The setting is Southampton, Long Island in the 1950’s, and the story outlines the social changes happening as women begin to want more for themselves. Everleigh is from a wealthy family, and at 23, is feared to be an old maid. When she meets Roland, and quickly gets engaged, she does not foresee how their relationship will sour, as she learns the truth about him. At the same time, she is rediscovering her love for photography and meets a famous photographer who becomes her mentor. I recommend this piece of historical fiction and thank NetGalley for the ARC.

When Everleigh is taken to Southampton by her dashing fiancee Roland, she is ecstatic - her parents are letting her weekend away with the man she loves (it’s 1957, btw) and the drive is beautiful. However, upon arrival, Roland surprises her with a hotel he has named after her. Everleigh tries to smother her disappointment - how could Roland suspect how miserable Everleigh had been growing up in hotels consumed by her mother’s depression? But then, opening weekend, a terrible tragedy befalls Roland, Everleigh and the hotel. With the tragedy, Everleigh starts to question everything she thought she wanted in life and things begin to spiral out of control in this picture perfect setting.

This was a slow simmer - I didn’t love the characters, including Everleigh at first. But perhaps that was the point? Ultimately I was dragged into the mystery and the gossip among the rich and powerful Hamptonites. And Everleigh had me rooting for her to find herself.

This was a suffocating look at how women were treated in the 1950s. I enjoyed the story a lot, but the details were all too real.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I loved On Gin Lane for so, so many reasons. Firstly, Brooke Lea Foster is an impeccable writer. Her tone is incredibly engaging and enchanting—from the first sentence, I was completely hooked. I felt totally immersed in the world and time period of the characters in On Gin Lane, and I was especially enchanted when Foster introduced Marilyn Monroe into the narrative. As a lifelong Monroe fan, I loved being able to see her depicted in the novel as she really was in love—an intellectual, emotional, thoughtful woman who was not allowed to be a whole person due to the nature of her profession.

I'm not typically the type of person to really love historical fiction, but what Foster was able to accomplish in On Gin Lane completely transcends the genre. It didn't feel like these events were taking place in a different period, they felt as though they were taking place to real people who I really knew. It's the type of book that captures your mind, your imagination, and your heart. It's the perfect summer beach read, but really, I can see myself coming back to On Gin Lane many, many times over.

The Hamptons + the 1950s + finding your place in the world? I'm all in!

I love books about New York socialites during this time period and this one is glamorous, colorful and secret-filled. The characters are well-developed and the writing is evocative of another time and a beautiful place with a bit of a mystery thrown in. If you're looking for a great beach read, this is it!

Thanks to Gallery books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Sipping a bellini by the pool in your giant sun hat is a great way to enjoy this frothy summer read. Foster does a great job of setting this story in its (very glamorous) time and place. I was frustrated with Lee in the beginning but she quickly begins to follow her own suspicions and trust her gut. A lot the characters were one dimensional but they worked as foils for Lee’s coming of age. There was one part of the plot that made me roll my eyes but overall this was a fun, summer pick on par with Elin Hilenbrand or Beatriz Williams.

In 1957. New York City socialite Everleigh “Lee” Farrows is whisked off to the Hamptons with her handsome fiancé, Roland, to open his new hotel named in her honor; but when an opening night fire destroys the hotel, it also burns down the glamorous façade surrounding the lives of the wealthy society that spend their summers there and opens a new path to Lee’s future.

As the summer gets rolling, the mystery around the fire, her coming marriage to Roland, and expectations of who she truly wants to be, unfolds at the beautiful seaside resorts of the rich and famous. When Lee gets a chance to explore her talent for photography, her world opens and she is given the chance to shed her status, resolve her family struggles and begin a career that never seemed possible for little Lee, growing up at the Plaza in NYC.

What a great summer read to explore the shores of the Hamptons, taste the islands bounty, and mingle with the society at the Clubs. Brooke Lea Foster gives you all that and more in On Gin Lane!

I read Summer Darlings by Brooke Lea Foster and liked it so when I saw this new book set in 1957 and read a description of it, I knew that I had to read it. A big thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reading copy of it for my honest review.

