Without a Trace by Danielle Steel is a standalone novel. The story revolves around Charles Vincent, who is married, has two grown up successful children, and a high paying job; but he is currently trapped into an unhappy marriage. His wife (Isabelle) never works, spends money, enjoys being considered wealthy and lives a glamorous life. Charles had been in the publishing field, making very good money, until he quits his job, and money becomes an issue for two years, with Charles borrowing money from his wife’s father; his wife constantly threatening a divorce. Charles finally gets another job, making even more money, but he does not like the work and his boss. 

One night, Charles’s boss keeps him late, and when he drives along the coast to their lavish chateau for the weekend, he falls asleep at the wheel and goes over a cliff into the Ocean. Expecting his death during the fall, Charles manages to survive, and he is badly bruised as he desperately walks in the dark to find help. He comes across a cabin, where he meets a kind woman, Aude, who nurses his wounds, and allows him to rest and sleep in her cabin. In a very short period, Charles begins to discover the passions he never had, and both Aude and Charles fall in love. Being presumed dead, Charles realizes that he can choose to disappear and have a happy life with Aude. Everyone thinks he has died, with funeral services done, and lawyers working on his will. Charles will learn that Aude has some secrets of her past, that will threaten their lives.

With many months having past, together Charles and Aude must decide which was the best way to go for their lives together. Do they disappear forever, or have Charles make amends to face his family?

Without a Trace was an interesting and different kind of story, with the entire focus on Charles’s unhappy life, at least until he meets the woman who will change his life forever. What follows is an exciting and tense last third of the book, with Aude’s past coming back to haunt her; as well as everyone learning the truth about Charles’s disappearance. Without a Trace was well written by Danielle Steel.

I'm telling you- Danielle Steel can do no wrong in my book! In Without a Trace, successful businessman
Charles Vincent lives the perfect life on paper. He has a successful career and a beautiful family, but what no one knows is how miserable he is inside. As he ponders just how he can change this life he leads on a late night drive home, Charles falls asleep at the wheel and crashes into the rocky waters below.

By the grace of God Charles survives and happens upon a cabin in the woods. Aude, the owner, takes him in and as he works to regain his strength, the two fall in love. Aude shows him a love he's never known, and one he never wants to leave.

As time passes, and Charles settles into this small town life, his family is reeling. His selfish wife is looking for money, his kids are grieving, and he's at a crossroads. Should he go back? Or stay? Life gets immediately more complicated when Aude reveals she has a few secrets of her own- include a dangerous ex-husband who has escaped from prison. When their secrets threaten to expose their private life together, the two most come together even closer than before to survive.

Another fantastic novel by Steel, I'm counting down until the next one!

I made quick work of the latest DS. Charlie had the chance to run from his current life and he took it. I thought it was rather selfish of him, especially in regards to his kids. The plot was fairly easy to predict so I wasn’t surprised when certain things occurred.
Certain characters acted like one would think and some get their comeuppance.
I read Steel novels to forget about the outside world and this one for the bill perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free copy of “ Without a Trace” by Danielle Steel.This was a very interesting book.What would you do if you could walk away from an unhappy life and start fresh? This is the dilemma that faces Charlie when he goes over a cliff in France on the way to his weekend chateau.He is running from a loveless marriage and a job he hates.Can he reinvent himself and have the life and love he always wanted with the woman who opens her door to him that fateful night? Read the book and find out.Lots of drama and intrigue.

I really enjoyed this book weird for a Danielle Steel book to have it told from and have a Male POV/protagonist. Interesting story that could have gone in many different directions. Always a good light read for me. Thank you to Netgalley, Random House and the Author Danielle Steel for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an entirely different novel for Danielle Steele and she nailed it!!!!!!!!!! Bravo to the queen of romance, another best seller for us with this one.

Very interesting concept-walk away from your life and start a new one. I love the premise of this book and it was a quick read because it was so interesting. Read it in one day. The only thing I was disappointed with is that Isabelle didn't learn anything from the experience and continued to be a hard hearted gold digger! Really didn"t like her and so happy that Charlie finally divorced her.

If you had the chance to leave your whole life behind and start over again fresh, would you do it? That is the question that Charles is faced with in this new book by Danielle Steel. I have read just about every book by this author and I found this one to be good. I did find some of the storyline to be a bit far fetched but it was an easy read. The action and suspense drew me in and I finished the book in one day.

What a quick read! It kept my interest so much that I just couldn't put it down. I loved Charles and how he decided that he disliked his life so much that when he took the chance to start his life over. It's not all that it seems and when he goes back to take his life back things happen that change everything. Great story, wish it could have a sequel so we can find out how Charles, Aude, his children and Isabelle continue after the story ends.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

Another great read from Danielle Steel. I enjoyed this fast paced romance with a twist. It captivated me and drew me in and I finished it in 24 hours. It leaves the reader wondering what they would do if they were given the chance to leave their life behind and start fresh… would they leave it all behind or go back to a life lacking in happiness?

