Book Review: Against All Odds by Danielle Steel

Title: Against All Odds

Author: Danielle Steel

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Review

Danielle Steel’s latest offering is about a widowed mother of four – Kate Madison. She is a successful woman in life in spite of all the odds stacked against her. She has raised four lovely children — Isabelle, Julie, Justin, and Willie — all on her own and now they are old enough to embark on their life’s journey alone. In the course of time each of her four children commits an act, against all odds no doubt, that will define their lives forever.

Isabelle potentially puts her career as an attorney on the line for a love she thinks she can make work. Julie makes a shocking decision to quickly marry a man who seems too good to be true. Justin pushes his partner to take an enormous step that, as a couple, they may or may not be ready to handle. Meanwhile, in choosing a much older woman, Willie makes a choice that shocks everyone. Finally, standing at the sidelines is Kate herself who learns that she can’t protect the children she loves from the choices they make — but can only love them as they make them.

It is easy to relate to the problems that the four encounter on their way to finding that one person who would make life worthwhile. Even Kate’s character is moulded in a way that is familiar on so many levels. Every aspect in the novel will hit home for a lot of people.

Here is a novel graced with the marvellous ingredients that have made Danielle Steel so enormously popular: finely etched characters; an exquisite understanding of love, power and personal resolve; and a compelling tale about that singular breed of woman who boldly shapes her own world. Set amid the glittering world of haute couture and a modern everyday life, this triumphant and moving story promises to touch the hearts of all who read it, striking chords of recognition in their own lives.

‘Against All Odds’ is a delightfully sprawling drama with characters in all their cocooning warmth.

Buy Link

Amazon

About the Author

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world's most popular authors, with over 650 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Property of a Noblewoman, Blue, Precious Gifts, Undercover, Country, Prodigal Son, Pegasus, A Perfect Life, 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 and the children's books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood. Danielle is famous for her powerfully emotional and inspirational stories about family, life and love. Her novels will be enjoyed by readers of Jodi Picoult, Penny Vincenzi and Diane Chamberlain.

I'd like to thank the author for letting me review the book. I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading! 

* I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

** Picture courtesy: Amazon.in 

Promo Post: Breathing Two Worlds by Ruchira Khanna

About the Book:

Neena Arya, a Delhi-born goes abroad for further studies and decides to settle down there. Determined to be a 'somebody' from a 'nobody' she blends with the Americans via the accent and their mannerisms while having a live-in relationship with her European boyfriend, Adan Somoza.

When illness hits home, Neena rushes to meet her ailing dad. Tragedy strikes and amidst the mingling with relatives and friends, she finds herself suffocated with the two different cultures that she has been breathing since she moved to the United States. How will she strike a balance between both the cultures as she continues to support her widowed mother? Will she be able to do justice to her personal and professional life after the loss?

Amidst the adjusting she bonds with an ally and learns about ties beyond blood. On what grounds will she be able to form an invisible thread that she has longed for since childhood?

Breathing Two Worlds ventures into cultures and ethnicity allowing Neena to ponder upon her foundation and priorities.

Available on Amazon

Excerpt:

"Oh!" the Mom answered, but could not contain her curiosity with one hand holding the hyper toddler and the other on her hip she could not resist, "You two don't look like brother-sister, hmmm. So, what is your relationship?" she inquired with a slight smile in a soft voice but without any inhibition. A handful of seniors sitting in the same room observed all the drama and nodded to each other while their fingers were moving on the Tulsi neck beads.

Neena rolled her eyes and thought to herself, "Jeez! We Indians are always darn inquisitive."

Nikhil immediately got up and started walking towards the dining area. This was happening to them for the umpteenth time, and he was now tired of clarifying things. He had lived in this country for half a decade now and still he could never understand the fascination Indians had for marriage and children. 

Neena was confused at first because it was unlike Nikhil to be so rude. On the contrary, sometimes Neena referred to him on lessons in patience but today it was different. But then she didn’t have a choice; she felt it was rude to walk away from the young mother leaving the conversation unanswered. Moreover given Indian mentality in all possibility, she might even follow them till she had a convincing answer to her question. 

About the Author:

Ruchira Khanna, a biochemist turned writer, left her homeland of India to study in America, where she obtained her Master’s degree in Biochemistry from SJSU and a degree in Technical Writing from UC Berkeley.

After finishing her studies, Ruchira worked as a biochemist at a Silicon Valley startup for five years. After the birth of her son, Ruchira took a job as a technical writer, so that she could work from home. Soon, she began doing freelance writing work as well.

Her love of writing grew and she started working on her own books. After four years of freelancing, Ruchira published her first book, a fiction novel for adults called Choices.

Then came the children’s book The Adventures of Alex and Angelo: The Mystery of the Missing Iguana. She got a thumb’s up review from Kirkus Reviews.

In January 2016, she has published her second fictional novel Voyagers into the Unknown. It talks about the quest for happiness as the heavy hearted tourists travel miles from different parts of the world to Raj Touristry in Agra, India. Return to their respective home with a healed heart. This book talks about their journey!

In Breathing Two Worlds, Ruchira talks about ethnicity and cultures, and helps to strike a balance via a fiction-drama novel as her characters breathe two worlds.

In addition to writing books, she is a holistic healer associated with Stanford Healing Partners and also maintains a blog of daily mantras on Blogspot, called Abracabadra. Ruchira currently resides in California with her family.

Find her on: WebsiteBlog

Cover Reveal: Against All Odds by Danielle Steel

First look at "Against All Odds"

A new title from the biggest-selling living fiction writer in the world, written straight from the heart.

Taking chances is part of life, but when you bet your future against the odds, it’s a high-risk game …

Blurb

Kate Madison's stylish second-hand clothing shop has been a big success in New York, supporting her and her four kids since her husband's untimely death. Now her children have grown up and are ready to forge lives of their own. They all choose to play against the odds, much to their mother's dismay . . .

Isabelle, a dedicated attorney, is in line to make partner at her Wall Street firm, when she falls for a client she represents in a criminal case. She tells herself she can make a life with him - but can she? Julie, a young designer, meets a man who seems too good to be true and falls under his spell. She marries him quickly, gives up her job, moves to LA to be at his side, ignoring the danger signs. Is all what it seems? Justin is a struggling writer who pushes for children with his partner before they're financially or emotionally ready. Will the strain on the relationship take too high a toll? Willie, the youngest, a tech expert, makes a choice that shocks them all, with a woman fifteen years older . . .

Kate - loving, supportive and outspoken - can't keep her children from playing against the odds. Can the odds be beaten? No matter how much she loves him, in the end, the risks are their own and the hardest lesson as a mother is that she can't protect them from the choices they make.

About the Author

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world's most popular authors, with nearly a billion copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Property of a Noblewoman, Blue, Precious Gifts, Undercover, Country, Prodigal Son, Pegasus, A Perfect Life, 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;and the children's books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.