Danielle Steel works her magic once again in Nine Lives. This is a story of family, love , and new beginnings.
Maggie’s mom always told her how important it was to look for a safe, stable man in a relationship. She learned at an early age this was probably a good idea when her father had passed away and then again when her brother did . Paul Gilmore was her high school love but her mom forbade her to keep seeing him as he wanted to race even at an early age. After tragically losing her husband in a freak accident she learns that even if a person isn’t a risk taker, tragedies happen.
Nine Lives drags you in and makes you want to stay until the end of the story . Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for an arc for my honest opinion.

Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith. Superbly written, as always, with fantastic characters. A charming story of fear and change and how your life may be different if you did something different.

Steel never ages. Fresh writing. A short tale. Delightful. A page-turner. Completely plot-driven with Steel qualities that are enjoyed book after book. I couldn't put it down. It races from beginning to end. Quite readable, light-hearted, and a pleasure; as always with every book she writes.

Another great read from this author. Full of feelings, anger, hurt, sad, happy.
After a carefree childhood, Mary Margaret Kelly came of age in the shadow of grief. Her father, a dashing daredevil Air Force pilot, died when she was nine. Maggie saw her mother struggle to put their lives back together. As the family moved from one city to the next, her mother warned her to beware of daredevil men and avoid risk at all cost.
She chose to marry a dependable, kind man who was a reliable husband and successful accountant. Together they had a son and found happiness in a conventional suburban life. Until tragedy struck again.
Now on her own, feeling a sense of adventure for the first time, Maggie decides to face her fears, setting off on a whirlwind trip from San Francisco to Rome, Paris, and Monaco. But when her travels reconnect her with the very same irresistible, thrill-seeking man she's spent thirty years trying to forget, Maggie becomes terrified that rushing into love and sharing his life may very well end in disaster.
Maggie meets up with her past, an ex boyfriend, and is scared by her feelings and wants to keep it just being friends, but her heart has other ideas and so does he. She is the one he could never get over.
This takes you all over the world and the descriptions of the places they went to is out of this world and I wanted to win the lottery so I can go and travel all over and see these amazing places.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

Danielle Steel can always break the heart and heal it all in one book. I have enjoyed her books for what seems like a life time and she never disappoints! This is an amazing story about Maggie and how she learns to love and live despite loosing so much in her lifetime. When Maggie was young she looked up to her father and enjoyed the family that he had created for her family. Unfortunately, her father died while being a test pilot for the Air Force. Her mother tried to tell Maggie that the only thing she needed was to have a stable and safe life. After dating a daredevil in high school, Paul, she could see why her mom always worried but she loved him. Paul reminded her of her father and how she admired him. However, her mother once again tried to tell her she needed to have a stable and safe life. Once high school was over Maggie and Paul went their separate ways but she would always remember her first love. Maggie leaves for college and then finds an amazing job. Tragedy once again hits Maggie's family and her mom can't even find her way back from this loss. She pushes Maggie even harder to look for that stable and safe life. Maggie eventually finds another job closer to her mom. Maggie meets Brad, an accountant, whose father owns the accounting firm she works for. Even though Maggie isn't sure about dating the boss's son she decides to give it a try. Maggie has finally found her stable and safe life. However, she does fall for Brad and loves him very much. Then tragedy once again happens. So how did it happen she was being safe? Maggie finally understands that being safe may not be what matters the most. She soon learns how to love and live with a hint of adventure. Danielle Steel's ability to tell Maggie's story with heartache and hope is what we love most about her writing. Love this Book.

Nine Lives by Danielle Steel is a heart-warming, if predictable story of tow people who were in love in high school and then went their separate ways. Maggie had been raised to desire security, not danger, Her mother had seen first her father, and then he brother dies because they were attracted to danger. The she had to watch her mother sink into dementia, primarily caused by a broken heart. It was not for her. She had married a safe man, an accountant, without a dangerous bone in his body. Then by a fluke, all of a sudden he was dead. Paul had been her first love, but had left right after graduation to race motorcycles in California. All of a sudden, he was right in front of her, thirty years later. She resisted for a while but then she could not longer. She fell, hard. Her son fell hard, too. But she still hated the adrenaline junkie part of him and stayed as far away as she could.

Steel writes comfort books, predictable books. Does that mean they are a waste of time? Not at all. Some days that is what a reader needs, and Steel delivers. Good characters, few surprises, and yet, one is drawn to her work. There are surprises and plenty fun to be had. This is as good as it gets. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Nines Lives by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #ninelives

Nine Lives by Danielle Steel shows us how loss affects a woman’s life and those of her loved ones. Maggie Kelly lost her father and her brother to airplane crashes. While she fell for an adrenaline junkie in high school, she opts to marry a safe accountant. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes again with Maggie suffering another loss. When she encounters her old high school crush thirty years later, Maggie must decide if she can be with someone who lives on the wild side (adrenaline junkie). Will Maggie live a safe life without love- or live-in constant fear that another person she cares about will die? It contains Danielle Steel’s trademark writing (which means a quick, easy read). I did feel that some details were repeated a little too often (I got it the first time) and some of the pacing is off (things happens quickly with a lack of emotion), and a predictable storyline. I have been reading Danielle Steel’s books since I was twelve (I have read all but one of her books). Some of her books I just love, and others are just so-so. Nine Lives is an okay book. I wish Maggie had been a stronger protagonist. She came across as weak and lacking depth. Maggie’s son, Aden was my favorite character. He was mature for his age, a caring man who had depth. I believe he has a bright future. Nine Lives is a light, summertime read.

