who was raised on a farm, only to drop out of Vassar when her brother was killed in an accident, Harrison explores appreciation of the natural beauty of the Montauk region. She also explores present day distress caused by continued development of the land for the entertainment of the wealthy, to the detriment of the locals. Then, as today, many coastal families can no longer afford to live where their families have lived for hundreds of years, due to rising property taxes. They find themselves working for meager wages while serving tourists and the “summer people”.

After meeting a man who knew her brother, Bea finds herself needing to choose between the life she has, and the life she desires. Harry, who says divorce is unacceptable in his high-society family, soon learns keeping his mother’s approval is not the behavior of an adult.

I thoroughly enjoyed Montauk. I was, however, disappointed in parts of the ending. See what you think.

What Makes This Reviewer Grumpy?

Singular vs. plural disagreement, incorrect verb usage (was vs. were, bring vs. take, come vs. go, took vs. brought, loaned vs. lent), and the usual things such as split infinitives, many missing commas, confusing “further” and “farther”, misplacement of “only” within sentences, were), capitalizing words that shouldn’t be capitalized, such as "the government" and "the president".

Montauk tells a story of what happens when a modest country girl from Pennsylvania drops out of college after a family tragedy and thinks she finds the man of her dreams in her wealthy, pampered husband Harry. Instead of the dream life Beatrice expected, she find herself sharing the summer of 1938 in Montauk, New York, without her husband but with a group of privileged and pampered women, whose days are devoted not to their families but to tennis games, fancy parties and charities meetings whose benefit is questionable.

Without the children she desires or the attention of the husband she has chosen and bored with the company surrounding her, she finds herself lost and lonely. Bea finds herself drawn to those more closely match her interests and values - including a laundress, light house keep and chauffeur - rather than those her husband would choose for her to cultivate.

Ms. Harrison spins a tale about love, loss and perception which weaves tales of days long ago and races towards an inevitable conclusion.

What a beautiful story! I was instantly drawn to it by the bookcover but what is inside is even more amazing. Nicola Harrison takes you to 1938 Montauk, on the tip of Long Island, to the Montauk Manor. A resort destination where all the elite from New York City go to spend their summers. The setting is nothing short of breathtaking. I felt like I was right there as the waves crashed up on the shore. The characters are all very well depicted. It’s a story you will fall in love with. I’ll warn you, tissues will be needed. This is definitely one that I will be adding to my home library. I would like to thank Beatrice Jason from St. Martin’s Press for inviting me to read an early copy and NetGalley for supplying me with the arc. I really believe this is a book you won’t want to miss out on, and I think it would make a fantastic movie!

Nicola Harrison's debut takes place in 1938, a turbulent time in history, where dark clouds hint of a world war to come, she explores the stifling expectations and roles of women at the time and a story that is revealing of the class inequalities of the period, the differences in the vacuous inconsequential lives of the rich and the more precarious lives of those that are poor, or making more modest livings. It is set in the spectacular natural beauty of the small fishing village of Montauk, Long Island, known for its hurricanes, where for 3 months has the wealthy elite of New York City descend on it. Hoping to rekindle her marriage to Harry, Beatrice Bordeaux is staying amongst the high society wives at The Montauk Manor, a coastal hotel. Beatrice has been desperate for a child in her 5 year marriage, but there has been an increasing distance between the couple. Harry, however, has other plans, he is spending most of his time back in New York.

Beatrice has little in common with the high society women, and they do little to welcome her. Beneath the glamour and fashion, these ghastly rich wives may have children, but have little to do with their care, they are marked by their dissatisfaction, rivalries, bigotry, the propensity to judge, are small minded, gossipy and with an overwhelming arrogance and air of superiority when it comes to the locals. Beatrice feels a sense of dislocation and finds these women of little interest, instead begins to connect with some of the locals, such as Elizabeth, the hotel's laundress, who reminds her of her more modest past life and the person she used to be and Thomas, the lighthouse keeper, the polar opposite of Harry as a man, and to whom she feels drawn. Unsavoury aspects of Harry's life spill out, leaving Beatrice stranded amidst the wreckage of her marriage, a consequence of the life she has chosen, and hopes for a life that is more true to who she is.

Beatrice is pushed to discover just how strong and resilient she can be in her efforts to become a more independent woman. Harrison evokes this historical period beautifully, its fashion, and with its attendant social norms and attitudes, the class inequalities, and its antisemitism. For me, I particularly appreciated the great sense of location, and the depiction of the beauty of Montauk, and the locals that inhabit the place, who share little in common with the rich that flood the village. I found this an enjoyable, light and entertaining read, and I was drawn to the character of Beatrice, the trials she faced, her changing sense of identity and the quandry of facing up to what she desires. Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

There were several things to love about Nicola Harrison's debut novel, Montauk. The time period, setting, and descriptions of the inequities between the haves and the have not's are rich. The characters evoked strong feelings; I hated Harry since page 3, and loved Dolly through and through. I cheered for the protagonist as she gained confidence, and was captivated by her budding career as a journalist. I didn't read any reviews prior to diving into the book, so I had (false) hope that hers was a story of a pioneer in the news business. I couldn't wait for the moment when she shed her nom de plume and revealed her talents to the world. So, I was a bit disappointed when the main story line was that of a classic love triangle. Readers who enjoy historical settings and romantic story lines are sure to enjoy Montauk.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel had potential to be an excellent read. It had forbidden love, glamorous parties, and a dash of mystery. However, the romance between Harry and Beatrice felt forced. I also thought the plot was very slow-moving. Still, I recommend this for fans of Next Year in Havana, A Hundred Summers, and Sunbway Girls.

