Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel: Book Review

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Danielle Steel has written about plenty of strong women facing unexpected challenges, and Worthy Opponents gives us another one in Spencer Brooke, the owner of a prestigious family department store in New York City.

This time, Steel mixes family legacy, business rivalry, personal loss, and a little romance into a story about two determined people who initially find themselves on opposite sides of a very important decision.

I especially enjoyed the luxury department store setting and Spencer’s determination to protect the business her family built. Here’s what I liked about Worthy Opponents, what I didn’t, and whether I think it’s worth reading.

My Take: Worthy Opponents is a fast, satisfying Danielle Steel novel about family legacy, business rivalry, and two strong-willed people who initially find themselves on opposite sides. I especially enjoyed Spencer Brooke, the New York department store setting, and the struggle between preserving a family business and adapting to change. My Verdict? Read. If you enjoy Danielle Steel’s stories about strong women facing major personal and professional challenges, this is an easy one to recommend.

What Worthy Opponents Is About

Spencer Brooke has always known that Brooke’s, the prestigious New York department store founded by her grandfather, would someday be hers to run. Now divorced and raising twin boys, she’s determined to protect both the business and the family legacy behind it, even as the retail world around her continues to change.

Mike Weston is a successful investor who sees enormous potential in Brooke’s and wants to help Spencer expand the company. Spencer, however, has no interest in handing any control of her family business to an outsider.

The two begin as business adversaries, but circumstances force Spencer to reconsider some of her assumptions about both Brooke’s future and Mike himself. What develops is a story about ambition, family legacy, change, and two determined people discovering that being worthy opponents doesn’t necessarily mean they have to remain on opposite sides. There’s also a romantic element woven into the story, although I wouldn’t classify Worthy Opponents as a traditional romance novel.

Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel – What I Liked

The Characters

I liked Spencer almost immediately. She’s strong, independent, and deeply committed to the department store that has been part of her family for generations.

What I especially liked was that Brooke’s isn’t simply a business to her. It represents her grandfather, her childhood, and a family legacy she feels responsible for protecting. That made her resistance to Mike’s investment proposal understandable, even when it became obvious that the store might need to change.

I also liked Mike, Spencer’s “worthy opponent.”

Although Spencer initially sees him as an investor who simply wants another business deal, I never really saw him that way. He seemed like a decent man who genuinely recognized the potential in Brooke’s and wanted to help the company succeed.

Watching Spencer’s opinion of him gradually change was one of the things I enjoyed about the story.

The Family Department Store

The department store storyline may have been my favorite part of the book.

There was something fascinating about Spencer running a luxury store that had belonged to her family for generations while trying to figure out how to preserve its traditions and still compete in a changing retail world.

For some reason, Brooke’s reminded me a little of Scruples by Judith Krantz. The books themselves are quite different, but both feature glamorous retail businesses and strong women determined to succeed.

The Pacing

This book moved quickly! I practically read it in a day.

That’s something Danielle Steel does particularly well for me. Even when the story deals with business problems, family complications, and difficult relationships, she keeps things moving enough that I want to know what happens next.

Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel – What I Disliked

There really wasn’t much I disliked about Worthy Opponents.

I definitely didn’t like Spencer’s first husband, but that’s more about the character than the book itself. He served a purpose in Spencer’s story and helped explain some of the experiences that shaped the woman she had become.

I wasn’t particularly fond of Spencer’s advertising executive boyfriend either. He struck me as a bit of a cad, but again, I think that was exactly the point.

So, while there were characters I disliked, there really wasn’t anything about the book itself that bothered me.

Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel – Read, Reread, or Reconsider?

And now, for my 3 Rs of book reviews.

Should you Read, Reread, or Reconsider Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel?

A Definite Read!

I thoroughly enjoyed Worthy Opponents. Spencer was a character I liked immediately, the family department store gave the story an interesting setting, and the relationship between Spencer and Mike added just enough romance without turning the book into a traditional romance novel.

It’s another fast, easy-to-get-lost-in Danielle Steel read for me.

Frequently Asked Questions About Worthy Opponents

Is Worthy Opponents Worth Reading?

Yes. I think Worthy Opponents is well worth reading, particularly if you already enjoy Danielle Steel’s novels about strong women navigating complicated personal and professional lives.

For me, Spencer and the family department store were the highlights. I enjoyed watching her struggle with the question of how much she should change something she loves in order to preserve it for the future. Add Mike, their business rivalry, family complications, and a little romance, and this turned into a very enjoyable read that moved quickly and left me with exactly the warm, satisfying feeling I expect from a Danielle Steel novel.

What To Read Next

• The Challenge by Danielle Steel – another Steel novel you’ve rated highly.
• The Wedding Planner by Danielle Steel – another contemporary Steel read with relationships at its center.
• Judith Krantz Books In Order – because your Scruples comparison is so specific and personal that this is one of those rare cases where a BIO post really does make sense in What to Read Next.

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