Blog Tour: The Roaring Days of Zora Lily Review

Hello, all!

I've rekindled my love of historical fiction lately, so I'm excited to be a part of the blog tour for The Roaring Days of Zora Lily by Noelle Salazar. Big thanks to the publisher for having me!

Pub Date: 10-3-23
Adult - Historical Fiction

In 2023, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is getting ready to launch a new exhibit featuring movie costumes from the 1920s to the present. While working on one of the dresses, a conservator uncovers a name hidden under the garment label, prompting her to wonder-- who is Zora Lily?

In 1924, Zora Hough and her family were merely trying to make ends meet in Seattle. Zora spends most of her time patching clothing to bring in extra money, silently dreaming about becoming a famous designer. When her best friend gets a job dancing at a jazz club, Zora gets swept up by the glamour of it all. Soon, Zora is fixing costumes and catching the eye of a handsome businessman. Suddenly, Zora has connections that could lead to the life she's always wanted, but at what cost?

This book wasn't what I expected, but I enjoyed it. I thought it would be a dual timeline/POV story following the museum conservator and Zora. I thought we'd watch the curator uncover Zora's story together, but that wasn't the case. Her character seemed to be there to introduce Zora and then wrap her life up at the end. It felt a bit pointless, and I thought the end bit between her and Zora's family wasn't as impactful because we knew nothing about her character. Other than that, I liked Zora's story. She had such determination and grit. I loved watching her work to make her dreams come true on her terms. I also found the romance between her and Harley to be super sweet. If you love historical fiction or fashion, I recommend checking it out.

Rating: 3/5