Finding Ashley is the newest novel by Danielle Steel. It is a story about family secrets and tragedies that forever changed two sisters’ lives. The books has Danielle Steel’s trademark writing that draws the reader right into the story. The story has steady pacing and developed characters. I was not a fan of the repetition of key details. Some details are repeated at least six times in the first half of the book. Finding Ashley is an emotional story. Melissa Henderson has a good life until her son died within two years of being diagnosed with cancer. The loss of her son destroyed Melissa. She retreated into grief and withdrew from life. It has been six years and the only person she allows into her life is her contractor. After auditioning for a role in Hollywood, Hattie, Melissa’s sister, joined a convent. In a way, she also withdrew from life to a place where she felt safe and could find peace. When Hattie became a nun, it divided the two sisters. While Hattie is aware of Melissa’s secret, Melissa is unaware of Hattie’s. Hattie wants to help her sister and sets out to find the child she was forced to give up when she was sixteen. It takes Hattie on a journey that will change the two sisters’ lives. Finding Ashley is an emotional story about two women finding their places in the world. Arson, illness, teen pregnancy, convent baby mill, sexual abuse, and divorce are some of the topics covered in Finding Ashley. There are some sweet, tender moments as well. I loved the descriptions of Melissa’s restored Victorian. I would love to own a Queen Anne Victorian (I love the ornateness associated with this style). This is a special story that addresses some difficult topics. Danielle Steel has provided another compelling novel (I have been reading this authors books since I was twelve). I look forward to reading her next release.

Once a happily married mother and popular author, Melissa left her life behind and now lives by herself renovating an old house. Dealing with divorce and the death of her son, she has not given or felt love or joy in years. Her estranged sister Hattie's visit brings back a rush of buried memories. When Hattie uncovers a piece of Melissa's past, her own secret past is unexpectedly revealed, triggering the reason why she entered the convent in the first place.

Secrets force the sisters to deal with past issues together. This book dealt with many emotions - anger, hurt, sadness, grief, understanding, and forgiveness. Another great book from this author. Looking forward to reading the next one.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book.

Danielle Steel has written another jarring soul-stirring book. Her characters are compelling and draw you into the scenes as they develop.
Melissa Henderson suffered so much misfortune in her life it’s a wonder that she hasn’t broken down. The grievous tragedy of losing her ten year old son to cancer and then as a result of this casualty it tore her marriage apart. Sadly that happens in a lot of marriages when a child dies the parents fall apart instead of coming together.
Melissa and her younger sister who is a nun have been estranged for years, but after Melissa has a eye opening situation due to a fire scare, she decides to open the communication line with her.

There are other secrets from her past that will open up old wounds and shake up others lives.

This is a Unputdownable book!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Finding Ashley
Danielle Steel
Publication date 4/27/21
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is packed with emotion, heartache and letting go. Melissa hasn’t had the easiest of lives a former best selling author, she lost her son six years ago to cancer and her marriage ended. She is estranged from her sister and has decided she wants to live her life alone... after surviving a wildfire her sister Hattie who is a nun wants to make amends. Can Hattie pick up the pieces of Melissa’s broken heart? Hattie goes looking for the baby Melissa was forced to give away at a convent in Ireland when she was just 16. I loved the storyline how two sisters so different can help one another when they desperately need it. A beautifully told story of loyalty, support, forgiveness and family secrets that deals with scandals both in the Hollywood and the Catholic Churches. Finding Ashley had powerful and thought provoking storylines that will stay with me.

Sending a sincere thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for an advanced copy of Finding Ashley for my honest review! Can’t wait to see what comes next!!

