This was such a beautifully written historical fiction! Full of wonderful descriptions, I felt that I was truly swept into the world of the 1950s. A unique insight into a time/historical event that I hadn't thought of before, so this was great!

I absolutely adored Julia Kelly's The Last Garden in England and this title was no exception. Another fascinating historical read with well-rounded, intriguing characters. Well done!

Absolutely loved this book! Perfect book for someone getting into the historical genre or anyone who loves reading about the past!

The cover of this book is so beautiful and the premise of the story really appealed to me so I expected to love this one. I did definitely enjoy it but perhaps not quite as much as I’d hoped. I really enjoyed the author’s last book and I liked her writing style again in this one but here the story itself didn’t grab me in the same way and I found the pacing of the first half of the book to be a little slow.
I really enjoyed the second half though so overall it was an enjoyable read.
3.5 stars rounded up.

That gorgeous cover and description of the last debutantes to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 1958 had me so excited to read this one.

I've previously enjoyed Julia Kelly's novels very much and I do like her style of writing.

The writing was good as always but the story did not captivate me at all. I think I was expecting excitement and glamour and some scandal but the story was just very slow and repetitive. There was endless preparations for the balls and outings and chit-chat with friends that did not really keep my interest. The main character Lily did not really come alive until the very end where she found some backbone and there was a twist revealed (that I think we saw coming anyway.)

I'm giving this one 2 stars because of the writing and because I very much usually enjoy a Julia Kelly story. I'm in the minority with this one. There are plenty of 4 and 5 star glowing reviews posted. If you read it make sure to check out the author's note at the end. That was interesting and I enjoyed the history about the debutantes.

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for granting me access to this Advanced Reader Copy.

I was saving this book to read over the holiday break when I could really enjoy it, and I am so glad that I did- this was one of the best pieces of historical fiction that I’ve read in 2021! Kelly’s 1958 London is an exciting and heady world, and Lily is a complex woman to follow. It is obvious (from both the novel itself and the author’s notes) that Kelly has done her research, and as an historian, it was a pleasure to get lost in this world without feeling like things were out of place. (I find some authors struggle with building an existing world, but Kelly does not.)

This decadent world of couture gowns, champagne for days, and parties like no tomorrow are the perfect way to usher in 2022 when it is available on 4 January- there is nothing like Norman Hartnell and Christian Dior to draw us into the golden age of couture while we are staying close to home and out of the cold!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the chance to read The last dance of the debutante by Julia Kelly. I was a big fan of the author's when I read The last garden in England. I was eager to read about Lily, Leana, and Katherine's debut and what should have been a fairytale debutante season. I really enjoyed the story in the end but I will admit I had trouble getting into it at first; I didn't like Leana's character at all (and obivously you weren't meant to) but I found it a bit too much. I totally enjoyed the outings Lily's true friends had instead (The Imperfects). While the beginning was a bit slow, it did pick up and I really enjoyed the ending! 31/2 stars rounded up.

Delighted to include this title in High Society, the aristocrats, royals, and rich-lovers list in my thematic seasonal holiday gift books guides for Zoomer magazine. It appeared in the Books section in December. (The listicle feature is online at related link.)

Read if you like: post WW2 British history, high society.
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Lily is pushed to become a debutante by her mother and grandmother because this year will be the last year. Lily wants to continue to continue her studies and has no desire to be a debutante but she agrees to to please her family.
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Lily gets swept up into the upper levels of British society and she begins to learn the role she wants to play in society. Loved the descriptions of the parties and the events. Also loved the level of mystery and the reveal at the end!
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Lily was a great protagonist as she wouldn’t change who she is in order to fit in!
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CW: death of a friend, emotional abuse, sexual harassment, alcohol use, giving up a child.

I couldn't put this latest historical fiction book by Julia Kelly down! Read in one day I happily immersed myself in the world of 1950s England and the last official Debutante season as seen through the eyes of Lily Nichols. Full of glitzy society parties, new friends and beaus and shocking family secrets this book has it all and I hated to see it end. This was a refreshing departure from the usual WWII stories.

Highly recommended, especially for fans of The Crown. There was also a lot of Gilmore Girls vibes with Lily's cold mother and grandmother and the forced interactions in exchange for financial aid. The author did a great job bringing to life an era on the cusp of change and showing how young women were starting to choose different paths for themselves that didn't always involve marriage and motherhood. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!!

