This was heartbreaking. This takes place in WWII Germany. It's more of a historical fiction. Sophia has to care for her father and younger sister when her mom gets sick and dies. She also volunteers at the hospital her father works as a surgeon in. Sophia attempts to help her sister and husband escape Germany with his family. Sophia's fathers hospital is burned to the ground and her father is taken to a concentration camp, Sophia is all alone. This was so sad and so good.

I normally do not read historical fiction, but I read this one, and loved it! This story takes place during World War II. Sophia lives with her parents and her younger sister, Theresa. Their father is a doctor who owns his own private hospital. Their mother passes away. Sophia is very mature for her young age as she looks after her sister, her father and volunteers at the hospital after school.
Things become dangerous, and Sophia is involved in the resistance and attending meetings of dissidents. There, she meets a man who helps people escape and, together, they help her sister, Theresa and Theresa's husband escape to safety. This is both sad and happy for Sophia. Sad, because she knows she may never see her sister again. Happy, because she knows this is her sister's chance to live a safe and free life with her husband.
Both Sophia and her father are very brave, at risk to their own lives, resisting the regime and providing assistance to those they're able to help.
I recommend this book!
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Dell, through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

Danielle continues to surprise with her extended writing reach outs.
Just when you think you know what to expect from her, she comes forward, with a completely new and captivating historical fiction piece.
Sophia Alexander, never thought she'd be fighting for the resistance as the Nazis marched toward domination across Europe.
Growing up, she was the daughter of a well respected surgeon in Berlin and she,along with her sister, had all the material trappings of a a very wealthy family. The Nazis, in their takeover of Germany, initially left them alone because they were true German and her father was a much needed surgeon to some of the wealthiest German officers.
When all that changed, Sophia took to the Resistance and was a committed worker.
An engrossing tale with many painful to read plot developments but always following the storyline.
The characters were as well developed as always, in Steel's stories with easily relatable characteristics and impulse tendencies.
A bit gruesome as are all Nazi era stories but still hard to put down.

Danielle Steele has been a beloved international story teller for nearly 41years, and she is still going strong . She is one of the few romance authors that devels into the heart of such topics that fuel family dicord and everyday prejudices, and still keep the family the most important factor, regardless of the family situation. In Ms. Steel's newest book, Only the Brave, we go back to World War II, where Hitler is rounding up all the Jews and sending them to Concentration Camps waiting to be killed rabid animals. This story follows two sisters who couldn't be more different than night and day in their behavior. The first sister marries at a young age - someone who believes all the propaganda and is anxious to get "the vermin off the streets". The other sister, is two years older and becomes first a nurse (to help their father happens to be a doctor helping everyone, including Jews) then shen becomes a nun to help everyone she can (much to her father's dismay).. The sister that got married finds out what her older sister and father are doing and has a choice to make, but before too long, she and her family find out what it's like to be on the run, as they find out her husband has a Jewish grandparent no one seemed to know about. This book touches so many difficult topics for so many people, yet Ms. Steel does it in such a way it is almost like she is paying tribute to all of those that fought, lost their lives needlessly, or served in in any other capacity to make sure everyone is able to live a free life and people like Hitler were not able to succeed with their world domination. Only the Brave will make you laugh, make you cry, make you feel sick to your stomach, and make you feel proud for people like the main characters, and being from the country you are from and the part it played in WWII. You will also want to go seek out some of Ms. Steel's earlier books and compare them to this book just to see how they hold up. Zoya, Message from Nam, Full Circle, Jewels, Changes, Palomino, Heartbeat, Family Album, are a few of her greatest.

While Sophia is growing up in Berlin pre-WW, her mother becomes ill and dies. Her father is a busy surgeon and Sophia volunteers at his hospital while also taking care of their home and her younger sister. As war looms, Sophia becomes a nurse, joins the convent and becomes involved with an underground resistance group, attending meetings and helping to move Jewish children to safety. Both Sophia and her father are arrested and each is sent to a concentration camp but only one of them survives.

