Rating: 
Summary: The same story again - nice done this time
Review: Who am I to disagree with the famous Kirkus Reviews...? But I do. They said that this book from Mrs. Danielle Fernande Schulein-Steel is nothing more than a melodrama. Don't think so. If there's one thing I came to conclude since 1999 (yes, I might have taken too long), is that the books by Danielle Steel are the same plot told in different ways. As another reader said, what seem is that only the names of the characters and their professions change, no matter if the plot takes place in New York, in Japan or on Vietnam. It's always the same thing: a woman who suffers like hell, who suffers even when things were seeming to go Ok. Then, when she thinks all men in the world are "the same", the knight on a white horse appears "unexpectedly" on her life and they live happilly ever after. THE LONG ROAD HOME, as all the other books by Mrs. Steel is no different. Gabriella Harrison is a child who suffers since the beginning of her life. Her mother is always mad it her, and spank her even if she's happy and claims everything to be her fault. Her father watches everything and do nothing. Then, one day, he lives her and her mother alone. And because no one is made of steel, the mother finds another man in her life, goes to San Francisco with him and leave Gabriella in a convent. There she is raised by a sister that plays the role her mother didn't. When she's twenty plus, Gabriella decides it's time to become a sister also. Then she suffers the first tragedy of her adult life, since it couldn't be different (remember, we are in a book by Danielle Steel). She falls in love with a priest, and he answers the love. They soon start to make love in an apartment of a friend of his, and... Gabriella gets pregnant! Oh-my-God! And now? Then, the priest, who can't resist, commits suicide... Terrible, isn't it? Yes, but that's not the end yet. Decided to stare her life with good sense and forget her past, she goes to New York and starts to live in a very cheap hotel. Well, she meets all kind of people, and imagine that she gets involved with a man she thought was the man of her dreams... But this man also spanks her like her mother did... And there, at the hospital, a doctor that had already ended a marriage because he couldn't give much attention to the other spouse, decides that Gabriella is the perfect woman he always dreamed of, and think it's time to try again. Because, of course, the heroines Danielle Steel criates are always flawless. Who wouldn't want to give up everything and marry them? Even being a little melodramatic, the book made me remind of another one I loved (MALICE), and I think that's the main reason why I enjoyed that one. It's not as dull as I thought at first, and, even to a male audience, the book, that has always the same quantity of suffer and tragedy all her past ones does, is a good reading. A book for fans and for people who enjoy the genre. Marco Aurelio.
Rating:
Summary: Harrowing!
Review: This was my first Danielle Steele book,and,having just finished it,I must confess to being exhausted with all the terrible pain and emotional torture that the heroine endures. She kept wondering why people called her"strong".I can't imagine anybody being as strong as she without having a total nervous and physical collapse.If such brave women exist,they have my total admiration to be able to survive such horrors from childhood!Are there really appalling women who torture their children in this way? God help the children if such monsters Do exist.
Rating:
Summary: Steele Inspires
Review: For inspirational words of hopes and desires, noone out there does it as prolifically in fiction as Ms. Steele. In, "The Long Road Home", readers are witness to a profound story of victory of the human spirit. We meet Gabbie Harrison at a young age and follow her harrowing journey from vile physical child abuse by her wealthy mother, irritating ignorance from her father, and a 10 year old girl who is then totally abandoned into the hands of a strict yet loving Mother Superior. It is here at St. Matthews Gabbie meets Father Joe Connors. Going against all they know to be immoral, a relationship of impossibilities flowers. Only to be gnarled into deep emotional desperation. Gabbie's long road home takes her then to New York, to be on her own, to her writing, to more disappointment and despair. How she survives and conquers is a lesson in forgiveness and fortitude we can all learn from. A well written story that moves quickly. I highly recommend this insightful read. Thanks for your interest & comments-CDS
Rating: 
Summary: You've gotta read this book.
Review: The Long Road Home By Danielle Steel The book The Long Road Home takes place in New York. There is a preppie family that consists of a mother, a father, and one child. The mother is abusive to her daughter. She beats her up every time she turns around. She beats her for everything whether she does anything or not. Her father does not beat her, but he doesn't put his foot down and stop her. He just gets drunk and cheats on his wife and eventually leaves them. It takes a lot to make me cry, but I bawled through that book. I give it a five star rating. I recommend this book for adults and older kids because it might be too disturbing for younger kids.
Rating:
Summary: What about Joe?