In the summer of 1938, the place for wealthy Manhattanites to be was the small fishing village of Montauk, on Long Island. Beatrice Bordeaux’s husband Harry, along with other investors, had a plan to upgrade and develop the area, in the hope of bringing in more tourist business and thereby getting richer. Left to her own devices during the week, with a crowd of society women where she didn’t really fit in, Beatrice begins befriending the locals, to the chagrin of some of the more powerful women. Husbands were never there during the week; they took the train out on Fridays to see their wives and children.

Soon Beatrice develops an attraction to Thomas, one of the lighthouse keepers, and when he is injured she stays with him to care for him. However, it’s impossible to keep a secret in Montauk, and Beatrice is soon forced to make several difficult choices.

Beatrice was really out of her depth with the more catty society women, and I appreciated that she was depicted as a caring and loving person, as it provided a nice contrast. I enjoyed the story, and felt it was well written as to time and place.

I was sent a link to access this book on NetGalley.

Beatrice and husband Harry live a privileged life in the city. When Harry decides he wants to invest in some real estate in Montauk, he sends Bea out for the summer to learn about the people and the town, coming back on weekends when he’s able to spend time with her. As Bea starts to learn more about the town, she falls in love with the real Montauk, not the summer resort. She might also be falling in love with the lighthouse keeper...

This book was just so-so to me. I never felt invested in Bea or what was going on with her. I didn’t feel like she had much development, and I had a hard time getting invested in her developing relationship with Thomas. It was a fine story with fine plot lines, but overall I didn’t love it. I don’t expect I’ll read this one again, and there are other books with similar stories I would recommend more.

“Montauk” was an interesting look back into the world of the super rich New York society during the year 1938, during the depression. The characters seemed to me to be quite well portrayed with the snobbishness and the queen bee and the total disregard for the downtrodden. It was also a very interesting look at the history of the development of Montauk, NY, as a resort and the history of the lighthouse there. It sent me directly to the internet to learn more about that history.

The plot, itself, was typical chick-lit. Not at all my preference, but I’ll have to say that it was very well done – much moreso than most in that genre.

The entrance of the Great Hurricane of 1938 was a bit of a surprise to me as well as to the characters in the book. I realize they didn’t have the warnings that we have in place now, but to have been totally unaware of an impending force of nature of that magnitude seems really unlikely – after all, it was a fishing village and the townspeople had to be keenly aware of changes and dangers in the weather.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A young woman devastated by the loss of her only sibling meets and falls in love with an unfaithful conman. She finds a career of sorts in a time when most women are dependent. Then she finds true love and loses it.

1938 was a tough year for women. If they were in a relationship or marriage divorce seemed out of the question, on whatever grounds. If you were in the higher income bracket like our couple here, there was no way you could walk away from a marriage. Infidelity on the part of the man seemed to be an accepted feature of life and one that would hopefully go away. On the part of the women, yes if done discreetly

Independence, working and having satisfaction from a job well done seemed unheard by all the society women flocking Montauk. The new Florida. One in which Beatrice and her husband Harry especially had high stakes. It was very important for Beatrice to cultivate friends, something she was not very good at, especially those who would help Harry's career. It did not matter that everyone knew that Harry was a philandering so and so. It was accepted in the society they moved.

When Beatrice got attracted to someone else, not of her class and started fraternizing with employees of the hotel it did not bode well for her. It marked subterfuge on her part to cover up her tracks and for her to decide what she was going to do.

The novel as it was depicted a society that looked very attractive to outsiders but was rotten to the core. Jealousy, infidelity, greed and social climbing seemed to characterize most of the people involved. It was difficult to read and accept as being the norm.

The setting was idyllic and descriptive. The story is a harsh one of a lifestyle which is not to be admired!

Nicola Harrison’s debut novel is one not to be missed.
Such an amazing story of Montauk in the early years of its development and the beautiful , rich people who traveled there to “ Summer “
Beatrice is stunned when her husband Harry , one of Manhattans elite , informs her that she and much of their social circle will be “ Summering “ in Montauk as the husbands remain in the city and travel out for weekends.
Beatrice falls in love with the beauty of Montauk and its people, it’s real people not her social circle , with whom she is finally seeing them for who they are .
I loved this book, the characters and the story! The author has done a great job with the characters, the time period and the beauty of her writing had me sunning myself and smelling the salt air !

