What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ghost
With a wife he loves and an exciting London-based career, architect Charles Waterston's life seems in perfect balance. Nothing in his comfortable existence prepares him for the sudden end to his ten-year marriage—or his unwanted transfer to his firm's New York office. With nothing left to lose, Charlie takes a leave of absence from his job to drive through New England, hoping to make peace with himself.
Christmas is approaching when Charlie leaves New York, heading to Vermont to ski. But a sudden, blinding snowstorm strands him in a small Massachusetts town. There, as if by chance, Charlie meets an elderly widow who offers to rent him her most precious possession: a remote, exquisite lakeside chateau. Hidden deep in the woods, it once belonged to a woman who lived and died there two centuries before. Her name was Sarah Ferguson. And from the moment Charlie sets foot inside the chateau's graceful depths, he feels her presence, and longs to know more about the life she led.
It is Christmas Eve when Charlie first glimpses her, a beautiful young woman with jet black hair. He thinks it is a neighbor playing a joke on him, until he finds her diaries hidden away in an old trunk. As he begins to turn the brittle, dusty pages, Sarah Ferguson comes alive. Intrigued and unafraid, Charlie immerses himself in the diaries, eager to learn more about the woman for whom the house was built. Sarah's first entry is dated 1789, the year she arrived in America. Without self-pity or sentiment, she writes of her harrowing journey from her native England, having fled the brutality of her aristocratic husband. Settling in Massachusetts, Sarah finds an unfamiliar land seething with the turbulence of the Indian wars. Determined to start a new life in the vast new world, Sarah finds freedom—and danger—as she builds her home in the wilderness and meets a man who will transform her life. His name is François de Pellerin, a French nobleman adopted by Indians and drawn into the battle for the growing nation. Their fateful union is a testament to a love so powerful it reaches across the centuries. And for Charlie Waterston, caught between Sarah's world and his own, their story is a gift—one that gives him the courage to let go of his past, and the freedom to grasp a future that is right before his eyes.
Christmas is approaching when Charlie leaves New York, heading to Vermont to ski. But a sudden, blinding snowstorm strands him in a small Massachusetts town. There, as if by chance, Charlie meets an elderly widow who offers to rent him her most precious possession: a remote, exquisite lakeside chateau. Hidden deep in the woods, it once belonged to a woman who lived and died there two centuries before. Her name was Sarah Ferguson. And from the moment Charlie sets foot inside the chateau's graceful depths, he feels her presence, and longs to know more about the life she led.
It is Christmas Eve when Charlie first glimpses her, a beautiful young woman with jet black hair. He thinks it is a neighbor playing a joke on him, until he finds her diaries hidden away in an old trunk. As he begins to turn the brittle, dusty pages, Sarah Ferguson comes alive. Intrigued and unafraid, Charlie immerses himself in the diaries, eager to learn more about the woman for whom the house was built. Sarah's first entry is dated 1789, the year she arrived in America. Without self-pity or sentiment, she writes of her harrowing journey from her native England, having fled the brutality of her aristocratic husband. Settling in Massachusetts, Sarah finds an unfamiliar land seething with the turbulence of the Indian wars. Determined to start a new life in the vast new world, Sarah finds freedom—and danger—as she builds her home in the wilderness and meets a man who will transform her life. His name is François de Pellerin, a French nobleman adopted by Indians and drawn into the battle for the growing nation. Their fateful union is a testament to a love so powerful it reaches across the centuries. And for Charlie Waterston, caught between Sarah's world and his own, their story is a gift—one that gives him the courage to let go of his past, and the freedom to grasp a future that is right before his eyes.
Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 1997
535 people are currently reading
3978 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Steel
917 books16.9k followersDanielle 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
Facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial
Instagram: @officialdaniellesteel
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 574 reviews
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1626057011i%2F10717098._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 31, 2025
RATING 4.5 STARS
The Ghost is a stand alone romance by Danielle Steel. I read this as part of my personal challenge to read one of my paperbacks off my shelf per month. This was originally written in 1997. I’ve had the paperback which I picked up at a book sale for probably twenty years. This completely took me by surprise. It’s actually two romances in one. You get the current couple, and through a set of journals, you also get the story of the woman the house was originally built for in the late 1700’s. I’m getting ahead of myself so let me explain.
