Florence Adler Swims Forever

By: Rachel Beanland

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Tim Paige, Carly Robins, Jonathan Todd Ross, Tara Sands, Jesse Vilinsky, Gabra Zackman, Rachel Beanland

“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.

Critic reviews

"Beanland's novel stands out as its nine deft narrators add multiple perspectives to the storytelling. The story unfolds in Atlantic City in 1934. Listeners meet a confident young lady, a grieving mother, a desperate Jewish refugee, a flailing husband, a perplexed sister, a distracted child, a despondent heir, and a frantic father who are all trying to navigate secrets, pride, and loss. When tragedy strikes, the narrators rise to the demands of depicting various degrees of coping as the characters navigate trying times. Authentic-sounding accents and even pacing add to the effectiveness of their performances. Listeners should not miss the author's note, in which Bean recounts her inspiration for this story."

Great story

This my first review...
I really liked the we story and the way they we novel flipped between characters. It is with ty he listen.

Uh This Atmosphere

I fell in love with just about every aspect of this story! I just wish there was another month of stories!!! Absolutely beautiful. While a part of the world was terrified, the rest of the world was just living with a shadow looming over them. This time period is the most heartbreaking!

Loved It

Was an amazing story, loved the different voices thru each character. Little Gussy was fun.

Loved It

This is one the best books I've listened to. The narration is perfect. The characters are all very well developed. I have my favorites, but there is something redeeming about even the not-so-likable characters. The story moves at a good pace. The story has some very sad parts, and they are addressed and very present; but the ending is happy, not sappy.

very good

I love when stories add some real history of the area the author is writing about.
Great story, a little predictable., but overall excellently written.