Member Reviews
Meredith was a famous actress back in her day. When her actor husband, Scott, was having an affair, Merediths life turned upside down. As if having a very public separation wasn’t enough, tragedy happens which causes Meredith to disappear from the spotlight. She wants nothing else to do with being in the public eye.
Fast forward many years, an earthquake happens which causes major damage. Meredith is one of the first ones to leave her huge home and offers a place to stay to perfect strangers. Little does she know, the earthquake is the best thing that happens to her and her new friends.
I really enjoyed the storyline. It was very predictable but I always enjoy a Danielle Steele book when I’m stressed out. They’re always easy flowing and though predictable, still nice to see how she brings it all together.
Thank you Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Meredith, a reclusive movie star alienated from her family opens her home to neighbors after an earthquake. The neighbors never knew each other before the earthquake. A lot of issues are tackled in this book and it is a bit darker than the usual Steel but there are still moments of happiness along with sadness. I enjoyed this book and the interesting characters. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.
One of the darker books of D.STEEL with interesting storyline and captivating female lead. Sad at times. Happy sometimes. Very quick read but highly recommended.
I enjoyed this book. This is a well developed story with characters that bring the story to life. I had no problems connecting with the characters even the ones that are less desireable. I was pulled in right from the beginning and kept engaged to the end. This is a story about what happens to a neighborhood after an earthquake. None of them really knew each other until the earthquake when one person opens up her house to them. I loved watching the relationships grow throughout the story. This is a good story that I would highly recommend.
Meredith White, an iconic actress, has retreated from the world after her husband’s betrayal and her son’s death. She is almost completely cut off and relies on her live-in housekeepers for companionship. Then a devastating earthquake occurs and Meredith finds herself rushing out to help her neighbors.
I really liked this one from Danielle Steel, An icon herself, she can write about a star who has that kind of fame with great understanding. She also tackles the tough subject of domestic violence in a believable way. I very much enjoyed and appreciated the theme of a recluse slowly opening up again through the act of helping others.
There are several different storylines in this book as we see into the lives of Meredith’s neighbors. We also see into the thoughts, daily lives, and motivations of her housekeepers.
If you want to read a romance that tackles the issues of domestic violence, self isolation, and loss, you should check this one out.
I received a free copy of this book from Random House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
Be aware of this trigger -physical wife abuse.
This was a fast read and it was a fairly pleasant read. I have never read Danielle Steele and based on this book I may never read her again. I do not like repetition in my books and in this book too many dead horses were being beaten.
Because this was a rather short book (288 pages) there was a lot crammed into it and most of it was depressing. However, there were a few happy endings and several new relationships.
I WOULD recommend this to Ms. Steele book lovers and those who may want a fast pop-corn read. *ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
Hollywood recluse Meredith White has been out of the public eye for years. Hidden behind the walls of her stone manor, she is cared for by her live-in housekeepers. One fateful night, an earthquake occurred that shook up more than just the city. Seemingly awakened from her reclusive state, Meredith opened her gates and her home to her neighbors and ended up with more than she ever thought possible.
Another easy, enjoyable read from Danielle Steel, I feel like this is the writing I know and I love. I stayed up way too late finishing this one. You have to get your hands on a copy!
Thanks so much for the advance copy of this book, It was great!
With the tumultuous events of 2020, Neighbors reminds us of the importance of community and being there for our neighbors during trying times. We're introduced to Meredith White, an iconic actress, who hid from the world after her husband's affair. She becomes a recluse and relies on the generosity of her live-in housekeepers, though we quickly learn they're not so generous or kind. Rocked by an earthquake, Meredith comes out of her shell and opens her home and her heart to her neighbors.
Neighbors follows Danielle Steel's typical writing style and pattern making it a quick, easy book to enjoy during a relaxing weekend. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
I am a big Danielle Steel fan and this is one of her better books. Meredith White is a Hollywood star who became a recluse after being jilted by her equally famous husband and losing her young son. For years she has been sequestered in her San Francisco mansion tended by two caretakers who, unbeknownst to her, are using her isolation to hide their theft An earthquake changes all that. Meredith opens her mansion to her neighbors who have been displaced from their homes. This group includes a blind pianist, a domestic abuser, an entrepreneur who uses women, and two children among others. In the weeks that follow this unlikely band become friends. Meredith leaves the walls of her estate to volunteer with earthquake victims. Her world slowly expands. She reconnects with her granddaughter who is following in her footsteps as an actress. She learns the truth about her employees and finds love with an investigator. Steel uses the earthquake to introduce the cast of characters to Meredith but the bulk of the book is what happens long after the disaster. I especially liked how the author explored a variety of topics while developing both likable and distasteful characters. This was far from predictable. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Meredith White, an iconic actress, has retreated from the world after her husband’s betrayal and her son’s death. She is almost completely cut off and relies on her live-in housekeepers for companionship. Then a devastating earthquake occurs and Meredith finds herself rushing out to help her neighbors. This book follows a typical Steel format: introduce a bunch of characters with a barrage of different storylines, one fading out early to dust and one final one lingering until the end. While it isn't a bad book, and not hard to follow, there's just a lot going on and it sometimes feels as though there's no real focus. The writing is really not focused or well laid out. It repeats itself a lot and does not flow well. You read one part and then it gies a bit then it restates the same thing.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing me the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
I read Danielle Steel's Neighbors in one day. While it was a predictable read, as all her books are, it was an excellent read. Her characters become real people. I could imagine being their neighbor. Thank you Net Galley.
