I’ve been a fan of Danielle Steel for many years. Without A Trace is a much darker book than many of her previous books I have read. There is plenty of drama in this story regarding selfish spouses, abusive ex-spouses, and toxic relationships. This latest novel is a quick but engaging read.

I think most of us at some point in our lives could probably relate to the question of What would you do if given the chance to start over ? Would you do it?

Charles Vincent appears to have it all. A beautiful wife, two successful children, a well paying career, a Paris apartment, and a gorgeous Chateau. To the outsider Charles has it all but the truth is he is in a loveless marriage and a job that is simply a paycheck.

In a single moment Charles’s life will be forever changed. Driving home to the Chateau late one night, his car goes over a cliff into the ocean. He miraculously survives . He finds the strength to climb up the cliff and begins walking looking for help. He comes across a cabin in the woods and meets the beautiful and kind Aude. Aude takes him in and nurses him back to health.

Charles falls in love with Aude and makes the decision not to go back to his previous life but to chose the life he really wants. But Aude has secrets of her own.

Without a Trace was an easy read and kept me engaged throughout the story. It was thought provoking in that we wonder what each of us would do if given the chance to start over.

A special thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the eARC I received in exchange for my honest opinion.

My review will be posted to Goodreads on 11/7/22 and on Amazon closer to publication.

4/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am so lucky to have received this ebook. I absolutely loved it. I did not want to put it down. The drama and the suspense had me guessing.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Delacorte Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Years ago I was a huge fan of this author and read all her books. It has been a while since I read her stories.and I must say she has not lost the ability to captivate me as a reader and I loved this one. There are times in life when you wish you could just walk away and begin life a new somewhere new and different. That is the premise of this story when an unhappy wealthy businessman is faced with such an opportunity. I read this one in one day as I was totally absorbed in the details. The characters are beautifully described and predictable. We all read for different reasons. Sometimes it is to learn, sometimes to escape, and sometimes for pure enjoyment. If you are looking for an escape read this is an absolute must for you. Do not miss this one. I highly recommend it. Danielle Steel is once again one of my favorite authors.

Without a Trace is slow-moving, especially at the beginning. I felt like yelling at the book, “Okay, okay, I get the point. He is unhappy. Let’s get on with the rest of the story.”

I used to adore Steel’s books. This one seems different, almost like someone else wrote it for her. I wonder if my relative, now age 90, would enjoy this book. She often swaps Steel’s books with a cousin.

Danielle Steel always delivers and she does again with this book as well. The plot and characters were very engaging. I couldn't put this book down at all. This book was definitely different from her other work and it was a nice departure from what she's known for.

Without a trace kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were very engaging and gripping. Its not like other Danielle steel books I've read and I loved every second of it.

Trapped by a loveless marriage and a job he hates, Charles Vincent is given a chance to start over when his car careens off a cliff. He survives the crash and gets to a remote cabin seeking help. There he meets the lovely Aude, a beautiful artist. Here’s where things fell apart for me. They go from complete strangers to lovers in a matter of minutes. Charles pretends he is dead for months before he returns to Paris to legally make the changes to his life he desires. This had some twists and suspense but it was too predictable for me. I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Danielle Steel is one of my favorite authors and again with this book, she proves why. I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend adding to your reading list.

Without a Trace by Danielle Steele is an interesting book. It’s been years since I read a book by this author and I thought this book sounded promising. However, I found this book equally intriguing and disturbing. I think the mystery itself was fascinating and well written, but this book is not for everyone. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I read this in one sitting, it kept my attention throughout. I have been a fan and read all of of. Danielle Steel since I was a teenager, It was a different format for her.
Thank you NetGalley for approving me to read this one.

This one felt like a breath of fresh air for DS fans…a totally different story than ever before. I always love when the main protagonist is a male character as it’s rare for a DS book and this one was a tour de force. She hits all the emotional notes….no stone is left unturned. A fast, easy read, this one was hard to put down and leave for work. I’d have much rather stayed home and read instead…lol. Relatable characters, no stereotypical characters/twists. I genuinely enjoyed this from a story point of view. I’ve read all of Danielle Steel’s novels and this one really felt fresh and innovative.

Without A Trace is another wonderful Danielle Steel book. As many of her novels are, this is one you will not want to put down until you have finished .
Charles works far to hard to keep his wife Isabelle happy even though they haven’t been happy together in a long time . After a late work meeting one evening he heads to their home for a weekend party with guests . He has an accident that changes his life. Aude is a painter who lives alone in a cabin and she helps Charles when he stumbles to her home after his accident.
This story is a heartwarming story about family , heartache and new beginnings.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for a copy for my opinion.

