Montauk is the story of Beatrice. Beatrice is a country girl who married into wealth. At first happy in her marriage, Bea notices a rift in her marriage. Along with the rift, Bea has failed to conceive a child and that drives them further apart. So when Harry tells Bea that they will be taking a summer-long trip to Montauk Manor, she is thrilled. She thinks that they can grow close again and a child will happen. But that isn’t in the cards. Harry decides that he will work in the city while Bea stays at the Manor during the week. He’ll come and visit on the weekend. Feeling out of place, Bea strikes up a friendship with the manor’s laundress. Who in turn introduces her to Thomas, the head lightkeeper. As Bea’s feelings for Thomas grows, she realizes that she must make a choice. What will happen? What will Bea’s choice be? And can she survive the consequences?

I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Montauk when I read the blurb. To me, it screamed spoiled rich girl has an affair and there are consequences. Then I started reading. And let me tell you, this book is anything than what I thought. I was surprised by this book.

I liked Bea even if she did annoy me during parts of the book. I liked her determination to make her marriage work. I liked that she didn’t care what the other women at the Manor thought about her. But, like I mentioned at the beginning of the paragraph, she annoyed me. She overstepped her bounds when it came to Elizabeth and Thomas. She let the other women in the Manor dictate what she should do the first half of the book. And the big thing, she didn’t confront Harry about his affairs until the end of the book.

I did figure out about Harry cheating early in the book. He was in love with Bea but he was chomping at the bit to get back to Manhattan. When it was validated, I was surprised that Bea didn’t say something to him. But, that was how it was back then. Men could do whatever they wanted with whomever they wanted and the women took it.

I was surprised when the author chose to have Bea and Thomas start a relationship while married. While two wrongs don’t make a right, I do think that Bea deserved to be happy. And Thomas made her happy. But she was torn between Harry and Thomas. I was on pins and needles about who she was going to choose.

You will need tissues when reading the end of the book. I was surprised at what happened between Harry and Bea. Very surprised. I was also surprised by the news that Bea had. I mentally went “Yikes, how is she going to deal with THAT“. The very end of the book had me sobbing. Let’s say that it was not a happy ending. Which was surprising and refreshing.

I would give Montauk an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is mild language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be the death of a sibling, depression, cheating, and rape. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Montauk. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

Unfortunately, I didn't finish this book. It was slow and not interesting. I had no desire to find out what happened. It was so long, I felt like it could have been great if it was shorter (which is unusual for me).

It just wasn't for me; hopefully, it will appeal to others.

A book I read in two days. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the socialite scene in Montauk. Add a little scandal to the mix and the book had my attention.

I love historical fiction. And I love the East Coast of the USA. So when I saw the description of Montauk by Nicola Harrison, my interest was piqued. Let’s take a second to appreciate this beautiful cover!

Okay, now for the premise of the book:

Montauk, Long Island, 1938.

For three months, this humble fishing village will serve as the playground for New York City’s wealthy elite. Beatrice Bordeaux was looking forward to a summer of reigniting the passion between her and her husband, Harry. Instead, tasked with furthering his investment interest in Montauk as a resort destination, she learns she’ll be spending twelve weeks sequestered with the high society wives at The Montauk Manor—a two-hundred room seaside hotel—while Harry pursues other interests in the city.

College educated, but raised a modest country girl in Pennsylvania, Bea has never felt fully comfortable among these privileged women, whose days are devoted not to their children but to leisure activities and charities that seemingly benefit no one but themselves. She longs to be a mother herself, as well as a loving wife, but after five years of marriage she remains childless while Harry is increasingly remote and distracted. Despite lavish parties at the Manor and the Yacht Club, Bea is lost and lonely and befriends the manor’s laundress whose work ethic and family life stir memories of who she once was.

As she drifts further from the society women and their preoccupations and closer toward Montauk’s natural beauty and community spirit, Bea finds herself drawn to a man nothing like her husband –stoic, plain spoken and enigmatic. Inspiring a strength and courage she had almost forgotten, his presence forces her to face a haunting tragedy of her past and question her future.

Desperate to embrace moments of happiness, no matter how fleeting, she soon discovers that such moments may be all she has, when fates conspire to tear her world apart.



I am already in love with this book based on that synopsis. It reminds of when I was a teenager and read all kind of historical fiction set in the English countryside about the scullery maids who fall in love with the wrong man. It’s the kind of story that can break your heart and make you feel all the feelings. I am so looking forward to this book!

