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.

A very powerful book set during WWII. It was reminiscent to what is going on now with the Jews over Palestine and Israel. It gives very disturbing insight into what a lot of people went through. I felt like I was in the middle of it and it left me an emotional mess, more than once. To find love during all that was going on gives me hope for humanity. I’ve always been a fan of this author and I found this as one of my favorites and a few little reminders of her Jewels book. It shows how much research she does for her books. A must read!

This book is set in Berlin, Germany at the beginning of WW2. Hitler has begun his ethnic cleansing of Germany by removing Jews. Sophia and Theresa's father is a prominent surgeon with his own private hospital. A Nazi officer visits him and asks him to participate in eliminating Jews. He refuses. Theresa marries into a wealthy family. She and her husband ended up fleeing to Switzerland after it's discovered he has a small amount of Jewish blood. Sophia cannot leave her father as the destruction of Berlin continues. Sophia becomes even more of an activist. After her father is taken to a concentration camp, she enters a convent of nuns.
Will Sophia remain a nun? Will she every find love? This is an intriguing story, one of the WW2 stories I have not yet heard. It is a very intriguing story. Don't miss this one!

It’s been decades since I’ve read a book by Danielle Steele. This one interested me because it was set during WWII. I’ve read dozens of books set during this timeframe and this story just fell flat. The plot was great, I just didn’t feel the passion and intensity normally felt in these stories. I enjoyed the characters and the ending was great. I was blessed with a free ARC, and I’m voluntarily leaving my review.

This story was not one of Danielle Steel’s typical novels but I really enjoyed it. The story takes place during World War II. Sophia Alexander, a nurse, lives in Berlin with her parents and sister. Following the loss of her mother, the war begins and life is forever changed for Sophia, her father Thomas, a physician and her sister Theresa. As the war progresses and through a series of losses and events, Sophia decides her life’s mission is to become a nun. As she experiences the ravages of the war and meets certain people, she must decide if becoming a nun is her life’s vocation. The story was written with some repetition but overall I felt it was an interesting story. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Only the Brave is a historical fiction story with a bit of romance by author Danielle Steel. Even though she's had a long and illustrious career, this is actually the first book of hers I've read. It takes place in primary in Berlin, Germany, before, during and after World War II. It surrounds a young woman who is against what the Third Reich is doing to her beloved country and to the innocent Jews whose lives were ripped apart and millions of whom were slaughtered. For such a brutal story, I thought I'd be sobbing the entire time. However, it just didn't seem to go deep enough to be touching; there was only one instance of tears.

Sophia Alexander is the lovely daughter of a famous surgeon who has built his own renowned hospital. She has to grow up quickly when her mother is hospitalized for tuberculosis, and she is left in charge of the household and her younger sister Theresa, while also going to school and volunteering at her father's hospital when she gets out. Hitler's rise to power and the burgeoning violence in Berlin has her worried, but she only feels safe discussing the situation with her mother. When her mother tragically dies, she becomes more involved with the resistance, attending dissident meetings and helping Jewish children however she can. Sophia eventually escorts a pregnant Theresa and her husband to safety in Switzerland. At this time her father also begins to resist Hitler's regime, refusing to participate in their Aktion T4 program. His hospital and home are burned to the ground, and he is thrown into a concentration camp. Sophia is working with the nuns at the Sisters of Mercy convent as a nurse, and she is also a novitiate. She continues to transport Jewish children to safety, but she is eventually under surveillance due to her sister escaping Germany and her father's refusal to help the Reich. Sophia is sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp, but she is determined that she will not die there, but continue with her mission to save the children.

This was a fascinating story, but it just didn't delve deep enough into the horror of concentration camps, the slaughter of Jews and the Aktion T4 "euthanasia" program, which was basically a program of murdering those with disabilities or mental issues. That program began about two years before the "Final Solution" began. To get more in-depth information, I direct you to The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website, which has a lot of information that will absolutely horrify you; there are many other sites where you can learn the history of that program. The character I think was the strongest in this story was Sophia's father, the renowned surgeon. He was the one character who had me in tears. Sophia's sister Theresa was a total light-weight; she was married to a rich German, and once they were taken to safety in Switzerland their life was still one of luxury, in contrast to those in Germany. Sophia was the main character, around whom all revolved. She was a caring, loving woman who gave everything she had to save her sister and the Jewish children she helped hide. I enjoyed her time with the Sisters of Mercy in Berlin, and also a Protestant convent where she hid for 3 years and served as a nurse after she escaped from Ravensbrück. She did some wonderful deeds, but for the life of me I really never felt connected to her. I felt like her actions were more "described", and that I didn't experience them with her. There were also a couple of romances here, one with a German office at Ravensbrück who fell in love with Sophia, and one with Captain Theodore Blake, a squadron leader in the U.S. Army. I didn't feel the pull of either man. It was a very good story, but just didn't grab me as the topic should have.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A poignant tale of survival and perseverance from the queen of women’s fiction! Danielle Steel always delivers a story that takes her reader on a journey that makes us feel like we are living the angst right beside her characters. I know the minute I turn the first page of a new book that I will be quickly swept up into the story and will be hesitant to set the book down to atone with life’s demands. ONLY THE BRAVE is no different. While the heroine suffers great injustice and showcases the inhumanity, she still manages to tell her story in a powerful way that connects the reader to the direness of what is happening. Very well told and easily connectible.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a dramatic spin on historical women’s fiction that is light in romance but strong in a powerful female lead who tackles life with strength and dignity.

