Another one that I'm not loving – marking as DNF on my shelves because while I technically did finish, I was very much skimming to get done. The book is translated, so I think some pieces of the story could've been lost in translation literally.

Claire is a respected biologist, is married to Gilles, has a son Nicolas, she has everything most people want in life and yet she is unfulfilled. She sleeps with men just to feel something. She is clinical and cold even with her own family. Each year, the family goes to Brittany to spend the summer by the sea, this year Nico is bringing along his girlfriend Julie. Julie works at the hotel where Claire was engaging in one of her affairs. The trip has tensions, secrets and unspoken resentments just below the surface of fun in the sun. But when Claire has an attraction to Julie, the summer goes off the rails.

The author has an elegant way of writing and I was enjoying the story when Claire was supporting Julie to get over her fear of not being able to swim and to encourage her but when it changes to them having a sexual relationship with each other, I lost interest. I can't fathom a young adult woman leaving her boyfriend for an older woman. It didn't ring true for me. It is a well written story, I'm just meh about the relationship.

“Beautiful Nights” is by Nina George. I liked the plot of this book - a professor, Claire, is unhappily married but is heading to the beach with her husband and son. The son’s new girlfriend, Julie, is invited along. However, Julie and Claire have a past that the other two don’t know about. I found this book difficult for me at times - it seemed to focus a lot on a midlife crisis for Claire, something that I just wasn’t in the right mind space to read about. This book was also a bit more “in Claire’s head” opposed to things happening. Claire came across as an unlikable person so that also was an issue for me actually liking her and her thoughts. This book was a miss for me, but I can see others enjoying the writing style and armchair traveling to Paris and Brittany.

Nina George's Beautiful Nights is different from her past work, but beautifully written, phrased, and paced.

3.5 Stars- Beautiful Nights is an intense and poetic novel, set on the coast in France, that explores the complexities of desire, self-discovery, and forbidden connections.

The story centers on Claire, a behavioral biologist whose seemingly perfect life has begun to feel like a cage. Frustrated by a stagnant marriage and her husband's quiet infidelities, Claire grapples with a sense of unfulfilled longing. Her annual summer holiday to Brittany takes an unexpected turn when her son, Nico, brings along his new girlfriend, Julie. Julie is herself at a crossroads, questioning if her relationship with Nico aligns with what she wants out of life.

I enjoyed the setting and the message about self discovery. I also loved that women were advocating what was best for themselves. However this book did not always flow for me. It was translated so there were some passages that didn't mean as much to me. For example there was talk about using vous instead of tu when addressing characters. I loved Nina George's other novel, "The Little French Bistro," so I was expecting this to be similar but it couldn't be more different.

Beautiful Nights is ultimately a powerful story about becoming who you are truly meant to be. For me though I just wanted more to the story and the ending left me a little unsettled.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

I liked the plot of this one but the execution lost me and I felt kind of bored. it was ok but I feel like it'll be up more peoples alleys than it was mine! 2.5 rounded up~

A middle-aged French professor prepares to spend the summer on the Brittany coast with her husband Gilles, their son Nicolas, and Nicolas’ new girlfriend Julie. Her passionless marriage has her feeling empty and unmoored, until an unexpected connection with Julie alters the course of the summer.

All Fours, but make it French? Beautifully written and atmospheric, if a little slow.

Beautiful Nights by Nina George is a hauntingly atmospheric tale that weaves romance and mystery through moonlit streets and hidden truths. George’s lyrical prose and richly drawn characters create a story that lingers long after the last page. A beautifully immersive read.

beautiful and lyrical arc about tangled and twisted characters with some very unique views of the world. 4 stars. tysm for the arc;

The writing is beautiful but I just didn't love the story or the characters. I appreciated the setting and the language with which Nina writes, but this was not a huge hit for me.

I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed all of Nina George’s books especially her storylines and characters. However, I just could not get into this book and gave up halfway through when it was page after page of nothing really going on. Thank you for accepting my honest opinion.

