Lily Adams was a silver screen star, but she sudden steps away from her glamorous Hollywood life at the height of her career. No one understood why, but upon her death bed many years later she leaves the cryptic message for her granddaughter Carolyn, “My story begins and ends with Stella Lane. Soon you will understand what that means.”

In this dual timeline novel, Carolyn and her teenage daughter Em try to figure out what Lily’s message really means. Stella Lane is Lily’s archenemy. In their digging they find out some shocking information that turns their world upside down.

Sara Blaydes does an excellent job weaving between two time periods. For those easily triggered, there is drug abuse, eating disorders, bullying, and domestic violence present in this novel. This quick read will suck you right in, and the ending will likely shock many. I loved all the old Hollywood costume descriptions—I had a motion picture running through my head as I read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and of course the author Sara Blaydes for the advanced copy of the book. The Last Secret of Lily Adams is out now! All opinions are my own.

In 1950's Hollywood, Lily Adams is one of the hottest stars, having worked her way up from seamstress to star. However, just as she reaches the heights of fame, she leaves Hollywood behind, never making a movie again. Seventy years later, Lily's granddaughter Carolyn, reeling from a traumatic divorce and the loss of her grandmother, returns to Lily's house with her teenage daughter, to settle Lily's estate, and figure out her own future. As Carolyn sorts through Lily's belongings, she finds evidence that Lily was once friends with Stella Adams, a major Hollywood actress whose brutal murder was never solved. Through dual timelines, we follow Lily's rise to fame, and her connection to Stella, while also following Carolyn on her journey to understanding her grandmother, and charting a new course for her life.

I'm a sucker for old Hollywood stories, fictional or non fictional, so I knew when I saw this one, I had to pick it up. I really enjoyed Lily's timeline. Watching her work her way up, and seeing how brutal Hollywood was on its stars, was really interesting and compelling. The mystery of how she knew Stella and was involved in her life was really compelling, and I loved the twist and final reveal. Where this book let me down was Carolyn's timeline. Carolyn was not my favorite character; I found her very whiny, and overdramatic. Her daughter would act like a normal teenager who was processing a lot of trauma, and Carolyn would act like she was about to start murdering people. I also got very tired of Carolyn never asking the people in her life for help, and then complaining how she was so tired, had done everything herself, etc. That got really old, really fast. I did really enjoy Lily's sections, and honestly would have been okay if this book had been entirely from her viewpoint. I enjoyed this one, but the character of Carolyn kept me from loving it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful multi-generational tale of ambition, determination, family, and love. Told via dual timeline, we see the glitz and glamour along with the sacrifice and buried secrets of old Hollywood.

Lily Adams’ only ambition in life was to be star, nothing was more important than that, so why did she give it all up without ever looking back?? After her passing, Lily left clear instructions for her granddaughter Carolyn, no funeral only that all her items of any historical value be donated to the Golden Age Museum for an exhibit. Carolyn, who is looking for some stable ground for herself and her daughter following a divorce, plan a couple week stay at her grandmothers house to sort through her things. What they find is that there was more to Lily Adams that anyone ever knew! Lily had a secret, and she finally wanted to world to know it!

I was pulled into this one right away!! Sara Blaydes writes a well paced and engaging tale of allure and mystery! I sympathized with each of the characters, all very believable! I felt the tribulations of the women in Hollywood and all they had to endure. The ending was perfect, I just loved it!

Just like a Hollywood movie, orphaned Lillian Aldenkamp taps her tootsies, changes her name to Lily Adams, and becomes a star. When Lily dies her granddaughter Carolyn is charged with sorting through the remains of Lily's brief career. She uncovers evidence of a friendship between Lily and Stella Lane, a legendary film star who died mysteriously. Carolyn, a former dancer like her movie star grandmother, is parenting a teenage daughter while navigating a divorce. As she sifts through her grandmother's past she learns more truth and she realized existed about her own life. The Lily sections are far more interesting, as they are rooted in old Hollywood, and expose the despicable things women were subjected to in order to achieve stardom. Overall The Last Secret of Lily Adams is a compelling read about stardon and life outside of its glow.

I really enjoyed this one! In the past (1940’s-50’s), Lily Adams was a famous actress until all of a sudden she disappeared out of the spotlight. In the present upon Lily’s death, Lily’s granddaughter, Carolyn, is going through Lily’s things and sorting through what can be included in a museum exhibit on Lily. Carolyn find some things, including a journal, that suggests Lily had a secret. The story goes back and forth between the past POV of Lily and her rise to fame, and the present POV of Carolyn and her trying to uncover Lily’s secret.

There’s some mystery, some romance, and quite the twist at the end. I did find myself liking the past POV a little more. It also has similar old Hollywood vibes to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by TJR—if you liked that, I think you’d like this one!