Charlie Waterston is forty two years old and is a successful architect in London. He’s been married for nearly ten years and thought it was a happy marriage. Until his wife informed him she was in love with someone else and wanted a divorce. Charlie’s world is turned upside down. He still loves his wife and is having trouble accepting everything. At the same time, his company is transferring him back to their New York office.
Once in New York, the new office is not what he expected, and he is very unhappy there. So he took a leave of absence and traveled up the coast, ending up in the tiny town of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. A snow storm forces him to stop at a quaint B&B where he meets the elderly owner. As they become friends, she agrees to rent him her beloved chateau hidden in the woods, a place that holds deep meaning for her. Charlie feels it immediately, the presence of the woman the beautiful home was originally built for, and he knows he is home.
Charlie is still struggling with his divorce when he finds a set of journals written by Sarah Ferguson, the woman who lived in his home two centuries ago. It tells of her flight from England, crossing the ocean and coming to a new land, alone, and starting a new life, where she would eventually meet the love of her life. It is through these journals that Charlie gains the strength to face his own new life. And gives him the courage to open his heart when he meets someone new, a woman who is also facing her own demons.
As I read this, I first felt so much for Charlie and what his soon to be ex wife was doing to him. When he discovered and began to read the journals, I found myself grabbing this book whenever I had a few extra minutes to see what happened next in Sara Ferguson’s life. I was spellbound. Now that I’ve finished, I’m a bit of an emotional wreck! This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. There is a questionable use of the word, “and” throughout the story that bothered me a bit but I’m chalking that up to the fact that this is nearly thirty years old. This is a story of courage, strength, healing and love, both in the present day, and two hundred years ago. It’s a beautiful story that I won’t soon forget.
The Ghost is a stand alone romance by Danielle Steel. I read this as part of my personal challenge to read one of my paperbacks off my shelf per month. This was originally written in 1997. I’ve had the paperback which I picked up at a book sale for probably twenty years. This completely took me by surprise. It’s actually two romances in one. You get the current couple, and through a set of journals, you also get the story of the woman the house was originally built for in the late 1700’s. I’m getting ahead of myself so let me explain.
Charlie Waterston is forty two years old and is a successful architect in London. He’s been married for nearly ten years and thought it was a happy marriage. Until his wife informed him she was in love with someone else and wanted a divorce. Charlie’s world is turned upside down. He still loves his wife and is having trouble accepting everything. At the same time, his company is transferring him back to their New York office.
Once in New York, the new office is not what he expected, and he is very unhappy there. So he took a leave of absence and traveled up the coast, ending up in the tiny town of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. A snow storm forces him to stop at a quaint B&B where he meets the elderly owner. As they become friends, she agrees to rent him her beloved chateau hidden in the woods, a place that holds deep meaning for her. Charlie feels it immediately, the presence of the woman the beautiful home was originally built for, and he knows he is home.
Charlie is still struggling with his divorce when he finds a set of journals written by Sarah Ferguson, the woman who lived in his home two centuries ago. It tells of her flight from England, crossing the ocean and coming to a new land, alone, and starting a new life, where she would eventually meet the love of her life. It is through these journals that Charlie gains the strength to face his own new life. And gives him the courage to open his heart when he meets someone new, a woman who is also facing her own demons.
As I read this, I first felt so much for Charlie and what his soon to be ex wife was doing to him. When he discovered and began to read the journals, I found myself grabbing this book whenever I had a few extra minutes to see what happened next in Sara Ferguson’s life. I was spellbound. Now that I’ve finished, I’m a bit of an emotional wreck! This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. There is a questionable use of the word, “and” throughout the story that bothered me a bit but I’m chalking that up to the fact that this is nearly thirty years old. This is a story of courage, strength, healing and love, both in the present day, and two hundred years ago. It’s a beautiful story that I won’t soon forget.
September 8, 2016
This book was terrible. If it wasn't for my inability to not finish a book I would have thrown it out of the window. None of the characters were well developed, they whined constantly and the repetitiveness. Oh my god the repetitiveness!
On page 300 I do not need to be told that the mc is upset because his wife left him - I learned that on page 1. There was nothing left to common sense or the imagination. I don't like it when a writer treats me like I have the attention span of a gnat.
Someone told me that this was the best Danielle Steele book. If this is the best, I don't even want to think about what the other books are like!
On page 300 I do not need to be told that the mc is upset because his wife left him - I learned that on page 1. There was nothing left to common sense or the imagination. I don't like it when a writer treats me like I have the attention span of a gnat.
Someone told me that this was the best Danielle Steele book. If this is the best, I don't even want to think about what the other books are like!
