I loved this fictional story of "Betty Boop" not to be confused with the cartoon character.  Love the main character Betty and reading her life story. She had a hell of a story to tell..

The Last Bathing Beauty is the story of Betty "Boop" Stern. Betty is a young Jewish woman living with her grandparents at their Catskills resort. Betty falls for handsome Abe and they plan a life together over a few weeks in the summer. Things don't go as planned though and events happen to change the course of Betty's life forever. This was the perfect quarantine escape!

The Last Bathing Beauty was such an enjoyable read.  Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this delightful story.  The author did a great job with the dual timelines set in the current day and the 1950s.  It was nice to read historical fiction that was not focused on World War II.  The resort setting is great for fans of Dirty Dancing.  It's a perfect, fun read for summer.

Betty has grown up with her grandparents, as her parents were “too young” to raise her.  Her grandparents owned and ran a Jewish resort on Lake Michigan.  The story begins with the resort opening for the 1951 summer season as Betty is looking forward to meeting the new staff and working the summer before she heads off to college.  She immediately notices someone special   Having worked at a Jewish resort in the Catskills for two summers, Nathan evoked the ambiance, along with the work involved to run a resort.  Betty’s life changed forever that summer.  This is a perfect “coming of age” story that has been told so many different ways.  Loved her relationship with her friends that lasted a lifetime.  Well done!  Many many thanks to Amy Sue Nation, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read this ARC of a recently published book.  Read this one and ponder how life has changed so dramatically in the last 70 years.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming  Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

I'm not typically a historical fiction reader, but this time I must admit I totally fell for the cover. The warm-hue retro photograph of a gorgeous girl on the beach awakens memories of joyful summers in the unspoiled pre-digital age. The novel itself doesn't fail to deliver a similarly blissful sentiment as we are transported into a South Haven vacation resort during the summer of 1951.

The novel tells the story of first love and big dreams of Betty, an eighteen-year-old beauty who lives with her grandparents, helping out at their Jewish resort. It's the last summer before she heads to college in New York, so she is going to make the most out of it - Betty plans to have a fling with a boy and compete in the annual Miss South Haven pageant. However, as an unexpected event sweeps Betty off her feet, she is faced with devastating consequences of her decisions.

The narrative of the story alternates between the teenage Betty and herself at 80 years old, now known as Boop. As her two childhood friends and her pregnant granddaughter come for a visit, Boop is compelled to recall her difficult past and reveal the long buried secrets she'd been hiding from herself and the world.

With the vivid descriptions flying off the pages, "The Last Bathing Beauty" is a lovely feel-good novel that makes you forget about the world and emerge yourself in the retro American spirit.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately the pacing of this book was way off for me. I found myself skipping pages which is not something I like to do. 

The premise was nice and I thought the way the story revolves around the 2 distinct periods in Betty and later  Boop's life was nice and a clever concept but it wasn't executed very well. Unfortunately, although I found the book well written, the characters really lacked depth and thus I had no empathy for them. 

Might be ok for a quick read, but sadly I'm not a fan. 

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Boop Peck is in her 80's. She was born with a different name, and spent her early years ready to live a different life. But then, one summer changed everything. Even after almost 70 years, she still find it exciting to spend time with the people she treasures the most. Her two beloved friends and one of her granddaughters. The four will embark together to make the past walk right into the present.
The author works the story going back to the past and back to the present in a very neat way. The characters are absolutely lovable, even under different points of view offered by the time setting.. In the end, it gets clear that age comes with knowledge. And love always is a good answer to every single challenge, no matter the age or time.
I liked this book very much. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love, friendships, family, second chances ... that's what this book is all about. It was a pretty good read even though it started out slow for me but once I got involved with the characters it picked up speed. It was neat reading between 1951 when Betty was 18 and 70 years later when she went by the name Boop. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. 

This is a story about friendship, love, secrets and family told through the past and present. I loved the 1950s summer resort era setting of the past, totally reminded me of Dirty Dancing! When Boop's two best friends come back for a visit, they reminisce about that summer as her granddaughter Hannah faces some similar struggles. Boop decides to share some secrets from that summer to help her. 

The plot was well written, though a little slow at times and the ending quite predictable but an enjoying read!

This was a sweet love story, split between 18-year-old Betty set in 1951 and 84-year-old Boop in modern time. Young Betty lives with her Jewish grandparents on their South Haven resort, where she dreams of being crowned a beauty queen, going to college in NY, and having a successful career as a fashion magazine editor. But life throws her a curve ball when she meets and falls in love with the handsome Abe, who could only be more perfect (and acceptable) if he was Jewish.

Boop is living in her late grandparents home having one last visit with her best friends from her childhood before she moves across the country to live with her son now that her husband, Marv, died a few years back. But when the three women get together, along with Boop's granddaughter, secrets are revealed and nothing goes as planned.

