Set during the great depression, Last Dance on the Starlight Pier highlights the often hidden in plain sight lives of LGBTQIA+ people. The story also shows the poorest of the poor, the richest of the rich, and those on the dance marathon circuit that are somewhere in-between.

📖My Thoughts📖

The more I read historical fiction, the more I realize just how much I enjoy it. Typically I read historical fiction books taking place during the WW2 era, so this was a nice change for me. It really amazes me how much different times were back in the 20s and 30s. This was a very well written story about a young woman who faces challenges throughout her life, trying so hard to make something of herself while also living during the Great Depression. I am in Healthcare, so reading parts about Evie Grace in nursing school and how they treated certain diagnoses was really interesting to me. I honestly never knew they had dance marathons. I don’t think I would ever be able to handle them and how much they entail. What do I like about historical fiction? I’m able to learn something without the dryness you get from a regular history book. I love how they incorporate history into a personal storyline. This was a pretty good book. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys reading historical fiction, especially that takes place during the Great Depression.
Thank you Netgalley, Sarah Bird and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This historical fiction takes place during the Depression. The main characters, Evie and Zane, meet at a dance marathon and life long experiences pursue. Really great character development, but the book was too long, and in some places repetitive. Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sarah Bird for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 Stars

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird explores an era less common in historical fiction - underground dance halls during the Great Depression. I was intrigued by this setting/premise and thought the execution of the story was solid.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

2.5 Stars
One Liner: Umm… I don’t know. Kinda scattered

1932, Galveston:
Evie wants to become a nurse. She is eager to shut off her dark past and move into a brighter future. However, this is easier dreamt than achieved. She goes through a series of hardships, trains to become a nurse but is denied her PIN, and finally joins a marathon dance group.
Evie’s life changes as she meets different people and gets swept into their worlds. Depression is making everyone desperate, and her struggle to find love can ruin everything for her and others. Can Evie find what she cherishes the most and have a family to call her own?
The story comes from Evie’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
The writing is beautiful but slow. I started to speed-read and found it much more to my liking.
The book gives a glimpse into the lives of marathon dancers. This was a new topic for me, so it was informative and enjoyable.
The story comes from Evie’s POV, and there’s some character growth to support it. However, the plot deals with too many issues, making the book a bit scattered. Also, I couldn’t connect with Evie or root for her.
I’m still unclear about the core theme in this one. Is it Evie’s nursing? Is it about the Great Depression? Is it about falling in love with someone unavailable? Is it capitalism vs. communism? It is Catholic vs. Protestant? Is it about an abusive and selfish parent? Is it about homophobia? No idea. There’s a little of everything and nothing to anchor the reader.
We had a solid plotline with Evie and her mafia friends. Then we jump to marathon dancers. We have a potential love track and some homophobia. The mafia family enters again. More drama and Evie is being the opposite of smart. Finally, there’s regret and reveal. Some happy news too. And then we have another sort of HEA that seems out of place in a book set in the early 1930s.
There are quite a few characters to keep track of. I went with the flow as they seemed to pop in and out of the story whenever necessary.
Not a fan of political commentary either, especially when some of it sounded more contemporary than historical. But I could be wrong as I don’t belong to the region.

To summarize, Last Dance on the Starlight Pier is a novel with many themes and has a few good elements. But it is underwhelming as a package. Maybe removing extra elements and limiting the story to 350 pages or less would have made it compact.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Sarah Bird writes memorable, colorful characters who live within a time in history, and creates her story. This book is centered around the Great Depression and the challenges the ordinary man faced. Many topics were touched upon, including dance marathons, nursing education, vaudeville, homosexuality, poverty - and with its optimistic ending, the election of FDR. I learned a lot, which is the primary reason I’m so fond of historical fiction.

Evie Grace Devlin wants nothing more than to be a nurse, but on the eve of her pinning ceremony, a vindictive nun who’d always mistrusted her, learns of an unfortunate even in Evie’s past and denies her her pin. Not even Evie’s best friend, Sofia, whose family is the underbelly of Galveston, can help her.

Eager to make money to pay her grandmother’s medical expenses, Evie talks her way into a quasi-nursing position at a dance marathon. Surprisingly she is reunited with Zave, her father’s former protégée. In a world where people will do anything to keep themselves fed, Evie becomes “Gravy,” a marathon dancer. But when the marathon moves to the Starlight Pier in Galveston, Evie’s past and present collide with devastating results.

