Did not think this story could be any better! The writing is smooth, relevant, mystifying and satisfying! The story starts strong and you will love the characters. Typical love story but it's still a must read. Recommend.

Loved reading the fabulous and awesome romance story. After Andy's devastation and being fired as a high powered CEO of a well-known studio, Andy hires Violet to overseer his emails. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting love story by the best selling author, Danielle Steel.

Another winner by Danielle Steel. Andy seems to have it all as one of the most successful heads of a movie studio in LA. A gorgeous girlfriend. huge home, and a private jet at his access. In a shocking surprise to him, the studio is sold and he finds himself unemployed in a town where status is everything. He makes a decision to move overseas to get his head together. There he meets Violet Smith, who is also a bit down on her luck. What follows is a wonderful story of how they both take the situations they are in and how wonderful new opportunities arise. I really enjoyed the settings and descriptions in this book as I do with all of Danielle Steels novels.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and author, Danielle Steel, for granting me an advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinions.

Wow! Danielle Steel is hot. Her books just keep getting better and better. For a while I thought her writing was repetitive, but she has come out with some great ones lately.

This one was suburb. I loved the plot. It was so well done. Not to complex but detailed enough to keep my interest far into the night.

The characters were intriguing and her descriptive setting are so well done.

Just loved this one. Thank you again Danielle. Ready for your next release!

Recommend.

Second Act
By Danielle Steel
Pub Date October 3, 2023
Random House
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Excellent book with great characters. This book was interesting from the beginning. I highly recommend.
5 stars

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Andy is at a crossroads in his life. He is unsure of what direction will make him happy. He visits France for a change of pace. And meets a woman who will change his world in many ways. I loved the characters in this book and can't wait to read her next book.

Interesting topic : Big Hollywood honcho gets fired and has to redefine his life. Unfortunately, there the interest for me ended. I kept reading as he moved to a town near London and met the woman of his dreams. Yada yada yada I skipped over too many pages describing how wonderful and beautiful everything was or how sad and lonely he was. I don’t know. It was too much describing things I really didn’t care about instead of engaging more characterization and dialogue. Not a winner for me.

4 stars out of 5.

Another great book by Danielle Steel! I really liked the transformation that Andy went through during the book. His character was written so well, as was all the other characters. This book was gripping from the beginning and I was so happy with how this book ended. This was a heart warming story about how starting over can be hard but you are in charge of your destiny.

Andy Westfield was the head of a major studio for 19 years until one day he was fired when the studio was sold. Andy's world was turned upside down in the blink of an eye. He ended up going to England to figure out what's next for him. His assistant rented him a house in a sleepy beach town where he stayed for 6 months. Andy ended up needing an assistant to help while he was in England and hired Violet to help out. He discovered a manuscript by accident that Violet wrote and Andy thought it was so good he brought it to his friend Dash, who then turned it into a great movie. The second half of the book explores Andy's new life and how much he has changed as a result of getting fired. The second half of the book was better than the first!

Overall, this was a quick read and you will not be disappointed with this book. High recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another Winner for Ms. Steel! I love that her characters are real, with problems, like most everyone else. Andy started out a bit high in the instep but I enjoyed seeing him transform to the man he became with the help of Violet and her down-to-Earth normalcy. Highly recommend this book!
Thank you Danielle Steel, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

Andy Westfield worked as the head of a movie studio for more than 20 years. The movie studio was at the top of its game with Andy at the helm and the corporate owner suddenly decides to sell it. The new owners wants it for a relative and Andy is suddenly out of work. Shortly after losing his job Andy decides he needs to get away from Hollywood and ends up renting a home in a small beach town outside of London England. Andy hired a woman Violet Smith to work part time helping him with typing, faxing, etc. Violet accidentally left her unfinished novel on the desk she worked at and Andy happened to see it. He read and liked the novel and decided he wanted to help Violet get it published. This lead to a new way of life for Andy and Violet. Enjoyed the book and I would recommend it to others. Amazes me that Danielle Steel can write so many interesting and compelling stories on so many different subjects.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. I LOVE Danielle Steel books. I have been reading them since the 90s when I was a teenager and this book reminded me of that. This book, unlike most of Danielle's books, there was a male main character. Andy, at the beginning of the book, is the CEO of a major studio. He was fired unceremoniously after being told he would be safe when they sold the company. He goes to England to lick his wounds and starts a new life. As my normal complaint in most of Danielle's books, the main character doesn't face any real life issues (he is still wealthy, rents an amazing house, has staff at his CA house, etc.). I would like to see the real struggle but anyway amazing book!

