Debutantes - Softcover

Harrison, Cora

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1447205944 ISBN 13: 9781447205944

Publisher: Pan Macmillan, 2014

Synopsis

The first in a series of historical romances set in the roaring 1920s, perfect for Downton Abbey fans

It's 1923 and London is a whirl of jazz, dancing, and parties. Violet, Daisy, Poppy, and Rose Derrington are desperate to be part of it, but stuck in an enormous crumbling house in the country, with no money and no fashionable dresses, the excitement seems a lifetime away. Luckily the girls each have a plan for escaping their humdrum country life: Rose wants to be a novelist, Poppy a jazz musician, and Daisy a famous film director. Violet, however, has only one ambition: to become the perfect debutante, so that she can go to London and catch the eye of Prince George, the most eligible bachelor in the country. But a house as big and old as Beech Grove Manor hides many secrets, and Daisy is about to uncover one so huge it could ruin all their plans—ruin everything—forever.

About this title

About the Author:

Cora Harrison is the author of 26 children's novels, including I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend, and a series for adults that began with My Lady Judge.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 7–10—Violet, Daisy, Poppy, and Rose Derrington are living on the edges of society in 1920s England. The family wealth is all but gone and their home shows it. Their only hope is for 16-year-old Violet to make an excellent match. That is easier said than done, since she has no sponsor for her London season. Daisy concocts a plan to secure Violet an invitation to London in the hopes that it will help all the Derrington girls achieve their dreams. In Debutantes in Love, Poppy and Daisy are left behind, Violet is married, and Rose is at school. Though Daisy still longs to be a director, and Poppy a famous jazz musician, the reality is that even in 1924, young women still need a respectable marriage, dreams or no dreams, so it is off to London to find husbands and money. Harrison explores the world of the upper-crust and the lives of their servants. The writing is bland, but the antics of Daisy and her family liven up the narrative. Drama aplenty keeps each book moving along. Though the woes of these characters may seem inconsequential to some teens, those looking to a escape to a different time period will savor the attention to detail Harrison takes in crafting the setting. A historical drama series that will appeal to Downton Abbey fans and those who enjoyed Anna Godbersen's "Bright Young Things" series (HarperCollins).—Sarah Wethern, Douglas County Library, Alexandria, MN

About this edition

• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1447205944
• ISBN 13: 9781447205944
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320