Historical fiction just is not for me. There was nothing wrong with this book at all. I was just bored. Unfortunately, i've learned my lesson and will not be requesting HF anymore.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I want to start off by saying that I loved the premise of this book. An entire group of Debutantes who will inevitably watch all eligible bachelors be marched off to war is such an interesting but also devastating concept.

I enjoyed the character of Valerie. Abandoned by her mother coupled with her father’s sordid past has now led her to be taken in by her aunt and uncle, who is none other than Neville Chamberlain. I loved this connection. History has not been kind to the man who tried to appease Hitler, so I found this portrayal of him fascinating!

Where I found this book a little lacking was in the actual plot. The characters who were the most interesting to read about were glossed over. I feel with a little more character development and a bit more depth this book would have been a 5 star read for me!

1939

Miss Valerie de Vere Cole is the niece of Mrs. Anne Chamberlin, wife of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlin and lives with them at No. 10 Downing Street. Valerie’s aunt has taken her under her wing for her come out. She, along with all the other debutantes, has made her curtsy to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

Valerie’s father was a joke among society and is now deceased. Her mother literally abandoned her. She spent her childhood in a French boarding school which was dreadful and has left her with some dark secrets.

Valerie is enjoying meeting some nice young debutantes and learning how some of the girls are kind and friendly, but there are also some who are mean and jealous. Her Aunt Anne is a very wise woman and is helping her to navigate the waters in this world of high society.

The country is on the cusp of World War II with the Prime Minister and his office working hard to try and keep war from becoming a reality. In the meantime, the young people all know that is probably going to happen and they want to have as much fun as they can before they have to face what is coming.

I liked this book as it follows these young people into adulthood. They faced times of real stress that tested their strength and how they would handle difficult times in their futures. We see how they enjoy life and learn to simply grow up. Unfortunately, the looming war pushed them to grow up faster. The way that Neville and Anne Chamberlin are portrayed gave me great respect for them both. They served their country well. It also pleased me how the author showed respect and appreciation for the secretaries at No. 10 Downing Street with their unfailing dedication to their jobs for their country. A very heartwarming book that I know many will enjoy.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

In England 1939, the debutantes are still enjoying the season despite the possibility of war. Valerie is living with her aunt and uncle, Neville Chamberlain who is Prime Minister, after a tough upbringing and trying to hide her past from the high society people she is befriending. I enjoyed reading about high society and the extravagant parties they had. I loved the friendships that Valerie made and how those played out once her secret came to light. It was a fun, light read. I do wish there was more to the plot and that some of the romances played out a bit more. I also would have liked to see how war affected them once it came but this was just prior to it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for a honest review.

This cover is so gorgeous! This was definitely a cover click for me!

The glittery world of the haute ton in London right before the start of World War II. With the chatter of Hitler not being that bad, and not having to enter the war.

This year's round of Debutantes enter society to meet an eligible husband.

Valerie, who's parentage is less than ideal and lives in No. 10 with her Uncle the Prime Minister, is trying to reinvent herself with an accepting group of new friends. There are a bunch of judging busybodies as you would expect in that set though.

All is going well and to plan with some amazing prospects then some gossip is uncovered. (Sidenote: I still don't get how people can judge children on their parents behavior or how their parents didn't care for them. But that's the toxic world of that society. Especially when you are trying to get the best match and take down the girls that look better than you).

This had so many different types of familial relationships for Valerie who's mother abandoned her, her father did not care for her and was very controversial. Then living with her aunt and uncle who treated her like the parents she never had.

If you love historical fiction you should add this to your list! It was a pre-war view of the aristocracy as they were trying to go on as usual to not incite panic but also start transitioning into helping out the English impacted in other countries effected by the impending world war and scaling back.

Thank you @williammorrowbooks and @netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

This is an interesting look at the last debutante season before WWII focusing on Valerie de Vere Cole who, despite being the niece of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, has a scandalous past she has to overcome to be accepted by society.

I love historical fiction about debutantes and coming outs and although this one is filled with stories of glitzy parties, it's set against the backdrop of the turbulence going on at 10 Downing Street as Neville fought to avoid going to war. It's an intriguing contrast, especially as Blalock introduces with Marian Holmes, one of the typists working for the Prime Minister whose experiences so differ from Valerie's. I also enjoyed the inclusion of Eunice Kennedy, who was presented the same year, and mentions of her sister Kick (who was the subject of one of my favorite books, The Kennedy Debutante) and the conflict between Joseph Kennedy and the British at this time.

The details in this book are wonderful, from curtsying to a cake at the Queen Charlotte Birthday Ball to doing the Lambeth Walk, but I wish the characters had more depth to them. Valerie's backstory wasn't that surprising (and talk of it got to be a tad repetitive) and I wanted to know more about her friends, each of whom seemed to have their own battle to fight. It was hard to get invested in what would happen to all of them when I sometimes had a hard time remembering who was who.

