ON GIN LANE by Brooke Lea Foster - Review & Giveaway

 


As a youngster growing up on Long Island, during spring and summer months my family would drive the hour and a half out east to visit The Hamptons – particularly Southampton. We’d drive around town, maybe take a walk and then get some ice-cream. But we knew behind those tall hedges, keeping us from sneaking a peek, were grand mansions dating back to when the Pilgrims landed in the New Land.

Southampton has always been the summer destination for wealthy New York City WASPs (White Anglo Saxton Protestants).  In her new novel, ON GIN LANE (GalleryBooks), Brooke Lea Foster whisks readers off to those sparkling beaches and behind those tall hedges.

It’s the summer of 1957 and Everleigh “Lee” Farrows thinks she has everything a girl could want. She has a handsome fiancé, a trust, a home in exclusive Bronxville for when she gets married and her Nikon S2. Her fiance, Roland gives Lee a surprise - a brand new hotel in her name, but not all of Southampton, including Lee is thrilled. For Lee it brings up unpleasant memories of growing up at another hotel, the Plaza and her mother’s mental illness. On the opening night of the hotel, there’s a fire which burns everything down. Roland thinks he will automatically get insurance money, but there are questions surrounding the cause.

ON GIN LANE takes readers to a beautiful location. We can smell the ocean, we are poolside for enjoying bellinis, luncheon and on the courts for daily tennis matches. But behind the aesthetically pleasing atmosphere, there are cracks and lies in the façade. Is Roland who he presents to be? Who or what is behind the fire? Does Lee really want to settle down and get married or have a career? What other lies, misleading untruths and fraud are behind all the glamour? It’s a perfect summer read for the pool or beach.

Brooke Lea Foster is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, People, PARADE, Parents, Psychology Today, Washingtonian, The Atlantic, among others. This is her debut novel.

Thanks to Gallery Books and Chick Lit Central we have one copy to giveaway. Just tell us your thoughts about The Hamptons. We'll announce a winner soon. Good luck.

GIVEAWAY: USA only please

the review for ON GIN LANE first post @

http://www.chicklitcentral.com/2022/06/book-review-on-gin-lane.html?fbclid=IwAR2g1B9h1fdEKjTzC8z6rqdFKA7z2HVjjI0_DQ1

Comments

  1. travelerJuly 1, 2022 at 1:14 PM

    I haven't visited the Hamptons but I hear it is upscale. The beaches would be fun to visit. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 1, 2022 at 1:15 PM

    Never been

    ReplyDelete
  3. Donna ShawJuly 1, 2022 at 1:19 PM

    I’ve never been there or to any other affluent seaside town. I’m sure it’s gorgeous and inticing if you’re into that sort of thing. The secrets must be bizarre and huge. I suspect it’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time there. It’s not my sort of life though I love reading about it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. JaneJuly 1, 2022 at 1:19 PM

    Never been but heard it's really posh.

    ReplyDelete
  5. taurusJuly 1, 2022 at 4:58 PM

    All I know about the Hamptons is what I've read in books, magazines or newspapers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. diannekcJuly 1, 2022 at 5:43 PM

    I've never been to the Hamptons. All I know is that's it's pretty upscale and I didn't have enough money to visit or live there.
    Dianne diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  7. NancyJuly 1, 2022 at 6:31 PM

    I have not had the chance to visit the Hamptons. The area sounds very elegant from what I have read.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  8. bn100July 1, 2022 at 8:40 PM

    haven't been
    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Carla S.July 2, 2022 at 6:25 AM

    I've never been to the Hamptons but it sounds like a posh place to visit.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rita WrayJuly 2, 2022 at 6:56 AM

    I've never been but would love to go. Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJuly 3, 2022 at 9:45 AM

    When I was growing up on Long Island, we would go out to East Hampton every summer as a day trip to the beach.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousJuly 3, 2022 at 4:28 PM

    I’ve never been but would love to go! I’m always up for travel!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Toni LaliberteJuly 4, 2022 at 11:07 AM

    I've never been there, but it seems like a nice place to visit, especially during summer. Thanks for the chance!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nancy PJuly 6, 2022 at 12:45 AM

    Sounds fancy..

    ReplyDelete
  15. Peggy RussoJuly 7, 2022 at 2:10 PM

    I've never been to the Hamptons but from what I've heard it's a summer playground for the wealthy. peggyrusso3@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. satkinsJuly 7, 2022 at 2:32 PM

    I have never been to the Hamptons-sounds like a good place to vaction

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousAugust 3, 2022 at 7:12 AM

    Sounds swanky buckeyekel@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete

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