I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me to read this book and give an honest review. I don't know what it is about Danielle Steel books but the minute I get one, I want to put it down whatever else is happening in my life and read the book. I read this one over this past weekend and enjoyed it a lot. This book centers around Meredith, a recluse who was a famous actress before a tragedy hit her family. A huge earthquake hits San Fransisco. Meredith gets the strength to go outside the gates and help her neighbors. She finds Andrew and Tyla and their two kids. Andrew is an orthopedist who is abusing Tyla. Then there is Arthur, a famous blind pianist, who has someone who lives in his house in case he needs help at night (Peter). Then there is a billionaire (I think his name was Jeff) and his live in girlfriend. He was my least favorite character. And then there is Charles, a former military officer who is helping make contact with people after the earthquake. This book was a traditional Danielle Steel book where by the end (which this book literally ends where you think there is going to be another chapter but its done) everyone is happy.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. I have read most of Danielle Steeles book. Meredith who 2as a movie star became a bit of a recluse after her husband's affair and the death of her son. She opened her house to some of her neighbors after an earthquake. This book was well written and captured my attention from beginning to the end.

Meredith White, a former Hollywood Actress and icon, has isolated herself from the world. After divorcing her cheating husband and experiencing the tremendous loss of her son, she rarely leaves her home. Estranged from her daughter, she has come to rely on Debbie and Jack. Debbie and Jack work for her and live in a guesthouse on her property. For all intents and purposes, they are her only friends. But are they really friends?

When a devastating earthquake hits, Meredith does the unthinkable. Her house having sustained the damage, she invites in her neighbors who have not been so lucky. I found the section of the book where the neighbors resided inside Meredith's house the most interesting. I liked learning more about the other characters, but wish Steel would have spent more time on the development. Once they returned to their own homes, the story went a bit downhill for me.

While the saga between Meredith and Jack & Debbie was interesting, it was not enough to build a large portion of the book around in my opinion. I feel like a lot of moving parts happened in the book, but there was not enough time spent showing how it got from point A to point B. For example, Peter and Ava being in a romantic relationship. How did that happen? It would have been nice to read about that journey so that it was more believable.

All in all, I believe the book was good, but not great. Would this particular book make me want to read more of Danielle Steel's books? No. Probably not her best, just wasn't inspired enough.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of "Neighbors" by Danielle Steel in exchange for an honest review.

Danielle Sweet at her best. Movie star becomes a recluse after a lost son until an earthquake connects her with her neighbors. this changes everything in her life She gets rid of people who are stealing from her and makes friends with a new group of people. Find love and connects with her family again. Loved this book!!

Former Hollywood icon, Meredith White, locked herself away from the world after tragedy befell her family. Her fortress became a self-imposed jail cell as the world outside seemed a cruel and unforgiving place. Taking in two house managers, she unknowingly fell victim to their con artists' trickery while on the surface were beloved friends. When the world once again splits apart, her neighbors' needs during the earthquake, reawaken her spirit and shake the foundation she built after losing everything. Will Meredith have strength to start again or remain locked away from her feelings?

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of #Neighbors in exchange of an honest review. I enjoyed the interplay between the neighbors but had difficulty getting in to story. While the first chapter attempted to showcase Jack and Debbie's deception, it turned me off from reading the book. As a Steel fan, I hoped it would get better and after meeting Meredith and her neighbors, I started to enjoy the story. That being said, the first chapters set the tone for novels and unless your a fan, it provides a rocky beginning. Would a first time reader continue or select another book? My opinion is that you need to care about Meredith before meeting Jack and Debbie. A short flashback providing context provides readers reason to care about the couple's deceit.

After recently reading two other ARCs of Danielle Steel novels (All That Glitters and Royals), I've come to the conclusion that DS novels are meant to be easy reading based on one-dimensional characters. The good people do the right thing and the bad people eventually get what's coming to them. While Neighbors was no exception, I found Meredith's story a bit more interesting. It also tackled domestic abuse, so I wanted to note that as a trigger warning.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An engaging book by a brilliant writer with a style that is almost lyrical in its cadence.

