Presenting a dazzling new historical novel … The Girl From The Savoy is as sparkling as champagne and as thrilling as the era itself.
‘Sometimes life gives you cotton stockings. Sometimes it gives you a Chanel gown …’
Dolly Lane is a dreamer; a downtrodden maid who longs to dance on the London stage, but her life has been fractured by the Great War. Memories of the soldier she loved, of secret … of the soldier she loved, of secret shame and profound loss, by turns pull her back and spur her on to make a better life.
When she finds employment as a chambermaid at London’s grandest hotel, The Savoy, Dolly takes a step closer to the glittering lives of the Bright Young Things who thrive on champagne, jazz and rebellion. Right now, she must exist on the fringes of power, wealth and glamor—she must remain invisible and unimportant.
But her fortunes take an unexpected turn when she responds to a struggling songwriter’s advertisement for a ‘muse’ and finds herself thrust into London’s exhilarating theatre scene and into the lives of celebrated actress, Loretta May, and her brother, Perry. Loretta and Perry may have the life Dolly aspires to, but they too are searching for something.
Now, at the precipice of the life she has and the one she longs for, the girl from The Savoy must make difficult choices: between two men; between two classes, between everything she knows and everything she dreams of. A brighter future is tantalizingly close—but can a girl like Dolly ever truly leave her past behind?
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I admittedly love books about the early to mid 1900s and The Girl From The Savoy ticked almost every box for me. It has a strong-willed protagonist with a dream, a memorable collection of supporting characters, a gorgeous historical London setting, and, of course, show business. It also happens to have one of the most stunning covers of 2016 and while you can’t always judge a book by its cover, this one holds up pretty nicely.
The story is split between two women with a passion for performing but who are at very different stages in their careers. The author, Hazel Gaynor, weaves together past and present seamlessly, giving a rich and full sense of both aspiring star Dolly Lane and critically acclaimed actress Loretta May.
Perhaps my favorite thing about The Girl from the Savoy is the way it surprises the reader. This particular novel has a way of lulling you into a false sense of expectation. You think you know precisely where the story is going, but then it goes and turns that on its head. While some people might find that frustrating, I guarantee that you will respect the novel more for staying true the characters and the story.
The Girl From The Savoy really is a rather delicious read.
This was just okay for me. I have previously read another book by this author which I really enjoyed, A Memory of Violets, so I expected that the same would hold true for this book. I didn’t dislike the book but it never really hooked me so I always found it easy to set aside. I have had this book on my tbr for ages so I am glad that I finally took the time to give it a try.
This book is told from three points of view. Dolly Lane tells most of the story. She starts working as a maid at the Savoy as the book opens. She has dreams of finding success on the stage and will work hard to make it happen. She has had a painful past which is slowly revealed throughout the story. Loretta May is the second point of view. She has found fame and enjoys being in the spotlight but something in her life has her re-evaluating things. We occasionally see things from Teddy’s perspective. He is the man that Dolly loved who has come back from war a changed man.
I felt like this book took a very long time to set up the story. Things didn’t get moving until the midpoint of the book. I found the characters to be likable enough but I don’t feel like I was ever completely related to them. There were times that I felt like the book was overly long and dragged a bit. In some situations, things seemed a little too convenient. Ultimately, I felt like the book meandered a little too much for my taste and I was less than satisfied by how everything worked out. I loved the descriptions of the time period and liked the scenes that dealt with the more difficult topics the most.
The three narrators did a wonderful job in bringing this story to life. I really liked how distinctive each voice was so that the change in point of view always flowed smoothly. I thought that they all added the right amount of emotion to the story and handled character dialogue well. I do believe that their narration added to my enjoyment of the story.
I think that most readers will enjoy this one a bit more than I did. It was a good book but it wasn’t perfect. Unfortunately, the story never completely clicked for me. I wouldn’t hesitate to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of the book from William Morrow Paperbacks via Edelweiss and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.
More of a 3.75. I loved the 20’s era and sweeping through the glamorous doors of the elegant Savoy, makes me long to have been there during that time with fabulous cocktails listening to jazz. Loretta by far was my favorite character and wish we’d had more time with her and less of Dolly. Dolly took a long time to grow on me, in fact, it wasn’t until the last few chapters that I started to like her which is the reason for the 3.75 rating instead of a 4
Fascinating details about working in the London Savoy Hotel in the 1920s. Sympathetic view of characters struggling with the aftermath of WW1.
Quite possibly the best book I’ve read in 2016. The characters, their stories, the way it unfolded, the words with which it was told. There wasn’t a single thing about this book that I did not love. There wasn’t a single misplaced word. Not a scene that I wished played out differently. Not a character I could have done without — even the sort that made my very skin crawl served a purpose, even the moments that made my eyes threaten to spill over. I laughed. Nuggets of wisdom made my breath catch again and again. I didn’t expect to fall as hopelessly in love with this book — I really hope to merely enjoy it — yet here I am. “The Girl from The Savoy” wrapped itself around my heart and burrowed into my soul and I doubt I will ever forget it.
Reminded me of Cinderella and My Fair Lady. Loved how she was able to fulfill her dreams.
I absolutely love this writer, Hazel Gaynor. I’ll read any book she writes. The story is realistic and exceptionally entertaining . I could enjoy history if it were written like this.
Digging into this book took me a handful of chapters before I was taken by the telling of and characters who carried the story along. It felt real, had romance, hardship, and heartache but provided also hope, friendship and love in the purest form. Definitely worth your time…even if this is not your normal genre as it was not mine!
The lives of two very different women in 1920s London become entwined in this sparkling new piece of historical fiction.
Dolly is a newly employed maid at the famous Savoy Hotel. As much as she is in awe of the celebrities and world leaders whose rooms she cleans, she believes firmly that she will be someday in their midst as an equal. Loretta May’s name is known by all of London as a glamorous actress – but she was actually born Virginia Clements, a titled aristocrat with big dreams of her own. Both women are still haunted by the Great War, and the men who were taken from them by its horrors. Both women have secrets – and their pasts are not as different as they first appear. When a chance encounter with Loretta’s brother puts Dolly into Loretta’s world, not one of the three will ever be the same again.
The perspective shifts between Dolly and Loretta as the plot progresses, but the transitions are smooth enough and paced well enough to be a benefit to the writing. It simply gives the reader an even fuller, more richer experience of the time period.
My favorite part of this book is how it doesn’t follow a path you would suspect. I was kept guessing regarding several important plot pieces and wondering how they would be resolved. All in all, a very satisfying and remarkable read that I will definitely be recommending to friends!