Beautiful Nights is a tender, atmospheric story that sweeps you through moments of love, loss, and self-discovery under the magic of starlit skies. Nina George’s lyrical writing pulls you in, making each chapter feel like its own quiet, beautiful journey. I found myself savoring every page. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. The main reason I selected this book was because the blurb mentioned some of the other books by this author that I have enjoyed. I found this book to be a different style from the earlier books I have read by her. It dwells a lot in the thoughts of the main characters instead of in their actions as much. Claire is cheating on her husband and he has cheated on her multiple times. She seems to feel derailed by having a child 20+ years ago that she didn't want which led her down a path that left her feeling unlike herself. This book is a reawakening into who she could have been. If you are interested in midlife women's crises then this could be a good read for you. I don't think I was in the right mood for it so I didn't enjoy reading it as much as other books by this author. There are some beautifully written passages, but we aren't allowed to quote from a DRC so you'll just have to read it for yourself.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I want to be European for a year. To live each day to the fullest and not experience puritanical guilt.

This was a tough slog for me. The writing is wonderful and the settings were lovely but I just couldn’t find myself embracing or caring about the characters. They were so dramatic and mysterious but not in a way that kept me intrigued to learn more. It’s slow moving and I’m sad to say almost two-thirds of the way through I decided to put it away. I may go back and finish it at a later date.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I was sent a request to read and review Nina George’s Beautiful Nights, through Penguin Random House. Set in France, we follow Claire and her family to the shores of Brittany for holiday. Claire is struggling with her marriage. Knowing that her husband has had affairs, Claire finds herself questioning her life’s choices and ends up at a hotel having an affair of her own. Leaving her tryst, Claire encounters a woman singing while cleaning one of the hotel rooms, and is drawn to her. Later she finds out this woman that she is drawn to is her son’s girlfriend, Julie. Claire and Julie find themselves tangled in a web of emotions and feelings. The reader is taken on their journey through a very detailed and descriptive narrative. There is a lot of depth to Claire’s character that is explored. While she struggles with her feelings towards Julie and a failing marriage, Julie is also struggling with her feelings towards Claire and her desire to have more out of life. A great read and one to keep its reader turning the pages.

#NetGalley #BeautifulNights

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through NetGalley.
A rare miss for me by Nina George. The empowerment of women is an important part of literature but this book bogged down and didn't allow characters to grow until almost the end. George used the sea and other known devices to help readers see who her characters. Sadly, they were still fairly flat and seemed content to stay behind their expected roles. Readers can see that this started for Claire as a young child as she needed to be practical and find a way for her two older siblings and herself to survive. Typical start to this plotline - missing dads, mentally struggling mother, and it wove through the rest of the novel. Though I considered DNF several times, I'm glad I finished it. The ending offers hints of growth for all of the characters. The main two women seem to have found their way and Claire reconnects with her husband, Gilles, though readers will need to decide for themselves if they choose to start again with their marriage or head in separate directions.

I really enjoyed the storyline..unhappily married Claire is heading to the beach for the summer with her husband and son. The sons new girlfriend, Julie, gets invited to come along but Claire and Julie have a past that no one else knows about. I also enjoyed the Paris and Brittany descriptions and the writing was great but I could not connect with any character and felt like Claire was talking over my (and her family’s) head all the time. I wanted to feel bad for Claire but she was so unlikable and distant. So 3 stars because I like the story but very slow and hard to read.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful Nights by Nina George is a sensual, lyrical novel about self-discovery, desire, and the complexities of being a woman. Set on the Brittany coast, it follows Claire, a respected behavioral biologist stuck in a lifeless marriage, and Julie, her son’s young girlfriend, as they each confront turning points in their lives. A shared secret between them creates tension and forces both women to question the lives they’ve built.

I was drawn in by the lush setting and the promise of emotional depth. The writing is undeniably beautiful—rich, poetic, and layered with insight about the female experience at every stage of life. The author tackles difficult topics like infidelity, bisexuality, mental health, and emotional neglect with sensitivity and honesty.

But I had mixed feelings. While the prose was lovely, at times it felt too wordy and heavy-handed. Much was explained outright instead of letting me draw my own conclusions. I also found Claire cold and difficult to connect with, though I appreciated the vulnerability beneath her exterior. The pacing was slow, and it took a while for the story to really unfold. Still, once it did, the revelations came quickly and packed an emotional punch.

This isn’t a light read—it’s introspective, raw, and thought-provoking. If you enjoy books that explore identity, relationships, and the ways we shape (and reshape) our lives as women, you’ll likely find a lot to appreciate here. It left me thinking long after I turned the last page.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy.

One of my rare DNFs. I read far enough to rate it - perhaps I am not the best audience. For me, there was too much drama (affairs), too repetitive, and lack of a compelling storyline or plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the opportunity to read this ARC.