When reviewing an Icion such as Danielle Steel, I feel so inadequate. However, I signed up to take up the mantle of that challenge and I promised to do it with an honest opinion and my willingly given review.
I have read every book that is written under the name of Danielle Steel. They all have not been my favorite, but I have not disliked any of them to the point I would have asked for a refund of my purchase.
Maggie in her younger years was a free spirited girl and thought her father was invincible until one day he was no longer. He was a test pilot and unfortunately there are accidents. Her mother fell to pieces and her mind crumbled and it affected Maggie.
Maggie chose a life of safety and grew to respect and love her husband over time. Her son showed tendencies of her fathers wild freedom and this scared her. Maggie over time lost her security blanket when her husband died early and then Maggie was lost for a time.
This book is truly quite interesting and will not be everyones cup of tea. It’s about life changing as women grow older or men and life can be shocking and scary.
I loved how Ms. Steel incorporated the feeling of desperation that we all can feel and how her characters were able to develop to include the younger generations as well.
I personally thought the book was interesting and written very well.

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

Another quick easy read by Danielle Steel.
As usual a strong female protagonist with life altering happenings and how she picks herself up and
perseveres. Danielle's books are like an old friend, reliable, safe and nice. I really enjoy her books and have been a loyal reader for many years.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Ballantine, Delacorte press and the Author Danielle Steel for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie is surrounded by men in her life who live for the adrenaline rush and sadly, that desire to chase risks, costs several of her loved ones their lives. As a teenager, Maggie falls in love with Paul, her first love and a risk taker. Because of her fear that she will loose him to one of his risks, she lets him go. Convinced by her mother to find safety and security in a man who doesn't enjoy the thrill of risk, Maggie seeks just that and settles for a 'safe' life with her husband, an accountant, and her son, Aden, who like his grandfather and uncle has a passion for the the fast life. Tragedy strikes again in Maggie's life as her husband is killed in an accident leaving her to navigate life with her son, who is months away from entering college.

Convinced by a friend to spread her wings and travel, Maggie who is now beyond wealthy thanks to her husband's life insurance policy and the selling of his business, takes off on a round-the-world trip. It's in the South of France where she runs into Paul, who is now a world renown race car driver. Maggie must decide if she's willing to forego a safe life for the love of her life. Can she live life knowing that the one she loves puts himself in harms way?

Nine Lives is crafted in true Danielle Steel fashion with lots of glittering locales (St. Bart's, the South of France, London, etc.) and people with extravagant means.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This is a Women's Fiction. This book is a fast ride, and I loved every minute of it. This a fast pace well written book with very developed characters. This book takes the saying "Mamma does not want her baby Girl to marry a bad boy" to another level. This book is a wild ride. I saw the only little twists in this book before it was reveal. Danielle Steel's has away making great characters and storylines. I love that she makes you feel you are right there with the characters. This will be a great summer read. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Random House Publishing Group -Ballantin Delacorte Press) or author (Danielle Steel) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Nine Lives is another romantic women’s fiction title by Danielle Steel who has been publishing books for as long as I can remember. This is another in her typical fast paced style that spans decades in the protagonist’s lifetime.

Mary Margaret Kelly was the daughter of an Air Force pilot who lost her father early in life to a tragic accident. Maggie then watched her mother go through the pain of losing the love of her life and that stuck with Maggie. As a teen Maggie had dated a boy who loved danger and adrenaline very much like Maggie’s father so she did the responsible thing and ended the relationship not wanting to end up like her mother.

Maggie went on with her life and met a man who was responsible and safe and they had a good life together building their own family. Maggie’s safe world was shattered however when she and her husband were in an airplane crash leaving Maggie widowed far too early. With her husband’s careful planning during their marriage Maggie finds herself with a small fortune and on the advice of a friend begins to travel on her own only to cross paths with that daring boy, now a man, she had loved in high school.

Danielle Steel definitely has a style of writing that may not be for everyone as it always feels she speeds through parts of her novels giving it an info dump feel in places. I keep coming back to her books though as sometimes I fall in love with the stories but this time that didn’t quite happen. I could not really shake the thought of the protagonist in this one being so set on her ideas of danger being wrong just being to the extreme. I liked the characters and story well enough but I wasn’t sold on rooting for the relationship working either due to Maggie’s beliefs so this one ended up just so-so for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Nine Lives by Danielle Steel was a quick read, and I really enjoyed it. The characters are well-written and realistic, with intriguing backstories that pull you in from the beginning and hold your attention until the very end, all while leaving you wanting more. Danielle Steel knows how to entertain us from the very first page to the last.

