An epic and cinematic novel by debut author Nicola Harrison, Montauk captures the glamour and extravagance of a summer by the sea with the story of a woman torn between the life she chose and the life she desires. Montauk, Long Island, 1938. For three months, this humble fishing village will serve as the playground for New York City’s wealthy elite. Beatrice Bordeaux was looking forward to a … Beatrice Bordeaux was looking forward to a summer of reigniting the passion between her and her husband, Harry. Instead, tasked with furthering his investment interest in Montauk as a resort destination, she learns she’ll be spending twelve weeks sequestered with the high society wives at The Montauk Manor–a two-hundred room seaside hotel–while Harry pursues other interests in the city.
College educated, but raised a modest country girl in Pennsylvania, Bea has never felt fully comfortable among these privileged women, whose days are devoted not to their children but to leisure activities and charities that seemingly benefit no one but themselves. She longs to be a mother herself, as well as a loving wife, but after five years of marriage she remains childless while Harry is increasingly remote and distracted. Despite lavish parties at the Manor and the Yacht Club, Bea is lost and lonely and befriends the manor’s laundress whose work ethic and family life stir memories of who she once was.
As she drifts further from the society women and their preoccupations and closer toward Montauk’s natural beauty and community spirit, Bea finds herself drawn to a man nothing like her husband -stoic, plain spoken and enigmatic. Inspiring a strength and courage she had almost forgotten, his presence forces her to face a haunting tragedy of her past and question her future.
Desperate to embrace moments of happiness, no matter how fleeting, she soon discovers that such moments may be all she has, when fates conspire to tear her world apart…
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3.5/5
Montauk is located on the eastern tip of Long Island, and this book is set in 1938. It is the story of Beatrice Bordeaux, a married 27-year-old Manhattan socialite and her fateful 3 1/2 months summering there that will change her life forever.
There are lots of issues running through this book…social class differences (both economically and ethnically), gender inequality, infidelities, etc. At the heart of it is how a grieving young woman, grasping at an advantageous match in an effort to pull herself back into life, ultimately realizes her naivety about the choices she’s made. She has to decide if she has the courage to reach deep, remember who she is and commit to what she wants in life.
I had mixed feelings about this story. While I rooted for Beatrice to come into her own, she had a few moments of snideness and made a few decisions that weren’t well thought out, and I often ended up wanting to throttle her. And unfortunately the ending was fairly predictable as well.
Thanks to #BookedUpAllNight and @StMartinsPress for providing the ARC! The opinions are strictly my own.
Loved it! Great story based on a real story. Those were some scary times in history.
Beatrice is to spend the summer on Montauk, a high society resort outside NYC. She is planning on reconnecting with her husband and hopefully becoming pregnant. Nothing goes as planned. She discovers her husbands infidelities and realizes her life is not exactly what she expected.
I enjoyed this time period and the setting. Who doesn’t like leisurely (entitled) ladies spending a summer at the beach? But, I understand why Beatrice started to expand her horizons. These society ladies would get on anybody’s nerves. Beatrice inserts herself into the life of the laundry lady. This leads her to the light house. And to an attraction she never expected.
I applaud Beatrice! She does not let society rule her thoughts and actions. She is smart and uses her abilities to change her stars.
I enjoyed this novel. I just felt it was a little wordy and moved a little slow. But, isn’t this cover wonderful!
I received this novel from St. Martin’s Press for a honest review.
Favorite Quotes:
As we drove up the tight and winding road, tree branches reached overhead toward each other like lovers’ hands desperate to connect…
I’d felt paranoid that everyone already knew about Harry’s philandering. How could they not? Women talked and Harry, apparently, was about as discreet with his affairs as a pack of rats going through a dumpster.
Sometimes I yearned for that forever feeling—those hours that stretched into days and days into a week, without a thought for tomorrow. It was simple then. We wore swimsuits all day long and we slept long and deeply at night, eager for it all to start again the next day, never thinking for a second that another day wouldn’t come.
“What’s important in situations like these is that you find a way to relax and nature will most certainly take its course.” … He jotted these thoughts down on a prescription pad, tore off the page and handed it to me. “Take this seriously,” he said. “It’s your duty to your husband and to America.”