Thank you Delacorte Press and NetGalley for another wonderful novel by Danielle Steel. At first I was like should I even ask to review this book because all of her books have been the same BUT I am sooooo Glad I read it!!! It was such a wonderful read, I loved it from the beginning to the end. Great characters, plot and ending. She really is one of the greatest authors of all time!!!!!!!!!
I always love Danielle Steel's books, and this one did not disappoint. Meredith is a retired movie star. After a tragic family event, she divorced and went into hiding. Sadly, over the years became a recluse, fearful of leaving her home. . One night an earthquake struck their town and neighbors pulled together to help one another. At the end of the night, Meredith opened her home to those in need, as hers was the only one not structurally damaged.
The weeks that follow lead to eye opening experiences for many, and for Meredith, a reawakening into the real world. Bonds are formed, friendships cemented, and the lives of the neighbors become intertwined. Meredith learns how to live again, accept what can't be changed, and change what she can.
The characters were real, with real life problems and situations, and the story flowed easily throughout the book. I truly enjoyed reading it.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
A Hollywood starlet locks cuts herself off from the world after two Catastrophic occurrences. An earthquake shakes her out of her Solitude. Meredith's entire world changes. She opens her home to people in need and finds a new family while jettisoning some toxic people also. Neighbors is a comfort read. The good guys win and the villains are dealt with appropriatedly, even if it is only in fiction. Meredith is very passive and is partially to blame for the fissure with her daughter due to her lack of trying, in my opinion. I did enjoy Steel's description of the ex husband's new wife in later years. the latest DS is an escape read.
This was a good read, As you start reading, just a few pages in you know a earthquake is going to happen, it is just a matter of when and what it will look it.
The earthquakes changed the lives of the neighbors, who had not met before. Interesting to me was how famous most of them were, and they didn't know it, just shows us how many live in their own small worlds until tragedy hits.
We learn to care about so many of the 'neighbors' very quickly and our hearts breaks for others and we cheer as well as justice is served.
Thank you Net galley for the advanced copy.
Whenever I start a new Danielle Steel book, I do. Word search for the word “important.” If it appears in the book more than 25 times, I'm likely to spend my reading time elsewhere. To my surprise, “Neighbors” only had 12. Meredith and I are the same age, so perhaps her story resonated more with me than others. I could easily understand the desire to be a recluse and the joy when she found the world was open and welcoming to her. I loved all of the different storylines with outcomes that were unpredictable in that not everyone got a happy ending. This may actually be one of my favorite Danielle Steel books yet.
When an earthquake strikes Meredith's San Francisco home her reclusive life is changed by opening her home and her heart to her neighborhood.
My first Danielle Steel novel was “The Promise” back in 1977; I was a big Danielle Steel fan and could not wait until her next novel was release. I have read nearly forty; but not the annual reads as “back in the day”. It seems the stories are so similar, or perhaps my reading taste has changed. Psychological thrillers are now my typical “Go to” novels. .
I still have a soft spot for Ms. Steels stories as there have been some recent gems such as "The Dark Side|" ~ I really liked it and thought I need to give this novel a try..
In this story Meredith White is an actress who has cut herself off from the world after her husband betrayed her and their 14 year old son died in an unsupervised sailing accident.
She now relies on her property manager and housekeeper Jack and Debbie (a questionable couple) who have been with her for 14 years and live in her guesthouse.
Those of us living in California know that earthquakes happen and one never really knows how they are going to react. Meredith doesn’t hesitate and she immediately rushes out to help neighbors. The 8.2 earthquake causes serious damage. Many of the neighbors’ homes are damaged. Meredith’s home is a large fortress with a generator so Meredith welcomes them to stay with her.
There are a couple ‘sad” story lines going on. One neighbor is living with a well-respected Doctor who abuses her both physically as well as verbally ~ then the care takers start to show their true colors as they are upset with “helping” these strangers and then there is Meredith’s relationship with her daughter,
This story ended up an Awww for me. I wasn’t expecting anything amazing but this was an emotional heartfelt story. So glad I haven’t given up on this author.
Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Press for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 5, 2021
This book dragged a little bit too much for my liking and it was really repetitive, one of my biggest pet peeves about books. The story also almost felt formulaic but it was short and good enough for a rainy Sunday in Toronto. I would have enjoyed the book more if the characters were fleshed out a little bit and we were given more background information. We had lots of info about Meredith and her two live-in servants but everyone else felt lost along the way.
All in all, I believe the book was just an okay read. I think Ms. Steel is past her prime and I have to remember that the next time I request one of her books as some of them are just too monotonous and repetitive. Overall a middle of the road story that gets 2.5 stars...rounded down.
This was just ok for me. Certainly not the best Danielle Steele I’ve read. There was a lot going on and it was difficult to follow in the beginning, but I did like the ending. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC