Nice plot,good use of describing the surrounding area and people.
Definitely a book to come up to during the winter months.

The grand estate, Silverton Hall, and the beautiful Silverton Bay setting may be fictional but the truths held here are applicable across time and place. Burton has set this story in a unique part of world history and bookended it by the war on one side and the swinging 60s on the other.

She has chosen to showcase this story through dual timelines and one doesn’t have to read too far before realizing that, in doing so, she’s shown that this is when a dual timeline shines! As Burton enlightens readers on the Great Smog of December 1952 it also serves to provide perfect juxtaposition for the fresh, salty air of seaside Norfolk. This contrast is also mirrored in the second chances; both for the languishing estate and for Isobel.

Like the author, I often look at old homes and think about the voice of the past. If you are with me, you’ll often hear me say, “...if only those walls could talk…the secrets they’d share!” This was a special book about an estate home and the secrets held within its walls. No matter how much we wish the past could remain hidden, we need to face the fact that the ripple effects of events still affect us many years later.

The author explores secrets, fresh starts and the burden of duty alongside family legacy in this tale involving two women, two centuries and one life changing night.

What happened during the last party at Silverton Hall? You’ll have to read to find out what secrets and mysteries the grand old lady is hiding.

I was gifted this copy by Aria & Aries and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

A wonderfully crafted dual timeline story set by the sea.

In the historical part of the story, we get to learn Vivien's story set in 1950's London where she meets a man in the great smog and their romance ensues. And soon they marry and she moves to their new home on the coast.

In the current day part, we meet Isobel, Vivien's granddaughter, who has just inherited the estate after Vivien passes. In the midst of her life going crazy, she packs up and moves to the coast to renovate her grandmother's home. There she finds mystery, love, and questions about her family's history.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

A good read. A bit different to other books I've read by this author. A little predictable. . .

Rachel Burton crafts a quaint and thought provoking story in "The Last Party at Silverton Hall." Touching on issues of class, gender, and social expectations, this story moves back and forth in time with ease and sincerity. A great read for anyone who is looking for a heartwarming story or anyone who is feeling a bit lost themselves.

I raced through this book - always a good sign. I've not read anything by this author before but I really enjoyed it. Loved the combination of romance and mystery - it kept me guessing. Loved the seaside setting too and the dual timeline. I'd definitely read more by this author. Thanks for the ARC.

Dual timeline which was very well written and made you fall in love with multiple characters in the novel. It was a wonderful reading experience and will be a bookclub recommendation in 2023.

The dual timeline made this book so much richer. I really enjoyed Vivian’s tale set in the smog of London and the crisp fresh air of the Norfolk coast. I would have liked to have read more about Isobel and Vivien’s relationship and less about how Isobel felt about Nick. Yes, we knew she still had feelings for him, it wasn’t necessary to point it out every time they set eyes on each. And he was just as bad.
Having a little less of that repetition would have made way for more back story and family drama. Maybe some more on Gina and Vivien’s relationship. Also take us back to the summer of 2000 and let us experience Isobel and Nick’s burgeoning romance.
It was a good read and the setting was wonderfully written. I loved Rachel Burton’s last book and look forward to reading her next one.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I love Rachel Burton's story telling - the soothing narrative makes for easy reading and the chapters whizz past; causing it's own issues as I want to make the story last as long as possible whilst simultaneously being unputdownable!

An intriguing tale which keeps you guessing about what the long hidden secret is, whilst still absorbing your attention in the activity in the present day.

Would definitely recommend.

I love to see this book its a good story. It goes between two stories between the girl Isobel main character and her grandmother back in the day and she inherits her grandmothers old house. Everything is rotting in there and old. I loved the seaside village it sounds quaint and nice.
It was a great read and the story was really good i loved the mysteries.

A really well told tale mixing the past of Vivien and her life and what appeared to be glorious days with Isobel. We unwind the Ruth of Vivian’s life and the drip feeding of the truth is well done and kept me hanging on, torn between racing ahead to sort face from fiction, and savouring the suspense.

This was a beautifully written story about grief, regret, missed opportunities and a sense of failure. I loved the intertwining of the past and present and felt a connection with both women. I don't want to spoil anything, all I can say it's a must read

An engaging and slightly mysterious dual timeline story. Isobel's grandmother dies and leaves her seaside home to her grand-daughter. This starts Isobel's investigation into her grandmother's life and it soon becomes clear that there is lots that Isobel did not know about her grandmother. Set in the 1950s and the modern day, this is a warm and engaging story with a sense of mystery threaded through it. With characters that you can really warm to, I find myself reading on keen to find out how the story would be resolved. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

THE LAST PARTY AT SILVERTON HALL is an intriguing and satisfying dual timeline novel. Whereas dual timelines can sometimes be tricky as one storyline lags behind the other, Rachel Burton did a great job with this one. Both Isobel's (roughly) present-day story and Vivien's 1950s story are equally interesting.

