Set in the depression era, most of the story takes place in Historic Galveston, Texas. I enjoyed reading the author’s view of Galveston during those years. With the depression, prohibition, vaudeville and a presidential election looming in the backdrop, readers follow the life of Evie, a young woman trying to make a decent life for herself after getting off to a bad start during her childhood.

Evie has managed to get a scholarship to a Catholic nursing school, but lied on her forms about her past. She immediately gets off on a bad foot with the head of the school and after an exemplary three years, she is turned away without her nursing credentials.

Soon Evie finds herself thrust back into the life she grew up in, only instead of vaudeville, she is doing the dance marathon circuit. Evie falls in love, faces adversity and eventually lands back on her feet before the story ends. The last portion of the story moved along quickly and was a bit confusing, but I feel that was the author’s intention.

I really enjoyed this book, even though some of the events near the end seemed a bit unbelievable for 1930’s Texas.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer my honest review.

LAST DANCE ON THE STARLIGHT PIER is one of those historical fiction tales that somehow manages to glamorize a really rotten period of history by making the suffering of a group of young people seem like a ‘family-of-choice’ that will struggle through together and be better for it all. The Depression in Texas was not that type of an experience and even though author Sarah Bird has created characters that bond together through adversity, the lives they might have led were truly miserable. I understand the alternative would not have been as compelling a book. But the ending felt really odd to me. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier was a page turning tale of a girl named Evie.

Evie grew up on the Vaudeville circuit where her dad was a popular performer. As an adult, she makes her way to nursing school but never receives her pin because of her troubling past. She falls back into the performing world via the dance marathon circuit but gets mixed up with some crooked characters along the way.

To be completely candid, this book was very messy. This book could have gone through another round of editing before the galley was released. Besides being riddled with typos, Evie's character was filled with contradictions. She would say or do something at the end of a paragraph only to contradict it a few sentences later.

One of these such incidences was her relationship with star performer Zave. In some paragraphs she described their love like siblings, but then would quickly shift to being romantically in love with him before switching back. There are times where Evie acts immature and naive only to turn around and be confident and demanding. Both instances, plus some unmentioned, were confusing as a reader trying to understand the characters.

The plus side was that the writing is easy to read, the pages turned, and the story had an interesting premise. Unfortunately, the execution was sloppy.

The premise of this book — the close friendship between Sofia and Evie/ Zane and Evie just was not believable because of the way the book was written. II felt like those relationships were not developed enough to sustain the book. This book reminded me of a mash up of Lincoln Highway and the Sisters Sweet, which I both loved. But the story here was too high-level, trying to take on too much with too many characters, none of who we get too know well enough.. The theme of sexual exploitation of children was disturbing and was not really dealt with. It was just an uncomfortable part of the story.

3.5 stars

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier takes place in the Great Depression.

It is a time of struggle and poverty.

Evie's past unjustly has come back to haunt her so joins a dance marathon as a nurse.

Dance marathons could often go for days and you can feel the contestants exhaustion.

I could not help be drawn into Evie's story and feel all her trials and tribulations as she follow the troupe from Houston to Chicago and back to Texas.

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier was an interesting historical fiction read that gave a different twist for the readers which I enjoyed.

This was my first Sarah Bird book and it won't be my last as I go check out her other books.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an enjoyabe read.

I enjoyed reading this book. This is a newer author for me which I enjoyed her writing style and her attention to details that made the story easy to read. This is a story of inspiration and the ability to fight through life during a really hard time. The characters pulled me into the story from the start. They are connectable and just brought the story to life. They are strong and supportive to the other characters.. This is a fast paced and hard to put down. This is a great story with great growth which made the story entertaining for me. You don't want to miss what happens in this story. I highly recommend this book.