November 2, 2014
This book was recommended to me by my Grandmother and is the first book I ever read by Danielle Steel. I have to thank my Grandmother when I see her again for recommending such an excellent book.
Everything in this book is to my delight, exactly as I would have written it. I've always pondered what I would do if I found some deceased persons diary from a century or more ago. I would read it thoroughly, then probably just lock it away somewhere.
This book brought to my attention, some of my interests I have now thanks to this book. Thank you Danielle Steel, for writing this amazing book.
Everything in this book is to my delight, exactly as I would have written it. I've always pondered what I would do if I found some deceased persons diary from a century or more ago. I would read it thoroughly, then probably just lock it away somewhere.
This book brought to my attention, some of my interests I have now thanks to this book. Thank you Danielle Steel, for writing this amazing book.
September 22, 2010
Danielle Steel's The Ghost is a fairly typical romance story: a dissolved marriage makes our hero feel like he'll never love again, like his life has fallen apart, until he has a chance to recover and heal and realize that maybe he can trust his heart to another after all. There's no drama to this story; you can see how it's going to come out after a few chapters.
A lackluster plot like this can still be saved, though, if the characters are interesting and you care about their progress. Alas, Steel's characters come out flat and uninteresting. Charlie, the lead character, comes across as neurotic and annoying. Sarah, another important character in the novel, is more interesting, but painted in such broad strokes that it's hard to care about her part in the story. It's hard to take a character seriously when he or she is the single most attractive being ever to walk the earth (or so we are told repeatedly), so magically perfect that they affect every person of the opposite sex (and many of the same sex) whenever they come into contact with them.
Worse, the characters are shallow. What motivates Charlie, other than his (previously) perfect jet-set life, and a desperate (but unexplored) desire to be with someone? We'll never know. His clinging dependency is obvious early on, but Steel never explores the reasons for it. Sarah is tough and independent, and attributes it to her early upbringing, but we never see enough of that to get an idea of how she turned out this way.
The uninteresting characters can be blamed on Steel's extremely poor writing. Her descriptions of people, for instance, are ham-fisted. Instead of illustrating her characters personalities through descriptions of their interactions with other characters, she just tells us how they are, over and over again.
Dull and deadly repetition seems to be Steel's only method of conveying meaning. In the first chapter, we are told that Charlie "just couldn't believe" what was happening to him constantly, sometimes three times in the same paragraph. A better author might have illustrated his disbelief with some dialogue between Charlie and his ex, or his boss, or a stranger on the street.
The dialogue isn't very interesting, either. Most authors use dialogue to break up long descriptive passages, giving us a chance to read shorter paragraphs that offer some insight into the character. Steel mixes dialogue with description, usually giving each character one sentence and then following it up with a half-page paragraph of the character's inner thoughts. You're not really following a conversation; you're hearing the character's thoughts, interspersed with brief verbal efforts.
Even the basics of prose writing seem to be beyond Steel's grasp in this book. Using the third-person omniscient viewpoint, she jumps from perspective to perspective whenever she wants us to know what another character is thinking. She'll shift perspective multiple times in the same paragraph. Not only is it confusing, it's lazy and unnecessary.
At the most elementary level, the writing is terrible. One paragraph early in the book contained three sentences in a row that began with the word "and". Steel frequently runs several sentences together, using commas where she should have used periods. It reads as if it were dictated into a tape recorder and transcribed verbatim, without taking the time to edit the story for readability. Anyone who did reasonably well in high school English class should be able to do better.
In short, it's a lackluster story with flat characters, poorly written. Personally, I've found that I appreciate good prose and storytelling even more after being exposed to this book. The Ghost is one the worst books I've ever read.
A lackluster plot like this can still be saved, though, if the characters are interesting and you care about their progress. Alas, Steel's characters come out flat and uninteresting. Charlie, the lead character, comes across as neurotic and annoying. Sarah, another important character in the novel, is more interesting, but painted in such broad strokes that it's hard to care about her part in the story. It's hard to take a character seriously when he or she is the single most attractive being ever to walk the earth (or so we are told repeatedly), so magically perfect that they affect every person of the opposite sex (and many of the same sex) whenever they come into contact with them.
Worse, the characters are shallow. What motivates Charlie, other than his (previously) perfect jet-set life, and a desperate (but unexplored) desire to be with someone? We'll never know. His clinging dependency is obvious early on, but Steel never explores the reasons for it. Sarah is tough and independent, and attributes it to her early upbringing, but we never see enough of that to get an idea of how she turned out this way.