This novel illustrates the hardships of the Great Depression and reminds us that the good old days weren’t so good, especially if you were a vulnerable woman or gay man. Evie, Sofia, and Zave will stay with the reader long after the book is over. The story could have been told in shorter version, but the book was enjoyable overall. #LastDanceontheStarlightPier #NetGalley

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Last Dance on the Starlight Pier details underground dance marathons in Houston, Chicago, and Galveston during the Great Depression. The details about what dancers need to do during dance marathons (how they sleep, the breaks, the nurses that attend to them) was so interesting! I enjoyed that part of it, as well as the details about Galveston.
Other than that, I thought this read was only okay. The story seemed like it could have been condensed to make it more appealing to readers - I set this one aside for a while because of its length and my meh feeling toward it. When I finally got there, I enjoyed the ending. I do not read very much historical fiction, so maybe others who enjoy the genre would like this one more than I did!

I had high hopes for this one - I love historical fiction and found the setting and era such an intriguing idea. Unfortunately, I really disliked the main character - Evie - and struggled to understand many of her motivations and decisions throughout the book.

I felt like the story was much longer than it needed to be, and yet the ending was rushed. I also still don’t fully understand why the Starlight burned down.

I really enjoyed learning more about the Depression years and how, for Galveston, Texas, at least, there was no Depression. I'd never heard of these types of dance marathons before, so it was fascinating to learn about this type of entertainment and the lengths people would go to complete and stay in them. I also had no idea that the dancers could stay on their feet for hundreds of hours! That still blows my mind.

The plot itself ended up meandering. It started strong when Evie shows up to start nursing school, determined to get away from her seedy past and domineering mother. I was with the book all the way until she got kicked out; after that, the novel started to drift a little. It seemed to want to do several things all at the same time: tackle homophobia; share a piece of American history; touch on the dying days of vaudeville; and more. I started out cheering Evie on and ended up being a little confused about how I was supposed to feel about her as a protagonist. The ending, too, felt a touch abrupt. It seemed to build and build and then just get wrapped up within a matter of days.

Still, I found myself engaged in many parts of the story and am glad I read it.

What a wonderful historical fiction read! I'm not going to lie, I'm a total cover judger so that in itself drew me to this book along with that fantastic title (which after reading I can say fit this story beautifully).

I always appreciate it when an author can bring something fresh and new to the historical fiction genre and Bird did just that here. I absolutely loved learning about something previously unknown to me, that being the Dance Marathons during the Great Depression. This topic was so interesting and paired with the great characters (Evie stands out as a favorite here) and storyline, as well as fantastic writing, it all combined to make one excellent book. I just so enjoyed how this story read and how it wrapped up in the end.

I would venture to say that this is a lighthearted read, at least for the historical fiction genre. That's not to say there wasn't a depth to the story or characters, in fact the plot was rich with various issues and lessons to take away and the characters well-developed and nuanced. At times the story broke my heart, though there is much to warm your heart here as well. I guess that's all to say, that if you're unsure of this genre because you're intimidated by strong historical detail or heavy topics, this book would be a great bridge into the HF world. I think it's a book that could appeal to many types of readers.

A story of resilience and survival, strength and perseverance, the author did an excellent job of transporting you to another place and time and I simply couldn't put the book down. Bravo, Sarah Bird, for writing such a compelling read!

Many thanks St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Last Dance on the Starlight Pier. I love the premise of this book. It's about Depression-era Dance Marathons that were all the rage in the 20s and 30s and much of the book is centered in Galveston, a place I haven't read a lot about up until now. I enjoyed the story. That said, I wouldn't count this as great literature or a complex, thought provoking story. It's lightweight and would make a good beach read. It begins with an event that happens much later in the book - to the point that I had to go back and read the first couple of chapters at the end to remember what was described. The story deals with some heavy themes and sometimes meanders. As I got to know the main characters and got a peek into the Dance Marathon scene, the heavy issues - like the Evie's early life as a vaudevillian child performer - reminded me that you don't know what another person is going through, or what they have gone through; you can't tell what a person's life is like at first glance. Several of the characters in the book deal with life challenges that others may not understand or see. Sometimes you have to dig a little, below the surface to understand the decisions people make and to have compassion and empathy for others. When Evie Grace (the main character) first meets Sophie, her hardships are exposed fairly quickly. Sophie doesn't judge Evie, but tries to do anything she can to help her and in the process, becomes a best friend, confidant and someone Evie can truly rely on. Evie hasn't grown up privileged as Sophie has and throughout nursing school and even after, Evie is cut down by various characters for her social standing, her religion (because she's not Catholic) and even because of her past as a child performer. There are heart-warming connections made throughout the book - and there are cringe-worthy moments (like when she encounters her mother and new boyfriend). The ending left me wanting - it was mostly predictable and without giving away too much, seems an unlikely outcome. Evie finally has some semblance of the family she's always wanted and everything seems to get resolved in one way or another. The book is on the long side and although the story could have been told in a much shorter fashion, it was entertaining and almost like a soap opera at times. Some of the storylines seemed to go nowhere and others seemed really interesting. The book was enjoyable without being deep and although it's not among the best books I've read, I was engaged and looked forward to reading the book throughout.

