Loving

by Danielle Steel

Bettina Daniels lived a fairytale existence of  glamour, endless parties, and luxury among  America's top celebrities -- simply because she was the  beautiful daughter of famous American author Justin Daniels. Then, in one moment of tragedy, her  father was dead, and Bettina discovered the truth  -- he had spent every dime he'd ever earned and run up  millions in debt. At eighteen, penniless and  alone, she had lost everything except her father's  dearest friend, Ivo Stewart. A wealthy, handsome publisher  of sixty-two, he offered Bettina a  way marriage. But only for a time. What lay  ahead for Bettina was a life filled with shocks and  surprises -- and eventually a chance to become a  playwright, and a writer like her father. Having  learned her lessons dearly, Bettina blossoms into  her own person at last.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Novels, Adult Fiction

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1980

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

[Michelle Bacon · Rating 1 out of 5]

The is possibly the most dreadful book ever. Hated the characters and totally felt like she needed to grow up! UGH If ever there was a book showing how weak a woman can be, Danielle Steel has accomplished it in this one. I cannot even force myself to be sympathetic to this poor girl's situations. Seriously. She loses her father then moves in with his editor and close friend. She falls in love with him and they get married despite their age difference. She winds up leaving him for someone closer to her age but just looking for a free pass to the US, so on and so forth.
PLEASE! Call me heartless or uncaring, but this book did not leave me feeling sorry for her at all. Personally with all the Steel novels I've read, she's really over-rated.

[Rhiannon Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me when I first started reading "Loving" I could tell by the writing and the style that this was one of her earlier books. There was a lot of repeating (of the emotions that she was trying to convey) in the beginning and it got to the point where you felt like the feelings that you were supposed to be feeling were being shoved down your throat. As the book went on it got considerably better. I felt like you grew with the character and that the character came out into her own.

The quote at the beginning of the book from "The Velveteen Rabbit" really made this book for me. I saw what Steel was doing and it did come true at the end, the main character after all the love (and all the hurt and scars) had become real and had become herself not someone that someone else wanted her to be.

The ending was done nicely and although I thought that the book was rushed it was a good book over all.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enough already! How stupid can the main character be? She just kept jumping into one relationship after another; marry, divorce, marry, divorce, etc. Can't figure out why Danielle Steele would create such an empty-headed character; she wasn't given any intelligence at all. The book just barely earned the three-star rating. I was very disappointed; not up to snuff for a Danielle Steele story. Not a book I would recommend.

[Christi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out loving the book. As I continued to read, I began to dislike it, then I cried over it, then I liked it again. However, by the time it was over, I don't believe this will be a book I will read again. It was an interesting book, just not exactly my style.

[Clemencia Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok not great

It was ok! The end kind of blunt! Enjoyed other of her books a lot moreHope the next one I read is better. I think the reviews could de open what yo have to say and leave it at less than 20 words

[Patricialogan8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it, I felt she was too young for Ivo, but he treated her good, John was a major jerk abandoning his son, he was acting like he was 5 years old. Ollie was perfect, but died too young

[Katherine 黄爱芬 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lagi-lagi MC di buku author ini aku gak suka karakternya. Yg aku heran dari diri Bettina adalah ketergantungannya yg sangat luar biasa pd sosok berjenis kelamin laki-laki. Padahal sejak usia dini, Bettina boleh dikata hidup sendirian, bahkan dia berperan sbg host jika ayahnya yg penulis bestseller itu mengadakan pesta. Aku masih mafhum saat dia menikahi Ivo Stewart yg sbnrnya lebih pantas jd ayah/kakeknya tapi sifatnya kebapakan dah.

Bettina mulai ada tanda-tanda red flag saat dirinya dipepet Anthony, aktor kelas teri imigran Inggris yg cuma memanipulasi Bettina demi visa tetap. Dungu sekali meninggalkan suami yg udah spek platinum (cuma usianya aja yg aki-aki) demi kecoak busuk spt ini.

Dan semakin tululnya gak ketulungan saat Bettina lgs menikahi John, dokter psikiaternya krn kesulitan mengatakan TIDAK. Dan terbukti Bettina tidak belajar dari kesalahan pernikahan kedua, kali ini dia jatuh ke seorang NPD berdarah dingin. Gw bacanya udah kzl banget saat pernikahan dgn dokter keparat ini, gak ada bagus-bagusnya nih orang, John lebih cocok jd pembunuh psikopat drpd jd dokter.

