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.

As usual, Nina George brings a powerful, deep, and hard-hitting novel with incredibly real, vulnerable, strong, and insightful characters. This book covers some controversial topics - child neglect, mental health issues, bi-sexuality, marital infidelity - but it does so in a way that is both delicate and incredibly open. I think that anyone reading this book will identify with some, or perhaps many, of the characters at one point or another. In typical, nearly magical fashion, the author weaves a story that you find yourself able to relate to even if it doesn't pertain to your life. I'd love to see this part of the Breton coast someday because of the beautiful descriptions in this story. I wanted to rush to the end to see what happens but I also wanted to linger in the story for a while because I had grown so fond of the characters ... that is the sign of a truly wonderful book for me ... the conflict of finishing or drawing out the story. A truly excellent read!

Unfortunately I am giving up on this after about 30%. I kept waiting for more to happen, but it just doesn't.

𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 ⠀
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Wow, tres beau. This novel is a remarkable poetic story of love, loss, passion, strength, honesty and family. It is a beautiful look into womanhood from age 9-100. The growth and change you go through all while trying to be true to oneself. ⠀
Claire, her husband, son and his girlfriend (Julie) are going to her family beach house for summer holiday. Claire and Julie are both wait for something to set them on fire to reunite themselves. Over the summer Claire and Julie find something in each other. They are looking to break away from the norm, the routine, and the expectations and become who the𝘆 are meant to be. ⠀
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Nina's writing is gorgeous and lyrical. I think of you read this at 20 then 40 then 60 and so on you will feel connected in different ways. The way 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 will make a great bookclub read.
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if you enjoyed Hᴀʟғ-Bʟᴏᴡɴ Rᴏꜱᴇ you will love this. ⠀
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𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 ⠀Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine books and Nina Georges for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
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📗𝟮𝟴𝟴 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲

My first Nina George book but definitely not my last! This was the perfect beach read! Beautifully written. The characters were fantastic and had me burning the midnight oil. This one busted right out of societal norms and boundaries.
Thank you NetGalley, Nina George and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Claire's son brings his girlfriend on summer vacation and Claire feels like maybe she she has met her before. Has she, or does the girlfriend reminder her of her at a younger age? This book highlights the feminine experience like I haven't seen in a long time. Good read!

Like others said, I also found this book wordy and hard to get into. The topic of affairs was a lot! Perhaps I am not the target audience for it, but good to get out of my comfort zone.

I had a hard time connecting with the characters and therefor getting invested in the book. It was a slow start and the plot took awhile to get going. By the time the story began to pick up I felt obligated to finish rather then invested. On the other hand, I did really like the writing - I just wish the characters felt more relatable. I think it was a me thing with this book though, rather than the book being poorly written.

Endlessly wordy, nothing happens and none of the characters were very likable or interesting. I really tried to get into this book and find something redeeming or interesting or worthwhile in the writing or the plot or even some character development but even past the 50% mark I couldn’t find anything worth continuing on with.

Know Thyself. This famous Greek inscription is the basis for this book which explores the deep introspection of a married couple.

Claire and Gilles had been together for over 20 years. They seemed pretty happy with their careers in Paris and they were proud parents of a 22-year-old son, Nicholas. Yet, there was so much they didn’t know about each other. When they met Julie, their son’s new girlfriend, they all decided to go to a resort for the summer in beautiful Brittany, France. That’s where hidden secrets were about to bend all the rules.

An eight-week vacation is a great luxury at a place with stunning ocean views, great bottles of wine and delicious food. However, I didn’t care for Claire. She seemed like a cold controlling professor. Her husband, however, was charming and fun. They were both kind of stuck in their relationship.

Watch out as this story has revelations that you won’t expect. It comes fast like waves in the sea and moves forward at a pace that is quick and upsetting at times. It feels like a lot of emotions were transposed into this book about what it’s like being a woman and the fears many have opening their hearts. There were parts that were fascinating about the characteristics of genders.

I would have liked to predict the ending but I didn’t. It was beautifully written with Author Notes that revealed more about her process and personal approach.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this advanced book with an expected release date of July 29, 2025.

I didn't love this and honestly DNF. It's very wordy and a lot of things are "told" to the reader rather than figuring them out. Also, some of the writing and descriptions of things like the wine or the music felt very pretentious. None of the characters right off the bat felt likeable.

The characters are two dimensional and the storyline is predictable. I guess a story that starts with sex doesn't really have much to tell.

In Beautiful Nights, Nina George weaves a sensual and provocative story about self-discovery, passion, and the courage to embrace change. Centered on Claire, a distinguished behavioral biologist trapped in a stifling marriage, and Julie, a woman torn between her desires and her fears, the narrative explores what it means to break free from societal and personal expectations. Their intertwined lives, revealed through a shared secret, challenge them to confront their true selves as they stand on the cusp of transformation.
Set against the lush backdrop of Brittany, the novel captures moments of intimacy and revelation—both under the ocean’s tranquil surface and in the stormy intensity of night. George masterfully probes femininity at every stage, illustrating that the path to authenticity often demands letting go of what’s known and daring to ignite a new, brighter chapter.
Beautiful Nights is a beautifully layered tale of awakening, resilience, and the profound beauty that emerges when we allow ourselves to be truly alive, even amid chaos and change.

I had high hopes for this book and was kind of disappointed. The writing is beautiful and the character development is fascinating. However, at one point I asked myself where is this going and why am I reading this.

Claire got pregnant with her son , Nicki against her wish not to have a child. She married Giles, thinking they will get to know each other. The marriage was less than ideal, with Giles having constant affairs. When Nicki’s brings home a girl, Julie, Claire is very surprised to meet someone she knew before. This book was not for me, I couldn’t really get into it

Nina George's Beautiful Nights promises a luminous and daring exploration of desire and self-awakening against the evocative backdrop of the Brittany coast. The premise itself—a respected professor embarking on an affair with her son's girlfriend—is inherently charged, suggesting a narrative that will bravely delve into the complexities of forbidden connections and the yearning for a life more vividly lived. More than just a story of illicit passion, the description hints at two women, Claire and Julie, both at critical junctures, whose shared secret and subsequent bond under the summer sun will force them to confront societal expectations and their own suppressed desires. The novel appears poised to be a sensual and provocative journey into the multifaceted nature of femininity, interrogating the choices that define us and the courage required to dismantle a familiar life in pursuit of one's true, incandescent self

This book is for readers who love books full of imagery, the messiness of close relationships, and the personification of the natural elements.

The book was heavy handed and left nothing for the reader to arrive at an understanding of on their own. I didn’t like the way the internal dialogue was written or the constant overly in your face explanation of womanhood. I think for this to be a more skillful book, it should have left much more up to interpretation.