Cape May Sneak Peek

by Chip Cheek

A mesmerizing debut novel by Chip Cheek, Cape May explores the social and sexual mores of 1950s America through the eyes of a newly married couple from the genteel south corrupted by sophisticated New England urbanites.

Late September 1957. Henry and Effie, very young newlyweds from Georgia, arrive in Cape May, New Jersey, for their honeymoon only to find the town is deserted. Feeling shy of each other and isolated, they decide to cut the trip short. But before they leave, they meet a glamorous set of people who sweep them up into their drama. Clara, a beautiful socialite who feels her youth slipping away; Max, a wealthy playboy and Clara’s lover; and Alma, Max’s aloof and mysterious half-sister, to whom Henry is irresistibly drawn.

The empty beach town becomes their playground, and as they sneak into abandoned summer homes, go sailing, walk naked under the stars, make love, and drink a great deal of gin, Henry and Effie slip from innocence into betrayal, with irrevocable consequences.

Erotic and moving, this is a novel about marriage, love and sexuality, and the lifelong repercussions that meeting a group of debauched cosmopolitans has on a new marriage."

33 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 4, 2018

Reviews

[Bambi Rathman]

This book was a honeymoon story that, to me, went terribly wrong. When Effie and Henry get married, she really wants Henry to experience Cape May, the place she loved growing up. The problem is that it's the off season and not much going on...until they knock on the door of the house up the street and an old childhood frienemy, Clara, opens the door. From there the story evolves into a lust fest for Henry. I just felt the story dragged in parts and also that the characters were always finding reasons to drink. I didn't relate to any of this story and felt bad that a young couple, on their honeymoon, fell into a web of promiscuity.
I received an ecopy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Michelle Donofrio]

Listened to on audible.
I love the City of Cape May. So many fond memories there.
This book, aside from the Victorian houses is nothing like the Cape May that I know and love. This book was not anywhere near what I expected. Henry and Effie are honeymooning in Cape May. They meet up with Effie’s old acquaintance and her people. This is where southern genteel Henry and Effie’s life turns to infidelity and debauchery. Blame it on the Gin.

[Joycie Verdone]

Horrible. Filthy language.

[Mary Ellen]

OMG. Not at all what I expected. Porn.

[Amanda Mazzella]

#welcometocapemay made me see cape may in a different light lol.