In short, this is a historical fiction novel following a group of Debutantes, specifically Valerie de Vera Cole, as they brave the season during the time right before World War II starts.

The title looked intriguing, the cover was amazing and the novel well written! She definitely did her homework as the historical facts which I appreciated!

I loved getting to know the characters but I got a little bored. The last 10% of the book was the most exciting and where everything seemed to happen. We spend most of the book hearing about Valerie’s life in vague terms and a love triangle both of which dragged on far too long. We get mentions of how to world will change once war comes and social organizations by title that the debutantes are joining but no true descriptions of how things have already changed or what these girls do with these organizations. This would have helped the book tremendously as it just lacked a little more depth.!

Overall this book was decent but definitely much slower than I thought it would be.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchanged for a honest review!

I loved every page of The Last Debutantes by Georgie Blalock! And the character of Valerie is one I will remember for a very, very long time. She's tough but sensitive, hurting but an expert at projecting outward confidence. What a fantastic story!

The Last Debutantes by Georgie Blalock, gives a glimpse into the lives of young English girls during the last 'Season' right before the start of World War Two. The story follows Valerie de Vere Cole, the niece of Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, as she navigates London's elite social season. Blalock does a beautiful job projecting the superficial worries of the ostentatious, glittering world of the English upper classes against the backdrop of the reality of the looming war with Germany.

Initially the main character drove me a bit batty with the complaining. but eventually it got better. quite enjoyable over all

The title was great, the cover was great, the writing was excellent, the characters were great but I was a little bored. The most action happened in the last 8% of the book. I did like the look into No 10 and the society that I've read so much about. I did Google some things (names and places) and found them to be on the spot for the time period.
Overall, it was a good book just slower than what I anticipated

The world is on the brink of World War II but the Season for debutantes continues. in London. Valerie de Vere Cole, Neville Chamberlain's niece, is hoping the secrets of her past aren't revealed. Can she trust her new friends or will they not want anything to do with her if her secrets are revealed?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book's peek into high society in London just before WWII broke out. As a commoner, I felt as if I was Valerie, transported into the balls, teas, and coming out dances that Americans are likely never to enjoy. That's the mark of a good story. Pulling back the curtains on the families and secrets of high society was realistic and engaging. The dialogue and characters were very realistic. I would highly recommend this book.

This book reminded me a lot of “The Duke and I.” When I read the synopsis, that’s why I wanted to read it.
However, there were parts that were difficult to get through - parts that were very drawn out.
In addition, I was disappointed at the ending, as I wanted Valerie to end up with Elm. I also wanted there to be some closure for Valerie in terms of a proposal from a suitor.
However, the details of the time period shone through and the stints of romance were awesome. Also, I loved how Valerie came into her own and loved herself despite salacious gossip and rumors snd hardship.

The setting is 1939 England, and the country is on the cusp of war. For Valerie de Vere Cole this is her coming out season. She is a daughter from good lineage, but her deceased father was a known prankster and is a joke among high society. She is sponsored during the debutante season by her father’s sister, Anne Chamberlain, the wife of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Having not grown up in London society, Valerie feels like an outcast and tries to break free from the gossip that surrounds her.

During her debutante season, Valerie meets new acquaintances and strives to make a place for herself in society while making her aunt and uncle proud. She begins to feel accepted at the balls and teas she attends but she has secrets about her past that she goes to great lengths to keep hidden from those around her. She is introduced to a few gentlemen suitors and enjoys having some flirtatious fun until a poor choice is made and she sees everything she has worked for begin to crumble. This is a story about believing in oneself and allowing others into your heart.

Being behind the scenes of Number 10 during this turbulent time in history was interesting. It was also fun to glimpse into the lives of historical people such as Neville Chamberlain and Eunice Kennedy. While the writing is descriptive, the story itself is not very deep and I would have liked to learn more about the friends Valerie made during the story. I feel the characters could have been fleshed out a bit better. I did enjoy being swept away into the glittery world of a debutante where everything was opulent and regal. It was a pleasant story to escape into.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story begins with the debut of Valerie de Vere Cole, the prime minister's niece, and the daughter of an outcast father, she grew up in France, not in the glamorous way as people think.
It's set in 1939, a few months before England enters WWII, it's an interesting period because we have details of the balls and high society lifestyle and the rumors of the imminent war.
On the night of her presentation, Valerie, at first feels insecure, she dont know if she will fit in the society and if she will be accepted, (she doesn't have the best family history). But she has nothing to worry about, and soon will make friends, who will call themselves "Their Excellences,". The friendship of this group was my favorite part, nothing is more beautiful as women support each other. 
The only complaint is that I would have liked to read a little more about the consequences of the war, in the end the balls are canceled and the girls join organizations to support the war and the boys are enlisted to fight for England.
Overall it was a nice story and I enjoy it so much.

Book Review for The Last Debutantes by Georgie Blalock
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

The pace was plodding and there was never a challenge and then a resolution. The story was muddled by allusions to mysterious events in France and then the threat and tension never materialized and was quickly resolved.

Such a great read!

If you enjoy Bridgerton you will love this book. Such a perfect way to use historical figures as the basis of a novel. Highly encourage everyone to check it out!

I really wanted to love this book! The cover is absolutely stunning. However, I ended up slightly underwhelmed. This feels a lot like a YA novel. I don't have anything at all against YA; it simply wasn't what I wanted to be reading. The stakes are low and the characters are entertaining. If you want light and frothy, this might fit the bill. Might be good for fans of Bridgerton.

