{"product_id":"9781982171636","title":"The Last Dance of the Debutante","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe Last Dance of the Debutante\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Julia Kelly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn this “\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eglorious dance through the traditional glamour and suffocating expectations of a bygone era” (Genevieve Graham, \u003ci\u003eUSA TODAY\u003c\/i\u003e 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. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen 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.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eIn 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.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“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 \u003ci\u003eThe Paris Apartment\u003c\/i\u003e) in midcentury Great Britain.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Last Dance of the Debutante\u003c\/i\u003e peels back layers of lush glamour and the extraordinary expectations of the London Season to give us a glimpse into a world teetering on the brink of change and the choices facing those who navigated it. Woven with heartfelt emotion, this novel is a captivating, unforgettable story of one woman's journey to find love, truth, and, most importantly, herself.\" \u003cb\u003e—Kelly Bowen, author \u003ci\u003eThe Paris Apartment\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Refreshing, intriguing, oozing with elegance, and with three female leads who will keep you thoroughly engrossed, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Dance of the Debutante\u003c\/i\u003e is a charming gem of a novel which will delight fans of Kelly’s previous work, and fans of \u003ci\u003eThe Crown\u003c\/i\u003e.” \u003cb\u003e—Hazel Gaynor, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eWhen We Were Young and Brave\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Julia Kelly elegantly brings to life the last official presentation of debutantes at court with her exquisitely researched and beautiful written detail in \u003ci\u003eThe Last Dance of the Debutante\u003c\/i\u003e. This story was so decadent, I wanted to don silk and crinoline and read it with a glass of champagne.” \u003cb\u003e—Madeline Martin, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Last Bookshop in London\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“There are far too few books that deal with politics and pressures in women's friendships, but Julia Kelly's latest work, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Dance of the Debutantes\u003c\/i\u003e provides an insightful and engaging look at this neglected subject. Kelly's deft handling of the dynamics between the factions of female power in post-World War 2 England enlighten and educate her readers, and brings them along on an unforgettable journey of a young woman's liberation.” \u003cb\u003e—Piper Huguley, Author of \u003ci\u003eBy Design: the story of Ann Lowe, Society's Best-Kept Secret\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The engrossing narrative dishes out the right amount of tension while moving the plot forward at a satisfying pace... Kelly succeeds at bringing a bygone world to life.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Kelly’s descriptions of the glamorous, though long nights, are captivating. The pressure these young women feel to impress and make the right match is exhausting, and Kelly evokes compassion for her characters. The story is full of allure, society scandals, and the determination for these young women to eschew the dying traditions of the time.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781982171636\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Gallery Books","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":40591714320590,"sku":"9781982171636","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/O_e3baad73-530b-4a90-9dc2-94403f326de1.jpg?v=1646690537","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781982171636","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}