Something clicks with reclusive Meredith, once a celebrity superstar, when an earthquake destroys her neighborhood. She makes quick friends and seems to find her way again as she gets outside of the box and the grief that has kept her down for fifteen years. Yet her caretakers, Jack and Debbie, the two people she trusts most in the world, are not what they seem.

The writing is elegant, just like Danielle Steel. Although I found that it started a tiny bit slow, the story moved me and kept me reading because I just had to know what was going to happen next. The characters, all so very real and true, had depths that can shake life up a lot, and it certainly did Meredith’s. A fascinating must read.

As I have mentioned in other reviews in the past couple of months, I am having a hard time reading because of “Corona fatigue.” However, give me a Danielle Steel book, and I can do it. It is comforting because her writing style is familiar and you know that things will wrap up nicely at the end of the story.
An earthquake in San Francisco brings together a group of neighbors in a fancy neighborhood. Until this point, they have gone through their lives without really acknowledging each other. Why is that, you ask? Well, keep reading and learn their secrets and truths that they each need to face to move on in their lives.
This is a quick read, and as I said before, very familiar and comforting.

This book was super good. It was super original and I flew through it. It didn't feel like anything I've read in the past. Can't wait to read more from the author!!

Synopsis:

Meredith White has been a recluse for a long time when an earthquake hits San Francisco. Her house is the only house that has an emergency generator. She goes out and offers her neighbors a safe place to stay.

We meet a doctor, his wife and two young children. We meet a blind concert pianist and his young employee. We meet a young start up millionaire and his girlfriend who are living together. We get to know these four families, including Meredith's family.

Notes: This novel covers serious topics like domestic abuse. There are some violent scenes. Again, this is a story where the heroine's child/chiildren do not appreciate their mother. I found it very sad that the mother and daughter are estranged. I was hoping that they would meet each other half way.

This novel had a happy ending for some people and less than stellar ending for other people.

I received a free digital copy in exchange for a honest review.

Debbie is staying in a huge stone mansion. She has a husband Jack. He is forty four years old and overweight. Debbie and jack both drink. They work as property managers. I liked the characters and dialogue

This is a really lovely book about a woman, Meredith White, who has her house and her life turned upside down when a huge quake hits San Francisco. After her marriage ended and her beloved son dies, Meredith becomes a recluse. Her caregivers meet her needs so she rarely leaves her house and has no visitors until the quake when she ventures out and meets her neighbors and creates a new life.

The book deals with underlying issues of isolation, alienation and spousal abuse. Steel handles them deftly. The characters of her caretakers, Debby and a Jack are sadly reminiscent of people who take advantage of older or disabled employers.

I think female readers will become enmeshed in the subplot concerning the troubling issue of spousal abuse and the children who are traumatized by the violence in their own homes.

I was charmed by the character of Meredith and her lack of snobbery, despite having been a star. I was gratified to see her emerge and go forward into a fulfilling life.

This is a great read for these troubled days and I appreciated being transported to a very different set of problems from our own.

Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity to read and review this novel.

Neighbors by Danielle Steel. Really enjoyed this story, all the characters were spot on and reliable. It was a happy story even with the tragic earthquake and it's aftermath. Very enjoyable read and wishing that we were living in a place with these kind and interesting neighbors. Top of my favorites list by Danielle Steel.

Neighbors by Danielke Steel to me is unlike any book she has written before. Once again I loved it. Neighbors is about a famous person what being famous does to someone, tragedy and what that does to somebody. A masterpiece of all different kinds of relationships in this book. I highly recommend Neighbors you might learn something about yourself if faced with no choices.

I always get excited when Danielle Steel releases a new novel, and this one did not disappoint! It was a fast read, with likable characters and a few characters which I really didn't like (as intended). She wove the story so well, a story of the resilient human nature when we allow ourselves to love and trust others after trauma. The main character was a woman who hid from the world after living a life of fame and fortune, a woman who secluded herself in order to not be hurt again, then a massive earthquake strikes, bringing all the neighbors she didn't know into her life; each with their own well developed stories. It was an enjoyable read, I laughed, I cried, I yelled, I cringed, and then at the end, had a huge smile and felt so good! Everything one hopes for in a book. Highly recommend.