Set in 1932 during the Great Depression in America, drastic times called for drastic measures. People did what they have must to eat and survive. But some also took advantage of that fact. Evie was exploited by Mamie as a young girl as a vaudeville dancer which made her shrink into herself. Later her passion (and escape route) was to become a nurse and though a model probationer, more stumbling blocks appeared. But she was able to show compassion and provide health care as a nurse to marathon dancers who found themselves in pain and awful life routines. Sometimes she found herself called upon to dance. She found joy and fulfillment in her nursing vocation. She befriends Sofie, also a mentor of sorts. We meet Jake and Zave, too. The author takes the reader back and forth between Chicago and Texas. She writes beautifully which is tough considering the gritty details and subject.

My favourite aspect of the story is the nursing itself. Evie's character infuriates at times as she makes frustrating choices. However, that happens in life. Some things were a bit repetitive. Though the setting and story itself is fascinating the book as a whole did not grip me emotionally. I did get lost in places...in a good way. But something felt a bit off for me.

Historical Fiction readers ought to read this as it may be the perfect fit. Sure, I did not fall in love as I had hoped, But I will definitely read more by this author.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this compelling book.

4.5/5⭐️

Taking place during the Depression, Evie Grace, a young woman who has had a hard life under a selfish, domineering mother, sets out to earn her nurse’s pin and her independence. Zave, a young man with troubles of his own, is a handsome, charismatic star of a traveling marathon dance show. As they meet by chance, they discover something in common and become dance partners and friends.

This is a bittersweet and heartfelt story of two struggling souls searching for love, belonging and acceptance for who they are in an often cold and despairing world. Very well-written, the horrors of the Depression become almost a character in themselves. And the supporting cast of misfits are interesting and compelling as well. Watching Evie’s growth arc throughout is both inspiring and satisfying. Well done.

My sincere thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for providing me the free early arc for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

This book is about the almost forgotten phenomenon of Dance Marathons that were popular back in the 1920s and 30s. I have heard of them but I did not know very much about them. In this book, the reader gets to live life along with the marathoners. And, it's quite the life. Gruelling beyond belief.

The protagonist is Evie Grace Devine. She started in vaudeville as a youngster. Trying to better herself, she wanted to become a nurse to help people but life circumstances led her into a different path with a Dance Marathon Group.

Evie is a strong character with weak moments. She struggles to better her life throughout. She has dreams. But, the prologue foreshadows that her dreams may never come true.

The setting of the book is from Galveston to Chicago back to Galveston. I have spent a bit of time in Galveston and it’s been a goal to return. With this book, I got to experience Galveston in 1932.

All the characters are interesting. They're a tough bunch but loyal to each other as a group. The Dance descriptions are lifelike, the reader can almost feel the sore muscles and exhaustion of the competitors.

The author did a lot of research to bring this story to us. Ms. Bird did an excellent job bringing the book to life. It is a fictionalized version of a way of life for many during the dark days of the Depression. It was a way of life that many of us aren't aware of.

Ms. Bird was also able to dig out some vocabulary that is befitting of the era. I love that in a book. I love seeing old words that are just not in use anymore. Among my favourites in this book were: Galumphing, Stumblebum and Wiseacre.

The ending is perfect. Despite injustices, a near tragedy, and an almost romance there is hope.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy.

Last Dance on Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird is set during the Great Depression, not a happy time in history. Evie experienced a tough childhood as her father died and she was left with a cruel mother. I was cringing when Evie’s mother forced her to do some very questionable things.

Eager to leave home, Evie wants to become a nurse but circumstances beyond her control force her to change plans just as she is about to graduate school. So she turns to becoming nurse at a dance marathon, where performers need light medical care from time to time. She also fills in as a dancer.

Apparently, these dance marathons were a big thing back then, I didn’t know about them at all. These gave people food and a place to stay and they could earn money. Here’s an article I found that delves into what exactly these marathons entailed.

Synopsis:

July 3. 1932. Shivering and in shock, Evie Grace Devlin watches the Starlite Palace burn into the sea and wonders how she became a person who would cause a man to kill himself. She’d come to Galveston to escape a dark past in vaudeville and become a good person, a nurse. When that dream is cruelly thwarted, Evie is swept into the alien world of dance marathons. All that she has been denied—a family, a purpose, even love—waits for her there in the place she dreads most: the spotlight.

