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.

Beatrice Bordeaux has essentially been abandoned by her husband, Harry, at the resort called Montauk. The year is 1938, and Montauk is a playground for wealthy Manhattan wives. Beatrice is a wealthy Manhattan wife, but she doesn't fit in with these women. She is dismayed that her husband will spend most of his time in the city while she's stuck at Montauk. Their marriage is rocky, and Harry is likely having affairs. They have been unable to have children as well. Beatrice meets someone and begins to spend her time with him. And it's 1938, so there are many rules of society that Beatrice is breaking. Will this end well? Can a married couple survive living separate lives? It's a fascinating story with beautiful descriptions of the time period and place. It's like I was there. An excellent read for historical fiction fans. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just okay for me. It was a good debut and i would try this author again. I enjoy historical fiction so the setting and vivid descriptions were good but I didn’t like the characters. They felt superficial and I was unable to care about them which made the book feel a little too long. I am sure romance readers will enjoy but I would have liked a little more depth to the characters. #netgalley

The book that doesn't require to concentrate and pay full attention. Easy read, something to take on holiday and have by the pool while sipping cocktails.

First, thank you to NetGalley (St. Martin's Press) for a delightful e-book copy of this book to enjoy and review.
I found this first novel by Nicola Harrison delightful and fun to read. Takes place on Long Island in the fishing village of Montouk in 1938 , so all a win-win for me. Beatrice Bordeaux (Bea) is introduced to the elite of Long Island by her husband Harry showing her his "lifestyle" and a summer at the Montouk Manor. Her life changes rapidly, with many ups and down among her friends at the Manor - only to be attracted to another man, Thomas, who takes her on a different journey. The story has a happy ending, but not to be expected. You must read this one - and I look forward to Harrison's next.

This book grabbed me from the very first page it was engrossing to read how the other half lived. Probably before air conditioning!!
Thanks to net galley for a preview copy.

Montauk opens in 1938. Bea's husband unexpectedly changes their plans for summer. She will spend weekdays at a Montauk hotel with other privileged wives of Manhattan. Her husband will stay in the city and join her on weekends. That is the plan. She knows her marriage is troubled, but she lives in a society in which women are measured by their husbands wealth and position. It's important to keep up appearances. She is childless and searches for her identity. Never having been comfortable with society members, Bea explores the area and strikes up relationships that will change her life.

With engaging writing, the author introduces readers to a world of a different time. She brings to life vivid characters and seamlessly blends their stories together.
This is a poignant and memorable story. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received an ARC of this book and enjoyed it very much. It had mystery, romance and a look into the world of the wealthy of the 1930's. It gave a view of the early days of Montauk when it first became a summer resort area. The story and characters were well written and captivating. I couldn't put it down!

Beatrice Bordeaux, born lower/middle class, was college educated and married to wealthy Harry Bordeaux. Her story takes place the summer of 1938, in the fishing village of Montauk, the latest vacation hotspot for the wealthy. Beatrice and Harry's marriage is failing, not helped by the fact that Beatrice has still not gotten pregnant after five years of marriage. Thinking this summer vacation will be a new beginning for the two of them, Beatrice is dismayed to find that her husband plans to spend almost the entire summer back in the city, working, drinking, even conducting numerous affairs with other women, while Beatrice must pretend all is well with their marriage.

Beatrice is bored, unhappy, and has nothing in common with the rich, snobby, summering wives, most who have children, nannies, and want more and more despite all their wealth. Naive Beatrice inserts herself into the lives of the poor, struggling service workers of the village, not realizing that her interference can endanger their jobs, the only thing that brings food on their tables. She even finds herself up on the hill of the lighthouse and ends up very involved in the life of Thomas, the lighthouse keeper. Beatrice has to face what she wants from her life, as the summer draws to a close.

I enjoyed this predictable at times story although I was frustrated with Beatrice's intrusion in the lives of others, not thinking until it was too late, how her interference could hurt people in so many ways. I look forward to reading future books from Nicola Harrison. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a really great read, and reminded me a lot of the books by Beatriz Williams. I was really rooting for the main characters and I feel like the depiction of Montauk and its society was spot-on. I would really love to read a sequel to this book!

Nicola Harrison presents her debut novel, Montauk, nestled on the tip of Long Island. It's the summer of 1938 and we, as readers, step into a time period wrapped in social mores, societal webbings, and male/female designated roles.

