Sarra Manning

Two women. Two love affairs. One unforgettable story. Kings Cross station, 1943. Rose arrives in London hoping to swap the drudgery of wartime for romance, glamour and jiving with GIs at Rainbow Corner, the famous dance hall in Piccadilly Circus. As the bombs fall, Rose loses her heart to a pilot but will lose so much more before the war has done its worst. Las Vegas, present day. A beautiful woman in a wedding dress walks into a seedy bar and asks the first man she sees to marry her. When Leo slips the ring onto Jane's finger, he has no idea that his new wife will stop at nothing to get what she wants. So when Jane meets Rose, now a formidable older lady, there's no love lost between them. But with time running out, can Rose and Jane come together to make peace with the tragic secrets that have always haunted their lives? After the Last Dance is an extraordinary story of two women, separated by time but connected by fate, that will make you believe in the redemptive power of unexpected love.

After the Last Dance

Becky

I forget how much I love what Sarra Manning writes until I read one if her books. This book is a long way from the first book I ever read by her, Guitar Girl, but I love this one just as much as I did that one the first time I ever read it. I'm just sad I waited so long to pick this up.

I am not always a fan of books which are set during WW2, it comes from over studying at school, I think, but this one was done beautifully. Rose's story of life in London and everything she did was amazing and utterly heartbreaking. I'm was in tears over her struggles and adored her instantly as soon as she brazenly asked those GIs a favour. Rose is what made me fall in love with this book.

Jane was far less sympathetic a character. She was cold and manipulative and I didn't like her. The fact I loved her by the end demonstrates both her character growth but also Manning's skill as a writer. The progression of her story and how it relates to Rose's was just amazing.

The fact I liked both love stories in this book helped as well. I just couldn't help myself. My only complaint is we didn't learn more about Charles as I adored him so much and how he helped Jane.

This was a fantastic book which has convinced me I don't hate hooks set in WW2 half as much as I thought I did.

After the Last Dance

Reviews