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samstillreading's review against another edition
4.0
A new Pamela Hart novel is always a cause for celebration – and a reason for sitting down and reading until my eyes droop. The Charleston Scandal marks a departure from her previous books in that it’s not set during wartime, but the 1920s. England is ready to party after World War I with glamour, sparkly dresses, a lot of drinking and some other vices. For Kit Linton, an Australian actress, it’s all rather fun until it’s not.
Kit has come from an upper-class Sydney family to try to make it on the stage. She’s landed a role in a new play opposite Canadian Zeke Gardiner and it looks like she’s set. She parties with Adele and Fred Astaire and Zeke lives with Noel Coward and his family. But one night she is papped (yes, it even happened in those days) dancing the scandalous Charleston in a group at a club. That group just happens to include the Prince of Wales. The palace isn’t happy and a decoy is suggested – a fake romance with Lord Henry Carleton. It was only meant to be for a short time, but Kit enjoys the luxury Henry and his set can offer, and Henry is falling for her. But that life is so different to her stage life, and Zeke who she feels a real connection to. When the play ends and Kit is out of work, she has to make some big decisions about her life, career and if she will follow her head or her heart.
Overall, The Charleston Scandal is very enjoyable. It captures the hedonistic essence of the 1920s so well – the dancing, drinking and gorgeous dresses. Kit is an interesting character who is easy to like, as she tussles between a boring life of comfort and making her own way in the world. Zeke gave a nice contrast, coming from a poor and broken family – demonstrating all that Kit didn’t fully appreciate that she had. Even Henry has his entertaining moments, showing that he does care for Kit in his own way. (Not to mention being a relic of the landed gentry with nothing to do era). I also enjoyed the real characters such as the Cowards and Astaires. (For shame, I did not even know Fred had a sister until this novel – it’s worth reading about Adele as her life was just as fascinating). I haven’t seen The Crown, but the Royals acting badly was fun and the response to the scandal sounds in line with what would happen during those times.
The story is a fun read, following Kit’s highs and lows, but also allowing for deeper exploration into serious topics. These include the underground LGBT clubs and the crime of being homosexual, alcoholism, class and the limitations placed on women. The issues don’t seem forced or put upon, but rather a natural part of the story. Sometimes I felt that Kit’s longings for comfort via money or the society she was used to were a little repetitive, but the fun of the parties and clubs more than made up for that. The seriousness when Kit’s play finished and she was forced into other work was also beautifully written, detailing the limitations on young working women of the time. Fans of A Letter From Italy will also be overjoyed as some characters make an appearance.
No need to get your dancing shoes on, The Charleston Scandal will carry you away to the 1920s.
Thank you to Hachette for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Kit has come from an upper-class Sydney family to try to make it on the stage. She’s landed a role in a new play opposite Canadian Zeke Gardiner and it looks like she’s set. She parties with Adele and Fred Astaire and Zeke lives with Noel Coward and his family. But one night she is papped (yes, it even happened in those days) dancing the scandalous Charleston in a group at a club. That group just happens to include the Prince of Wales. The palace isn’t happy and a decoy is suggested – a fake romance with Lord Henry Carleton. It was only meant to be for a short time, but Kit enjoys the luxury Henry and his set can offer, and Henry is falling for her. But that life is so different to her stage life, and Zeke who she feels a real connection to. When the play ends and Kit is out of work, she has to make some big decisions about her life, career and if she will follow her head or her heart.
Overall, The Charleston Scandal is very enjoyable. It captures the hedonistic essence of the 1920s so well – the dancing, drinking and gorgeous dresses. Kit is an interesting character who is easy to like, as she tussles between a boring life of comfort and making her own way in the world. Zeke gave a nice contrast, coming from a poor and broken family – demonstrating all that Kit didn’t fully appreciate that she had. Even Henry has his entertaining moments, showing that he does care for Kit in his own way. (Not to mention being a relic of the landed gentry with nothing to do era). I also enjoyed the real characters such as the Cowards and Astaires. (For shame, I did not even know Fred had a sister until this novel – it’s worth reading about Adele as her life was just as fascinating). I haven’t seen The Crown, but the Royals acting badly was fun and the response to the scandal sounds in line with what would happen during those times.
