Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel is one of her books that is being published in 2023. Whew! I’m having a hard time keeping up with this writing powerhouse 🙂
There are many more of Danielle’s books coming in 2023. But, you can never have too many Danielle Steel novels to read, right?
As usual, although I wouldn’t necessarily call this book a romance novel, I included it in romance here because there is definitely some romance thrown into the mix in this book. That’s usually the case in many Danielle Steel books. And I’m a romantic at heart which is one reason why I love them so much.
This review will give you a short publisher’s synopsis, and then I’ll tell you what I really thought. Yep! I’ll let you know whether you should read, reread or reconsider reading Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel.
Contents
Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel
Worthy Opponents is one of several (well OK, maybe one of many) books that are being published this year (2023) by Danielle Steel.
Danielle Steel’s books often feature strong women who need to overcome some type of hardship in their life, and this book is no exception.
You would think that eventually, after so many books, that theme would get tiresome for the reader. However, for me at least, I love reading books about strong women overcoming stuff and I don’t think I will ever become bored with this author’s books.
Although Danielle Steel’s books often follow a similar type of theme, I enjoy reading every single one of them. Because life is a bit like that, isn’t it? The truth is that most of us have to overcome various hardships in our lives, and these books sort of set an example for us that it is possible to overcome almost anything.
Publisher’s Synopsis of Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel
Spencer Brooke always knew she was destined to be CEO of her grandfather’s business—the most respected and luxurious department store in New York City. Brooke’s has been at the center of every happy memory she has, but it hasn’t been an easy journey. Seven years after her father’s death, her life is very different from the days when she walked through the store with her grandfather as a young girl. She may be the owner of Brooke’s, but she’s also now a divorced single mother of twin boys. And with the ever-evolving landscape of the fashion industry comes new challenges for Spencer and the legacy she’s inherited.
Mike Weston is known for making enormous profits by transforming small businesses into bigger, more successful ones. With his marriage at a breaking point and his children grown up, investing is where he thrives—where he can build something greater. And Brooke’s feels like the perfect opportunity. Yet the firm’s beautiful and savvy CEO turns down the offer before they even meet.
Spencer has no interest in outside investors meddling in her family business; her grandfather never saw the need for them, and neither does she. She refuses to be tempted by Mike’s offer, despite her big dreams of expanding the store. But when bad luck strikes, suddenly she is backed into a corner.
Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel – What I Liked
I loved the main female character Spencer from the moment I met her. I felt like I had known her forever within just a few pages and I liked her immensely until the very end of the book.
I also liked Mike, the man who would become Spencer’s “worthy opponent”. Although Spencer’s initial opinion of him was not as favorable as mine, I thought he seemed like a decent guy who wasn’t just looking for his next big business deal.
This book moved quickly! I practically read it in a day.
I loved the storyline of the main character, Spencer, taking over a department store that had been in her family for generations. The fact that the department store in question sold luxury goods (who doesn’t love luxury goods, huh?) made this book somewhat reminiscent of the book Scruples by Judith Krantz. I’m honestly not sure why because Scruples (which made publishing history in the trashy romance novels genre when it became an overnight smash bestseller) was set in Los Angeles while Worthy Opponents is set in New York. In reality, Scruples is actually nothing like Worthy Opponents at all! The only similarity is the department store theme, but nevertheless, it reminded me of Scruples and its sequels a bit because both versions of the department stores in the books were headed up by strong women who had to overcome a lot of stuff to achieve and maintain success.
Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel – What I Disliked
OK, not much to say here. I didn’t like one of the characters in the book, but that’s just my opinion and not the fault of the book. The character I disliked immensely was Spencer’s first husband. But, he was a necessary evil, I guess, and had to be in the book.
I also disliked Spencer’s advertising exec boyfriend. He just seemed like a cad, but again, probably necessary for the book.
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!
In my opinion, Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel is a very enjoyable book that shouldn’t be missed if you like Danielle Steel. It’s an interesting story, has a little bit of everything in it, and will leave you with a warm cozy feeling at the end.
If you love Danielle Steel as much as I do but haven’t read all of her books yet, here’s a list of all of Danielle Steel’s books. There are lots to choose from there, and no sense in missing any, right?
And, just in case you prefer to “listen” to your books rather than read them, here’s a nice opportunity to try Audible free for 30 Days.
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Mary Emmer, the founder of Looks Like Books, is an avid book enthusiast and self-employed entrepreneur, with an inspiring passion for reading and learning. With a background in the travel industry spanning four decades, Mary has cultivated a diverse range of experiences that have shaped her unique perspective on life and storytelling. Books have always held a special place in Mary’s life and have served as a constant source of comfort, inspiration, and personal growth. Her mission is to ignite the same passion for reading in others and to encourage them to explore new worlds within the pages of a book. More about Mary.