Danielle Steel is one of my favorite writers. Her books are always a good read, although the plots are sometimes a bit repetitive.

This one seemed to be better than some of her previous books. I think she is getting more creative in her wiring as she ages! Perhaps she has more time on her hand now with her children all adults and independent.

This story is mostly about Spencer and her inheritance of her Grandfather's department store, her struggles, challenges, hard decisions and conflicts between Spencer and her competitor, Mike, whom she finds herself involved with romantically.

It was a really enjoyable read.

Recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press for granting me an advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinions

Worthy Opponents is a powerful novel of a woman running her family’s luxury department store determined to carry on her grandfathers legacy through unthinkable odds against her.

Danielle Steel knows how to capture her readers attention from the first page.

Spencer Brooke is the third generation to own and operate her grandfather’s store after the death of her grandfather and then her father. She knew from a young age that she wanted to continue her grandfather’s legacy. Spencer’s life has not been easy since taking over the store. She is now a divorced mother with twin boys along with pressure to expand the business and bring in investors.

Mike Weston is an investor know for transforming small businesses into successful ones. Mike has two grown children but is in the midst of his divorce . Mike offers Spencer an investment opportunity which she quickly turns down. Spencer’s grandfather never felt the need for investors and she feels the same way. After a series of setbacks Spencer feels she has no choice but to take a deal with Mike .

I loved that Spencer was portrayed as a strong independent woman. Spencer and Mike were great characters. Both were family oriented, hard working and compassionate people. The characters were well developed and the pace was great. I’d love for the author to continue Mike and Spencer’s story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

My review will be posted on Goodreads 11/4/22 and Amazon closer to publication date.

5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spencer Brooke is the third generation to own and operate her grandfather's store. She comes from a long line of store operators. Mike Wilson is an investor, who hears about Spencer's store through his employees as well as his daughter. Spencer is trying to operate the store as her grandfather did and in the same location, but a series of bad luck including a fire and a gang fight that spills into her store proves that this location may not be the best for this generation. Mike has previously tried to invest in her store, but she is unwilling to give up the equity and ownership that Mike wants. Spencer and Mike start to develop feelings for each other, and in the end, they deem each other Worthy Opponents, both in business and life.

A great, contemporary love story that takes place in New York. Great characters as well as great character development of the main characters.

I was really drawn into this story and liked the character development of the two main characters. I felt that they were fleshed out and relatable. I struggled a bit with how thoroughly predictable many of the main plot points were. Something that would be difficult was mentioned that could happen and then in the next section it did. I think this and the standard repetition that this author uses made this one a hard pill to swallow towards the end. I would really like to see this author let the plot get where it needs to go without incessantly narrating ad nauseum. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Mike and Spencer both are passionate about their careers but are solid and great people inside and out. When the two meet, Mike is captivated by Spencer and can’t get her out of his mind. Little did he know that the person he wanted to meet with to invest in the company was Spencer.

Spencer is juggling work and two cute twin boys and has no time for romance but as the two get to know each other better can they find a way to make it work?

Loved this book!

I really liked this one. It’s a story about strong and resilient people who find their way to each other. I loved the sense of family and traditions. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

I’ve never read any Danielle Steel but I did love this description, since I own a store. While I liked the story, I just really hated the writing and was so bored with it. I know I’m the minority since she’s sold a bajillion books- but I skipped whole paragraphs every single page. The repetition is just ROUGH. Like this passage:

I need one big room. It
doesn't need to be habitable or
pretty or chic, but it has to be big,
about ten blocks from the store. It
doesn't need to be pretty or chic.

And it was every single page.

Thank you to Random House Publishing for granting my ‘want to read’ wish! Danielle Steele is an iconic writer, and her smooth style is once again evident here. The queen of women’s fiction, her characters are always interesting, and always believable. Worthy Opponents is no exception.
Spencer Brooke, a divorced mother of three boys has inherited the family department store after her father dies. Known really to only those who shop there, it is a boutique type of store that caters to those with luxurious tastes, with all its merchandise being one of a kind. However, being the owner and boss of this iconic business takes its toll as Spencer tries to keep her business afloat while raising her children alone. Money is tight, time is non-existent, and the neighborhood the store is located in is no longer safe.
Enter Mike Weston, a rich investment mogul who offers to help Spencer bring the store back into the black, but with a high price tag. It will mean Spencer giving up all but a minute bit of interest she has in her family legacy. Unwilling to endanger her heritage she declines his offer, but financial ruin is closing in. Can she save her business, along with her pride?
This is warm story of an opponents-to friends-to lovers romance; Spencer trying to tread water on her own while Mike finally decides living in a hateful marriage is no life at all. As each reach for the other, will outside pressures allow them too ever be together?
This is a good story. While I did find it to be a bit repetitive in some areas, and Mike’s wife to be truly a hateful person, I still enjoyed reading it. Specifically, I loved Spencer’s relationship with her boys, and their quirky family dynamics. Real mothers deal with real children – their messes along with their virtues. Not everything is perfect…shoes and bikes in the yard, messy kitchens, hard couches. But its what I love about this story the most, true life scenarios that make the characters relatable and loveable.
Danelle Steele’s work is always an instant classic, and this is no exception. Thank you again to NetGalley and Random house for allowing me early access to this lovely tale.

This read is like the old Danielle Steel that I am used to reading. I quickly fell in love with the characters and the storyline on this one and did not want it to end.

