As an English major in college, I took a class on travel writing and had to write about a specific place and what made it so special to us. For Nicola Harrison, Montauk is her place and she does a magnificent job of sharing it with readers. Set in 1938, but with conversations and topics still happening today, this piece of historical fiction is bursting with everything from a local school damp and in need of repair to castle-like manors and a grand, but also useful lighthouse that will change Beatrice Bordeaux's life forever. Harry Bordeaux, Bea's husband, is a successful man and he, along with many others, send their wives to the hotspot, Montauk, for the summer. Since Bea has no children to care for and no job to keep her occupied, she's initially concerned when the summer begins. Very quickly, though, she finds friends and over the course of the twelve weeks spent in Montauk, finds herself as well. This Gatsby-esque tale is sprinkled with a hint of Gossip Girl and has everything: fashion, friends, affairs, feuds, and love. Harrison says it best: "No matter how perfect all these lives might have seemed from a distance, so full of possibilities and promise, we all wanted more" (364). Grab this one ASAP!

Normally I don't read romance type books/novels but found this one very interesting. Enjoyed the historical aspects of how a sleepy beach front community could have become the playground for upper society. How we can overlook the views of the local folks vs. the games of life the summer visitors may play.

I enjoy reading about this time frame from the 1930's, what life was like and how folks lived, their values, and way of life. Interesting twists and turns in the plot that kept me engaged and I felt well written.

Many thanks to NetGallery, the publisher and author, Nicola Harrison, for the opportunity to read and give a honest review of "Montauk."
A book about getting away from the city and vacationing at a lavish resort, Montauk Resort, Long Island. Looking into how the wealthy class spends their summer and what can happen when unpredictable truths come to light.
Main characters are Beatrice and her husband, Henry along with Elizabeth, the lady that does the laundry at the Resort and Thomas, the lighthouse keeper.
I felt it started out pretty slow and I was losing interest but, the story picked up about half way in and caught my interest again. It was interesting to read about the parties, dress codes and what was deemed socially acceptable.
A very touching story with a ending I knew was going to happen but hoped I was wrong. I felt the ending was a bit rushed. Overall, a touching beach read that I enjoyed reading.

Montauk by Nicola Harrison is an inside look at lifestyles of the rich and famous in the summer 1938. Not too much different from today except the whole world has access to see the extravagance and entitlement now.
The upper class of New York city are exiting for the summer to relocate to Montauk. Many are staying at the Manor including Harry Bordeaux and his wife, Beatrice. Harry and the other husbands will spend the week in New York and take the train to Montauk for weekends. He expects Beatrice to make friends with the other wives in hopes of creating new business connections. As summer progresses Harry spends more time in New York or focused on his investment possibilities for Montauk. The abused wife is finding more and more unpleasant truths about her marriage and the lives of those around her. She is strong and resourceful and reaches out to the locals to make true friendships that sustain her. What will happen when summer ends? Will Beatrice be able to continue her friendships year to year?
I enjoyed this book very much. The characters are well-written and realistic. I know some snobs like many of them. I also know men like Harry. I was drawn in from page one and had difficulty putting the book down until I finished it. I was rooting for Beatrice and her strong inner self to triumph over all the fakeness and snobbery she was encountering. I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Lovely historical fiction with strong characters and an interesting plot. MONTAUK follows Bea Bordeaux, a small town girl who marries into New York society. Bea goes to spend the summer amongst the wives of the elite and struggles to find her place both in her marriage and the new society she inhabits. .Bea forms an unexpected friendship with some local townspeople and her luxurious summer takes a dangerous turn. Very good debut!

In the days leading up to World War II, the town of Montauk, on Long Island, was just coming into being as THE place to summer. Harry, a hopeful investor, chooses to bring his wife Beatrice to Montauk in anticipation of investing in the town. His philandering does tend to keep him from spending much time there so Beatrice has to amuse herself.

She enjoys the townspeople who also work for the Manor where she is staying. The locals seem more real to her than the society women who are pulling at her to serve on committees. One particular local really captures her attention, but the society women can be vindictive when you don't jump when they say jump.

Good story. I enjoyed it to the end. Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book! I fell in love with Beatrice and Thomas. I wish I could visit Montauk! I'd love to see the lighthouse and the harbor. I will recommend this book to all my book club friends! #netgalley #montauk

A poignant,, thoughtful novel with gorgeously rendered characters and a rich sense of place. Nicola Harrison spins a web of betrayal, remorse, and love that will entangle the reader.

I loved this book!! What a stunning debut novel set in what was once the tiny fishing village of Montauk. A summer love story that took off like a roller coaster and ended with a twist! Great book!!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

1938 -- Montauk, Beatrice and her husband, Harry, are to be spending the summer at the lavish Montauk Resort. Beatrice is hoping to rekindle the passion in her marriage, but Harry has other ideas as he is going to be "working" during the week in the city. Beatrice, upon finding the wealthy woman at the resort to be not to her liking secretly befriends a local woman from the village. It's through this friendship that Beatrice meets lightkeeper, Thomas.
This story started out slow for me, but I am glad I stuck with it. It got more interesting when Beatrice met Thomas. I was disappointed with the end, though. I wish it went another way and it also felt rushed. Overall, the story was beautifully written with detailed descriptions of the resort and the strong characters.





