Last Dance with Valentino

by Daisy Waugh

If you like The Artist you'll love Daisy Waugh's Last Dance with Valentino. As Rudolph Valentino fights for his life, barricades keep the swarming fans at bay. Adored by millions of women, but loved by only one!Will she be able to reach him in time? August 1916 Fleeing war-ravaged London, Jenny Doyle sets sail for New York. As she draws near the soaring skyscrapers her dreams are dashed when she learns she is to be sent to work for the wealthy de Saulles family. Known as 'the Box', their home is Gatsby-like in elegance yet rife with malice and madness. Only her friendship with dancer Rodolfo offers Jenny a glimpse of escape!until a tragic day when the household is changed forever. August 1926 America booms, prohibition rules and one man's movie is breaking box office records. Rodolfo has taken his place on the silver screen as Rudolph Valentino when a chance arises for he and Jenny to meet again. Will the world's most desired film star and his lost love have their Hollywood happy ending, or will the tragic echoes of their past thwart them one last time?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Historical, The United States Of America, Own

387 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

Reviews

[Emily Merton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this down! Made me cry. It was absolutely gripping from the moment I started. I had to pretend to be ill just so i could be left alone to read it. I thought this was brilliant. So romantic. You have to read it!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overwrought, full of histrionics yet dull and plodding and full of one-dimensional, dumb-as-wood, unlikable characters. If this book could feebly call for smelling salts, put a hand to its own fevered brow and daintily collapse onto a fainting couch, it would. (But only if that fainting couch were in the middle of a room full of people. With a spotlight shining on it. With dramatic music playing in the background. Seriously, this book is THAT overdramatic.)

Jennifer Doyle is the teenage daughter of a lowlife scumbag/negligent drunk of a father who moves to the US in 1916. Her father immediately dumps her off to be the nanny for the child of a rich couple who paid for their passage to America. On her first night at her new job, the couple throws a party and Jennifer sneaks outside and peeks through the windows to watch a not-yet-famous Rudolph Valentino dance. She's mesmerized. She hides in the bushes while he sneaks out for a smoke and eventually overhears him arguing with the lady of the house. Rudy knows Jenny is in the bushes and he's charmed and they dance on the patio. They see each other a few other times when Rudy visits the rich housewife (supposedly for dancing lessons, but really to bang -- but the wife is too busy banging Jenny's dad, which allows Jenny & Rudy to spend time together as she babysits her young charge). The wife becomes jealous and conspires to keep Jenny & Rudy apart (this will become a THEME). They meet up one more time and spend the day at Coney Island then go to visit Jenny's father only to find him dead. Jenny falls asleep next to her dead father then peaces out & spends the night in Central Park eating lobster and drinking champagne with Rudy. Then FORCES CONSPIRE to keep them apart. He goes to Hollywood & sends for her; she never replies. By the time she gets to Hollywood, she can't find him. Then she does, in THE MOST DRAMATIC WAY POSSIBLE. Yet FORCES CONSPIRE to keep them apart. They finally reconnect the week of Valentino's death.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR ME TO BITCH ABOUT HOW STUPID THIS BOOK IS. Jennifer doesn't reply to Rudy's letter asking her to come to Hollywood because she can't write anything that sounds quite right and constantly wants to rewrite her reply to make it sound better but it never does, so she doesn't write. Seriously, it takes her nearly a year to get her ass on a train and then she's heartbroken when he's not waiting for her upon her arrival. (Girl faints in the street, not even joking.) She falls in with a Bad Crowd. She takes jobs as a movie extra as she tries to get into writing screenplays. She changes her name to "Lola Nightengale" (OF COURSE SHE DOES), I mean, who knew the "What's Your Porn Star Name?" game was around in the 1910s/1920s???? She wants to write screenplays and talks about how she constantly scours fan magazines, trade papers and goes to the movies YET SHE NEVER SEES OR HEARS ANYTHING ABOUT VALENTINO. Until her fiancé takes her to see The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and she literally stands up and starts screaming at the screen when she sees Rudy. Then a page later she's talking about how you can't NOT see stuff about him in the magazines & papers. C'mon now.

Years pass. Valentino gets famous. Jennifer hangs with lowlife scum and makes bad decisions. Lovers, landlords, bosses, managers, secretaries, security guards, you name it, EVERYONE GETS IN THE WAY OF THEM GETTING TOGETHER. And when they finally *do* meet up again, dumb-dumb Jennifer plays coy and acts like she doesn't know him. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This is a woman who made a scene in a movie theater and also nearly got fired from her secretarial job for making a scene over spotting him.

