Title: The House
Publisher: Dell
Publish Date: January 30. 2007
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb:
The restoration of a majestic old home provides the exhilarating backdrop for Danielle Steel’s 66th bestselling novel, the story of a young woman’s dream, an old man’s gift, and the surprises that await us behind every closed door...
Perched on a hill overlooking San Francisco, the house was magnificent, built in 1923 by a wealthy man for the woman he adored. For her and for this house, he would spare no expense and overlook no detail, from the endless marble floors to the glittering chandeliers. Almost a century later, with the once-grand house now in disrepair, a young woman walks through its empty rooms. Sarah Anderson, a perfectly sensible estate lawyer, is about to do something utterly out of character. An elderly client has died and left her two gifts. One is a generous inheritance. The other, a priceless message: to use his money for something wonderful, something daring. And in this old house, surrounded by crumbling grandeur, Sarah knows just what it is.
A respected attorney and self-described workaholic, Sarah had always lived life by the book. With a steady, if sputtering, relationship and a tiny apartment that has suited her just fine, Sarah cannot explain the force that draws her to the mansion and its history–to the story of a woman who once lived in the house, then mysteriously left it, to a child who grew up there, and a drama that unfolded in war-torn France...and to a history she never knew she had.
Taking the biggest risk of her life, Sarah enlists the help of architect Jeff Parker, who shares Sarah’s passion for bringing the exquisite old house back to life. As she and Jeff work to restore the home’s every detail, as one relationship shatters and another begins, Sarah makes a series of powerful discoveries: about the true meaning of a dying man’s last gift...about the extraordinary legacies that are passed from generation to generation...and about a future she’s only just beginning to imagine.
In a novel of daring and hope, of embracing life and taking chances, Danielle Steel brilliantly captures one woman’s courageous choice to pour herself into a dream–and receive its gifts in return.
Review: Danielle Steel has never been a favorite author, but every so often I get sucked in by one of the blurbs and I'm drawn in to the bad writing and thin plots.
I have to admit though, that though the writing could be a lot better, The House was definitely one of her more palatable novels.
Sarah was definitely a sweet likable character, though like all novels by Steel, she is very flat. I would have loved some more depth to her, to know what really made her tick and why she really stayed with a jerk like Phil so long.
Her family, particularly her grandmother, Mimi were great side characters that helped carry the story.
OH and lets not forget the love interest, Jeff.
Sigh.
I seldom crush on any romance hero, but Jeff was the epitome of sweetness. I wanted to shake her at times near the end for being stubborn in what she wanted.
The House itself and its owner play a huge part in the story, and I really wished this book were longer and focused on Lili and why she left and more about the house and family that she left.
There were a lot of loose ends and things that I wanted answers for, but didn't get, but the story did flow beautifully.
If you are going to read any of Steel's books, this one is definitely a nice light one to lose yourself in for a few hours.
Rating: 4 flowers