That being said, the action picked up in the last quarter of the book, the ending was solid and THE LAST DEBUTANTE gives a compelling look into the life of English society on the brink of WWII.

Thanks to William Morrow, Custom House and NetGalley for a copy to review.

An engaging tale of scandal, love and reputation set during the last debutante season before WWII. The ballrooms glitter with fresh-faced girls in splendid gowns, and the chaperones are as vigilant as ever, with only the ever-increasing scarlet uniforms on the dance floor hinting at what is to come.

Valerie is the poor niece of the Prime Minister, attempting to rise above her father's scandals with a flawless debut before the king and queen. Her fierce, courageous spirit quickly attracts her a devoted group of friends who call themselves Your Excellencies, as well as two very different potential suitors. As the threat of war hangs over all their heads, the Chamberlains are determined to hold their heads high, keep everyone's spirits up and give their niece a season to remember.

While this book had some romance, it stayed PG-rated and sweet, not spicy. The adult characters were the most scandalous, but their many ill-fated romances happened off-page and instead, provided interesting material for conversational barbs and tea party gossip.

This book had a sweet portrayal of the bonds of friendship between the debutantes. I love how Valerie found a group who would always have her back, despite snubs from others. Her aunt, Anne Chamberlain, shone in her role as the premier's wife and Valerie's champion. I also loved how it showed Anne working just as hard as her husband to keep 10 Downing Street running. She was a true political partner to him, and this book highlighted that.

This provides a take on the World War II novel that I thoroughly enjoyed, showing us a world on the brink of war instead of dealing with all the death and the aftermath.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.

Debutante Valerie de Vere Cole is the niece of Anne and Neville Chamberlain, but she is also the daughter of a notorious practical joker and drunk and the stepdaughter of a woman with loose sexual morals. As much as she tries to hide from her past, vicious society women won't let her forget it.

Nonetheless, she finds a few friends, all of whom struggle to enjoy their debutante season, even as the shadow of war looms. The story uses a mix of real-life figures (Valerie, the Chamberlains, Eunice Kennedy, Lady Astor) and presumably fictional characters. The tensions between the frivolity of the lives of London society and threatening conflict are finely drawn. Valerie's vulnerabilities make her an enormously sympathetic character. I'm just disappointed I couldn't find out what really happened to her. #TheLastDebutantes #NetGalley

A very detailed historical fiction. This book centers on the debutantes’ coming out season right before the start of WWII. The setting and era are very thoroughly fleshed out. I could very easily visualize the setting. I appreciated how Valerie the main character didn’t have the easiest life despite being a deb. It felt much more anchored in reality because of that. It feels a bit more serious than what the cover suggests but It’s a good example of the genre.

What was it like to be a debutant in the upper echelons of English society right before World War II? The Last Debutants explores this world in a way which grabs you and drags you in. Valerie de Vere Cole is the niece of the Prime Minister, and is brought out into society for the social season. However, her upbringing is vastly different from her fellow peers, as her father was broke and sent her to live in a convent in France. What follows is a gripping story that navigates Valeries journey as she tries to balance her past with her future.

I thought this book was extremely well done. While I’d personally qualify this as a medium paced book, I felt it was still a gripping book. While I tend to find lulls in books that are not fast paced, this was not the case in The Last Debutants.

I also found myself really enjoying the characters. There were moments I was extremely invested in the outcome of relationships, which is honestly a sign of a beautiful book for me. Additionally, I feel as though she made it clear who were the more flat characters, and who had more dimension.

On the lines of the historical fiction of the book, I loved it. She really made me feel as though I was transported back to this time in history which balanced on an edge between happiness and fear. I think she did a wonderful job building the fear of the war as it loomed closer, and showing how that fear effected the different characters.

Overall, I thought this was a beautiful book and one that any lover of historical fiction should pick up.

I want to love The Last Debutantes. I love this time period and all the setting involves, But the story was boring to me. It just didn't capture my interest enough to finish it.

An impeccably researched, fascinating dive into the lives of British aristocracy on the eve of World War II.

Valerie wants a place to belong, friends to call her own, and a chance to redeem the scandalous legacy of her parents. She has known both starvation and desperation, and she is eager to leave her tragic, troubled past behind her. But her father's legacy haunts her every step, and society is a gnarled labyrinth she cannot seem to find her way out of.

In a glamorous world of high tea and white dresses and malicious gossip, one girl's determination to find happiness is heartbreaking and beautiful. Valerie does eventually find her place - but not before she is victimized by the cruelty of her fellow debutantes, has compromised her reputation as a demure young lady, and learns what friendship and family truly mean.

Here are the some of the things I loved:
1. The intricately detailed customs.
2. The insightful portrayal of a world on the verge of social upheaval.
3. The poignant insight into loneliness and how it shapes our choices.

