The best thing I have ever done is to not have read the blurb for The High Notes. Not having a clue of what would happen had be reading page after page. It was so addictive. I was completely hooked.

Reading Iris's story was an inspiration. She was used by her father. She was used by managers. Sin all that time, she remained true to herself. She rose above them all, becoming a major success and discovering true happiness.

Iris has always loved to sing. Her voice leaves people speechless as she hits the high notes. At age 12, her father gets her on a stage, taking advantage of her for many, many years. Her time with her father broke my heart. Her strength and determination to survive was an inspiration.

The High Notes was filled with shocking moments. I couldn't wait to read how the author would handle each situation. Like the main characters, she handled everting with grace. She ended the story on such a high note, that days later I am still thinking about Iris and the family she chose.

Danielle Steel always gives us a heartfelt read that leave you longing for more of the characters and their everyday lives. I always feel a part of these books and the characters lives. Danielle Steel has delivered once again.

When we meet Iris Cooper she is a young girl that lives with her father. They don't have much and move around a lot. Iris has been gifted with an amazing voice and it takes her nothing to belt out any ballad that you can think of. She knows the old songs as well as all the new ones. When Iris's dad falls on hard times and is out of money, he decides to use Iris and her voice to earn them money.

At first everyone is hesitant to hire Iris because she is so young, but her dad promises that he will get her in and out once she has done her job. He makes Iris sit in the truck once she has performed for the night and earned them money, no matter the weather. Iris is usually given a plate from the kitchen at the bar where she performs to take to the truck with her to eat. Iris is just glad to have a good warm meal.

The deal that Iris was told by her dad was that he would put money aside from what she earned for her to have later. When Iris gets older and asks about her money, her dad tells her that there is no money. He has drank it all away with his drinking habit. Iris knew that he had a drinking problem but had hoped that he was not using her money.

When Iris gets old enough, her dad promises her to a contract that she is not fond of. Her dad sets it up to where he gets the money sent to his account and Iris has no say in it at all. The tour manager is a jerk and Iris can't wait for her years to be fulfilled and for her to be free of her contract. iris then goes to another tour manager and signs on with him but doesn't give her dad any money this time. Of course her dad was not happy about not getting any money and told Iris that he didn't want to see her anymore. Iris went on with her life and had to come to the point where she had to let her dad go. He was going to drain her of all her money again if she let him. On this tour that she was on, the tour manager was degrading of all the performers. One day when he slapped the Iris's friend, she had enough and left the tour. Iris had no idea where she was going to go but she knew that she could make some money if she needed to with her voice.

One of Iris's friends from the last tour group had given her the name of a person that could help her get a recording contract when she left. Iris was not sure about contacting him but it was in the back of her mind nagging her. On her way to where he was, Iris meets another guy that can harmonize with her like no one else has been able to. They decide to go to New York together, why not? Iris gets a meeting with the manager and decides to take this new friend with her. When they leave, they both have a contact in hand and are on their way to making it big. Iris never thought she would get this break, but now she is being taken care of like never before. Her new manager is amazing and takes care of her like his own.

I don't want to give any of the other parts away because reading them for yourself makes it so worth it. I loves this story and the characters. A great feel good story of perseverance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Loved reading the engaging, engrossing, and enthralling novel. Iris has been singing and hitting the high notes since her father dragged her from bar to bar at the age of twelve and kept all of her money for himself. Then, she was used by two horrible agents one right after another going from place to place singing. When she escaped, she wanted and tried to meet Clay, a famous agent who treats his singers well. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and another riveting story by the fabulous and phenomenal author, Danielle Steel.

In The High Notes, Danielle Steel writes about some of the less glamorous aspects of the music industry. Iris Cooper begins singing in bars when she’s twelve. Her lazy, uncaring father uses her as his meal ticket. She signs on to a tour when she’s a teenager but she’s overworked and what little pay she gets her father spends. Over time she learns who she can trust and her situation improves. I enjoyed this one. It was a quick read covering a topic I haven’t read about before. I thank NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Danielle Steel's latest is about Iris who starts singing on the stage as a child to support her deadbeat dad. We follow Iris through her coming into her own as a adult and of course since it's Danielle Steel there will be an idealized love interest. I enjoyed Iris's story far more than the romantic interest and think it had potential that wasn't realized because it would have been a longer and ultimately different book. Still I do enjoy a Steel novel as they are quick reads and this one moves along.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Iris, a little girl with an angelic voice. The story begins when Iris is a young girl singing in Texas bars where her father is her 'manager'. Eventually, Iris enters into contracts with two managers, each worse than the other. After many grueling years of touring for pennies and being treated poorly, Iris escapes the shackles of her manager and runs away from the tour. During this time, she disguises herself so as not to be found and stumbles upon a band who welcomes her into their group. One of her new bandmates, Boy, (yes, that's his name) encourages her to head to NYC. The two of them strike out on their own and it's here in NYC that Iris meets Clay, a respected manager in the music industry. With Clay behind her, Iris's career takes off. The High Notes is a story of what can happen when one focuses on one's dreams and perseveres. Like most of Danielle Steel's books, The High Notes ends on a high note.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Iris Cooper is the star of Danielle Steel's latest novel. Short and enjoyable read, it's the story of a woman who rises to fame having survived a rough childhood. Thank you NetGalley for the early release.