It’s a great book! I highly recommend! It’s about someone who has power and leadership and that is taken away from him! I see that happening more and more these days with our economy! He comes back stronger than ever and how he decides to make something bad out of a situation and does something good! He help’s someone too, to get to the top! They end up working as a team. Great story!

This story focuses on Andy, a top movie executive who has been leading a busy but flashy life, fully focused on his career. Unexpectedly, his movie studio is sold with a condition that the owner's son gets Andy's job. Andy is shocked and spirals for days while he tries to figure out what his life looks like going forward. He ends up renting a home in England, and hires a local woman named Violet to help him stay organized. Andy accidentally discovers a manuscript that Violet is working on, and it sparks creative energy between the two of them, as it is perfect to be made into a movie.
The story evolves as Andy and Violet explore options related to the manuscript as well as appropriate second acts in each of their lives.

This book was soo good. Andy had been a CEO of Global Studios for 19years and was riding high. He was very good at his job and everyone knew it. When he heard rumors that the studio was getting sold, he questioned it and was assured his job was safe. A huge shock when he was fired and escorted out with no notice. He stayed in his house for a couple weeks drinking and thinking all was lost when he decided enough was enough. He had his long time asst get him out of the country and he landed in a little beach town in England. He figured out really quickly he needed an assistant here too and hired Violet. By accident he found a folder with a story in it and it was so good that he couldn't wait until she got back to ask her about it It turned out that it was a great story and he thought it would be a good movie, He contacted a friend of his in London and he agreed to read it. Dash thought it was good too and agreed to help get it going. Andy realized that he could write the screenplay himself, since he had done it for years before getting to be a CEO. The second half of the book was even better than the first part as Andy and Violet realize what they mean to each other and what they can do together. When Andy gets another chance at his old life, he quickly realizes how much he is enjoying his life as it is. A second Chance at doing something he loved, re-engaging with his daughter and just being happy.. Kudos - Danielle Steel

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

One minute you have it all and are on top of the world and then you aren’t! In typical Danielle Steele style this is a heartwarming story about starting over and realizing what’s really important. Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC.

Once again Ms. Danielle Steel did not disappoint. Her new book Second Act is another best seller. Her characters always seem so real they jump off the pages. Thanks again to NetGalley for advanced copy.

Danielle Steel has her romance formula down and this book did not disappoint. Andy is the CEO of one of the best studios, until he isn't. He's wrapped his entire life up in his career and isn't sure what to do when he's no longer able to define himself by his career. He's depressed and drinking entirely too much and decides to flee his life. He gives his assistant specific instructions on where he wants to go, pretty much an out of the way place that he won't run into anyone he knows. Mission accomplished when he rents an incredible home in a sleepy town in another country. He realizes that while he is able to do things for himself, he prefers it when someone else does and hires an assistant to help handle the details of his life. What he doesn't know is that his assistant has the power to change his life and make him second guess his "second act."
This story was a fast read and in line with other Steel books, which I will continue to read. Thank you to the publisher, author, and Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to preview this book.

I have read almost every book by this author and I have to say this was one of my favorites! It felt so real. Andy’s story had my emotions all over the place and the people he interacted with, all had the perfect place in his life. The ending was a happily ever after that I predicted, but not. I know. You have to read it. Book provided by NetGalley.

Danielle Steel books are like a warm, comfortable sweater on a cold winter day. I really enjoy her writing style, story telling, and most of her books. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't one of her best, in my opinion. I do love stories about second chances, especially when the good guy comes out on top, however there were parts of this book that just didn't seem plausible to me. I received an ARC of this book and thank the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to provide an unbiased review. I will definitely read any Danielle Steel book and very much look forward to her next adventure.

Danielle Steel brings us the story of Andy Westfield, a man who thought he had everything until he doesn't. When the world as he knows it disappears, he is left with the hurt and humiliation it brings him. Now he must find a way to get past the hurt and try to make a new life for himself. Andy ends up in England trying to piece back together and figure out the next steps when Violet, a former journalist enters his life. As they work together through his correspondence, Andy finds chapters of a book she is writing and sees the potential in her work. Will this present the opportunity both of them are looking for, or will hopes and dreams be dashed if they do nothing about it?

Danielle Steel brings us a story of what could happen in life if you just take a chance when everything around you crashes. It is a story about hope and what could be. That all is not lost when one door closes or shuts in Andy's and Violet's case. You want to know what happens next in their story and if they can overcome their own fears and trepidations in order to follow your dreams and heart.

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.