Danielle Steel’s ‘Finding Ashley’ Makes Us Believe in the Power of Second Chances [REVIEW]

Following a devastating tragedy, one woman loses everything she holds dear and becomes a recluse. Her estranged sister tries to work a modern day miracle and bridge the chasm between them. But will this one act be enough to restore their relationship and pull her sister back into the real world once more? Find out in Danielle Steel’s Finding Ashley.

Melissa was a literary phenomenon. Her bestselling novels captured the hearts of readers all over the world, and her husband/agent helped make her a star. Together with their young son, they were a family to envy. But when their son dies, the couple’s marriage falls apart and Mel leaves New York and buys a Victorian farmhouse in rural New England. For four years, she lives as a recluse, restoring the old house to its original glory, doing much of the work herself.

Hattie has spent the past eighteen years living as a nun and working as a nurse at a hospital in the Bronx. It is a lifestyle Mel has never been able to understand, and one which has kept the two sisters apart. When Hattie finally convinces Mel to let her visit, she sees how devastated her sister is and wants to do anything she can to support her and bring her back from the brink. The one thing she would like to do is find the daughter Mel was forced to give up when she was barely more than a child herself. Doing so will involve leaving the convent and making a trip across the pond to overturn every stone she can in search of the truth.

Finding Ashley is one of the best books I have read by Steel in recent years. While it tells the story of two sisters and the lengths we will go to for the people we love, it is also a novel that makes us examine our true motives, question our faith, and believe in the power of second chances. Steel digs deep on this one, and she reminds us that most of the time we only know part of the story, and why communication and hope are so important for every relationship. It also teaches us to give others grace, and to never jump to conclusions. In short, this is classic Steel.

One of the things that I have always enjoyed about Steel’s work is that she deftly blends fact and fiction. She touches on some very serious newsworthy topics and successfully uses them to propel her story. Also, her characters are so well drawn, readers will undoubtedly feel their hearts break as they watch these characters cling tenaciously to hope. The arc of these characters’ lives comes full circle by the end, and as such, Steel offers us a redemptive tale that encourages all of us to press ever onward, even in the darkest of times. Finding Ashley is a multifaceted novel that both entertains and inspires. Don’t miss it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s bestselling authors, with almost a billion copies of her novels sold.

Her many international bestsellers include The Affair, Neighbors, All That Glitters, Royal, Daddy’s Girls, The Wedding Dress, The Numbers Game, and other highly acclaimed novels.

She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Expect a Miracle, a book of her favorite quotations for inspiration and comfort; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children’s books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.

For more information, visit her website at DanielleSteel.com and her blog at DanielleSteel.net, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

FINDING ASHLEY
By Danielle Steel
288 pp. Delacorte Press. $28.99

Purchase Finding Ashley direct from Jathan & Heather Books or from one of these other fine online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Half Price Books, Hudson Booksellers, IndieBound, Powell’s, Target, or Walmart.