There are quite a few trigger warnings in this book—I would look those up beforehand.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book with its Old Hollywood vibe. Contains quite a few triggers for many readers. Well developed characters with enough intrigue to satisfy. Carolyn's search for the truth of her grandmother Lily makes a great read.

I initially wanted to read this book because I thought it would be like the seven husbands of evelyn hugo, which it was but it also had some differences as well. I thought it was an interesting story with the old Hollywood theme mixed with a little mystery and I liked how it was all revealed at the end. however it was a slow read, especially in carolyn’s chapters, I though they were very dull and didn’t pick up until towards the end. I preferred lily’s chapters as they were more informative, fun, and engaging. unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would but overall it was still a decent read.

If I could have read this ARC in one sitting, I would have. So much was I invested in the dual timeline, and the plot.

Through Lily Adam’s diary we are introduced to the Golden Age of Hollywood where women are controlled, owned and thin. Through Lily Adams we see the glamour, the champagne, and dinners; the diet pills, the sexual assaults and the male dominated culture that has to control everything.

Lily Adam’s story begins and ends with Stella Lane, the glamorous Hollywood Superstar who was brutally murdered.

This novel took me there – I was at the parties, I smelled the cigarettes, felt their starvation, and disliked their men intensely. The current timeline was enjoyable – the fractured mother-daughter relationship that was repaired, slowly, with the help of their Grandmother.

I am stopping short of giving this novel 5 stars as I keep them for book that really blow me away; whilst this did blow me away it stops short of being a five star read. There are gaps – its hard to keep it historically accurate – for instance there was very little reference to WW2 (or WW1), and only fleeting references to the Great Depression.

This is an enjoyable Hollywood Blockbuster of a novel which will stay with me for a long time, just like a classic black and white movie.

The Last Secret of Lily Adams by Sara Blaydes is an outstanding historical novel!
I absolutely loved this story! It took about 20% for me to fully get into the book, but once I was, I was swept away into this story. I loved the characters. I loved the writing. And I just loved this unique historical fiction story.

Thank You NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The Last Secret of Lily Adams is an old Hollywood historical fiction mystery novel. Told from a dual timeline of Lily during the 1940's and Hollywood's golden age and present day with her granddaughter Carolyn. A murder mystery plot is intertwined with serious implications for the family. Carolyn is tasked with clearing out her grandmother's home and finds memorabilia that leads to clues to Lily's larger than life Hollywood Movie Star days and an unsolved murder of her rival Stella Lane.
The story weaves a fantastic mystery and keeps the reader guessing. As family truths are revealed to Carolyn her own bumpy life journey is impacted.
An exciting read with glamour, mystery, and touches on subjects that are politically charged and relevant today.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Sara Blaydes for the opportunity to read the engaging novel. I will recommend on my insta books.before.sleep and rate it on Amazon and Goodreads as well.
Special mention, I absolutely loved the cover art!

I loved this book and couldn't put it down! I have always loved stories of old Hollywood and this one brought me right into the past anxious to discover what Lily's secret was. I will be writing a longer review on my book review blog. and posting it soon.

This book was absolutely beautiful! Such a graceful story and it somehow pulled every heartstring. I adored the characters and the storyline. Wonderfully done

I was sucked into this one right away! I loved both storylines from past and present. Carolyn is going to clean out her grandmother’s home who had recently passed and find pieces to display in a museum to showcase her grandma’s fabulous life as a movie star. Carolyn learns there was more to her grandma, Lily, that she could have ever expected, and in doing so, mends the bond with her daughter Em.

Lily’s plot was my favorite! I absolutely enjoyed learning about her life as a star! The behind the scenes antics of directors and actors are what I imagined but still fascinating and infuriating.

This is the type of historical fiction that I adore. A hint of mystery, nothing to do with war, all the while mixing facts into the fiction to learn a bit of history.

This one is out JUNE 4! Make sure to preorder your copy STAT!

A really engaging read told in alternating chapters timelines - Lily, as a young adult and now where we follow Carolyn - her granddaughter.

Carolyn and her daughter Em have gone to empty her grandmother, Lily Adams‘ house following her death. Lily was once a Hollywood' actress who one day just gave up acting.

Carolyn‘s marriage has just broken down and Em is struggling with this so she’s hoping it will be a bonding experience for them. Sifting through the memorabilia of Lily’s once-glamorous career, most of which is going to be displayed at a Golden Age Museum, Carolyn comes across a letter from her grandmother implying she knows what happened to Stella Lane, an actress who was brutally murdered.

