When I got my current teaching position in a different town, I had to drive 25 minutes to and 25 more back each day. And I love my darling little Kia, but it is not modern in tech, so no blu-tooth. I was getting bored, losing time in my day from driving. I needed to break the silence. So four years ago, I went to my local library and checked-out my first audiobook. After six of those, I discovered a full shelf of Danielle Steel.
I have heard of DS for years, her a staple of female literature, but I had never picked up a book. So, I decided listening to one may be the right way to go. A simple one about four roommates. I enjoyed it. Now, it is easy to go to one of my favorite places and pick up another audio adventure. These books are comforting, formulaic, but has just enough uniqueness to keep one interested. All these books follow trends too, such as the star character is either a lawyer, interior designer, or art/museum head. Lol!
To celebrate me ‘reading’ my 40th book, I wanted to rank these books in order by my preference (least to best). Although I still had several more to complete. Ha! The ones that are lower are because the story didn’t flow or the characters were admittedly annoying or forgettable. I made personal notes on some of them, but not all.
You can get my the list of all her books on her website.
Top 40 Danielle Steel Books I have Read:
40. Hotel Vendome
39. Bungalow 2
38. Impossible
37. Coming Out
36. Matters of the Heart
35. The Sins of a Mother
34. The Ghost
33. The House
32. The Good Fight
31. Big Girl
30. Friends Forever- “Okay! This book broke my heart a few times and how every character ended tragic was a bit too much, taking me out of the story at times. Still, overall, this one really stuck.”
29. Fairytale
28. Magic
27. The Ranch
26. Against All Odds
25. The Apartment- “First book I listened to her.”
24. 44 Charles Street- “Another one about roommates to save a house, but dang! There was a twist in here I never would have guessed!”
23. A Perfect Life
22. Child’s Play
21. Family Ties
20. Dangerous Games
19. Malice- “This book is deep and dark in backstory. One of her classics.”
18. One Day at a Time
17. Beauchamp Hall- “Moving away to work on your favorite TV show after your boyfriend cheats on you? RomCom waiting to happen!”
16. In His Father’s Footsteps- “The story about the two Holocaust survivors was my favorite part of this story. Very sincere.”
15. Happy Birthday- “The three leads in this all share a birthday, and it happens to be mine. LOL!”
14. Silent Night- “The hardships of handicap stereotypes and Hollywood child stars. Written well.”
13. Blessing in Disguise- “The first love interest for our heroine in this one gripped my heart, stomped on it, and healed it, time and time again. OH!”
12. The Wedding Dress- “What a lovely concept. The world-building through this family is stunning, full of love and heartache.”
11. The Mistress- “Stunning.”
10. Until the End of Time- “Reincarnation, well done.”
9. The Award- “I’ve noticed I tend to be drawn to her more historical works. The bravery of the main character is breathtaking.”
8. Accidental Heroes- “This one is a thrill ride of emotion and suspence.”
7. Rushing Waters- “This is about people trapped in a flood and how it affects their lives.”
6. Past Perfect- “Ghosts living in content cohesion. This one was very enjoyable.”
5. The Right Time- “This one is about a young girl who loses her father to an illness, is raised by nuns until she graduates to become a best selling murder mystery author. This one spoke to me and was a treat.”
4. Blue- “An orphan young man found by a lonely, but giving savior of the world on a snowy night, music and heart connecting their lives together.”
3. The Dark Side- “This one will resound after you read it. A true psychological thriller that will give you chills, showing loving someone too much can cause much pain.”
2. Spy- “An exciting adventure about a young female British spy during World War II that follows her life.”
- The Dutchess- “I never imagined I would adore a book involving running a brothel in the late 1700’s, but a stunning tale with a loveable protagonist that you can relate to and feel for. ‘Spoiler: she’s a former Dutchess.”