I grew up looking at Danielle Steel books on my mom's bookshelves, so getting this ARC was an out-of-body experience for me! As always, Steel wrote a FMC that you will get invested in and a story that will break your heart.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Danielle Steel, and Random House - Ballantine for the ARC!

I feel like Danielle Steel’s writing style either works for you or doesn’t. For me personally, it’s hard to connect with a story that does more telling than showing. Nevertheless, this book was a rather quick read for me. Allegra’s story was heartbreaking and a maybe as a military kid with divorced parents, it was too traumatic for me. But I’m happy that she was able to find some kind of peace and joy in life.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC.

Another story from the prolific author. While Steel's stories are enjoyable and heartfelt, they feel rushed. A whole life story in less than 350 pages. The end felt rushed.

A young girl with a roller coaster upbringing after her mother leaves her at a young age and her father prefers his job to fathering, she is raised by grandparents who don't want her. Through her love, loss, cross country migration and more love, Allegra lives a life of love.

Allegra Dixon’s life has been sad and tragic. Her beautiful, impetuous mother left her in her father’s custody when she was six. Her father’s military career kept him away or all but a few weeks of her young life and she was raised by housekeepers, unwilling older relatives and by the books she read voraciously. At sixteen she fell in love and for the first time in her life, love was returned. Circumstances change, however, and Joy finds herself alone again. She moves to Los Angeles and becomes the assistant to a an older, successful man. They fall in love and she is happy once more until another tragedy.

Danielle Steel writes books that are full of glamour, expensive clothing, mouth watering meals and handsome couples. Joy is different. It is dark and sad, with flashes of happiness. Joy’s life shows us what is always true. Love is most important and sometimes hard to find. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Danielle Steel.

Joy by Danielle Steel. The story was enjoyable but not a top read. I've read a lot of past books by the author and she never disappoints me when I pick up one of her books. She's knows how to give you a great storyline that keeps you reading.

I am a huge fan of Danielle Steel and will read any book she writes. Her stories are always so easy to read and her characters are so relatable. Thank you Ms Steel!

Joy by Danielle Steel tells the story of Allegra Dixon, a resilient woman, who leads a lonely, sad life. The story is easy to read, and it is just the right length (256 books). If the repetitive details were removed, it would be even shorter. Despite the title, Joy is a depressing story. It does become better near the end when it ends abruptly. I wish that the story was not so predictable (nor so dismal). There were some small bright spots, but they were fleeting. I was not a fan of the cheesy and abrupt ending. Joy is not what I would consider an escapist novel (not a story that you wish to read at the beach or while lounging by the pool). My favorite line from Joy is, “It took courage to hang to on joy, and determination not to lose it. The bad people and the bad times made one grow stronger and appreciate joy even more when one found it again, still intact, its light shining even brighter than before.” While Joy was not joyful, I am looking forward to reading Danielle Steel’s next novel. I have been reading this author’s books since I was twelve and I am not about to stop now.

I enjoy Danielle Steel’s unique writing style. She barrels through a story with directness. But for a book called Joy, I didn’t find much joy in it. Allegra Dixon is abandoned by her mother at the age of six. Her father works in military intelligence and is always serving in hot spots around the world. Left behind she is raised by wealthy grandparents who ignore her and leave her in boarding schools. I don’t want to spoil more of the plot. Allegra is amazingly well adjusted and kind as she searches for love and work that interests her. I felt that so much of her life just happens to her and then you get her reaction to it. I wanted her to find her own joy and I guess in a way she does. But I never connected to her emotionally and when it ended I kind of shrugged and thought meh. It is an okay story but it didn’t really build to a satisfying conclusion.

The story of Allegera was both sad and joyful. Abandoned by everyone in her life from the age of 6 and up. She became a warrior and fought her way through many stages in her life. She finally found love when she met Shep and got married, only to be abandoned by him due to the army and nightmares he experienced. He divorced her and that broke her. She packed her stuff and moved to LA. She found a job working for Henry and found joy and love with him. They married and led a joyful life until he died and she was alone again. It shows how one person can bounce back from everything they experience in life.

I loved the last half of this book and wished we didn’t have all the sadness and heartbreak of the beginning of the book.
However if it weren’t for the beginning of her life, the life she made in LA wouldn’t have been so special. I felt like Allegra’s joyful life didn’t begin until she met Henry. A wonderful love story!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy.

"Joy" by Danielle Steel is a novel about Allegra Dixon, a determined young woman who endures a series of abandonments to find true happiness. Abandoned by her mother at age 6 and left by her military father who was rarely home, Allegra's only real friend was Shep, who eventually became her husband. However, Shep's military career led him to face war trauma, echoing her father's absence. Allegra's journey to find joy and purpose ultimately leads her to Henry and true love.