This book does cover a few sensitive topics, including drug use, domestic violence and eating disorders. A highly recommended read especially if you enjoyed dual timelines and books about Hollywood superstars

This book was not at all what I expected in all the best ways! I really enjoyed the way the author wove this intergenerational tale together.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. The Last Secret of Lily Adams by Sara Blaydes. Debut novel for this author and a great summer read! Lily Adams was a 1950s starlet and known as “ America’s Little Sister”. After her rapid rise to fame, she dropped out of the spotlight. Decades later, Lily has passed away and her granddaughter Carolyn is trying to put together important Hollywood memorabilia. Going through a divorce, Carolyn has her 14 year old daughter with her. They discover many secrets in Lily’s house. One has to do with the murder of Stella Lane, a big screen bombshell who was brutally murdered. I raced through this fun and frothy novel. Thumbs up! Great beach read! Happy Memorial Day Weekend! #bookstagram #whatiread #whatsinyourbeachbag #books #bookgram #bookworm #sarablaydes #libbyapp #goodreads #netgalley

I'm not sure why, but the blurb of this story kind of gave me The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo vibes and I couldn't resist adding it to my shelves. I'm so glad I did so now, because I ended up having such a fantastic time reading this debut! The Last Secret Of Lily Adams is a dual timeline story and a blend of historical Hollywood glamour, family drama and a mystery that will keep you on your toes. I simply couldn't get enough! It was without doubt one of my reading highlights so far this year.

Like I said, The Last Secret Of Lily Adams uses a dual timeline structure, where we switch between a (budding) Hollywood actress in the 1940s and her granddaughter in the present. Dual timelines can go both ways for me as I usually end up strongly preferring one over the other, but this story ended up being the exception to the rule. I enjoyed both timelines almost equally as each timeline and POV brought something different to the table. The past timeline gives you all that Hollywood glamour and scandal, while the present has the mystery to keep you fully intrigued.

As for the characters... There is no doubt that most of them have their flaws, but they felt so much more realistic because of them. I liked Lily more than Carolyn as a character, but both POVs were able to grab my attention easily. The family drama in the present could get a bit much and Carolyn had some annoying traits, but thanks to the whole mystery surrounding her grandmother's past it is very easy to look past that. Lily on the other hand was easier to root for, although she also had her flaws of course.

The Last Secret Of Lily Adams is a blend of different genres as well as topics, creating a rich and multi-faceted story that will appeal to a wide public. The plot incorporates heavy topics including misogyny, rape, abuse, bullying, infidelity, body shaming, addiction, family drama and toxic relationships in general, so it's definitely not all roses and sunshine along the way... But there are plenty of moments of hope as well, and the story also has a dose of romance to lighten things up a little. The story did an excellent job portraying just how toxic the Hollywood world is for actresses, and the different elements were incorporated seamlessly.

If you are looking for a rich and immersive piece of historical fiction that mixes Hollywood glamour with a compelling mystery and plenty of drama and secrets, I cannot recommend this debut enough. I already know that The Last Secret Of Lily Adams will appear on my list of 2024 favorites!

I was really looking forward to this read, sounded right up my street. The comparisons to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo obviously piqued my interest. But I have to say, this story stands on its own.

I was immediately drawn in and I devoured it in just 24 hours. It really takes you on a journey into the darker side of old Hollywood.

The characters, particularly Lily Adams, are distinct and compelling. The dual timelines added depth to the narrative, though I found myself more drawn to the past, with its vivid depiction of 1950s Hollywood.

The present-day storyline, following Lily's granddaughter Carolyn, was less engaging for me. I wished Carolyn had been more proactive in uncovering her grandmother's secrets, rather than stumbling upon them. Despite this, the book kept me hooked from start to finish.

Overall, the book offered a captivating glimpse into a bygone era and left a lasting impression. It was an enjoyable and satisfying read that I couldn't put down.

The Last Secret of Lily Adams is an endearing story exploring the hidden histories of two actresses who rose to fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Sara Blaydes does a fantastic job developing the dual stories and providing rich detail of the different eras. What truly captivates you, however, is the enthralling murder mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story is a page-turner and hard to put down.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read and review this intriguing eARC.

Not everything in Hollywood glitters in gold. Carolyn was the granddaughter of one of the brightest stars in Hollywood. At the height of her career, though, she left the industry and lived a quiet life. Lily Adams learned the hard way that to become a "star" in the film industry was not as easy obtained, not even if you had talent. With her wholesome looks, however, she was able to break through and become the "Little Sister" on the Silver Screen. But then having reached where her ambitions took her, she left the industry. Why? Now it is up to her granddaughter to find the reason. While Carolyn has her own problems with her 14 year old daughter Em and, struggling from her divorce, she goes out to Hollywood to put together some of her grandmother's artifacts for a museum. In doing so, she comes across a diary written by Lily that gives Carolyn clues to Lily's past.. In this novel we see how the movie industry treated its stars...they owned them, they fed them uppers and downers, controlling their lives in every aspect. Scattered throughout the books we come across the likes of those actors that we long admired, i.e. Rita Hayworth, Gary Cooper, just to name a few. This was an excellent read, one that I would highly recommend. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.