Only the Brave by Danielle Steel is a Holocaust novel and different than most of her books. It focuses on Sophia Alexander, a young woman in in Germany who was not Jewish, had a loving mother and father, and a younger sister. It only took a few years for things to fall apart as she became part of the Resistance and a nun. She loved being a nun, although her father was aghast. He had had no idea of her learnings. She had become a nurse and she worked for him at his private surgical hospital. He was sorry to lose her. As things got more difficult, the Resistance ramped up as well. One night after delivering a child to a safe house, she was stopped by the SS, simply because she was riding her bike at night. They questioned her and left, but returned the next day and took her away. She ended up in a concentration camp. It was quite a story and not over yet.

Sophia/Sister Anne was a quiet but determined young woman who could not fathom all that was happening around her. Part of her family was destroyed for a random reason, as was her life. Never letting up for a moment, She found her way in the camp and even attracted a Nazi officer, although they were just friends, not for his lack of trying. She helped where she could and tried to remain upbeat. She continued to suffer, but mostly in silence. To say more would ruin the story for readers. She did survive the war, in a surprising way, and lived, presumably, a good life.
It was a good story. A quick read. A feel-good, which is what Steel is known for. Thanks, Danielle, for an inspiring read.

I was invited to read Only the Brave by Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine #Danielle Steel #OnlyTheBrave

Another typical Danielle Steel book. This one is a historical fiction about World War II Germany.
The main protagonist is a brave, hardheaded and courageous woman, who tells about her and her family's plights throughout the war. Interesting but some parts hard to read due to the subject matter.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press and the Author Danielle Steel for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy a Danielle Steel novel for what it is, escapist entertainment where everyone is privileged and the heroine will overcome hardships and ultimately find the love of a good man. She has a lane and she does it well and has over 150 books to her credit.

Only The Brave, Steel's latest just should not have been written. Some things just don't deserve the Steel treatment and the Holocaust is one of those things. Sophia, our heroine is of course a privileged young woman who has suffered the loss of her mother and then WW II is on her doorstep. She and her family are not Jewish but the story lays out how she and her family suffer due to the war. Ultimately Sophia is sent to a work camp but of course she manages to escape the camp. (because that happened all the time!) When she finds an American pilot hanging from a tree suspended by his parachute we know the love interest has entered the story.

I"ll stop now, but suffice it to say that Steel doesn't have the gravitas to write about people who were in death camps or some of the other social issue topics she's been attempting of late. Here's hoping Steel. returns to her strengths.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Powerful story about World War II Germany, where one woman tries to do all she can to fight back against Hitler and his regime. Sophia Alexander is the daughter of a surgeon who does everything he can to save his patients - no matter who they are. Her mother passes away and Sophia gets more involved in the resistance, even helping her sister and brother-in-law to escape to Switzerland. Again and again Sophia risks her life to save others or help where she can as a nurse. I was rooting for Sophia through the entire book, I won't give anything away but I loved how it ended. This is a different look into what I believe woman went through during the war.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

Thank you to MetGalley for this e-copy of Only the Brave by Danielle Steel.This is one of Steel’s finest- a tear jerker set in Nazi Germany.The main character is Sophia , a nurse who works in her father’s surgery hospital and is content with her place in life helping the sick.When her father is arrested after refusing to participate in one of the Nazi’s programs, she enters the convent to continue nursing.Her sister Theresa has to escape after it is found out that her husband has Jewish blood. This is a drama filled book with many twists and turns about a brave woman who did heroic things during a time when the unimaginable was happening.Highly recommend!

