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katieg4's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
This is the first book I have read by Danielle Steel and with her being such a bestselling author I was expecting some truly great writing. However, I felt let down by this book. The characters all seemed superficial with no real depth, I did not have any sense of spark between the characters who became romantically involved, and the whole thing read like a YA novel. I am not sure if this book is indicative of this author's character and plot development, but if it is I will be hard-pressed to pick up another by her.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
alliskarathe's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
2.75
fine i did cry , tried several books by this author before and dnf'ed out of disinterest but art and audiobooks go well so i finished this quickly and it was fine , had enjoyable / interesting moments
nee223's review
3.0
This was a quick read. It was fine, a little predictable. I was a little disappointed in the writing. Seemed “amateurish”. Maybe that’s the writing style, it’s been years since I’ve read Danielle Steel.
mandylovestoread's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED Royal!
It has been a long time since I have read a Danielle Steel book and this was a beautiful, emotional story that I could not get enough of. I am not a Royalist but I do love Royal history (even if it is fictional) This is a historical fiction story, a genre that I have recently discovered and found that I love. It is a romance and it is a tragedy.
This book broke me so many times. I was in tears after just the first few chapters. And that was only the beginning. I was completely lost in the story and would have read it in one go if real life had not gotten in the way.
Set in World War 2 it is a grim and sad start. The King and Queen have decided to send their youngest daughter Charlotte to a farm in Yorkshire to escape the bombings in London. She does not want to go but soon finds a freedom that she is not accustomed to. The events in the country are the start of a series of events that will change history and come close to a Royal scandal.
It will make you laugh, cry and smile. It was a different time in so many ways, and being Royal and a woman wasn't easy. The women in this book are strong and not afraid to buck the system. I will definitely be reading more Danielle Steel books in the future.
Thank you MacMillian Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read.
It has been a long time since I have read a Danielle Steel book and this was a beautiful, emotional story that I could not get enough of. I am not a Royalist but I do love Royal history (even if it is fictional) This is a historical fiction story, a genre that I have recently discovered and found that I love. It is a romance and it is a tragedy.
This book broke me so many times. I was in tears after just the first few chapters. And that was only the beginning. I was completely lost in the story and would have read it in one go if real life had not gotten in the way.
Set in World War 2 it is a grim and sad start. The King and Queen have decided to send their youngest daughter Charlotte to a farm in Yorkshire to escape the bombings in London. She does not want to go but soon finds a freedom that she is not accustomed to. The events in the country are the start of a series of events that will change history and come close to a Royal scandal.
It will make you laugh, cry and smile. It was a different time in so many ways, and being Royal and a woman wasn't easy. The women in this book are strong and not afraid to buck the system. I will definitely be reading more Danielle Steel books in the future.
Thank you MacMillian Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read.
kimscapturedlife's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed the historical fiction and royal family story, but the overall book and style of writing seemed oddly passive. Like a description of a plot than a moving intriguing story line. But I loved Princess Annie as a character.
ravensandlace's review
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Title: Royal
Author: Danielle Steel
Genre: Romantic Historical Fiction
Format: library hardback
Star Rating: 3 stars
tw: bombing, sexism, teenage pregnancy, death, basically kidnapping, cancer, mentions of war
So this was an interesting book but it certainly wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read. It was completely unrealistic but it was a somewhat enjoyable ride. It was weird to read about a kidnapping where essentially everyone was cool with it. Most of the time, when you kidnap someone and then bring them back, people aren’t going to just let that go.
That’s what made the book so unrealistic. I’ve read about the current Royal family and the way Meghan Markle was treated so I know that the royals in this book, King Frederick and Queen Anne, wouldn’t have accepted Annie. Granted, I do not know how the King and Queen were during that time but I imagine not much would have changed in the however many years since World War II. But I suppose that is what makes for a good novel.
My biggest problem with this book was just the unrealism as I mentioned above. There was so much fluff. There were no real hardships that any of the characters truly had to face. There were death, war, and some broken relationships but honestly, the characters had it pretty easy. Or at least they reacted to everything with ease. I expected more grit, I guess. I wanted more angst. I wanted to see some struggle with Annie and how she would live her life with her two different families.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read despite my criticisms. I didn’t care for how unrealistic it was but it was a nice in-between book. I read it after reading a rather heavy Holocaust book, so it helped lighten my heart a little bit. But this wasn’t a bad book, just the middle of the road.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, Bullying, Grief, Cancer, Sexism, and Death
cooeeaus's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this novel. There have been other book written on similar plot lines but this didn't interfere with this novel and the story which unfolded. I love that the main character was very independent and focused on her dreams, unwilling to give away her dream for anyone.
elliejaiden's review
2.0
i loved the concept but the way it was written deeply disappointed me. it kept switching from past to present in paragraphs and kept talking about things we already solved.