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Jewels
On Sarah Whitfield's seventy-fifth birthday, memories take her back to New York in the 1930s. To a marriage that ends after a year, leaving Sarah shattered. A trip to Europe with her parents does little to raise her spirits, until she meets William, Duke of Whitfield. In time, despite her qualms, William insists on giving up his distant right to the British throne to make Sarah his dutchess and his wife.
On their honeymoon, the newlyweds buy an old French chateau, but not long after, the war begins. William joins the allied forces, leaving Sarah, their first child, an infant, and their second child on the way, in France. After the Nazi forces take over the chateau, Sarah continues to survive the terror and deprivation of the Occupation, unwavering in her belief that her missing-in-action husband is still alive.
After the war, as a gesture of goodwill, the Whitfields start buying jewels offered for sale by impoverished war survivors. With Sarah's style and keen eye, the collection becomes the prestigious Whitfield's jewelry store in Paris. Eventually, their jewelry business expands to London and Rome, as their family grows. Phillip, their firstborn, is stubborn and proud; Julian, their second son, is charming and generous and warm; Isabelle is rebellious and willful; and Xavier, unusual and untamed, is the final unexpected gift of their love. They each find their own way, but will be drawn to the great house of gems their parents built. In Jewels, Danielle Steel takes the reader through five eventful decades that include war, passion, international intrigue, and the strength of family through it all.
On their honeymoon, the newlyweds buy an old French chateau, but not long after, the war begins. William joins the allied forces, leaving Sarah, their first child, an infant, and their second child on the way, in France. After the Nazi forces take over the chateau, Sarah continues to survive the terror and deprivation of the Occupation, unwavering in her belief that her missing-in-action husband is still alive.
After the war, as a gesture of goodwill, the Whitfields start buying jewels offered for sale by impoverished war survivors. With Sarah's style and keen eye, the collection becomes the prestigious Whitfield's jewelry store in Paris. Eventually, their jewelry business expands to London and Rome, as their family grows. Phillip, their firstborn, is stubborn and proud; Julian, their second son, is charming and generous and warm; Isabelle is rebellious and willful; and Xavier, unusual and untamed, is the final unexpected gift of their love. They each find their own way, but will be drawn to the great house of gems their parents built. In Jewels, Danielle Steel takes the reader through five eventful decades that include war, passion, international intrigue, and the strength of family through it all.
496 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
412 people are currently reading
4754 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Steel
912 books16.8k 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 389 reviews
September 9, 2017
Lovely read! exciting,wonderful and an enjoyable storyline that takes place during WWII...pain,sadness,joy,love and laughter..well written (paperback!)
September 9, 2017
سری کتاب های دانیل استیل و سیدنی شلدون رو در دوران نوجوانی خونده ام....اگه اون موقع بود به همشون 5 میدادم ..اما حالا فکر میکنم 1 هم زیاده براشون!!!!
August 13, 2017
I liked this book just as much as I did years ago. The pace of the story-telling in the last quarter of the book still bugs me, however. It feels rushed.
You could look at the change of pace as a metaphor for how Sarah looses touch with her children, while still being part of their lives (that's just what happens when kids become adults) --- And I know this probably sounds presumptious considered the genre in which this book falls.
Nevertheless, I still feel it could have done with an extra 100-ish pages, without being too long.
That being said, I really like this book, despite it falling into a genre of which I'm usually not a big fan. Maybe it's because this book is romantic, but not sappy. Or because jewelry and stones form the background for most of the story.
You could look at the change of pace as a metaphor for how Sarah looses touch with her children, while still being part of their lives (that's just what happens when kids become adults) --- And I know this probably sounds presumptious considered the genre in which this book falls.
Nevertheless, I still feel it could have done with an extra 100-ish pages, without being too long.
That being said, I really like this book, despite it falling into a genre of which I'm usually not a big fan. Maybe it's because this book is romantic, but not sappy. Or because jewelry and stones form the background for most of the story.
June 17, 2008
i know that DS has some cheesy books but this was one that I really liked. It's a well written story that kept my interest and spanded such a long period of time with so many happenings.
easy, simple read.
easy, simple read.