The uninteresting characters can be blamed on Steel's extremely poor writing. Her descriptions of people, for instance, are ham-fisted. Instead of illustrating her characters personalities through descriptions of their interactions with other characters, she just tells us how they are, over and over again.
Dull and deadly repetition seems to be Steel's only method of conveying meaning. In the first chapter, we are told that Charlie "just couldn't believe" what was happening to him constantly, sometimes three times in the same paragraph. A better author might have illustrated his disbelief with some dialogue between Charlie and his ex, or his boss, or a stranger on the street.
The dialogue isn't very interesting, either. Most authors use dialogue to break up long descriptive passages, giving us a chance to read shorter paragraphs that offer some insight into the character. Steel mixes dialogue with description, usually giving each character one sentence and then following it up with a half-page paragraph of the character's inner thoughts. You're not really following a conversation; you're hearing the character's thoughts, interspersed with brief verbal efforts.
Even the basics of prose writing seem to be beyond Steel's grasp in this book. Using the third-person omniscient viewpoint, she jumps from perspective to perspective whenever she wants us to know what another character is thinking. She'll shift perspective multiple times in the same paragraph. Not only is it confusing, it's lazy and unnecessary.
At the most elementary level, the writing is terrible. One paragraph early in the book contained three sentences in a row that began with the word "and". Steel frequently runs several sentences together, using commas where she should have used periods. It reads as if it were dictated into a tape recorder and transcribed verbatim, without taking the time to edit the story for readability. Anyone who did reasonably well in high school English class should be able to do better.
In short, it's a lackluster story with flat characters, poorly written. Personally, I've found that I appreciate good prose and storytelling even more after being exposed to this book. The Ghost is one the worst books I've ever read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2009
What can you say, she is an amazing writer, I stayed up many nights because I couldn't put this book down!!!
June 5, 2023
otra vez Danielle Steel no decepciona. Una historia dulce, que habla de los dolores y perdidas que todos tenemos en la vida, y habla de nuevos comienzos. Nadie ha pasado tanto dolor que no pueda volver a empezar. Con dudas e incertidumbres, hay que volver a confiar en los demás, pero por sobre todas las cosas, hay que volver a tener confianza en uno mismo, en que podemos volver a ser felices. Porque en definitiva, vivir es eso, buscar la felicidad nuestra y de nuestros seres queridos.
again Danielle Steel does not disappoint. A sweet story, which talks about the pain and loss that we all have in life, and about new beginnings. No one has been through so much pain that they can't start over. With doubts and uncertainties, you have to trust people again, but above all things, you have to have confidence in yourself, that you can be happy once more. Because ultimately, living is that, seeking happiness for ourselves and our loved ones.
again Danielle Steel does not disappoint. A sweet story, which talks about the pain and loss that we all have in life, and about new beginnings. No one has been through so much pain that they can't start over. With doubts and uncertainties, you have to trust people again, but above all things, you have to have confidence in yourself, that you can be happy once more. Because ultimately, living is that, seeking happiness for ourselves and our loved ones.
August 16, 2016
A love story within a love story. Romance novels are not one of my favorite genres, for some reason they depress me, but this one was so beautifully written even I couldn't help breeze through it. A woman strong of character and heart, through her journals from the late 1700's, help two present day people to open their hearts after being heartbroken by previous marriages.
September 15, 2021
Dit zijn eigenlijk twee verhalen in één. Charlie Waterston is aan het scheiden van zijn vrouw, en nadat hij uit Londen vertrokken was en voor zijn firma in New York gaan werken is, waar hij zich niet echt kan ontplooien, besluit hij een half jaar verlof te nemen en als eerste te gaan skieën in Vermont. Door een sneeuwstorm overvallen, strandt hij in het plaatsje Shellburne Falls. Hij ontmoet een erg vriendelijke bejaarde pensionhoudster, die hem een huis van haar laat huren, eigenlijk een klein chateau. Hier vindt Charlie de dagboeken van de vrouw voor wie het huis gebouwd werd, Sarah Ferguson.
En dan wordt het verhaal van Sarah verteld. Dit is eigenlijk het mooiste deel van het boek. Sarah beleeft enkele gelukkige jaren in het huis, dat haar geliefde, François de Pellerin, voor haar bouwde.