The book is written in alternating time frames: either the ~past or the week in 1923 when Valentino is dying in New York. It's sometimes hard to tell when something is taking place; the fonts are different and occasionally there are titles that tell you but even then, the author will tell you the punchline THEN the joke and it's weird and confusing. (And there is literally a chapter that starts with the sentence "And then this happened.")

Eventually, Jenny & Rudy are reunited after 7 years apart, spend a couple days together and then he goes into the hospital and dies. She spends the better part of a week trying to get into the hospital to see him and of course makes it just before he takes his final breath. (Bonus kicker: the author has him dying of arsenic poisoning....and Jenny is the one who accidentally poisoned him!) Oh, and a postscript tells us that Jenny becomes THE GREATEST SCENARIO WRITER EVER IN THE HISTORY OF MOVIES. But better yet....she gives birth to Valentino's kid after his death! OF COURSE SHE DOES.

And to me, I didn't see the GREAT ROMANCE TO END ALL ROMANCES that the author is going for; it's more like a school girl crush (which turns a bit stalkerish at times). I dog-eared pages with examples of the most overwrought passages but it got to the point where I was turning down every-other page. When Rudy shows up, he's constantly TALKING! WITH! ALL! EXCLAMATION! MARKS! AND! I! DON'T! GET! WHY! EVERYONE! LOVED! HIM! Jenny is constantly pining for Rudy and being miserable and making bad decisions because of her obsession. The entire plot is contrived to keep them apart so that they can be reunited in the most soap opery, over-the-top way possible.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable read and whilst its not an era that I'm familiar with, I had heard of some of the characters like Mary Pickford and Clara Bow and obviously Valentino, although fiction has been merged with fact it made for very interesting reading. The characterisations and the description of 20th century New York were very well written and you imagine and feel the glamour of those times. The story of the de Saulles could warrant a book on its own. I did find the time shifts in this book quite confusing however, I'm normally quite happy with dual time frames but this didn't seem to work as well and after coming to the end, I had to go back to the beginning and re-read that part for it to make some sense. The narrator, Jennifer/Lola had a self destructive personality and there were times when I wanted to shake her because she seemed to be sabotaging her own chance of happiness. I didn't feel that Valentino featured as much as I would have expected and I would have liked for there to have been more background information to tie him in to the story. Nonetheless, a recommended read.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very unsure about this at first. I thought the writing seemed unconvincing and the narrator character annoying. Then I got fairly interested in the plot and I did want to get to the end. I'm still not sure whether the narrator is supposed to be irritating and unreliable or whether that is because it is not well written enough but I suspect the latter. I didn't buy that he would have stayed enamoured or that she turned out to be a fantastic writer; she's a mess. It's not bad - I stayed reasonably interested - but it's not brilliant. I love this era and setting so I expected to love it and was somewhat disappointed.

[Yoana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tore my heart into tiny pieces, set fire to them, and stomped on their ashes.

I had stumbled upon Last Dance With Valentino at my local bookstore, knowing nothing about Daisy Waugh and very little about Rudolph Valentino. The cover, and a promise of a Classic Hollywood love story, drew me in, albeit hesitantly. Yet with every page, it became clear that this book and I were meant to find one another.

Daisy Waugh weaves intrigue and humour so well, with characters so raw and realistic, pulling the curtain on their idealised lifestyle. We see the nit and grit of the Golden Age of Hollywood through the eyes of a woman who takes us on an emotional roller coaster ride from the moment she sets sail from London to promises of a grand new life in America.

The slow burn of Jenny's story, from present to past and back again, had me on the edge of my seat. I grew to love Rudy, just as she did, yearn for him, just as she had, and cry for him, when nothing else could be done.

***

Trigger warning: suicide, murder, domestic abuse, rape, violence, drug use, and alcoholism.

[Saskia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish. I have been wanting to read a bit more fiction for a while, and a historical fiction book involving a silent film star seemed like a premise that would appeal to me... on paper. So I picked it up from an op shop on impulse. But just my luck, the first fiction I've attempted to read in years is just awful. It reads like bad fanfiction. The second I realised the author is writing Rudolph Valentino as if he is a heterosexual man, I instantly put it down. Not for me.

EDIT: I just found out this author is part of *the* Waugh dynasty of writers. lol. I guess that explains the fact that this ever even got published? Although I am very surprised this was written by a woman in her mid-40s, who has presumably read many books. strange indeed.

[Kirstie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I imagine a lot of people give up on this book as it is really very slow and quite hard to get into. But Jenny/Lola really grows on you once you get your head around the time switches and also that for some of it she is off her head on booze and drugs
I love the concept of weaving a story around some real life facts
I found it interesting and once I got into it I found it hard to put the second half down but it’s a shame it’s so dull to start

[Kirstie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I knew nothing of Valentino i found this book to be utterly intriguing and interesting. Had I had more time and hours in the days I would have read it in one sitting it was that gripping but it made it all the more better having to wait to find out what happened next. Highly recommended!!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This perfectly provided an un-put-downable (isn't that horrible grammar!)book for a rainy day.