‘Only the Brave’ is a WWII historical fiction with the Danielle Steel touch. Ms Steel combines history, relatable and well defined characters and just a touch of romance to make yet again a hard to put down book.

Only the Brave deviates slightly from Steele's typical formula - a little more serious with a WWII setting in Germany. Sophia loses her family and pushes through so much - she meets a Nazi soldier and later an American... but she's on the way to finalizing her vows as a nun. Will either or both men come for her after the war ends and if so, how will she respond? Danielle Steel novels are a little escape every time I read one, but this one was a little more maudlin than I'd expected. Well done! Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #onlythebrave by Danielle Steel. I enjoyed it and am already excited for her next release!

The Holocaust is such a dark time in history. In DS newest novel she takes you right to the heart of the devastation the reign of Hitler evoked. The story revolves around Sophia. She is a nurse and helped her father out in his medical practice. As the war begins their lives slowly begin to unravel with heartbreaking times. Sophia loses everything but her determination to herself and others no matter the cost resonates throughout the story. This ranks as one of my favorite books of hers. Her writing of this delicate time lent authenticity to what horrors these innocent individuals endured. Powerful and deeply emotional words on the written pages. It’s what you would expect from DS with a sprinkle of romance as well.

Great Historical Nonfiction, mixed with a side of endearing friendships. This story follows a young German girl named Sophia, we watch her grow up from a teenager to young adult during WWII. It was a very well written account of the lives of everydays that were touched by the war on them, their family and friends. You will be taken on a heartwrenching journey lasting close to decade with Sophia and the trials and tribulation she encounters living in Berlin and the surrounding areas during this period. You will be cheering on her character and her friends as you feel a connection with their bravery and will to not let anything stop them for helping others.

I want to say that I have loved every D. S. book that I have read so far. This one was no different.

I felt like this book was a mixture of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Diary of Ann Frank and a Danielle Steele book all rolled into one.

It was short and sweet, keeping you interested but also moving things along.

The concentration camps and the senselessness of the entire reign made your heart break and made you want to do something to help.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars.

This book was given to me as an advanced reader copy in return for an unbiased review.

3⭐️
Overall, not a bad story. Unfortunately, the characters and relationships just felt a little surface level to me and I wish there was a more depth to all of it.

I felt disconnected to the characters and I think first person POV would’ve helped with this.

However I loved the plot and the FMC, Sophia. There was a lot of character growth as she fought to survive and help others survive during the peak of Hitler’s reign. This story was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking.

I love historical fiction, specifically WWII era, so I was excited to read this. However, it just fell a little flat for me personally. The author’s writing style seemed to do a lot of telling vs. showing throughout and became repetitive.

It’s a fairly short story, less than 300 pages, so if you want to dip your toes in historical fiction, I think this could be a place to start.

Thank you to Danielle Steel, Random House Publishing - Ballentine, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book takes place in Germany during WW 2. A non Jewish family experiences a lot. Sophia works as a nurse. After her Moms death she decides to join the convent to help children in need. I really enjoyed following the story of Sophia and what she endured.

1937 - Berlin, Germany

Sophia Alexander, 18, and her family are not Jewish but are what is called Aryan. Sophia’s mother is in a sanatorium ill with tuberculosis. Her father, Thomas, is a famous surgeon who works in his own hospital. He operates on those who need it be they Nazis or Jews. Theresa, 16, is Sophia’s younger sister. She is very beautiful and her goal in life is just to marry and have children.

When Sophia’s mother dies, Sophia decides to go to nursing school as well as helping her father with his surgeries. When Theresa marries Baron Heinlick von Ernst, from a wealthy family, and they are happy for her except that they socialize with the Nazis.

Sophie meets some dissidents and secretly attends some of their meetings. She knows this is dangerous but is proud of the work they are doing secreting Jews out of the country.

Sophie is also very interested in the Catholic church and loves to meet with the nuns. So, she decides to become a nun and use her nursing skills. Her father is worried and hopes she is not making a mistake with her life.

