The Last Dance of the Debutante, Julia Kelly
The Last Dance of the Debutante, Julia Kelly
List: $25.99 | Sale: $18.20
Club: $12.99

The Last Dance of the Debutante

Author: Julia Kelly

Narrator: Marisa Calin

Unabridged: 10 hr 3 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/04/2022


Synopsis

In this “glorious dance through the traditional glamour and suffocating expectations of a bygone era” (Genevieve Graham, USA TODAY bestselling author), a group of young women are swept up in a life-changing journey as they become three of the last debutantes to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II.

When it’s announced that 1958 will be the last year debutantes are to be presented at court, thousands of eager mothers and hopeful daughters flood the palace with letters seeking the year’s most coveted invitation: a chance for their daughters to curtsy to the young Queen Elizabeth and officially come out into society.

In an effort to appease her traditional mother, aspiring university student Lily Nichols agrees to become a debutante and do the Season, a glittering and grueling string of countless balls and cocktail parties. In doing so, she befriends two very different women: the cool and aloof Leana Hartford whose apparent perfection hides a darker side and the ambitious Katherine Norman who dreams of a career once she helps her parents find their place among the elite. But the glorious effervescence of the Season evaporates once Lily learns a devastating secret that threatens to destroy her entire family.

“Woven with heartfelt emotion, this novel is a captivating, unforgettable story of one woman’s journey to find love, truth, and, most importantly, herself” (Kelly Bowen, author of The Paris Apartment) in midcentury Great Britain.

About Julia Kelly

Julia Kelly is the award-winning author of emotional historical novels about ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances and thrilling historical whodunnit mysteries. In addition to writing, she’s been an Emmy-nominated producer, journalist, marketing professional, and (for one summer) a tea waitress. Julia called Los Angeles, Iowa, and New York City home before settling in London with her husband. Readers can visit JuliaKellyWrites.com to learn more about all her books and sign up for her newsletter so they never miss a new release.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Tina on January 27, 2022

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......more

Goodreads review by Darla on December 05, 2021

Five dazzling yet discerning debutante stars for this new title from Julia Kelly. Our main character Lily is one of the last debutantes to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 1958. Join Lily as she navigates the dangerous waters of society and deals with a devastating family secret that seems to b......more

Goodreads review by Joan on December 20, 2021

Set in 1958 London, it is the last year that debutants will be presented at court. Caught between the old world and a dawning new ear of possibilities for women, bookish Lily Nichols has dreams of a university education, but acquiesces to the wishes of her mother and grandmother by entering in the d......more

Goodreads review by Katie on January 05, 2023

1958 was the last year debutantes were presented to Queen Elizabeth II. While Lily Nichols would much rather spend her time studying, her mother and grandmother urge her to take part in this season's balls and cocktail parties. Lily reluctantly agrees and while she meets countless debutantes at the......more

Goodreads review by Madeline on August 18, 2021

Julia Kelly elegantly brings to life the last official presentation of debutantes at court with her exquisitely researched and beautifully written detail in The Last Dance of the Debutante. This story was so decadent, I wanted to don silk and crinoline and read it with a glass of champagne.......more