A bit of Hollywood glam with a May/December twist. Some unexpected twists along the way which enhanced the usual glitz and glam. As always, love prevails.

Amazing book once again!! Upside down is a heart warming age-gap romance! Surprises and love around every corner! Another 5 out of 5 stars from me! Thank you for another ARC reading!! I’m forever grateful and I’ll be waiting for more new releases always!!

This story was sort of a different one than usual for Danielle Steel. I was hesitant to see where it was going to go but once the story started to unfold, I really enjoyed getting to see the characters fall in love.

Ardith Law is a famous Hollywood actor that is well known. She is in between work and has just been enjoying her life with her boyfriend of many years. They have not gotten married because Bill doesn't really see the need to. They have both been married before and are not in a hurry to do it again but love each others company. Bill West is a very well known actor and is about to start on his next film but hates that he has to leave Ardith while he does it. Bill is older than Ardith but is in great health.

Ardith has a daughter, Morgan, that is a respected plastic surgeon. Their relationship has been strained because of Ardith's career and her being gone so much when she was younger. Morgan has been very angry with her mom since she has grown up and it shows n the way that she treats her mom. Morgan has never had a serious relationship and has vowed to not date her clients, just because it is good practice. When Morgan's partner is away and she see's one of his patients for him, this patient is very adamant that he is going to take Morgan out for dinner. This client, Ben Ryan, is good friends with her partner and he convinces her that he will not mind since they are friends. Morgan accepts the invite and is swept away by his politeness and the way that he treats her.

Ardith has an assistant that is part of Bill's current contract. The assistant is to help Ardith with errands and things that Bill would help her with while he is away working on the movie. Ardith is in full expectation that the assistant is going to be a female, but she is surprised when a middle aged man shows up. Josh is an aspiring actor and is not thrilled by his new position to be Ardith's assistant. Josh shows up on a Harley and in his leather jacket. Ardith informs Josh that he is not going to be able to dress that way while he is working for her. Josh doesn't balk at Ardith's demand to dress a little more professional and he soon figures out that Ardith is not as bad of a person as he had expected.

Events that happen in this story lead to us being able to follow two love stories. I don't want to give it all away as to what happens and who falls in love with who because that is what draws you in to this great story. I loved how we got the two love stories and the also a reconciliation of another relationship that will make your heart happy. Danielle Steel knows how to get your attention and draw you into wanting to know the whole story and before you know it you are at the end of the book and sad that it is over. I know you will enjoy this read as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. I enjoyed this one a lot.

I have always known when picking up one of Danielle Steel’s novels, I would know her writing style and I would be escaping into a world of beauty, richness, sadness, and a happy ever after ending. Upside Down was no exception. This was a quick read for me as I didn't have to put a lot of thought into the plot or characters. While sad, there was some good and some smiles in this story.

Ardith and her daughter Morgan have had a fraught relationship. Now however they find a common ground in the - oddly enough- very different men with whom they are involved. Ardith finds herself taken with Josh who is 20 years younger while Morgan is involved with Ben who is 20 years older. Are these good men? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a classic Steel tale of a fractured family bonding again but it's not one of her best. It's short which means that the edits I'd make to reduce the repetition might,, well, you know. That said it's a quick read for a dreary day.

UPSIDE DOWN
BY" DANIELLE STEEL

About 3.75 Stars!

I was happy to see an older woman such as Ardith featured at an older age. I was interested in her strained relationship with her daughter Morgan because Ardith pursued an acting career putting it first and neglecting her daughter who resents her. I was curious to witness the dysfunctional relationship between a mother and her adult daughter and the dynamics between both of them and how they would present and look like. I was intrigued to understand what it would take for both mother and daughter to repair their strained interactions. What actions of both of them would lead their mother-daughter relationship in order for it to heal? I hoped that it would ultimately lead to a re-connection between the two of them.

