I'm feeling very conflicted about this book. It was well written in the descriptions of settings and the development of characters. It seemed, however, that the first 50%, at least was rather predictable, and the somewhat tedious mores of the period were over-presented. There were a couple of almost-surprises in the last half of the book, yet they still felt expected.

My expectation was more along the line of a historic novel than a romance, which didn't help my attitude while reading.

It is the hot summer of 1938, the wives of the rich New York business men move to Montauk Manor for 12 weeks. Beatrice finds the atmosphere of the pampered, overindulged and hypocritical wives stifling and begins to enjoy the simpler life of the villagers and the lighthouse keeper.
This slow burning novel touches on so many issues - infertility, infidelity, femanism, marriage and family. Definitely a story to be savoured.

What a beautiful and enthralling read- I LOVED this story! It was a glimpse at the bittersweet Great Gatsby lifestyle and touched on so many themes that resonated strongly with me. Thank you to Nicola Harrison for creating this novel.

Beatrice grew up in the middle of Pennsylvania and did start at college in a time when very few women went to college. After the sudden death of her brother, she decided that college was not for her and with her family's push moved to New York City. She got a good job and was wooed by one of the guys who came to the office to see her boss. This story picks up five years later when her husband Harry announces that they are going to summer in the recently built up resort area in Montauk out at the tip of Long Island, NY.

The wives and children spend the bulk of the summer there while the husbands go back to the city to work during the week and take the train out on the weekends to see their families. Because Beatrice did not grow up in high society and they do not have children yet, she does not feel as comfortable being out there with all of these people as her husband would like. She does make a good friend and also meets some people that he would not want her to interact with.

The historical details in the story are interesting. One memorable one that does not drive the plot is that there were contraceptives in the 1930's. I had no idea. I thought they were more of a post WWII invention, but a brief internet search shows that various versions have been around for a long time. But also the difference between the conveniences of now versus the 1930's. The clothing, waiting for letters, cars are still on the newer side...

I enjoyed the glimpses into high society at the beach in that era. I found the main character Bea not as strong as I would have liked. I felt the author could have done more in portraying her. It did however keep my interest.

The setting alone of Montauk will keep any reader who chooses books based on time and place reading this one. The setting, plus a strong, female protagonist who is ahead of her time in the 30s, is calls to all readers of historical fiction. After feeling like the luckiest girl alive, Beatrice Bordeaux marries up, marrying the wealthy Harry Bordeaux. She finds a new life with the high-flying socialites in Manhattan, but much like Nick Carraway, she cannot fully find her spot amongst the elite.

After deciding to summer on Montauk, Beatrice tries to fit in. She also finds, after some soul-searching and making some new acquaintances, that maybe fame and fortune will not make her happy.

Montauk forces us to ask an age-old question: would we want to give up mediocrity (in any way, shape, or form) for perfection? And would we give up perfection for mediocrity? Is love worth everything? Is it worth giving up everything? Montauk forces us to ask ourselves these same questions, in a novel that is just as relevant today as if it were published in the 30s.

Though the themes were thought-provoking, they weren't new. The plot, like many stories, was nothing new either. However, some of the best stories are retold with a new twist--in Montauk's age of creation--it's heyday of wealth--we get to see a similar story told in a different way with extremely lovable characters. The ending was surprising but safe--you'll need to read more to find out how. I recommend!

Montauk by Nicola Harrison a debut author. I loved the Montauk setting but the book didn't grab me at all. For me it was only a okay book. I thought the characters and the plot was interesting. Maybe it was the 1930'setting that held me back. If you enjoy a beach read that is more historical this one could be for you.

I received an advanced copy of Mantauk from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Montauk takes us back to the summer of 1938 - a time when New York’s elite spent their summers at the beach. We meet Beatrice who while part of the elite crowd, really doesn’t belong. She is much more comfortable with the locals. During the summer, we discover how Beatrice finds herself, love, and friendship. She also encounters betrayal, scandal, and cattiness that make the Real Housewives look civil.

I don’t want to give more of the plot away, readers will discover the stunning story Nicola Harrison created and be taken away by the beauty of Montauk.



.

I felt the first few chapters were a little slow, but the story picked up and I am so happy I stayed with it. It became hard for me to put down. I love the character of Bea and her growth through out the story. I want more of the story! I would love for the author to bring some of the characters back for a second novel.
Thank you NetGalley!

The setting, New York's Montauk peninsula circa 1938, is the most compelling and solid part of this book. As a reader, I could taste the salt air, hear the waves crashing and the seagulls crying, and fell in love with Montauk along with the main character, Beatrice. The setting was a palpable force that almost became a character in itself, and I'd give this book high marks in that regard. In addition, the author crafted a very convincing protagonist in Bea, who, as the wife of a wealthy businessman, spends the summer amid the rich elite of New York society. As an introspective and thoughtful woman from a middle-class family, Bea keenly feels the divide between herself and the others, and this is very much a story about a woman inhabiting a world that isn't truly her own, and what that feels like.

