3.5 stars

Montauk 1938: This was a bit of a slow burn read about a young wife, Beatrice, childless after 5 years of marriage and taking a break from New York City to summer in Montauk. While her distracted husband, Harry, is busy with his investment career in the city, Beatrice begins to wonder what type of future she can expect. Bored with the trivial pursuits of the other summer people, Beatrice finds herself becoming more and more interested in the lives of Montauk's locals. When a journalist approaches Beatrice to consider writing a column about the comings and goings of the high society, she embarks on a journey that just might rock more than the magazine's readership.

Despite the fact that I knew exactly which road this story was going to eventually lead the main character, I did feel that Nicola Harrison managed to recreate late 1930's America and all the prejudices that existed between people of different social classes. Beatrice's plight that she will never measure up to the other women of her class, the anti-Semitism targeted at a character, the fear of another world war looming, and the lack of freedom that women held in their marriage all created an engaging plot.

I did have to remind myself that Beatrice was a woman who as Nicola Harrison relates in her back story was a woman of her time. So sometimes when she acted with naivete, I had to push down my 21st century impatience. Thank goodness for characters like Elizabeth and Dolly that played the role of reasoning.


I would be very interested in reading more of this author in the future.

Goodreads review published 23/02/ 19
Expected publication 04/06/19

Montauk, 1938. Beatrice Bordeaux is looking forward to spending the summer outside of the city with her husband, Harry, hoping that three months away will be just what the doctor ordered in order to ignite the fire in their marriage, and hopefully, bring a baby into the picture. It's true what people say, though, about making plans and God laughing, because predictably, that's not what happens to Beatrice in their summer. Instead, she'll spend twelve weeks with the other wives while Harry pursues other interests. With a lot of time on her hands, Beatrice begins to pursue other interests as well.

Let me just say I love Montauk so much, so so much. Harrison's debut novel was a good beach read and made me yearn for summer, but overall, I wasn't excited by it. I found Beatrice to be largely insufferable, always intent on doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing, something she was advised against, and could get other people in serious trouble. She didn't seem like she had a head for consequences for other people. Like, she was the temporary visitor but other people lived in Montauk year-round. There was also an overall predictability to the novel, even towards things moved toward the end. One thing I found upsetting was that there's a violent act toward the latter half of the book AND IT'S GLOSSED OVER. I'm so tired of violence toward women being included in the book and for what largely seemed like no purpose.

Quick read on a cold snowy day. Not impressed with this, would not recommend. Thought it was silly and predictable.

Montauk is a slow, ponderous read. At first the sTory is quite dull. It's about bored rich society women who are parked at a smal seaside resort for the summer by their philandering husbands. The story moves at a snail's pace. About midway, Beatrice, after discovering the duplicity of her husband, meets the lighthouse keeper and sparks fly. From there the plot is fairly predictable. The ending is just too convenient and it was as if the author was tired of the story and wanted a quick wrap. The only two characters who added any depth to the story were Dolly and Elizabeth.

I found this slow and the characters unlike able, but the historical aspects were interesting and the writing just fine. This could be just me finding little to identify with. I would give another book by this author a read.

A season in Montauk with an array of characters that will keep you engulfed in their personal lives. A very warm and enlightening novel that has so many twists and turns. A definite read!

A masterpiece! A book of sheer beauty and delight. Extremely visual and mesmerizing. This is a book to sit down and get lost in. A book written so beautifully that I felt like I was there in Montauk.

This book deserves and award. The raw emotion and sheer beauty of how this book was written is something that should be loved, cherished and breathed in. Horray for Montauk!!

Thank you NetGalley for my free e-copy of Montauk by Nicola Harrison!

It's 1938 and the wealthy citizens of New York come out to Long Island, Montauk to be precise, for a fun/sun filled summer. For 12 weeks they are staying at a 200 room resort where they will be indulged, where they will play and get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Once a small fishing village, now a playground for the "rich and famous." However, not everyone is overly excited about the prospect of a 12 week vacation, especially those whose husbands will only be coming up for weekends.

A lower to middle class college educated wife, a wealthy husband and a marriage falling apart. Such is the life of Beatrice Bordeaux, whose husband Harry will be among the weekenders. She will be staying by herself at The Montauk Manor, summer residence of society wives...she is not happy that he won't be with her for the summer. Added to her disappointment, after being married for 5 years, she struggles and longs to have a baby. As for Harry, he is installing Beatrice there, encouraging her to make friends with these women to help further his interest and investment in the resort. How does she feel about this, is she comfortable to be away from her husband and only see him on weekends? You don't have to wait long to feel the tension between the couple...right out of the gate you can feel it. How does Beatrice handle her summer, how does she feel in a social setting that she is neither comfortable with or accustomed to? More than anything, she is clearly out of her element.