Everleigh (Lee) Farrows grew up with her wealthy parents in the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Her mother has struggled with mental health issues her whole life and Lee’s childhood was often lonely. Her parents want her to marry a wealthy man, settle down and have children but after a failed engagement, Lee is in a bit of a bind. Her ex has been spreading rumors about her and her mother’s mental illness has cast a shadow over her life. The eligible young men in her social circle aren’t interested in her now. When she meets handsome, wealthy Roland Whittaker, everything changes. After a whirlwind romance they become engaged and her parents buy them a house. After years of living in a hotel, Lee can’t wait to marry Roland, move into their new house and start their new life together,

However, in June Roland takes her to Southampton for a surprise. He is building a giant waterfront hotel on prestigious Gin Lane and is naming it the Everleigh Hotel after her. Roland thinks that she will be thrilled to spend her days drinking cocktails by the pool and socializing with her wealthy, snobbish friends from Manhattan. She is less than thrilled but decides to go along with Roland’s hotel for the summer and then they can move into their new house.

When the opening of the hotel is a disaster and things start to go wrong, Lee begins to see some things about Roland that she has never noticed. She can’t afford to be a social outcast with another failed engagement and she won’t get her inheritance until she marries so what can she do? As her relationship with Roland continues to deteriorate, Lee begins to discover her own voice and what she really wants to do with her life.

On Gin Lane was an enjoyable read and the setting in Southampton pulled me right into the story. If you enjoy historical fiction set in the 1950’s with a bit of a mystery, you should like On Gin Lane as much as I did.

Lee is living her dreams with her perfect future husband, the vision of how her life will turn out when her fiancé gives her the greatest gift of living in a beautiful home on Gin Lane. She is battling the memories of her childhood and trying to work through not letting them damage her love of this space. But as things unravel as summer begins she is dragged back into the memories of her past.

A beautiful thrilling read that is perfect for a beach getaway!

The promise of glistening shores and a glamorous summer in Southampton set in the 50’s pulled me right in. It was a story rich with characters and ripe with women learning to break through the limitations set on them by society. Full of self exploration and life-altering choices this book was a joy to read!

Special thanks to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the ARC.

On Gin Lane, by Brooke Lea Foster, is a fun historical fiction read, perfect for the summer. A strong female character who's struggling to find herself, an investigation, and a 1950s Hamptons setting, combine for a great story that you will not want to put down. Who can you trust? Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review will be posted on 6/9/22

Everleigh "Lee" Farrows grew up living a lavish life in New York City. The year is 1957 and there's not many options for her. She must marry well or fall into the oblivion, essentially banished from high society. Her parents are thankful though, because she is engaged to Roland Whittaker, who comes from a well off family. Before they marry, he takes her to the Hamptons in the summer and gives her an early wedding present. It's just your run-of-the-mill present. He bought her a hotel and named it after her. While this may seem somewhat romantic, Lee is a bit perplexed as this isn't really what she wants, but she goes along with it. During the opening weekend of the hotel, there is a fire that is absolutely devastating. It leaves Roland with nothing but to collect insurance money and rebuild. However, upon investigation, things aren't looking like your basic hotel fire. Was there foul play? Meanwhile, Lee and Roland have set up shop at a cottage on the property and Lee is trying to figure out where she belongs all while bankrolling Roland's operations. Things are looking pretty grim for Lee until she meets a professional photographer and she starts to work with her, much to her parents and Roland's dismay. On Gin Lane by Brooke Lea Foster is a historical beach read with such an immersive setting, I felt I was there and the novel also includes a mystery that kept me flipping the pages.

Lee was such an interesting character in On Gin Lane. I liked that she didn't settle for an easy life. She could have chosen the conventional path, but her heart pulled her to photography. While at the Hamptons, she gets a job with a professional photographer and her world opens up even further. There's more to life than rebuilding the hotel, rubbing elbows with rich people, having drinks by the pool, and attending fancy dinners. She wants more for herself and I felt for her as she tried to branch away from her parents' expectations (as well as her trust fund) and Roland's control. Lee uses this summer as a summer of self-discovery and I was here for it, even if I wanted her to run as far away from Roland as possible.

Which leads me to Roland in On Gin Lane. I mean I could see where he was coming from a mile away and I did not like it. I felt like he was using Lee for her money to fund his hotel and he did not deserve her, especially when he started spending time with other women. When the police realize that there may have been foul play regarding the fire, I was totally glued to the investigation.

There is a bit of a mystery in On Gin Lane. Foster, just as she did in Summer Darlings, provides readers with a compelling mystery which definitely elevates this from a traditional beach read. I was dying to know who set the fire and their motive. I had my suspicions, but Foster unravels the story very well. Also, I really appreciated the historical Hamptons setting and Foster's ability to make the time period come to life. I felt like I was living in the late 1950s and the setting of a beach front hotel was spot-on. She made it very atmospheric.