My Thoughts: This is a quick read, ideal for a vacation. However, be prepared for a lot of sadness, as joy only comes in the last quarter of the book. I struggled to connect with Allegra, and while the story was good, it wasn't one I couldn't put down.

Publication Date: August 13, 2024
My thanks to NetGalley for this eARC.

Joy by Danielle Steel is a captivating tale that delves into themes of loss, sadness, wealth, love, and second chances. The novel follows a cast of well-educated characters who, despite their great wealth, struggle to find lasting happiness. Each character is portrayed as beautiful, talented, and possessing impressive abilities. For fans of Danielle Steel, the familiarity of her storytelling serves as a comforting escape, providing readers with the emotional nourishment they desire. I am a huge fan of Steel, once I start reading her books I find that I cannot put them down.

Joy is another winner by Danielle Steel. This is a story about Allegra’s traumatic childhood and how she works hard to overcome her lack of love to find happiness.
Allegra is abandoned by her mother when her parents divorce and her father is in the military and has no time for her . She often feels alone until she meets Shep during a summer visit to her Grandparents. They become fast friends and she thinks things are beginning to look up for her.
This book is full of heartache and new beginnings . Danielle Steel has a way of always bringing you into feeling the character’s highs and lows.Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy for my opinion.

A child who is rejected by all who should love her, grows up seeking love. When she thought she finally had found it, heartbreak strikes forcing her to start a new life far away from all she knew. A new career and new beginning might bring joy or heartbreak.

Danielle Steel has always been one of my favorite authors. I never miss one of her new releases. Just like its name, Joy was a joy to read. From the young age of six, Allegra Dixon's life is filled with abandonment and emotional neglect, but her escape into books provides hope. Her journey from a lonely child to a successful book editor who finds love is beautifully depicted. The narrative takes a turn as Shep’s deployments to Afghanistan strain their marriage, highlighting the deep emotional scars of war. Steel masterfully portrays Allegra’s strength and determination to reclaim her happiness despite overwhelming challenges. This novel is an unforgettable and emotional rollercoaster, showcasing Steel’s exceptional storytelling. A must-read!

This was a great binge read. Although this book was full of sadness and heartbreak, it also showed Allegra’s strength and determination to break the cycle her parents started. A lonely , quiet child who was shuffled between grandparents and boarding school becomes a successful hard working individual.

An incredible read by Danielle Steel! I'm a lifelong fan and always enjoy her books, but this time she really knocked it out of the park. This was one of those stay up late and read kinds of books - truly well-done.

"JOY" is certainly a misnomer for this book. Even when you thought it might have a happily-ever-after ending, it really doesn't. There was just the barest hint of happiness at the end.

I was pulled in right from the start, and although I never cry while reading a sad book, however, I came close right from the very first section of the first chapter.

The rest of the book went downhill for me. No matter how much I hoped Allegra would find a bit of happiness, she didn't until I thought I could stand no more!

It took me a long time to get through this soul-wrenching novel, and that is unusual for me. I just couldn't take this book in big gulps; I had to take it with tiny little sips.

*ARC was provided by the publisher Dell, the author, and NetGalley.

When Allegra Dixon was six years old her mother left her without even a goodbye. Her father was a high ranking military officer and didn’t really know how to take care of her. He didn’t even have time for her. He was never there due to his job duties. Allegra was sent to her grandparents’ joyless home to live an invisible life. She finds her only solace through an escape in books.

While attending boarding school she meets a handsome young West Point cadet named Shep Williams and falls deeply in love with him.

After college Allegra gets a job as an editor for a publisher in New York and Shep is raising himself up through the ranks of the military. Suddenly he receives orders to go to Afghanistan and they decide to get married before he goes. They cling on to the stolen moments together. Shep promises each time he leaves that the separations will end soon.

Allegra soon realizes the horror of war is changing Shep and she no longer recognizes him as her real husband. The trauma that he experienced has changed him and she finds herself alone again when she thought that she had finally found happiness.

Danielle Steel has you crying one moment and the next enjoying the feeling of happiness. So many emotions throughout. She has you following Allegra’s life through her ups and downs. Plenty of twists and turns through a maze of romance and non-spoken goodbyes. There are a number of likable characters. Danielle Steel’s descriptions of the surroundings are very descriptive and makes you feel like you are there experiencing it too. Danielle Steel never disappoints! Another one of her unputdownable stories! You won’t want to miss this one of hers! A must read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers in letting me read this book and allowing me to leave an honest review.

Full of heartache and pain as a child, Allegra is abandoned emotionally by her parents. In her young adult years, she is left feeling unwanted by her first love. Yet she eventually finds "joy" and purpose in life. Excellent, as always, by Ms. Steel.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."