Historically speaking, it is interesting to get a glimpse of the 30's, with its different set of conventions, the social differences between the classes. Well written and quite enjoyable, this debut novel is one I would recommend.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Montauk is my first introduction to Nicola Harrison's books. I thought this book was great. I am giving it a well deserved five plus stars.

While I didn't necessarily love the plot/storyline of the story, I did really enjoy the imagery. I want a summer by the sea in Montauk and fans of that area of the country will feel the same way.

Thought author Nicola Harrison did a fine job (on her debut) of bringing the summer of 1938 MONTAUK Manor and the neighboring small village characters to life. The story of Beatrice, her humble beginnings, struggles with her sleaze of a husband and interaction with the obnoxious women of high society were interesting and at times even funny.

Although slow going at first and mostly predictable (aside from the ending) enjoyed mention of historic figures of the time and the romantic interlude, but overall just an okay read for me.

***Many thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review***

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read and review this book. This is a very good debut novel! Beatrice Bordeaux goes to vacation for 12 week on Montauk. She is not all that excited about it, but her jet setter husband Harry tells her to go. Beatrice is a little different from all the gossipy, rich women and doesn't seem to really fit in. This is the story of how Beatrice finds herself and reaches out for what she really wants in life. I can't wait for the next story by this author!

This book was just okay for me. Kind of predictable. Wasn't awful, but not at all memorable. It was kind of interesting seeing how the upper class people wets to the lower. Obviously liked the main character cause she was different.

Nicola Harrison delivers a beautifully enriched historical fiction novel with aspects of romance.

The story takes place in 1938 on a beautiful island and we all step into a time period wrapped in male/female societal roles and norms.

I am always hesitant to read historical novels because they're not me favorite genre but I was so impressed with Nicola Harrison's debut. She truly has a way with her words and writing style!

I think alone I would read another book by her because I was truly so enamored with her writing!!

I was fascinated with the characters and how much the societal norms were ingrained in so many individuals back then.

I really liked the romance act to it as well..... if you're not a romance person than I may say this isn't for you?

My only minor issue with this one was it was a tad long for me a very slow slow burn. I was loving her writing but wanted something to pick up in the beginning.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and beautiful read.

3.75 stars rounded up!


Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Published to Goodreads: 2/8/19
Publication date: 6/4/19

Was interested in the title from story line and location. It was an enjoyable read but nothing exceptional.. if it wasn't for the location and my familiarity that I wouldnt have been able to finish.

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Nicola Harrison, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was just lovely. The descriptions of the opulence of the time - 1938 rich New Yorkers in Montauk - was perfect. The characters were fully fleshed-out including foibles and flaws. The location was beautiful helped make the writing even more perfect. Just well-done for a first-time novelist. I cannot wait to read more by Nicola Harrison!

Highly recommend - this will be a GREAT summer read!!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. Montauk by Nicola Harrison. This book was a very good period piece book. This book was hard to put down. It drew me in as for me means I’m up late reading. No spoilers. If you get the opportunity please check this one out. Highly recommend.

This was a wonderful period piece about Montauk in the late 1930's and its early popularity among the high society set. Montauk was just a simple fishing village when the wealthy decided to make it a go-to summer destination. This book examines the dynamics between the year-round Montauk residents and the society folk who bring jobs and money but also cause rifts in the normally peaceful village. It provides a detailed look into the life of the rich and prosperous - their clothes, children, marriages, and social codes. It's a wonderful love story as well that ties it all together. I loved reading about this time in history. The book is beautifully written and sucks you in from page 1. I would highly recommend this!

This book is soapy, and plucky, and fun. It was an unputdownable read until the very end. I thought that Beatrice's story was well told, and I was rooting for her as she made her way through society's rules to ultimately be true to herself. The ending is rather abrupt, I mean, I guess I get it, but it was just kind of done too quickly and I feel like it could have been fleshed out a little. The pacing of the rest of the book was good.

I could easily see this being one of Reese Witherspoon's book picks when the book comes out, and I also was casting the story in my head as I read it.

Well done. Thanks for the chance to read this one, Netgalley! I will be recommending it highly.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC ecopy for my Kindle.
Set during the depression in a fishing village on Long Island, the privilege families escape their busy city lives and vacation here during part or all of the summer. The main character Bea has married a wealthy man and even though she has a college education, women during this time and her social status do not work outside the home. Also, after being married 5 yrs., she has failed to give her husband a heir.
This is a romance novel including forbidden love along with heartaches. The ending was rushed but seems like Bea may have the life she wanted after all.