Set during the Great Depression, Evie Grace Devlin hopes to leave her past in vaudeville behind her by becoming a nurse. She trains for three years but is kept from getting “pinned” as an actual nurse because of prejudice and plain mean-spirited villainy. She uses her training to nurse the contestants who dance pretty much nonstop 24 hours a day. They sleep on the dance floor against their partners. I’d never heard of these sort of dance marathons. I obviously knew how hard the Depression was on a great many people, but it’s still difficult to read about folks who were already poor that were particularly hard hit by the economic downturn. Having them ruin their health for a few coins so they could entertain the masses—it’s ghastly. What’s harder to read about is parents who can’t love their children or choose not to because of their sexual orientation. I guess if you didn’t have access to birth control, some folks who might have chosen otherwise were forced to become parents, but it’s still heartbreaking.

Even though there is a lot of sad stuff happening in this historical novel, it’s a different view of this time of history than I was previously familiar with, and I thought it was a compelling read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book, which RELEASES APRIL 12, 2022.

A wild romp through nursing school and vaudeville during the Depression, Last Dance on the Starlight Pier was unfortunately uneven. Following Evie Grace, a plucky young woman who dubbed her way into nursing school and out of her desperate life with her abusive mother, she ensures the bullying of the director of nursing for three years only to be denied her pin. Devastated, Evie ends up back in the world of vaudeville, working as a nurse for a travelling dance marathon show. Sucked into the world of the show, Evie begins a close friendship with Zave, one of the stars. A riotous, heartbreaking story is their plans for the future, and their quest to get Evie her pin.

The parts about nursing school felt focused but after that, the story grew chaotic and kind of nonsensical, as well as deeply homophobic. While Bird was representing the general feelings about same sex relationships during the time period, it doesn’t come across as well-executed. Evie wants to change Zave, who isn’t keen on changing who he is to be more palatable. Evie does eventually realize the medicine at the time was to recommend lobotomies, and thankfully, is horrified, but it was mostly very clunky as part of the plot and the finesse to illustrate queer love in a time where it was 100% not accepted was lacking.

Having not read much about the Great Depression except for some books that took place in rural America made the Last Dance on the Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird was of high interest to me. Having heard older family member talk about those days I was intrigued to read Evie Grace Devlin’s story especially after reading the very first chapter titled Galveston. That opening was definitely an attention grabber.

As the story goes back three years earlier, through Evie Grace’s eyes you feel the hope and the despair of the times. Harsh realities and even harsher people have been a part of her life but there have been people she loved, too. Her childhood has abusive people but others had it worse. At times my heart broke but also I could see the goodness of others. I was taken with the whole dance marathon world. It won’t last forever; we will come out stronger is an important lesson for us today too. The story is unique look at hard times in America’s history.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really liked this book for numerous reasons. I grew up in Houston and Galveston is familiar territory. The main character Evie is a character I enjoyed and became involved in hoping for her happiness. The book begins with Evie trying to make something out of her life by becoming a nurse and although she completed the training it would never happen. Her pivot to dance marathons made this a book to be classified historical fiction. I knew nothing about these marathons and it was interesting. Bird managed to weave in the politics of the times and did it well. I love learning and being entertained at the same time. This is the first book by Sarah Bird i have read but I intend to go back and read some of her others! Thank you for allowing me to read this #NetGalley #LastDanceOnTheStarlightPier @SarahBird #StMartinsPress

If there were 0.5 increments I'd give it a solid 3.5, but not quite a 4. A bit repetitive in places ie: money issues were incongruent as was some of the historical information. Several times various characters were either down to their last penny and in the next sentence had wads of cash and were staying in high end luxury hotels. A few words that were used would not have been used during that time period and I don't believe existed at that time.
There is no warning that it contains anything about the gay community. Overall, it was a good read, it just did not live up to the cover blurb for me.
I was provided this book as an Advanced Reader Copy and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Sarah Bird's Last Dance on the Starlight Pier is a beautifully written historical fiction novel set during the Great Depression. I find myself drawn to fiction about this era in our history and was not disappointed with this one,  Bird's characters are easy to relate to and dance marathons are something new for me to learn about.  I enjoyed this novel.  Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

The more I read historical fiction, the more I realize that I really enjoy these stories. Seeing how things were (and realizing I would have NEVER survived back in the day) and contrasting it with how things are today and how eerily similar some things are. I was thoroughly immersed in this storyline. I never knew the history of dance marathons. While I'm sure there was creative license taken, it's just a fascinating subject and it was so well done that I felt like I was right there with Evie, Save and their merry band of marathoners and other characters.

I found so many things to love about Last Dance on the Starlight Pier! In tone and setting it reminded me of The Promise by Ann Weisgarber, one of my favorite novels ever. Sarah Bird's rendering of Galveston and the Houston area in the 1930s was riveting. Evie's struggle to finish her nursing degree in Texas seemed especially authentic. My own mother graduated in the 1950s from nursing school in Austin TX and many times would comment on the status differences for RNs versus other nursing staff.

Highly recommended. Evie's spirit and resilience shine through in this highly readable story.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review! I was just talking about how I haven't read many books set in The Great Depression and then BAM this beautiful book crosses my path! There are a lot of characters to remember but the cast really supports the story! Bird does a fantastic job of setting the scene for us!