Pernikahan ke-4 nya merupakan pernikahan impian setiap kaum hawa. Sayang umurnya pendek, takdir memang kejam.

Walaupun gaya penulisan author enak dibaca tapi tetep aja gw dongkol banget dgn kebanyakan tokoh-tokoh perempuannya. Seperti Bettina ini yg sudah terlihat dari awal sifatnya itu manja, emosional, naif tingkat dewa dan terlalu bergantung pd sosok pria (sayangnya gak ada penjelasannya kenapa Bettina jd dodol sekali kalau berurusan dgn cinta). Dah lah, yg penting udah kelar dibaca. Lanjut baca buku yg lain.

[Sonali Dabade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd heard so much about Danielle Steel's writing - that she was so good, it warmed the heart. So when I went to a HUGE book sale, and my box was missing just one small book, my eyes found 'Loving' and I dropped it in. But how was I to know that this would be a bad way to enter the world of Danielle Steel?

'Loving' is about Bettina Daniels, a 19-year-old whose father Justin Daniels is an acclaimed author who spends lavishly on parties. But when he leaves, he leaves her with nothing - no inheritance, no security, nothing. Bettina has to navigate her way through the world. The question is - will she be able to find that one person who will help her do it?

The gist of the story is so interesting but the story itself is disappointing to the point where I wondered why I even read it. The narrative tries to show Bettina as a strong character and maybe she is in a way. But what the narrative also does is show Bettina falling in love every few pages. Given, the time difference is quite a bit, but there is no spacing between them. In such cases, I began to wonder (I did this a lot in this book), how someone can fall in and out of love this easily. Then again, it is the fault of the writing and not the concept of falling in love, per se. Because who in the world can control that?

Bettina cries, she falls, she picks herself up - but if she makes the same mistake twice, I cannot consider her strong. We may say that failure is the stepping stone to success and all, but I don't know... Given the amount of crying and whining that's in this narrative, I was too annoyed and irritated not even halfway through. What a weak character Bettina is! She makes stupid choices and then wants to kill herself! My God!

I thought that at least the writing style redeemed the book to a certain level, but at places, I found it to be repetitive - in the sense that something like that had just happened a few chapters back or a sentence here and there was exactly like one I read earlier. Talk about a bad sense of deja vu!

All in all, I think I'll stay away from Danielle Steel for a long time now. Not a great book to start reading an author you've heard so much about!

[Farhana Lüba · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the most God awful books I've ever read. I don't ever want to burn a book, but this one, I do. I honestly didn't get the point of this. So, the author is basically saying that no matter how gold-digging, self-centered, pretending to be a damsel in distress, slutty a person is...we gotta respect her decision to be that way? What the hell! I'm angry. I finished reading the book just because I don't like giving up on a book I've started. The only thing I've learnt from this book is how to be a professional gold digger. If I ever make up my mind to marry someone my father's age for his money, and "support" (which is basically his amazing apartment to live in), I'll definitely put in practice what this woman did. I'll act like a helpless little mofo who is never ashamed of depending on others. She basically goes around sleeping with people (despite being married) and saying, "How did that happen?" BECAUSE *YOU* LET IT HAPPEN WTH. I'm so angry at myself for starting this book. This book is pointless, annoying, and should not exist. I would have burnt it if I hadn't borrowed it from a friend. I think I should buy a copy of it and then burn it. Yes, I'm *that* enraged right now by the book.

[Connie N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been quite a while since I enjoyed a Steel book, and this one was no exception--I read it in one weekend. As she always does, Steel creates great, usually flawed, characters with larger-than-life lives. And then she creates terrible things to happen to them. You would think that it would seem over-the-top, but instead you get intensely involved in their lives and cry and laugh along with them. This time we meet Bettina Daniels, daughter of a famous but careless author. Having been raised in luxury and as a sort of secretary to him, she hasn't ever lived a normal life. So when he dies (right at the beginning, so this is not a spoiler), she has to figure out, at age 19, how to make her way in life. She makes a lot of mistakes, but she also has some wonderful things happen to her. But there's certainly never a dull moment. The main message from this was to follow your dreams, keeping your eye on the prize no matter what life throws at you.