As a kid anything seemed possible; in the real world, though, nothing was. Youth gave us an inflated sense of possibility, that you could achieve anything if you really went for it, but it felt as if you’d have to fight your whole life to get there, and most of us just got married and had children.
My Review:
This beautifully written story was taut with tension and kept me on edge while I was mesmerized by the lushly descriptive and enticing writing style. The storylines were wincingly well crafted and easily believable. This emotive tale upended me, I was quickly sucked into a confining and misogynistic 1938 vortex, something I would typically avoid – but not this time – I couldn’t put it down. I am totally in awe; this debut author has major skills and a bright future ahead.
Lies, deceit, rampant infidelities, and the petty dramas of social climbing women marked the days and nights of the betrayed and deeply disappointed Beatrice, and in many ways, she was just as tarnished and culpable as the rest, although she saw the hypocrisy and at least felt some guilt about it. Apparently the entitled wealthy and social elite still existed and lived quite well throughout the Depression. These compelling characters were rather vile yet kept me holding my breath and gripping my kindle from the very beginning to the crescendo finish that nearly broke me and left me in definite need of a spa day.
Nicola Harrison’s debut novel takes us to Montauk, on Long Island, in 1938. The small village is starting to be transformed into a destination for New York’s rich and elite families to summer at beautiful Montauk Manor. The wives will spend their days with activities, while nannies take care of the children, and the husbands return from the city on weekends. Beatrice’s husband has decided that Montauk is the place to be, and Beatrice should spend her summer cultivating relationships with the other wives. Disappointed to find that they won’t be spending much-needed time together strengthening their relationship, Beatrice tries to fit in, hoping to show Harry she can be a partner and an asset in their marriage. Too soon, she realizes that she isn’t satisfied with her role. Her background as a lower-middle class girl, who went to college, has her seeking out friends that are more like her and a purpose that has her on a career-path that could ruin her socially if she’s found out. Her quest leads her to explore Montauk, and a friendship with the lighthouse keeper, and the realization that Harry has other plans while he is alone in the city, have Beatrice wondering whether this is the life for her or if there is more out there for her.
Harrison’s descriptions and writing made me feel as if I was in Montauk in 1938. The characters were interesting, and I found myself taken by Beatrice and her musings. It was enlightening to read about the differences between the privileged and the villagers, as well as the attitudes of the each toward the other. It was also eye-opening to see how they treated Jewish people during the time.
This book was a good one for me to find a cozy spot and get lost in; I found myself hurrying back to it. I enjoyed the read, and was even surprised by a couple twists that I didn’t see coming. This is a good one to add to your beach or travel bag.
#StMartinsPress #Montauk #NicolaHarrison
Montauk by Nicola Harrison is an interesting view of the lives of young professionals and their wives in 1938. The wife of Harry Bordeaux, Beatrice, writes Montauk in first person. Beatrice has been married for several years and is totally out of her social sphere with this marriage. Montauk is just getting off the ground as a vacation spot on Long Island where she is to spend the summer, with her husband joining her only on weekends, like so many of the husbands of the women around her.
Montauk is a heart-wrenching window into a time when women’s lives were much more regimented than they are now. Expectations were high. Rewards were few. Men could do as they pleased. Women could not. a place in society was everything. Not every woman’s place was the same as Beatrice’s but the principal remains in place. Beatrice was a wonderful character who reached out for life and grabbed it where she could. Her life is a lesson, even today, for those women who strive to be what they are not. I loved it. I highly recommend Montauk.
I received a free ARC of Montauk. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
Montauk is the story of Beatrice. Beatrice is a country girl who married into wealth. At first happy in her marriage, Bea notices a rift in her marriage. Along with the fracture, Bea has failed to conceive a child, and that drives them further apart. So when Harry tells Bea that they will be taking a summer-long trip to Montauk Manor, she is thrilled. She thinks that they can grow close again and a child will happen. But that isn’t in the cards. Harry decides that he will work in the city while Bea stays at the Manor during the week. He’ll come and visit on the weekend. Feeling out of place, Bea strikes up a friendship with the manor’s laundress. Who in turn introduces her to Thomas, the head lightkeeper. As Bea’s feelings for Thomas grows, she realizes that she must make a choice. What will happen? What will Bea’s decision be? And can she survive the consequences?
