Thank you, reading gods, for smiling down on me several weeks in a row. I know this means I might be in for a big group of duds later, but that’s totally fine…

This week’s featured book is “Montauk” by debut novelist Nicola Harrison and it’s fabulous in all the right ways. To call it a “beach book” might be an offensive term in High Brow Importantville Literary World, but I personally love to read this sort of tale when I’m on vacation and the beach-y setting is perfection. Think of it as a beach book with depth.

Set in Montauk, Long Island, New York in 1938, “Montauk” is the story of young Beatrice Bordeaux.

Beatrice is originally from a hard-working, middle-class family in a small town in Pennsylvania where she and her brother Charlie have a very normal life. Once Beatrice goes to college, major changes occur and eventually transport her to a world she never imagined. She marries into an affluent New York family which places her in Montauk “summering”  at the Montauk Manor with all the other glamorous wives, children, and nannies.

What I loved about this book:

• Just the right amount of historic details to satisfy my HFF (Historic Fiction Fix)
• Fantastic character development – interesting, quirky and “spicey” people
• Montauk is the setting, and it plays a major role in the book
• Issues of class, women’s roles and the consequences of choices are examined
  

If I really enjoy a story, sometimes I’ll google some of the events and locations mentioned and I confirmed many of the events in the story, as well as interesting details about the English Tudor style Montauk Manor hotel itself.  In the late 1930s, this hotel was considered to be the gold standard of luxury. And yes, you can get a room and stay there, like, right now.

If you need one good book for your beach bag, get “Montauk”. Release date is June 4, so you may want to go ahead and pre-order it. Enjoy!