Have you read a book where you not only got a great story, but also gained amazing new historical, religious, and cultural knowledge? I have gotten lucky with quite a few of these recently, and the just released FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER by Rachel Beanland is no exception. Facts relevant not only to the story but to the historical time period may be mentioned just briefly in the context of the book, but they are so interesting that they then may inspire you to look online for more extensive details and rich background regarding — But watch out, here is your rabbit hole warning! They prove to be so intriguing in all the best ways: how and why did I never know this before... or wow, I didn’t know anything about that and now I know so much more..., etc; that you may lose large chunks of time diving into all of these various historical tidbits.

However, first before we discuss those facts, let’s briefly touch on the unique story of the book inspired by the author’s grandmother’s true life experience dealing with, alongside her other family members, her aunt’s unexpected tragic drowning death. Florence, in the book and in real life, was training to be the first Jewish woman to swim the English Channel inspired by Olympic Gold Medalist Gertrude Ederle’s famous pioneering swim in 1926 where she became the first woman to swim the Channel. However, while doing a training swim in the waters of Atlantic City she drowns, and her niece alongside her parents are there to witness the lifeguards unsuccessfully reviving her after their rescue. But the crossroads and pinnacle of the book occurs, just as in real life, when Florence’s mother decides that all the family will lie and hold the truth of Florence’s passing from her sister, who is in the hospital on bed rest for an extremely high risk pregnancy after previously losing her premature son. The book then proceeds to follow along seven various family members and friends, some based accurately on real life people, others varying greatly from their real life counterparts, and lastly some characters that are completely fictitious, during the summer of 1934 as they each navigate the death of Florence. As mentioned by the book publishers and author, this book tries to explore the lengths someone will go to to protect the people that they love and to give their child every chance possible, as well as at what costs they are willing to take to do so. In various interviews, the author has mentioned the women in her family have always admired the strength in Florence’s mother decision to withhold the truth, which they deem to be the correct choice. However, the jury is still out for the author whether Florence’s sister should have gotten to receive the shocking news. In today’s world of social media and instant 24-7 news, would it even be possible to keep such a secret today? To also give a perspective of how grief was sometimes handled during those times, Beanland has said because of the extreme pain and grief, her family even destroyed all the family photos of Florence and never mentioned her name after her death.

Now onto the interesting historical details that I just had to look into after the book’s completion, like for example, Martin Couney’s premature baby incubator exhibits that were famously held in Coney Island, Atlantic City, World’s Fairs, and other Exhibitions. Being born 2 1/2 months premature I was astonished to learn of the origins of the incubator and neonatal care. I had never heard of this carnival side show attraction that eventually led to US hospitals and physicians finally adopting the incubator preemie care and standards set forth by Couney and his team of doctors and nurses. Martin Couney used incubators modeled after France’s invention to save the lives (per his accounts) of 6,500 preemies from hospitals across the nation at a 85% success rate- but what is more mind blowing is that all of the expensive daily preemie care was being taken care of by the tourists’ entry fees without any charge to the parents. From 1903 to 1943, for 4 decades, he did these exhibits advocating for preemies, and even became friends and professional peers with Julius Hess, believed to be the ‘father of American neonatology’. This book has highlighted a time period where pregnant women still smoked, no set of quintuplets had had all babies survive before, and incubators were a ‘new-fangled’ treatment.

Secondly, because of Florence’s death and her Jewish background, the rituals and traditions of Jewish mourning are performed and mentioned in the book. I was able to access a wealth of information and learn so much regarding these rites and their translated meanings through a not-for-profit called MyJewishLearning.com, in case anyone else would like to know more regarding these as well. The book also highlighted the old laws of no mourning rituals, burial rites, or marked graves for infants who passed before 31 days old as they were not considered viable or human beings. Recent law modifications regarding neonatal mourning practices were made in 1992 as a result of the work of Rabbi Stephanie Dickstein.