Iris Cooper started singing as a child in bars, which her father took her to. After she was done singing, her father would make her wait in the truck, even when it was so hot or freezing, while he was inside drinking with the money she earned.
Her father signed her to a contract for five years, where she wasn't treated well. After she finished that contract, she told her father, he had taken all the money she had ever earned, and she was done. He would get no more money from her.
She signed a five-year contract, and this was even worse than the first one, and she could only make it through four years. She went on the run. She knew what would happen if the manager found her, so she tried to stay low.
After running away, things started changing for Iris. It seemed like she met certain people she was destined to meet. They had rough childhood, little or no family, and just never gave up or gave in. Iris and Boy just loved to sing. While she was singing under her last contract, she was given a name for someone in New York, so when she ran away that is where she was heading. Before she got there, she met Boy, and they sang together at a bar. When they decided it was time to move on, she invited Boy to go to New York with her. She had a name and telephone number.
When they arrived in New York, Iris did call the number, and she met Clay, who was a manager, but he helped the singers, who had paid their dues with abusive managers. Iris asked if she could bring her duet partner in with her when she came in, so he could hear her sing. He said yes and when she went in, she sang then her and boy did a duet and Clay had Boy sing. He gave them both contracts, and he and his lawyers got her out of her last year of her contract with the abusive manager. She learned that Clay had a rough childhood too, so they connected on many levels. Clay was her and Boy's mentor, boss, manager, and looked out for them. When they started touring, she went back to the bar, that she started singing in, and Clay asked if he could come along. When she arrived at the bar, they remembered her and listened to her singing and were so happy things were working out for her. She told them they were the only family she ever had, and if they hadn't fed her while she waited for her father, things would have been a lot different.
This is Iris's journey, from a rough start, to it getting worse, to meeting the right people who turned everything around. During the bad times, she focused on she just wanted to sing. It didn't matter where it was, church, bar, wherever she could sing, and that got her through, and would bring her to where she met some people, that were like her, and they only wanted the best for her. It did turn their lives around, and there were still some bad things that happened. The difference was they had each other to make it through, they weren't alone anymore.
I received an ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Delacorte Press through NetGalley.

I loved this book
About Iris cooper and her drifter dad trying to sing the high notes.
About her life learning all she can about singing to trying to be a star

Iris has been singing her heart out her whole life. When her father tries to convince a bar owner to let 12 year old Iris sing in his bar he reluctantly agrees. This starts off Iris’s singing career. Most of her early career is under horrible conditions, traveling on a bus, arriving right at the start of concerts and immediately leaving. The day that Iris contacts Clay Maddox her life changes dramatically. Through triumph and heartbreak Iris finds love and a family and knows she was born to hit the high notes! Thank you to the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to be honest. I'm a big fan of Danielle Steel. This book is another homerun for her.

Iris is a little girl who loves to sing. Her dad likes to make money - off of her singing. So he does. As she grows up, other people take advantage of her, making money off of her talents as well. Iris finally ends up being managed by Clay - who has her interests at heart. More than a manager, they begin a relationship, This wonderful book is one you won't forget reading! Thanks for #netgalley and #randomhouse for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

This book has just become one of my favorite Danielle Steel books. A little girl with a powerful voice who is taken advantage of by her father that just wants the money she can make for him. She is happy just singing. She ends up with some very bad managers but learns from them. She finally ends up with Clay who is a top manager in New York and he loves her voice. She has a friend from a band with her and she makes him come along to audiiton for Clay also. That sends in motion two careers that will be wonderful. Plus she finds a partner in Clay. There are parts of the story that made me cry, parts that were shocking and parts that were just sweet. A wonderful book that I got from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Iris Cooper has been singing in bars since she was twelve years old. Her deadbeat father has tried to take advantage of her talent her whole life.He is always signing her to bad contracts and then trying to get a cut of her pay. Finally, she meets the man of her dreams and has someone to watch out for her.I enjoyed this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

A fantastic story written by an amazing storyteller! Felt as if I was really in with the characters and experiencing life with them. As always, a fabulous book by Danielle Steel.

