Member Reviews
This is a heartwarming story about how adult children deal with the death of their parents and all the emotions that come with grief. Set aside time to read this book because once you start it you won't put it down until the final page. The Whittiers is another great read by a very talented author.
Thank you for giving me a chance to read your book. I liked the concept of the book. However, I found it hard to get into because it was very explanatory and I struggled with the dialogue and I wasn’t able to follow it the way I was hoping to.
Thank you to #NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC (it was one when I downloaded it).
I'm biased when it comes to Danielle Steel. Whenever I don't know what to read, I read Danielle Steel. She's a comfort and escape read for me. Romance, family, I'll read it.
I loved this book about a close knit family of six siblings, all different personalities, who get even closer when their parents die in an avalanche, while skiing in France.
Everyone has their problems. Lyle, who's the oldest is in a troubled marriage and his wife is a gold digger and only wants money and has no regard for it and no love for him or his children. Divorce is pending and his wife is taking him for a ride that's for sure.
Gloria is the serious one in the family and smart and next in line in age but living in her own apartment.
The twins Caroline and Charlie are in their early 30s and are successful fashion designers, Caroline who designs mostly and Charlie who has the mind for business.
Then there's Benjie, who I adore, who's on the autism spectrum and works at an animal shelter and has a heart of gold.
Annabelle, who is 21 and the wild one of the family who finally calms down when life turns itself around for her.
They all have big decisions to make, especially the family home which is basically a mansion since they were a big family before the kids started moving out except for Annabelle and Benjie who lived there all their lives. They all look out for each other and care for each other immensely. Is there love in the air for these siblings? It seems so and the way they meet them is sort of different.
I really enjoyed watching the Whittier children grow up and support each other. They each had their own story inside this story. They didn't always agree, but they were supportive and understanding of each other.
This was a positive, easy, quick read and definitely a predictable story. There were some times I felt like the writing was on repeat. As usual, Danielle Steel told the story instead of making you feel like you were a part of it - that is her writing style.
A nice happy read about a close family. Although they all have secrets and problems, these siblings come together in times of crisis. Their closeness, kindness and love would make their parents proud.
3 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m a big fan of Danielle Steel - for many years. While her books don’t really offer up anything new I usually enjoy them.
This one centered around The Whittier’s six children who must figure out their lives after their parents are killed in a ski accident. Tension filled moments, family drama and the usual unlikeable character or two that Steel usually serves up in her books are what I normally look forward to when reading anything by her, but this bland plot was just an okay read for me.
I still love her books and will continue to read them.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Ballantine and Danielle Steel for my advanced copy to read and review.
With her trademark storytelling, I love this stunning book by Danielle Steel! Such a great story! Thank you, Danielle Steel, Random House & Netgalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
While I found the writing a little... discordant? Simplistic? Something - I ended up really enjoying this book. I picked it up due to the proximity to Christmas/winter, and that really wasn't a main theme here - oops. But I loved exploring the Whittiers family dynamics and how they come together to move forward after their parents' deaths. Definitely one I would recommend.
How quickly your life and family dynamic can change. When faced with a tragedy the Whittiers have to pivot and pull together. I really enjoyed this novel about family love and resilience. The characters were all likable, except one, and you are not meant to like her. I loved each turn of events and how the family pulled together and survived.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
The Whittiers is written by Danielle Steel. I have been reading her books since I was a junior in High School. They were passed down to me from my grandmother and then I would always enjoy chatting with her afterwards about them.
Preston and Constance Whittier have raised six children and have had a beautiful, happy life together. They have loved taking a “wintermoon” every year together. However, this time tragedy strikes and their six children are faced with life without their parents.
Like any family, the siblings have their flaws. One is facing the breakup of his marriage, one is focused on their career, One is special needs and has been affected by the loss greatly, two have a business that is failing and one is spiraling out of control. This story follows the siblings the year after their parents death.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.
This is my first Danielle Steel book and it was so refreshing. I haven’t read a feel good story without a thousand twists and turns in a long time that actually holds my interest. I loved this story line and following each of the Whittier children and how their life’s turned out. I especially loved following the story line of Annabelle and Benji. I was really rooting for them through the entire story. I also loved how nurturing Lyle was and how he eventually stood up for himself in regards to Amanda. Despite their family tragedy they were able to stay close and lean to one another and show their true selves. I really enjoy the ending and felt like the book was wrapped up with a nice little bow. I look forward to more Steel reads!
Thanks NG for this ARC
While mourning the loss of both parents. The Whittier children, are faced with some tough life choices.
The Whittiers
by Danielle Steel
If you want to relax with a good story, nothing too heavy, and one that doesn’t try to change the world, you might enjoy The Whittiers. The theme is family. A devastating accident occurs that changes the Whittier family forever. Although they share the same basic values, the three bothers and three sisters seek out individual paths to happiness Rather than rendering them bitter, the accident results in strong familial bonds.
The reader of The Whittiers meets each of the family members at the beginning of the book, and then romantic interests are gradually added to the mix. Amanda is the wife of Lyle, the oldest of the siblings. It becomes clear early in the book that she loves only herself and her initial attraction was not to Lyle but to his money. As much as you will dislike Amanda, you will love Benjie, the young sibling who will always have special needs and require an adult’s supervision. Everyone else piles in to make a crazy, lovable family.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: General Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: contains mild swearing
Publication: November 22, 2022—Delacorte Press
Memorable Lines:
Their father had worked hard too, though maybe not as hard as they did, in a less crazy publishing world, at a more gentlemanly time. The modern world moved at a much faster pace. Computers and the Internet had changed everything for all of them. Their father often said he was glad he wasn’t working now.
Annabelle watched the screen intently and then looked away. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the image, except she was shocked to see that it looked like a baby, not a blob. It suddenly made it all so real.
Her life was a filled to the brim with people who loved her. It shone in her eyes, and she had unlimited love to give as a result.
I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day. I believe her last few books have been better than the few I read before. I would definitely recommend this book.
Emotional story about a family,. About children growing up, learning to be a family and what it takes.
I was lucky to receive an advance copy of The Whittiers by Danielle Steel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. First off, I am going to start by saying I have been a Danielle Steel fan forever so I was beyond thrilled to be approved to read this. As many of her books are about a successful family and the trials and tribulations they go through to be happy. This follows in those same footsteps and it is for sure a book you won't be able to put down.
This latest DS book was a quick short read. It follows 6 grown siblings who come together after a tragedy. You see each one’s problems and how they support each other over the course of a year.
I found this started slow learning all the character’s backstories and once that was done the story took off. The way the family came together with the tragedy they faced was well written. Once again another winner from Steele. A good book club discussion title.
Love Ms. steels books so easy to read. This one is all about staying together during a tragedy. The children adore their parents. But they have a tragedy that really bring them closer together. They must really get together and closer than any of them imagined. Tough decisions to make.
This is a wonderful feel-good book about a large family and how they came together in a tough time.
Danielle Steel never misses with her books and it is always a pleasure to read and await the next one. I love how the quality of her books doesn't falter with how many she has written. Read this book relatively quickly, you will not be able to put this one down!