Not knowing much about Rudolph Valentino, other than that he was an actor and a dancer, I found the book fascinating. It is an imagined story featuring 'Jenny', an unknown woman whose name Valentino is said to have repeated on his way to hospital - probably dying from arsenic poisoning.

Jenny in this book is the only fictitious main character; but she comes across as highly possible. She is a young English woman who arrives in America, penniless and under false pretenses, to be a servant in the household of a wealthy family living, in Great Gatsby style, on Long Island. There she meets Valentino, reluctant lover of the lady of the house... Jenny and Valentino form a relationship fractured by their individual circumstance, as they are both strangers in the country and without means. They are both victims of the wealthy family's intrigues and dodgy dealings. And so it goes... a good read - pacy, warm and human.

I think it is really well-written (as one would expect from a granddaughter of Evelyn Waugh), well-imagined and brings alive part of America in early 20th century: decadence, the movie industry and immigrants making good in the Land of Opportunity.

[Hayley Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have started and put down this book so many times I have lost count. However after reading reviews on here that once you get past the slow and confusing start it is imposable to not get lost in it. Which I must stay is 100% right, the start is slow and confusing, but I do think when I next re read it, it will make sense. Its odd because I have never loved and hated a character so much as I did Jenny/Lola, I found her lovely but her personal issues a bit dire. I really enjoyed the insight into 1920s America and the love story is beautiful and distressing all at the same. As the stories are both told at the same time, I would find my self beaming with happiness and then by the next chapter I would be sobbing. However this book really is beautiful.

[Redfox5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember my sister raving about this book when she gave it to me about 3 years ago. And I can see what she means!

I've never heard of Rudolph Valentino but then I don't know much about the 'Golden Era' of Hollywood.And I suppose I still don't know a great deal about him as this was historical fiction based on the fact he said the name 'Jenny' on his death bed.

This story starts out slightly confusing at it's switches back and forth between two time periods both told from Jenny's point of view, it took a little while to get used to it but once I did, I was fully engrossed in the story.

And it is a love story, one full of near misses that will keep you page turning until you reach that heartbreaking ending.

[Ruth Bonetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up as a light holiday read and so it was. I found myself flipping pages – perhaps why the two time frames became at times confusing.
We can forget just how a film star like Valentino would have been idolised a hundred years ago; that explains the heroine's obsession with someone she knew and loved before he became famous. Women today might be more proactive and assertive to find and connect again with the love of ones' life. But those were the days...

[Krista H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable book, even more so when I got to the end and realised a lot of it is based on real (Valentino's) life! Even though most of the time all I wanted to do is shake Jenny and go: gIrl, he is just not into you....

[Bernadette Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at random from my local Library based on the title of the book. Whilst, I'm not necessarily a Rudolf Valentino fan as such, the title piqued my interest. I gave this a 3 stars or 6/10.

Based on real people and writing a fictitious story around certain real events, the story tells us of a relationship between Jenny and Rodolfo, while Jenny worked for the de Saulles and the later years in their lives when they have a chance meeting again.

Told as a dual time story this novel flicks backwards and forwards all the time. I was expecting more and at times I lost interest in the story a little. I did however want to see how it ended, just to satisfy my curiosity.

I did feel for Jenny in her later years as some of her relationships left a little to be desired, as she was still in search of the love of her life Rodolfo and at times I felt she was settling for people that she should have been steering clear of.

[Camilla Liberatore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just finished this book.

It was good- not really to my liking.

I was enticed by the cover & the blurb. Did look at other reviews before I read it. I didn’t really know much about this period of time or about Valentino.

I was a little disappointed. Was slow to start & found the story one dimensional & struggled to finish it.

Unfortunately I would not recommend it. However. I am sure others would or may love it. Each to their own. I would say to others to give it a go & be your own judge. As they say don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

On to my next read.

[Sandi Mann]

unfortunately, this is turning into one of those books that I hate - where the chapters go back and forth between years. What is the point of that? it infuriates me!

that's all I'll say about it!

[Ria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

This has been on my shelf for years and I finally picked it up.

It took me a while to even understand what was going on because of the dual timeline but I think that was a me problem.

I wouldn’t necessarily say this book is my vibe now because I don’t usually read these kinds of book. However, it t was a good different sort of book for me to read.

I could see this easily becoming a movie in the future.

