Theodora Morgan is a fashion icon, but has been mostly in seclusion since her billionaire husband, Matthieu, and their son Axel were kidnapped and murdered a year before. She is slowly beginning to attend events at some of her pop-up stores, but maintains a behind-the-scenes profile. Mike Andrews is a CIA operative investigating Pierre De Vaumont, a social networker with Russian contacts. When Mike and Theo meet, they have a connection, but she has no idea of the danger she is in or the real reason Mike came into her life.

This is a riveting story that is all at once sad, thrilling, and hopeful. The romance between Theo and Mike is well done, and the CIA thriller aspect of this novel is compelling. The main characters instantly draw the reader in and the book is filled with intrigue.

I noticed something when reading this book that made me smile. All of the writing manuals, classes, and guides always say “Show, don’t tell. Don’t just tell the story. Show it in dialogue. ” Well, I would say 75% of this story is telling, not showing, but it doesn’t matter. It’s captivating, compelling, and moving. The characters are believable and I connected with them immediately. It completely works. And it made me realize that most or all of the books that I’ve read by Ms. Steel have been written this way. That old adage that “rules are made to be broken” stands true here. This style works for Danielle Steel, as many millions of her readers will attest. It is a good lesson for writers to remember. If you want to write in a way that may break a few rules, and it works for you, go for it. Fans of romantic thrillers and of Danielle Steel will greatly enjoy this one.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Suspects by Danielle Steel is another of her lovely romances. How she manages to turn every story into an epic romance is beyond me. More importantly she starts it off with someone who is not part of the romance but really plays nothing more than a minor part. Theo was the CEO of her own company, one she had start 15 years ago when she graduated from college. She had meant to get a Masters’ in Business but that never happened. She was doing too well in business. She married a much older man who was also an entrepreneur and they had one son, Axel, and a good life in France. One of several properties they owned was a chateau outside of town. One or the other of them would drive there with Axel and the other would them there after their meeting or whatever. There were no servants there. They liked to be alone. This time, someone had met Matthieu and Axel there and kidnapped them. The ransom was steep, but Theo had it and wanted to pay it. The authorities convinced her to pay half with the promise of the other half to be delivered. The kidnappers panicked and they found the bodies of Matthieu and Axel near the chateau. Axel had been in Matthieu’s arms when he was killed, with Matthieu following shortly after. Theo had been in mourning for over a year and had finally been coaxed out for a trip to New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles to assist with pop-up stores there. She met Mike when he came into the backroom in New York and kept in touch.

Both of these are older characters, with Theo nearly 40 and Mike only months away from 50. Mike was high up in the CIA and once he had met Theo, vowed to bring the family’s murderers to justice. He had plenty of law enforcement contacts in Europe and so it was not difficult to insert himself into the nearly defunct investigation. It seems her husband had partnered with a Russian to open stores in Russia. After investing nearly twice what his partner had, Matthieu pulled the plug. It was proving too difficult. Now the Russian wanted his money and was serious about getting it. By the time Theo was in Los Angeles, Mike had decided he needed to see her again so he invited her to dinner. The rest is history. These are two adult characters. Although from different cultures they got along well and a friendship developed. Mike’s job was mostly a desk job, but he missed being in the field. Theo’s little foray to the US had broken her out of her rut and she was ready to join the living. They were both sympathetic characters that were easy to like. Their lives were very different but each had the means to continue the friendship long distance. They were decently written characters and it was mostly a simple plot. It is a terrific feel-good romance, which is what Steel is noted for.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Suspects by Delacorte Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #delacorte #daniellesteel #suspects

Another great intriguing romantic suspense by Danielle.
I practically read it in one day. Strong female protagonist that has a great guy come to her rescue.
Interesting characters and story. All in all a good clean quick read.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Delacorte press, and the Author, Danielle Steel for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Suspects by Daniel Steel, overall - an enjoyable read.
On the downside for me-this book follows the typical Daniel Steele model that many of her books do; ~Bad things happen to good people. Privileged good people have tons of money. Money can't buy happiness, can't bring your loved ones back but, it does allow you to live more than comfortably, to do and experience thing that many people can not which in turn can positively impact the good people's future.~
Now the good news… I enjoyed that the main character in this book was a strong independent woman who wasn't looking for a man to rescue her. I enjoyed the intrigue and the suspense, its a bit more if a thriller/romance. Theo and Mike make an interesting couple, a top level CIA agent and a fashion icon. Kidnapping, murder, International intrigue, cross continental travel, romance and more. I prefer it when DS breaks the mold and writes outside of her "normal" but this story grabbed me and kept me reading till the end. Same mold, new story, a few twists, good read.