I also enjoyed how the houses, particularly Silverton Hall (now a hotel) and Little Clarion (the house Isobel inherits from her grandmother) play a role in the story. The seaside village is such a lovely and charming location.

It's also clever how Vivien is dealing with disappointment as a newlywed and Isobel is reconnecting with a friend from her girlhood.

Isobel's mother, Gina, was interesting, but we don't really get to know her until the end of the book.

Both Isobel and Nick have secrets they're hiding from each other, and they're learning how to deal with life's disappointments. In many ways, this becomes a theme of the novel: how to cope with life's twists and turns.

I think the novel was a little on the long side, and some parts felt a little repetitive. This minor quibble aside, I definitely recommend THE LAST PARTY AT SILVERTON HALL for fans of historical fiction. I look forward to digging into this author's backlist.

Well written with a compelling storyline set over a dual timeline with a dual narrative and a fantastic setting and well developed character. A great immersive read.

An enjoyable dual timeline story alternating between Isobel, renovating the house she inherited on the Norfolk coast, and her grandmother Vivien, newly married to the secretive Max and adjusting to life away from the bustle of London in the 1950s. While coping with the fresh grief of losing her grandmother and reigniting a friendship/romance with Nick, Isobel uncovers secrets about her family that change everything. Shifting to Vivien’s perspective, the reader sees these events unfold and how they shape relationships and lives from that point onwards.

There were a few twists I didn’t see coming and quite a few I did, plus a few plot lines that didn’t quite make sense to me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I read a lot of books in the mystery genre, but I also enjoy historical fiction, and more recently, I have been enjoying time-slip novels by authors like Nicola Cornick and Kate Morton. From the description, I thought this book sounded like something similar to these, which was why it sparked my interest. The cover design also appealed to me - I think the illustration and the colours are beautiful.

I did like this book a lot. From the beginning, I thought the writing was elegant but simplistic. Not overly descriptive, or telling the reader too much all at once. As I continued reading, I found that parts of the story tugged at my heartstrings. I could relate to Isobel and identify with some elements of her personality, and one of the other characters, Nick, reminded me of someone I knew. As a reader, when you realise that a character reminds you of yourself, or someone else, the characters and the story can feel more real to you.

Another thing that I loved about this was how comforting it felt, like a book that I would choose to escape in. I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction or time-slip novels, and I would probably be interested in reading some more books by this author. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a free copy to review.

Hauntingly beautiful story about family secrets. Set both in the 1950’s and 2019, we meet Vivien a young and naive woman who marries handsome and secretive Max, and in 2019 we meet Isobel who is grieving her grandmother Vivien. As Isobel tries to cope with her grief and the daunting task of restoring her grandmother’s house, helped by Nick, she stumbles across some photographs that seem to suggest that her Mother and Grandmother have lied to her about the past.
Beautifully written, intriguing characters, lost loves, betrayal and lies. This book captivated me and I read it in two sittings, eager to uncover the truth at the end. Fabulous and highly recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Last Party at Silverton Hall by Rachel Burton

A wonderful dual timeline story . We have Vivian in 1952 and Isobel in more present day.
Isobel has inherited Silverton Hall from her grandmother and decided to go there and begin sorting through her grandmother's and the Hall's secrets.
What will she discover and how will the secrets effect Isobels life now ?
Great characters and the author really managed to capture the atmosphere of both times.
Very enjoyable.

The Last Party at Silverton Hall is a delight from start to finish. Most of the story is set in the fictional Norfolk coastal village of Silverton but is based on Old Hunstanton which I have many happy childhood memories of, the other is historical 50's London during the Great Smog.
Rachel does a fantastic job of seamlessly blending the dual timeline stories of Vivien in the 50's post-war era and modern day Isobel, her granddaughter who returns to Silverton after Vivien's death.
Inevitably, whilst sorting out her grandmother's dilapidated house, secrets and memories of the past of many kinds are unearthed, some more welcome than others. The grand hall overlooking the bay of the village is newly renovated but it's history holds the key to so much of both Isobel's and Vivien's own past. This is Isobel's second chance at happiness, if she can figure out exactly where her heart lies.
I found this a warm and captivating story with perfect settings and enchanting characters all nestled within a beautiful second-chance romance.