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.

Great story about a brave woman during WWII. It gave an interesting perspective into the atrocities being committed by the Nazis during this time period. It's horrifying that this was able to happen. Fans of Danielle Steel will enjoy this novel.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

A moving story of one woman's courage and strength to do what is right no matter what it costs her. Danielle Steele has wrote another bestseller and it is amazing!!!

A slim novel about a brave woman during WWII. Sophia, daughter of a physician, works as a nurse with small children of all religions, among other things. There's a lot of potential that's unexplored due to the length of the book - those who read WWII genre might give this a pass-but Steel's fans may find it satisfying. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

Another book that proves what a master storyteller Danielle Steel is! The story follows Sophie during WW2. It describes the horrors of the time delicately enough to leave you emotional and engrossed in the story. As I turned the pages I was amazed by her dedication and bravery as she fights for survival Such brave and caring characters risking their lives to help others is so heartwarming. Thanks to Thank NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

Only the Brave by Danielle Steel is a book you won't forget but hope you can live with the knowledge. Being the daughter of an American who fought in WWII it broke my heart to read this. It was very horrible time in Germany and Europe and the hardships were horrendous. It is hard to believe one man could effect such atrocities and just how many poor soles died. If I had not just requested the book because I like the author I don't think I would choose it however, the strength and story of Sophia Alexander was so beautiful and worthy of reading that alone is why to read this. She was a hero and not many could fill her shoes. So the good and the bad of this book is the war crimes and the strength to fight back. How one person bad and one person good can effect change. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing and of course Danielle Steel for her ability to bring this story to us.

Only the Brave is a departure from Danielle Steel’s usual fare although she can’t seem to bypass a romance element.
Unlike most WWII historical novels, the family that runs afoul of the Nazis is German, not Jewish. The Alexanders, father and 2 daughters, are a respected Berlin family. The father, Thomas, a surgeon with his own hospital, has treated many German officers, but has remained apolitical. Theresa, his younger daughter, has bought in completely to the Nazi agenda and is only too happy to be a part of the partying life of the Nazi elite. His other daughter, Sophia, is completely repulsed by it. She’s serious, dedicated to her profession of nursing and supporting resistance actions. She also has a deep spiritual side which has provided a physical and emotional haven in the turbulence. I felt these characters were realistically portrayed, giving the reader three distinct but plausible points of view of an horrific period.
The book deals with the fate of each family member. Sophia is the most prominent so the majority of the storyline and important secondary characters are in her sphere. The brutality of Nazi treatment against anyone considered inferior or an enemy of the state is not shied away from, but was not taken to the depths of some historical fiction covering this period.
A positive is that this work has much more substance than usual from Ms. Steel. As her readership is large, it may offer those who are not familiar with this subject matter some insight. Overall there are many gripping moments, some suspense, and a love story that was not absolutely necessary but appropriate to the circumstances.
Thank you to the author, the publisher Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

This really wasn't one of my favorite Danielle Steel books. I didn't particularly like Sophia's character - she was honestly just a step down from a saint, but something about her just felt off. The storyline was interesting and kept my interest throughout, but the ending completely fell flat for me and didn't follow what I would have expected given the entire rest of the book. There were also some discrepancies in the details that a decent editor would have caught. Overall, I enjoyed the story, but small issues kept this from being anything but just okay.

This book takes place in Berlin, Germany as Hitler slowly rises too power with the Nazi's taking over Germany leading to WW2.

Sophia Alexander is German, the daughter of a very successful surgeon who's Mother is sick with tuberculosis. She's responsible for her younger sister, Theresa, who's only 14 years old, two years younger than Sophia. Sophia is beautiful, green eyes and black hair, but she's serious about life. She wants to follow her father and study medicine, becoming a surgical nurse in his practice. Whereas, her sister only cares about boys. Sophia attends church regularly while her mother is sick. After their mother dies, Sophia becomes a nurse, working alongside her father during the day. At night, she goes to church finding solace amongst the nuns. That's when she decides to join the convent to become a nun, devoting her life to others.

Her father is shocked about her decision. Her sister got married when she turned 18 and became a Baroness. Theresa and her husband are having parties inviting the officers of the SS, not believing anything about what's happening to the Jews in Germany. That is until her husband finds out that his grandmother is Jewish. Now they must leave everything behind and go to Zurich before they get arrested and thrown into a concentration camp. Sophia has a friend who helps Jews cross the border, she asks him to help her sister and brother-in-law. Theresa is almost 7 months pregnant, so Sophia goes with them on the journey in case medical help is needed. That journey becomes a part of her mission to help others survive.