Next, the book also highlighted the ‘social discrimination’ against Jews that still continued in the hotel industry at that time, as well as the controversies surrounding interfaith marriages. Online articles from that time period cite that the AAA was asked to withdraw their seal of approval from any hotels that deny accommodations to Jewish guests or have any discriminatory guest policies . An article from 1956 also revealed that 3/10 AAA-approved Michigan accommodations barred Jewish guests. I had no idea that US restaurants and hotels barred Jewish guests in that time period, just unbelievable and abhorrent. It reminded me of the movie based on the historical true life GREEN BOOK, that African Americans relied on while travelling to help them know which accommodations would allow their stay or dining — similarly, in some Jewish people’s cases they relied on AAA’s approval and star ratings to determine the same and yet these weren’t always reflective of establishments that were non-discriminatory and allowed entry for all. Some hotels even to skirt the anti-discriminatory law signaled their true intents by making sure to list that there were churches nearby in their details. Jewish guests would at times write letters or call for reservations at some hotel establishments only to be denied or told there were no accommodations, just to be told the opposite if they called or wrote back with non-Jewish names. For more articles and information, a source that I found very useful was the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, if anyone would like to know more.

Lastly, because of Florence’s desire to swim the English Channel, Gertrude Ederle’s English Channel completion, background, and life were also fascinating to look into. The “Queen of the Waves” and “America’s Best Girl” not only smashed all previous records held by all the men who had completed the Channel swim before her finish in 1926, but she also held the record until 1950! She was voted the top American athlete in 1926, even edging out Babe Ruth. She inspired thousands of American women to learn to swim and earn Red Cross swimming certificates. There are some amazing videos online showing her prepping for the swim, swimming amidst strong waves and currents, completing the Channel swim, and being celebrated in NY’s first ticker tape parade amongst throngs of celebrating crowds numbering in the millions.

If you are a fan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel TV show or are nostalgic for a place like the Atlantic City Boardwalk, where mermaids swam in glass tanks or horses high dived at the Steel Pier, pick up a copy of FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER from your local indie bookstore or library for your summer beach or pool read!

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Florence Adler Swims Forever is the story of the Adler family in 1930's Atlantic City. Florence has returned from college for the summer and is ready to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, her family have their doubts. Some try to stop her, others cheer her on until tragedy strikes and the family is taken down a path they never imagined.

I had really high hopes for this debut novel from Rachel Beanland. It has been on my Want to Read radar for months now, so I was ecstatic to get an ARC! I dove in right away, but found that the novel didn't hold my attention. I almost had to force myself to read it. I wasn't expecting the huge tragedy so early on, and although that didn't sway me from the story, I found that once the tragedy took place, not much else happened in the story line. I had a really hard time getting excited for the other characters in the book. They didn't really seem to have a story line other than Florence's story line, which was great for the first part of the book, but after getting towards the middle, end, there just wasn't much substance there for me.

An amazing book with an amazing backstory - it's based on the author's great-great aunt, Florence Lowenthal. I can't believe this is the author's first novel! The writing sets the scene so well, and it's always a bold move to have tragedy front and center, happening right at the beginning, but it's what really sets the stage for the rest of the novel. The book isn't leading up to the tragedy; the tragedy happens and we're then reading about a family who is trying to deal with the tragedy.

I adore Florence Adler Swims Forever. The book is based on a true story of the author's family and there is a postscript that describes the differences from real life and the book. The story is filled with such sadness over the few months it takes place because someone very special dies suddenly and the family is keeping the death a secret from Fanny, who is in her seventh month of a very risky pregnancy. Fanny lost a premature baby boy the summer before and she is at risk of losing this baby too, so she is on bed rest, in the local hospital. Fanny's mother, Ester, has asked everyone who knows of the disaster, to not say anything about it, in order to prevent Fanny finding out, getting upset, and going into premature labor again. 

The story takes place in the summer of 1934 and concerns the Jewish Adler family, Esther, husband Joseph, and daughters Fanny and Florence. At the moment, they are living in their little apartment over their bakery, because they rent out their house, each summer. Living with them at this time, is their seven year old granddaughter, Gussie, and a nineteen year old emigrate from Nazi Germany, Anna. Ester doesn't understand why Joseph opened their home to this young lady, especially because she never even knew he'd grown up with the young lady's mother. Space is tight, money is tight, but the most important thing for the family is to not let anything upset Fanny, so that she will have a chance of carrying her baby to term. 