October 22, 2007
jewels is a story of a woman, of an elite family, of life struggle, and finding love amidst it all. a good read! and while you're at it, read all the other books of danielle steele too! she has a lot of great books written...the promise, fine things, full circle, crossings, wanderlust, secrets, changes, thurston house, summer's end, remembrance, to love again, passion's promise, and many more!
April 16, 2024
I hadn't read anything this trashy since my elementary school days of reading V.C. Andrews.
November 29, 2009
Short take on the book:
I know many people have stopped reading her books as the storyline has become quite repetitive but I chose this book as it somewhat different from what she has been writing recently.Also because this book got me started on reading trail of nearly 60 Danielle Steel books which take up a place of pride on my book shelf. Who doesn’t like romances and when you need so light, refreshing read , these books are the best medicine.
You will love Sarah Whitfield for her innocence initially and for her strength and determination in the later part of the book.It's a family saga as much as it is Sarah's story. This is one of those books that I want to write so much about, praise it but yet find it hard to do it convincingly enough. Even though it’s a romance it is a page turner all through. Perfect book for leisurely reading.
I know many people have stopped reading her books as the storyline has become quite repetitive but I chose this book as it somewhat different from what she has been writing recently.Also because this book got me started on reading trail of nearly 60 Danielle Steel books which take up a place of pride on my book shelf. Who doesn’t like romances and when you need so light, refreshing read , these books are the best medicine.
You will love Sarah Whitfield for her innocence initially and for her strength and determination in the later part of the book.It's a family saga as much as it is Sarah's story. This is one of those books that I want to write so much about, praise it but yet find it hard to do it convincingly enough. Even though it’s a romance it is a page turner all through. Perfect book for leisurely reading.
August 27, 2016
It's inevitable. At some point (usually the end) someone in a Danielle Steel novel will Find The Courage To Love Again. In 'Jewels', however, Steel's heroine finds it in the first 50 pages, which leaves room for a few narrative surprises; a rarity in Steel's work. This sustains the novel for hundreds of pages, but you can almost sense the point when Steel loses interest in her story. And, it's unfortunate that it happens when the saga shifts to the second generation and the heroine's libidinous, ungrateful children begin complicating her life. Years go by quickly, love affairs, bad marriages, and run on sentences pile up.
June 15, 2018
I don’t know what to say. I just wanted to understand why this woman made so much money as an author. I just wanted to try it out. Just the tip. And now I want to snort bleach and forget everything I’ve ever known about reading. This book was so bad, the writing so unforgivable, it caused me to start the previous sentence with “and”.
I am a shell of my former self.
I am a shell of my former self.
February 27, 2008
This is one of my favorite Danielle Steel books. Deals with WWII and a strong love between this couple. Good romance.
June 27, 2008
Absolutely LOVE this book. I love books that span the various era's and this one nailed it for me. I've read and re-read this book many times over.
June 6, 2012
Perhaps other readers who like contemporary romance fiction that follows the life of one woman from birth to death would give this story a higher rating. It's a story of love and loss, title and privilege, glittering jewelry and decorator clothes. Sarah Thompson, the daughter of a rich American businessman, makes a bad marriage as a young girl. To her deep embarrassment, her father helps her get a divorce and then takes her on a tour of Europe to break her out of her self-imposed social ostracism. To her surprise she finds the love of her life in England--the Duke of Whitfield. World War II breaks into their life together, and that is quite interesting (although I've read better books about the impact of that war on people). And then the next generation brings its own ups and downs and a new set of morals and values. I didn't mind spending the time reading it, but I'd rather read a mystery or science fiction or a suspense thriller. Regular married life, even glittering high society life, ought to be more interesting than this was.
April 21, 2017
Im a sucker for her romance novels. This one so far is my favorite.
September 20, 2011
One of the best book I have read to-date, full of romance and adventure.
Absolutely lovely.... :)
Absolutely lovely.... :)
November 16, 2022
Lo leí cuando era adolescente, hace más de veinte años.
July 24, 2023
Sans plus
February 11, 2015
2 STARS
"On Sarah Whitfield's seventy-fifth birthday, memories take her back to New York in the 1930s. To a marriage that ends after a year, leaving Sarah shattered. A trip to Europe with her parents does little to raise her spirits, until she meets William, Duke of Whitfield. In time, despite her qualms, William insists on giving up his distant right to the British throne to make Sarah his dutchess and his wife.