If you love authors like Fiona Davis and Lauren Willig, I think you will devour this book!

I read and enjoyed The Other Windsor Girl last year by Georgie Blalock so was excited to get an advanced copy of The Last Debutantes! I'm fascinated by the idea of the debutante season in England and loved the view of the glitzy parties in the summer of 1939.

Valerie de Vere Cole is the niece of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and while she has slightly reinvented her past to fit in with society, she's found a group of friends and is worried about the impending threat of war. I loved reading about the proper etiquette of the season and all of the drama and secrets of society.

I don't know if because it was an advanced copy that there was no historical note but I really wanted one! Especially since Valerie is real, but there isn't a lot about her online. I wanted to know more about the real story and the books ends in September 1939. I'd love to know how they were impacted by the war. It just seemed to end. This is a historical fiction and I really wanted to know the historical aspects of the book and what was fiction.

If you like reading about British society you'll enjoy this.

The mc had so much going against her in her challenge to successfully enter high society to find a husband and successful home; yet, she persevered with her aunt’s assistance. I enjoyed this historical fiction greatly. As a new author for me, I hope she has a successful writing career and keeps writing more like this book. I highly recommend this book.

This was an entertaining look at the debutante season that took place on the eve of World War II. It was fun to visit this glittering world of English society during one of the last debutante seasons.

The main character, Valerie de Vere Cole, is the niece of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. It’s clear that all of the glitz and glamour on the surface hides secrets and hardship for Valeria and many of the other debutants of 1939.

I’m a history buff, so I really liked getting the inside scoop from within 10 Downing Street. After reading this book, I feel like I understand a little better who PM Chamberlain was and what he was trying to accomplish to try and avoid the war.

Also, I liked Valerie’s descriptions of what it was like to live at 10 Downing street. The details about the parties, selecting the china for the royal visit, and the noise from the horse guards drilling out her window.

The only thing I wish was that the book had more of a romance element. There were flirtations, but not enough romance for me.

Overall an enjoyable look at this very interesting period in history. I recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers. Also, if you enjoyed The Kennedy Debutante, you will love this book.

The Last Debutantes by Georgie Blalock is a well-told historical fiction novel that revolves around Valerie. Has she prepares to enter society as the niece of England’s Prime Minister Lord Neville Chamberlin. A well-written story with a mix of fiction and history as we read about this time when the war would change traditions like debutant events forever.

I have always been both fascinated with and horrified by the whole debutante "coming out" thing. It seems both icky and intriguing to me, which I know doesn't make any sense. So reading about it in the past and not having to feel any feminist guilt over it was great. I really enjoyed "The Last Debutantes". Valerie and her group of friends have their coming out season right before WW2 is set to start. I'll admit I didn't know much about Prime Minister Neville, other than what I might have seen on "The Crown" so trying to keep up with who's who of British society was a bit confusing, but nonetheless fascinating. I adored Valerie AND her friends, and even got to experience a little Kennedy family action! For fans of "The Crown" or just British history/society in general, I would definitely recommend this one, and I really want to read Blalock's other book "The Other Windsor Girl" as well.

Georgie Blalock really just took me back in time. The writing was so amazing that I felt like I could see the outfits, visualize the characters, and be in that moment with them.

Georgie Blalock's The Last Debutantes is an engaging work of historical fiction that takes readers into the heart of English society on the brink of WWI in 1939. Readers are introduced to the last class of ladies who make their debut into society before life as they knew it changes forever.

I am always fascinated by stories of the ostensibly wealthy, especially when that sense of comfort and opulence is at its most fragile.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

"Fans of The Kennedy Debutante and Last Year in Havana will love Georgie Blalock’s new novel of a world on the cusp of change...set on the eve of World War II in the glittering world of English society and one of the last debutante seasons.

They danced the night away, knowing their world was about to change forever. They were the debutantes of 1939, laughing on the outside, but knowing tragedy - and a war - was just around the corner.

When Valerie de Vere Cole, the niece of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, makes her deep curtsey to the King and Queen of England, she knows she’s part of a world about to end. The daughter of a debt-ridden father and a neglectful mother, Valerie sees firsthand that war is imminent.

Nevertheless, Valerie reinvents herself as a carefree and glittering young society woman, befriending other debutantes from England’s aristocracy as well as the vivacious Eunice Kennedy, daughter of the U.S. Ambassador. Despite her social success, the world’s troubles and Valerie’s fear of loss and loneliness prove impossible to ignore.

How will she navigate her new life when everything in her past has taught her that happiness and stability are as fragile as peace in our time? For the moment she will forget her cares in too much champagne and waltzes. Because very soon, Valerie knows that she must find the inner strength to stand strong and carry on through the challenges of life and love and war."

Being an English debutante is kind of weird with all the pomp and circumstance, hence I'm kind of obsessed.