The story is narrated by seven characters, including little Gussie. What a smart, preceptive, but spoiled little girl...I just loved her. She knows that adults lie all the time, make things up, don't answer questions, pretend that they feel differently than they really do, and don't really pay attention to her. Through her eyes, we see so much and the adults have no idea how much they confuse her but also how much she really knows and understands. I enjoyed the viewpoints of all the characters and the author even allowed me to feel some sympathy for Fanny's almost worthless husband, Issac. 

The story is slow, as the family waits for the birth of Fanny's baby and the day when they must tell her the horrible news that they have been holding back. There is a sweet romance in the story too, and all the while we know the danger that looms across the ocean, for Anna's parents, if they can't get permission to emigrate to America, and for all those being persecuted by Hitler and his regime. For me, this was a very beautiful and satisfying story and I'm so glad to have gotten to read it. 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC.

A story with historic parallels that is what you are given here. A mother determined to keep her family protected. Two daughters , very different and vulnerable. Determination plays a prominent role on both daughters lives. It is a summer no family member will ever forget. What looks like an act of good will, offering shelter from the tides that are turning in Nazi Germany and a mysterious stranger turn family members to re-evaluate their lives. It offers a moment of sorrow and maybe personal redemption.

Though the story itself is a work of fiction, Florence Adler's character is based on a real girl who grew up in Atlantic City, and is obvious by the care and love the author put into telling the story.

The greatest thing about historical fiction is I always learn something about the time period. This story is set in 1930's Atlantic City, when certain hotels refused to welcome Jewish guests, where premature babies, in incubators, were a boardwalk sideshow (the babies were receiving excellent medical care that traditional hospitals could not provide).

Florence Adler Swims Forever, an excellent debut novel, offers a little bit of everything and I'm really glad I had the opportunity to read it. I look forward to the author's future novels.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I sat down to read "Florence Adler Swims Forever" and a very quick 24 hours later I had finished it. This is one of those books that you can't flip the pages fast enough and you don't want to flip them too fast because the book will end.

Rachel Beanland took a story from her family and developed characters, setting, and a storyline that are so descriptive you truly feel like you are in Atlantic City in 1934. While there are many parallel "secrets" underway, it is not too hard to believe that without the 24-hour news cycle and a smart phone attached to all their hands that this family was able to protect each other from heartbreak and imagine a future with hope.

Thank you to Ms. Beanland and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader copy - I truly enjoyed every minute. I can't wait to read what Ms. Beanland writes next.

This is the book I have been looking for! A true family saga based on a true story of Esther and Joseph Adler and their two daughters, Florence and Fannie. This novel takes place in 1934 Atlantic City. During the summer the Adlers rent their house and move back into their small apartment above their shop. Florence is home from college and is in training to swim the English Channel. Fannie, married to Isaac, lost her first baby and is pregnant again Added to the mix, Joseph takes in a young woman from Nazi Germany. Soon after the book begins, there is a tragedy. Rachel Beanland’s debut novel is so poignant. The character development is amazing. This novel deserves and commands the reader’s attention. It is a book that will stick with me and will be read again this winter. Thank you Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 that I’m rounding up.

I don't quite know what is holding me back from giving this five stars, but I suspect with some time I will come back and adjust it up. This was a beautifully written and executed book and will be in my top books of the year post for sure. I loved the family saga aspect, I loved the characters (even the jerks), I loved the time period and most of all, I loved how this one felt. It was a story that got me right there. I don't even want to put anything regarding the summary in here because I went in blind and I felt like that worked well for me.

If you're looking for one of those books that you feel a hangover from after reading it - this is it. I cannot urge you enough to read it and find out for yourself what a talented writer and storyteller, Rachel Beanland is.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster and Rachel Beanland for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.

Review Date: 07/08/2020
Publication Date: 07/07/2020

I'd heard some good buzz about this one, so I decided to see what the fuss was about and...wow. This was really impressive!

