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    Florence Adler Swims Forever
    Florence Adler Swims Forever
    Florence Adler Swims Forever
    Audiobook10 hours

    Florence Adler Swims Forever

    Written by Rachel Beanland

    Narrated by Rachel Beanland, Jonathan Davis, Tim Paige and

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “The perfect summer read” (USA TODAY) begins with a shocking tragedy that results in three generations of the Adler family grappling with heartbreak, romance, and the weight of family secrets over the course of one summer.

    *A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice * One of USA TODAY’s “Best Books of 2020” * One of Good Morning America’s “25 Novels You'll Want to Read This Summer” * One of Parade’s “26 Best Books to Read This Summer”

    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.

    “Readers of Emma Straub and Curtis Sittenfeld will devour this richly drawn debut family saga” (Library Journal) that’s based on a true story and is a breathtaking portrayal of how the human spirit can endure—and even thrive—after tragedy.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateJul 7, 2020
    ISBN9781797107059
    Florence Adler Swims Forever
    Author

    Rachel Beanland

    Rachel Beanland is the author of the novel Florence Adler Swims Forever. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and earned her MFA in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University. She lives with her husband and three children in Richmond, Virginia. She has taught creative writing at the College of William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth University and is the 2023–2024 Writer in Residence at the University of Richmond.  

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    Reviews for Florence Adler Swims Forever

    4.5/5

    158 ratings11 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your family with me
    • 5/5
      Loved the book. Touching and real- showing what families and friends are willing to sacrifice to protect the ones they love. Characters in the audiobook are read by multiple, very competent actors/narrators. A very enjoyable listen. Will remember this story for a long time.
    • 5/5
      This was a rich story, and a fine portrait of a period in history peopled with believable characters. I appreciated insight into culture that isn’t my own. It was also romantic! I recommend this book. The audio book performance was great.
    • 4/5
      The characters were very well developed and even though much of the story was based on a sad event, it was an interesting read or listen. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting summer read with the setting of Atlantic City in the summer.
    • 5/5
      Best book I read this year. Especially the author’s note. Thanks, Rachel!
    • 5/5
      Excellent story and great voices that made the story appealing.
    • 5/5
      I must start by saying that I was inadvertently spoiled about the ending of the book, although it was self-inflicted since I chose to live-watch the B&N monthly book club session with author Rachel Beanland when I was just a third of the way in. And I STILL ENJOYED AND WAS SURPRISED BY AND WHOLLY LOVED THE BOOK! It’s rare when you roughly know the outline of events, yet find the character study - which this book was for me - so captivating that their actions and behaviors shock and surprise you. For anyone considering reading this, just know it’s about a Jewish family living in 1934 Atlantic City with a secret they choose to keep from a family member until the very end. That’s all you need to know, and even the surprising turn of events at the beginning of the novel (which the dust jacket unfortunately spoils too early) will hook you from the start.

      I’m not writing more about the plot as I think my experience of this being a 5-star read was largely due to my knowing almost nothing about the book (before the Facebook spoiler), and also by the wave of emotions the book invoked in me by the last few chapters.

      For any long-time Judy Blume fans, this book was a throwback for me to “Starring Sally J Freedman as Herself”, also about a Jewish family in a seaside town, albeit a decade later in the 1940’s. That was one of my most beloved books while growing up, so reading the “adult version” was a real treat.
    • 5/5
      Wow. Totally unexpected and beautiful. I love the author’s note at the end explaining that Florence was based on her grandmother’s aunt. Well worth the read (or in this case….the listen).
    • 4/5
      Finding out at the end how this was based on a real family made it even more enjoyable. Loved the glimpse into Atlantic City”s boardwalk.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful story, beautifully told. I especially enjoyed the bonus chapter at the end, where the author describes how this book was inspired by real characters and true events.
    • 5/5
      As a child that grew up along the Jersey shore, this well written book tickles alive happy memories down the shore. Each landmark described places me further into the lives of the well shaped characters in the book. A great beach read if you’re from the region or not.