When the SS want her father to "get rid" of sick or disabled patients, he gently turns them down. They wanted him to euthanize those unwanted people. It went against everything he believed in. A year later, he's approached again with the offer, but this time when he says no, he's arrested for treason. He's taken to a concentration camp and he dies 7 months later from injuries. Sophia still hasn't taken her final vows due to the war. When she's out late one night after helping a child to safety, she's stopped by patrols. The following day she's arrested at the convent because of her father's treason and her sister's escape. They think that she's guilty by association. She gets sent to a women's concentration camp after getting severely beaten.

There she's put to work as a seamstress. A young Nazi officer, Hans, sees her working on his suit and likes her. He has her assigned to cleaning his house once a week and feeds her. She takes the food back to her bunk every week and shares with her four bunk mates. Hans sees his future with Sophia, even though she told him about becoming a nun. He thinks that he can change her mind. Hans tells Sophia that her father died 7 months ago in the camps. That's when Sophia decides to escape. She and her friends make a plan, it's risky, but she'd rather die trying. After two days in the woods, Sophia uses an old contact and the women end up at a convent. Sophia feels like she's come home again being with the nuns.

Months later, while outside walking in the woods, she sees a soldier hanging from a tree stuck in his parachute. He's an American who's plane was shot down. Sophia nurses Ted back to health for 2 months and they fall in love with each other. But she is so convinced that she can only do good as a nun that she's ready to turn her back on love. She still hasn't taken her vows. They both have the same goals, helping others. Ted promises her that he'll come back for her after the war.

Almost two years later, he finds her back in Berlin at her old convent. She is housing women who are homeless now that the war is over. Ted wants a life with her, telling her that if she was meant to be a nun, she would have already taken her vows. Something has always stopped it from happening. She realizes that he's right and before he leaves her for Paris, she needs him to know that she wants to be with him forever.

A good read!

Summary:
In 1937, Sophia Alexander is adjusting to her new normal life. Her Mother has passed away, her Father is a workaholic with his own general surgeon practice. Sophie's younger sister, Theresa is a socialite in the making. But everything changes when World War II erupts. Everything they once had is now being threatened and each has to make their own way. Sophia has no clue what the future holds for her- or her family.

Life as Sophia knew ended when her mother died. The family unit she grew up with was forever changed. Her beloved father, a general surgeon with his own practice, spent more and more time at his office. Her younger sister, Theresa, gets married. And Theresa attends nursing school. Among all that, World War II erupts. It doesn't take long before the War seeps fear into their lives.

Her father is approached by the Reich for his assistance in carrying out one of their diabolical agendas. When he declines, he prays that's the end of it. However, it wasn't. Later on, he's approached again. When he declines a second time, he's arrested and sent to camp. Everything he built is destroyed.

Theresa's husband is discovered to be a quarter Jewish, which is enough to force them to flee for their lives. She's very pregnant and his parents aren't as lucky. The very people his family had partied with are the ones who declare them enemies. Sophia calls on a friend to help her get Theresa and her husband to safety. Will they make it?

Sophia not only decides she's going to become a nun, but she begins attending underground meetings and helping Jewish children to safety. She's never caught, but suspicion builds and she becomes guilty be association. Sophia goes from living in the safety of a convent to the terror of Ravensbruck. It takes her brains and guts to survive within it's walls. It takes her bravery to leave it.

I've always loved Danielle Steel's historical fiction books the best. And while this one wasn't my favorite, it was still a good one. There were times when I felt people kept pressuring her to not go through with what she wanted. Overall, the story was a good one. It isn't a long book, so it's perfect for a short jaunt into another time.

Am a DS fan but every now and then a book of hers really stays on your mind. nly the Brave, is so much more than a romance set against the backdrop of WWII. She deftly depicts the chaos and danger in Germany as the Nazis rose in power as told through the eyes of Sophie, a skilled nurse and devout Catholic who is on the cusp of taking her final vows to become a nun just before she is arrested as an enemy of the state and sent to a concentration camp. As i said, it will stick with you. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a review.