[Ajla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, the cover is beautiful and the writing style is easy to read, but the actual story pissed me off in so many ways. I won't blabber about specific plot details since I don't want to spoil anyone but the characters (especially the main heroine, Bettina) were so unconvincing and there was a tone of instalove in this book. It was also super easy to predict what was about to happen.
Anyways, I have a lot of Danielle's books on my shelf, that I'm looking forward to reading so I hope the others will be great and that this one was just an exception.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

omg..... when I first started to read this book, I thought what a pathetic sounding, needy girl-child who loved her eccentric author father and from an early age acted as his confidante and right-hand assistant, all the time wanting the praise, the love, the nurture from a parent! And when he was gone how she attached herself to men who wanted to mold her into their servant …. except for Ivo and Ollie who wanted her to be the most she could be in her life and career. Amazing! Towards the middle and into the end I couldn't wait to read till the final page!!

[Hussein · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far, I read 3 novels for Danielle Steel (Loving, Star and The Long Road Home) and I can't tell the difference between them. they all have the same plot and similar main character whose a female suffers in her life. this may refer to a weakness in the character and weakens the image of woman in general.

There should be more activities for the secondary characters or at least let another character takes bigger part in the novels.

[Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of this book was quite populars in 80s, so the story itself is also a bit old stylish.
Our heroin in this book was someone who worked like a slave for her dad, in require, she only wanted some accpetences and compliements, but all was took granted. Then, dad passed away, what remained was huge debts and a hot, rich, caring, best friend from daddy for her.

[Hollybobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say the main character is utterly frustratingly pathetic and the series of events is bordering ridiculous at points. However, despite this, it is a strangely pleasant read. Easy to read, diverse characters, real issues. Overall, I did enjoy reading it, despite frequent eye rolls.

[Skarllet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has so many ups and downs. With each new person I felt myself comparing them to people I knew and had dealt with myself. I related to this character so much and with every heartbreak I felt pain too.

[Allen Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

good lord this woman went through men like wildfire!

[Alex (Alex's Version) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't age well.

[Bene-Szabó Zafira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the most perfect book I’ve ever read. The storyline that Danielle wrote was beautiful, sometimes is turns my eyes to cry… But I loved it, and this book will always be my favourite.❤️

[Carla Parreira]