It's the summer of 1934 in Atlantic City, NJ and a tragedy strikes a Jewish family. The rest of the book happens in the aftermath of this incident and we see how the news is kept from one of the daughters who is on bedrest for the final two months of her risky pregnancy. Meanwhile, a young German woman is staying with the family, trying to find a way to get her Jewish parents out of an increasingly hostile country. The book takes place over three months and we hear from seven characters - all either members of this family or directly adjacent to it - exactly three times - once for every month of the summer.

Not only is this book expertly organized (the order in which we hear from the seven characters is EXACTLY the same in all three sections - that's no easy feat), but the author took what would have been the climax in any other novel and put it in the very first chapter. It felt like a comedian starting their set with their best joke - you screw yourself over to see if you can rise to the challenge. Rachel Beanland really did that in this book. It is tender as it is sorrowful and the feeling of the beach is really there with you. Plus, the interesting link between all the characters in their feelings of being beholden to someone else made them all feel part of the same story even when they all were choosing radically different paths. The author took elements of her own family's story and morphed it into a beachy read with an ocean's worth of depth.

There seems to be a trend this season with books set on a coast in early 1900s. I have most definitely been enjoying titles like SUMMER DARLINGS, 28 SUMMERS and now this one.

While I didn't break down and sob at the end of this story, it did tug on my heartstrings.
This novel makes you think about what you would do to protect the ones you love. Keeping secrets to protect your family's health and well-being is a running theme through this book.
We have Esther protecting Fannie from losing another baby.
Anna trying to protect her parents from the Nazis.
Joseph protecting his family from his abysmal son in law, Issac.
And the entire family is keeping the news of Florence's drowning from Fannie to prevent her from going into early labor. The pressure of keeping such a massive secret slowly takes its toll on each character.

This secrets snowball one after the other until each member of the family must face their fears. They all realize how precious life is and that there is no time to waste being unhappy and sweeping problems under the rug.

I was a bit disappointed that we never got to read how Esther and the rest of the family disclosed the secret of Florence' death to Fannie, but that is left to your imagination.
Be sure to read the Author's Note at the end of this book. My biggest question was if a family has actually had to go to such lengths to save a baby and the mother before. Rachel Beanland shares how both Florence and Fannie are based on very real people from her ancestry.

Overall, this was a relaxing change of pace from some of the suspense/thrillers novels that people tend to grab over the summer. Be sure to snag it and take your time watching this family's secrets surface.

A heartbreaking yet hopeful family history of loss and secrets around the tragedy that hits this family: the loss of a daughter/sister/friends/sister-in-law.

I had no idea where this book was going to take me after the death of Florence Adler in the beginning of the book. It was a pleasant, yet deep read about the complexity of human relationships. The very present Jewish terminology and culture throughout the book scared me a bit as I am unfamiliar with that religion but it did not prevent me from understanding the circumstances and choices that each character had to make.

Rachel Beanland did an exceptional job developing all characters. You know there is complexity to one when you go from loving them to hate them to love them again. I had a soft spot for the father, Joseph Adler who has a heart as big as Atlantic City. That man was ready to throw himself under a train for his family and those close to him. He reminded me a bit of my father.

Make sure you read the author's note at the end, everything will fall into place.

Thank you so much Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review
Florence Adler Swims Forever
By: Rachel Beanland
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Happy Publication Day!
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“How far would you go to protect the people you love the most?”
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Florence Adler Swims Forever is a stunning historical fiction debut novel that will transport you back to a sunny summer day in 1934 in Atlantic City. I was seriously blown away that this was a debut novel. The writing was so polished and complete, flawless, lyrically; There really aren’t enough adjectives or praise.
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I won’t spoil it, but this books opens up with a family tragedy. It was like a sad melody in a beautiful song. But the show must go on. This book has heartbreak, romance, and so many family secrets. It’s a character driven novel, every character narrating a different chapter. Even if character driven novels aren’t your thing, I beg you to give this one a chance!
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The Adler family is Jewish and consists of Father Joseph, Mother Esther, and daughters Fannie & Florence. Fannie is married too Issac. They have a daughter Gussie and are excepting another baby. Fannie has to go on bedrest at the hospital because she lost their second child, Hyman, prematurely. Florence is seven years younger than her sister and goes to Wesley college on a swimming scholarship. While she is home from college for the summer she is training to swim across the English Channel. Stuart is a lifeguard and is helping Florence train. Anna is a family friend and has arrived from Germany on a student visa. She wants to help her parents come to America as Germany is Nazi occupied. And I can’t leave out that they all live in a small apartment above their family bakery!
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I hope you will invite the Adler family to join you this Summer! I can’t recommend this book enough! I rating this one 5 ⭐️’s.
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This is a slow burn and definitely more character driven than most summer reading I do, but I LOVED this book. You could connect with all narrators and truly feel their grief. I also enjoyed the secrets coming out. Pick this up ASAP!

