After recently reading two other ARCs of Danielle Steel novels (All That Glitters and Royals), I've come to the conclusion that DS novels are meant to be easy reading based on one-dimensional characters. The good people do the right thing and the bad people eventually get what's coming to them. While Neighbors was no exception, I found Meredith's story a bit more interesting. It also tackled domestic abuse, so I wanted to note that as a trigger warning.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An engaging book by a brilliant writer with a style that is almost lyrical in its cadence.

Something clicks with reclusive Meredith, once a celebrity superstar, when an earthquake destroys her neighborhood. She makes quick friends and seems to find her way again as she gets outside of the box and the grief that has kept her down for fifteen years. Yet her caretakers, Jack and Debbie, the two people she trusts most in the world, are not what they seem.

The writing is elegant, just like Danielle Steel. Although I found that it started a tiny bit slow, the story moved me and kept me reading because I just had to know what was going to happen next. The characters, all so very real and true, had depths that can shake life up a lot, and it certainly did Meredith’s. A fascinating must read.

As I have mentioned in other reviews in the past couple of months, I am having a hard time reading because of “Corona fatigue.” However, give me a Danielle Steel book, and I can do it. It is comforting because her writing style is familiar and you know that things will wrap up nicely at the end of the story.
An earthquake in San Francisco brings together a group of neighbors in a fancy neighborhood. Until this point, they have gone through their lives without really acknowledging each other. Why is that, you ask? Well, keep reading and learn their secrets and truths that they each need to face to move on in their lives.
This is a quick read, and as I said before, very familiar and comforting.

Synopsis:

Meredith White has been a recluse for a long time when an earthquake hits San Francisco. Her house is the only house that has an emergency generator. She goes out and offers her neighbors a safe place to stay.

We meet a doctor, his wife and two young children. We meet a blind concert pianist and his young employee. We meet a young start up millionaire and his girlfriend who are living together. We get to know these four families, including Meredith's family.

Notes: This novel covers serious topics like domestic abuse. There are some violent scenes. Again, this is a story where the heroine's child/chiildren do not appreciate their mother. I found it very sad that the mother and daughter are estranged. I was hoping that they would meet each other half way.

This novel had a happy ending for some people and less than stellar ending for other people.

I received a free digital copy in exchange for a honest review.

Debbie is staying in a huge stone mansion. She has a husband Jack. He is forty four years old and overweight. Debbie and jack both drink. They work as property managers. I liked the characters and dialogue

This is a really lovely book about a woman, Meredith White, who has her house and her life turned upside down when a huge quake hits San Francisco. After her marriage ended and her beloved son dies, Meredith becomes a recluse. Her caregivers meet her needs so she rarely leaves her house and has no visitors until the quake when she ventures out and meets her neighbors and creates a new life.

The book deals with underlying issues of isolation, alienation and spousal abuse. Steel handles them deftly. The characters of her caretakers, Debby and a Jack are sadly reminiscent of people who take advantage of older or disabled employers.

I think female readers will become enmeshed in the subplot concerning the troubling issue of spousal abuse and the children who are traumatized by the violence in their own homes.

I was charmed by the character of Meredith and her lack of snobbery, despite having been a star. I was gratified to see her emerge and go forward into a fulfilling life.

This is a great read for these troubled days and I appreciated being transported to a very different set of problems from our own.

Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity to read and review this novel.

Neighbors by Danielle Steel. Really enjoyed this story, all the characters were spot on and reliable. It was a happy story even with the tragic earthquake and it's aftermath. Very enjoyable read and wishing that we were living in a place with these kind and interesting neighbors. Top of my favorites list by Danielle Steel.

Neighbors by Danielke Steel to me is unlike any book she has written before. Once again I loved it. Neighbors is about a famous person what being famous does to someone, tragedy and what that does to somebody. A masterpiece of all different kinds of relationships in this book. I highly recommend Neighbors you might learn something about yourself if faced with no choices.

I always get excited when Danielle Steel releases a new novel, and this one did not disappoint! It was a fast read, with likable characters and a few characters which I really didn't like (as intended). She wove the story so well, a story of the resilient human nature when we allow ourselves to love and trust others after trauma. The main character was a woman who hid from the world after living a life of fame and fortune, a woman who secluded herself in order to not be hurt again, then a massive earthquake strikes, bringing all the neighbors she didn't know into her life; each with their own well developed stories. It was an enjoyable read, I laughed, I cried, I yelled, I cringed, and then at the end, had a huge smile and felt so good! Everything one hopes for in a book. Highly recommend.