This was a different book than what I was expecting. The time period was presented very well but the characters left me flat. Little snippets of their life were presented but not always tied together very well. Characters came in and out of Evie’s life without a lot of backstory. This leaves the reader not fully understanding her actions such as the part of the story with her grandma. The descriptions of the dance marathons were very interesting in understanding the time period of the 20’s and 30’s reminiscent of the old movie”They Shoot Horses Don’t They.”
Evie’s and Zave’s love story was a little one sided. The novel was well researched but needed more character development. This is a sad but true representation of a form of entertainment not often written about. #LastDanceOnTheStarlightPier #NetGalley

The Last Dance on the Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird is a historical novel set during the Great Depression of the early 1930's. From the dust storms in the plains to dance marathons in Chicago and back to Galveston, the story follows Evie Grace Devlin, who studied to be a nurse, on her journey for survival in such hard times. This is the first historical novel I have read about the dance marathons and found it a pleasant change from the usual Depression era books. This book held my interest from the first page. Thanks to author Sarah Bird, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

This book isn't what I expected after reading the short blurb. After reading it, I feel like I'm missing the point, something doesn't seem finished. Maybe if the author's note had been included, it would pull it all together.

It's set around Evie, a former child vaudeville performer, turned nurse, who becomes a marathon dancer in the mid 1920's. But there is a lot more than just dancing, there is The Great Depression, mobsters in Chicago, skeevy dance producers, politics, and a lot more. Interesting, but strange story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Thank you for giving me an ARC to review. I haven’t read much about the Great Depression or Prohibition. I enjoyed reading this book because of the plot. There was many story lines going on to keep my interest. It drew me in from the first chapter. There was a constant need to find out what happened after the teaser in the first chapter. This book was tight up my alley because it is historical fiction. Thank you again for allowing me to review this book.

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird wasn’t the book I was expecting to read. Per the summary, it read like a book a woman starting over during the Great Depression. And it was that … but there was a lot more. The main character is Evie, who is an interesting character. Her father was a vaudeville star and Evie was pushed into dance and performing by her mother. Evie goes to nursing school, but after three years is denied her nursing pin. Defeated, she joins a dance marathon company as their nurse (yes, a nurse was on hand for those marathons) eventually getting entangled with Zave, the main star. Here’s what I wasn’t expecting - that the book was about friends who become family and acceptance. There’s a bit of politics thrown in (Hoover vs FDR), there’s a bit of Hooverville life thrown in, some mob connections, and a bit of general history of the Great Depression. I had a bit of an issue with one part, where a character is said to be something, Evie seems to be okay with it, then a few chapters later sees the character doing that thing, then Evie melts down - that really confused me (Evie’s accepting but not really?). There’s also a part where Evie, having never driven a manual car before, figures it out pretty quickly … at night, without headlights. Some of the supporting characters were interesting, but I never felt really connected to most of them (possibly a case of too many side characters?). The one thing I did really like was that this wasn’t a romance story - but I felt that communication between characters would have really helped with the acceptance part of the story. Also, toward the end of the book, Evie is given an opportunity to do a lecture circuit from her former nursing school (part of the plot) on something that I’m pretty sure was not a generally accepted subject for the time period (in fact, not giving too much away, the topic she was covering was regarded as a miracle cure for the next two decades). However, on the positive side - this book took a different viewpoint regarding The Great Depression (it wasn’t focused on farmers and The Dust Bowl), it explored marathon dancing, and how accepting others as they are is a good thing (TM). I do wish that I could have read the Author’s Note (there wasn’t one in the e-ARC version I had, sadly) for the author’s inspiration and possibly historical research (I’m sure some was done!). A well written book that was a quick read. 4 solid stars.

This book was a bit slow to start but once it got going I found it really hard to put down. I had no idea about the dance marathons in the 20s/30s and thought it was made up at first (research quickly showed I was wrong) and this was so fascinating!

While at times I was disappointed in Evie, I liked her enough to keep going.

A great read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and learning more about tales that aren't often told.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

It is 1932 and Evie becomes a nurse to escape her mother who has used Evie’s dancing in vaudeville since she was 6, to pay the bills. Evie makes it to nursing school, is good at her vocation, but the director of the school refuses to give her the pin. She goes home to her mother vowing she will get a job as a nurse somewhere. She finds a dance marathon and a dancer, Zave, who has an injured ankle and foot. She takes care of him and earns a spot with the company. I loved this book. I could feel the desperation brought on by the Depression. The dancing company offered Evie a community of support and one she could help with her nurses training. The dancers and supporters were interesting characters. This book is full of hope, learning to trust, and the need to accept each person whatever their differences. Perseverance can enable dreams to come true.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review. The story started out very good about the Great Depression and a nurse in training. I liked the story about the dance marathons. However, the dialogue is very corny and just feels like a parody of a 1930s gangster movie. Evie can't drive but she picks it up the first time she gets behind the wheel of a stick shift while escaping from a police raid. Really? I read over 38% but I just couldn’t finish.