Without a Trace has a lot of potential to be an excellent read; however, the dialogue was so repetitive with a 4th grade vocabulary that I ended up skimming through entire chapters. You know what you get with Danielle Steele. Her books follow a formula that has served her well throughout the decades. However, Without a Trace felt like she phoned it in to her team to put together a novel based on a loose outline.

It was quite fine for passing the time while on the treadmill; I enjoyed the atmosphere of the Normandy coast and the tale if reinvention in mid-life. But this was nowhere near the lovely reads produced by Ms. Steele in her heyday.. With tight editing this book can be condensed into a lovely escapist fiction.

A hugevthank you to NetGalley and Delacorte press for the privilege of reading an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Outstanding! Danielle Steel does it again. I have read all of her books. Without a Trace is an excellent book! Easy read and really enjoyed the characters. The story was really good and flowed very well. I always look forward to and can count on this author for a great book. Definitely recommend this book! Thank you Random House-Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Without a Trace by Danielle Steele is without a doubt - in my mind - one of her most interesting and thought provoking books yet. Ms. Steele plays with human emotions to an absolute tee, knowing just how to bring them go tears, bring them to laughter, make them scream in frustration, and make them make feel a specific emotion such as love, hatred, or indifference to an individual character or place.


Without a Trace is a love story within a love story, one that's about learning who you are as you are trying to create a new relationship while at the same time, saying goodbye to another relationship. And, how do you grow, without hurting those around you? As well as, how do you tell those you love it's time you stood on your own, but you still want them there in the background for support? That you don't want them to leave, you just want to spread your wings so speak, even if you're the parent and have never done anything for yourself until now, when the children have left the house and are on their own.?

Ms. Steele interweaves the complexity of one fractured family that learns to heal after it's broken bit by bit, in several different ways, and by several different people. Some of the people stay with the family for good, some leave after a short bit, but they all help rebuild this family into a new shape and a greater strength it had never known.

In some ways Without a Trace reminds me of one of my six all-time favorite books of Ms. Steele, which is Family Album - the other five books being: Jewels, Kaleidoscope, Message from Nam, Palomino, and Changes. Only in Family Album, it's the youngest daughter that is learning to grow and spread her wings, while still being a part of the family, in Without a Trace, it is the parent.

If anyone is a fan of Ms. Steele,they will love without a doubt, LOVE Without a Trace, andI can't wait to get my hands on the next book out there!

Loved reading the enthralling and engrossing story about a man, Charles, who falls asleep while driving home to one of his wife's lavish parties, drops off a cliff, plunges into the the water, and slowly climbs the cliff. Charles stumbles down the road, up to a cabin, meets a beautiful, giving woman, Aude, and wants to disappear from his life without a trace from his money hungry wife, a job he hates, and even his two adult children he loves. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and another must read story from the phenomenal author, Danielle Steel.

Charlie is unhappy with his life in France - his job is terrible and he and his wife fell out of love years ago. One night, his car goes over a diff and he miraculously survives, but appears to have disappeared without a trace, so he takes some time to evaluate whether he wants to return to his old life.

Without a Trace by Danielle Steel
Geeezzz, …. If I would have had Charles’s life before his accident, I would have walked away too. Not quite in the way he did, but to each his own. The writing was good, Charles not so much. This was definitely a story of second chances. I loved the premise and the lesson it taught. I found it a tad dark, not one of the typical stories she tells. I think this would be a cool movie to watch.
Many thanks to Danielle Steel, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge Danielle Steel fan, and was thrilled to get this latest book. While it was not my favorite story of hers, it is still a great read.
Charles has built a life that is all about keeping his wife in the luxuries she is accustomed to. He knows if he cannot provide the riches she needs, she will leave him. But fate gives Charles an opportunity to see what life is like from a whole different perspective. What started out as a temporary break from reality, may turn into a permanent new life. But can he really walk away without a trace?
My hesitation with this book is the anguish he puts his kids, especially his daughter through. While they were quick to forgive him, seems a bit extreme. With that being said, this is a great read, flows seamlessly, and the characters are ( not all likable) but believable.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Family dynamics…love and romance…secrets and starting over…this novella is a quick read with few characters… mystery and intrigue…ex husband…almost ex wife…I don’t love the part about the main character waiting so long to let his children know he was alive…selfish and cruel…and what? Finding a woman on the night of the accident and falling in love? What is that? This is not a realistic book. It a fun quick read…would anyone want to leave the past behind and start again ? Perhaps…this book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Always a gifted author…