Review posted on my Instagram blog and Goodreads.

www.instagram.com/donnasnotsosecretbookdiary

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12409011-donna-beiderman

#daniellesteel #findingashley #netgalley #bookworm #booknerds #booksofinstagram #booklife
#bookofthemonth #bookbub #bookclub #bookclubbook #ilovereading #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookadvisor #betweenthechapters  #goodreads #100bookchallenge
#readacrossinstagram #readingnook #bookreviewer

⭐⭐⭐
#findingashley
#daniellesteel
#realisticfiction
#arcnetgalley
publishing date 4/27/21

I have not read a DS book in about 3 decades. She used to be my romance go-to author. Then I advanced onto more intense books like Stephen King and Robert Ludlum. I never came back to her. So when I saw her #ARC on #NetGalley I was very excited! I was unfortunately sadly let down. It was a good enough story. It was just not done well enough for me. The writing was very choppy. The organization of the the sentences/paragraphs/sections were throwing me off. I'm hoping that I got a very early copy of her manuscript and that maybe it will be very changed by the time it gets released. I have decided to go re-read one of her old books that I know I read and probably loved and see what I think. Was she always like this and I was too naive to know any better? I hope not.

I was enjoying the story. It started just with Melanie working on her Victorian house and starts remembering how she got there. Not necessarily the proper order... Her childhood. Her sister Hattie. The divorce. Her son dying. (not spoilers). Then Hattie decides she need to do something really great for her sister. I don't want to tell you any more. The story was pretty predictable. And I am not one to be able to pick things out so early. But I managed. And I also thing that she left one thing out of the story that she should have put into the story, not the conclusion. 🤷‍♀️

I gave DS a 3⭐ for the story. And removed 2 full stars for the writing. I don't think I have ever done that before. I am really hoping that there were a lot of changes made by publication date!

#bookstagram #booknerds #bookworm #booklover #bookdragon #readalot #ilovereading #inkdrinker #librarymouse #booknerdbookreviews #bookaddict #bookaholic #booklover #booknerd #readingaddiction #readingaddict #readingforpleasure #read

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

Danielle Steel. Any fan of women’s lit knows this name. And Finding Ashley is one of the reasons she has lasted so long in this business.

In this story we read about two sisters who have both been through a lot but still believe they can find happiness and contentment. There are some tough moments in the story but Steel puts them there so we can see exactly what the sisters have gone through and what they continue to go through.

I have always liked Danielle Steel. There has never been a story of hers that I was disappointed in and this is the same. There is so much to these characters that we can find in ourselves or someone we love.

Another great read from Danielle Steel.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic read! Danielle Steel never disappoints me.

2 sisters are removed from each other's lives until they have a sit down after a fire threatens. After an amazing journey to find her sisters lost daughter and herself. It all ends well.

I think I've read and enjoyed Danielle Steel books for more than 20 years. This is a wonderful story with lots of hidden secrets that get revealed as the story progresses. The beginning of the book is a little slow as Melissa's backstory is explained. Once we get to "present time", the book picks up and starts moving faster. I've always found Danielle Steel books quick and easy to read. This one is no different, read it in less than 24 hours and enjoyed every page.

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Touching on an embarrassing chapter in Irish-American adoption stories, this book weaves a tale that speaks of love and the journey to find it. Absolutely riveting and unforgettable. Plots twists and amazing characters. The story stays with your heart long after you finish reading.

I find this a little hard to review, because I feel that writing about Ashley would be a spoiler. Her name wasn't even mentioned until 25% through the book. That said, this was as typical Danielle Steel story, one that holds your interest and is easy to read. It's been fun to read Ms Steel again after a couple of years.

This is definitely not my favorite novel by Danielle Steel. I usually love her books but for me this one fell flat. There is lots of repetition and the characters are very stilted. There are so many things happening at the same time it is hard to focus on the real story. It just didn't feel realistic to me.
Thanks Net Galley for allowing me to read this arc for my honest review.

Danielle Steele is the master storyteller of the modern women's genre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved this amazing story of mothers, daughters, and the circle of life. Danielle Steele is one of the best authors of her time & every book she writes is so relatable for every reader. Filled with real life scenarios, charm, drama, love but always a delightful happy ending. I always fly through her novels and I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I thought the underlying story was interesting, however this book fell flat for me. It was super repetitive and just kept saying the same thing about the characters in the same and different ways. It kind of seemed like the author had a set number of pages or words she had to reach. The characters just fell flat and lacked depth. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley,

Danielle Steel always has a way of delighting her readers, Finding Ashley does just that.
Melissa finds herself alone and cut off from the world after her young son dies and her and her husband divorce. For years she puts her heart into working on her house and nothing else .
After some searching , her sister , Hattie finds the baby that Melissa was forced to put up for adoption when she was a teenager. Through reconnecting with her sister and her birth daughter , Melissa is able to learn to love again.
This heartwarming story is full of heartache, love , and second chances.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy for my honest opinion.