Last Dance on the Starlight Pier is a sweeping novel that brings to spectacular life the enthralling worlds of both dance marathons and the family-run empire of vice that was Galveston in the Thirties. Unforgettable characters tell a story that is still deeply resonant today as America learns what Evie learns, that there truly isn’t anything this country can’t do when we do it together. That indomitable spirit powers a story that is a testament to the deep well of resilience in us all that allows us to not only survive the hardest of hard times, but to find joy, friends, and even family, in them.

This was an enjoyable read and I appreciated learning something new about the Great Depression, the dance marathons!

Coming out on April 12.

Good, but not great historical fiction. Very immersive into the Great Depression and the world of vaudeville and dance marathons. Bird paints a vivid scene. But the plot meanders a bit and it felt long and draggy while reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins for the eARC, in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for this book and learning more about the dance marathons that occurred during the Great Depression. Unfortunately, I felt that the characters lacked substance and the plot was too unrealistic. I would have loved a deeper exploration into the dancing too. A few scenes were shockingly graphic in an otherwise ordinary book. This one was just an okay read for me.

3.5/5 stars!

This is a first Sarah Bird novel for me. I was waiting to be in the right mindset to enjoy and appreciate this novel, but given that the publishing (and archive) date of this digital ARC were cutting close I had no choice but to jump right in!

The story is told via the perspective of Evie Grace Devlin, an aspiring nurse, during the Depression. Evie has experienced much hardship up to this point in her life, which we learn about in the early stages of this book. Following her nurse training, where she is cruelly rejected from obtaining her RN pin, she is thrust back into the world of dancing and dance marathons. I haven’t had much reading exposure to books set in this time period, but the ones I have read have mostly been focused on farm life and the Dust Bowl during this time period; thus it was refreshing and eye-opening to have this perspective shown.

I did enjoy reading this novel, as it provides another perspective to the hardships experienced by those during the Depression and sheds light on dance marathons as a form of entertainment. I must admit that I found the story a bit monotonous and grim, with multiple characters that seem to come and go. I don’t feel like many of the characters that were introduced had much bearing to the story, and when they would ‘reappear’ or be mentioned at a later point I had trouble recalling who they were and in what context we knew them. There are also some subplots and literary devices that were injected into the story, with seemingly little purpose.

All in all, an eye-opening story about the hardships experienced during the Depression.

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.</i>

This book explores the world of dance marathons during the depression. One couple is spot-lighted, but there are many supporting players.

Sarah Bird gives us a novel about the US Great Depression in the 1930s, skillfully imparting the realities of the time when so many had lost their farms, fortunes, homes, and jobs, and were living in the streets, scrounging to get by as best they could. It was the time of Hoovervilles, of the Great Dust Bowl, of gangsters, and highlighted in this novel, of dance marathons.

Evie Grace Devlin grew up in vaudeville. Her father, whom she adored, was a renowned dancer. After he died young, her scheming mother, Mamie, put Evie to work in a variety of jobs, some unsavory, to earn money for the two of them to live on. Evie decides to leave Mamie behind and pursue her dream of being a nurse. Though her grades are excellent, Evie's life is forced to change course again and she finds herself in the world of dance marathons. Over time, the odd crew of regulars becomes like a family to her, and she meets her first love.

Bird's characters are richly painted, and it's hard not to feel an emotional pull towards them (or, in the case of Mamie, the strong desire for karma to come around and give her what she deserves!). Last Dance on the Starlight Pier is an enjoyable read. I give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for allowing me to access an ARC through NetGalley. The book is scheduled for publication 4/12/22. All opinions expressed in this review are mine and are freely given.

I enjoyed reading this book about the depression. I feel like there aren't many historical fiction books surrounding it so it makes for a good change of pace from the other historical fiction books out there. I loved the characters and the writing and while it felt a bit long, I enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. My review is voluntary, and my opinions are my own.

Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Evie Devlin has had a hard life. Growing up in the Vaudeville circuit, used and abused by her cold, disparaging mother, Evie is forced to do and endure many things in her young life. Determined to get away and make something of herself, she enrolls in nursing school. Unfortunately, her checkered past follows her and prevents her from getting her nursing pin. Without options, Evie puts her nursing skills to work at a local Dance Marathon. Can Evie overcome?

I really enjoy novels where I can learn something I wasn't aware of before and this novel didn't disappoint. In fact, until I read this novel, I didn't realize that Dance Marathons started in the 1920's as a fad, turning into a way for both contestants and audience to survive during the desperate 1930's. Well written with descriptive narrative, I could picture the various characters in my mind's eye.

The only mild criticism I have is that the novel is quite long and at times I did feel that the storyline was stretched out. However, overall, I did enjoy the novel. Brava!

I will post a review on Amazon once the novel publishes on April 12.

Set in the 1930's, dance marathons were the place to gather to get away from peoples troubles. Evie wanted to make a better life for herself as a nurse but overcoming her childhood situation was hard. She seized the opportunity to become a nurse for the dancers. Will Evie fall for the heartthrob of dance, Zave? Will she truly become a recognized nurse? The surgical procedure, wow! I found the story hard to get into. It was not for me.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read Last Dance on the Starlight Pier as an ARC. I was interested in the topic, Dance Marathons during the Depression.It was set in Galveston during the early 30's- late in Hoover's term and during the Election campaign of 32.The Depression was grinding down the people, banks were failing, the Dust Storms were covering the Mid West. Things were bad, and not getting better. Except in Galveston. Life was good in Galveston. A family( named Amadeo in the book) of Sicilian immigrants had taken advantage of prohibition bootleg and crime and were doing well. They had night clubs, and restaurants and a venue called the Starlight Palace, on the Pier. The Palace was in disrepair, and the family was just hanging on to it. Sophie Amadeo was a daughter of the family , determined to make her own way as a nurse. She doesn't want to be part of "the family business" and enrolls in nursing school. So far, this sounds fascinating. However, this is not the story. It is only the brief background of the main story. If the author had chosen to write the book of the Amadeo family and Sophie, it might have been very good. However she didn't. Evie Grace Devlin is the daughter of a vaudeville dancer and would be actress. Evie's mother, Mamie is cross between Mama Rose from Gypsy and Mommie Dearest- only not so nice.She takes advantage of Evie's dance talent and abuses her. Evie's father dies when Evie is young, and she is at her mothers mercy. This is all back story. When the book begins, Evie is traveling to Galveston for Nursing School. She meets Sophie ( remember Sophie) and they begin training. Evie is thwarted in her attempt to get her nursing pin due to the machinations of the evil Director( a Catholic Nun) . Evie then has to find her way to a new path. She leaves Galveston and makes her way to find her mother in Houston. She doesn't find her, but instead finds an old family friend who introduces her to the world of Dance Marathons. We then meet a whole new cast of characters, including Zave. Zave is a dancer , with a secret, who knew Evie's father.This book is overstuffed with plots and characters. Some are interesting, many are not. It takes a while to sort everything and everyone out. I read it, but at the end was as exhausted as the dancers were , from trying to sort out plot , characters and motives. I think it is a case of too much information, stuffed in to one book. There were parts I liked very much, and parts I hated.To me, it was just too melodramatic for my taste.

I always enjoy Bird’s writing and this book was no exception. Chock full of Bird’s flawed, but deeply relatable characters, and beautifully evocative of the 1930s, I found it difficult to put down. Like many good historical novels, it was sometimes frustrating- the notions of the past are often disturbing and even disgusting to modern eyes. But Bird, for the most part, managed the tricky task of making her characters seem both of their times and palatable to ours. And the settings and circumstances were just so interesting. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.