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Steele's novel and as usual, found myself tearing through the pages at lightning speed. This being one of the greatest novels I have committed myself to, I have to ask one question. Why couldn't Joe have just stayed alive? Once again , Steele made my heart sink into my stomach with her tragic twists and turns. All and all, I closed the book feeling contented and in awe. Thank you, Danielle.
Rating:
Summary: As an abused child
Review: As an abused child, I understand what it means. Even though never in the same magnitude, I was an abused child and I know how it feels. Violent beatings for very small mistakes, repeated humiliations and cruelty for no real reason that leaves one with little self confidence, and eventually even more beating for standing up for my rights and saying that I didn't deserve this. For 12 years as a child and throughout my teenage life, I had to tell myself that I was worthy of respect and love. It seemed sick what my mother was doing sometimes, but I was never sure and only towards the end that I realized it wasn't my fault. I was told repeatedly at a young age that I was worthless, useless, and deserve all the humiliation I get. Some other times, when she feels guilty about what she has just done, she would tell me she was sorry. My mother was not the monster in Danielle Steel's book, but still injustice was done. Now, I say I can understand the kind of pressures she was going through and I am able to forgive, but never forget. At the time, I couldn't say that, I could only believe for so many years and feel that I am truly worthless and only defend myself out of dignity, while I really believed it. Years later, I started to see that it can't be true, I am not bad and I deserve happiness somewhere else. That in itself has caused so much damaged. I made so many wrong choices so early and compromised myself only too often it amazes me now. All that in search for one thing; love and respect, but I ended up always left behind. I understand only too well how it feels. As in the book, I am a survivor and I realized very early on that I have to take care of myself and I can't rely on anyone. It does seem very strong to people, it used to outrage my mother even more and the beating would be only aimed to see me break, but I never relented and I never let her reach out to me. My objective in life, as far back as I can remember, is to be independent and do something with myself that I can call my own. I have succeeded. It made me stronger, I realized that not my mother with the beatings and the humiliations and accusations, or the men who took advantage of me and left without a word could really beat me or reach my soul. I always came out of it. I survived it. It is the long way to tell you that I liked the book very much and I really identified with Gabbie. Now, at her same age, I cam to full circle. I found a man, my husband who loves me beyond imagination and I love him and I awe him my healing and I have a responsible job. As I am healing, I am reaching out for my mother, she regrets what she did and I truly came to forgive her. It took a lot of courage, strength, pain, and mistakes, but the only way it was possible is by being strong from within and letting no one conquer my soul even if they could beat my body or hurt my feeling.
Rating: 
Summary: The Long Book
Review: I enjoyed another of Daniel Steel's books. I do admit that it was rather long. I didn't expect to read about such graphic scenes nor feel so angry and helpless. Children who are abused lead a broken life and are scared for life. This novel touched, taught and moved me. This book should be read by all. This book contains inspiration for forgiveness and the healing towards abuse. This topic is a very untouched one and Daniel Steel's novel portrays it very well.
Rating:
Summary: great - up until half way through
Review: I thought that the book was excellent, i couldn't put it down, however it was a real disapointment when Joe (the priest) killed himself and Gabbie found someone else. I mean it was good for her, but it would have been much much sweeter if Joe did live, and they both got kicked out of the convent and the rest of the story talked about how they survived New York, this is the only reason I was not able to give it 5 stars - great, but a disapointing ending
Rating: 
Summary: Rubbish!
Review: This was the very first Danielle Steele book I ever read, and I decided to buy it to find out why she is constantly on the best seller lists. My, was I disappointed. Her English is childish and the some of the chapters were crying out for proper editing! For an author so popular I had expected a highly skilled and eloquent form of writing. That is definitely not what I got. Although I was in suspense for most of the book, and some of it did bring out feelings of anger and sadness, the story was too dramatic and unrealistic. I mean really, how could one person go through so many tragedies in their life? I brought the book on holidays with me and every time something bad happened to the main character (every 5 minutes!) I told my friends who were with me and we just laughed and laughed and laughed. It was so stupid! If you want a trashy novel, go ahead and buy it. But otherwise, stay away, stay well away!
Rating:
Summary: stepping into another world
Review: The first ten pages just really take you into another world, its a story where it can make you so angry at parents, and also a story on surviving the life you had to live, at the beginning you are sad, but you just can't wait to see what happens next...A MUST READ this one too
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