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readingactually's review against another edition
3.0
I became immersed in the Isabelle McAvoy from the first chapter of this book. Isabelle , at a young age goes to a Paris gallery as an intern, catches the eye of semi-recluse/millionaire Putnam Armstrong and falls in love. That is where Isabelle's fate is sealed, Putnam unable to deal with people for more than a month at a time refuses to become a full time father when Isabelle becomes pregnant. Now here is where I might say ughhh what a jerk! No Putnam is a gentle loving soul and quickly became my favorite character. Life goes on and Isabelle and Theo ( the daughter of Putnam) visit once a year for a month because Putnam cannot deal with the outside world or people for more than a month!
Beautiful Isabelle meets a jerk/con artist and has another baby but quickly banishes him from their lives. Isabelle becomes independent and successful in her own right and I loved that she does not need a man in her life to manage her daughters a business and every day life.
When Isabelle meets the love of her life Declan and has another baby, Oona, I breathe a sigh of relief for her but once again life happens and Isabelle is alone again. There are a few more developments in Isabelle's life and a shocking secret that she has hidden form her daughters.
This book was a nice escape for me and I did enjoy the sweeping saga of Isabelle, her romantic life and her daughters. Was it 100% realistic, no but it was a very enjoyable book to read.
.This review was originally posted on Fictional Reviewer
Beautiful Isabelle meets a jerk/con artist and has another baby but quickly banishes him from their lives. Isabelle becomes independent and successful in her own right and I loved that she does not need a man in her life to manage her daughters a business and every day life.
When Isabelle meets the love of her life Declan and has another baby, Oona, I breathe a sigh of relief for her but once again life happens and Isabelle is alone again. There are a few more developments in Isabelle's life and a shocking secret that she has hidden form her daughters.
This book was a nice escape for me and I did enjoy the sweeping saga of Isabelle, her romantic life and her daughters. Was it 100% realistic, no but it was a very enjoyable book to read.
.This review was originally posted on Fictional Reviewer
sarahkjs's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
katieg2022's review against another edition
1.0
Really enjoyed this book for the first maybe quarter of the book, and then once it got to her giving birth to the 2nd child it just felt all horribly rushed with AWFUL writing. She gave birth and next thing you know she’s got another kid to birth and 3 fucking deaths all within a couple of pages. ??? I just really didn’t enjoy it ahhaha. Had so much potential too.
leanettascott82's review against another edition
5.0
You can’t go wrong when reading Danielle Steele. Her books are a work of art and there are always twists and turns around every corner. She really knows how to tug at your heart strings and make you empathize with the characters.
rsjohnson's review against another edition
3.0
Do you have a sweater in the back of your closet that you've had for a very long time? And when you put it on is just wraps you up in a warm, comfortable, hug? That's how I felt about reading this book!
I've read all of Danielle Steel's books and this one feels like some of her older titles in that the story has some depth and the characters are well developed. Even the protagonist felt familiar, without being a copy of some of her previous ones.
We follow Isabelle throughout her life, growing up motherless and then a mother of three herself. She's had her share of misfortune, but how has that changed her outlook on life?
I've had a few very stressful weeks and this book was a soothing balm to my soul. Whether you're a longtime fan or just discovering this author, I recommend this book!
I've read all of Danielle Steel's books and this one feels like some of her older titles in that the story has some depth and the characters are well developed. Even the protagonist felt familiar, without being a copy of some of her previous ones.
We follow Isabelle throughout her life, growing up motherless and then a mother of three herself. She's had her share of misfortune, but how has that changed her outlook on life?
I've had a few very stressful weeks and this book was a soothing balm to my soul. Whether you're a longtime fan or just discovering this author, I recommend this book!
kris113's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
samstillreading's review against another edition
4.0
Danielle Steel is an author I know I can rely on for several things. One, a happy ending. Two, a story that won’t demand every brain cell I own. Three, a story that will be entertaining. So when I’m really busy, I like to read her books to escape into someone else’s world.
