Wartime Paris is fraught with stress and fear, and a family is ripped apart by tragedy in this 1987 bestselling novel. Megan, Alexandra, and Hilary are three suddenly orphaned sisters who are cruelly separated after their parents pass away. Each sister beginsa new life.

Joachim von Hartmann was born and raised in Buenos Aires by his loving German mother, Liese, along with his identical twin. But when Joachim moves to Paris with Liese in his late teens, his twin enters a dark world and refuses to leave his beloved Argentina. Joachim begins training to be a butler, fascinated by the meticulous precision and intense demands it involves, and goes on to work in some of the grandest homes in England. When darkness takes over Javier's life, the brothers are distanced not only by location but in life decisions.. Struggling to make piece with his brother's defection, Joachim forges a new life for himself. Becoming a butler, he helps others clean up their lives not realizing that he's glossing over his own sadness. Thank you to #NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the early edition of #TheButler in exchange for an honest review. From the first chapter, I knew this would differ from Steel's historical fiction or romance titles. I didn't have a clear direction of where the story was headed until Joachim commenced working with Olivia, Readers will delight in their friendship and fortitude by overcoming obstacles.

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Born Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel, the romance writer,is one of the bestselling authors alive today, selling more than 800 million copies of her books. The prolificauthor has written nearly 200 books and is known for working on many projects—from romance novels to children’s books to non-fiction works—at the same time.

In Danielle Steel's novel, "The Butler," the protagonist is a male named Joachim. Joachim and his twin brother, Javier, have led separate lives since adulthood. Joachim is characterized as sensitive, empathetic, and deeply attached to their mother, particularly due to their shared past. He feels a strong sense of protectiveness towards her. On the other hand, Javier has always been the more difficult and rebellious of the two, choosing a life vastly different from Joachim's. Steel's storytelling prowess shines through in "The Butler," as she weaves together a compelling narrative filled with emotional depth and gripping suspense. The novel explores the power of friendship, the resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. Peter McDowell has always had a deep-seated animosity toward his sibling Michael. The two brothers differed dramatically despite being identical twins and growing up in the same family and community. Such differences inevitably turned them into enemies and drove them apart. Steel’s familiar writing style and descriptive character evolution will keep you engaged from start to finish, whether you’re craving a touching memoir, a hope-fueled romance novel, or an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Be sure to add the ten books above to your must-read list the next time you’re craving an escape from the daily grind. Want to read more romance books? Discover our list of best gay romance novels. How I Chose the Best Danielle Steel BooksThe initial premise of The Butler was intriguing and I was interested to see where this novel would go direction wise. Those who are fans of Danielle Steel will know that the author loves the cult television series Downton Abbey and France. Steel combines both these elements in her novel and she includes a focus on the wealthy, which is another of the author’s common narrative threads. The Butler looks at a family who take a tumble from the upper class due to an unexpected revelation. I enjoyed the way in which the war crime element involving the lead’s grandfather played out in this book. I actually would have loved more air time on this component of the novel as I found it fascinating. Likewise, I found Liese to be a very absorbing character with a compelling profession. I devoured the sections involving Liese’s art work and her dedication to recovering stolen paintings from the war. Steel presents a very intriguing subject area in minimal form only. I would have liked a stronger exploration of this highly engaging subject line.

Danielle Steel is a master at developing deep and realistic characters and this book does not disappoint. Joachim and his mother are such loving characters, and so is Olivia. I’ll admit there is a bit of an info dump in the beginning of this book, but it’s worth it to plow through it, as the story is so very good. I just loved Joachim, his relationship with his mother and then his relationship with Olivia, it all seemed so real, and true. The Butler is an extraordinary tale of family, difficult decisions and destiny, from the world's favourite storyteller, Danielle Steel.American author Danielle Steel is loved around the world for her romance novels. The Butler is Steel’s most recent contemporary romance release. A story of family, wealth, secrets, betrayal, loss, trauma, estrangement, employment, friendship and love, The Butler is an engaging read, ideal for fans of the bestselling author. With some predictable elements and plot turns, The Butler takes an additional focus on Joachim’s twin brother Javier. Javier’s disappearance and possible death contributes to a valued level of suspense in this contemporary romance tale. Steel uses this aspect of her novel to explore the drugs trade and Argentina’s dark underworld. This was another alternative storyline focus for Danielle Steel. It was good to see Danielle Steel branch further afield with some elements of her new novel.