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As the beautiful cover indicates winter is special. Every year after Christmas, Preston and Connie go on a trip ~ the children call it their Parent’s “Wintermoon”! This year they went skiing in France ~ unfortunately there was a deadly avalanche. The Whittiers by Danielle Steel is a sweeping family drama that follows a tight-knit family after the death of their parents. They all summered on Shelter Island, in a big family house they had eventually sold, when the children stopped spending summers with them and the house had become more of a burden than a joy. Connie and Preston had begun to streamline their life in recent years, cutting down on unnecessary expenses, and avoiding projects that were too much work for them. In the summers, they rented a house in Maine now, or in the Hamptons, or on Cape Cod, large enough so that the children who wanted to could come and go for a few days or a weekend visit. Renting was easier than owning, and the headache of maintaining a summer home was someone else’s problem, not theirs. The children never came at the same time, so they didn’t need an enormous house. Preston and Connie still clung to the tradition of their Wintermoon, which they called it now, too. It was important to them, and they looked forward to it all year. After forty-three years of marriage, it still felt like a honeymoon to them. Constance was sixty-five years old and the time had flown. She couldn’t believe how old her children were, all adults now. Even their “baby” Annabelle, a late surprise, had just turned twenty-one. Preston and Connie Whittier have spent their lives in successful lucrative careers and raising their six children. Yes, yes, yes finally a positive novel by the legendary Danielle Steel. It’s not a story of a woman losing everything, a victim of a terribly abusive man, overcoming odds, yet their wealthy and beautiful throughout.
In every family, each member has their own personal struggles. The Whittiers are no exception. Lyle is successful but has an unhappy marriage. Gloria is a genius on Wall Street but lonely. Twins Caroline and Charlie work all hours on their growing fashion brand, but have no time to enjoy life. Benjie has personal challenges and requires additional support. And rebellious Annabelle has fallen in with a bad crowd. Their mother, Connie, had inherited a small amount from her aristocratic parents and grandparents, but their fortune had never equaled Preston’s, and what she’d inherited had dwindled to very little over the years. But Preston supported them well. As excellent and well known Danielle Steel is as an author, in my opinion her latest novel "The Whittiers" is not one of her best works. The main idea of the book was ambitious but not all that well developed. To summarize, the story follows a total of six siblings and their various storylines in the aftermath of a tragedy (respectfully, I won't divulge the details any further than this for those who decide to read the book). Connie and Preston Whittier raised their six children in a once grand mansion in the centre of New York's Manhattan. The children are now adults and have lives of their own, but the house remains the heart of the family and somewhere they all love to return, particularly in times of stress. But when Connie and Preston take what they fondly call their annual 'wintermoon' to go skiing in Europe, an avalanche hits their resort resulting in tragedy.
Customer reviews
Brothers and sisters Lyle, Gloria, Benjie, Annabelle. and twins Caroline and Charlie, are all at different stages of life personally and professionally. I was captured by the way they faced their individual situations while dealing with moving forward as a united family in the midst of anguish. I appreciated this touching and emotional look at family dynamics, grief, and sibling bonds written in Steel's special style. Connie gave up her job to raise the children they planned to have. Eventually Preston became the publisher, and held the job for the rest of his career. Now seventy-five, he had been retired for ten years. They loved having more time to spend together. He had enjoyed a distinguished career, and they had similar interests. They never tired of being together, and there was still a spark of romance between them, which grew into a steady blaze during their Wintermoons in Europe.
Story centers on the close knit ‘Whittier family’: parents Preston and Constance and their six adult children: Lyle is the oldest at 42, Gloria 39, twins Charlie and Caroline 33, Benjie 28 and Annabella is 21. The eldest four are forced to put aside their personal issues and their grief to keep the family together and support each other and their two youngest siblings. Selling the house, along with all the memories that live in its walls, feels like yet another devastating loss. Could there be another way, as unconventional as it seems? Connie and Preston Whittier raised their six children in a once-grand Manhattan mansion. The children are now adults, but the house remains the heart of the family and somewhere they all love to return to, particularly in times of stress. But on Connie and Peter’s annual skiing holiday in Europe, an avalanche hits their resort, resulting in tragedy. I do believe this author has potential, because something about the writing seemed like it could be interesting, I just wish there was an interesting plot as well. I see the author has written a ton of books maybe that's the problem I don't know. Connie and Preston Whittier raised their six children in a once-grand Manhattan mansion. The children are now adults, but the house remains the heart of the family and somewhere they all love to return to, particularly in times of stress. But on Connie and Preston’s annual skiing holiday in Europe, an avalanche hits their resort, resulting in tragedy.Preston and Constance Whittier have built a happy life together with a brood of six children raised in a beautiful historic Manhattan mansion. Now, with a nearly empty nest, it’s easier than ever for the Whittiers to maintain their tradition of a solo romantic “wintermoon” ski trip. I enjoyed this story and liked the characters very much. All five children are strong characters with their own issues and problems. I loved the way all the children came together and eventually helped each other out. This is the story of an extraordinary boy with a brilliant mind, a heart of gold, and a tortured soul. It is the story of an illness, a fight to live, and a race against death." Preston and Constance Whittier have built a happy life together, with a brood of six children raised in a beautiful historic Manhattan mansion. Now, with a nearly empty nest, it’s easier than ever for the Whittiers to maintain their tradition of a solo romantic “Wintermoon” ski trip.
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