Ardith takes accountability for putting her acting career first and being a mother to Morgan second as far as priorities go. Now at Ardith's age she has more time to devote to Morgan, but Morgan is too busy with being a surgeon. Morgan isn't interested in spending time with her mother and puts in the bare minimum as to the time she devotes to her mother. Now the tables have turned and Morgan is a product of her strained relationship with her absentee mother and she is focused on her career applying all of her energies towards her work in a thriving practice. They have a distant relationship but their time spent together is rare and is Morgan's choice. Her career is everything and you can see that Morgan grew up to be an exact replica of her mother. This was sad but it seemed like it was a realistic outcome of the way her mother wasn't available for Morgan's important milestones as she grew up.

Ardith is assigned an assistant named Josh Gray from her live-in partner Bill West as a perk in his contract while he goes on location in London to shoot a movie. I thought it was humorous when Josh Gray shows up at Ardith's home looking like Darth Vader or as she put it an axe murderer or a member of the Hell's Angels. She hits her panic button and two police cars show up and have Josh face down on the ground with their guns drawn. Ardith forgot she had a green face mask on and looked like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz. That was very funny and added some realism to her otherwise attractive woman who looks younger than she is. I found it unlikely that she would still look so great getting important roles without having any "work done." It is mentioned that she looks much younger than her age and adding that she hasn't had any "work done," which I felt was unnecessary to add to her physical description and doesn't ring true as credible. Especially with how the movie industry seldom uses actresses her age with the inequality women face regarding age versus that of men. It's a well known fact that actresses work less in Hollywood the older they get except for a select few.

Ardith tells Josh Gray who is 41 years old and who is to be her assistant as a perk of her 78 year old companion named Bill West's contract. Bill West is also an actor and he and Ardith have a passionless but loving companionship until Bill dies in London of a massive heart attack while he was sleeping. Josh Gray has agreed to be Ardith's assistant because he needs the money to pay his bills. He showed up wearing ripped jeans, a Metallica shirt, boots, and a rough looking leather jacket. Ardith tells Josh he can't ride his Harley motorcycle to her home which is a wealthy suburb near Los Angeles, California. She tells him he must use one of her three vehicles and to wear a blazer like jacket, jeans that aren't ripped and athletic shoes. Josh is almost too good to be true because he agrees with everything Ardith has stated. He is also an actor who is only taking this job because he is in between movies. He usually acts in less than what he aspires to what his talents are by getting unwanted roles in bad Science Fiction or Horror movies. He attended the prestigious Julliard and has a graduate degree.

Ardith and Josh form a more realistic romantic relationship after he helps her with Bill's funeral. The two of them form a slow mutual admiration of each other's hard work ethic. I appreciated this approach of taking things slow and to naturally progress into something more than friends even though this is too predictable. Why does Danielle Steel's strong independent women always need to fall in love with the nearest man in her orbit? Perhaps that's why people enjoy them for the romances, but that is not why I read her books. The age difference between both Ardith and Josh is unlikely to happen in real life that leads to anything long lasting.

Ardith is going to introduce Josh to her agent because she thinks the reason Josh expressed that he was getting unsatisfying acting roles is because she thinks he has a lazy agent. Josh thinks that Ardith isn't the Diva that she first appeared to be and thinks that he can learn a thing or two from her.
He continues to secretly work for her for free after Bill's death ended the contract perk of supplying Ardith with a paid assistant.

Morgan's instant love affair with Ben Ryan struck me as not realistic again because it happened too fast and she is 38 and he is 63. The poor judgement Ben uses added an interesting depth to the plot. I can just state that usually if a romantic relationship flourishes it does so by taking things slow and getting to know one another. The instant love that takes place between this couple isn't credible or realistic. When two people rush things and see each other as "the one," usually doesn't sustain itself. Every relationship is different so in rare cases their approach ends well, but it is usually the exception. I would have liked to see this couple act in a more realistic light than how Ben Ryan saw Morgan once and knew that he had finally found what he's always wanted in a romantic partner. It comes across as superficial rather than emotional intimacy gradually building because they took the time to see if their characters aligned together slowly over time. These instant "I've found the one," are because the couple is flooded with feel good chemicals that are common in the beginning stages.