I really enjoyed this book, although it helped that I understood the Yiddish terms, already knew what is required to be considered born Jewish, and am familiar with that part of Michigan (and Skokie, which is also talked about a lot.) It might lose a bit if you don't have some sort of background like this, but I think the story still works regardless. 

There isn't much true depth to any of the characters -- I really wanted someone to fight against the stereotypes, and I was so sure something else was going to be revealed about Georgia, which  -- but it was still a nice story to get to spend some time with.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

What a fantastic read! Boop is a character that I would love to know in real life. I imagine her as a Dame Maggie Smith!
I smiled, I laughed, I felt sad and happy. I would definitely recommend this to any historical fictional fan as well as any lover of a well written novel!
Thank you NetGalley and Amy Sue Nathan.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author Amy Sue Nathan for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

Betty Stern was such a fun character to fall in love with throughout this novel. My wife is from Michigan, so the fact that it was set there made this all the more fun for me to read. The themes of love, friendship, family, hope and faith bring this story together beautifully. The fifties are a favorite time period of mine, and this was the perfect escape for me right now with how chaotic our world is. The characters were lovable and relatable, and I didn’t want this book to end!

Thank you again to those mentioned above for the chance to read and review this ARC!

It could not be a better time to escape into a book and a different world. The Last Bathing Beauty did that for me. I was transported to the year 1951 and swept up with the character of Betty Stern in South Bend, Michigan. This book and Betty, in particular, had so much heart. Themes of love, long lasting friendship, family(particularly the grandparent/grandchild connection), hope, and the Jewish faith. South Bend, Michigan was known for their summer resort communities, quite similar to the Catskills in NY. There was so much joy in this literary gem. Even when Betty faced adversity or disillusionment, this reader always felt a sense of hope and strength. I also enjoyed reading about simpler and more innocent times. There is romance in the way people spoke to one another and how they courted each other in 1951 and this spoke to my romantic soul. This is a book that will remain in my heart. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a digital copy of this book for an honest review. #NetGalley #TheLastBathingBeauty

Set in South Haven Michigan, The Last Bathing Beauty, is a dual coming of age story. It alternates back and forth in time between the present and 1951, and the principal characters are Betty Stern and her granddaughter Hannah. The Stern family owned a seasonal resort, on Lake Michigan. Families received the royal treatment by Ira and Yetta Stern, Betty's grandparents. The Stern Resort had: southern exposure to the lake, entertainment, a strictly kosher kitchen, counsellors for the kids, and midnight buffets! Betty grew up in South Haven with her Bubbe and Zaide. The summer of "51 would be Betty's best summer ever. Betty would be going to NYC to study at Barnard in the fall, so she planned to really enjoy the summer with her friends Doris and Georgia, before they all parted ways. 

In the present, Betty becomes "Boop", she has 2 granddaughters, and twin grandsons. She is preparing to host Doris and Georgia in her home (the same one) in South Haven. It had been a long time since the three have been together in their hometown. The visit is interrupted when Boop's granddaughter Hannah, arrives unexpectedly, at her door.. Boop knew something must be up.

If you are "into" going back in time, to the "Jewish Resort" era, Amy Sue Nathan's has done a terrific job bringing this period back to life! Being a native of the East Coast, I am totally familiar with these resorts, having visited The Concord Hotel, Grossinger's and Kutscher's Hotel. The book is peppered with Yiddish and lots of good advice from Zaide (grandpa) Ira and Bubbe (grandma)  Yetta. As predictable as you may think the story could be, Amy Sue Nathan throws in some great twists. My favourite character after Betty, was Zaide, but not far behind were Bubbe, Marvin, and Abe Barsky.

The content of the book was especially meaningful to me because, as I mentioned I was able to relate to so much of it. That is not to say that you have to be familiar with all of this to enjoy it. I highly recommend it because Amy Sue Nathan has done such a great job in recreating something that just does not exist anymore, (and that is so sad to me). So thanks for writing this very special book!

Thank you #netgalley and @lakeunionpublishing for the complimentary copy of #thelastbathingbeauty in return for my honest review.

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. It was a feel-good story about family relationships, standards for women, friendship, love, and loss. The setting reminded me of Dirty Dancing, a resort set in the 1950's. The characters were loveable and I didn't want this book to end! I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dual-time line story that makes for a perfect nostalgic summer read. I found this new-to-me author's writing style fresh and compelling. The Last Bathing Beauty is a tribute to the resort era, bringing memories of summer holidays and dreams to life under her skillful pen. It is a story of friendship, family and romance. But most importantly it chronicles how a decision made during a carefree moment could change one's life direction. I absolutely adore dual-time line stories, this did not disappoint. It is told from the perspective of a character reflecting on long-buried secrets and how she battled cultural expectations that shaped and defined her life and legacy. Full of heartwarming characters, this book is story of hope and second chances.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book alternates between Betty reflecting on her teenage/early adult life back in the 50's and her life now, where she goes by the nickname of Boop. She has a few days planned with old friends, when her granddaughter drops in unexpectedly with some news of her own. This news triggers a lot of reflection and reminiscing of Betty's life experiences as well.