Ondertussen heeft Charlie in Shellburne Falls ook een vrouw leren kennen, die net als hij net een pijnlijke echtscheiding heeft doorgemaakt. Voorzichtig zoeken ze toenadering tot elkaar, en het verhaal van Sarah zal hun verdere leven beïnvloeden.
Ik vond het een prachtig verhaal, misschien met wat weinig diepgang, en vooral in het eerste deel komen nogal veel herhalingen voor, vooral waar het de gevoelens van Charlie betreft. Toch kon ik niet stoppen met lezen in dit boek. 4 sterren van mij.
En dan wordt het verhaal van Sarah verteld. Dit is eigenlijk het mooiste deel van het boek. Sarah beleeft enkele gelukkige jaren in het huis, dat haar geliefde, François de Pellerin, voor haar bouwde.
Ondertussen heeft Charlie in Shellburne Falls ook een vrouw leren kennen, die net als hij net een pijnlijke echtscheiding heeft doorgemaakt. Voorzichtig zoeken ze toenadering tot elkaar, en het verhaal van Sarah zal hun verdere leven beïnvloeden.
Ik vond het een prachtig verhaal, misschien met wat weinig diepgang, en vooral in het eerste deel komen nogal veel herhalingen voor, vooral waar het de gevoelens van Charlie betreft. Toch kon ik niet stoppen met lezen in dit boek. 4 sterren van mij.
August 2, 2014
Personally, I just about hated this book. I'm not one for romance, but I thought I would try something new. But this book, for the most part, is just too lame and pathetic and painfully predictable. While there is some darkness, some drama, throughout this heartfelt bullshit, most of the story is just about how much these stupid little characters love each other - really not my cup of tea. But I have given this book the benefit of the doubt, and refrained from rating it one-star. Admittedly, the writing is quite good - despite the occasional sentence which doesn't make sense. And the story itself, for the first 100 pages or so, was actually quite promising. But for me, the story just lost when it tried to become an historical novel, and not just a modern tale of heartbreak and healing. It more or less shuns everything it had established quite well, and forces you headfirst into the boringly sentimental love affair of Sarah Ferguson and her all-too-perfect Indian lover. 'The Ghost' is by no means a bad effort, on Danielle Steel's part. But I, for one, was not a fan, and was only too relieved to be free from it...
October 25, 2017
Jau seniai kartoju, jog viskam yra savo laikas ir eiliškumas. Ant spintelės prie lovos buvau susidėjusį siaubukų ir/ ar detektyvų kalniuką paskaityti prieš Helovyną. Pavadinimas labai pritiko, bet išties nežinojau apie ką jį. Gal taip ir geriau. Knyga prasideda liūdnai, žmona turi kitą, skyrybos, o Charles'is keliauja į New York'ą su nauja darbo užduotimi bei sunkiais jausmais. Tačiau viskas negerai ir jis pasiima puses metų atostogas bei sumąsto keliauti į Vermontą slidinėti. Išsinuomavęs mašiną, niekur neskubėdamas bei išgyvendamas skyrybas jis keliauja link numatyto tikslo. Tačiau žiemiškas oras pakoreguoja planą ir jis susipažįsta su senyva moterimi Palmer, užeigos savininke, ir viskas čia palengva ima įgauti prasmę.
Nuostabi knyga apie sunkius išgyvenimus, suvokimą, jog viskas nebuvo tik gerai, bei atradimai naujai atmerktomis akimis, kaip ir knyga knygoje. Skanu, tobula, puikiai tinka susirangius lovoje išgyventi dvejus gyvenimus.
Nuostabi knyga apie sunkius išgyvenimus, suvokimą, jog viskas nebuvo tik gerai, bei atradimai naujai atmerktomis akimis, kaip ir knyga knygoje. Skanu, tobula, puikiai tinka susirangius lovoje išgyventi dvejus gyvenimus.
January 30, 2014
3,5 stars
This is a story about starting over and a story about new beginnings. If you think your life is over, think again because you never know what the future might bring. I have enjoyed reading not only about Sarah's courage but also about Charlie and the way he turned his life around after a bitter divorce and although I wasn't expecting much from this book I enjoyed reading it. It's an interesting tale of courage and love and it's very entertaining.
Danielle Steel has managed to keep me interested in the narrative, something that wasn't accomplished that effortlessly with the other books I read by her. I'm glad I gave this book an opportunity because it showed me that no author is lost if you happen to dislike some of her/his books.
