There are far to many Danielle Steel books, I find tedious rather than enjoyable, as I sometimes find her style of writing to be very circular, in that a character's thoughts are stated or said, and then it is repeated again, in the next paragraph. Her writing is sometimes to repetitive which interferes with the story. That said, this was not the case with this book. There was a continuous flow to the story. Perhaps Ms. Steel does better when she is writing historical rather than contemporary fiction and romances. This book begins prior to the start of WWII. It does not go into a lot of detail about the build up to war in Europe, but it gives enough so that the reader gets a feel for the tension. Couple that with an intriguing main character, Liane, and two very important men in her life and there is an interesting story. One is her husband, the French Ambassador to the U.S. called back to France and who later works to save France as a double agent in the Resistance while a member of the Vichy govenment; and the other a powerful younger man, Liane befriends and who is there for her during difficult life moments and she for him. Put all of this into the war context and the story is more compelling.
I picked this up after a heavy read An Untamed State, and this was an effective choice. It did follow the author's very normal tradjectory - two attractive and successful main leads who fall in love, enjoy some time together, pull apart for a reason (in this instance marriage - both - and war), maintain their love but decide they need to go back to their old lives, but meet up again. Hopefully!This was a quick read, but still very very strictly keeping to her general formula, not entirely bothersome but very much there nonetheless.Fans will like it I'm sure, and I'm happy it filled my gap for something light.
Do You like book Crossings (1987)?
Too sad for me.I was hoping this might be a romance novel, but it is not. It is a story of two people who fall in love but cannot be together because of other marriages and children. Even though it has a happy ending, I was depressed most of the time while reading the book. The characters are wonderful and interesting, but the plot is too sad for me. My bias is for the funny, uplifting, happy and/or sensual romance novel. This was the first Danielle Steel book I have read, and since it did not fit my bias, I probably won't read her other books.
—Jane Stewart
I love a good WWII romance. I prefer a well written historical fiction with an upbeat, strong female lead during that period. This novel was set in that period and favorite Danielle Steel novel...of course if you have read one of hers, you have read them all...someone in a bookclub said that years ago and I found it to be true. It was a vacation book, but I remember I really enjoyed it. I like the part of the older husband trying to save art during the war. This is one of those novels that, even though the book may not stay with you, bits and pieces from it form a vision that stays with you forever...
—Carol
This is a nice Romance to cozy up with when the weather is yucky. It's about a young woman married to an older gentleman in the early 1940's. War tears them apart. Her hubby stays in Paris while her and her 2 young girls come back to the states. She meets another man her own age who is going through marital problems of his own and they make a bond with each other. Eventually the war comes between them also. I don't think I would have been as patient as she was with her hubby being over seas for so long. Back then we didn't have Internet to communicate like now. You had to hand write letters and wait for months before you got a reply. Thank God for technology.
—Tammy