Kelly is an American best-selling author of many books including 'The Last Garden in England" and "Lights Over London". This new release is an historical fiction set in London in 1958. When it is announced that 1958 is to be the last year that debutantes are to be presented to the Queen, Lily gives in to her mother's demands that she give up school and become a debutante. After some months at finishing school and dress fittings the busy season of cocktail parties and balls begins. Lily befriends Leana, a popular young woman from the 'right kind of family' and Katherine, who is more independent thinking and comes from new money. When Lily finds out a secret her mother has been keeping from her, a secret that could destroy everything, Lily tries to find the courage to follow her own way. This is a wonderful recommendation for historical fiction fans who are looking for something other than WWII and fans books such as "The Gown". I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the complimentary digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

It is 1958, and the Queen has just announced that it is the last year debutantes will be presented at court. Lily Nichols is in line to be presented, and spend the season as a deb, the same way her mother and grandmother were before her, even though she would much prefer to continue with her studies. During the season, she befriends two very opposite women and is challenged to navigate how to manage two very different friendships.

I really enjoyed the way that Lily dealt with the changing times, and balanced the wishes of her mother and grandmother. She is given the chance, for the first time in her life, to make close friends and interact regularly with people outside her household, and it is a delight to see her experience them for the first time.

From the beginning I loved this book. It's a historical fiction about an era I don't read much about, but included the debutantes which seem to find themselves in books from many times and genres. The parties and balls were dazzling, and the everyday life of a deb, whose not sure she wants to be where she is revealed the internal conflict some girls of the era had to contend with.

I did not know that debutantes were presented to the queen as late as 1958, and this along with the glimpse at what life was like for the upper class in London at that time made for a quick, intriguing read.

I absolutely loved reading this five-star historical fiction novel about the glamorous and decadent world of the 1958 London Season. This was the last time that debutantes were presented at Buckingham Palace to Queen Elizabeth II.

Lily Nichols is a sheltered 18-year-old woman at a crossroads during her ‘coming out’; tradition is pulling her in one direction and progress is pulling her in a different direction. When she learns of a devastating family secret, it changes everything.

You’ll read about 3 very different girls who are launched into elite society: (1) Katherine Norman is from new money and her parents need her to come out as a debutante to legitimize their standing in society. Unlike the other girls, she’s introduced by someone her parents have hired and she dreams of a career afterwards instead of simply finding an eligible husband (2) Leana Hartford is from old money and in addition to being traditional, she’s a beautiful woman and very popular (3) Lily is shy, has a lot of growing up to do, lives with her widowed mother and is supported by her grandmother.

As you can imagine, there’s tension between these women from different backgrounds as they compete with each other. Julia Kelly delightfully focuses on the common connection between them and builds on the female friendship theme. It’s a perfect era to highlight as they are on the cusp of social change and each woman pivots in a different manner to the change. Most of my historical fiction is WW2 and I read about individual strengths being developed and tested under dire circumstances. Here, the same is being tested, but to a different degree. It’s still emotionally and physically exhausting, but against a very different background.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Julia Kelly book if there wasn’t a secret stuffed between the pages! I loved how Kelly brought the time period to life for me with its parties and extravagant gowns, how she gave me a mystery to solve and how she educated me on the history and times of debutantes. I can always count on Kelly to craft realistic characters and pen an authentic depiction of the era.

I loved Lily and she was definitely the star, but I had a soft spot for Katherine. I loved how mature and real she was and uninterested in the opinions of others. She was able to encourage Lily to be authentic.

Kelly superbly describes the emotional exhaustion surrounding these girls in doing and wearing the right thing. I was hooked from the first to the last page.

Available in Canada NOW and in the USA on January 4, 2022.

I was gifted this advance copy by Simon and Schuster Canada, Gallery Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

As delightful as the gallons of champagne drunk by the debs. :) I started this last night and finished it tonight; I couldn't wait to get back to it. I adore Regency Romance, and this took everything I love about The Season (The balls! The scandals! The dresses!) and transplanted it into 1958. The dynamics between the characters, and the changing society from the old to the new created such a lovely push and pull that kept me flipping the pages. The Last Garden of England was one of my top 3 books of the year this year, but I might have to replace it with this one. I adored it.

TW: Child sexual abuse, verbal abuse, death, and alcohol abuse.

I absolutely loved this story! Kelly's writing style was so easy to read so I just flew through this book! I also didn't see the end twist coming at all. I thought I had the ending figured out, but it ended in a way I never expected. I loved the sisterhood of The Imperfects and I love how supportive they were of each other. I also really loved the description of the dresses and the parties! The description of the season is great and you can experience the glamour and drama of the debutante season for yourself! I didn't really feel any connection between Lily and her love interests, but the rest of the story made up for that. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lily Nicholls is pressured to be a debutante by her mother and grandmother because it’s tradition. But Lily is more academically inclined and the idea of prancing around in fancy clothes at balls, cocktail parties and tea parties isn’t what she aspires to. The problem is, she doesn’t have a voice.