Spencer has been handed down her grandfather's store that is known for it's unique style and merchandise. Spencer is determined to make the store better than what her father did that had no want for the store in the first place after his father passed. Spencer was married shortly after she inherited the store but her husband wanted her to give up the store and stay home with their kids. Spencer was not having it and was determined to prove that she could manage a career and be a mother as well. Eventually Spencer's determination cost her her marriage, but some might say that she was better off anyway.

When one thing after the other started happening at the store, Spencer knew that she would have to make some decisions, but she was not willing to just give her share of the store away. When Spencer was invited to a prestigious dinner, she meet a guy that she had seen at the store a few days before. She really had no idea who he was, but quickly learned that he was one of the biggest and most well known investors around. Mike Weston had sent the tickets to Spencer because he wanted to get to know her a little better before he approached her with an offer on her store.

Mike was in a marriage that had died years before but they had stayed together for their kids sake. Now both of their kids were of college age, even though his son was touring Europe for a year before settling down to go to college. After the night with Spencer at the dinner, Mike realized that he could have a decent conversation with a woman and that there were other women out there that might want to spend time with him unlike his wife. Mike soon makes an offer to Spencer on her store, but he is wanting almost complete ownership after so many years. Spencer is not fond of it at all and turns his offer down. Spencer doesn't know what she is going to do to help the store out, but knows that she is going to have to come up with something quick.

You don't want to miss this heartwarming story that will leave you longing for more of Spencer and Mike. The way Danielle Steel ended this one was great! I really enjoyed reading this story and going on the ride with Spencer to keep her grandfather's store and make it even better.

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

Pulled from the stories from many departments and specialty stores, you follow the hearts and thoughts of the people who started them. Staying true to them and to yourself and keeping up with the modern world, makes this a great interesting read. Follow along as the story has its ups and downs, coming to a great conclusion!

I love Danielle Steel and this book, as always, was touching, heartwarming and intriguing! She creates such warm and interesting characters! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and appreciate the opportunity to receive this ARC.

Worthy Opponents is another winner for Ms. Steel. A story about the ups and downs of a family legacy. There were many setbacks along the way, but love and perseverance kept the dream alive.

Spencer is the CEO of her grandfather's department store in lower Manhattan. She is facing financial issues but is loathe to take on an investor. Fires and looting make her revisit her opinion. How lucky that a handsome, mostly single man is interested in investing.

This is a nice story of a successful woman who inherited a dpartment store from her Grandparents and is struggling to keep it going amid many challenges. The romance is not over the top and not the focus of the book which is a nice change. I like that the author is focused on a strong independent woman in this book for a change . Its a nice escape and a easy read with a pleasing conclusion . For fans of this author this is a enjoyable read .

Thank ypu to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Spencer knew what she wanted to do at a young age. She loved the department store that her grandfather owned. She was the owner of the store when she was in her early thirties. Spencer never got along with her parents who wanted a boy. She got married and divorced a few years later after having twin boys. She had a few challenges running the store because it was not located in the best neighborhood. She met Mike who was known for taking over companies and had his sights set on her company. I enjoyed this book and am excited to read her next one.

i was able to read this advance copy via NetGalley. I really enjoyed the story line of the family and their family owned business. There was enough going on to keep you guessing, and even making some predictions. I thought the story line to be somewhat off the track, but I do not live the lives of the people in the story. In this particular novel, Danielle does still hit on some current hot issues (homelessness and how to help), which I feel brings a quality of realism to the book.

Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel tells the tale of perseverence and legacy. Spencer Brooke takes over the family luxury department store, Brookes, after her father's death. Her father nearly left it in ruin due to his disdain for the business and his poor business sense. Spencer shares her grandfather's love for the store and, despite losing her marriage and not being around much for her kids due to that love, remains determined to overcome any obstacle.

I enjoyed Spencer's strength and determination, she is another strong female character in the family of Danielle Steel's strong women.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Danielle Steel brings us a story of a family business that has a love and hate relationship with the members of its family. Spencer's grandfather started the family business and loved walking the halls of the building and seeing all of the customers enjoying their displays and goods while he made his employees part of his family. On the other hand, Spencer's father resented the store and what it represented. The store prevented him from pursuing his passions and his attitude bled into the decisions he made when it was his turn to run the store. Spencer's turn came and she was a chip off her grandfather's shoulder. But when life keeps throwing challenges at her both personally and professionally, will she persevere? Will she have to compromise her principles, or will she bend just a little in order to get it all?

Danielle Steel brings us a story of family. We meet Spencer and her family and how each family member reacts to their family business. Meanwhile, we also get to meet Mike who comes into Spencer's life just when she needs a lifeline. We get to watch as Spencer and Mike maneuver their businesses as life events puts them at opposite sides. Will this keep them apart, or will they be able to work together to see what could happen next. I look forward to what Danielle Steel will bring us next.

I read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press for this privilege.

Another solid 3.5 read by DS. This one about a small specialty department store and the three generations that ran it. Enjoyed the main character and the details of the events made me feel like I was there. The smaller plots had less details and were there more for backstory than anything else. Could some of that been developed more? Yes, Did I care? For the most part no.

Another outstanding entry from Daniele Steel!! Reminded me of my youth when I could read a book in one sitting. I read this one in a matter of hours. The characters are compelling, the story has no moments of dullness, the pace is great! The story itself felt fresh and was very appealing. I mean it when I say I couldn’t put it down. A fast paced, compulsory read that fans of DS will LOVE!!