Also: I looooove cute, fluffy, happy endings. This was one of them.
This is a story about starting over and a story about new beginnings. If you think your life is over, think again because you never know what the future might bring. I have enjoyed reading not only about Sarah's courage but also about Charlie and the way he turned his life around after a bitter divorce and although I wasn't expecting much from this book I enjoyed reading it. It's an interesting tale of courage and love and it's very entertaining.
Danielle Steel has managed to keep me interested in the narrative, something that wasn't accomplished that effortlessly with the other books I read by her. I'm glad I gave this book an opportunity because it showed me that no author is lost if you happen to dislike some of her/his books.
Also: I looooove cute, fluffy, happy endings. This was one of them.
May 7, 2011
My aunt brought this book to me. She said it was one of the best Danielle Steele that she has written....and I think she has read them all. The primary story is about Charles Waterson whose wife recently left him. He was shocked as he didn't think there were any problems in the marriage. Moving from London to New York does nothing to help Charles adjust to his new wifeless life. He is not doing well in his job and decides to take some time off and go to Vermont to ski. In a snow storm, he discovers a B&B in a little town in Massachusettes. The owner of the B&B has a remote home she is not using and Charles decides to lease it to find some peace in his life. What he finds are the diaries of Sarah who lived in the house in the 1780's. Sarah's story is the second story line of the book. Sarah had been forced by her father to marry a rich, older man. This man beats and rapes her. Sarah sews all of her jewelry into a cloak, escapes, and takes a small ship to America. She stays in Boston and people there are fasinated with her, but she wants to live in a rural area and eventually does. Of course, she meets a wonderful man. Sarah finds out her husband in England has died and marries the wonderful man and they have a wonderful life. (are there too many wonderfuls in here???) However, Sarah's story gives Charles the ability to let go of his past and go for a future with a woman that he has met. It is a romance story, but Sarah's life give a good insight into what could have been like for women in her day and age.
March 12, 2009
This book could barely hold my attention. What is the problem over at her publisher? I could not feel sympathy for her male lead whose whimpiness made me detest him for the majority of the book. Add to that the punctuation problems, run-on sentences and complete redundancy of her dialogue and I had to lay this book aside four times during my flight. But captive that I was, I picked it back up. And then Steele began the story within the story.
it was as if she had a "Ghost" writer herself, because the entire mood and pace of the book changed. I was captivated by the story within the story, the journals of a courageous woman two hundred years earlier and the love she discovers in a wild land. I was sad every time we returned to the main story. And yes, I got that this woman's story gave the man courage to carry on. . . blah, blah, blah. I reallt didn't care by the end of the book.
I would have given this book one star for the main story, but compelled by theinner story, I bump it up to a three.
it was as if she had a "Ghost" writer herself, because the entire mood and pace of the book changed. I was captivated by the story within the story, the journals of a courageous woman two hundred years earlier and the love she discovers in a wild land. I was sad every time we returned to the main story. And yes, I got that this woman's story gave the man courage to carry on. . . blah, blah, blah. I reallt didn't care by the end of the book.
I would have given this book one star for the main story, but compelled by theinner story, I bump it up to a three.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2021
Review from 2011:
I give this book 3 stars because I like the story that is set in the past, it is very interesting. The interaction between the nowadays people is a bit weird, Carole left Charlie but it seems that Simon doesn't want her to talk to him, and Charlie is trying to get through to Francheska, who is hurt and doesn't like people, by teasing her? Why does that seem like the wrong approach? It makes the dialogue awkward.
I also don't get how fertile everyone in the 18th century is, they do it once and get pregnant immediately. If it was only 1 person I wouldn't mind, but 3 out of 4 or 5 women mentioned seems a bit over the top...
I give this book 3 stars because I like the story that is set in the past, it is very interesting. The interaction between the nowadays people is a bit weird, Carole left Charlie but it seems that Simon doesn't want her to talk to him, and Charlie is trying to get through to Francheska, who is hurt and doesn't like people, by teasing her? Why does that seem like the wrong approach? It makes the dialogue awkward.
I also don't get how fertile everyone in the 18th century is, they do it once and get pregnant immediately. If it was only 1 person I wouldn't mind, but 3 out of 4 or 5 women mentioned seems a bit over the top...
October 22, 2022
Juega con dos historias en tiempos muy diferentes (s.XVIII y s.XX) pero cuyos personajes se influyen por el azar del destino. Ideal para personas que vienen saliendo de una mala experiencia amorosa. Sin embargo, una hermosa novela para cualquiera que saque el rato para leerla.