A chance finding of a letter and the death of a friend lead Lily to realize that there is more to life than fancy dress and fake friends. The shocking discovery of a devastating secret further pushes Lily to chase her dreams rather than follow the path she was supposed to be destined for.

The story depicted in this book is so far removed from my life. I’m glad I don’t live in an era where women are expected to “do the season” as a debutante.

I was immersed in the story and it took me back to the cliquish high school days. It definitely felt like being a fly in the wall. The descriptions of the clothing and the parties were vivid. I could tell a lot if thought and research went into the book.

The characters had depth to the point where I determined I liked Lily and Katherine, but disliked Leana immensely. I wanted to learn more about what made each character the way they were. I also like stories where characters, especially women, stand up for themselves and take a point of view.

This was a story of family and friendship with a little mystery and intrigue thrown in.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy. Unfortunately for me this turned into a dnf. Weird since I loved her other books but I just struggled to connect and the story just was too flat for me.

Obvious it must be a me issue as so many others loved it.

The Last Dance of the Debutante, as noted by author Julia Kelly, “highlights one piece of the changing story of women in Britain in the twentieth century”. Set in 1958 London, the story focuses on a young debutante, Lily, and her friends, who coming out to society in the last official presentation to the royal court.

The novel is written in an easy to read, engaging style. Unlike a lot of other historical fiction that I have read recently, this story is told only from one viewpoint and it worked well as I was fully immersed in Lily’s story. At the same time, the secondary characters were used to good effect to help Lily’s story unfold.

The author succeeded in pulling me into a different time period with details about customs, dress, balls, and social norms woven easily and naturally into the story of Lily and her friends. I enjoyed reading about what Lily and her fellow debutantes went through, the expectations that women of that time faced, and the traditional paths they were expected to follow after being presented to society. The novel also focussed on issues around fitting in, following a path to please others, navigating female friendship and mother-daughter relationships. The novel was well-paced, included a few twists and had a satisfying ending. I was throughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it!

Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to read this book as I am fascinated by royal stories. However this one didn't hit the mark for me. It was slow to get into and I didn't love the characters. I did enjoy reading about the time period and the process of being a debutant. At the end of the day I guess the tale of rich girls going to parties is only so exciting.

First, thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had been extremely hopeful when I read the synopsis of this book. I was expecting the story of 3 young women being forward thinkers in a flawed world that holds on too tightly to traditions of the past. Unfortunately, that is not what I got.

It is disappointing to not have something positive to take away from a book after reading it. I do not want to have reviews where I only speak on the negative without a chance to highlight something positive but that is what I fear this review will be. I’ve seen a lot of love for this book by advanced readers but unfortunately it did not give me the same reaction.

My main concern with this book is that I don’t think it knew what it wanted to be. Was it supposed to be a commentary on archaic traditions? A family drama? An empowering feminist story? A coming of age tale? A story about friendship? It seemed like it wanted all of these themes to be prominent but fell woefully short of each of them.

None of the themes had a solid foothold which offered no payoff to the reader. The characters did not have depth which made any ‘empowerment’ moments unearned and overstated. The arguments between characters were the same over and over with no real growth given to anyone. Every aspect of the characters seemed to be written just to serve a purpose for a plot-point. We were also introduced to a great number of characters who had no purpose and yet we were given their titles and a few other formalities which would have been time better suited to developing our main characters and plot.

Another disappointment was that the book TOLD more than it SHOWED. Everything of importance happened off-page and we, as the readers, are only give the Cole’s Notes version of events… if even that.

As for the relationships, I don’t understand the logic. Nothing happened to make me believe that Lily was the reason for anyone finding her interesting. It was all circumstantial. Particularly when the ‘main love interest’ comes out of nowhere, claims he’s been watching her at events and then says he wanted to meet her because he thought she looked like someone interesting. We have no knowledge of him even hearing her speak before that forced interaction and suddenly he’s taking her home. There is also nothing on page that makes me feel for them as a couple.

Leana and Katherine as characters also have little purpose. We see Leana most and she is simply a brat. Katherine is hardly around enough for her to be included in the synopsis but I guess she has money and some connections which help Lily near the end of the book. But that’s about it.

The plot was oddly paced and unbalanced. There was a LOT that was attempted to be packed into the last 1/4 of the book and everything else leading up to that had no real point. Everything about the debutante society had little to no impact on the main conflicts near the end of the book. The first 3/4 did not serve to develop the characters or give much information to make the reader feel attached to the drama. It all just felt arbitrary.

In the end, I don’t know what I was supposed to take away from this story aside from time spent wishing for something deeper.