Without a Trace by Danielle Steel is a fast-paced romance with a touch of suspense. We travel to Paris, France where Charles Vincent lives with his wife, Isabelle. The couple have a grown son and daughter. Charles is unhappy with his job and his life. Charles and Isabelle have not had a real marriage in years. She cares more for the money Charles earns than the man. After another argument with his boss, Charles is heading to the chateau they own on the Normandy coast where Isabelle is hosting another weekend party. It is late on Friday evening and Charles is tired (and it is a three hour drive). He drifts off while driving and his car ends up taking a header off a cliff road. When the car finally stops moving, Charles is able to get free and swim to the surface. It is a miracle he survived. He finds his way to a cabin in the woods where Aude Saint-Martin, an artist, lives. There is an instant attraction between Aude and Charles. He needs a break from his real life and makes a decision to walk away. I can understand Charles’ desire to walk away from his life. He has a greedy, ungrateful wife and a job he does not enjoy. Of course, then he is unable to contact with his children. Life is full of choices as we see in Without a Trace. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of Paris and the Normandy coast. I especially liked Aude’s cabin. The majority of the characters are unlikeable. The most likeable is Aude who has not had an easy life. The romance between Aude and Charles seemed rushed. I thought it should be slower considering Aude’s experience with her ex-husband. There is a lot of repetition of key details (way too much). I enjoyed the story though there are some disturbing sections. Without a Trace does have some good life lessons (being honest, facing hard truths). I believe at one time or another we have all dreamed of walking away from our lives. Without a Trace lets us see what happens when one man does just that.

Though I thought that this was well written, this just couldn't keep my attention. I personally found the storyline boring and the characters kind of dull. 

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ebook for an honest review.

Mu rating is a 2.5 ⭐️

This was very reminiscent of an old school romance. It varies in POV but the two main ones are a husband and wife that are trapped in a loveless marriage. This book reads like a man in a mid life crisis wet dream. While on the way to the chateau he bought his wife to make her happy, Charlie falls asleep at the wheel and goes over a cliff. Miraculously, he survives and finds a hot single woman living in a small hut who is an artist and very in tune with her body but hiding from her abusive ex husband. It's also in the third person so there's a disconnect from the characters. Not that the author cares for you to know anyone except that the new girl and Charlie love to "make love" all the way unlike his loveless marriage with his "greedy" ex wife. When it all unravels, everything falls right back into place for Charlie but there is one more person he needs to rescue before he can begin again without his greedy ex wife. Charlie's winning points is that he left most of his assists to his children but, obviously took it back when he came back to life for his new wife. This was boring and out of touch but had a nice cover.

Another fantastic read by Danielle Steel! This one follows a man who is unhappy in life and unexpectedly receives an opportunity to disappear and start over. His story is compelling and he is a genuine character. Very well done.

Charles Vincent has a job he doesn't enjoy. His wife only wants him for what he can buy her. When he accidentally goes over a cliff and doesn't die he decides he is going to escape his life.
This book was one of the better written ones. I enjoyed.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and the publisher Delacorte Press.

Quick to catch my attention and hold it throughout! Danielle Steel always has a way of weaving a character into my soul in a way that has me entrenched in the outcome of their happiness even if I don't always agree with their methods of getting there. Moral boundaries are straddled as passion ignites in the most unorthodox of ways that nonetheless left me rooting for the happily ever after from start to finish. Another addictive read from Steel!

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a look in the life of someone that will take extreme measures when life on the other side looks brighter. The characters have a personable quality to them and while some of his actions are questionable, a delve into the depth of his despair shows the reader his thought process and makes him fairly redeemable.

I read this overnight. Yes, that's a fact. I took my phone to bed and read until I fell asleep. Then I'd wake up about every 2 hours and read some more. Finally, I finished as soon as I woke up this morning. Love, love, love finding a story that holds my attention that well!

I really think that I could read two pages of Danielle Steel and identify the author. No colorful fill-in stuff, just straight story. While I can appreciate creative writing, this is so much easier (and quicker) to read. I'd rather not report on the plot, itself, as it was more enjoyable to find out as I went.

I'm unable to post on Goodreads right now (their site must be down) but intend to as soon as possible. After the release date, you can find a positive review on Amazon and BookBub. Thank you, NetGalley!

Without A Trace by Danielle Steel. This book wasn't my favorite but still well written. Might have been the mood I was in or just not liking the characters.

Thank you so much to Net Galley, the publisher, and author for providing this book for my honest review. I love Danielle Steel, but this is very different from the majority of her books. The premise of a man in a loveless business like marriage getting a second chance in life and love sounds interesting, but I struggled with a few aspects. I like the idea of “What would you do with a second chance?” storyline but I can’t truly connect with just leaving your grown children and life behind and letting everyone think you are dead. It definitely made me think beyond most romantic suspense novels though which I do appreciate. It was an entertaining and quick read as well. I just had a few issues with leaving family behind. I did enjoy the ending though. Thank you so much to Net Galley, the publisher, and author for providing this book for my honest review.

Snoooooooooooze. I hate to say this but I didn’t love this one. The story was simplistic. At some points implausible. It was short and lacked depth. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review