That said, I didn't find the romantic elements of the story terribly convincing or compelling. Bea's romance with Thomas seemed predicated on a physical attraction and some rather bland conversations about places they'd been and things they'd done. The first truly substantive conversation between the characters, about what they wanted out of life, didn't even take place until they'd already become heavily involved with each other, and as a result, that aspect of the storyline fell flat for me. Nonetheless, the book has such a strong sense of place and time that I enjoyed it quite a bit, and will keep my eye out for more from this author.

My husband and I visited Montauk for the first time a few summers ago and immediately fell in love. There is something incredibly special about that town at the tip of the Long Island—the lighthouse, the bluffs, the smell of fish and salt air. We stayed at Gurney's, climbed the lighthouse, had dinner watching the sunset over Lake Montauk, and drove the Napeague stretch, all mentioned in this lovely book. I loved learning about how Montauk went from a quiet fishing town to the summer playground of the rich and famous. The historical details are interesting and well researched and I liked the way Harrison explores how the changes in the town affected the people who lived there year round. The plot could have been a bit more complex and nuanced, but I still enjoyed seeing Bea's story unfold. The unexpected ending will be sure to spark discussion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy.

What a beautiful story, everything you want in a book: love, heartbreak, drama, etc. This book has incredible imagery, the description of the landscape and buildings made it so enjoyable to read. The story kept me guessing right up until the end, I really enjoyed seeing this story through Bea’s eyes. 5/5 stars

I really enjoyed this historical romance book. The year is 1938 and Beatrice is staying in Montauk Long Island. The setting is just beautiful. Beatrice is longing for a baby but her husband is in New York living his life while Beatrice in Montauk. I enjoyed Beatrice's transformation into a strong woman. Beatrice doesn't fit in with the other society wives which leads her to find her own way. I enjoyed this book and can not wait to read more by this debut author. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This book has it all, love, lust, romance, greed, and tragedy, plus an examination of how we treat each other, and how we treat our natural resources.

In the summer of 1938, the town of Montauk was the newest playground for the rich and famous, especially those who lived in and around Manhattan. In her book of the same name, Nicola Harrison explores class differences and the ways in which all people are the same, as well as how people, in general, haven’t changed over the decades.

There always have been, and always will be cheats, bullies, those who feel superior to others, and those who know they are not. Beatrice Bordeaux and her husband Harry visited Montauk for the first time that summer. Believing the vacation will rekindle their romance, she agrees to spend the weekdays there, while Harry works in Manhattan, returning to the island on weekends.

Meek and kind, Bea is surrounded by social climbers who kowtow to Jeanie, the self-appointed “queen bee” of the women left on the island during the week. Pressured by Harry to make friends with Jeanie and the other society women, Bea quickly becomes bored with their frivolous activities and petty behavior.

Through Bea, who was raised on a farm, only to drop out of Vassar when her brother was killed in an accident, Harrison explores appreciation of the natural beauty of the Montauk region. She also explores present day distress caused by continued development of the land for the entertainment of the wealthy, to the detriment of the locals. Then, as today, many coastal families can no longer afford to live where their families have lived for hundreds of years, due to rising property taxes. They find themselves working for meager wages while serving tourists and the “summer people”.

After meeting a man who knew her brother, Bea finds herself needing to choose between the life she has, and the life she desires. Harry, who says divorce is unacceptable in his high-society family, soon learns keeping his mother’s approval is not the behavior of an adult.

I thoroughly enjoyed Montauk. I was, however, disappointed in parts of the ending. See what you think.

What Makes This Reviewer Grumpy?

Singular vs. plural disagreement, incorrect verb usage (was vs. were, bring vs. take, come vs. go, took vs. brought, loaned vs. lent), and the usual things such as split infinitives, many missing commas, confusing “further” and “farther”, misplacement of “only” within sentences, were), capitalizing words that shouldn’t be capitalized, such as "the government" and "the president".

Montauk tells a story of what happens when a modest country girl from Pennsylvania drops out of college after a family tragedy and thinks she finds the man of her dreams in her wealthy, pampered husband Harry. Instead of the dream life Beatrice expected, she find herself sharing the summer of 1938 in Montauk, New York, without her husband but with a group of privileged and pampered women, whose days are devoted not to their families but to tennis games, fancy parties and charities meetings whose benefit is questionable.

Without the children she desires or the attention of the husband she has chosen and bored with the company surrounding her, she finds herself lost and lonely. Bea finds herself drawn to those more closely match her interests and values - including a laundress, light house keep and chauffeur - rather than those her husband would choose for her to cultivate.

