This was a phenomenal work by Ms. Steel. I absolutely adore her writing style. Andy's journey although sad at first really turned into a heartwarming journey. Really an excellent story on how to handle life when it goes off course.

Second Act is yet another brilliant Danielle Steel novel. It full of loss , heartache and second chances.
Andy is the head of a studio and at the top of his game when he is suddenly fired and his world is turned upside down. He decides to take off to England to try and figure out what he wants to do and ends up hiring a secretary to help with his correspondence. They end up helping each other get through a difficult time and move on with their lives.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an arc for my opinion.

Thank you for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

Another Danielle Steel that I loved. I think I am partial to her books but I am never disappointed.

Andy is unsure what will make him happy. He doesn't know what will make him happy. He decides to go to France for a change of scenery. There he finds a woman that will turn his world upside down (in a good way) . He is so happy with the decision he made to visit France. I love the chemistry between the characters.

Another bestseller and I can't wait to read more.

In Danielle Steel's latest novel, "Second Act," readers are immersed in a world of romance, wealth, and having to starting over. She delves into familiar romance territory, but this time she takes a closer look at the themes of self-discovery and second chances.

The central character, Andy, finds himself at a crossroads after losing his powerful job and the status that came with it. His fall from grace is a stark contrast to his once-unimaginable wealth, leaving him grappling with a sense of identity he never anticipated. Andy meets up with Violet whose journey from extreme poverty to unexpected success is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Andy and Violet work together and collaborate on a life changing screenwriting opportunity for the two of them and of course sparks soon fly.

As with all Danielle Steel books, I found "Second Act" to be an enjoyable read. It's likely that fans of Danielle Steel's work will also appreciate the novel. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love that this Danielle Steel book has a male main character. Not too often do we get that with her books but she has done it beautifully with Second Act. The plot with this book is easy to follow and keep up with but is a pace that you can just read and read, not realizing how quickly the end comes. I was sad to be at the end of this book so quickly but I loved it.

Andy Westfield has worked his way up to being the top man at a well-known movie studio and is very happy with where he is in life. Andy is known where ever he goes and everything is always top notch for him which he has come accustomed to. Andy always gets the best seats anywhere he goes, the best food, the best of..., well everything because of his position. Andy is also know for his famous movie star parents.

Andy has a girlfriend that he has been with for 3 year now and he knows that she is only with him because of who he is and his position in the studio, which she is trying to work her way into. It doesn't bother Andy though because he is not looking to settle down with anyone again, he lost his first marriage to his job because he put his job before anything else. He now regrets not spending time with his daughter, but he can't make up for that now. He just has to do better and move on.

Andy gets wind of the company talking about selling out to another company and Andy gets nervous but his friend that works with him assures him that his position is safe and that his job is not going anywhere. The sell out is still on Andy's mind and one morning when he walks into his office and sees his friend there, he knows that the buy-out has happened but the next few minutes are like a dream for Andy. The company that is taking over has a son that is in the same business as Andy and they had to promise them Andy's job could be their sons for the deal to close. Andy is not happy and is left with a shock. He is escorted out of the building and they send home in a company car.

After Andy mourns the loss of his job for about 2 weeks, he tells his assistant to find him a house to rent far away. He wants to get away until everything settles down and all is forgotten about him loosing his job. Andy has no idea what he is getting into when he rents a house in a little town two hours rom London. There are people already there that work in the house so Andy will just have to take his clothes. He signs an agreement to rent the house for 6 months.

Andy wonder out to the beach and sees a woman there crying and upset but he doesn't say anything to her. When Andy advertises for a job working with hi, he never expected the young woman to apply for the job, but she does and Andy hires her almost immediately and she and Andy hit it off instantly. When Violet leaves her notebook that she is writing in at Andy's house one night, Andy reads it and wants to write a screen play for it instantly. And that is pretty much what he does. Andy and Violet work on her movie for her book and they enjoy working together so much. I love how they clicked and cared for each other.

Andy is hit with lots of decisions he has to make and not easy ones. I love how this book turned out and that Andy did some soul searching and figured out what was best for him in the long run. Danielle Steel did so well with this male main character. Great read!

