Thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Chip Cheek for the opportunity to read this debut novel. I'll admit I was drawn to this book because of its location - Cape May, New Jersey. My family and I spent a week's vacation there once and I have such fond memories of all the painted lady houses and quaint shops.
Set in the 1950s, Henry and Effie are very young newlyweds, both virgins, when they decide to head to Cape May for their honeymoon. Effie had a relative with a house there and remembers fondly the bustling town. However, when they arrive, it's September and it's more like a ghost town. Henry and Effie are shy with each other, Effie is sorely disappointed with the town, and they are ready to head back to Georgia when they notice a party going on in a house down the street. They find out it's someone that Effie remembers from her youth there - Clara was older and somewhat mean to Effie then. Clara is there with her lover, Max, and his sister, Alma. Soon the group is inseparable and they spend their days drinking, sailing and partying. Henry and Effie are enthralled with what they feel is the sophistication of the group, so different from their country lifestyle. Then Henry becomes enchanted with Alma, things happen at a party, and life is never the same.
Filled with plenty of sex scenes, most of these characters were hard to like, especially Henry. It does harken back to a time of double standards for behavior between the exes (or is it still happening?).
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