When Sophie’s father is sent to a prison camp and Sophie is also arrested and set away, life gets very dim for both of them. This is when this magnificent author shows the reader how awful the atrocities of the Nazis were. It’s not an easy or beautiful read as are most of her books, but this one simply tells it like it was. Hopefully, in today’s insane protests against Jews, it will remind people of how awful things like this can get. Let’s hope these protests get nipped in the bud and fast. Another wonderful book from a favorite author.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A heartbreaking story about the tragic losses encountered during Hitler’s occupation of Germany during WWII. Sophia or Sister Anne story is one of bravery. She was a daughter, sister, nurse, a resistance fighter and about to take her vows to be a nun when she was arrested as a traitor. It’s a story about humanity and love. And, in the end, love always win.

Thank you #NetGalley, #DelacortePress, #RandomHouse, #DanielleSteel and #OnlytheBrave for the advance readers copy for my honest review.

I love when Danielle Steel writes historical fiction and this book is no exception. A WW 2 story. I love the characters and how drawn in to the storylines the reader becomes. Have a just keep reading because you want to know how the story evolves!

World War II historical fiction from a slightly different perspective. I found this story interesting for the different perspective & the plot was moderately captivating. Sophie's character was completely believable as an empathetic human being and nurse but, unbelievable in her young but unwavering commitment to her upcoming vows and then her swift about face turning away from them. There was some repetition, parts of this book seemed to drag on forever, and yet the ending seemed incredibly rushed. Not a bad story but historical fiction from a romance writer is difficult. This is not a work on par with some of the best historical fiction authors out there. As long as you're not expecting a historical fiction book on that level the,n you will probably enjoy this book. 3.5 ⭐s

This was a very interesting book. I did find it hard to put down, but a lot of Danielle Steele's books are repetitive, and this one was too. I did find the historical aspect of the book very informative and heart wrenching.

Another enjoyable story by Danielle Steel when the Nazis invade Germany Sophia Alexander the beautiful daughter of a famous surgeon in Berlin has to grow up faster than most young women. When her Mom falls ill Sophia must take charge of her younger sister and look after her father while also volunteering at the hospital after school. While Sophia’s sister flees the country with her young husband and his family. While working with the Sisters of Mercy Sophia continues to help get Jewish children to safety and finds her self under surveillance. This was a very interesting story as political tensions rise fighting for freedom at any cost. I recommend this book to everyone.

Sophia Alexander has to take care of her younger sister and her father when her mother is ill in the hospital. She goes to school to become a nurse and works in her father's hospital. After her mother passes away and Hitler is on the rise, she starts attending dissident meetings and helping out however she can. Her sister gets married and she helps them escape out of the country because her brother in law is part Jewish. Then her father is accused of crimes and they send him to a concentration camp and burn down his hospital and their home. Sophia has always been interested in becoming a Nun, so she joins the convent. While out at night helping the resistance, she is caught and brought to a concentration camp. Her and her bunkmates manage to escape and she is living at a protestant convent. She saves an American that has been injured. She risks it all to help as many people as she can.

This is a wonderful war time story that shows the bravery of the people involved. Sophia is truly an inspiration and a wonderful character.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC in return for my honest review.

A historical fiction written by Danielle Steele. Sophia Alexander a daughter of a German surgeon growing up during the horrors of the Reich. She has to grow up fast due to her mothers fight with tuberculosis. Then things start to heat up at the death of her mother, the marriage of her sister and the path she chooses in life. Her father's refusal to participate in the euthanasia of the Jews deems him a traitor to the Reich and he is imprisoned. Her sister and her husband has to flee as the husband has relatives that had Jewish blood and Sophia is trying to help everyone as a nurse and Novice Nun. The story continues and unfolds as choices are made and the war rages on. Only the Brave is an emotional story filled with heartache, courage, bravery, hope and tragedy. I also really like some of the secondary supporting characters. As the war comes close to an end, Sophia will have to choose to be a nun or choose love. The story captures the devastating effect of war, and Sophia rising to the challenge of risking everything, to save others. Once again, Only the Brave is very well written by Danielle Steel; in a fantastic historical novel. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.