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

Expected release date: October 3, 2023.

The first third of this book deals with the raw deal Andy gets when a new corporation takes over the movie studio he heads, and you know all this just by reading the book's synopsis!

But what you might not know, but guess at since this trope is one of Steel's favorites, is that Andy is going to be spending much of the first third of the book lamenting his life and angsting over what a perfect life it was. Just generally being an annoying, bleak, "poor me" type of character.

But never fear; after all, this is a Daniell Steel novel, and a happily ever after is coming for Andy in the shape of one Violet Smith and a career change.

I hate to say it, but you can tell most of Violet's secrets by paying attention to the book. It's obvious.

You learned quite a bit about the movie-making industry, which was interesting.

There is the traditional bump in Violet and Andy's lives at the end of the book, but don't despair; there is a HEA! Naturally, or it wouldn't be a romance, now would it?

*ARC supplied by the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press, the author Danielle Steel, and NetGalley.

What a perfect message that Andy and Violet revealed in Second Act. So many instances where the father of the family misses so much of their children growing up
because they are typically the provider of the family. How true with the economy
and inflation rate that we are experiencing today. Andy was able to find out what the
difference between both life styles meant when he was terminated from being a CEO
at Global. Money is truly not the key to happiness as Andy and Violet found in each other when they met. Love that message because family should be your priority in life.
Thanks for another enjoyable book and some insight in the Hollywood world.

This was a good one! Danielle Steele has a way of setting the stage at the beginning of the story so you know exactly what the characters are feeling. This book really made me cheer for certain characters! I loved the story of redemption that came out of devastation! Violet was a character I’d like to have as my friend. Really loved this one!

(3.5 Stars) If you put the picture of the path to the Seven Sisters Cliffs on the cover of a book I’m going to read it. That the book is a new release from Danielle Steel makes it all the better. The main character is Andy Westfield. He is the son of Hollywood royalty and starting his career as a screenwriter. For the last 19 years he has been head of a major movie studio. He enjoys his wealth and power but knows it cost him his marriage and time with his only child who is now grown. He is blindsided by with the sell of his studio and finds himself without a job. To get away he rents a large house in a tiny coastal town in England. There he meets Violet Smith. Violet was a journalist and takes a job temporarily doing secretarial work for Andy. She has her own past that she is recovering from.

This is great if you are a fan of Steel. Her style of writing is unique as she plows through the story, telling more than showing as the action takes place. Both characters are in need of a second chance. Their situations are different. Andy has money and never needs to work again. But his work is his life more than family or friends. She needs to rebuild her world and writing gives her purpose. Of course the shortish timeframe for them to accomplish what they do seems a little fantastical. Overall an enjoyable story.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review.

Second Act by Danielle Steel is a heartfelt exploration of second chances and personal growth in the face of unexpected life changes. The novel follows Andy Westfield, a once-powerful Hollywood executive whose career collapses, prompting him to seek solace in a quaint English coastal town. There, he forms an unlikely bond with Violet Smith, a former journalist with her own struggles.

As they collaborate on a creative project, their journey towards self-discovery and reinvention unfolds, underscored by themes of human connection and the pursuit of true happiness. Steel's expert storytelling and relatable characters make Second Act a poignant reminder of the importance of embracing unforeseen opportunities and finding fulfillment beyond material success.

In the book, Second Act by Danielle Steel, we are introduced to Andy Westfield, son of legendary actors. Andy started his career as a screenwriter, then becomes one of the most successful studio heads. He lives a glamourous lifestyle and is deemed somewhat ‘untouchable’ until the studio he run is sold and he is relieved of his position.

When Andy is knocked off his pedestal, he must do some soul searching to figure out how to move on in his career and life. In true Hollywood fashion, ‘friends’ are no longer friends, and his girlfriend promptly leaves him for someone with the power to help her career.

With the help of his assistant, Andy finds a home in Winchelsea, England to escape Hollywood and reassess his life.

During his time in England, Andy hires Violet, a local woman. He stumbles upon a manuscript she’s writing, and she agrees to let him turn it into a screenplay. The story reflects on Violet’s past – her troubling marriage and the violent loss of her son. Andy finds happiness in getting back to his writing roots and together, he and Violet find success in co-writing the screenplay.