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Montauk when I read the blurb. To me, it screamed spoiled rich girl has an affair, and there are consequences. Then I started reading. And let me tell you, this book is anything than what I thought. I was surprised by this book.
I liked Bea even if she did annoy me during parts of the book. I loved her determination to make her marriage work. I liked that she didn’t care what the other women at the Manor thought about her. But, as I mentioned at the beginning of the paragraph, she annoyed me. She overstepped her bounds when it came to Elizabeth and Thomas. She let the other women in the Manor dictate what she should do the first half of the book. And the big thing, she didn’t confront Harry about his affairs until the end of the book.
I did figure out about Harry cheating early in the book. He was in love with Bea, but he was chomping at the bit to get back to Manhattan. When it was validated, I was surprised that Bea didn’t say something to him. But, that was how it was back then. Men could do whatever they wanted with whomever they wanted, and the women took it.
I was surprised when the author chose to have Bea and Thomas start a relationship while married. While two wrongs don’t make a right, I do think that Bea deserved to be happy. And Thomas made her happy. But she was torn between Harry and Thomas. I was on pins and needles about who she was going to choose.
You will need tissues when reading the end of the book. I was surprised at what happened between Harry and Bea. Very surprised. I was also surprised by the news that Bea had. I mentally went “Yikes, how is she going to deal with THAT.” The very end of the book had me sobbing. Let’s say that it was not a happy ending. Which was surprising and refreshing.
I can hear the waves splashing and feel the warm sun of this beautiful novel! The descriptive writing is rich in detail and draws me completely in to the life of the rich and the locals. The gossips and intrigued were entertaining! This is a lovely debut and a new author to follow and love!
I love the era between the Great Depression and World War II. Watching our country rise up out of the ashes and gain the strength to fight another world war never ceases to amaze me. It was during this time that the divide between social classes deepened and became crystal clear as the wealthy continued to live their lavish lifestyles while the lower classes struggled to survive. It is this divide that is the foundation of Montauk.
Montauk is a small costal town on Long Island that has become a glamorous summer retreat, with a stunning manor that many Manhattanites flocked to the summer of 1938. Beatrice Bordeaux is one of the privileged wives who found herself enjoying the beauty of Montauk that summer, but Beatrice feels discontented with her life, this displeasure deepening as the days of summer flutter by.
Beatrice’s fight for empowerment, to find her true self, to break social barriers and fight for women’s rights in this male-dominated society was by far my favorite part of this novel. I loved watching Beatrice blossom into a strong woman with a voice all her own, breaking away from her shy, people-pleasing ways, and standing up for herself and what she believed in.
Reading about the beautiful details of Montauk, the writing capturing my imagination, was also pleasurable, but the novel does have a slow start, some of the characters weren’t well developed, and much of the plot and language was highly offensive to me since I prefer cleaner reads. It was these faults that had me torn, wanting to like this debut novel but the flaws overpowered it for me personally. If things like language, affairs, and steamy romances do not bother you I believe you will enjoy Montauk.
*I have reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are completely honest, and my own.
MONTAUK tells the tale of young wife Beatrice and her life changing summer in Montauk in 1938. Lonely and lacking purpose in her life, she does not quite fit in with the other society wives enjoying their summer playground, waiting for their husbands to come down from New York City each weekend. Bea soon befriends Elizabeth, a local who takes care of the Manor’s laundry, which leads to Bea meeting lighthouse keeper Thomas with whom she shares an unexpected connection.
I expected MONTAUK to be historical fiction, but it is really romance with a touch of women’s fiction thrown in so I might not be the target audience for Harrison’s debut. That said, it is a diverting, if predictable, snapshot of the contrast between the “haves and the have nots” in the late nineteen thirties. The ending, though a bit of a surprise, left me wanting more. Bea is interesting and kind, but, even though she did not grow up wealthy, she is a bit naive concerning her own actions and their consequences. At times, I want to shake her, but I do acknowledge that she is representative of a young woman of her era. Most of the characters, the society ladies, are unpleasant, shallow, and myopic, but I really admire Dolly and enjoy Thomas.
