All the Beautiful Girls: An uplifting story of freedom, love and identity

Heart Radio x Dreams Bedtime Bookclub April Book of the Month The dazzling, powerful story of a gutsy showgirl who tries to conquer her past amongst the glamour of 1960s Las Vegas – finding unexpected fortune, friendship and love. In the summer of 1968, Ruby Wilde is the toast of Las Vegas. Showgirl of the Year, in her feathers and rhinestones, five-inch heels and sky-high headdresses, she mesmerises audiences from the Tropicana to the Stardust. Ratpackers and movie stars, gamblers and astronauts vie for her attention and shower her with gifts. But not so long ago Ruby Wilde was Lily Decker from Kansas: an orphaned girl determined to dance her way out of her troubled past. When she was eight years old, Lily survived the car crash that killed her parents and sister. Raised by an aunt who took too little interest in her and an uncle who took too much, dancing was her solace, and her escape. When a mysterious benefactor pays for her to attend a local dance academy, Lily’s talent becomes her ticket to a new life. Now, as Ruby Wilde, the ultimate Sin City success story, she discovers that the glare of the spotlight cannot banish the shadows that haunt her. As the years pass and Ruby continues to search for freedom, for love and, most importantly, herself, she must learn the difference between what glitters and what is truly gold. Elizabeth J Church's All The Beautiful Girls is a top-tier historical fiction that beautifully captures the essence of the 1960s Las Vegas. The protagonist's coming of age journey from a tragic past to the glamour of showbiz is a poignant reminder of the enduring human spirit and the quest for identity and love. For fans of Rachel Joyce (The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry), Kristin Hannah (The Nightingale), Abraham Verghese (The Covenant of Water), Amor Towles (The Best Short Stories 2024), and Stephen King (The Green Mile).