Skip to main content

Starring Adele Astaire by Eliza Knight: A Book Review

Starring Adele Astaire

Author: Eliza Knight

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: 2023

Pages: 395

Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight returns as she delves into the life of Adele Astaire, who served up smiles and love both on and off the stage—with and without her also famous brother Fred Astaire—along with a determined young dancer with rags-to-riches dreams.


     A spirited rising stage star…


     Adele Astaire was a glittering, glamorous star, dancing with her brother, Fred, endearing herself to audiences from New York to London. But although she is toasted by royalty and beloved by countless fans, Adele Astaire has dreams of a loving husband and a houseful of children. And when she meets Lord Charles Cavendish, her wishes may just come true—but at what cost?


     A determined young dancer …


     Ever since Violet Wood could walk she’s wanted to dance on the London stage. Befriended by Adele, filled with ambition, she is more than willing to make the sacrifices it will take to becomes a star herself, and her rags-to-riches hopes are within reach. But the road to fame is never easy.


     Two women with unquenchable spirit …


     From the fast-paced world of roaring 20s New York to the horrors and sacrifice of wartime London, Adele's and Violet’s lives intertwine, and each must ask themselves is fame worth the price you must pay?


     My Review: Starring Adele Astaire tells the life of Fred Astaire’s sister, Adele. Adele Astaire is a highly acclaimed dancer. She has reached the heights of stardom. Yet, she dreams of love and creating a family of her own. She falls in love with an English nobleman. However, there are obstacles that prevent them from marrying. Could Adele keep both her career and love or must she give up both?


     I really like Adele. She is kind and very intelligent. She recognizes talent and gives them encouragement. I also like how she tries to find freedom and the ability to make her own choices from her controlling mother. I also felt pity for her because she longs for love and her career keeps her from it. Therefore, I hoped that Adele will get the happiness and love that she desperately longed for in the novel! Thus, she was a very captivating and intriguing character!


     Overall, this novel is about friendship, freedom, and sacrifice. I liked Adele’s relationship with her brother, Fred. I found it to be endearing and sweet! I did not like how the book also focused on Violet Wood. I thought that it was unnecessary and distracted me from Adele’s story. Therefore, it would have been better to focus solely on Adele. Nevertheless, it reads like a soap opera! It is a breezy read that will keep you turning pages! Starring Adele Astaire is perfect for fans of Goodnight from Paris,The Only Woman in the Room, and Josephine Baker’s Last Dance!


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Right Worthy Woman by Ruth P. Watson: A Book Review

A Right Worthy Woman Author: Ruth P. Watson Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Atria Books Release Date: 2023 Pages: 303 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In the vein of The Personal Librarian and The House of Eve , a “remarkable and stirring novel” (Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author) based on the inspiring true story of Virginia’s Black Wall Street and the indomitable Maggie Lena Walker, the daughter of a formerly enslaved woman who became the first Black woman to establish and preside over a bank in the United States.       Maggie Lena Walker was ambitious and unafraid. Her childhood in 19th-century Virginia helping her mother with her laundry service opened her eyes to the overwhelming discrepancy between the Black residents and her mother’s affluent white clients. She vowed to not only secure the same kind of home and finery for herself, but she would also help others in her community achi...

The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across The AncientWorld by Adrienne Mayor: A Book Review

The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across The Ancient World Author:  Adrienne Mayor Genre: Nonfiction, History Publisher: Princeton University Press Release Date: 2014 Pages: 530 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Amazons—fierce warrior women dwelling on the fringes of the known world—were the mythic archenemies of the ancient Greeks. Heracles and Achilles displayed their valor in duels with Amazon queens, and the Athenians reveled in their victory over a powerful Amazon army. In historical times, Cyrus of Persia, Alexander the Great, and the Roman general Pompey tangled with Amazons.      But just who were these bold barbarian archers on horseback who gloried in fighting, hunting, and sexual freedom? Were Amazons real? In this deeply researched, wide-ranging, and lavishly illustrated book, National Book Award finalist Adrienne Mayor presents the Amazons as they have never been seen before. This is the first comprehensive account of warrio...

Queen of Exiles by Vanessa Riley: A Book Review

Queen of Exiles Author: Vanessa Riley Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: William Morrow Release Date: 2023 Pages: 447 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Acclaimed historical novelist Vanessa Riley is back with another novel based on the life of an extraordinary Black woman from history: Haiti’s Queen Marie-Louise Christophe, who escaped a coup in Haiti to set up her own royal court in Italy during the Regency era, where she became a popular member of royal European society.       The Queen of Exiles is Marie-Louise Christophe, wife and then widow of Henry I, who ruled over the newly liberated Kingdom of Hayti in the wake of the brutal Haitian Revolution.      In 1810 Louise is crowned queen as her husband begins his reign over the first and only free Black nation in the Western Hemisphere. But despite their newfound freedom, Haitians still struggle under mountains of debt to France and indiffe...