Neighbors : A Novel

Neighbors is the latest novel by Danielle Steel. It is a character driven story featuring Meredith White. I thought Neighbors was easy to read with a diverse cast of characters. Normally, I would object to so many characters in one book, but it works in this story. I did not find it hard to keep track of each one and their story. Meredith White was once a famous actress. Betrayal and a tragic accident changed the course of her life. Meredith retreated from the world with only two employees for company. She is estranged from her daughter which means she has not seen her only grandchild in about ten years. An earthquake changes Meredith's life for the better. She opens the gates on the grounds of her home and welcomes her neighbors inside. The story moved along at a good pace, but I did feel there was too much repetition. A domestic abuse situation is described in detail (terrible violence). We see how it affects those involved as well as their close friends. I did feel that this took over the second half of the book. I did like how the author handled the subject. Romance is not the dominant part of the book which I appreciated. Neighbors is a good book to read on a lazy afternoon or rainy day. Neighbors is a book of love, danger, secrets, and hope.