Never Say Never

by Danielle Steel

Never Say Never, the story of a woman who finds her life turned upside down while living temporarily in the French countryside, is an enthralling testament to new beginnings from billion-copy bestselling author Danielle Steel.

Oona Kelly Webster is an editor at a prestigious New York publishing house. Married with two children, her twenty-five-year relationship falls apart when she books a silver wedding anniversary getaway at a luxurious château in France and her husband Charles suddenly drops a bombshell which will shatter her carefully built world.

Although devastated, Oona decides to travel to France without Charles, but soon after her arrival in the charming village of Milly-la-Forêt, the world comes to a standstill due to a terrifying pandemic and all travel is forbidden. Isolated and fearful, Oona then receives another shock when she discovers her job has been made redundant. The only thing which helps her to face the tragedy taking place across the world is that she can remain in France, where the beautiful surroundings and slower pace of life will slowly begin to heal her.

And when a chance encounter with her new neighbour, a well-known Hollywood actor who is also stranded far from home, blossoms into something deeper than friendship, Oona wrestles with the risks of opening her heart again― especially to a younger, very famous man who has two young children grieving for their mother.

With a second chance at happiness before her, Oona must be brave enough to stay open to even greater life changes at a time when the world is experiencing great fear and turmoil . . .

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Family, Contemporary, France, Novels

304 pages, Hardcover

Published January 2, 2025

About the author

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world's bestselling authors, with almost a billion copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include All That Glitters, Royal, Daddy's Girls, The Wedding Dress, The Numbers Game, Moral Compass, Spy, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina's life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Expect a Miracle, a book of her favorite quotations for inspiration and comfort; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children's books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.

Facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial
Instagram: @officialdaniellesteel

Reviews

[Emma Amador · Rating 1 out of 5]

I came across this book in Libby while waiting for another title to become available. I thought it looked okay and was fairly short, so I gave it a shot.

This book was a hot mess. There really is no plot, it just moves at its own pace. It reads like a bad soap opera. The beginning of this book had potential. Successful, rich, middle aged woman is going through a separation because her husband has left her for a younger male lover. Okay… I’m intrigued. But the 200 pages that followed were boring and stale.

The absolute worst part about this book was that it was about Covid, but the reader had no previous warning about it! No where in the overview or summary of this book does it mention it’s about Covid. The reader has to discover it when they are already well within this story. I don’t mind a story about the pandemic. I just read one that I gave 4.5 stars to. But I hate when it’s put in a book without warning. And this whole book seemed to be about Covid. Literally two characters (almost three) die from Covid during the span of this 250 page book. And then the author just glosses right over their deaths! It was an actual crazy train wreck.

I think the main theme in this book is the following: if you’re rich, big problems aren’t really that big of a deal.

1 🌟

[Lucielle Cervantes · Rating 2 out of 5]

This poor rich lady just has to spend the pandemic in a French chateau and fall in love with a movie star my deepest sympathies to her. I am also so confused why if she insists that race isn’t a factor then why is it brought up so much 🤔

[lorena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like all of her books. Lately are just kind of rushed. I loved her old classics like mixed blessings, messages from ñam, daddy. I always buy her books when they come out, but I have been unimpressed with most of her recent books. I did like that. This one touched a little on the pandemic, but it didn’t really go anywhere.

[Renata Annese · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartfelt and uplifting story that gently reminds us of the importance of second chances and living life to the fullest 💖🌱. Set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the story weaves together reflection, resilience, and emotional depth in a meaningful way.

While it touches on loss and uncertainty 😔, it ultimately leaves you feeling hopeful and inspired to take chances when life presents unexpected opportunities ✨. It’s a light yet meaningful read... perfect for those moments when you need comfort, encouragement, and a gentle reminder that it’s never too late to begin again 📖💫.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started out with a good story line/plot. And, then came the repetitions. SO many repetitions in this book. It seemed like a lot of "just fluff this up with filler nonsense." When it finally did become interesting, the book was over.