Blessing in Disguise is a great story, full of emotion and drama. The only thing I would caution against is reading too much of the back cover blurb if you like to be surprised as it tells you about half the plot! Like many of Danielle’s other stories, the central character is a strong woman. Isabelle hasn’t had the easiest of lives but she has three wonderful daughters who are completely different from each other. That’s probably not too surprising as each have different fathers. But before you get your own ideas about Isabelle, the story takes you back in time to her early twenties to where it all began. A wealthy and reclusive businessman, a young woman in Paris and a chemistry that can’t be denied. From that moment on, Isabelle’s life is full of highs and dramatic lows. (Danielle Steel certainly knows how to kill her darlings and later resurrect them from the ashes). It doesn’t end as the girls grow up, with her daughters having their own dramas and Isabelle experiencing a change of events that has the potential to destroy her livelihood. But there is one more secret that she has to reveal…
That description all sounds rather cryptic, but Danielle Steel is a master in taking her characters to the extremes of feelings. When you think that she couldn’t possibly go there, she does. The characters are all redeemable despite their mistakes – as the title says, it could have been a blessing in disguise. It would have been easy to write Isabelle off as a woman who made the same mistake too many times, but each of her experiences with the father of her daughters was unique, heartfelt and full of meaning. Sometimes things don’t turn out as you expect and for poor Isabelle, that happened a number of times. Yet she persevered and built a successful career and happy life. The overall theme of the book is that there is a silver lining in all clouds and never to write off a character! (Who knows when circumstances may give them the chance to redeem themselves).
Dramatic but ultimately happy is how I would describe Blessing in Disguise. It’s a light read, and surprisingly it contains next to none references to Downton Abbey (I get the feeling this is Danielle Steel’s favourite show)! It’s a comforting and familiar which is one of the reasons why she endears herself to so many readers.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Blessing in Disguise is a great story, full of emotion and drama. The only thing I would caution against is reading too much of the back cover blurb if you like to be surprised as it tells you about half the plot! Like many of Danielle’s other stories, the central character is a strong woman. Isabelle hasn’t had the easiest of lives but she has three wonderful daughters who are completely different from each other. That’s probably not too surprising as each have different fathers. But before you get your own ideas about Isabelle, the story takes you back in time to her early twenties to where it all began. A wealthy and reclusive businessman, a young woman in Paris and a chemistry that can’t be denied. From that moment on, Isabelle’s life is full of highs and dramatic lows. (Danielle Steel certainly knows how to kill her darlings and later resurrect them from the ashes). It doesn’t end as the girls grow up, with her daughters having their own dramas and Isabelle experiencing a change of events that has the potential to destroy her livelihood. But there is one more secret that she has to reveal…
That description all sounds rather cryptic, but Danielle Steel is a master in taking her characters to the extremes of feelings. When you think that she couldn’t possibly go there, she does. The characters are all redeemable despite their mistakes – as the title says, it could have been a blessing in disguise. It would have been easy to write Isabelle off as a woman who made the same mistake too many times, but each of her experiences with the father of her daughters was unique, heartfelt and full of meaning. Sometimes things don’t turn out as you expect and for poor Isabelle, that happened a number of times. Yet she persevered and built a successful career and happy life. The overall theme of the book is that there is a silver lining in all clouds and never to write off a character! (Who knows when circumstances may give them the chance to redeem themselves).
Dramatic but ultimately happy is how I would describe Blessing in Disguise. It’s a light read, and surprisingly it contains next to none references to Downton Abbey (I get the feeling this is Danielle Steel’s favourite show)! It’s a comforting and familiar which is one of the reasons why she endears herself to so many readers.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
amanda10141980yahoocom's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved this! I felt so bad for the main character who had loss and after loss after loss. Danielle Steel has a way to grip me from beginning to end in every book.