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This type of book, romance, extra-marital affairs, love stories, especially amongst the rich and frivolous are not a genre I would normally read.
To be fair, I have to separate my preferences and rate the book for its vivid portrayal of its characters, its terrific sense of place and time, the visual descriptions of the luxurious resort, the glamorous attire and gourmet dining, with its dramatic, heartfelt conclusion. Highly recommended for those who enjoy romantic historical writing with some sadness and strong character growth.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of the book in return for an honest review.

MONTAUK by Nicola Harrison is a captivating story about the wealthy and glamorous Manhattan socialites that spend their summers on Long Island surrounded by extravagance and intrigue. Set in Montauk in the summer of 1938, the main character, Beatrice is hoping that this time away with her domineering husband, Harry will help heal their failing marriage. While the husbands all return to the city during the week, the wives are left to gossip, party and lounge around the pool. Newly married into money, Beatrice is appalled by the petty and mean-spirited behavior of the rich families, especially when they mistreat or take advantage of the local year-round workers. Beatrice secretly befriends one of the local women and the handsome lighthouse keeper in the village and finds she feels more at ease with them than her high society friends. What follows is a story of deepening friendships and forbidden love that predictably lead to chaos and tragedy. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the setting, the cultural climate of the times and the interesting portrayals of the characters. MONTAUK was an engaging debut novel and I am thankful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Predictable from jump, along the Beatriz Williams line of summer releases. If you like those, you'll like this. Free ARC from Netgalley,in exchagne for an honest review.

Montauk by Nicola Harrison. An interesting look into how the 1930s wealthy class spent their summers. The ending was a bit disappointing. A good beach read, as others have noted.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Beautiful Montauk is not all it appears to be back in the past! Such fun to read what choices you could make financially then, if you had a husband! It would cost you ten times the amount (at least) for the same property now, but you could do it alone! Also, so interesting how sleazy everything seemed. The characters are so real and interesting, but also, very sad to be. Excellent read.

This book is about Beatrice it was swept away by high society and money. She is spending the summer at Montauk. It doesn't take her long to figure out she just doesn't fit in. She meets a man who she has much more in common with. This was a good book. I enjoyed reading it. It was a bit predictable, but I would still recommend it to my friends and family.

This is a book about families that live in Manhatten and vacation at “The Manor” on the beach at Montauk. The wives and children stay at the beach all summer and the husbands come out on the weekends. Beatrice and Harry are going for the first time. Beatrice doesn’t know anyone and Harry is a little too anxious to get back to the city. Beatrice wants a baby in the worst way and is a little jealous of some of the society wives and their children and nannies. So she starts exploring more of this rather poor beach town and the locals. It is an interesting storyline and the characters are developed fairly well. I wasn’t real crazy about the ending- I thought it was rushed with too many loose ends. I will recommend this book to family and friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

This was such a lovely debut novel! Set in 1938 in Montauk, it revolves around Beatrice and her overbearing husband, Harry. As they've come to "summer" there at a lovely resort, Beatrice looks forward to spending lazy days and lavish party-filled nights with her husband. But he's only there for weekends as he must work in the city to support them. What Beatrice discovers is that her wealthy "friends" are not all they appear to be; instead they are petty, jealous, mean-spirited, and judgmental of the locals who work for them. Beatrice discovers a whole new world when she meets the somewhat-eccentric lighthouse keeper in the fishing village and this opens her eyes to a world she never knew existed. I loved everything about this book: the time period where women were supposed to be "obedient," the catty chatter of women believing themselves to be superior, the lovely setting of the village and its people, and especially the character of Beatrice who proves that women are a force to be reckoned with! The novel is heartbreaking and heartwarming, both lyrical and realistic. It is a book to be savored.

When I saw Montauk on NetGallery I thought it was just what I needed - a fluffy romance! And that'what I got.

The story centres on Bea, a young but unhappy woman who is married to a high rolling banker and enjoys a luxe life. Her one desire however is to have a child, and that isn't happening. She feels like a fish out of water among society, especially when she commences a Summer-long holiday in a beautiful hotel in Montauk. Once there she finds an affinity with the locals, especially one, a handsome and mysterious lighthouse keeper.

The writing style of this book is pretty pedestrian but I've certainly read worse. It was never going to be a mentally taxing read, so if you are looking for high literature this is not for you. I found the storyline developed quite slowly and predictably. You could see what was going to happen from the outset, so it was just a matter of watching it unfold and guessing the ending. Because of this I found myself skim reading the story to just get it done.

The characters were a bit meh, you didn't feel any great pull to any - the main character and her love interest included. They were just a bit 2D. I do wish writers would stop using grief as a personality type!! It's not one and yet all we know about this woman is that her brother has died and she is sad - how about building an actual character?

The plot points were a bit farcical. Actually really fascicle. For instance this rich young woman (married five years, so not new to society and it's standards!!) starts waiting with her bag of dirty clothes on the lawn of the motel for the washing woman so that she can talk to her and then she starts going to her home and for long drives with her. Unlikely I'm going to say. And then there is the whole 'poor lighthouse man fell in a hole and I must care for him day and night' plot line which is again so cringey. None of this stuff would actually happen.

Oops I meant for this to be a somewhat positive review, and then realised how I actually feel. I'll just say it's pure fluff. Perfect holiday reading and gifting.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review (thanks NetGalley!). Montauk will be the perfect summer read and the style reminds the reader of Beatriz Williams. Since this is the unedited version, I did find one section that wasn't consistent- Bea describes getting a blackberry pie and shortly after mentions a blueberry pie. It's a minor detail, but just a heads up. I loved this book and did not to put it down and think that others will too.