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was much that I enjoyed, especially the 1920s 'world' of Hollywood and Rudolph Valentino, but I found myself skimming when Jenny/Lola lost her way and sank into a repetitive slush of illegal booze and drugs, and had too many misses as she constantly scanned faces for her Rudy. She is an annoying character for whom I wanted to feel more empathy since Rudy obviously saw much in her to admire and love. I didn't.

The dual time frame worked well sometimes, but I felt that it lost tension as Rudy lay in hospital, and I was a little confused as to how he was supposed to have become ill at the party. Still, a reasonable read but I had hoped for more than it delivered.

[Viola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to start and try to leave this vague as possible. The first few chapters didn't get me hooked, but I forged on. Soon I was reading it every chance I was able and not conscious of it. Now, I know quite a bit about Valentino and the 1920's in general and even I started to find it hard to discern fact from fiction throughout the book. It is there of course, the basics, but Daisy Waugh blends it so well and it transformed right in front of me as I read it. If you know nothing before reading, know it will be heartbreaking because that is the essence of Valentino; that's his story at the roots of the book, but in Last Dance with Valentino even that is transformed by the author's note at the end. This has become one of my favorites.

[Jamie Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I really read into it I couldn't put it down. I was a little excited to read it when I first bought it, since reading and knowing the life of Rudolph Valentino and how sad it really was. It was very entertaining, and I found the main protagonist very lovely and charming and sometime even relatable even if she dose have flaws which were common for some people in that area sometimes even today. I thought it was really thrilling, beautifully written, really sad, and even clever. I really enjoyed it and I hope who ever reads it will enjoy it to, I will also say if your a fan of Rudolph Valentino I really recommend it to you.

[Sarah Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives you that rare mix of being beautifully written and unputdownable. It gave me an isight into a glamourous and exciting period of history which I knew so little about. What an amazing period! I wish I'd lived in 1920's Hollywood when everything seemed possible. Add to that the story of a real life murder and a romantic story that made me cry. The nipping back and forward in time can sometimes be a bit confusing but i swear it's worth it! Best book I've read all year. READ THIS BOOK!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I’ll admit, it was difficult to get to grips with ‘Last Dance With Valentino’: it seemed a bit clunky, moving between time frames quite obscurely. However, this all changed after the first three chapters, when the novel gathered its pace, and I’m so very glad I stuck with it, because Daisy Waugh has written a truly enchanting book.

For my full review, see: http://thebookoftomorrow.wordpress.co...

[Louretta Handon · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance, you judge the book by it's cover, and decide it's not the book you want. But believe me, the writing of this book, it's characters and mainly, the way it ushers you through reality smoothly by the writer. Worth a read! While your at the first chapter, you might not understand, everything will be all over the place and not make much sense. But believe me, it will make sense, eventually.

[Pat Stearman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as I hoped, got tired of her just missing him and getting herself into contrived situations to draw the story out. Also not altogether happy with a story told in two fonts to signify 'now' and '10 years ago'. But the setting of New York and Hollywood at the start of the 20th century was interesting.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Afraid I was really unimpressed by this one and found it a bit of a chore. Excellent in its blending of fact and fiction, but such a depressing read - I thought it lost its way totally after Jennifer/Lola arrived in Hollywood, and the sad tale of sex, booze, drugs and rat poison really didn't do it for me at all.

[Ellie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book from the moment I picked it up. I really felt I was part of the character - Jenny/Lola. I couldn't put it down, just drew me into the characters in the book and the timeline of the 1920. I will admit I CRIED and I felt emotionally exhausted at the end. Once you start reading it you won't be able to put it down. Thanks for such a brilliant book Daisy Waugh.

[Kathy Wainwright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew what had happened to Rudolf Valentino before I read the book but I found it interesting. I liked the beginning and the end but unfortunately I found that it jumped around the timeframe and was a hit confusing. That's why I only gave it 3 stars, it's a shame as this had been on my to read list for quite a whole. I'm not sure I liked Jenny/Lola very much, was I supposed to?

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really my sort of thing. An interesting enough premise, just spoiled by the fact that there's a bit too much tragedy to get you properly invested. If you don't have the bright moments as contrast, the dark tragic moments just make everything a murky shade of grey. Well-written, but I wouldn't read it again. Maybe something to pick up if you're a fan of silent movies.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This broke my heart.
Beautiful love story. Wasn't too impressed with the writing in the beginning. Wasn't too impressed with how much the main character seemed to swoon.
But after about a quarter it just grabbed me and wouldn't let me go.
And in the end it made me fall to pieces.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This love story is a mix of fact and fiction. I enjoyed learning more about Rudolph Valentino's life. But I found Jenny/Lola's wild Hollywood lifestyle to be rather foolish and depressing. I also found the constant switching between time periods to be a bit confusing.