The Last Dance of the Debutante
by Julia Kelly

A really well structured and well written book. 1958 and times are changing . It’s the last season that debutantes will be presented to the queen. Lilian is doing the season to please her family . A well balance story with a bit of everything . A bit of drama - secrets from the past a show of how women and their attitudes are changing friendship and a little romance thrown in of course and the characters description of the season very well done . Very enjoyable read.4.5/5

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

I was excited to read Julia Kelly story, because it's a new author in our country and I liked her translated works.

But this book wasn't meant for me. I didn't like main character and it was a really slow read for me. I DNF- ed it for a couple of times, but managed to finish it after a year.

It was interesting setting though, it just wasn't meant to be perfect HR for me.

I really enjoyed this book. What made it interesting from the start was that it's set in the year of 1958 which is the last year in which debutants will be presented to the Queen, and the main character, Lily, is to be one of the chosen ones to be given this honour.

When we first meet Lily, it is clear that she has her own ideas of what she would like but she goes along with her family's plans because she has always tried to please them. But it doesn't take long before Lily starts to choose her own path.

I liked Lily as a character and the friendships she makes along the way. The pacing of the story was exactly right and it didn't feel like there was any parts that were just there for filler purposes, as everything felt relevant to the main story. The romance was also well built because for a short amount of time, it looked like there was two contenders and Lily thankfully didn't spend the whole time fixating on a man.

Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo Saga and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
This novel delivers an atmospheric read about a bygone era when your name, where you came from and the amount of money your family had was of prime importance, particularly with regard to making a good marriage. Descriptions of the round of luncheons, cocktails and dinner parties together with the fashions of the time were interesting, although I noticed a few American spellings which seemed out of place in this story about the London scene. The reader is made aware of an underlying mystery relating to Lily's family (the sister who is never discussed at home) but at 28% through the book this had barely been mentioned. The point of the debutantes' 'coming out' was to meet potential husbands so the pages are full of names of people Lily meets (some are so full of alliteration that they are laughable, or so similar it is hard to remember who is who, such as Cressida Blessing, Claudia Lessing and Richard Pritchard). I found this number of minor characters spoilt my enjoyment of the actual story and I stopped reading at this point.

I loved this novel as it's the depiction of an age when things are changing.
Lila is an interesting and fleshed out characters.
I liked the descriptions, the historical background, and the solid plot kept me he hooked.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

1950s Britain and the times are changing. The year is 1958 and it has been announced that this is the last year that young debutantes will be presented to the Queen. Life is changing in Britain and young women are persuing different lives and careers, rather than marriage to the right man. Meet Leana-rich and spoiled, Lily-a deb to please her mother and grandmother and Katherine- from a looked-down-upon newly rich family. The season begins, a social whirl of presentation parties, cocktails, dances and balls......all initially great fun, but its not long before Lily begins to question the point of it all. And then a tragic accident happens and suddenly its not so much fun........secrets are revealed and everything looks different in the light of day.
I really enjoyed this book, I liked the social history aspect of the debs' experiences of the season- a different time now- the authors research really shines through-and I was quickly engaged by the story of Lily and her family. A recommended read!

For fans of Downton Abbey meets Bridgerton this book is for you!

Lillian’s life has never been traditional but when she has the opportunity to become a debutante for the very last season will Lilys world change…

Dealing with personal issues as well as the debutante social life this book will have you laughing, crying and a little bit shocked.

Once I got stuck into this but I could NOT put it down!

4.5 stars
This was an insightful look into the life of a debutante in the 1950’s. I can see why Lily (the main character) became bored with this life, seeing the same faces, being careful to be perfect at all times. However, she did make some good friends. Unfortunately for Lily, she was taking part in this life to please her mother and grandmother. Her heart wasn’t really in it. I felt that the first part of the story was at a slow pace, however when I came to Part 3, the story really took off and became a real page turner. There were so many secrets that were uncovered and I was pleased that Lily took control of her life and stood up for what she wanted to do. There is a sweet romance. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. However, I did preorder my own copy.

“You’re going to be a debutante, Lillian,” said Grandmama. “One of the last.” “The Queen has decided that 1958 will be the final year of the court presentations,”

Julia Kelly’s, The Last Dance of the Debutante, sensationally brings to life the last official presentation of debutantes at court. Having read so much of how it was performed in Regency times for example, I was eager to read how this dying institution would play out in its final days. The story is everything I had hoped for and more. It is decadent yet also inclusive of a well written tale of a family mystery.

“That for the better part of a year we’re expected to go to lots of parties all in the hope that we’ll meet a nice man? It’s positively Victorian,”

England was on the cusp of change, especially for women. Gone were the days of a woman’s only path being one of matrimony and childhood. Julia’s research takes the facts of this final debutante season and mixes in a well crafted tale. On the one hand there are the pressures of participation in the Season and so much classism; on the other, a family secret that would have dramatic repercussions for the lead character, Lilly.

“I’m thinking about what my life would look like if no one expected me to become a deb,” she said.

