Florence Adler Swims Forever, Rachel Beanland
Florence Adler Swims Forever, Rachel Beanland
7 Rating(s)
List: $25.99 | Sale: $18.20
Club: $12.99

Florence Adler Swims Forever

Author: Rachel Beanland

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

Unabridged: 10 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/07/2020


Synopsis

“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.

About Rachel Beanland

Rachel Beanland is the author of Florence Adler Swims Forever, which won the National Jewish Book Award for Debut Fiction. 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 family in Richmond, Virginia.

About Gabra Zackman

Gabra Zackman knows romance. Her clever and “thrilling romantic caper” (Library Journal) Bod Squad series was inspired by the more than one hundred romance and women’s fiction titles she has narrated for audio. She divides her time between her native New York City and Denver, Colorado.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Will on May 07, 2025

Florence was not on that boat, would never arrive in France. He would not find her on the shores of the English Channel or at the Hygeia [pool] or even on the beaches of Atlantic City. He looked over at Stuart, who was openly weeping as he watched the boat disappear from view. Maybe Joseph’s daug......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader on October 01, 2020

I absolutely loved this story. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Thank you to Simon Books for the gifted copy. Florence Adler Swims Forever was the perfect book to end summer with. Set in Atlantic City just before World War II, I loved so much about this dear story. If you haven’t heard the premise, the character in th......more

Goodreads review by Michelle on July 08, 2020

4.5 that I’m rounding up. I don't quite know what is holding me back from giving this five stars, but I suspect with some time I will come back and adjust it up. This was a beautifully written and executed book and will be in my top books of the year post for sure. I loved the family saga aspect, I......more


Quotes

"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."