I do like the title "Upside Down," and think it perfectly captures the essence of this story. I did find the writing to be repetitious throughout and more of a tell me instead of show me. However, I knew that to be this writer's style so I was expecting it. I was entertained and it was a quick easy read that was the escapism that I craved.

Publication Date: January 2, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Danielle Steel and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Delacorte Press for generously providing me with my eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#UpsideDown #DanielleSteel #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantineDelacortePress #NetGalley

Danielle Steel never disappoints. Upside Down was an easy to read story with engaging characters. Based in California, and New York Mother Ardith and daughter Morgan prove age doesn’t mater when it comes to love.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

The cover is fantastic

I can see both sides of her audience. I understand those who enjoy Steel's work, but also those who find it grating and low-brow. However, this novel is exactly what it claims to be: a predictable, easy-to-read, escapist romance.


Characters say "I love you" at a breakneck pace, so quickly, that if this happened in real life, you'd probably scare your partner away. Things happen so utterly conveniently at times, you're left wondering, is anyone's love life that easy? Also, this means the characters make almost no hard choices.


I do feel that around the middle we spent too much time with the sub-plot couple, without flashing back to the main couple. The reader was most invested in Ardith, but we lost her for many chapters.


Some of the character's word choices were dumbed down. I wish the lawyers were allowed to talk like real lawyers. A lawyer would say 'assault case' not 'you're getting MeToo'd'. But I understand that this book is meant to be consumed quickly with no question marks in anyone's head.


It is heavy-handed. There are so many things the reader intuitively knows, but it's spelled out for you anyway. Then, it's spelled out again, and again. You don't have to think too much while reading this, or think at all. It's actually better if you try not to think. It's incredibly easy. Some readers may like that, because you can put the book down, and get a little recap about why the character's are acting as they do when the next chapter begins.


I wish the book was less vapid. I wish there was more substance. I see so many ways this could have gone deeper, but it simply is what it is. Perhaps I am biased, because I think plastic surgeons are evil, while in this book the plastic surgeon is treated as a medical professional, just as respectable, important, and caring as the rest.


All that being said, I must applaud Steel. She certainly knows how to create suspense, drama, and draw the reader in. I might even categorize this as enemies-to-lovers. Also, while it is largely predictable, in the end there is a twist and emotional payoff that I did not see coming.


I am rating it four-stars, because it is exactly what it claims to be: a lighthearted romance. Also, the themes of this book hit home for me, as I see the struggles and joys of my own age-gap relationship. It is funny, that this is the first of Steel's novels that I've picked up, and it so closely resonates with my own life. The premise, to trust when you fall in love no matter what others think, is striking.


I do plan on reading Steel's novel 'Pegasus' and perhaps her other romance stories involving cowboys and horses. Her books may be a nice read after something heavy.


Wishing you magic-filled days ahead,

Alice Abyss

Author of 'Pharmakides'

Prolific Author, Danielle Steel continues to delight her legion of long time fans. This time she writes of sixty-two year old Ardith an ageless, beautiful star who has a thirty eight daughter, Morgan, who is a successful plastic surgeon in New York. Their relationship has always been strained as Morgan resents Ardith for always being on a movie set when she was growing up.
It’s not until Ardith and Morgan both experience unique relationships in their lives that their own relationship changes.
This is an easy read of second chances, drama and a mother’s unwavering love. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin House for an advanced copy. My comments and review are my own opinion.

A major star, Ardith was never around for her daughter Morgan. Morgan is distrustful of love and blames her mom for that. In true Danielle Steel fashion both mother and daughter’s lives are changed when they meet each meet someone who changes their original thoughts. A great weekend read that travels through many emotions.