The story is a fun read, following Kit’s highs and lows, but also allowing for deeper exploration into serious topics. These include the underground LGBT clubs and the crime of being homosexual, alcoholism, class and the limitations placed on women. The issues don’t seem forced or put upon, but rather a natural part of the story. Sometimes I felt that Kit’s longings for comfort via money or the society she was used to were a little repetitive, but the fun of the parties and clubs more than made up for that. The seriousness when Kit’s play finished and she was forced into other work was also beautifully written, detailing the limitations on young working women of the time. Fans of A Letter From Italy will also be overjoyed as some characters make an appearance.
No need to get your dancing shoes on, The Charleston Scandal will carry you away to the 1920s.
Thank you to Hachette for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
jove64's review against another edition
5.0
One thing I like about the 1920s as a period is the optimism for social change after WWI. This book is set in and around the theatre world in London. Kit has defined social and family expectations to pursue a life in the theatre, saving enough money to fund her own passage from Sydney to London. The book opens as she successfully auditions for a part as an ingenue in a musical review. The tension is between this independent working life, and the diverse community she is part of in this milieu, and the pull of the society she was trained to take her place in. Delightfully written. I really enjoyed it.
portybelle's review against another edition
4.0
I was drawn to this book by that elegant cover and I thoroughly enjoyed my trip back in time to 1920s London. The Charleston Scandal follows the fortunes of young Australian actress and dancer, Kit Scott, hoping to find fame on the West End stage. When she is cast opposite Canadian Zeke Gardiner, their friendship brings her into contact with the great and good from high society and the shining lights of the London theatre world.
Kit was someone I liked for her eagerness and determination from when she first stepped on the stage and danced onto the pages. The author has blended fictional characters with historical figures such as Noel Coward, Fred Astaire and his sister Adele as well as the Prince of Wales, who later became Edward VIII. There are many other names who you will recognise from stage and screen. I hadn't known the Astaires were in London in the Roaring Twenties and was fascinated reading about them at a time when Fred was most definitely in Adele's shadow.
I loved reading about Kit and Zeke and all the actors in the play and their lives in the theatre. The parties they were invited to through their association with Noel Coward and the Astaires sounded like they would be such fun and so glamorous. The scandal referred to in the title was when Kit was photographed dancing with the Prince of Wales. Although it seems to me that he probably gave the palace much more to worry about that dancing with an actress, damage control was necessary and a relationship with aristocrat Lord Henry Carleton was just the thing to divert attention. It was so intriguing to read about this love triangle. Kit was determined not be involved with her co-star Zeke despite the obvious attraction between them. Lord Henry brought her into contact with her own English aristocratic relatives and perhaps he would be the perfect match for her. The hedonistic lifestyle of Henry and his friends contrasted so sharply with Kit's life but it was a lifestyle she was used to having been brought up in that way and having actually been a debutante.
I so enjoyed the mix of historical fact and fiction, theatre royalty and actual royalty and the will-they-won't-they romances. This is stylish historical fiction which will transport you to 1920s London. With the shows, the clothes, the dancing, the partying, the music, the glitz and the glamour, it was such an enjoyable book to read.
Kit was someone I liked for her eagerness and determination from when she first stepped on the stage and danced onto the pages. The author has blended fictional characters with historical figures such as Noel Coward, Fred Astaire and his sister Adele as well as the Prince of Wales, who later became Edward VIII. There are many other names who you will recognise from stage and screen. I hadn't known the Astaires were in London in the Roaring Twenties and was fascinated reading about them at a time when Fred was most definitely in Adele's shadow.