Andy’s Hollywood connections bring the screenplay to life on film generating success for everyone involved in the project and puts Andy back on top in Hollywood.

In true Danielle Steel fashion, the book is a quick, lighthearted read.

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

#NetGalley #SecondAct

Fancy movie exec loses his job and has to find happiness without the fame and perks. He goes to a little town in England and meets a woman (of course) and things go from there without too much tension. Nice read when I was sick.

Second Act by Danielle Steel is a book that proves when you're hot, you're hot and when you're not, you're not. Andy Westfield is king of Hollywood in his role as head of studio until the studio is sold and he is given the boot. Deciding he needs to go lick his wounds afterwards, he heads to England to think about his next move. Luckily for him, he employees a young woman with a talent for storytelling and is able to reinvent his career and finds love and success.

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

Steel can always be counted on to delivery a book that will keep you entertained. For the most part they are light reads. This book is about second chances and grabbing on to change. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Second Act, Danielle Steel’s latest book is my 50th book I’ve read of hers! I’ve been reading her books since the 70’s and I can’t wait to read her next book when it comes out. This book is all about second chances of life and you should grab them and hold onto them. I really enjoyed it from beginning to end. Thanks to NetGalley for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published October 2023.

Definitely another amazing book by Danielle Steel, this one comes with a life lesson tho, don’t even be afraid to return to your past with future plans, because you never know how they will work out! Such an amazing read!

As a Danielle Steel reader, she has done it again! This book is well written, has a good flow and of course a happy ending! It’s a good story that has some really good messages in it. Tne main character learns a lot about himself and the different relationships in his life (personal, family and professional). They are exposed for what they are, making him take a second look at what’s most important in life. Thank you Danielle Steel for another great read!

Danielle Steel once again delivers a charming story of a powerful man in the movie industry who finds himself out of a job due to a large business deal and then spends a year really finding himself. Andy Westsfield, son of two major Hollywood stars, is relieved of his role as the head of the largest movie studio in Hollywood due to a buyout. Finding it difficult to navigate his sudden drop in stature, Andy finds a comfortable home in the beach town of Winchelsea England three hours away from London to soothe his bruised ego.

Andy hires Violet, a local woman, to manage his voluminous messages and financial affairs and begins to make discoveries about Violet's past and her writing talents. As their friendship grows Andy rediscovers old talents and new joys about the movie industry. Danielle Steel tells a gentle story of relationships with the pleasure of re-discovering talents and true happiness. A gentle relaxing read.

Andy Westfield has been the CEO of a major movie studio for most of his career. The son of Hollywood legends, he has movie making in his DNA. In spite of his success, he finds himself at a crossroads when the studio sells and the new owners depose him from his position. Jobless and aimless, Andy spirals into an alcoholic pit. Eventually, he leaves Hollywood for England, where he rents a cottage and hires Violet Smith to help him with some office work. Violet is a quiet, mysterious woman withhh. a tragic past that Andy uncovers when he finds a manuscript she has written that is based on her experiences in a tragic marriage to a man who scammed a number of people out of their life savings. She also lost her young son in a car accident due to her husband's reckless behavior.

Suddenly Andy sees the light, and he works with Violet to turn her manuscript into an indie film. Naturally, Andy and Violet fall in love and all the pieces of their lives fall into place.

This is a quick read, not particularly deep, a bit repetitive, but the story is pleasant enough. Steel's novels read like outlines instead of fleshed-out novels, but sometimes that's okay--especially after a long day of work when I don't have the energy to fully devote myself to a heavy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my opinions.

Thank to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This new offering from Danielle Steel is a quick, easy, read with the main character being a male , who just was fired from a high power position as a CEO of a major film studio in LA. Andy Westfield escapes LA and decides to live outside of London for a few months to lick his wounds, repair his damaged ego, and decide what his “ second act” will be. Andy hires a young woman to help with office work, he discovers she is a struggling writer,, he reads her book , helps her to turn it into a screenplay, and ultimately helps her find her own “second act”. I don’t want to divulge too much, but suffice to say this is a fun, enjoyable read, great for fans of Danielle Steel.