Montauk by Nicola Harrison
Have visited the area in the 80's to see a lyme disease doctor so didn't spend a lot of time there but holds special memories for us.
Book starts out with driving the roads along the water edge, many of the cottages are magnificant.
The couple has had other friends who've stayed in the area in the summer and the inn has lots of events planned.
Beatrice and Harry had planned this trip for a while. He is a Bordeaux and he has to provide for her. He will work and live in the city and come down on weekends to spend with her.
Sounds like a fun outdoorsy place, just what we'd be looking for...they are bypassing Providence and Newport-places we live very close to to stay at Montauk.
Beatirce is left behind as her spouse heads back to the city-he doesn't come back every weekened. She takes excsion with Dolly to her hat shop in the city and she knows when she walks into her apartment what's happened there...
Over time she devotes her life to the true islanders and finds a special friend. Towards the end of the summer seaon she's notified she's pregnant...Harry thinks it's his...
Knowing the date I had not expected what happens next but won't spoil it for others-we also experienced it in RI-up the coast from this location-out of the blue, so devastating.
She has plans for her life but this event may have changed her mind. Lot of characters but easy to keep track of them all and there's a lot of drama from all angles.
Love the parts where she's able to help the islanders and charity work. Love how she stands up to Harry...
Enjoyed the read and especially the location and hearing of the locals and their life.
Received this review copy from a publicist via St. Martin's Press from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#NetGalley

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Although the premise of this book sounded interesting, I had a hard time reading it. The characters didn't click for me, especially the main character, Beatrice, who basically gets stranded on Montauk while her husband Harry spends his time in the city and has an affair. I felt like the story stalled in the middle of the book and just didn't keep my interest.

This is an absolutely stunning book from Nicola Harrison, I loved it from start to finish. The author has a beautiful style of writing that permeates throughout the novel. The plot moves steadily, always maintaining the interest of the reader. I look forward to reading from from the author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC in exchange for a book review.

I was intrigued by the description of this book because I have been to Montauk in the summer and also enjoy reading about the days past of places I know of.

This book takes places in the beginning of Montauk as a vacation area in the late 1930's. I loved reading about the clothes, the parties, and events. Intertwined is a love story as well as some descriptions of women's rights in that time period.

As I was reading, I just wanted to be there in person and be part of the story or at least be able to see the scenery because it sounded so nice.

I wasn't too thrilled with the ending (but think that's just me), but didn't let it ruin what was a great and enjoyable book.

American author F. Scott Fitzgerald gave us a cast of characters living in the fictional towns of West Egg and East Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The Great Gatsby, acclaimed by many as “The Great American Novel” still resonates with its themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess, creating a portrait of the American Dream, circa the Roaring Twenties.

Debut author Nicola Harrison presents a fresh version of these themes and high society life on Long Island. The year is 1938 and the town is Montauk, a sleeping fishing town awakening to its potential as a playground for the wealthy. Life after the 1920’s was hard because of the Depression, but the socialites of 1938 are feeling optimistic as they begin their summer season at a new hotel. Like many other couples, Beatrice has come with her husband of five years, Harry Bordeaux, from Manhattan to Montauk. He assures her that this will be a time for them to reconnect.

But Harry, like the other husbands, leaves his wife and takes the train back Manhattan. The men will return to play in Montauk every weekend. During the week, Beatrice must make her own way in the hierarchy of women- dealing with committees, teas, galas, tennis lessons and cocktails on the beach. She makes friends with the modern and level-headed Dolly. Beatrice wants to be a good and loyal wife and support her husband, but the empty society life makes her feel detached and restless. She is drawn to the more down-to-earth working class townspeople, yet she doesn’t fit in with that world either.

As she and Harry continue to drift apart she learns about the unsavory side of him. For Beatrice the striving world of Manhattan, with its greed, and social climbing, its teaming crowded streets, contrasts with the natural beauty and freshness of Montauk and the simple qualities and strength of the townspeople.

The author has given us a haunting, evocative story propelled by deep and well-developed characters. We see Beatrice faced with the monotony of the summer and we feel her weariness as she struggles through the slowing-moving days, filled with trivial activities. We can sense the heat, and hear the ocean as Beatrice seeks to respond to her awakening desire for love. Her sunny and vibrant days getting to know a lighthouse-keeper contrast with the closed-in darkness and tension of dinners and parties with her unstable husband. A massive storm at the end of the season leads to a troubling, yet fitting conclusion. This women’s fiction, with its literary quality, is well-written and will appeal to many readers who want a meaningful book to read. Recommend

Thanks to St. martin’s Press and NetGalley. I received a digital review copy from St. Martin’s Press via Net Gallery. This is my honest review.

Absolutely scandalous summer in Montauk. This book has it all sex scandal money alcohol marriage indiscretion. NYC wealthy summer on Montauk the locals provide for every whim of the rich and spoiled. But here we take a look into the lives of the rich and spoiled and not everything is as it appears. There is a lot of ro,e playing happening.