Child's Play: A Novel

· Sold by Dell
4.4
27 reviews
Ebook
368
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The lessons our children teach us are the hardest ones. What do we do when our children don’t pursue our hopes for them? In this riveting novel, Danielle Steel explores how families can evolve and grow in unexpected ways.

A senior partner at a prestigious New York law firm, Kate Morgan couldn’t be prouder of her three grown children. Tamara, Anthony, and Claire all went to great schools, chose wonderful career paths, and would have made their father proud. A single mother for years after the death of her husband, Kate keeps a tight rein on her family, her career, and even her own emotions, never once asking herself if she truly knows her children . . . or if her hopes for them are the right ones, and what they want. She is about to find out.

During one hectic summer in Manhattan, Kate’s world turns upside down. One child has been keeping an astonishing secret while another confesses to an equally shocking truth. A wonderful match and picture-book wedding are traded for a relationship that shakes Kate to her core. A totally inappropriate love affair and an out-of-wedlock baby complete the chaos. Challenged as a mother and as a successful independent woman herself, Kate struggles to keep up with a dizzying and escalating chain of events, and begins to realize that she has a part to play in the chaos. Because Kate too has kept secrets from her children.

Sometimes the surprising choices our children make are the right ones . . . better than what we wanted for them. More often than not, parenting is about letting go of our dreams and embracing theirs.

Ratings and reviews

4.4
27 reviews
Kristina Anderson
October 8, 2019
Child’s Play by Danielle Steel is a story that parent’s will be able to understand and relate to. Parents have certain expectations for their children. We forget that they must make their own mistakes and follow their own path in life. Kate Morgan always set the bar high for her children and worked to be a good example for them. Kate is in her 50s and a senior partner at a law firm in New York City. After her politician husband passed away in a helicopter crash nineteen years previously, Kate went to law school while taking care of her kids with help from her mother, Margaret. Kate is proud of her children with their successful careers. She is unprepared when Claire announces she is having a child out of wedlock. Kate has old-fashioned ideals which she passed along to her kids. Claire, though, seems happy to shock her mother. Then Anthony announces he has broken off his engagement which paves the way for Tamara’s news. We see Kate struggle with each new announcement while juggling her clients. I found Child’s Play to be just the right length and it was easy to read. I quickly devoured it in a couple of hours. The characters are developed and realistic. Kate is an intelligent woman in her 50s who is also beautiful, sexy and vibrant. I like that Danielle Steel is giving us this type of mature character. Margaret, Kate’s mother, was my favorite. She provided keen insights and did not let her grandchildren’s news shake her. Kate could have let her children’s revelations alienate her from them, but we get to see how she adapts. Families continue to evolve as people mature as we see in Child’s Play. I liked that the main feature of the story was on the family with romance being secondary. There is some repetition of details which seems to be a trend in this author’s recent works. This repetitiveness is unnecessary. Child’s Play had the type of ending we look for from Danielle Steel. Child’s Play is dramatic family story with a spoiled sibling, shocking secrets, a lackluster lover, a boring bridezilla, a driven daughter, and a surprising suitor.
7 people found this review helpful
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Tracy L Haggins
November 11, 2019
A mother's love should be unconditional. I love my daughter but not like what she does. Kate finally let her children be who they are and love her life. That was inspirational, her marriage to Scott. He is good for her; she is just a number. LOL!
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Donna Panzardo
October 8, 2019
Child's Play by Danielle Steel. A story of family changes, moving on and secrets. A enjoyable read I've enjoyed This author's books in the past and she never disappoints me
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About the author

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s bestselling authors, with a billion copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Happiness, Palazzo, The Wedding Planner, Worthy Opponents, Without a Trace, The Whittiers, The High Notes, 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.

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