Florence Adler is a strong swimmer training to swim the English Channel. While on a training swim in the Atlantic Ocean Florence drowns. At the same time her sister, Fannie, is pregnant and in the hospital on bed rest. Esther, their mother, makes the decision that she will not tell Fannie her sister is dead afraid that the news will bring on premature labor. Florence obviously is not a prominent character in the book. Most of the focus is on Fannie, her daughter, Gussie, and Anna, a young woman from Germany staying with the family.

I didn't like Esther much. She is grieving Florence but in deciding not to tell Fannie she is causing more damage by trying to keep the secret especially with Gussie. She won't bring her to see her mother over a whole summer in case she slips up. The others cannot mourn Florence because they can't tell anyone in case it gets back to Fannie. I also didn't care for the way she treated Anna. I wish more of the characters were developed. Some issues that were brought up like a fight Fannie had with Florence the last time she saw her was only mentioned in passing but it seemed important to know what the argument was about.

I thought the book was well written and once I found that it was based on the author's great-great aunt. I really enjoyed the setting of Atlantic City in the summer and learned a bit of history of the area. Anna's struggle getting out of Germany and trying to bring her parents here was interesting and add in a bit of a love story and I give it 4 stars.

I tried, but I just couldn't get into this one. There was just too much exposition, which really slowed the book down.

This is a story of love and loss and the lies that bind a family together. Good premise but I lost interest in the middle of the story.

This is a novel about a family, and how one decision can affect so many lives. The story is told from the point of view of each character, so that you are able to have a true understanding of the motivations behind the decisions and actions. The character development is impressive, and Beanland’s prose draws you into the story immediately. You will find yourself completely engrossed in the story of one summer in the lives of the members of the Adler family. It is a book you will want to finish in one sitting, but then you will be disappointed that you can’t spend more time with the characters. I look forward to reading more by Rachel Beanland in the future.

This book wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be. It had a great concept and plot with a good character development but it wasn’t that engaging to me. I just couldn’t get into this book which is why I am giving it only 2 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book for my honest review

Really enjoyed this book. Learned alot of historical info about Atlantic City, as a New Jersey resident, that was very welcome. Thought the storyline moved along nicely, and the descriptive prose was well done. Very nice read, I'll definitely look for this author again.

I would say this wasn't my favorite book but also not the worst. It was a good story, I just didn't feel very engaged or connected with the characters. I read through it quickly to find out what happened at the end but I was disappointed at the end. It just kind of stopped and I wanted to find out what happened with the family members into the future. I definitely wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it but I wouldn't highly recommend it either.

Thank you to netgalley.com for the opportunity to read this book. It is a page turner despite the melancholy tone. Set in pre-WWII America, Joseph has agreed to take in a young Jewish girl whose mother he was once engaged to in Austria. It is a perilous time for Jews in Europe and while Joseph would save them all, Esther doesn’t seem to give a damn. That he was engaged to this woman is not something his wife Esther knows. Esther is cold-hearted towards Anna for a myriad of reasons, none of them Anna’s fault. Joseph wants everyone to be happy. Florence wants to swim the English Channel and Fannie wants to deliver a healthy baby. Isaac is present only in that he wishes he was elsewhere. Everyone has a secret and the secrets cause actions and reactions that give us the wonderful tension and dialogue Ms. Beanland has written. That the book is loosely based on true life events makes it even more endearing.

This book shines on every level: sentence after sentence is beautiful and precise. The characters are complicated and sympathetic, the ideas are sweeping and profound, but are never too overt. It’s a rare novel that is as accomplished in its meaning as it is in its storytelling while also succeeding wildly on the language level as well! A novel to lose yourself in and then reflect upon again and again.

I enjoyed this book. A bit of a historical novel. I am very familiar with Atlantic City and all that it was at that time in history. My family lives fairly close by so we would vacation there. In many ways it is a sad story, and terrible I said the beginning of the book. The characters were very believable. It is about a Jewish family , and the traditions gave good insight into a traditionally Jewish family. Thank you for my advance copy I would surely recommend this book to friends and family.

This is a charming and thoughtful novel about a family caught up in lies and filled with good intentions. The novel takes place in Atlantic City, a very different place in the 1930’s. It centers on the Adler family as they face several crises during one awful summer.

The sad catalyst is the death of their daughter Florence, a champion swimmer, who drowns while she is training to cross the English Channel. There are more complications as the family hides this awful truth from their other daughter, Fannie, who is in the hospital under rigorous orders for complete bed rest as she awaits the birth of her child. The family has a visitor, Anna, who they have sponsored to allow her to escape Nazi persecution in Germany.

The woes and the lies keep mounting. As a reader, I was filled with compassion for this beleaguered family. The novel moves quickly, the characters were well drawn and sympathetic.

Ironically, this was based upon the true story of the author’s relative. Included in the novel are obvious historic references, fascinating glimpses into medical treatment during the 1930’s , and reminders of the world before WWII.

I am certain that reading groups will love this novel and find so much to discuss. Women’s groups and seminars will be appalled at the way the medical establishment treated women.