Ardith is a big movie star and has been for decades. She is in a relationship with another legend, Bill West. Bill is older than her and suddenly passes away while on location. In Bill's contract, he provided Ardith with a personal assistant while he was on location. The personal assistant is a young, male, out of work actor. Despite her skepticism, he becomes invaluable to Ardith.
Morgan is Ardith's daughter. She is a plastic surgeon in New York and becomes involved with a patient who is a well known TV news anchor. He is older than Morgan and becomes involved in a "Me Too" scandal.
Will Ardith's relationship with younger Josh survive? Will Morgan's relationship with older Ben survive?
This is a story not only of love, but of reconciliation.

Great book. I hadn't read a Danielle Steele book in a while and I'm glad I read this book. It was a great story and pulled me in

Many thanks to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for an ARC of Upside Down for an honest review.

I love reading anything by Danielle Steel. She always takes you to the place when you were little, dreaming of being a princess. This one screams old Hollywood to me. Fabulous characters are written in a story about regular life. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Unless some are re-issued, Ms. Steel has published six books so far this year, with this one scheduled for Jan 2. Based on this book, Ms. Steel may want to slow down a bit and put more thought into her books. In this book, each chapter seems to be a rehash of the one before it. At the 50% mark, the story is just so obvious, with mother and daughter pretty much disliking each other and each of them falling for what seems to be inappropriate men. Dare I risk more of my time and continue?

Morgan, the main character Ardith's daughter, is quite dislikable, cold, and rigid, and it amused me to see Morgan fall for a man who was just like she perceived her mother. Never there as she was growing up, selfish, and aloof. Ardith also falls for someone inappropriate, or at least that's what she thinks. Frankly, I did too! Josh is childlike.

Eventually, major issues happen to test each woman's love for the men and for each other, and ta-da, there is a happily ever after for all!

It's a fast read that you need little thought to get you through.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press, the author, and by NetGalley.

A quick, easy read about love, loss, family, and second chances. Love all Danielle Steel books, and this one did not disappoint. I loved the characters of Ardith and Josh, and rooted for them every step of the way. I had a harder time relating to and liking Morgan and Ben. Simple plot, enjoyable day reading.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Easy read with all the Steel trademarks: beauty, wealth, compassionate characters, and for the most part, civility among them.
Ardith Law is a famous, extremely wealthy and lauded actress in LA, while her daughter Morgan is an accomplished, wealthy and very well respected plastic surgeon in a prestigious NYC firm. While not estranged, they are also not exactly close and disagree on most issues that arise.
So when Ardith begins dating a much younger man and Morgan, a much older man, their lives intersect in
ways they never expected.
Just another calming read that offers great respite from the noise and anger that surrounds much of the world today. Good character development and an uncomplicated plot to follow.
Steel manages to engage from the first page and holds on to your interest till the last.
Thabks, Danielle.
Just what I needed today.

Ardith Law has spent her life becoming a famous Oscar winning actress at the expense of her daughter Morgan. Morgan, a successful plastic surgeon who wants little to do with the mother she feels she never had.
Upside Down is a story about forgiveness and second chances about finding love in the most unusual circumstances.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing – Ballantine for my ARC.

Upside Down is another Danielle Steel winner. It started a little slow but once it picked up then you wanted to keep reading until the end. The difference in ages of the characters added a different element to make the story interesting.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy for my opinion.

I loved the book! I would definitely recommend it. It had romance, but some some suspense in it. It’s about a mother and daughter and their relationship and how they find love. Definitely more to the book, but a definite good read!

Upside Down by Danielle Steel Enjoyed the heartwarming December/May romance of Ardith and Josh Gray, a perfect couple despite the difference in ages. The interaction between Morgan and Ben Ryan not so much. Ben’s character seemed dodging at best and his turn around was all too quick and did not seem sincere. Another winner for Ms Steele.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.