Thank you again @netgalley and @randomhouse for allowing me to read this ARC Finding Ashley by @officialdaniellesteel .
Sisterhood bond. Family. Secrets. Love.
Another great book that I read in 1 day.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Synopsis:
Melissa Henderson is leading a quiet life. Once a bestselling author, she now pours all her energy into renovating a Victorian house nestled in the foothills of rural New England. Six years ago, she lost her young son to cancer, and her marriage dissolved. She stopped writing. It was only when she bought the old house that Melissa found a purpose, and came alive as she made it beautiful again.

After a wildfire that threatens her home appears on the news, Melissa receives a call from her sister, Hattie. They were close once, but that was before Melissa withdrew from the world. Now Hattie, who became a nun at twenty-five, is determined to help Melissa turn a new page, even if it means reopening one of the most painful chapters of her life.

At sixteen, a pregnant Melissa was sent to a gloomy convent in Ireland to have— and give up—her baby, to spare the family shame. All these years later, Hattie feels compelled to embark on a journey that will change both their lives forever, and track down the child Melissa gave up.

Coming out April 2021

#bookstagram #booklover #booknerd #bookreview #daniellesteelbooks #netgalley

After the death of her son and a divorce Melissa, a once bestselling author retreats to rural New England and begins a quiet life of restoring an old victorian home. A call from her estranged sister, Hattie will change Melissa's life in a way she never thought possible. At sixteen, Melissa was sent away to a convent in Ireland to give up the baby that she loved. Hattie, having entered into a life of being a nun feels the need to help Melissa come back from the recluse life she is living and find a way to reunite her with the daughter she gave up so many years ago. This story of family and unconditional love will show that some deep-buried secrets are meant to be brought to light. This book put more of an emphasis on family relationships which I found extremely compelling.

Life is always changing and we can choose to stay where we are or change along with it and go with the flow. When one door closes, another opens. This is the crux of Finding Ashley. I actually really enjoyed this book. If I sound surprised, it is because I expected the same “important” and repetitiveness of several of Danielle Steel's past several novels. The story flowed well and the characters were interesting and well drawn out though I had hoped to follow more of Hattie's story. Maybe in the future...

Finding Ashley starts with Melissa working hard to restore her new home. She is leading a reclusive life after losing her son to cancer and the breakup of her marriage as a result. Melissa has never understood why her sister Hattie suddenly became a nun. They have rarely had contact in many years. After they begin to reconnect, Hattie sets out on a quest to get answers for Melissa.
Many topics are broached in this one. Among them are adoption, abuse, religion, love, loss and learning to live again after much tragedy. Another good one by Danielle Steel.

Thanks to netgalley and Delacorte Press for the arc

This was a quick, light read that kept me interested. Sisters, family secrets, heartbreak, and a good plot... this story has it all. It was a great afternoon escape.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Two sisters that have had no contact for years get the chance to reconnect again and right the wrongs of the past. Once a bestselling author Melissa is leading the quiet life pouring all her energy into renovating a Victorian house of ruralNew England. Six years ago she lost her so to cancer and her marriage dissolved because of it. She was a beast selling author and gave upon her writing. The old house helped. Melissa find a purpose and came alive as she she made it beautiful again using her own hands doing a lot of the work herself. Melissa receives a call from her estranged sister Hattie who has been in convent since she was 25. Hattie is determined to help Melissa turn a new page and find the child she gave up when she was 16 and sent away to Ireland to give birth and the baby was adopted by a famous Hollywood star. Many secrets are brought out in the story bringing the two sisters together reliving events of the past and why each of them went their own ways. A very enjoyable story by Danielle Steel she is one of my favorite authors and have enjoyed all her books.