NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In Danielle Steel’s gripping new novel, a reclusive woman opens up her home to her neighbors in the wake of a devastating earthquake, setting off events that reveal secrets, break relationships apart, and bring strangers together to forge powerful new bonds.Meredith White was one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces. But a personal tragedy cut her acting career short … cut her acting career short and alienated her from her family. For the last fifteen years, Meredith has been living alone in San Francisco with two trusted caretakers. Then, on a muggy late summer day, a massive earthquake strikes Northern California, plunging the Bay Area into chaos. Without a moment’s hesitation, Meredith invites her stunned and shaken neighbors into her mostly undamaged home as the recovery begins.
These people did not even realize that movie star Meredith White was living on their street. Now, they are sharing her mansion, as well as their most closely kept secrets. Without the walls and privacy of their own homes, one by one, new relationships are forged. For every neighbor there is a story, from the doctor whose wife and children fear him, to the beautiful young woman dating a dishonorable man, to the aspiring writer caring for a famous blind musician.
In the heart of the crisis, Meredith finds herself venturing back into the world. And thanks to the suspicions and the dogged detective work of a disaster relief volunteer, a former military officer named Charles, a shocking truth about her own world is exposed. Suddenly Meredith sees her isolation, her estranged family, and even her acting career in a whole new light.
Filled with powerful human dramas, Neighbors is a penetrating look at how our world can be upended in a moment. In a novel of unforgettable characters and stunning twists, acts of love and courage become the most powerful forces of all.
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When a catastrophic earthquake shakes San Francisco unexpectedly, a quiet neighborhood in San Francisco will be changed forever. The reclusive woman hiding behind the fence in the large gated stone house finds a new purpose in helping her neighbors who have been less fortunate during this shattering event.
Meredith White, the quiet, reclusive actress, comes to life when she opens her home to an interesting mixture of neighbors in the aftermath of the earthquake. The eclectic assortment of people brought together create an interesting dynamic. A concert pianist, a tech mogul, a beautiful young model, a doctor and his family, and a few assorted others get to know each other as they spend time under one roof. The close proximity and stress of the situation bring out the best in some and the worst in others.
An enjoyable, light read with a variety of characters, some likable and some downright unpleasant! Readers of women’s fiction will enjoy this book, light on romance! And as always, Danielle Steel never fails to provide a pleasant ending!
This ARC copy was received from Delacorte Press and Netgalley.com. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
Jack and Debbie work as property managers and live-in housekeepers for the reclusive movie star, Meredith Price. They like their job in that they can easily skim money away from Meredith and enjoy her nice food and wines.
Meredith and her ex-husband, Scott, an actor and producer, divorced not long after their son, Justin, drowned. Meredith was so devastated that she stopped acting and lives alone with her housekeepers in a very large mansion in San Francisco. Scott had left her for another woman, Silvana, and it was while Justin was with them in Miami that he drowned. Meredith and Scott also have an older daughter named Kendall who lives in New York and has little to do with her mother. She feels Meredith was hard on Scott even though he had allowed Justin to go out on a sailboat by himself and into a squall resulting in his death.
One day, an 8.2 earthquake hits San Francisco where Meredith lives and the destruction is just devastating. Meredith is lucky in that her home has little damage. So, she goes outside and seeing some of her neighbors whom she did not know, invites them to stay in her home. They are a group of people who are fairly well-to-do and are thankful for Meredith’s help. Debbie and Jack, are furious at having to take on more work.
As we get to know the individuals staying with Meredith, they all for the most part are good people, some of whom have problems in their lives. Meredith and some of the neighbors decide to volunteer their skills to help people who have been left without a home. Meredith meets a retired colonel who is working to oversee the devastation. The two of them have a lot in common and begin a friendship that quickly grows to more.
There are a lot of things that are touched on in this book. The loss of a child’s love; abuse; and finding new things in life.