November 30, 2024
Don't tell my grandmother, but this was pretty meh. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either—it was just... okay. Nothing extraordinary happens, which is a shame because the premise sounded so intriguing.
The romance? Total snooze-fest. I couldn’t get invested in it at all. With cheating as one of the themes, I expected strong emotions, tension, something, but it was mostly just crying and a lot of repetitive drama. Honestly, it left me feeling pretty indifferent.
The romance? Total snooze-fest. I couldn’t get invested in it at all. With cheating as one of the themes, I expected strong emotions, tension, something, but it was mostly just crying and a lot of repetitive drama. Honestly, it left me feeling pretty indifferent.
May 9, 2019
This took me a lot longer to read that I thought it would. The beginning of the book seemed repetitive and I wasn't really that interested until page 100. I ended up liking the ghost's story more than the main character. Overall, I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
2019 Popsugar Challenge: A ghost story & Two books that share the same title (Ghost by Jason Reynolds)
2019 Popsugar Challenge: A ghost story & Two books that share the same title (Ghost by Jason Reynolds)
April 27, 2009
I'm not going to add all her books on here that i've read. For a long time she was the only author I read and have never found a book by her that I didn't enjoy. I recommend anything by Danielle Steele.
November 16, 2021
Tenía rato sin leer una historia romántica que me haya hecho sentir intrigada, nostálgica y completa.
Tiempo dudando si leer o no a esta autora, buenas vueltas de la vida que al fin coincidí con Danielle Steel 🥰
Tiempo dudando si leer o no a esta autora, buenas vueltas de la vida que al fin coincidí con Danielle Steel 🥰
October 15, 2019
Have you ever read any book where you have felt the title should be something different ?
Tbh I don't give attention to Title of the book or story much importance but after reading this book I was thinking about the title a lot ! I mean A LOT 😌😌
Actually it's more than just a "Ghost" story. It's a story about winning independence of an woman. It's about finding love again.It's a Romance story within a romance story and two stories have been blended nicely !😊
This is my first Danielle Steel and I'm engrossed with her writing style and every detail of emotions of the character.
Charlie and Carol were madly in love with each other. Charlie used to think he was the happiest man in the world . But before their marriage completed ten years Carole announced her affair with her Senior partner of her law farm . And that made Charlie completely mentally ruined . Soon he was sent to New York . But he soon left his job and reached to Deerfiled . There he met an old woman who has none and because of her he was introduced to a great palace. People have claimed it was haunted but Charlie was moved by its beauty. He hired this palace and started living. And yes Charlie seen the Ghost there.
What did the Ghost ? Who was the Ghost ? What happened to Charlie ? Are you really interested to know ?
You should then Add it To Your Wish List .
I have read mixed reviews in goodreads but I think, I to see this book here in bookstagram more !
December 30, 2019
Simplesmente adorei. Várias lições de vida num único livro. Uma história que nos transporta entre o presente e o passado de uma forma maravilhosa, para nos fazer ver que apesar de tudo há sempre quem tenha passado por obstáculos maiores que os nossos e os tenham ultrapassado, com força, determinação, coragem e sobretudo sem medo de amar. Foram vários os momentos em que me vieram as lágrimas aos olhos. Recomendo a todos que gostem desta autora e ainda não o tenham lido.
April 21, 2018
I cannot even... Literally hugged the book after I was done. What a beautiful reread this has been. I'm at peace.
My 400th book.. According to goodreads.
My 400th book.. According to goodreads.
August 18, 2010
It's a heartfelt story that I just couldn't resist. I just finished this book and I loved it. It is a very good story and I loved reading about Francois and Sarah. Their story is so heartwarming and inspiring. As Charlie said while reading the journals, Sarah and Francois life experience almost feel real to me. Although I kind of hoping that Sarah is really a ghost that physically communicating with Charlie instead she just wanders around and makes only one time appearance to Charlie, and never speak to him. However, as the story goes on, Sarah is actually giving Charlie some hints to her journals. Although the story is predictable, I grow fond of it and it almost makes me cry bucket to learn Sarah's adventures and misfortunes.
It is a very simple story, an easy read, a page turner and almost a heart-wrecking read. Other than Charlie finally learns that he has to move on with his life and cherishes people around you, I too has learn quite a great deal by reading the book as a little motivation to move on forward. As always, Steel's stories really get me hooked up and love.