On their honeymoon, the newlyweds buy an old French chateau, but not long after, the war begins. William joins the allied forces, leaving Sarah, their first child, an infant, and their second child on the way, in France. After the Nazi forces take over the chateau, Sarah continues to survive the terror and deprivation of the Occupation, unwavering in her belief that her missing-in-action husband is still alive.
After the war, as a gesture of goodwill, the Whitfields start buying jewels offered for sale by impoverished war survivors. With Sarah's style and keen eye, the collection becomes the prestigious Whitfield's jewelry store in Paris. Eventually, their jewelry business expands to London and Rome, as their family grows. Phillip, their firstborn, is stubborn and proud; Julian, their second son, is charming and generous and warm; Isabelle is rebellious and willful; and Xavier, unusual and untamed, is the final unexpected gift of their love. They each find their own way, but will be drawn to the great house of gems their parents built. In Jewels, Danielle Steel takes the reader through five eventful decades that include war, passion, international intrigue, and the strength of family through it all." (From Amazon)
Originally when I read Danielle Steel novels I would have rated them 3-4 STARS, but now I would classify them as 1-2 STARS. These are great for those who like mild sex, unrealistic dramatic romances and grand plots.
"On Sarah Whitfield's seventy-fifth birthday, memories take her back to New York in the 1930s. To a marriage that ends after a year, leaving Sarah shattered. A trip to Europe with her parents does little to raise her spirits, until she meets William, Duke of Whitfield. In time, despite her qualms, William insists on giving up his distant right to the British throne to make Sarah his dutchess and his wife.
On their honeymoon, the newlyweds buy an old French chateau, but not long after, the war begins. William joins the allied forces, leaving Sarah, their first child, an infant, and their second child on the way, in France. After the Nazi forces take over the chateau, Sarah continues to survive the terror and deprivation of the Occupation, unwavering in her belief that her missing-in-action husband is still alive.
After the war, as a gesture of goodwill, the Whitfields start buying jewels offered for sale by impoverished war survivors. With Sarah's style and keen eye, the collection becomes the prestigious Whitfield's jewelry store in Paris. Eventually, their jewelry business expands to London and Rome, as their family grows. Phillip, their firstborn, is stubborn and proud; Julian, their second son, is charming and generous and warm; Isabelle is rebellious and willful; and Xavier, unusual and untamed, is the final unexpected gift of their love. They each find their own way, but will be drawn to the great house of gems their parents built. In Jewels, Danielle Steel takes the reader through five eventful decades that include war, passion, international intrigue, and the strength of family through it all." (From Amazon)
Originally when I read Danielle Steel novels I would have rated them 3-4 STARS, but now I would classify them as 1-2 STARS. These are great for those who like mild sex, unrealistic dramatic romances and grand plots.
June 8, 2021
As a librarian, I felt it was my duty to read at least one Danielle Steel book. I have to say I’m not impressed. The writing was shoddy. Everything was so shallow and surface level. I never once cared about any character. The emotion I felt most often was annoyance, because on top of the crappy writing, everything about this story was RIDICULOUS. Like sure, yeah, we’ll just fix up this huge chateau while I’m pregnant, and then afterward I’ll fix up the stable BY MYSELF with an infant on my hip. And I can’t count how many times in this book Sarah was absolutely sure about something , and then by the next page had changed her mind. All her kids were little assholes. Except maybe Xavier. They were so rich as to be unrelateable. Nothing ever really phased them. And since the story started out with a scene from the “present day” where everyone had turned out super happy, and then went back fifty years, there was never really any stakes, you always knew everything would be fine.
And one last bone to pick. If Lorenzo was trying to marry Isabelle for her money when she was 18, and the only money you couldn’t cut off from her was her inheritance she wouldn’t get until she was 21, surely Lorenzo would have lost interest in those THREE WHOLE YEARS in which they would have been poor...but no, we’re just going to go along with it and let them get married and hope for the best. Ridiculous.
And one last bone to pick. If Lorenzo was trying to marry Isabelle for her money when she was 18, and the only money you couldn’t cut off from her was her inheritance she wouldn’t get until she was 21, surely Lorenzo would have lost interest in those THREE WHOLE YEARS in which they would have been poor...but no, we’re just going to go along with it and let them get married and hope for the best. Ridiculous.
