Overall I enjoyed this book. The story was interesting, set along the back drop of wild fires. A nice story of second chance romance later in life. Only downsides were, I did feel the overall story was a little short and a lot of time (Approx 30%) was given up to setting the scene and introducing the characters in what felt like more detail than required. Felt more like I was reading the guidelines for a movie castings than a story. Then the ending and the conclusion reached by the main characters felt too easy and rushed after all the reasons listed why it couldn’t be concluded. I also had the audio book version. This was clear and easy to listen too, however I did find it strange having a male narrator when the main character in the book is female.

Trial by Fire offers an engaging story about resilience, reinvention, and finding what truly matters. While the blurb suggested a survival story in the Napa Valley wildfires, the fires serve more as a catalyst for Dahlia’s journey of self-discovery. Danielle Steel crafts relatable characters, and Dahlia’s evolution from a devoted mother and businesswoman to someone rediscovering herself is inspiring.

I listened to the audiobook, and James Babson’s narration was excellent. His steady pace and expressive tone made the story come alive, enhancing the overall experience.

However, the storytelling style leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, and plot repetition with new characters occasionally slowed the pacing. That said, the heartfelt themes and uplifting message will resonate with fans of cozy, character-driven stories. Trial by Fire is a testament to starting anew, even in life’s later chapters. A solid and comforting read for fans of Danielle Steel.

I know Danielle Steel is a popular and prolific author but I’ve never read any of her books. I thought an opportunity to listen to an audio title might be a good introduction. It’s well narrated throughout and I liked the narrator’s voice.

As for the story, I found it quite a challenging listen. It starts off well but as more characters are introduced, there’s a lot of repetition and at times I felt as if I was being treated as a reader or listener with learning difficulties that meant everything had to be repeated and explained in order for it to make sense, I found that both irritating and distracting and I’ve broken off from the take about half way through. With hindsight, there’s probably a reason I’ve never read one of her books before, Just not for me.

I love the authors books and have not read many of newer books in the last 3 or so years. This is my first one on audio and unfortunately I didn't love it. Maybe as I am so used to reading the authors books, I found it hard to get into and to invest in the characters, This is the first book i have seen by the author on audio and hopefully I'll enjoy the next one more. Thanks

A huge thank you to Danielle Steel, James Babson, W.F. Howes Ltd, and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy. To those of you wondering whether this is your next title, stay tuned for my review.

Danielle Steel never grows tired. Looking over my reading history, I gather that I have not read a Danielle Steel novel published after 1992, although I remember watching many an adaptation of her books published in the mid-90s and prior. The stories were always quite wholesome with a realistic balance of romance and family-related drama.

With over 200 books under her belt, Steel has found a winning formula for her novel writing and knows how to work this to her advantage. What we witness with Trial by Fire is a well-polished plot, an extensive back story and lots of repetition through narration and characters’ thoughts to remind the readers of key information.

The story engaged me and was significantly different from what I expected. The blurb talked much about the wildfires of Napa Valley so I presumed that the story would be one of survival in the burning wilderness. Spoiler alert, it really isn’t. The fires provide a vehicle to drive home the real plot (pun intended). The characters were descriptive and likeable, and I enjoyed the reading experience. (I use the term ‘reading’ loosely, as I had the audiobook version of the novel). I appreciated the way James Babson read. He had a voice that brought the story to life and read it at a suitable speed.

The only real criticism I have is probably owing to my evolution as a reader. I have grown to value ‘showing’ over ‘telling’ but I find this book relies heavily on the traditional ‘telling’ method. Whilst I was still invested in the story, I would have liked to have heard the characters more. For this reason, I rate the book 4 out of five stars.

The novel will appeal to old-fashioned/traditional/older readers, who are not fussed about the level of speech demonstrated in the novel. In some ways, this text could be easier to follow when the main voice is that of the narrator, so anyone who has issues keeping up with lots of characters will appreciate a novel written in this style. The book will also appeal to readers who want a story that is not all hype and drama. It is a cozy read, no major surprises in the sense that the story is going to cause a fright. In true steel fashion, no matter how dire a situation looks, there is always a positive end. Read it before bed, in your tea break, whilst trying to relax, etc., confident in the fact that it is not going to give you nightmares, raise your blood pressure, or keep you up all night with worry. It is not necessarily a page-turner, but a book that you might want to savor over time.