Loved reading the engaging and captivating story. When Theo's husband and child are brutally killed in a kidnapping, Theo struggles on with her life in charge of both her husband and her own companies. While Mike is undercover as a CIA agent, he meets Theo. Even though danger surrounds and threatens both of them, Mike and Theo's passion for each other is explosive. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, full of suspense & intrigue, and must read love story by the outstanding, phenomenal author, Danielle Steel.

“Theo’s life had been altered forever, in ways that could never be repaired or replaced.”

When Theodora Morgan finds herself on a flight with a CIA person of interest, she meets Mike Andrews. Mike fears Theo may be in danger, and engineers a “chance” meeting. The two have an instant connection that neither one can avoid.

This was a interesting story that kept me turning the page. Theo is a strong, resilient and complex character. The plot was interesting and moved along at a good pace.

Thank you Ms. Steel, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press for the opportunity to review this advanced readers copy. #Suspects #Netgalley

This book started a bit slow for me, but in typical Danielle Steel style once it picked up, I couldn’t put it down. So much more than a love story, this book had me on the edge of my seat. There were numerous twists so I could never fully guess what would happen next.

Take murdering kidnappers, Russian oligarchs, neurotoxins, pop-up designer shops, mix in a lot of cashmere and world famous hotels and you’ll have Suspects, the newest bestseller from Danielle Steel. Theo Morgan is grieving the deaths of her husband and son a year ago. They were murdered during a botched kidnapping, leaving her to run her wildly popular online shopping site and his European business empire. Now she’s traveling from Paris to New York for the first time since the tragedy. On the plane is Pierre de Vaumont, a sleazy power broker who has attracted the attention of both French and American intelligence. After CIA agent Mike Andrews becomes involved, he takes a special interest in Theo Morgan’s situation. Why have the kidnappers not been caught? His interest in the case leads to an interest in the beautiful Theo herself. As their new relationship progresses, Mike realizes the threat from the kidnappers is not over.

As always, Danielle Steel gives the reader a fast moving plot full of beautiful, well dressed (and some not so nice) people. We get to see how the other half lives and understand that their money doesn’t make them happy. There is always a happy ending and we all need that. 5 stars.

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

I couldn't put down my Kindle once I started this book.

Theodora Morgan is the Queen of fashion. She's the founder of a very successful online shopping service that she started when she was just 22 years old. Today, her company is known worldwide. Theo hasn't left her home in months, she's been grieving. A year ago her husband, Matthieu, and her 13 year old son were kidnapped and held for ransom--it ended badly and her family was killed. The kidnappers were never found nor was the money that she paid. It's a cold case now, despite evidence linking the crime to a Russian competitor of Matthieu's.

Theo is finally back to work, which is what she needs to forget her misery. On a flight to NY where she's opening up a pop-up store, she's seated across a high society "matchmaker" Pierre de Vaumont. He gets paid to "introduce" people because he has so many connections, and not the good ones. Pierre knows who she is, he also knew her husband. When she realizes his name, she invites him to her opening party at her store, he'll bring the press with him.

Senior CIA operative Mike Andrews gets a phone call in NY from JFK Airport security because Pierre de Vaumont's name came up as flagged. Mike looks him up and isn't thrilled with what he reads because he has shady Russian connections. When he sees Theo Morgan's name next to him, he becomes concerned with her safety. Mike goes undercover as a lawyer and shows up at Theo's party.

Theo is hiding in the back room of the party, handling the inventory instead of attending. There's a lot of press that she'd rather avoid. When Mike accidently on purpose sees her, sparks instantly go off. Their chemistry is tangible. Theo has never felt like this for another man, including her husband. She thinks it's just her, and he thinks the same. He asks her to dinner the following day and she agrees.