Galveston, Texas and Chicago, Illinois - 1929 to 1932

It is the height of the Great Depression. Millions are out of work, homeless, hungry, and desperate to find any kind of living. Starting in the nineteen twenties, dance marathons became popular, but by the nineteen thirties, they were a means of cheap entertainment, and sometimes a chance to make money.

It's early summer of 1929 and Evie Grace Devlin, who grew up in a notoriously bad part of Houston, is checking into the St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing in Galveston. She is still in shock that she got the full scholarship, and her mother, Mamie, is furious that Evie is now no longer the bread-winner. Mamie has never been what most people would think of as a good mother. In fact, some of the things she forced Evie to do as a young girl made Evie stretch some of the information on the scholarship application a bit. After all, this is a Catholic-run school. With Evie's vaudeville experience, as well as her mother's questionable behavior, it's a miracle that Evie is walking through the doors of St. Mary's School.

Immediately taken under the wing of another new student, Sofia, who happens to be related to the powerful Amadeo family of Galveston, Evie is, at first, denied entry by the director of the school. However, much to the director's disgust, Evie begins training, and, after an exemplary three years, she is ready to graduate and be pinned with the rest of the students. But, just before the ceremony, the director calls her aside, and shows her photographs someone had sent her that were taken when Evie was a child. No pin, no nursing degree. Fleeing back to Houston, devastated and broke, Evie ends up at an old friend's dance studio where she stumbles in on the beginnings of a dance marathon, and is hired as the company nurse.

A dance marathon consists of couples who enter the contest in the hopes of surviving long enough to win some of the cash prizes. They cannot sit down or take breaks except when authorized by the timer, and breaks are usually fifteen minutes. Some couples have enough experience that one can sleep while the other holds them up. But blisters, minor injuries, or illnesses require that a medical person be around. That's where Evie steps in, despite not have the certification. She meets the couples who travel together to the marathons, including Zave and Cleo. Zave, it turns out was initially trained by Evie's father, who died when she was five. So, she has an extra special interest in him.

But, there is still a depression going on, as well as the election of a, hopefully, new president in the beleaguered country, and things don't work out for long in Houston. As the troupe moves on to Chicago, Evie eventually follows, and it is a life-changing experience for her and Zave. Will their return to Texas, and the Amadeo's Starlight Pier in Galveston, be what they hope for?

LAST DANCE ON THE STARLIGHT PIER is a story of the Depression as well as a coming of age for many Americans then. Evie has never had anything handed to her in her life, so when she gets the scholarship, and discovers a real affinity for nursing in helping people, she is destroyed when that is all taken away from her. How will the dance marathons help? Find out if they do, and learn a little history while you're at it.

This was a powerful commentary on the life of men and women at a time when being politically correct and standing for people's rights was not a priority. There is much sadness, yet the whole good triumphing over evil helps balance that as Zave and the heroine continue to emerge from the darkness of the time. We tend to live in our own little bubble to some extent and don't realize that we are merely a generation away from a time when the world thought a lot differently. Well written with many twists and turns. A powerful statement about friendships and loyalty as well.

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier is a unique book, one that takes place during the Depression. It is the story of Marathon Dancers who danced for hours in front of audiences that watched them just to get away from their own sad lives. Yes, they threw dimes, nickels and pennies down at them from stands high above and cheered at the false display playing out on the dance floor.

This book covers the sordid world of marathons and cloaked with sadness. The settings in Texas and Chicago gave a glimpse of what life was like at that particular time. The city no better than the country setting. Cities where people who were once proud, standing on soup lines, yet out in the country of Texas houses were falling apart, dust storms were blowing and no one stood a chance. Our protagonist, Evie Grace might have been a "breath of fresh air" but her childhood was tough, with a mother who was too rapped up in herself to care.

This is a different take on the Great Depression, well written, well researched. It did captivate me, but I must say it was sad, very sad.

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read The Last Dance on the Starlight Pier, by Sarah Bird, at the request of St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review. I am delighted to assign it 5 stars.

Set in mostly Galveston, TX and Chicago, IL, the book explores the world of the dance marathons that sprang up as vaudeville died out, old prejudices, some social, medical, & political history.