I love stories set in the Depression Era and this one had a unique perspective that I had not read before - the world of vaudeville and then dance marathons. There were surprises along the way and many cases in which a person was not who they seemed at first. I appreciated the strength and resilience of the main characters.

An era that I knew little about. I had read about dance marathons and remember a movie about them, but had no idea of the gruesome lifestyle these people lead, and that they really didn’t make any kind of livable wage!
But, Evie’s story did hold one thing for me, her endeavors to to get what she really yearned for, her nursing pin, one of the accomplishments that I am proud of in my life, though I didn’t have to suffer bunions and blisters to get there.
But it did highlight how we often have to struggle to reach our dreams, and Evie did struggle more than most.
As a fan of historical novels, this was a new one for me, but I realized that though the politics and suffering of the depression will hopefully never be repeated, there were similarities to our current political discourse. It passed in 1932 and hopefully it will in 2022.
My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I loved Evie Grace and the rest of the characters. I rooted for all of them throughout the story.

It is very important to remember that this book is set during the Great Depression.

Evie comes from humble roots near Galveston Texas. She dreams of becoming a nurse but her no good mom and others aren't making life easy for her. Evie's dad was a dancer so when Evie takes a job working as a nurse on the dance marathon circuit it seems like life is starting to look up. It is there that she falls hard for the talented and very handsome Zave. In what seems like a Cinderella story Evie and Zave are set up to pretend to be engaged and showcase the new dance show. As the clock strikes midnight however Evie's dreams might go up in smoke as secrets are uncovered and hearts are broken. The Great Depression, the brutal world of marathon dancing centered in the illustrious cities of Chicago and Galveston combined with the colorful characters shared in the vibrant voice of Sarah Bird make this historical fiction with a heart of gold. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Dark but intriguing historical fiction with dance marathons of the depression years as its central point. As an RN, I found the nursing subplot a bit contrived, but enjoyed the two female main characters and their interplay. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to read a bit about the dark underbelly of the depression and prohibition.

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier is a madcap, dizzying adventure that takes place during the Great Depression, just prior to FDR's nomination as the Democratic candidate for president. The reader will see very little evidence of the Depression, though, as protagonist darts and dashes to Galveston, over to Litchfield, up to Chicago and all the way back through again - first pursuing a nursing degree and then working with a dance tour outfit that introduces her to the magnetic Zave. The story is a little explored alternative to the woes of the time, but there's so many things going on, and so much acting going on that it's hard to keep up with both Evie and the story. And while Evie deserves redemption as much as the next person between a cruel and indifferent mother and the spiteful and vengeful Director at her nursing school, she unintentionally spends a good portion of the book convinced that someone she cares about needs fixing - and not in a good way. If the reader can keep up, they'll have to wait to see if Evie gets her nursing pin and if things work out well for her and her friends in the end. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the first time I heard about the Great Depression Dance Marathons. Evie had a sad and difficult upbringing living the vaudeville life. She ends up going to nursing school and befriending the daughter of a mobster.

Having her nursing pin withheld from her due to her "lack of character" she is forced to make a living. She ends up joining the cast of a dance marathon group. Split between Galveston and Chicago, Last Dance on Starlight Pier, tells of Evie's adventures from 1929-1932.

Very interesting look at the Great Depression and relatively unknown piece of history, the Dance marathons. Well written and enjoyable.

Thank you for Netgalley for an advanced reader copy.

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier is a historical fiction story set in the 1930's during the Great Depression. It centers around the dance marathons that were quite prominent for entertainment during this time. I found it interesting as I had no knowledge of these dance marathons. Our protagonist, Evie Grace Devlin, starts working for a dance marathon, even though she dreams of a better life as a nurse. I found this story really interesting. I don't remember learning too much about the Great Depression when I was a child but I find this time period very interesting and have been reading a lot of books set during the Great Depression. If you are at all curious about this time period and the dance marathons, I highly recommend Last Dance on the Starlight Pier. Thank you Netgalley for my advanced readers copy in exchange for my review.

In the years of The Great Depression, there wasn’t much to hold onto, but in many cities across the nation, dance marathons gave folks a small glimmer of hope. Trying to escape her past of the vaudeville circuit, Evie Grace Devlin heads to Galveston to become a nurse. At the 11th hour though, Evie’s life is again upturned and she finds herself living a life in the dance marathon circuit. Cultivating this new life, Evie begins to see the true resiliency of the country, especially at a time where everyone needs to stick together to survive.

I haven’t read a ton of books based around The Great Depression, so this was a nice change from the WWI/II historical fictions that I read. This book had a lot to unpack though. The author did a great job to make you feel like you were right on the dance floor the entire time. This book publishes on Pittsburgh Day - 4/12, so if you want a different era of historical fiction and something to make your feet move, add this to your TBR!

Dance marathons kept people alive during the Depression. Reading Sarah Bird’s novel makes the reader a marathon participant rather than a spectator. Following Evie and Zave, the Golden Couple, we learn about their similarities in troubled pasts, lives built on deception, and love for the same special person, Denny Devlin. Working together toward a mutual dream they play along with the shady people who run these events, clinging loyally to themselves and the other dancers. Played against the backdrop of Galveston’s mob control and the country’s political struggle, this is a story of endurance, courage, and a loving friendship that defies the odds.