I loved reading about Kit and Zeke and all the actors in the play and their lives in the theatre. The parties they were invited to through their association with Noel Coward and the Astaires sounded like they would be such fun and so glamorous. The scandal referred to in the title was when Kit was photographed dancing with the Prince of Wales. Although it seems to me that he probably gave the palace much more to worry about that dancing with an actress, damage control was necessary and a relationship with aristocrat Lord Henry Carleton was just the thing to divert attention. It was so intriguing to read about this love triangle. Kit was determined not be involved with her co-star Zeke despite the obvious attraction between them. Lord Henry brought her into contact with her own English aristocratic relatives and perhaps he would be the perfect match for her. The hedonistic lifestyle of Henry and his friends contrasted so sharply with Kit's life but it was a lifestyle she was used to having been brought up in that way and having actually been a debutante.
I so enjoyed the mix of historical fact and fiction, theatre royalty and actual royalty and the will-they-won't-they romances. This is stylish historical fiction which will transport you to 1920s London. With the shows, the clothes, the dancing, the partying, the music, the glitz and the glamour, it was such an enjoyable book to read.
mandylovestoread's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! This was my first Pamela Hart book and I will definately be looking out for more of her books. I loved the setting and the writing made me feel like I was back in the 1920's. It was a fun and fast read for me, thoroughly lost in the story and characters.
1920's London and the Jazz Age is in full swing. Kit is a young, Australian actress and dancer in London to make her name. Back in Australia she is the daughter of an affluent family but in London she has to scrimp and save every penny. She lands herself a role in a West End production, opposite another "Colonial" in Canadian Zeke Gardiner. The life of an actor is not an easy one but they are doing what they love and they are happy. There is an attraction there but don't want to complicate their working relationship. Kit suddenly finds herself amid a royal scandal when she is photographed dancing the Charleston with the Prince of Wales! In an attempt to quash the story, the palace arrange for Kit to be seen stepping out with Lord Henry Carleton.
This is a fantastic historical fiction with characters that you will love. The music, the fashion, the society differences and the famous names - I fell in love with it.
Thanks so much to Hachette Australia for sending this one my way.
1920's London and the Jazz Age is in full swing. Kit is a young, Australian actress and dancer in London to make her name. Back in Australia she is the daughter of an affluent family but in London she has to scrimp and save every penny. She lands herself a role in a West End production, opposite another "Colonial" in Canadian Zeke Gardiner. The life of an actor is not an easy one but they are doing what they love and they are happy. There is an attraction there but don't want to complicate their working relationship. Kit suddenly finds herself amid a royal scandal when she is photographed dancing the Charleston with the Prince of Wales! In an attempt to quash the story, the palace arrange for Kit to be seen stepping out with Lord Henry Carleton.
This is a fantastic historical fiction with characters that you will love. The music, the fashion, the society differences and the famous names - I fell in love with it.
Thanks so much to Hachette Australia for sending this one my way.
samstillreading's review
4.0
A new Pamela Hart novel is always a cause for celebration – and a reason for sitting down and reading until my eyes droop. The Charleston Scandal marks a departure from her previous books in that it’s not set during wartime, but the 1920s. England is ready to party after World War I with glamour, sparkly dresses, a lot of drinking and some other vices. For Kit Linton, an Australian actress, it’s all rather fun until it’s not.
Kit has come from an upper-class Sydney family to try to make it on the stage. She’s landed a role in a new play opposite Canadian Zeke Gardiner and it looks like she’s set. She parties with Adele and Fred Astaire and Zeke lives with Noel Coward and his family. But one night she is papped (yes, it even happened in those days) dancing the scandalous Charleston in a group at a club. That group just happens to include the Prince of Wales. The palace isn’t happy and a decoy is suggested – a fake romance with Lord Henry Carleton. It was only meant to be for a short time, but Kit enjoys the luxury Henry and his set can offer, and Henry is falling for her. But that life is so different to her stage life, and Zeke who she feels a real connection to. When the play ends and Kit is out of work, she has to make some big decisions about her life, career and if she will follow her head or her heart.