Not one to be enamored with romance novels, this was a bit of a challenge for me, but through no fault of the writing skills of Nicola Harrison. She sets the tone precisely for the era and her complicated characters reflect that. My backbone arched a bit every time these individuals' actions demonstrated such tunnel vision in their societal roles. Yes, they were dancing fitfully to the beat of the music played on their dance cards. Right as rain.

But I wished for thunderstorms in Montauk. Our main character, Beatrice Bordeaux, has been landlocked on Long Island for the entire summer by her aloof husband, Harry, who has taken up quite the extracurricular activities in New York City. He peppers his trail with lie upon lie and as women it was to be taken with a grain of salt. (Oh, sorry about that!) Beatrice longs for a baby and sits within the ruination of her marriage. Let them see you smile, Sister.

My suggestion would be to take this one out for a spin and see what you think. Romance lovers will be enthralled as other reviewers gifted it with 5 Stars. It may ring the bell for your own sensibilities, but it left mine straining to hear more. We'll just have to see if Nicola Harrison continues in this particular genre or sets sail in a different direction next time around.

I received a copy of Montauk through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Nicola Harrison for the opportunity.

This book had me from the beginning. The great descriptions of the time period and a wonderful story of how women may have felt during the time period when men worked and women played in the elite areas of the country. Fascinating and highly recommended.

Montauk remains a summer playground for the wealthy and privileged. As always, the local residents are beholden to the feckless summer guests who are vital to the economy of the village. This is a highly romantic story about the affair between a wealthy outlier and a local lighthouse officer. Not an unfamiliar plot, but set in a time when such behavior was absolutely scandalous instead of expected. For those readers familiar with the village of Montauk, this provides a romantic journey back to its beginnings.

It’s 1938 and Beatrice, who dropped out of Vassar when her brother died, is now married to the wealthy Harry. The idle rich wives are spending their summer in Montauk, Long Island; their husbands join them on weekends after working in Manhattan during the week. Both Beatrice and her husband Harry have secrets, and she finds romance and friendship outside this wealthy social circle. I found all of the coincidences presented in the novel somewhat unbelievable and, spoiler alert, if you’re looking for a happily ever after ending, look elsewhere.

I received a digital copy from net galley for an honest review. I have always loved Montauk and living so close to it, I was excited to read this novel about the Montauk in the past. It had so much glitz and glamour. It was an exciting storyline and I did find it enjoyable.

This book took me a while to finish and I almost gave up on it about 1/3 of the way through. It started out very slow and pretty much stayed that way until the last few pages. And it was kind of boring? I hate saying that about it but I did find it rather dull. Maybe if we had learned more about the other Montauk guests lives, or more about what the husbands were up to in the city, it would have been better but just on the main character? She hadn't lived much it seems.

This is the story of Montauk, known to Long Islanders, as the end of the world. Land developer Carl fisher - known for his development of Miami, began developing the land in the 1920s, but the stock market crash halted his vision for the area. In the 1930s other investors began sinking money into developing the area known previously as the site for Long Island Cattle drives. The families of these rich men began summering in the area, and their families joined them. These summer visitors created jobs in the sleepy fishing village, but there was also a definite line between the summer folk and the local residents. The book Montauk tells of Bea and her rich investor husband Harry and their summer spent on Montauk.

Bea was not born wealthy and has a hard time fitting in with the other summer wives. She wants a child, but her husband's attention is divided with his work back in the city and in "keeping company" with other women. Bea befriends Elizabeth, who is a villager with four children, and a job doing the laundry for the wealthy summer guests. As their friendship blooms, so does her interest in the local lighthouse keeper. She beings to realize, as time passes, that the life she wants is not with her husband, but a quieter life at Montauk full time. A violent end-of-summer storm tears down the barricades between the wealthy and the locals, and one final senseless act of violence makes Bea's decision for her.

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for a review. I enjoyed reading it, and the story was interesting, although I did not always enjoy the choices Bea made or her reasoning for making them. Many of the wealthy characters were easy to dislike; their shallowness and disregard of the working class made it even easier. I wanted to like Harry, but as the novel progressed I found him more and more unstable and privileged, which I think was the point. The ending surprised me, but it also left me feeling satisfied. I think any other choice would have been too pat of an ending.

Great debut novel. The author definitely has a way of telling a story that quickly drew me. Loved the history and the locale. The characters evolved as the book wore on which is always a plus in my book. I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

This book was great. It hits so close to home. I could feel every thing the author was trying to portray. It was written with such detail that I couldn’t put it down.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own