A woman that lost her father when she was young and a brother later in life, agrees with her mother that dare devil men are to be avoided at all costs since they will break your heart. Maggie marries a safe man and has a son and is wonderfully happy until tragedy strikes again. Maggie is now alone, her son is off to college, and a friend convinces her to take a trip to get over her grief. On the trip she runs into her high school dare devil boyfriend and they go through some major ups and downs until they decide what they want for the future.

I always love reading Danielle Steel novels because they are entertaining reads. There is always a hidden message of some sort, something that the main character needs to realize before they can get their happily ever after. This would be a great beach read, I read it on and off in one day.

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

You can always count on a good book if it is written by Danielle Steel. It always blows my mind how she comes up with different topics to write about - she has written 167 novels already and each one is something new. Nine Lives reminded me of her older novels more than her more recent ones. The writing and tone was similar to her older style, if that makes sense. I love her ability to create characters that are easy to like, and ones that entice curiosity and are intriguing. Even though parts of this were predictable, they were written in such a way that the reader is still very interested and still feels empathetic to the characters’ emotions and is eager to read on. Nine Lives is about a woman who has faced way too many tragic deaths of loved ones, and whose life is full of bad boys, or at least men who are risk takers and love adrenaline more than anything else. As much as she tries to avoid one in particular, she is magnetized to him. Can true love change a man’s ways? This is an action-packed romance, another enjoyable and emotional book written by Danielle Steel!

I think I've read most of Danielle Steel's books. They're entertaining and easily read. The problem for me is they end too quickly. Lol Loved the characters in nine lives although Aden seemed a little too perfect for a teenager. But I guess for all that Maggie went thru in her life, Aden' s character was a reward well deserved

Nine Lives is the newest Danielle Steel novel. Cautious vs risky behaviors and professions, a discouraged young romance,, a solid marriage, several losses and coincidences quickly move this story along. Nine lives is a good Women’s Fiction book.

Maggie Kelly’s father was an Air Force test pilot who was killed when his plane crashed. Just like her father, her brother joined the Navy and was also killed when his plane crashed. Her mother was devastated and warned Maggie against men who had daredevil dreams. So, when she and her high school boyfriend, Paul, parted it was for him to search out his dream of racing motorcycles.

Maggie married Brad Mackenzie who owned a successful financial management business and they had a son named Aden. Their life was happy. When Brad asked Maggie to fly to a conference with him, she gladly accepted. Sadly, they flew into a snowstorm and the plane crashed into a river. Maggie was rescued, but Brad died. Grief encompassed her, but after a time, she is encouraged by a friend to take a trip to Europe. There, she meets her old boyfriend, Paul, who has become quite wealthy and is a Formula One race car driver.

As Maggie and Paul become reacquainted, she realizes that he is still the risk-taker that he was years ago. Although Maggie is spending time with him, a terrifying incident proves to her that she does not want to become a widow again. Does she have the strength to cuts her ties with Paul and walk away?

In her perfect signature style, this wonderful author takes us through the opulence of places in Europe to treat us to the way “the other half lives.” The story is a compelling one that the reader will not be able to put down. I do not know where Danielle Steel gets her ideas, but she is by far one of the most talented authors in the world. I loved this book and I know others will as well.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What I typically like about Danielle Steel’s books is that they are usually quick, fast paced books with strong women at the center of it all, and usually have a contemporary issue that they deal with. This falls into that same format, however, it kinda of missed the mark in some ways. It kind of felt like a YA book in the way it was written-very simplistic and choppy.
Maggie lost her father and brother, who were both risk takers, in tragic accidents and it destroyed her mother, which Maggie watched firsthand and vowed she would never have that kind of pain in her life-she would make sure to keep her life safe and practical, which she did, including marrying an accountant and living in the suburbs. She was happy with her life as she prepared to send her son off to college. Then she tragically lost her husband & is left very wealthy and has to start a new life on her own, so she decides to travel some and meets up with her first love, who is a wealthy race car driver who lives to take risks. She has to decide if she wants to take a risk of her own and start a relationship with him or play it safe and lose her second chance at her first love.
I wish Maggie was a stronger character. The only strong one was her son, Aden. The rich playboy boyfriend kind of seemed more juvenile than her college aged son in some instances. Overall, this was a quick read-I read it in a single sitting and though it wasn’t my favorite book of hers, I enjoyed it.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

Maybe I was just in the mood for it, but this seemed to be one of Danielle Steel's best novels I've read lately. It was SO predictable, of course, but I knew it would be - - that's her style. It's irritating sometimes that the writing is so much 'tell' and not as much 'show' - - but again, that's Steels style so I expected it.

Overall, just a pleasant read for a summer day! And sometimes, that's enough.