Review: All the Beautiful Girls by Elizabeth J. Church

All the Beautiful Girls by Elizabeth J. Church

Blurb from Goodreads:

A powerful novel about a gutsy showgirl who tries to conquer her past amongst the glamour of 1960s Las Vegas--and finds unexpected fortune, friendship, and love.

It was unimaginable. When she was eight years old, Lily Decker somehow survived the auto accident that killed her parents and sister, but neither her emotionally distant aunt nor her all-too-attentive uncle could ease her grief. Dancing proves to be Lily's only solace, and eventually, she receives a "scholarship" to a local dance academy--courtesy of a mysterious benefactor.

Grown and ready to leave home for good, Lily changes her name to Ruby Wilde and heads to Las Vegas to be a troupe dancer, but her sensual beauty and voluptuous figure land her work instead as a showgirl performing everywhere from Les Folies Bergere at the Tropicana to the Stardust's Lido de Paris. Wearing costumes dripping with feathers and rhinestones, five-inch heels, and sky-high headdresses, Ruby may have all the looks of a Sin City success story, but she still must learn to navigate the world of men--and figure out what real love looks like.

With her uncanny knack for understanding the hidden lives of women, Elizabeth J. Church captures both the iconic extravagance of an era and the bravery of a young woman who dances through her sadness to find connection, freedom, and, most important, herself. 

My Review:
 

The first 70% of this was SO good but then it definitely petered off a bit in a weird direction and I really didn't like the ending.  I really liked Lily and I love love loved her descriptions and time being a showgirl.  It was so fascinating to read how that world was described and the author did a phenomenal job.  The character development overall was excellent.  There was definitely a feeling of un-putdownable-ness as well, which is so rare lately.  Even with the ending, I really liked it!

All the Beautiful Girls comes out soon on March 6, 2018 and you can purchase HERE. I definitely recommend this one for fans of historical fiction.

There was no place Lily wanted to be, to stay, other than home. This home. Her home. But, standing in the middle of her former life, Lily realized she didn't have a choice.