MONTAUK is a good summer read, especially for readers drawn to weightier romances.
I received a generous ARC of this title through NetGalley from St. Martin’s Press. The thoughts and opinions are my own.
As seductive as Downton Abbey, with the glamour of Gatsby and the soul of Virginia Woolf, Montauk is a spectacular debut.
Slip this engaging love affair into your beach bag and prepare to get lost in this glittering tale of love, betrayal and social climbing in a newly fashionable 1930s seaside village.
Montauk is a debut novel by Nicola Harrison, but you wouldn’t know it was her first book by reading it. It’s an incredibly well-written and romantic Gatsby-esque novel that I was enthralled by. Even though the story is quite different from The Great Gatsby, it gave me very similar feels. I could easily imagine it unfold on a big screen.
I was captivated by Bea’s story from the first page and could not stop reading it. I thought this book was perfection up until the last few pages. I must say I feel conflicted about how the story ended, it was not quite what I expected. I would’ve given this book five stars but the ending knocked it down to four. I still think this book is exquisite and I cannot wait to read more from this author.
This book was very interesting. It covers lots of issues (gender roles, religion, class, fertility etc.) Set in 1938 in Montauk, NY at the very tip of Long Island in a high end luxury resort, it highlights the issues of then that are still issues today. We don’t learn very easily, do we?! The setting is to die for and the characters run the gamut from very entertaining to very boring to infuriating. There is romance, mystery and lots of subplots to keep you reading. All in all, a good piece of historical fiction.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.
“Beatrice, don’t you see what I’m saying? He needs people like me to come in and save him so he doesn’t go under completely. We’re going to help him. And you, my darling, by staying out here for the summer and getting to know Montauk, you’ll be an asset to me. We could be spending a lot of time here in the future; it’s important to me that you like it.” He took my face in his hands and he kissed me. “I want you to be with me on this, Beatrice, in every way; can you do that for me?”
These days , we look back at 1938 and laugh sometimes. In a world where women were still eye candy and were perceived as they didn’t have the brains to do much of anything, Beatrice questions why Harry wants her to stay at the seaside Montauk Manor all summer while he commutes back to New York City. They can’t afford to stay there; can they? Sure it’s really nice, but Beatrice doesn’t come from the “monied set”. Will she “fit in?”.
Beatrice is bored. She and Harry have tried for years to have a baby. Maybe this summer idle will resolve that. However, Harry’s spending more time in the City than with her. Not impressed wth “the girls around the pool” she makes friends with Elizabeth, who works as a laundress at the Manor. Through her she finds the workers on the Island much more to her liking.
This “summer read,”romance novel” draws us into the sociology of the world of the thirties dressed in the wildness of Montauk, which certainly becomes a character in and of itself. Nicole Harrison certainly writes a compelling book. It is quite readable and descriptive…at times uncomfortable, but entertaining. Recommended 4/5
[ I received this book from NetGalley and chose to review it]
Montauk by Nicola Harrison gives us a look into American society in the early 1900s. In 1938 the wealthy found a place other than Providence to summer. The destination was Montauk, Long Island. Here we encounter the wives of the wealthy who have escaped the city to enjoy the summer. The novel provides insight into the lives the women led and the limitations and expectations placed on them.
This is the story of one summer on Montauk and how the life of one woman was changed. It is the story of realization and a quest of overcoming and becoming; of love and loss, determination and survival. It is about realizing that you have lost yourself and the search to find your happiness. It is the story of finding what you what and the determination to follow that choice, no matter the consequences.
The story follows a young woman who thought she had made the right choices and was determined to make her marriage work until she was confronted with a betrayal she could not ignore. She begins to consider what she needs outside of what her husband expected, broke the rules and lived her life.
When I first heard the title of this book I thought it was the evolution of Montauk from a fishing village into the playground of the rich. It is not about that, although Montauk in 1938 plays a role as the setting for the novel. I realized the historical fiction was in the societal norms of the upper crust of society, their limited expectations of the women and the acceptance of the behavior of men.
I truly enjoyed this novel. It is well written story with many twists to the end. I became invested in the characters and was either charmed or repulsed by their behaviors. I highly recommend Nicola Harrison’s debut novel. It is a must read.
