Publisher: Corgi Books
Publishing Date: 2011
Format: paperback, purchased
381 Pages
Synopsis
The plumbing was prone to leaks, the furniture rescued from garage sales. And every square inch was being devotedly restored to its original splendor—even as a relationship fell to pieces. Now Francesca Thayer, newly separated from her lawyer boyfriend Todd, is desperate. The owner of a struggling art gallery, and suddenly the sole mortgage payer on her Greenwich Village townhouse, Francesca does the math and then the unimaginable. She puts out an advertisement for boarders. Soon her house becomes a whole new world.
First comes Eileen, a fresh, pretty L.A. transplant, now a New York City schoolteacher. Then there’s Chris, a young father struggling with a troubled ex-wife and the challenge of parenting a seven-year-old son who visits every other weekend. The final tenant is Marya, a celebrated cookbook author hoping to start a new chapter in her life after the death of her husband. As Francesca’s art gallery begins to find its footing and Todd moves on to another woman, she discovers that her accidental tenants have become the most important people in her life.
As the roommates bond, and the house fills with the aroma of Marya’s exquisite cuisine, there are shadows as well as light. Naïve Eileen explores the precarious boundaries of online dating with a series of strangers. Chris’s custody fight for his son escalates to devastating levels. Marya faces an unexpected choice that will take her into untested waters. And Francesca herself will contemplate what had seemed impossible: opening her heart once more.
Over the course of one amazing, unforgettable, ultimately life-changing year, the house at 44 Charles Street fills with laughter, heartbreak, and, always, hope. In the hands of master storyteller Danielle Steel, it’s a place those who visit will never want to leave.
My Review
I picked this book up because I haven't read anything by Danielle Steel in quite some time and I wasn't sure what I was in the mood to read. This story was good, but it wasn't a great book. I enjoyed the plot and the characters, but I didn't think the writing was great. This actually surprised me a little since it's a Danielle Steel novel; she's published so many books that I figured the writing would have been a lot better. But as I said, the characters were interesting and each one brought a little something different to the book. There's Eileen, a young teacher who doesn't yet know what's best for her; Chris, a divorced father of a young son, and Marya, a world renowned chef. I enjoyed learning about each of their lives and how they affected Francesca, the main character in the story. Had the characters not been as good, this book would have gotten a lower rating from me. But I was able to look past the writing a bit because the story was decent. Unfortunately, I probably wouldn't recommend this book.
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