It's summer, and all the families(many having lost sons) have once again returned to Winthrop Island after being gone during WWII. This year someone new has arrived, Olive Rainsford, sister of Mrs. Peabody is staying in the guest house at Summerly. Emilia is instantly taken by Olive and her kids. Olive has traveled all over Europe and is so worldly compared to Emilia who has lived on this small island all her life. However, there is a Russian spy on the island, and somehow Emilia is the one who must find the spy and turn them in.

I love a Beatriz Williams novel, with her band of rotating characters and locations. This one was unique in that both time periods, 1946 and 1954, had the same main character.

It felt like I had started this book in the middle. As if I had fallen asleep at the beginning of the movie and woke up able to keep up with the storyline but aware there was back story that I had missed.
The Cricket that we first meet is spiky, hard and possibly an alcoholic and very different to the Cricket of the past. All good so far but I never felt that the author addresses either personality fully. The storylines are there but I couldn’t engage with it. There was too many undercurrents in both timelines that weren’t explored or explained and it left me feeling a little removed. The book ambled along for so many pages and then raced the event that had caused all the troubles for the present Cricket. Maybe if there had been a few more past timelines to solidify the main characters relationships instead of using dialogue to reminisce, it may have worked better for me.
The island was written so well, it was the real star of the book for me.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. This would be 3.5 stars if I could give half a point!

The Beach at Summerly
by Beatriz Williams
Pub Date: June 27, 2023
William Morrow
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
New York Times bestseller Beatriz Williams returns with a ravishing summer read, taking readers back to a mid-century New England rich with secrets and Cold War intrigue.
Summerly is the story of people. and how the grand historical forces of conflict transform the lives of ordinary citizens. Williams does historical fiction so well. Her characters are vivid and the story well researched.
And what a timely book! This is a spy book and a romance. I highly recommend it!
4 stars

First, a confession. I found the first several pages of THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY to be disorienting. I'm not sure it begins in the right spot. We don't yet know the characters or what we're supposed to care about.

However, once we move to the historical portion of the story set on an island off the coast of CT, I began to settle in and found much to admire.

Emilia is inadvertently caught up in the post-war chaos where Russia and the US are competing to achieve dominance. Williams, as always, does a great job of bringing this historical period to life in a fun and entertaining way.

Ultimately, this is both a spy novel and a romance.

Received e-galley from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

Beatriz Williams writes great historical novels and the Beach at Summerly is no exception.
Part one takes place on a New England island in 1946. Emilia has lived on the island her entire life. That summer a glamorous woman, Olive, arrives. The two become great friends.
Then a FBI agent shows up and Emilia is charged with finding a Russian spy who is sending out information about the atomic program from the area. She is successful and he is sent to prison.
Jump ahead to 1954 and the spy is being swapped for an American prisoner. However, it is not that simple. Emilia is charged with discovering more information and has to deal with her actions in the past.

Williams' book is well researched and written. The history is well researched and she brings the Cold War to life.

Another hit from a terrific author

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I just found Beatriz Williams a couple of years ago and have loved her books. She is a great author that makes you see things from all sides. The Beach at Summerly was perfect!

First, I want to live on Winthrop Island. What a magical place. It was described in so much detail that I felt like I was there right in the story. I've only been to the East Coast once and I could smell the Atlantic Ocean in her details. Reminded me of my trip to Maine. Gorgeous, gorgeous!!

At first, I was pretty mad at Aunt Olive for bringing sweet Emilia (Cricket) into her mess. But as the novel went on I got it. I was glad that she showed her other ways that women can live (of course not being a spy). It was 1946 and women were meant to get married and have children which is admirable but they can be so much more, too.

I felt the whole story came full circle and was happy with the ending.

This is another remarkable addition to Williams’ oeuvre. A complicated and well formed world, devoted readers will recognize some character and places, while new readers will easily be swept away into the telling of it. A delightful read, and an author I’ll be sure to recommend!!

Oh, I am fortunate, another incredible novel by one of my favorite authors. It would not be possible to have read this book at a more timely moment. This novel takes place during the post WW II years on a small island off the coast of Connecticut.

Once again, Williams has turned history into a beautifully written novel of historical fiction. For those of us who have read all her novels, there are glimpses of the past. This book, however, works very well as a stand-alone. It is the story of Emilia, inadvertently caught up in the post-war frenzy of the Russian-American rivalry to achieve dominance in the Atomic Age, during what is referred to as the Cold War.

Having been a student during those years, the paranoia and fear that enveloped our days, was certainly brought back to me. One my my earliest memories and enduring passions was the execution of the Rosenbergs in NY.

The remarkable essence of this SPY novel is actually a beautiful love story. So, this novel will make every reader happy. I enjoyed every moment of this this book. Williams has a knack of creating novels that are a step above most of what I read.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this remarkable novel that touches multiple genres…all beautifully.