This is a complex and compelling saga that history lovers will enjoy. My review is on HubPages. They will not allow anything published on that platform to be shared anywhere else, so here is the link to my review.: https://hubpages.com/literature/Last-Dance-on-the-Starlight-Pier

#LastDanceOnTheStarlightPier #SarahBird #StMartinsPress #NetGalley #Evie #Zave #Lobotomy #homelessness #ChildAbuse #ElderAbuse #History #HistoricalFiction #GalvestonTexas #ChicagoIllinois #TexasPanhandle #LotobomyToCureHomosexuality #prohibition #VolsteadAct #Vaudeville #DanceMarathons #CrimeFamilies #BestFriends #PageTurnerNovel #CouldntPutItDown #ReadToYourChildren #ReadToYourKids #SupportYourLibrary #BookReviews

This is a hard review to write, because overall I enjoyed the story of the marathon dancers, Galveston during the Depression, and the relationship between Sofia and Evie.
However, the bad outweighs the good....the characters FELL FLAT!
The 'love story' between Zave and Evie was mostly one sided with Evie day dreaming about a life and Zave really not encouraging her, but this was the main plot of the story.
Other characters rotated in and out depending upon need then actually bringing substance to the story.
For instance when Evie goes home and finds grandma on the floor. NOT once did she question where her mother was....just spent time with grandma. Further, it didn't sound like Grandma was around a lot when Evie was growing up...but Evie jumped through hoops to save her.
Then the dancers....we get glimpses of personality, but nothing to tie the characters together.
THEN>>>>>>>>>>
SPOILER ALERT: Avert your eyes NOW if you don't want a spoiler
at the end of the book its revealed that Kane and Zave are a couple and have been for some time.
WHAT?!
If that was the case, why was Zave kissing someone else in Chicago?
Further, at the end of the book, Evie is going to go lecture nursing students about the dangers of lobotomies on gay people? Really?! That does NOT fit the timeline of actual events.

At the end of the book, I wished that there had been more character development, more nuance and less time dealing with the mob, Pops, and dance moves.

Interesting story of the Great Depression dance marathons.

The novel centers around the dance marathons prominent for entertainment during the Great Depression. The story takes place in Galveston and Chicago.

Evie Devlin is a student nurse that is needing to overcome many hardships in her life. She joins with a dance marathon to practice her nursing skills, only to be paired with the show's star -- Zave. From there she is whisked onto the dance floor. Will there be love? Or will there be more heartache for the pair?

Most stories from this era focus on the farm and the Dust Bowl.. It is refreshing to hear of another facet of that era. The dance marathons during that time were endurance events for the dancers and provided cheap entertainment for the attendees.

Ms. Bird weaves interesting characters into the setting and brings up some of the social issues of the time. You will be cheering for Evie as she tries to overcome the heartache from her early life.

If you are looking for a historical fiction story that has good character development and a unique backdrop, this book is for you. If you are looking for a sappy romance, you may need to pick another novel.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.

Such a gripping tale of the lives of marathon dancers during the Depression. A young woman working hard to become a nurse is cursed by childhood drama and the machinations of her narcissistic mother. She becomes involved with a dance marathon troupe which changes her life and brings her the determination she needs to face a world of sadness and deprivation. An excellent novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley.
Desperate times called for desperate dancing during the Great Depression. Sarah Bird sets the stage for the fascinating, fast-paced craze of dance marathons with Evie, a student nurse who will steal your heart. I was swept away by this nuanced portrait of impoverished couples who danced for days to keep a roof over their heads and their dreams alive. Last Dance at the Starlight Pier is a reminder of our resilience.
There were twists, turns, surprises, heavier moments balanced with fun/lighter aspects that had my toe tapping created a really great experience. I enjoyed the cast of characters and enjoyed how it all played out.

I love historical fiction and this account settled on the time period during the Great Depression. I thoroughly enjoyed the “dance competition” perspective as I’ve never read anything about these competitions that were so popular in the 1920s-1930s. I learned quite a bit, enjoyed the characters and the storyline, and I appreciated the reminder that human beings have the capacity to endure and thrive even in the most difficult of life’s circumstances.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

This story provides a new perspective of life during the Great Depression which was quite interesting to me. Evie has a tough childhood, but turns her life around as she enrolls in nursing school and excels in her studies. More challenges come her way, and she ends up as a nurse for a dance marathon crew. As the marathon experience develops, she eventually finds herself dancing too! I enjoyed learning about the dance marathons that happened during the Depression, and have done a little more research on this topic.

This is the second or third book of Sarah Bird's that I've read and she has not disappointed me yet. She spins a story that is detailed enough to paint a picture in the reader's mind, but not so detailed that it gets bogged down.

This one takes place during the Great Depression and is centered around both nursing and dancing. The dance competition world is intriguing enough alone, but Bird manages to include some important social issues as well. It's a sordid world, but not without hope and possibility. And the settings of Chicago and Galveston during the 1930's are fascinating. This would be another good pick for book groups and personally, I wish that there will be a sequel to this book....

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I want to thank you NetGalley for obtaining a copy of this book to review.
The book takes place during the Great Depression. It is a historical fiction and includes the dance competitions of the 1920&1930s. It was interesting how it portrays this event. It is a way for people,
Rich or poor no matter their status, can be together and let go of their emotions with all sorts of characters.

The main character is Evie Grace Devlin. she had an emotional abusive mother when she was young. However, she gets into nursing school. But, her luck still isn’t there because her boss the Director of Nursing is also abusive. However, Evie is resourceful. and joins the dancing marathons. She meets Zave and dances away the night.

The story moves on with many different people and turns and twists which added to an enjoyable
Read.