I have read every book by Danielle Steel, and this is not a typical Danielle Steel book. While she has written some books with a World War II backdrop, romance was always front and center. This book is different because the war and resistance to military occupation were front and center. In an ending that was a little rushed, in my opinion, we finally get some romance along with victory for the Allies.

Sophia, a young girl in Berlin during World War II, loses her mother to illness. After becoming a nurse and joining her father at the hospital that he owns and runs, Hitler’s power continues to grow. Both Sophia and her father resist the cruel actions of the extreme government. When he is arrested, Sophia chooses to become a nun and assist with transporting Jewish children to safety. When she is punished for her efforts and her life takes a drastic turn, Sophia’s strength and determination shine forth in a typical Danielle Steel manner.

This is a very short and quick story that you will enjoy if you have free afternoon and are in search of some rest and relaxation.

If you are looking for the glamour, fine dining and designer wardrobes usually found in a Danielle Steel novel, prepare for a surprise. Only The Brave is the story of Sophia Alexander, a young German nun and nurse, and her experiences in Word War II Germany. The daughter of a respected surgeon and sister to a socialite, Sophia has always been introspective. After the death of her mother, she finds comfort visiting a nearby convent. Danielle Steel describes Sophia’s daily life against a background of escalating war. A family tragedy isolates Sophia and she clings to her work and her religion to help her through the hardships, violence and death that surround her. A last minute decision will change her life forever.

Only the Brave is more historical fiction than romance. The rise of Hitler and the Nazis provides a background of growing terror. Sophia and her father are caught in a web of mistrust and suspicion and both are reduced to basic, daily survival. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random Publishing House - Ballantine and Danielle Steel for this ARC.

1.5- Danielle Steel is one of the most prolific authors in recent times and while I’ve never read anything by her before I have heard how popular she is. When I saw she had a new novel, and a historical fiction one at that, I jumped at the chance to read it. If I had to sum up one word to describe this book it would be “blah”. I can only assume this was ghostwritten under Ms. Steel’s name since there is no way an author as seasoned as she is could have produced such drivel.
This starts at the beginning of WW2 and follows the Alexander family through the tragedy of the death of matriarch, Monika, leaving behind her husband, surgeon Thomas, and her two daughters, 16 year old Sophia and 14 year old Theresa. Everyone handles her death differently- Thomas throws himself into his work, taking care of several top officers in the German army. Sophia finds comfort and solace with the nuns in the local convent and the resistance meetings she attends twice weekly, and Theresa finds comfort in the arms of Heinrich, the man whom she loves. As Hitler rises to power Theresa and Heinrich discover he’s a quarter Jewish, Thomas is asked by the top officers of the Reich to help with their cleansing program to rid the country of inferior races, and Sophia joins the convent. Over the next four years Sophia faces tragedy, but rises to the challenge of surviving and helping others along the way.
This could have been great, but it was so boring. I felt like I was reading something written by someone who had to write a historical fiction story for a class- and if it was ghostwritten then perhaps it was, though if it was Ms. Steel shouldn’t use this writer again.
Between all of the repetitiveness and the inconsistency of plot lines I can only hope that this advanced copy was put on NetGalley before an editor saw it. Even so, given Ms. Steel’s expertise in writing I’m shocked even her advanced copy would have so many errors. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballentine for an advanced copy of this. Only the Brave hits the shelves on April 30th.

Not a bad book. You could see the buildup to the end and there was a lot of repetition and stereotypes.

Historical fiction readers will enjoy this story which takes place in Germany during WWII. Seen through the eyes of Sophia, a young nurse, readers will follow her as she strives to become a nurse and a nun. It's interesting to read how that some believed in the goal of Hitler and thought they were safe while others could see through the evil. I was glad to see Sophia's father held up the Hippocratic Oath. Some twists along the way to a happy conclusion.

This is a historical fiction novel that takes place during WWII in Germany. The story follows Sophia and her non- Jewish family living in Berlin at the start of the war. It follows the heartbreak and terror she faces along with her sister, brother in law and father at the hands of the Nazi’s. Sophia is a nurse working at her fathers hospital following her mother’s death. She later joins a convent and begins working with the resistance to help children separated from their parents to find safety. This novel is heartbreaking and well written. I would recommend.

Historical fiction-lite

This is certainly not the most factual or heartwrenching of historical fiction about Germany and the concentration camps. While there is some detail, it is nowhere as descriptive or powerful as other novels, but I wouldn't expect that from this author. The book was fast-paced, not too deep and very light on the romance Ms. Steel is known for.

I think this will be enjoyed by those looking for historical fiction, but would prefer for the details to be more PG-rated.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.