I heartily recommend this book. I really believe readers will enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you Netgalley for the privilege of reading this extraordinary novel.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This debut novel by Rachel Beanland is a captivating page-turner that takes off with a very unexpected event in the first few pages of the book that sets the story in motion. Florence Adler Swims Forever is a picture of how death and grief can upend a family to its core. The author's style of telling the story from the different viewpoints of all the main characters is a unique and interesting way of keeping the story fresh and unpredictable---although at times a bit hard to keep track of all the characters.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I chose to rate 4 stars mainly due to the middle of the story seems to drag a bit. The beginning and end were fabulous, but the middle slowed down dramatically and I had to push myself to keep with the book---and was glad that I did!

I look forward to reading future books by Rachel Beanland.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC of this book! I was finishing a library book when I received it, so it took me longer than normal to finish it. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Florence Adler Swims Forever. In the beginning I was caught off guard that Florence dies so fast (it happens in the first few pages so I feel fine in sharing this in my review). There’s no anticipation or nerve that I had while reading it because it came and went in a couple pages. With that said, the further I got into the book, the more I wished I had gotten to know Florence better.

I liked Anna’s story the most. She’s a Jewish woman from Germany that is sponsored by the Adlers (Florence’s family), and is able to espace the awful parts of WWII she would have endured being in Germany.

Stuart was one of my favorite characters. I liked his attitude and his love for Florence and swimming - and other things ;).

Overall, this was a very heartwarming novel about love, loss and binding together as a family. I give it 4 stars.

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland is quite honestly one of the best books I have read this year. It is absolutely stunning. This historical fiction novel is the first novel to be written by this author, and if this is any indication of her talent, there will be many more gems to come.

This is such a unique and fascinating plot that focusses on the Adler family during the summer of 1934 in Atlantic City. It is in 3 parts, each part covering a summer month, and each chapter alternating between the viewpoints of the main characters (which is ingenious by the way): Gussie, Esther, Joseph, Fannie, Issac, Stuart, and Anna.

The story starts out with a tragic loss of the Adler’s youngest of two daughters: Florence. The drama unfolds not just of reacting and coping with the sudden loss, but also with the idea to keep the news of the death away from Fannie whom has 2 months left of a difficult pregnancy, as the fear from Esther (the women’s mother) is that the news could jeopardize the safety of mom and baby (especially after their infant loss the year before). What ensues is nothing short of breathtaking.

The landscape descriptions, the literary translation of the depth of the loss, sadness, grieving, anger, frustration, helplessness and finally hope, acceptance, and love that the author was able to give the reader is nothing short of amazing. I felt as if I was actually part of the family. My heart rate increased when I was worried, fearful, and tears spilled alongside the family during this time of loss and also awakening. The development and change of each character throughout this summer is mesmerizing.

The plot is fantastic, the pace perfect, the characters were complex yet relatable, and the ending perfect.

It was also even more memorable to read the author note at the end and to know that this is actually based on her own family. She describes what is a reflection of true events and people, and what was added and changed for the story.

I even loved the author’s thanks to her friends and family at the end.

This is an amazing book, the top 3 that I have had the honor to read this year, and I implore everyone to please read this.

5/5 stars enthusiastically

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

This book pulled me in from the beginning, and I didn't want to stop reading until I reached the end.

Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I finished this book a couple days ago and have been debating over what to rate it. On one hand, it was well written and I found the individual stories to be interesting. I quite liked that three of the main characters were based on the author's ancestors. There really was a Florence who was a strong, talented swimmer yet surprisingly drowned at 19. Florence really did have an older sister who was pregnant with her third baby at the time of the drowning. Her sister really had lost her last baby and was therefore kept from knowing about her Florence's death until after giving birth in hopes of protecting this pregnancy. That's interesting. I liked Anna's story best of all, an immigrant student from Germany sponsored by the Adlers to escape to America during World War II. .
However, on the other hand, I found myself tired with the novel half way through and anxious for it to all wrap up. I liked the idea of the book, I liked the ending, I just didn't enjoy the journey in between. I think it is totally based on personal taste however, not on the author's merit or the story. Overall, I think I'll give this three stars.

A truly enjoyable story with unforgettable characters and a great weekend read. Based on a true story of the author’s family.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC for an honest review.
Florence Adler Swims Forever is a portrayal of how grief unsettles the delicate foundation of a family. At the core of the story is a mother’s misguided attempt to protect those she loves. Freshly reeling from the shocking death of her youngest daughter, the family matriarch, Esther, devises an elaborate deception to insulate her oldest daughter from perceived harm. She engages multiple people in her deception, and the result is a story with largely unlikable main characters and mildly irritating peripheral characters. Esther, in particular, is a nettlesome character who inspired weak sympathetic feelings despite her tragic situation.

This disconnect greatly impacted my enjoyment of the novel. Rachel Beanland produced a well-written narrative, but it was not a story that I felt compelled to finish. My feelings were tepid at best and I found it difficult to care about the characters. I also abhorred the deception at the heart of the story and could not appreciate how the family members allowed themselves to participate in it.