Trechos sublinhados: "...Finalmente descobriu um lindo conjunto Dior de veludo preto com ombreiras, cintura marcada e uma longa saia justa. Seu cabelo pareceria uma chama sobre uma vela negra. E ainda uma jaqueta abotoada até o pescoço fazendo uma gola chinesa. Não precisaria de blusa. Vestiria seu mink por cima e calçaria os sapatos Dior de salto alto. Tomou seu banho no banheiro de mármore rosa pela última vez e saiu cheirando a gardênias e rosas. Escovou os cabelos até que brilhassem como mel escurecido, maquiou-se um pouco e vestiu-se com calma. Quando se colocou frente ao espelho, teve orgulho do que viu. Ninguém adivinharia que ela era uma garota de apenas dezenove anos que acabara de perder tudo o que tinha. O salão do leilão já estava cheio de gente, com filas e filas de negociantes, colecionadores, curiosos, compradores e velhos amigos. Todas as conversas pararam quando ela entrou na sala. Dois homens pularam à sua frente e tiraram sua fotografia, mas Bettina nem vacilou. Andou majestosamente para uma das primeiras filas, quase em frente do leiloeiro e colocou o mink nas costas da cadeira... Com cuidado, acariciou-a, as mãos cobrindo todo o seu corpo, devagar, desejosas, suavemente, enquanto sentia-se tremer por inteiro. Aos poucos, virou-a para si e beijou-a longamente, na boca. Ivo queria que ela o desejasse tanto quanto ele, ou mais. Finalmente apertou seu corpo contra o dela. Bettina movia-se gemendo, agarrando-o, quase implorando, enquanto ele a segurava com firmeza, até que a penetrou, num movimento rápido, sentindo-a contrair-se, tensa, enquanto arranhava suas costas, e ele mergulhou mais e mais. No sabia que seria doloroso, mas queria lhe dizer o quanto a amava e, enquanto a abraçava, repetia isso infinitas vezes, até que ambos ficaram imóveis. Ele podia sentir o sangue quente de Bettina nos lençóis, mas não se importava. Apenas a abraçou mais forte, sentindo como tremia, segurando-a bem perto de si. - Eu te amo, querida... oh, Bettina, como eu te amo com todo o meu ser. Mesmo no escuro, ela virouse e mais uma vez ele a beijou, curtindo o momento e desejando deter a dor que ela sentia... Bettina estava linda naquele simples vestido de cetim creme. Caía longo até metade das pernas, tinha o colarinho alto e mangas curtas em forma de sino e uma jaqueta seguindo a mesma linha. Vestiu as pequenas luvas brancas, viu se usava os brincos de pérolas e olhou para as meias cor-de-marfim e os sapatos de cetim... Parecia tão pequenina, tão frágil, uma garotinha. Mas não era. Era uma mulher, agora. Totalmente dele. Para sempre... Bettina sentia-se segura com seu amor. Estavam no ponto culminante de um longo sonho feliz... Bettina o seguiu escada acima, através dos intermináveis degraus estreitos, enquanto o motorista esperava lá embaixo e, quando finalmente chegaram ao apartamento, sentia-se como se tivesse subido aos céus. Ele destrancou uma pesada porta de ferro e, do outro lado, surgiu um apartamento cheio de charme. O teto pintado com nuvens, os cantos cheios de grandes folhagens, havia cômodas de campanha e objetos orientais, tapetinhos de palha, tapetes peludos e grandes e confortáveis cadeiras estofadas num suave tom de azul. Era mais do que uma moradia, era um abrigo, um pedaço de campo, um jardim dentro de casa, uma nuvem escondida num céu azul-claro de verão... resto de sua estada no hospital foi sem maiores acontecimentos. Sentiu-se triste e solitária, não por Anthony, mas pela criança que perdeu. Disseram a ela que era uma menina e, dia após dia, ela ficava na cama e chorava. Não ajudaria, as enfermeiras diziam, mas entendiam que tinha que desabafar. No final da semana Bettina chorava não só pelo bebê, mas por tudo. Chorava pelo seu pai e pela maneira com que a deixou, por No e pelo que fez a ele, e depois pela maneira rude com que ele a mandara embora. Por Anthony e pelo que fez só por um visto de residência e agora, por, ter perdido seu filho: Agora não tinha nada nem ninguém. Sem o filho, o marido, o lar e um homem. Ninguém a queria. Não tinha ninguém. E aos vinte e seis anos, sentia como se sua vida tivesse terminado... A coisa mais impressionante é que sempre vale. Sempre tem outra coisa acontecendo, outra pessoa, uma mulher por quem se apaixonar, um amigo que você visita, uma criança que deseja ter, alguma coisa que faz com que você continue. Tem sido assim para mim. Ela assentiu, adorando o que ele estava dando a ela, porque suas palavras a estavam libertando. Colocava todas as peças juntas e revelava um quadro, não apenas completo, mas mostrava que ainda tinha mais a ser revelado, algo que ainda veria..."

[Salman Prasad · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Loving" is a novel that at first glance appears to be just an ordinary love story, but upon a slow and even somewhat dramatic unveiling, reveals that the main theme is a woman's selfhood. It is a phenomenon that is glittery on the outside and yet reveals a very interesting core: the examination of the identity created in the wasteland of luxury.

The book follows Bettina Daniels, the unbelievably shining offspring of a writer who is extraordinarily self-centred, and initially, she seems to be just another socialite having no purpose who has been brought into existence through the artistry of a male genius. Danielle Steel obviously loves to show the ridiculous life of Bettina living, the parties, the flirtations, and the total emptiness of the situation, as if she is tempting the reader to take part in the show before completely destroying it. Bettina's transition from dazzling light to something more down-to-earth is certainly not dainty, but all the same, the author will not commit the sin of naivety; she is after victory over the readers' emotions, not merely a soft earthquake.

What gives the book the element of surprise and quality is the author’s insistence upon the character of Bettina not being a mere passive subject, caught in the middle of the dramatic events. But rather, under her smooth and elegant surface, the strong will of self-control is sleeping. The more the protagonist loses her way in the shock of death， the doubtful matrimony and the disenchantment which unavoidably comes with growing up, the more and more she is transformed into a lively character. Steel portrays her evolution with a touch of melodramatic sincerity. Yes, at times the writing does become excessively decorative, but there is an unexpected depth of understanding in the manner Steel permits Bettina to break down the stories that were constructed for her by her father, her husband, and the society in which she dwells.