Ms. Harrison spins a tale about love, loss and perception which weaves tales of days long ago and races towards an inevitable conclusion.

What a beautiful story! I was instantly drawn to it by the bookcover but what is inside is even more amazing. Nicola Harrison takes you to 1938 Montauk, on the tip of Long Island, to the Montauk Manor. A resort destination where all the elite from New York City go to spend their summers. The setting is nothing short of breathtaking. I felt like I was right there as the waves crashed up on the shore. The characters are all very well depicted. It’s a story you will fall in love with. I’ll warn you, tissues will be needed. This is definitely one that I will be adding to my home library. I would like to thank Beatrice Jason from St. Martin’s Press for inviting me to read an early copy and NetGalley for supplying me with the arc. I really believe this is a book you won’t want to miss out on, and I think it would make a fantastic movie!

Nicola Harrison's debut takes place in 1938, a turbulent time in history, where dark clouds hint of a world war to come, she explores the stifling expectations and roles of women at the time and a story that is revealing of the class inequalities of the period, the differences in the vacuous inconsequential lives of the rich and the more precarious lives of those that are poor, or making more modest livings. It is set in the spectacular natural beauty of the small fishing village of Montauk, Long Island, known for its hurricanes, where for 3 months has the wealthy elite of New York City descend on it. Hoping to rekindle her marriage to Harry, Beatrice Bordeaux is staying amongst the high society wives at The Montauk Manor, a coastal hotel. Beatrice has been desperate for a child in her 5 year marriage, but there has been an increasing distance between the couple. Harry, however, has other plans, he is spending most of his time back in New York.

Beatrice has little in common with the high society women, and they do little to welcome her. Beneath the glamour and fashion, these ghastly rich wives may have children, but have little to do with their care, they are marked by their dissatisfaction, rivalries, bigotry, the propensity to judge, are small minded, gossipy and with an overwhelming arrogance and air of superiority when it comes to the locals. Beatrice feels a sense of dislocation and finds these women of little interest, instead begins to connect with some of the locals, such as Elizabeth, the hotel's laundress, who reminds her of her more modest past life and the person she used to be and Thomas, the lighthouse keeper, the polar opposite of Harry as a man, and to whom she feels drawn. Unsavoury aspects of Harry's life spill out, leaving Beatrice stranded amidst the wreckage of her marriage, a consequence of the life she has chosen, and hopes for a life that is more true to who she is.

Beatrice is pushed to discover just how strong and resilient she can be in her efforts to become a more independent woman. Harrison evokes this historical period beautifully, its fashion, and with its attendant social norms and attitudes, the class inequalities, and its antisemitism. For me, I particularly appreciated the great sense of location, and the depiction of the beauty of Montauk, and the locals that inhabit the place, who share little in common with the rich that flood the village. I found this an enjoyable, light and entertaining read, and I was drawn to the character of Beatrice, the trials she faced, her changing sense of identity and the quandry of facing up to what she desires. Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

There were several things to love about Nicola Harrison's debut novel, Montauk. The time period, setting, and descriptions of the inequities between the haves and the have not's are rich. The characters evoked strong feelings; I hated Harry since page 3, and loved Dolly through and through. I cheered for the protagonist as she gained confidence, and was captivated by her budding career as a journalist. I didn't read any reviews prior to diving into the book, so I had (false) hope that hers was a story of a pioneer in the news business. I couldn't wait for the moment when she shed her nom de plume and revealed her talents to the world. So, I was a bit disappointed when the main story line was that of a classic love triangle. Readers who enjoy historical settings and romantic story lines are sure to enjoy Montauk.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel had potential to be an excellent read. It had forbidden love, glamorous parties, and a dash of mystery. However, the romance between Harry and Beatrice felt forced. I also thought the plot was very slow-moving. Still, I recommend this for fans of Next Year in Havana, A Hundred Summers, and Sunbway Girls.

In the summer of 1938, the place for wealthy Manhattanites to be was the small fishing village of Montauk, on Long Island. Beatrice Bordeaux’s husband Harry, along with other investors, had a plan to upgrade and develop the area, in the hope of bringing in more tourist business and thereby getting richer. Left to her own devices during the week, with a crowd of society women where she didn’t really fit in, Beatrice begins befriending the locals, to the chagrin of some of the more powerful women. Husbands were never there during the week; they took the train out on Fridays to see their wives and children.

Soon Beatrice develops an attraction to Thomas, one of the lighthouse keepers, and when he is injured she stays with him to care for him. However, it’s impossible to keep a secret in Montauk, and Beatrice is soon forced to make several difficult choices.

Beatrice was really out of her depth with the more catty society women, and I appreciated that she was depicted as a caring and loving person, as it provided a nice contrast. I enjoyed the story, and felt it was well written as to time and place.