January 29, 2024
Re-read in 2o24:
During the peak of Danielle Steel's career, her work was exceptional. With really good writing and editing, her novels often spanned 496 pages. I have always been a fan of her books from the 1980s to the late 1990s, as they were captivating sagas filled with melodrama, entertainment, and emotional depth.
Do you have a sweater in the back of your closet that you've had for a very long time? And when you put it on is just wraps you up in a warm, comfortable, hug? That's how I felt about reading this book! Danielle Steel really won me over with this book, I do feel that her earlier books are so much better than her current quickly written books, she prints 7 books a year, Crazy. Danielle pumps out so many now that they really have lost some of the specialness of the earlier ones.
I read this in one sitting.
May 16, 2022
This was one of my favorite Danielle Steel books. Sarah Whitfield's when on a trip to Europe with her parents after her first divorce. Once in Europe she met William, Duke of Whitfield. While on the honeymoon war breaks out and he is off to serve his country while she is stuck pregnant in France. This was a really good book that I read along time ago. I didn't like her oldest son he was cold and showed no emotions. Sarah and William had five kids after he came home from the ward she begin buying jewels from the towns people and before long she had enough to open up her own shop. This was a really good book that I have read more than once over the years.
April 16, 2011
I stopped two-thirds of the way through this one, my first Danielle Steele. I picked it up because I've often been asked if my books were similar. No, they aren't, other than they're both within the wide romance genre. During the first half, I enjoyed the characters enough to keep going through the shifting POV and repetition, where I often skimmed. By now, I've lost interest. It's too much overview, not enough depth, and the characters are losing what charm they did have. Maybe this isn't the one I should have grabbed to try first?
April 22, 2023
So I loved this book in high school. Now I understand how high schoolers can read garbage and love it. This was so… abrupt. Very tell, not show. Name dropping and luxury. I do remember that those are hallmarks of Danielle steel but this have almost no actual detail about much of anything. I should have let it live in my memory.
I only listened because Tim Curry narrated. Even he could t save it. It was less that 3 hours long and that surprised me because it is an actual full length book.
I only listened because Tim Curry narrated. Even he could t save it. It was less that 3 hours long and that surprised me because it is an actual full length book.
December 18, 2009
It was a pretty good story to begin with and then turned to absolute rubbish. I ended up not even finishing it because it was way too crude and depressing. If families really have a chance of turning out like this... I think I will stop now with children. I don't plan on ever reading Danielle Steel again.
April 3, 2008
This story will drag you into it in the first few pages. Danielle steel really knows how to grab your attention.I recommend this story for everyone who enjoys novels.
September 2, 2008
If the Royalty of England were on the Jerry Springer Show it would look something like this book. And to think that my Nanny recommended this book to me!
March 10, 2009
My favorite book of Danielle Steel. I love a good saga.
October 21, 2022
I just loved Sarah, the main character in this story. This is an older book (1992), but definitely Danielle Steel at her best.
September 11, 2019
I listened to this audiobook today. It was short and sweet, and narrated by Tim Curry (who is always excellent). The book itself was a nice story of an old woman looking back on her life. I felt like there were some things that were a little too idealized, but all in all an easy, sweet read. Three and a half stars.
December 6, 2020
I suffered through until page 164 and then decided to no longer waste my time on this bullshit. The characters are flat, storyline predictable and the superficial thoughts of the main character annoyed me endlessly. The only good thing about this book is that the first couple of pages reveal the ending, so there was no purpose to torture oneself further just to find out what happens in the end.
March 31, 2023
3.5/5
Knjiga koja se lako čita, govori o životu jedne Sare, od njene mladosti sve do 75. rođendana. Prožimaju se razni događaji, od onih najradosnijih do najtužnijih, razni ljudi i njena osećanja.
Mogu slobodno da kažem da drži pažnju, jer se stalno pojavljuju obrti. Nije od onih knjiga koje ustavljaju snažan utisak, već običan roman.
Knjiga koja se lako čita, govori o životu jedne Sare, od njene mladosti sve do 75. rođendana. Prožimaju se razni događaji, od onih najradosnijih do najtužnijih, razni ljudi i njena osećanja.
Mogu slobodno da kažem da drži pažnju, jer se stalno pojavljuju obrti. Nije od onih knjiga koje ustavljaju snažan utisak, već običan roman.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 389 reviews