I enjoyed The Last Dance of the Debutante. I thoroughly enjoyed diving into the final days of this English institution for girls being presented at court and seeking husbands. I mean, this was London 1958! Women were being seen to spread their wings and finding themselves caught between the old and emerging new ways. To have the lead character embroiled in a family secret just added that extra layer to the tale that brought the story to a whole new level.

‘To them, there was safety in even a dying tradition. To Lily, there was suffocation.’

With lush descriptions of gowns and parties, The Last Dance of the Debutante, Julia (author) brings to life this bygone era with women on the cusp of freedoms they had never dreamed possible. I found there to be the right amount of history and mystery with just a touch of romance. I felt, after all my Regency reads, that I had come full circle on this event that had been undertaken for so many years.

‘Some debutantes are a success because they are beautiful, and some are a success because of their families and their wealth. But others are a success because they understand how to play the game that is the Season.’










This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

I really enjoyed this historical novel and it’s accurate description of the 1950s in England, with all its post war glory and the love affairs during those days.

I ENJOYED THIS MORE THAN I EXPECTED TO

I was expecting a run-of-the-mill historical romance - heavy on the fluff, light on the content. Yes, it was fluffy, and yes it wasn't that heavy. But it sure wasn't an ordinary historical romance. I hesitate even calling it HR at all. This was a breath of fresh air for me, and I liked it.

👍 What I Liked 👍

Female friendships: More than anything this was a book about female friendship. The different kinds of female friendship; the toxic, the nourishing and the indifferent. I really liked that this was the central theme of the book. It made it stand out and gave it a fresh perspective for me. And I feel like it's a topic that isn't explored enough. I think it's important to show that some friends aren't worth the hassle because there are better friends out there for everyone. This book explored that very well.

Pace: For once I was actually appreciative of a slower pace. This book takes it time to build. It takes it time to introduce the characters, to flesh them out and to show them in context with one another. I had time to be very invested with most of the characters before the plot started to unfold, and that was a real treat for me. Usually I prefer a faster pace, but for the setting of this book, the slower pace worked excellently.

Romance: Yes, there was still romance! But same as above, it took its time to develop and grow. There was no insta-love or insta-lust. It felt natural and right for the romance to build slowly. And I liked that it wasn't the central theme of the book. It gave a nice variety.

A thoroughly well written book about debutantes and coming out balls. I do enjoy historical fiction and was not disappointed. There was a good storyline and the characters were intriguing and interesting. Plenty to keep me reading on to the end. I do recommend that you read this book.

I was pulled in immediately and had to force myself to slow down and savour the novel! It felt like I was there at the parties and balls with the characters. I loved the character development and complexities, especially the side characters being fleshed out instead of just background pieces for our MC, Lily!

The novel had unexpected plot twists and steady pacing that held my attention the whole way through. The Last Dance of the Debutante will definitely be a favorite for the month!

1958. The last year debutantes will be presented at court to the young Queen Elizabeth and officially come out into society. To appease her traditional mother, aspiring university student Lily Nicholls agrees to debut and do the Season. There she befriends two women: aloof Leana Hartford, whose apparent perfection hides a darker side, and ambitious Katherine Norman, who dreams of a career after helping her parents find their place among the elite. But the sparkle of the Season dims when Lily learns a devastating secret that threatens to destroy her entire family. Faced with a murky past, what will she choose for her future: her family legacy, or her own, uncertain happiness?
It’s rare that I read a book set in the 1950’s & this book made me wonder why I didn’t read more. What could have been a mundane novel about dress fittings & the social whirl became so much more when secrets became involved. I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of fact, fiction, mystery & romance. The characters were well portrayed & had depth, the descriptions of mid century England were vivid & I found myself drawn back to the times of my early childhood. I liked Lily but didn’t love her hence my rating
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I don't often read books that are infused with high society/aristocrats etc and I am really not sure why because I love Historical fiction. I really enjoyed this book it was decadent and fast paced and full of royalty, which I also love.
It was well written with a decadent and rich storyline and engaging and loveable characters for the most part, although some were tedious, but I think that was the point.
This was a great read and I would highly recommend it to historical fiction lovers.

A gorgeous historical novel I am beyond excited to review for my blog. I love high society type novels and this gorgeous novel does a wonderful job of bringing readers into that fold. It’s like a historical gossip girl and like the preface below says it’s mixed with The Crown. I could so see this being a television or movie series. Beautiful

Amidst the glamour of high society, a tawdry secret will change Lily’s life forever…

1958. The last year debutantes will be presented at court to the young Queen Elizabeth and officially come out into society. To appease her traditional mother, aspiring university student Lily Nicholls agrees to debut and do the Season – a glittering and gruelling string of endless balls and cocktail parties.

There she befriends two women: aloof Leana Hartford, whose apparent perfection hides a darker side, and ambitious Katherine Norman, who dreams of a career after helping her parents find their place among the elite.

But the sparkle of the Season dims when Lily learns a devastating secret that threatens to destroy her entire family. Faced with a murky past, what will she choose for her future: her family legacy, or her own, uncertain happiness?

A fast-paced and compelling historical novel for fans of Kate Morton and The Crown.