“We’re not all born with the same dreams..”Wouldn’t life be so much easier if we could all just accept people for who they are instead of hate or want to change what we don’t understand about them? From battered childhoods to surviving through the Depression, these characters break your heart and entertain you as well as any star vaudeville player ever could. The plot is layered and hits so many issues, with acceptance being one of the biggest lessons learned. Well done.

I asked for this book for 2 reasons, the content but mostly because the name of it drew me in..loved that title ! I will read or buy a book for its name or cover, even if I’ve not read the author before.
This was a very interesting read about the Dance Marathons held during the depression. It had a bit of mystery, family , romance,, friendship. I also learned something about this topic. My mother was from this era, so thats why this book fascinated me. This topic, the storylines and characters all held my interest.. from the title, you kinda know the ending, but not the how or in certain cases, who. . I would definitely recommend this book ias I believe it’d be a great book club discussion..
Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Bird and of course, the publishing company. 4 stars from me.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for a fair review. Sarah Bird tells a thoughtful depression era tale set in the deep south. The writing is detailed and the characters realistic and likable. It is a quality novel but perhaps it was timing. I read it immediately after a year long reading slump. It was not for me. That said, I truly believe those who enjoy historical, depression era novels would find it worth the read.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

So this really wasn't the book for me. I liked the beginning of the story when Evie Grace starts her schooling to become a nurse after leaving an abusive home life. I also enjoyed her backstory of being a Vaudeville dancer with her father but I quickly lost interest when she joined a troupe of Marathon dancers that travelled the country trying to earn a living during the 1930s.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sarah Bird for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

As a fan of historical fiction and a fan of strong woman characters, I could not pass Last Dance on the Starlight Pier. Evie Grace Devlin escapes her life in search of stable job and secured life. She wants to escape her authoritarian mother who always made her feel low and practically managed to sell her own daughter in order to support herself. Evie’s mother was not only authoritarian but also emotionally and physically abusive as the readers learns later on. Evil remembers her father fondly who unfortunately passed way too soon. Through struggle and betrayal Evie manages to reinvent herself and finds love. However, she does not know that real love means to Accra person as he/she is.

Overall, great novel with interesting plot. I have never heard about dance marathons and was curious to learn about that era and particularities of the endeavour. The book made me do my own research for which I am forever grateful. Character-wise I think it is also well done, except Evie being repetitive all the time. She seems not blue to learn from her mistakes but make them on and on and on again which made me tick and roll my eyes numerous times by the end of the book.

I found a few similarities with current times and blind belief in medicine which Mande me think if it was intentional. I can draw a parallel between two timelines and offered procedures, however I am not sure that author intended it to be that way.

Anyway, interesting book, quite thought provoking and might be a good option for book club as there are tons of issues to discuss.

The depression was a hard time for most people in the US. While the realities of life were obvious, people still found ways to entertain themselves. In this case, the dance marathons pitted couples against one another to win a cash prize. Looking back, you have to wonder how sane this idea was as some of these marathons lasted months. I can't even imagine being awake that long even with catnaps here and there. I don't know about historical accuracy, but this novel featured "hoofers" or employees in the marathons and typically won, keeping the money in the company or with the promoter. Reading these accounts made me appreciate what people did to ensure their livelihood. 

Evie Grace Devlin was no stranger to performing, but her dream was to be a nurse, and she thought she had succeeded when she was accepted into a nursing school in Galveston on a full scholarship. Who knew the head nun would have it out for her and yank that from under her at the last moment? This moment throws Evie back into the theater world via dance marathons as a nurse of sorts. This ragtag group became her family, and I learned a lot about how these marathons worked and to what extent they would help each other just make it through life. When you learn about Evie's life growing up and how her mother treated her, you won't lose any love for that woman. Mamie only cares about herself to the extent of torpedoing her daughter's life. 

Zave is a hoofer and has a connection to Evie that she discovers after a short period of time. They form a bond, and Evie thinks he could be her life's great love until she learns something about him. I won't spoil that secret, but it creates tension and issues between the two until they resolve the issue.

This story intrigued me, educated me, and gave me all the feels while reading about lives during the Great Depression. There are even political references since it was the same time that FDR ran against Hoover for President. I enjoyed the various settings, from Houston to Galveston to Litchfield to Chicago. Each represented what was happening in these different areas during the depression, and not all towns were alike.

We give this book 5 paws up.

I was interested in reading this book because I'm a little sick of reading all of the WWII fiction out there. While I did enjoy reading about the world of dance halls, I didn't feel like I connected with any of the characters. I still enjoyed the book, however!

4-4.5 stars

Evie Grace Devlin has seen her share of hard times, like so many other Americans during the Great Depression. Her life takes her from the Vaudeville circuit as a child performer to school, and back again.

The story was gripping and the characters drew me in to the story. Each character was well done and I didn’t feel that they detracted from the ultimate story. I’d definitely read it again and have already recommended it to others.