Now more than ever, Mike wants Theo safe. He's determined to meet with the French FBI again to help solve her case and keep her safe. Because Theo has no idea the danger she's in. He'll do anything to protect her.

A must read!!

This is a Romantic Suspense. This book follows and is told through the point of view of the two main characters (Theodora Morgan and Mike Andrews). I have to say that I loved both the romance and the suspense/mystery in this book. This book pulled me into the story from the first page, and I did not want to put it down. I loved the characters. This book is very fast moving and keeps you wanting to read. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Delacorte Press) or author (Danielle Steel) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I am a big Danielle Steel fan, have been one for many years. I marvel at her ability to write so many different stories. I am a bigger fan of her historical fiction than stories of current day. That being said, i really did enjoy this book about big business, the CIA, and Russian agents. Kept reading to find out how everything was going to end. Her characters are always so likeable and relatable, even though many times they are super rich and very beautiful. Can't wait until the next book and feel so lucky to have been able to count on her books for so many years.

As with most of Danielle Steel's books, this was a relatively quick read. I found some of the writing to be a little bit frustrating at times, I found redundant sections and the balance of dialogue and description was off. However, I enjoyed this romantic suspense story a lot more than some of her other books. I found that this kept my attention in ways some of her other books don't. I would love to read more romantic suspense by Danielle Steel!

I haven't read a Danielle Steel book in years and when I saw this one available to read early, I jumped at the chance. I thoroughly enjoyed Suspects and was pleasantly surprised at the suspenseful story of the book. The book centers around Theo Morgan, a very well known retail fashion designer. She sets up pop-up shops all over and sells the most sought after fashion designs. She is extremely successful, but has to overcome a terrible tragedy. One year ago as the book starts, Theo's husband and 13 year old son were kidnapped. There was a ransom demand that Theo could easily have paid, but the authorities wanted more time to try to solve the case. It ended in tragedy with the kidnappers killing her husband and son. Theo was and still is devastated as the book begins. She's basically been a hermit for an entire year, not feeling confident enough to go out. She's been running her business remotely and now she's also running her husband's business. She lives in Paris, but travels to New York, Los Angeles, Texas, etc setting up her pop-up shops for short periods.

On one of her trips to New York to prepare a rented building for her fashions, a CIA agent, Mike Andrews, notices someone shady in first class on the same plane as Theo. He knows her story and also knows that the people responsible for Theo's husband and son's death were never caught. He calls several people he knows in law enforcement both in Paris and New York to check on this shady fellow. The plane has been held until they have checked out if they will be allowed to land in New York. They get clearance, but Mike decides he will check in on Theo once she arrives to make sure all is okay.

When Mike and Theo meet, it's an instant connection that they both feel. Mike tells Theo he's a lawyer who wants to buy his sister one of her purses. He doesn't want to alarm Theo and tell her he's CIA. They exchange numbers and end up meeting for dinner while she's in town. The chemistry and sparks fly from these two and you'll love reading about all of their meals, trips, and their "time together" if you catch my drift. As all of this is going on, the people that killed her family are still out there and now they want payback for not getting all of the ransom. Will they be able to get through Theo's security team to kidnap/kill her? Will Mike be able to protect Theo? I read this book in a day as it's a very quick read that you can't put down.

Be sure to pick this book up on June 28th. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advanced copy of Suspects.

I made quick work of this one. Suspects is a novel of high stakes. Theo, a mogul in the fashion industry, lost her son and husband due to a kidnapping. Mike is a CIA big wig who is determined to protect Theo.
There’s lots of action, fashion, and love.
Settle in with a DS novel and the world recess for awhile.

A few years ago, I rediscovered Danielle Steel's novels and have enjoyed reading them. I found Suspects difficult to read due to the subject matter regarding Russian and Ukraine in light of current events. Despite that, Ms. Steel weaves a story about loss and rediscovering love that is quite poignant. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved reading this book. This is an author that I never hesitate to pick up. I have been reading her books for years and they just keep getting better and better with everyone. This is a well written story where there are twists and turns that not only add to the story but have you sitting on the edge of your seat just waiting to see what would happen next. I enjoyed how the author was able to use her writing skills to make the story come to life on each page. I found this story to be fast paced and engaging. The characters are connectable and truly made the story for me. A story where instant connection but the true plan has not come to light. What will happen when it does? This is such a great story that you don't want to miss. An easy and entertaining story that is hard to put down. I highly recommend this book and this author.