The romance, undoubtedly, is there, but it behaves nearly as a tool to think rather than as a source of sweet and dreamy escapism. In this book, love is not such a big and overwhelming thing as a chain of negotiations, between dependence and freedom, illusion and reality, want and respect. Steel, consciously or not, finally writes about power in a way that one would think is just a simple summer novel. This is, maybe, the most delightful trick of the novel's overall magic.

"Loving" might be criticised for its strong emotional moments and its slow, ornate style, but these are its main shortcomings. The narrative emphasises certain feelings at times to such a degree that it is almost like the author is afraid the reader will not comprehend the message, while at other times, one may feel like they are watching a drama of low quality. But still, even these weak points are part of the book's peculiar fascination; the overstatement is intentional, and sometimes it is seen as a stylistic flourish instead of a defect.

In the end, Bettina's journey toward self-writing, both in the literal and the metaphorical sense, is certainly a hard-won one. The final movement of the novel is not triumphant in the usual sense, but it has a soft, noble, liberated and quiet pose. The author's message is not revolutionary, but it still gets through powerfully: nobody can bequeath you identity; you must create it.

"Loving" is not the best novel, but it is surprisingly deep and thought-provoking. It is a slow unfolding of a woman's life, dreams and the never-ending struggle for self-acceptance, which is the main theme of the book, hidden under a soft and smooth layer of velvet.

[Page Passion · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welp, writers got away with a lot back in the '80s.

I love Danielle's books even though the plots are unhinged. We have Bettina, who is the daughter of a famous and successful author who does not know how to manage his millions, like at all. He is also not a good father, and after he dies, she marries his friend, a man who is 43 years her senior! Even though the age gap is kinda icky, Ivo, her first husband, is the most likable in the book. The novel is about Bettina's life with a series of horrific men. No one writes terrible husbands quite like DS. Bettina has to learn eventually how to stand on her own two feet after a life of privilege, along with setbacks. I refuse to mark this as romance since two out of four husbands die! The end seems like she meets a new man, but we don't quite get a snapshot of their life together, so I wouldn't claim romance novel, more romantic women's fiction .

[Kaveesha Bandara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danielle Steel has a way of weaving romance, heartbreak, and strength into stories that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Loving is no exception—an emotional journey of passion, sacrifice, and self-discovery. The novel follows the life of Bettina, a young woman caught between love and duty, capturing the essence of Steel’s signature storytelling.

I loved how she develops her characters to create a deeply emotional story with significant depth. The plot was gripping, and this book was truly unputdownable for me.

I highly recommend Loving to anyone who enjoys heartfelt romance with strong emotional themes.

[Annette Heslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Justin Daniels had a beautiful daughter Bettina. She lived an extraordinary life of glamour and luxury, but no childhood or friends.

Her father died suddenly and unexpectedly leaving Bettina penniless as he was heavily into debt, unbeknown to her.

Bettina ended up leading an entirely different life, with lots of good memories and also lots of heartache. But she has a good stroke of fortune that happens at the right time and changes the course of her life.

Danielle Steel never fails to deliver in her stories. This one had lots of shocks, twists and turns that had you wondering what was going to happen next.

[Jessica Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bettina Daniels is a very elegant, bright and talented girl. She grew up fast at a young age but her life is just beginning. I loved her story! I felt bad for her at first but I'm so proud of her and how far she's come since the beginning. Life deals us unfair hands at times but we learn from everything and everyone every day that there are new events to be discovered and new chapters to begin. Danielle Steel is a great writer. Although this book has a bit more drama than I was expecting, I still thoroughly enjoyed it

[Dy-an · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bettina did it the wrong way around. Marry for money last.

[Irene Hackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! However, I grew tired of all her relationships throughout the story. Lol, she had four and would likely have had five if the book hadn’t ended when it did.

[Dr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst novel I ever read.

[Katie Heptinstall · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with most Danielle Steel books and very easy and enjoyable read.

[Jeanne H. Bergren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ordinary Opinion

It seems I always hate a part of your and I think I will give it up. But after a bit I go on. Then I wish the book was longer. Great books, I' ve read most of your books, while I recover from the death of my oldest son from pancreatic cancer , two months later my husband from lymphoma, six months later my brother was killed in a car accident. Three years later I had a spinal fusion and I have constant pain. Your books have been my best friends. I think Pegasus is probably my favorite. I especially liked when he shot the Germans horse. Perfect!! Jeanne Bergren