I seem to be in the minority being disappointed in this latest Danielle Steel book. Oh well. ;)

[Tabatha (tab.talks.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

* 4⭐️1🌶️
* A wonderfully written book about a family of four going through a huge change. Oonas husband Charles of 25 years recently told oona he is gay and moving to Argentina for 6 months with his new lover to try and figure out who he is and what he wants. They plan to discuss their marriage/divorce when he gets back. Their two kids both in their 20s are so taken back and lash out in their own ways against their father for pretty much up and ditching them. One problem is oona rented a house in France for a month to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Now with Charles not going, Oona decides she’s still going. She deserves to go on a ln already paid for vacation. Her kids are going to visit her for a week and try and enjoy themselves in light of everything. What she didn’t realize is a month is a long time away and the French backdrop is exactly what she needed to discover herself again and find love within loss.
* Beautifully written story that describes in detail what it is like when your whole world seems to be suddenly upended and the will to power on and be happy.
* This book does discuss the pandemic in not great ways. So if that is a trigger for you, you may want to skip this book.
* Life just kept throwing oona curve balls. During her time of self discovery in France she finds love, deals with loss and two new people join her life and fill it to the brim. Oh and there may be a dog in there too 😉

[Langleigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

This felt like a waste of a book until the last 50 pages. But also wasn’t this the second book? So what was the point of the 1st book if this book was going to derail everything from the original, making it all a pointless story?? This book was so boring until people started dying at the end, which is so terrible to say but there was basically no plot. The whole plot happened in like 50 pages but then just seamlessly resolved by the end? This was a boring, pointless book. I dislike this author, this is (I think) the third book of hers I’ve read and they’re just not that great unfortunately. 2/10

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been better written. Some misery too long and unnecessarily extended.

[paige (ptsungirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You don't always grow in the same direction as the person you live with."

[Alison · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the most out of touch books I’ve ever read. The writing was incredibly repetitive— saying the same vague sentiments repeatedly in adjacent paragraphs throughout the book. While the main character, a white woman who lived in Manhattan, was supposed to be a 46/47 year old woman, the way she spoke, thought, and acted was more like a 76/77 year old who was flummoxed by modern society. Her ability to articulate ideas about race MIGHT have been seen as acceptable in the 1990s. But even more galling was the fact that the racially-charged events of the summer of 2020 were never even hinted at in the book, despite the fact the author dwelt quite a bit on the inter-racial aspect of the main characters’ relationship in the summer of 2020-2021. To add insult to injury, while Covid plays prominently in the second half of the book, the author writes a couple times that “covid was the great equalizer”, clearly not recognizing that mortality rates for older people, people of color and those of lower socio-economic backgrounds were far higher. And this was known at the time.

[Kelsea Stout · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was dogshit. I’ve never read a worse book. How does she write so many? The most undescriptive book I’ve ever read. “They ate a delicious fish dinner” “beautiful historic art” with no follow up descriptions. I hate read this entire thing. Will never read DS again.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to wonder about values portrayed in this novel. It annoyed me that the man who realized he was gay and left his self-sufficient wife and grown children to be with the man he was in love with was considered selfish, which was reiterated ad nauseum. He was selfish for carrying on an affair for a year first, but leaving a marriage when you are no longer in love with someone is hardly a crime. He does show himself to be selfish much later in the novel, but the emphasis on his selfishness due to leaving is premature. Meanwhile, the movie star who lives separately from his wife and very young children to pursue acting in LA rather than live in the same country was lauded for following his bliss. He then leaves them with a nanny around the clock after their mother recently died, so he can work on a quarantined set. Why does the author not consider it more selfish to leave your children behind when they are still little for a job, than it is to move on from a marriage and grown children?

Not to mention the back story of the chateau being built for a teenage mistress of a king being portrayed as a great love story rather than as an inappropriate relationship.

Then the main character is devastated when her 25 year old son gets married to his 27 year old girlfriend because he is "absurdly young".

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steel’s latest book has the Covid pandemic in it. It also includes a husband who comes out as gay after 25 years of marriage, and an interracial relationship. All of that in less than 250 pages!

[Kelly Vlasaty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had I never read Danielle Steel before, I would have thought this was her first book. It was very choppy, had repeated sentences and ideas and just overall poorly written. It felt very rushed and like it was not edited or proofread. I have yet to not finish a book but this came very close. I ended up just skimming the last few chapters just to get through it.

[Bianca Braithwaite · Rating 3 out of 5]

My biggest peeve…..Covid features largely in the book. Having just left the pandemic behind, I disliked reading about it. Had I known up front, I would not have picked it up.

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is basically the same story as Resurrection. Woman goes to France after husband is cheating/leaves. Gets stuck during the pandemic. It also felt like some of the views in the book were a little outdated and unnecessary especially for two people living in big cities. Also, it's not Euro Disney anymore. It's Disneyland Paris. It's a dumb complaint but you would think and editor or someone would research and get it right, but this goes to the outdated views.

It seems a lot of her latest books are in France. I think she was stuck there during the pandemic so makes sense.