In 1951, Betty “Boop” Stern wanted nothing more than to have a summer romance and to spend her days with her friends Doris and Georgia at the Jewish lake resort where she lived with her Grandparents.  Her parents had left her with her Grandparents when Betty was five years old, and she’d always been an ideal Granddaughter  - one that worked hard at the resort in summers, and did well at school.   In fact, Betty was due to head off for college at the end of summer.  This, at a time in history, when most girls aspired to get married and have a family if, and when, they completed high school.
Betty finds her romance in the very attractive college man Abe, there to work at the resort over the summer.  The attraction is immediate and intense.  When she learns from Abe that he isn’t Jewish, Betty realizes this might impede a future together as far as her family was concerned.  But she loved him and she was sure that her family would grow to love him as well.  
The book is told from two time periods:  Betty, in the summer of 1951, and Boop as a woman in her 80’s in 2017.   Rejoined for one last summer at the home of her youth by her life long friends, Boop is surprised by a visit from her Granddaughter Hannah, who needs some time away from her own life to gain perspective and to get advice from her Grandmother.  The secret story of her youth is recalled to Hannah in order to provide some insight into the decisions that Hannah must make, as well as to bring peace to Boop for decisions made long ago.
I really enjoyed this story.  Fans of the movie “Dirty Dancing” will appreciate the context and setting of this story.  I appreciate the messaging in the book, which reflects a time some might say was simpler, but also more rigid.
This book is a perfect summer read and I recommend it to readers of Women’s fiction.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

This cover makes me so excited for summer and long walks on the beach. I have had it on my radar for quite some time and when it was picked as the March Amazon First Reads selection, I knew it was going to be a big new release.

I haven’t read anything by this author before but she has written three other well received books and I was excited to give this one a try.

Besides all the hype and the beautiful eye catching cover, this book boasted a sassy heroine and I was most excited to read about her, but beyond that I didn’t really know too much about what this book was about.

Summary
A former beauty queen faces the secrets of her past—for herself and the sake of her family’s future—in a heartfelt novel about fate, choices, and second chances.

Everything seemed possible in the summer of 1951. Back then Betty Stern was an eighteen-year-old knockout working at her grandparents’ lakeside resort. The “Catskills of the Midwest” was the perfect place for Betty to prepare for bigger things. She’d head to college in New York City. Her career as a fashion editor would flourish. But first, she’d enjoy a wondrous last summer at the beach falling deeply in love with an irresistible college boy and competing in the annual Miss South Haven pageant. On the precipice of a well-planned life, Betty’s future was limitless.

Decades later, the choices of that long-ago season still reverberate for Betty, now known as Boop. Especially when her granddaughter comes to her with a dilemma that echoes Boop’s memories of first love, broken hearts, and faraway dreams. It’s time to finally face the past—for the sake of her family and her own happiness. Maybe in reconciling the life she once imagined with the life she’s lived, Boop will discover it’s never too late for a second chance. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
I am not going to lie ,when I read the summary and saw that this book was set during the 1950s summer, at a lakeside resort similar to the Catskills, my mind instantly went to Dirty Dancing. Echos of ‘no one puts baby in a corner’ echoed in my mind, even before I started reading this one. I love that movie and I can appreciate a lost time when families went on resort vacations together and made memories. So even before I cracked this one open, I already felt a connection and joy at what waited inside.

Right away I connected to the main character Betty. I loved how the story is told between an older Betty and a younger Betty. Betty’s granddaughter Hannah plays an important role in Betty’s life and I loved watching Betty tell her story to her granddaughter who happens to be very much like her. I thought their relationship was heartwarming and made me miss my grandma!

This is an excellent coming of age story. I was hooked and completely invested in Betty’s story. I could totally relate to her restlessness and her hope of finding a summer love when she goes to work at the resort. Often when there is a duel timeline story, one is usually stronger than the other but in this book, I felt the two were very balanced and I enjoyed both the modern and historical parts in equal measure.

Even if some of the story felt familiar to me, as if it were something I had read or heard before, I didn’t feel like it was a cookie cutter story at all. I thought Betty was a fantastic character with lots of spunk and sass and even if her story had familiar themes, I found her character to be a stand out and she made my reading experience unique and enjoyable.

This is an excellent summer read and I am looking forward to reading more by this author in the future. It was a perfect novel to escape with and it left me feeling satisfied with the story and ending and excited for more books from this author which to me is the trademark of a successful read!

Book Info and Rating
Kindle Edition, 300 pages
Expected publication: April 1st 2020 by Lake Union Publishing
ASIN B07VK749J5
Free review copy provided by publisher, Lake Union Publishing in partnership with Tall Poppy Writers/Bloggers, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: historical fiction, womens fiction