So, if you love your beach reads with a side of a strong mystery, definitely pick up On Gin Lane this summer. Have you read Foster's Summer Darlings? Is this book on your TBR list? Have you read it already? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Brooke Lea Foster for this ARC.

Loved it!

1956, what's a woman to do? Why, exactly what she's told, that's what!

Everleigh thinks not. And during a summer in The Hamptons she grows to learn the word "no," and to believe in herself.

Great book!

It’s 1956 and Everleigh “Lee” Farrows knows exactly what she should do. Marry well, have children and entertain in her social circle. She also knows exactly what she wants to do. Study photography, take pictures and have them published. These conflicting choices are resolved over the course of one summer in the Hamptons.

At 23, Lee already has one broken engagement. Most eligible young men are already married and her parents are getting desperate. When a chance meeting with Roland Whittaker turns into an engagement, she thinks her dreams have come true. Not all dreams are good ones, she learns after Roland surprises her with an unusual engagement gift. He’s built a luxury hotel in the Hamptons and expects her to move in. For many reasons, this doesn’t happen and Lee and Roland move into a small cottage where she practices homemaking skills, spends a lot of time alone and realizes that Roland may be more attracted to her trust fund than to her.

On Gin Lane is a beautifully written story of a time in the past where women had assigned roles, work outside the home was rare and were expected to follow the wishes of their parents and then their husbands. Lee accepts this, then questions it and finally breaks out on her own. On her journey, she learns what she wants for herself. It’s a joy to read. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Brooke Lea Foster for this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Rich people behaving badly, but in the 1950's, one of my favorite time periods to read about. I loved Everleigh, the main character, who is flawed and still hopeful. She wants more to life than the typical New York socialite. I was rooting for her throughout the book as she navigated her way with a bratty fiancé who only seems to be with her for her money, and as she falls in love with her own independence, working for a female photographer and spending the summer in a tiny cabin, learning to cook for herself. This is perfect for a beach day, set on the beach in the Hamptons. There's a mystery involved as we try to figure out who burned down the hotel her fiancé had built for her.I enjoyed this and think it will be a hit this summer!

Hamptons in the summer- I like stories with strong female characters and this is one. Taking a while to believe in herself and do what she wants to do, not what is expected. Not only is this about a woman coming of age, it's also a mystery that keeps you guessing till the end. I did find the story was a tad too long and I got more into it after the issue at the hotel. A worthwhile summer read. Thanks to NetGalley for the book.

LOVED this chic summer read. A little mystery and a lot of vintage glam, Foster is a new favorite author!

I really enjoyed this novel, which I wasn't too surprised about, seeing as I have heard such wonderful things about this author.
The book follows Everleigh, a young woman in her 20's trying to take her "proper" place in society as a married woman; except she isn't married. To her parents dismay and embarrassment, she has yet to get married; although she has been engaged. Then she meets the man of her dreams, Roland Whitaker, the heir to the Whitaker family fortune; at least that's what he tells her.
Roland builds a hotel in her name, as a wedding gift, so he says, and then it promptly burns to the ground under suspicious circumstances. Roland then starts to let out his real personality, and Everleigh hers. It just so happens they don't agree on who Everleigh wants to be in her life. Everleigh starts to live her life to the fullest, and that isn't to everyone's satisfaction, but for once her own. Not everyone is happy about it, but for once Everleigh listens to her heart and starts to follow her dreams.
This is definitely a story of a woman who is retaliating against society norms.

A delightful historical fiction book perfect for a summer read in the Hamptons or wherever you vacation. Brooke Lea Foster has done it again with her newest book and I give it 5 stars.

I really enjoyed Brooke Lea Foster's first book, SUMMER DARLINGS, and I was excited to read her newest novel set in the 1950s Hamptons (one of my dream destinations). A few things up front: this cover is stunning and quintessential summer in my opinion; I love the dialogue in this book; any Marilyn Monroe appearance is appreciated.

This book is the perfect historical fiction to put in your beach bag and head to the sandy shores of the ocean, salty air through your hair as you move from the beach to dinner on a patio, champagne flute in hand. This story wasn't exactly what I expected, which actually made for a pleasant reading experience because I was surprised. It has a bit more of a mystery element than I anticipated and I enjoyed Everleigh's character development. It felt like an elevated Agatha Christie novel in terms of the plot but told through a modern lens.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story and would recommend the novel to historical fiction readers looking for the perfect summer read.