I'm not sure why I keep reading these. I guess because they are quick, easy and light. Doesn't get too deep.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first novel I read by Danielle Steele. While the storyline was good, the execution seemed off. The POV changed often and even third person. It was just a different writing style than I’m used to.

[Annie Monk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too political

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never Say Never by Danielle Steel delivers the emotional depth and familiar drama her readers have come to expect. Set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the novel adds a layer of urgency and isolation that deepens its central themes. Steel skillfully explores the unraveling of a marriage during lockdown, where betrayal hits harder in close quarters and the longing between a mother and her children is intensified by quarantine restrictions. Though the narrative follows a path Steel’s audience will recognize, the pandemic setting breathes fresh tension and relevance into the story. It's a poignant reminder of how personal relationships were tested during a global crisis—and how resilience can still shine through.

[Amy Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings. Nothing stood out to me to say I loved it, but nothing I absolutely disliked. I felt there was too much focus and details on COVID, a topic we all lived through and an event that I personally am very, very over. I enjoyed the characters and their connections and growth, and wish there was more focus on these topics, and the beautiful location, and just less COVID discussion.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lame. Disappointing. Definitely not Danielle Steel’s best work. Using the pandemic as yet another arc in her book is cheap. I read resurrection last and it had the exact same subject. Move on. I read fiction to get away from life’s bad news. Not to be immersed in trite cliches. Used to be my favorite author. Will be very careful with any future book choices of hers. Would not recommend.

[Anita C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meh

I find Danielle’s writing overly simplistic, as if she is writing for middle schoolers. She repeats the same ideas or character statements over and over. I liked the characters, the setting in France, but I got frustrated with Oona (the main character) and all her dithering. Happy ending.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hum ho, ho hum. I’ve read DS for 30 years but this one was like an afterthought.
I’m tired of pandemic books.
Oona was like a bump on a log, just going along never really showing any gumption even toward Charles the worm.
The best part of the book was the story behind the chateau and the little dog Flo.

[Karen Lietz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure I care how Danielle Steele writes. It was an easy read and wholesome story, but there was a lot of redundancy. I also didn’t care for how much covid played a role in the book. She really stressed race not being an issue in the relationship, yet it was brought up so much

[Lisa Terry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please stop writing about the Covid pandemic, for the love!!

[Dustybookjackets · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

“Never Say Never” boldly examines the chaos that ensues when everything collapses: job, relationship, and even a seemingly solid marriage. Set against the backdrop of a pandemic in France, two Americans—one a book editor from New York and the other a renowned film star from LA—cross paths despite their vastly different lives. As a marriage disintegrates in a devastating manner and a long-term job is lost, both grapple with a profound crisis of faith. Yet, in the midst of this turmoil, these two strangers discover each other and confront the daunting task of rebuilding their lives. We’ve all endured moments when it feels like everything is falling apart and we’re left to reckon with our losses. This compelling narrative illustrates how, sometimes, you have to start anew with someone unexpected.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had promise with a cute premise (think under the Tuscan sun but in France). I thought it was going to be similar to my typical “beach reads” but it ended up focusing on Covid, on her husband who leaves her for a man, and her love for a movie star while they praised the love a king had for his mistress?? For a pretty short book, there were parts that went on and on and on about the same issue. I swear I read the same sentence three times but written in different ways. And I found a typo which is a pet peeve because it was clearly rushed to print. The town in France sounded very charming so I’ll give that 2 stars!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oona Webster's life spirals out of control when her husband leaves Oona for another relationship. While dealing with his betrayal, the publishing imprint she prided herself on heading closes. Oona flees to France to utilize the anniversary vacation she planned before her marriage fell apart.

Picking up the pieces of her life, COVID shuts down the world and she's forced to figure out a new path. While she never thought of France as home, the world proves that 'Never Say Never' in this era.

[Ericca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn’t read a Danielle Steel book in probably 30 years, saw this one available to listen to in Libby, & thought why not? While the book was entertaining enough, the writing really was super shallow & one note. I liked the beginning of the book, & the main premise, but really, it ended up being pretty boring & super predictable. Oh well, it was fun to read an author that I loved back in the 80’s.
(It took me so long because I ran out of time on my Libby copy & had to wait weeks & weeks & weeks for it to become available again!)

[Heather Warning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining but underwhelming. The premise (husband leaves wife for a man after 25 years!) had potential, but the execution fell flat. Too many scenes felt undescriptive, the internal monologues dragged, and the Emily in Paris level of wish fulfilment made it hard to take seriously. The rushed ending didn’t help. Steel’s writing just didn’t click for me, it lacked depth and spark.