Thank you #Netgalley and #StMartinsPress for approving my request to read this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
Montauk by Nicola Harrison
Have visited the area in the 80’s to see a Lyme disease doctor so didn’t spend a lot of time there but holds special memories for us.
Book starts out with driving the roads along the water edge, many of the cottages are magnificent.
The couple has had other friends who’ve stayed in the area in the summer and the inn has lots of events planned.
Beatrice and Harry had planned this trip for a while. He is a Bordeaux and he has to provide for her. He will work and live in the city and come down on weekends to spend with her.
Sounds like a fun outdoorsy place, just what we’d be looking for…they are bypassing Providence and Newport-places we live very close to to stay at Montauk.
Beatrice is left behind as her spouse heads back to the city-he doesn’t come back every weekend. She takes excursion with Dolly to her hat shop in the city and she knows when she walks into her apartment what’s happened there…
Over time she devotes her life to the true islanders and finds a special friend. Towards the end of the summer season she’s notified she’s pregnant…Harry thinks it’s his…
Knowing the date I had not expected what happens next but won’t spoil it for others-we also experienced it in RI-up the coast from this location-out of the blue, so devastating.
She has plans for her life but this event may have changed her mind. Lot of characters but easy to keep track of them all and there’s a lot of drama from all angles.
Love the parts where she’s able to help the islanders and charity work. Love how she stands up to Harry…
Enjoyed the read and especially the location and hearing of the locals and their life.
Received this review copy from a publicist via St. Martin’s Press from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#NetGalley
Beatrice and her husband, Harry, are going to spend the summer in Montauk at one of the most luxurious hotels of the time. As it turns out, Harry is too busy in the city to spend much time at the beach. Beatrice is left to find activities and attempt to forge friendships among New York’s rich. But she finds that the local people are interesting and she looks forward to spending time there. She encounters friendships, love, humiliation and more.
Montauk is an absolutely fabulous novel. It takes place in 1938 with all of the glory of being rich – the clothes, the food, the friendships – at that time. Ms. Harrison does not give us a white washed portrait of the 1930s wealthy. The book is interspersed with catty women, affairs, condescending men and pretentious wealth.
Ultimately, along with Beatrice we must face abuse, unwinnable choices, heartbreak, disaster and human kindness. I must admit that I cried at one point. Real tears – ugly crying. (Cannot say more or it would be a spoiler).
You must read this wonderful historical novel. I cannot say enough about it or give it enough stars. Nicola Harrison has joined the likes of Beatrice Williams and Kristin Hannah. I simply cannot wait for her next book.
I received an ARC from St. Martin Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.
I received an ARC of this book and enjoyed it very much. It had mystery, romance and a look into the world of the wealthy of the 1930’s. It gave a view of the early days of Montauk when it first became a summer resort area. The story and characters were well written and captivating. I couldn’t put it down!
Nicola Harrison, Author of “Montauk” has written an intense, suspenseful, thought-provoking, intriguing, emotional and captivating novel. The Genres for this novel are Domestic Fiction, Fiction, Women’s Fiction with a touch of Suspense thrown in. The timeline for this story is 1938 in Montauk. I love the author’s vivid description of the beach and sandy shore, and the cool beautiful water, and the lighthouse. The author describes the wealthy opulent hotel contrasted with the shacks that local residents live in. There is a contrast between the tourist and resident, and the rich and poor. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. Some of her characters are prejudiced and dysfunctional.
Beatrice Bordeau and her husband are spending their summer in Montauk, hopefully improving their marriage. That is Beatrice’s hope, only to find that her husband will be working mostly in the city and she is spending time with the other wives in Montauk. Beatrice comes from a simpler life and is not comfortable with the wives that flaunt their wealth, clothing, jewelry and mannerisms.
Beatrice feels more comfortable with the domestic help from the hotel and loves to see the fishing village and people. Beatrice is drawn to the beautiful lighthouse and views. Beatrice becomes friends with some of these people.
Things are not what they seem in Beatrice’s husband’s circle of friends. There are betrayals and threats. Some of the women are bullies.
Beatrice finds herself getting more involved with the resident’s and community problems and people. Only, Beatrice doesn’t realize the danger that she is in. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel. Be warned there are some Kleenex moments.