Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

☆☆☆☆☆
ebook, 316 pages
Expected publication: July 7th 2020 by Simon & Schuster
About the Book:
Atlantic City, 1934. Every summer, Esther and Joseph Adler rent their house out to vacationers escaping to “America’s Playground” and move into the small apartment above their bakery. Despite the cramped quarters, this is the apartment where they raised their two daughters, Fannie and Florence, and it always feels like home. Now Florence has returned from college, determined to spend the summer training to swim the English Channel, and Fannie, pregnant again after recently losing a baby, is on bedrest for the duration of her pregnancy. After Joseph insists they take in a mysterious young woman whom he recently helped emigrate from Nazi Germany, the apartment is bursting at the seams. Esther only wants to keep her daughters close and safe but some matters are beyond her control: there’s Fannie’s risky pregnancy—not to mention her always-scheming husband, Isaac—and the fact that the handsome heir of a hotel notorious for its anti-Semitic policies, seems to be in love with Florence. When tragedy strikes, Esther makes the shocking decision to hide the truth—at least until Fannie’s baby is born—and pulls the family into an elaborate web of secret-keeping and lies, bringing long-buried tensions to the surface that reveal how quickly the act of protecting those we love can turn into betrayal. Based on a true story and told in the vein of J. Courtney Sullivan’s Saints for All Occasions and Anita Diamant’s The Boston Girl, Beanland’s family saga is a breathtaking portrait of just how far we will go to in order to protect our loved ones and an uplifting portrayal of how the human spirit can endure—and even thrive—after tragedy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but even more so getting to know the Adler family. The sweet, honest, sometimes heart-wrenching stories of the family's life made me feel like I was sitting talking to my own family. So many great characters. Although it is set in the early 20th century, it was easy to relate to the characters and what they were going through. Rachel Beanland has a unique way of bringing out all of her characters personalities. You feel that you know them and can predict how they will react to life situations. I love that this book had so many strong beautiful women in this novel.

This was such a wonderful book. Rachel Beanland is a wonderful story teller. I was mesmerized by the characters. I read this book in a single sitting because I couldn't wait to turn the page to find out what is going to happen to the Adler family. The chapters are longer than most other books but it didn't feel that way as I zipped through the pages. If you like historical fiction you must read this book...I couldn't put this book down, and cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Rachel Beanland for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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