This is a stunning debut and I highly recommend it. The author has a gift of vivid details and descriptions of a bygone era. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was drawn to this title after reading the description, as this time period fascinates me. From the beginning, I was hooked and didn’t want to put Montauk down. The characters were well thought out and the final twist broke my heart. I’ll be giving this book 4.5 🌟

Absolutely love this book but the real facts are very poorly researched in regards to Montauk’s real timeline as a resort for the upper tiers of NY society. By the dates of this story, Montauk was in the midst of returning to a sleepy fishing village due to the stock market crash and the financial disasters of it’s developer, Carl Fisher. That being said, it is a well written, interesting story that I really enjoyed. Having vacationed in Montauk for well over 30 years, and knowing the town and places well, this book was a beautifully executed love song to the tiny hamlet of Montauk. I have heard and read a lot about the town and watched the restoration of the Montauk Manor, the Lighthouse, Gurney’s Inn, the Montauk Playhouse, etc., but it was such a delight to read about them in their prime as a vacation spot for the wealthy where social status and money determined everything. There were the townspeople, some with family names that are still running local businesses today, and then there were the NYC high society names but these worlds were not supposed to mingle......until they did. Life was hard for the locals with fishing the biggest source of income but during the first few years of the Montauk Manor, the rich came from NYC for the summer social season and hard, demanding seasonal jobs were available for the lucky locals that could get them and not do anything to anger the rich.

This is a fun, easy read and I highly recommend this book! I can’t wait for it to be available for friends, neighbors in Montauk, and my children to read since Montauk has always been our summer destination and our retreat from the world! I read this on a long haul flight from NYC to Honolulu and was down to the very last few chapters as we landed. It was one of those times when I both didn’t want to leave the world of Montauk 1938 but desperately wanted to see how it ended. I really loved this book and felt I learned a lot about one of the most wonderful places on earth! This is a very special book as a story of fiction but is just not based sufficiently in truth and fact. By the end, I found the plot manipulation of setting this story around the famous Hurricane of 1938 a truly bad idea. It made for a spectacular ending for the story, but it really happened in late September when the rich would have been long gone but also, by the late 1930’s, Carl Fisher and his dreams of a Miami of the North were already in bankruptcy and Montauk had reverted back to the life of a fishing community until the start of WWII when the US government came in, evicted everyone and created a torpedo testing site, Camp Hero, and built submarine spotting structures in case of German attacks. Lots of attempts were made to save the glamorous dreams of Carl Fisher and his investors but it took a dozen or more years to figure out how.

At first I thought this book was beautifully researched and beautifully written. Unfortunately there is a lot of playing with both real facts and real events and verifiable dates. Many books about Montauk, like one by James Patterson many years ago, could really be any summer beach community with the name Montauk just plugged in; that is definitely not true for this book. That being said, however, you can almost feel and sense the amazing smells, sounds of the waves crashing, and see the wonderful cliffs and beautiful trails and the beauty around every corner of Montauk. Even the light is different in Montauk as artists have known for years. The author paints this beautifully. You can really see it through her eyes. This author really brings Montauk to life but set in a time long past. The Montauk Manor, the Playhouse, the Surf Club, Trails End, Gurneys, are all still there and are today immensely popular as a summer resort destination. This is a special book just not the truth of the particular point in time that the author has chosen.

Nicola Harrison offers more than a story. This book puts you in Montauk, in the sunshine, on the beach among the glamourous rich of Manhattan society. You can almost hear the swish of the dresses and see the shadows cast by the wide brimmed hats. Despite the often heartbreaking events, the atmosphere and wealth of this class in pre-war America is palpable. The actual narrative surrounds a couple struggling with infertility and a wife struggling to become a person in her own right. The book addresses the nature of relationship, friendship, and the consequences of crossing the social divide.
It's a beautiful book that you won;t want to leave down..

A beautiful book in a beautiful setting. A strong debut novel by Harrison. This historical fiction novel will likely be a fan of book clubs.

