Without A Trace by
Danielle Steel
My rating:
0 of 5 stars
I almost gave up on this book after the first few chapters. But, I must admit that Ms. Steel does bitchy, money-grubbing wife really well, so I keep going. But, unfortunately, the story got increasingly ludicrous as it went on. I must that it took me a while to understand that while in America, the family would have had to wait a number of years for him to have been declared dead since there was no body and then they could split the estate. I was surprised at how fast everything works in France.
SPOILER ALERT>>>>>>>>>>
The gist of the story- The husband hates his job, quits his career is out of work for two years, and takes a loan from the money-grubbing wife's father. He finds another job and makes even more money but again hates his career and his employer. Then, one night as the money-grubber is having a party in their fancy chateau, he falls asleep at the wheel as he is coming home and drives off of a cliff into the ocean. Yep, you heard me. And get this-he lives and makes his way to a lovely little YOUNG french woman and makes love to her within several hours of her rescuing him.
Long story short-he feigns his death until one day, his hotties ex-husband breaks out of jail (yep, in there for murder) and makes his presence known to them. So the husband decides to return from the dead and make things right with his family and his finances *snort* so he can spend the rest of his life with his young hottie.
Now, what do you think the money-grubber will think about this? She already has issues with splitting his estate with their two children.
Well, the rest I will leave up to you to imagine. I've read about 80%, and while I'm still interested in how the greedy wife is going to take him to the cleaners during their divorce and just what is going to happen to the hottie and her escaped ex. But get it from the library if you can.
*ARC was supplied by the author, the publisher Delacorte Press, and NetGalley
View all my reviews
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, a powerful story about fighting for a chance at happiness—whatever the cost.
Charles Vincent seems to have it all—a beautiful wife, two successful children, and a well-paying career. Yet happiness remains out of reach. He is trapped in a loveless marriage and his job is simply a paycheck. But his life changes forever as he drives along the Normandy coast, heading to their lavish château for the weekend. In one terrifying moment, Charles falls asleep at the wheel and veers off the road, plunging thirty feet down the face of a rocky cliff.
Miraculously, Charles survives. After gathering the courage to climb to safety, he starts to walk—bruised, bloody, and desperate for help. In the dark of night, he happens upon a cabin where he meets the kind and beautiful Aude Saint-Martin. Their connection is instant, and as she nurses him back to health, Charles begins to discover the passion he’s been missing for so many years.
In the aftermath of the crash, Charles has a startling realization—he doesn’t have to go back. He could simply choose to disappear, to walk away from his old life. When his car is discovered, he’ll be presumed dead, washed away at sea. If he stays with Aude, he has a chance at a fuller, happier life he didn’t know was possible. It all seems too good to resist. But Aude has secrets of her own and before long their pasts catch up to them, threatening everything they have fought to build.
What would happen if you were given a chance to walk away from everything in your life and start over with a blank slate, and you had a split second to decide? In Without a Trace, Danielle Steel tells an irresistible story of the risks two people are willing to take in exchange for a second chance at the life they’ve always wanted
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