Fast-paced romantic suspense!

This book was a bit different than her recent stories, and very good. I loved the development of Theo and Mike’s relationship, the pull between them before they met, and the way they supported each other through scary times.

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

Danielle Steel has done it again. Suspects is a wonderfully written story about a woman who has suffered terrible losses and still has more to be worried about. A CIA agent who has his own things going on. You will travel from New York to Paris. Each place described in explicit and beautiful detail.

I took a break from reading Danielle Steel for a long time and I am so glad that I have started reading her again. Her books hold your attention and each story is so different from the next.

Thank you to #netgalley and #randomhousepublishing-ballantine for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

I’m always up for a Danielle Steel book. I devoured her books when I was in junior high and high school and enjoyed the 1990’s TV movie adaptations. But I stepped away from Steel’s book for years because they had a certain amount of predictability. In the past year or so, I’ve been picking up her new releases. The books are usually easy reads that don’t require a lot of concentration. In short, I read Steel’s books to escape, the perfect beach read.

Suspects is a different kind of Danielle Steel novel. It’s romantic suspense, which is something I’m not used to reading from her. The beautiful affluent people are in the story, but the book starts off with the tragic kidnapping and killing of Theo’s husband and only child. The story picks up a year later, with the trail of the kidnappers cold and Theo’s life is still in danger since the kidnappers did not get the full amount of ransom money they asked for, yet authorities aren’t working too diligently on the case.

The introduction of Mike, the CIA agent, happens quickly, as does the immediate attraction between him and Theo. I had a hard time believing someone as guarded as Theo could open up to someone so quickly. Yes, I know it has been a year since the death of her husband and son, but she was clearly still grieving. I know grief takes many forms, and that it can take people a long time to get over the loss of a loved one, so it didn’t seem genuine that Theo could just fall for this “lawyer” based upon a short conversation.

As for the title itself, there really weren’t suspects, only one that was featured. It wasn’t really suspenseful because we knew who the bad guy was from the outset, it was a matter of finding the henchmen, which only happened when they tried to kidnap Theo late in the book and some of them were caught. Prior to that, all the authorities kept saying there was no information to go on and it was impossible to trace the kidnappers. So not a lot of investigation goes on until the end of the book.

As with all Danielle Steel books, there’s a lot of repetition. It’s as if the author thinks the reader can’t remember key facts as the book goes along and has to repeat them many more times. Sometimes it happens in the next paragraph, sometimes the next page. That’s one thing I don’t like about Steel’s books. I don’t think many other authors could get away with it. I imagine her editors make very few suggestions of edits because it’s “the Danielle Steel.” However, I know that going into any of her books, so it doesn’t bother me as much as it used to.

I won’t say I didn’t like the book, but as with all Danielle Steel books, I found it unbelievable. The characters never have to worry about money because they have tons of it, and they’re always strikingly beautiful and handsome. Everything works out for them in the end. But I suppose that’s why I occasionally pick up a Steel book: for an easy, mindless read that lets me escape reality.

Two unlikely people get together across the world from each other. Theo is an American living in Paris and has a fashion business that takes her to New York City. Mike is with the CIA and Theo catches his eye when a person on the flight with her from Paris comes on the radar of the intelligent agencies in France, Britain, and the US. When the man appears at Theo's pop-up store, Mike goes in the store to follow the man and to meet Theo. He is instantly drawn to her and her tragic history. Her husband and thirteen-year-old son were kidnapped and killed but the killers were never found. Theo is left living her life with bodyguards. Mike would like to get her closure and find those responsible. They soon develop a relationship after he shows up in Paris pretending, he has a client there. This is a romantic suspense with danger, action, and revenge all in a backdrop of wealth and glitz. I liked Mike and Theo. Both are strong characters with rewarding careers.
I received a complimentary copy from Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine, Delacorte Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.