When Iris Cooper was a child her mother left, and she was raised by her father. They never stayed in one place long. She enjoyed singing and could hit high notes. When she was 12 her father got her a job singing at Harry's Bar. It was a hard life. Her father spent her income on booze, women and gambling. When she was eighteen, she got a manager who exploited her. The other singers and musicians were the only friends she had. She finally got the courage to leave. Her travels took her to New York where she called and auditioned for Clay Maddox who was a very successful manager. She recorded an album and toured. As successful as she became, she remained humble and just wanted to share her music with others.
I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.

A sweet, charming story about a beautiful voice, possessed by Iris, a beautiful soul, who searches for happiness, while hitting the high notes. This is a real Danielle Steel fairytale. Iris had a truly evil father who sold her voice to support his own lifestyle. He pushed her to work under awful and abusive conditions, stealing her hard earned paychecks.

It is her desperation that finally causes her to flee the abusive agent who has trapped her in a life of endless work and sadness. As a result of her flight, she meets her own fairy godfather, and her voice and beauty are finally recognized.

So, this is a book, filled with charm and a bit too saccharine, but very enjoyable. It’s great for those of us that love happy endings, filled with all the trimmings.

Thank you Netgalley, I enjoyed this ARC.

Book Title: The High Notes
Author: Danielle Steel
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group ~Ballantine, Delacorte Press
Genre: Chick Lit
Pub Date: October 11, 2022
My Rating: 3.4 Stars

I have been a big Danielle Steel fan for many years. I did drifted away from her Romance/Chick-Lit stories and moved to psychological thrillers. However, this is #46 for me ~ so yes; there is a loyalty magnet that has a hold on me as I still have soft spot for Ms. Steel’s novels.

Iris Cooper has a beautiful singing voice and yes! She is able to hit high notes like no one else.
Her father convinces the owner of a bar to let her perform when she is twelve years old: and she stuns the audience.
However, fame and glory is not an easy life for Iris, her father takes her performance earning and pays for gambling, women, and booze.
When she is eighteen she finds a real manager but he isn’t much better than her father.
Her musician friends who are like her family encourage her to leave the tour, and follow her dream.
And she does!

Although nothing fantastic about this story but sometimes I need to read a HEA story!!

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine, Delacorte Press for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 11, 2022

This had a combination of romance and suspense, though I could've done without so much of the romance angle, as it seemed a bit creepy at times (older man/much younger girl). Music is and has always been a huge part of my life, so I enjoyed that part of the story. Iris is a realistic and relatable character, and the book may leave the reader reflecting on their own life and how they became the person they are today. Characters remind the reader that hard work does pay off, even though there may be bumps along the road.

Great book! It was a wonderful book. It had romance and also a little suspense with what’s going to happen next. I would definitely recommend this. It’s about a girl and how music becomes her passion and how she doesn’t let anything stand in her way.

2.5 stars ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

The High Notes follows Iris Cooper, a natural born singer, who has struggled much of her life. Her mother was absent, leaving Iris in her poor, wandering, alcoholic father's care. He pushed Iris to start singing on stage at the age of 12, exploiting her talent and forcing them to move around to earn more money. At 18, Iris signs a tour contract as a beginning act. After several years of touring and being abused, Iris finally had enough and left. She started singing with a band she met in a bar and decided to leave for New York with one of the members. She'd gained some notoriety after touring and found her big break with a well-known producer. Tragedy hits close to the end, shakes things up a bit and then Iris has her HEA.

✔️Struggling Singer
✔️3rd person POV
✔️ No spice
✔️ HEA

I hate to give low stars, but I can't say that I truly enjoyed this book. Did I read it? Yes. But it was a slow read and almost a struggle. I like books with heart-felt emotions, dramatic struggles, promance, mystery, thrill, etc. and I didn't find any of that in this book. I didn't connect with the characters or really feel anything during or after reading. There's an overuse of the phrase "hitting the high notes". I believe the title phrase needs to be referenced once or twice to make it poignant or dramatic. For a book with a main focus of music & writing, there's sadly no song references or quotes of songs included. Overall, I was a bit disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.