This was a good book, but it felt like nothing really happened. It felt like the author tried to stuff everything that makes other novels great into this book without developing any of it. A few examples would be the group of friends: now and then, they would do something plot productive like all sneaking out of the ball. But most of the time, they were gossiping, and it didn’t do anything to further the story other than to say that high society is not perfect. There were two suiters: But we only learn a small bit about either of them, Elm is a rich boy who is mad that his life is planned for him, and Richard is a doctor who is a fourth son. And any romance consisted of, I danced with E than with R. We learn about a big secret that can ruin her, but it only gets mentioned in the last few chapters of the book, and we don’t get to see her work to overcome it. There are more instances than this, but these are the bigger ones. I feel that the book would have been much better if the author would have done more world building during all of the dances or if the author had made the big secret coming out the middle point of the story and having the main character overcome this big obstacle. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #TheLastDebutantes #NetGalley

This was my first Georgie Blalock novel, but it won’t be my last! This is a dazzling novel that focuses on the last Debutante season as WWII inches closer to England. I enjoyed the many cameos of historical figures in this novel and the inside look of 10 Downing Street. Overall, it is a light and enjoyable read that has a strong theme of female friendships. If you love historical fiction novels that focus on society, you’ll love this book and if you enjoyed The Kennedy Debutante, this book is a great complement to it. Looking forward to sharing this with our audience and will keep it in consideration as a book club pick for our book club. Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 4/5 stars.

In the book The Last Debutantes, Valerie returns to London from France to live with her Aunt and Uncle. Her life in her prime minister uncle’s home is a stark comparison to her time in France, and has trouble fitting into society in what’s known as the Season. Valerie soon finds a few girlfriends, and spends her evenings promenading and dancing with London’s eligible bachelors.

Two men grab her attention. Richard, a doctor; and Elm, a viscount. The reader can sense that Valerie has a natural connection with Richard, but Elm is both charming and alluring. You can expect future readers will either be #teamrichard or #teamelm.

Tension begins to arise when Valerie’s French secrets leak into society, and the threat of war is looming over the country. This series of bad news, and the rejection of Elm’s family leads Valerie and Elm to make an impulsive decision to jump into his car after drinking. They get into a bad car accident which causes their relationship to get hit with a dose of reality. They could never be together. Elm, being a true gentleman, encourages Valerie to visit Richard again.

Even after the car scandal, Valerie is able to secure her friendships with “Their Excellences,” and her extended family. Showing hope in the brink of a war.

I enjoyed this book. It is written well, but I wish the author would have described more of the social changes during the brink of the war. It kept being mentioned that life and social norms would change during the war, but the book didn’t show any of that change. At the very end the readers learn that the UK is entering into the war, and Valerie and her friends join different organizations to help aid in the war. I wish we, as readers, learned more from those experiences.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow and Custom House for this ARC in exchanged for a honest review!

The young women who curtsied before the king and queen in 1939 were the last debutantes before Britain declared war on Germany and the world changed forever. Among this group was Valerie de Vere Cole, daughter of a scoundrel and niece of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, being introduced to society by his wife, her aunt Anne. Her unsavory background is balanced by a certain cachet as the Deb from Downing Street and she finds a place among the bright young things enjoying a hedonistic last summer of freedom.

The novel provides interesting glimpses of behind the scenes politics as England teeters on the brink of war but it is marred by constant hints about an insdescretion in Valerie's past that will ruin her forever if society discovers it. The reader guesses it long before it is revealed and it doesn't have as much effect as another unfortunate decision that literally brings Valerie's season to a crashing end. Despite the flaws this is an enjoyable read and a peek into a bygone era.

This book follows the story of Valerie de Vere Cole, the niece of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, and her merry band of friends as they make their debut in England on the eve of WW II. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the traditions on making a debut, the pageantry, the dresses, the friendships formed.

The story begins with Valerie's presentation to the King and Queen, as she fights off the stigma of her deceased father's debt, her mother's neglect, and her step-mother's social climbing ways. She is snubbed by most of society, until she is befriended by Katherine, who introduces her to a tight-knit group of fun gals and their guys. Valerie is swept into their glittery world, while worrying about the upcoming war. The stigma continues to haunt her, as she faces her past and moves forward in her new lifestyle. Of course, there is romance - actually 2 suitors, and they, each in their own way, make you root for them. This is a very enjoyable story.

Set in London 1939, right before the start of World War II, The Last Debutantes by Georgie Blalock gives us a glimpse into the life of Valerie de Vere Cole, the niece of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. The novel opens with Valerie’s presentation at court, kicking off her debutante season, and follows her as she finds her place in society, both as the Premier’s niece and as the daughter of black sheep Horace de Vere Cole. Unlike prior debutante Seasons, this one is overcast by the threat of war, throwing into question all that the debs and the generations preceding them have taken for granted for so long.

When I started the novel, I found it similar to American Royals, the YA novel by Katharine McGee, which while a fine novel by an author I really like, is not what one expects when cozying into an adult historical fiction novel. I’m saying this only to advise readers who may feel the same way to keep reading. I ended up really enjoying this book. Blalock did a wonderful job blending fact and fiction in a way that was both easily understood and enjoyable to read. She did her research well and gave an accurate portrayal without boring the reader with too many unnecessary facts – a pitfall I have found too common in historical fiction.

My favorite thing about this novel is the main character, Valerie. Despite coming from a questionable background, she strives to not only rise above all the negativity and disdain cast her way by snobbish women with aristocratic airs, but to be worthy of all her aunt and uncle have done for her. During her Season, she grows into a woman of grace and fortitude, while retaining her endearing charm and loving spirit. She is a fun character to root for, and it is easy to grow attached to her and her adorable group of friends, Katherine, Christian, and Dinah. I also enjoyed reading about Valerie’s first foray into the world of romance, as she enjoys the attention of both the kind and gentle Dr. Cranston and the dashing, debonair Lord Elmswood.

Overall, a great read for a long weekend or rainy day.