Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
As excellent and well known Danielle Steel is as an author, in my opinion her latest novel "The Whittiers" is not one of her best works. The main idea of the book was ambitious but not all that well developed. To summarize, the story follows a total of six siblings and their various storylines in the aftermath of a tragedy (respectfully, I won't divulge the details any further than this for those who decide to read the book). The entire purpose of the book seemed to have a political agenda to it, but not enough to convince the reader or get the reader to fall in love with the characters. If I had to rate it out of five stars, I would give it one. Preston and Constance Whittier have built a happy life together, with a brood of six children raised in a beautiful historic Manhattan mansion. Now, with a nearly empty nest, it’s easier than ever for the Whittiers to maintain their tradition of a solo romantic “Wintermoon” ski trip. bookcommunity #bookobsessed #bookstagram #goodreads #goodreadschallenge2022 #ilovebooks #booknerdigans #currentlyreading #library There may be some spoilers but it's not like anything substantial happens in this book so whatever:
I don't know what to say about this book except that it made me feel good and that all is NOT wrong with the world. It's not accurate to real life, but it is great escapism. Their mother, Connie, had inherited a small amount from her aristocratic parents and grandparents, but their fortune had never equaled Preston’s, and what she’d inherited had dwindled to very little over the years. But Preston supported them well. In every family, each member has their own personal struggles. The Whittiers are no exception. Lyle is successful but has an unhappy marriage. Gloria is a genius on Wall Street but lonely. Twins Caroline and Charlie work all hours on their growing fashion brand, but have no time to enjoy life. Benjie has personal challenges and requires additional support. And rebellious Annabelle has fallen in with a bad crowd. I enjoyed this story and liked the characters very much. All five children are strong characters with their own issues and problems. I loved the way all the children came together and eventually helped each other out.Each face challenges, come together and follow a journey of self discovery while dealing with grief. As with many of Steel's novels, "The Whittiers" revolves around characters who are wealthy and live charming lives. However, what sets this book apart is its focus on family dynamics and the unexpected challenges they face. The Whittier siblings find themselves divided on how to handle major family issues, but their love and loyalty to one another shine through, making this a heartwarming story. Everything is explained at least 4 times. In case you didn't know Gloria is 39. And yes, the sister Gloria who is 39, is also 39. Oh and then entered Gloria, the sister, aged 39. That's pretty much the first half of the book. There were 6 siblings after all, lots of ground to cover. As a fan of Danielle Steel for many years, I am always amazed by her deep and emotional writing style. The Whittiers is another example of Steel's ability to connect with the human spirit. Full of depth and heart-touching moments, the book reached down and touched my soul.
Connie gave up her job to raise the children they planned to have. Eventually Preston became the publisher, and held the job for the rest of his career. Now seventy-five, he had been retired for ten years. They loved having more time to spend together. He had enjoyed a distinguished career, and they had similar interests. They never tired of being together, and there was still a spark of romance between them, which grew into a steady blaze during their Wintermoons in Europe. A large family drama, New York, an autistic sibling and dogs. What else do you need to create a great character read? It was not a deep read and was wildly predictable but I still enjoyed this. I feel sometimes you just need a lighter read and this fit the bill perfectly. Listened to this by Audiobook. I am not a DS diehard fan but the premises of this book interested me enough to give it a listen and it was highly rated on Goodreads.Danielle Steel delivers a homey and happy story - perfect for Thanksgiving season. If you love Danielle Steel, a complicated family, or just a feel - good story, The Whittiers is for you! #TheWhittiers. Now the children must come together and be there for each other while dealing with their own personal demons.
The Whittiers by Danielle Steel is a sweeping family drama that follows a tight-knit family after the death of their parents. I do believe this author has potential, because something about the writing seemed like it could be interesting, I just wish there was an interesting plot as well. I see the author has written a ton of books maybe that's the problem I don't know. The Whittiers is a heartwarming story about the importance of family, home and being true to yourself, from the world’s favourite storyteller, Danielle Steel. Yes, yes, yes finally a positive novel by the legendary Danielle Steel. It’s not a story of a woman losing everything, a victim of a terribly abusive man, overcoming odds, yet their wealthy and beautiful throughout.In every family, each member has their own personal struggles. The Whittiers are no exception. Lyle is successful but has an unhappy marriage. Gloria is a genius on Wall Street, but lonely. Twins Caroline and Charlie work all hours on their growing fashion brand, but have no time to enjoy life and discover who they really are. Benji has personal challenges, and requires additional support from his home environment. And Annabelle, the baby of the family, is a rebellious teenager who falls in with a bad crowd. However, I found the story a bit predictable. I know that romances can be predictable, but for some reason, I found that this book was very predictable, almost as if I’d read it before. But, I still enjoyed the book, as the characters were very compelling. I enjoy romances so I like that many of the siblings find love during the course of the story. There is representation as one of the siblings comes out to the family. Something they couldn’t do while the father was alive. One brother is on the high end of the autistic spectrum and needs extra attention and care. It helps that everyone in the family is likable. Even the oldest sister who has some harsh things to say to the the youngest. The oldest son is going through a divorce so his wife is the only villain in the story.
Brothers and sisters Lyle, Gloria, Benjie, Annabelle. and twins Caroline and Charlie, are all at different stages of life personally and professionally. I was captured by the way they faced their individual situations while dealing with moving forward as a united family in the midst of anguish. I appreciated this touching and emotional look at family dynamics, grief, and sibling bonds written in Steel's special style.
The eldest four are forced to put aside their personal issues and their grief to keep the family together and support each other and their two youngest siblings. Selling the house, along with all the memories that live in its walls, feels like yet another devastating loss. Could there be another way, as unconventional as it seems? Connie and Preston Whittier raised their six children in a once-grand Manhattan mansion. The children are now adults, but the house remains the heart of the family and somewhere they all love to return to, particularly in times of stress. But on Connie and Peter’s annual skiing holiday in Europe, an avalanche hits their resort, resulting in tragedy. Many thanks to Delacorte Press | Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read The Whittiers in advance of its publication. This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own. Three weeks after Christmas every year, Preston and Constance Whittier left their home in New York and took a vacation. When the children were younger, their beloved German housekeeper, Frieda, and one of a revolving door of nannies would take care of their six children. They would come home energized and refreshed after a romantic two- or three-week interlude alone. They both loved to ski, and a favorite spot for their holiday was one of the Three Valleys in the French Alps. They went to Courchevel, Val-d’Isère, or Megève in France, Zermatt and Saint Moritz in Switzerland. Occasionally they skied in Aspen or Vail in Colorado, but with their kids grown, they preferred to take their annual child-free vacation in Europe rather than in the States.
Great Deal 
New Comment