I enjoy historical books and when they are combined with romance, then it is a wonderful thing. I liked the historical points in this book. But the characters left much to be desired, especially Beatrice. And Harry was no better in my opinion. Those so-called friends were obnoxious. This book was so-so, I didn't hate it, but I wasn't in love with it either. I voluntarily read this book via netGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book seemed to be an accurate representation of a slice of American history-the time of FDR, the uncertainty of the an upcoming war on the heels of the last war and the divide between the “haves” and the “have nots”. The main character, a young women from rural Pennsylvania thrust into society by her marriage to a New York business man, is compelling and you become drawn into her world very easily. There is quite a bit of romance in the novel which could almost be considered a “coming of age” tale. While reading I felt drawn into the world of “summering” as it was depicted in Montauk NY as it was beginning to be developed. At times I was surprised to look away from the book and realize it was actually winter outside! This was a completely enjoyable read and I thank #netgalley for the opportunity pre-publication to read #montauk.

I could just picture Montauk, 1938 so well from this author's descriptions. So well written. A playground for the rich, high society folks. Unfortunately Beatrice, who is married to Harry, wants to use the twelve weeks of Summer to spend time with him. Instead she is left to socialize with the society women, with whom she has no common interests and Harry stays back in New York pursuing his own self interests. The best thing about this story is reading about the strong character development of Beatrice, who finds herself attracted to another, who is more like her. Thanks to the publisher, the author and Net Galley for opportunity to read the advanced copy.

This was a beautifully written book - I was first attracted to it for the location/setting. Knowing Montauk I was intrigued by how it would be portrayed and if there were placed mentioned that I was familiar with (there was!)
The story of Beatrice, the wealthy socialite longing for more out of life felt so authentic. I could feel her struggles as if she was a friend not just a character in a book and found myself cheering her on, racing to get to the end to see how it ends. I am thrilled to have gotten the opportunity to read and review "Montauk" and would highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was quickly sucked into this book. At times I really enjoyed it but then it started to ramble and I found myself annoyed by the main character. I must say it kinda picked up again more than half way thru and finished with an unexpected ending. I thought it was a bit predictable at times but I still enjoyed it. Would make a good beach read

This excellent novel caught my attention and drew. E in right from the beginning. It is the story of Beatrice, a wealthy socialite who longs for a more meaningful life, and finds it with the local lighthouse keeper on Montauk. But it’s not that simple. I found the characters extremely likable, except of course for Harry, and Jeanie. We cheer Beatrice on right up to the surprising last page.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Montauk" was not only a terrific historical look at what has become one of the top destinations of the summer for socialites in NYC, it was also a poignant story of a woman trying to recapture her sense of self.

The main character Beatrice was extremely relatable and easy to identify with as she attempted to live in both social circles - her rich husband's and the town's locals. The other socialite women were also amusing and the story was very easy to get lost in because it felt like it could have been a true story.

I love reading books about the rich and glamorous, and Montauk certainly doesn't disappoint. Reading about Beatrice and her husband as they summer in Montauk is truly captivating. I found myself almost immediately caught up in their world and I didn't want to book to end. However, the ending is where this book lost me a bit-without giving anything away, I found it to be a bit too convenient. A stronger finale was the only thing lacking in this sure to be a bestseller read!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Montauk by Nicola Harrison is a peek into the world of the wealthy, who are making Montauk, Long Island, NY the place to summer. Beatrice thought she would spend the summer reconnecting with her husband Harry, who she felt was drifting away from her, and helping him with his business ventures by making friends with the wives of his associates. However, she was not really cut out for the wealthy life, having not been raised in that life. She makes friends with some of the hotel staff and the summer she planned, does not turn out to be the summer she has.

This enthralling novel will keep you riveted as you enter a world gone by. Ms. Harrison's descriptions of the hotel, the beautiful clothing and the sea will sweep you right into the 1930s as if you were there. Montauk is a beautifully written first novel, I can't wait to see where she takes us next!

This book took some time to get into. I enjoyed the overall story but found it quite slow moving most of the time.

I was really eager to read this book because I grew up on Long Island Sound and knew of Montauk. What I didn't know was any of the history of Montauk. This was a story of wealth and privilege as well as poverty, love, and loss. In 1938, when the rich from the city get away, they head to the newest "in" summer vacation spot - Montauk. While the men head back to work in the city during the week, the women and children stay behind to relax and make their place in society. Beatrice is having difficulties having children with her husband Harry so she has very little in common with the other women, who are all pretty shallow anyway. She forges a friendship with one of the local woman and starts spending time away from the resort. While it might appear that this story is predicable, it is not at all and it doesn't resolve until the very end of the book. I recommend Montauk and I had a difficult time putting it down.

I received a copy of Montauk for free in exchange for an honest review.