I loved this book and found that Danielle Steel has once again taken the reader on a wonderful jaunt through life’s good, bad, sad, and happy events. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
In true Danielle Steel fashion she has crafted a community of people who start out in some sort of trauma (in this case a terrible earthquake) and through their shared journeys all wind up with much better lives. This isn’t a new storyline for her and yet it was a wonderfully fun and sweet redemptive read that will leave you smiling and cheering for them all. Meredith White, a world famous actress had all but given up on life and secluded herself in her home for many years with the caretakers of her estate as her only companions. An earthquake hits and life changes in a moment for her and everyone on her block as she welcomes them into her home and life. It was a lovely, fun easy read and leaves excitedly awaiting her next book.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Wow, what an emotional story, heartbreaking emotions, loss,grief and a mystery that keeps you hooked right to the end. Thank you Net Galley and Danielle Steel for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Several plot lines all going on at the same time, all entwined thru the book to keep your mind going. Danielle. Steele never disapoints!
Rating:
Disasters bring out the best in some people and the worst in others!
Merideth White lives in San Francisco, she was at one time a huge movie star, but since her 14 year old son died in a boating accident she has become a recluse. She rarely leaves her house, though she keeps in shape and has overcome her grief. She has a couple that live in with her and keep up the house and grounds as well as cook and do the shopping. They have worked for her since her son died about 14 years ago and have always been nice to her.
Though Merideth is unaware of all that they have stolen from her. They take some money off the top of what she gives them for bills and groceries and while Merideth was in the grips of a depression she didn’t notice all the things that have gone missing in her house, like high end works of art that used to hang in the common rooms but have been since moved to Debbie and Jack’s suite of rooms.
When a huge earthquake hits San Francisco, Merideth’s home comes through virtually unscathed. She also has a back up generator so hers is the only house in the neighborhood with power. Merideth invites her neighbors to come and stay since their homes are damaged and unsafe.
You can tell right off the bat there will be drama. One of the neighbors is a surgeon and he has anger issues that are shown early in the book. His wife has bruises and the kids are wary of him when he is in a bad mood. The guy is a classic abuser, and he doesn’t even try to hide it. He immediately accuses his wife of flirting with the other guys and puts her down whenever he can. I was married to a man just like him, though my husband was a great guy around other people, so you know if this guy doesn’t care about hiding his anger, there is bound to be issues with a bunch of people staying in one place together.
Another neighbor is a famous blind pianist and his hired assistant as well as a businessman who made it big in a few high tech start-ups and has an ego as big as his checkbook. His latest girlfriend is there as well, he treats her like a possession. Debbie and Jack are none too happy about the houseguests but Merideth is enjoying her house filled with talking and laughter again. Debbie and Jack see their control over their meal ticket slipping away as Merideth begins to have friends and rejoin society.
I liked the premise and the story itself, one thing that bothered me though and I was a bit surprised since this was a Danielle Steel novel and I know she is a well known author with tons of books under her belt. However, I felt some things were repeated over and over ad nauseum. For example Merideth’s daughter though Merideth was too harsh on her ex husband when their son died and she became closer to him. I read that same thing many more times than was necessary. I am not sure if it was just repeating because she wanted to really drive it home, or if it was a device to get you on Merideth’s side. I know I was, and I was kind of mad at the daughter. So if that was a device, then I guess it worked.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
I was so in the mood for a DS read. Drama, family, friends, earthquake and betrayal, add a little romance too. Everything you think of when you hear this author’s name.
Meredith is a famous actress who went into recluse mode after a horrific event. She lives in her upscale SanFrancisco home with only her live in caretakers as friends. Until a major earthquake shakes up her life in more ways than one. Not a usual romance book that you would expect from Steel, this book is more women’s fiction. Enjoyable read, great cast of characters, you will be drawn in from page 1. I found this a nice break from some of my darker reads. Trigger Warning: Abuse…handled realistically, honestly.
Thanks to Ms. Steel, Random House Publishing/Random House and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – For an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First off, for those Danielle Steel fans out there, take note that rather than the romance that Steel is famous for, Neighbors, is better fitted into the women’s fiction genre. The novel is enjoyable read.
The incredibly famous actress Meredith White, who spent 15 years as a recluse holed up in her San Francisco mansion, invites her neighbors to come stay with her after a devastating earthquake.
The neighbors, who have never met each other, or their famous neighbor Meredith, become a family. I liked seeing Meredith open up as time went by with the help of those around her. Danielle Steel has always been a wonderful storyteller and there is always a surprise round the corner. There is tragedy, but with that also comes friendship, love, and acceptance.
Steel’s novel, Neighbors, is publishing January 5, 2021 and is available in Hardcover from Delacorte Press and in large print paperback from Random House Large Print Publishing.
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