Archives for June 15, 2021

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

After a carefree childhood, Mary Margaret Kelly came of age in the shadow of grief. Her father, a dashing daredevil Air Force pilot, died when she was nine. Maggie saw her mother struggle to put their lives back together. As the family moved from one city to the next, her mother warned her to beware of daredevil men and avoid risk at all cost.

Following her mother’s advice, and forgoing the magic of first love with a high school boyfriend who was too wild to feel safe, Maggie instead sought out all the things her mother had lost—a predictable partner, a stable home, and a regular paycheck. She chose to marry a dependable, kind man who was a reliable husband and successful accountant. Together they had a son and found happiness in a conventional suburban life. Until tragedy struck again.

Now on her own, feeling a sense of adventure for the first time, Maggie decides to face her fears, setting off on a whirlwind trip from San Francisco to Rome, Paris, and Monaco. But when her travels reconnect her with the very same irresistible, thrill-seeking man she’s spent thirty years trying to forget, Maggie becomes terrified that rushing into love and sharing his life may very well end in disaster. But ultimately, while Maggie tries to outrun her fears and painful memories of her past, fate will surprise her in the most astounding of ways, as she walks the tightrope between danger and courage, and between wisdom and love.

Danielle Steel always tugs on my heartstrings! Wrapping a character around her reader’s heart is a true talent by Steel that shines through once again in her upcoming release NINE LIVES. I felt like this book had a lot more narration instead of dialogue, but I was deeply entrenched in it throughout never the less. The only thing I wished for was a bit more time with them at the end. I devoured it quickly and was left with a smile on my face!

Maggie is a relatable character who uses life’s lessons to guide her in how she wishes to pursue her future. She shared a young love with a sweetheart of a young man, but went on to wager the bet of life with a more stable, dependable man. She never regretted her decision and lived a fulfilling life with her husband and beautiful son.

Tragedy has had a way of taking things from Maggie throughout her life and one more strike leaves her reeling and adrift. A happenstance reconnection with that dashing man of her youth brings a light back into her life that she didn’t even realize she missed.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys following a character through the foibles of life toward that long sought after HEA.