Florence Adler will swim forever, or at least live forever in the memories of her loved ones. The story deals with how a family reacts to the loss of a member while trying to hold everything else together. Across the space of a summer, the Adlers help support each other in somewhat odd ways while they also discover new things about each other. The plot to keep Florence's death from her older sister seems almost comic in retrospect and Fannie's husband is the perfect caricature of the horrible husband. But throughout the story, the strong ties of the family, including their close friends, feels genuine and makes for an enjoyable and uplifting book, despite its tragic beginning.

A very character driven family drama, Florence Adler Swims Forever, this title was based on a true story about one swimmers desire to swim the English Channel, and how it impacts everyone around her. How far would you go to protect someone in your own family?

From the lies that felt necessary to keep everyone safe, to the emotions of the sisters who have grown apart, each character in this novel was full of great details -from the tragedy that touches their lives to their own personal growth.

An interesting read that was a bit outside of my normal comfort zone, I thought Beanland did a great job of writing this historical fiction into a well done summer read.

Florence Adler Swims Forever is such a beautiful, poignant book. Especially since it is based on the author’s great, great aunt and is a lovely tribute to her memory. At times sad, and others funny, this is a truly heart-warming story.

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland. How much to tell? How much will spoil the story? Florence Adler lived to swim. It was the summer she was twenty and soon she would sail to France to finish up her training, which would culminate with her swimming the English Channel. Everyone she knew was confident she could do it. Her parents didn't understand her need, but her father, at least, supported her in her quest. It was 1934, Atlantic City. A day like any other day when Florence tucked her hair under her red swim cap and ventured out into the ocean for a swim. When she returned, it was lifeguards who brought her ... lifeguards who labored to save her life ... lifeguards who had to let her go. This story is about all the people around her, her family mostly, and what their lives were like after losing her.

Written from multiple points of view, eventually we learn the secrets of all those who loved Florence, and some who did not. It is a compelling story, based loosely on real life and totally reveals secrets, which must be kept, and some that shouldn't have been kept. Some characters are at their best, and some at their worst. Hard to describe without giving up secrets prematurely. The story was interesting and understandable. It was a terrible time in history with Hitler coming to power and atrocities just beginning. A time, when even in the United States, prejudice was rampant, on both sides of the situation. Beanland did these people justice, making them both lovable and despicable. It wasn't always easy to know for whom to cheer, but it all worked out, I guess. An enjoyable read. I recommend it.

I was invited to read an ARC of Florence Adler Swims Forever by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #florenceadlerswimsforever

This is a wonderful book that weaves together different characters' points of view in the aftermath of a sudden, heartbreaking tragedy. Beanland is a great storyteller in that she addresses pain, loss, and generational trauma, while ultimately telling a story about love, hope, and family. Each chapter is told from the limited perspective of a different character, and I enjoyed each POV thoroughly. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and stories that you can fly through in one day (because they're so good)!

A summer beach read unlike any other I've read this summer. Florence Adler is a wonderful story that stands on great storytelling alone and shines. The Adler family comes to life around you and you just feel swept into their world. While the novel is set in the 1930s and Beanland does a wonderful job with the setting, it is also timeless and could almost be happening today.
The writing is talented, clear and easy to read without being pedestrian. The facts are well researched without being over stated, and while there is no glib happy Endings you still get the sense that everything is going to be okay. I loved that she wrote her own families story and I think there's a lot of potential for a generational series maybe Gussie's coming of age next? Either way I'll be first in line to read more from Beanland and will definitely be recommending this book to everyone.