It is a very simple story, an easy read, a page turner and almost a heart-wrecking read. Other than Charlie finally learns that he has to move on with his life and cherishes people around you, I too has learn quite a great deal by reading the book as a little motivation to move on forward. As always, Steel's stories really get me hooked up and love.
April 30, 2021
Honestly, I read this ONLY because I was at my cousin's house and this was the only book there other than Charlotte's Web and goddamn Viraf J. Dalal Chemistry book (LIKE WHAT, IT WON'T EVEN LEAVE ME IN MY 11-YEAR-OLD COUSIN'S HOUSE).
And it was terrible.
What an ill excuse of a story, damn it.
I opened expecting something and got something else and then turned into something worse.
A terrible story, why did I read this? Right, to escape being murdered by hyphens.
Anyway, don't waste your time on this.
And it was terrible.
What an ill excuse of a story, damn it.
I opened expecting something and got something else and then turned into something worse.
A terrible story, why did I read this? Right, to escape being murdered by hyphens.
Anyway, don't waste your time on this.
December 14, 2015
I have a low tolerance for romance, but this was good for reading on a cold night in a stressful December. The depictions of Native Americans were stereotypical. That Sarah managed to find the one white guy that lives with Natives seemed very Dances With Wolves. Also, this sentence is horrible in so many ways: "Her thin waist dazzled him [sic]". Stephanie Meyer must be a Steel fan.
January 14, 2014
Despite the title, there are few conventional ghost story elements in this book. It is actually a modern romance intertwined with a historical romance in a charming setting with likable characters. Everything was resolved nicely except I wanted to more about how Gladys was doing.
September 18, 2023
Have you ever felt as though things come into your life for a reason? That's how I feel about this book. This book was meant to be read by me at the time I started it and when I finished it.
Definitely worth reading if you are in the need for healing. Possibly my favorite book by this author.
Definitely worth reading if you are in the need for healing. Possibly my favorite book by this author.
September 21, 2011
Choppy, irritating book!
January 17, 2015
Ayyyy, al final se puso mejorrrr. ❤️
Aunque me hubiera gustado más de Charlie y Francesca. Me gustó.
Aunque me hubiera gustado más de Charlie y Francesca. Me gustó.
September 9, 2023
Lo empecé muchas veces, y lo deje muchas veces más. Este año decidí darle una quinceava oportunidad, un largo camino a casa fue muy bueno, tenia que gustarme este.
Y no solo me gusto, me encantó
La historia comienza básica, normal, sin nada raro, pero después con cada capitulo que pasa nos vamos adentrando en la vida de Charlie mas y mas hasta que este conoce a ….. Sarah. Y no, Sarah no es su interés amoroso, esa es Francesa. Sarah es el fantasma que vive en su casa, una mujer inglesa que se escapó de su marido abusivo hacia Boston, Estados Unidos.
Saraha paso por las mil y una, la acosaron, la amaron, la odiaron pero a ella no le interesó nunca nada de lo que podían pensar/decir de ella. Sarah es el corazón de la historia. Gracias a ella Charlie logra sanar el dolor que su ex mujer le dejó, y también gracias a ella Francesa y Charlie terminan juntos (como se debe).
Y gracias a ella yo pude terminar el libro, porque fue gracias a sus historia y a su vida que esta historia me enganchó muchísimo.
Gracias Sarah, sos el mejor personaje literario que leí en mi vida, te quiero mucho.
Y no solo me gusto, me encantó
La historia comienza básica, normal, sin nada raro, pero después con cada capitulo que pasa nos vamos adentrando en la vida de Charlie mas y mas hasta que este conoce a ….. Sarah. Y no, Sarah no es su interés amoroso, esa es Francesa. Sarah es el fantasma que vive en su casa, una mujer inglesa que se escapó de su marido abusivo hacia Boston, Estados Unidos.
Saraha paso por las mil y una, la acosaron, la amaron, la odiaron pero a ella no le interesó nunca nada de lo que podían pensar/decir de ella. Sarah es el corazón de la historia. Gracias a ella Charlie logra sanar el dolor que su ex mujer le dejó, y también gracias a ella Francesa y Charlie terminan juntos (como se debe).
Y gracias a ella yo pude terminar el libro, porque fue gracias a sus historia y a su vida que esta historia me enganchó muchísimo.
Gracias Sarah, sos el mejor personaje literario que leí en mi vida, te quiero mucho.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 574 reviews