Overall, The Charleston Scandal is very enjoyable. It captures the hedonistic essence of the 1920s so well – the dancing, drinking and gorgeous dresses. Kit is an interesting character who is easy to like, as she tussles between a boring life of comfort and making her own way in the world. Zeke gave a nice contrast, coming from a poor and broken family – demonstrating all that Kit didn’t fully appreciate that she had. Even Henry has his entertaining moments, showing that he does care for Kit in his own way. (Not to mention being a relic of the landed gentry with nothing to do era). I also enjoyed the real characters such as the Cowards and Astaires. (For shame, I did not even know Fred had a sister until this novel – it’s worth reading about Adele as her life was just as fascinating). I haven’t seen The Crown, but the Royals acting badly was fun and the response to the scandal sounds in line with what would happen during those times.
The story is a fun read, following Kit’s highs and lows, but also allowing for deeper exploration into serious topics. These include the underground LGBT clubs and the crime of being homosexual, alcoholism, class and the limitations placed on women. The issues don’t seem forced or put upon, but rather a natural part of the story. Sometimes I felt that Kit’s longings for comfort via money or the society she was used to were a little repetitive, but the fun of the parties and clubs more than made up for that. The seriousness when Kit’s play finished and she was forced into other work was also beautifully written, detailing the limitations on young working women of the time. Fans of A Letter From Italy will also be overjoyed as some characters make an appearance.
No need to get your dancing shoes on, The Charleston Scandal will carry you away to the 1920s.
Thank you to Hachette for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Kit has come from an upper-class Sydney family to try to make it on the stage. She’s landed a role in a new play opposite Canadian Zeke Gardiner and it looks like she’s set. She parties with Adele and Fred Astaire and Zeke lives with Noel Coward and his family. But one night she is papped (yes, it even happened in those days) dancing the scandalous Charleston in a group at a club. That group just happens to include the Prince of Wales. The palace isn’t happy and a decoy is suggested – a fake romance with Lord Henry Carleton. It was only meant to be for a short time, but Kit enjoys the luxury Henry and his set can offer, and Henry is falling for her. But that life is so different to her stage life, and Zeke who she feels a real connection to. When the play ends and Kit is out of work, she has to make some big decisions about her life, career and if she will follow her head or her heart.
Overall, The Charleston Scandal is very enjoyable. It captures the hedonistic essence of the 1920s so well – the dancing, drinking and gorgeous dresses. Kit is an interesting character who is easy to like, as she tussles between a boring life of comfort and making her own way in the world. Zeke gave a nice contrast, coming from a poor and broken family – demonstrating all that Kit didn’t fully appreciate that she had. Even Henry has his entertaining moments, showing that he does care for Kit in his own way. (Not to mention being a relic of the landed gentry with nothing to do era). I also enjoyed the real characters such as the Cowards and Astaires. (For shame, I did not even know Fred had a sister until this novel – it’s worth reading about Adele as her life was just as fascinating). I haven’t seen The Crown, but the Royals acting badly was fun and the response to the scandal sounds in line with what would happen during those times.
The story is a fun read, following Kit’s highs and lows, but also allowing for deeper exploration into serious topics. These include the underground LGBT clubs and the crime of being homosexual, alcoholism, class and the limitations placed on women. The issues don’t seem forced or put upon, but rather a natural part of the story. Sometimes I felt that Kit’s longings for comfort via money or the society she was used to were a little repetitive, but the fun of the parties and clubs more than made up for that. The seriousness when Kit’s play finished and she was forced into other work was also beautifully written, detailing the limitations on young working women of the time. Fans of A Letter From Italy will also be overjoyed as some characters make an appearance.
No need to get your dancing shoes on, The Charleston Scandal will carry you away to the 1920s.
Thank you to Hachette for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
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