Finding Ashley by Danielle Steel – a Review

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Description:
Melissa Henderson is leading a quiet life. Once a bestselling author, she now pours all her energy into renovating a Victorian house nestled in the foothills of rural New England. Six years ago, she lost her young son to cancer, and her marriage dissolved. She stopped writing. It was only when she bought the old house that Melissa found a purpose, and came alive as she made it beautiful again.

After a wildfire that threatens her home appears on the news, Melissa receives a call from her sister, Hattie. They were close once, but that was before Melissa withdrew from the world. Now Hattie, who became a nun at twenty-five, is determined to help Melissa turn a new page, even if it means reopening one of the most painful chapters of her life.

At sixteen, a pregnant Melissa was sent to a gloomy convent in Ireland to have— and give up—her baby, to spare the family shame. All these years later, Hattie feels compelled to embark on a journey that will change both their lives forever, and track down the child Melissa gave up.

Finding Ashley is a masterpiece of contemporary drama and tells a gripping story of the strength of the human spirit to chase an impossible dream. It is the story of two strong, brave women turning wrenching loss into reconnection, and a family reunited after bringing dark secrets into the light.

Review:

Finding Ashley by Danielle Steel is a wonderful emotional standalone novel.  We meet Melissa Henderson, our heroine in this story, who is content as she renovates her Victorian house, which she bought a few years ago that was in bad shape.  We learn quickly that Melissa’s life fell apart 6 years earlier, when her 10-year-old son, Robbie died of Cancer. Her and her husband, devoted everything to try and save him, and after he died, their marriage fell apart, and they divorced; Melissa was devastated, moving to New England, giving up her writing career, and became a loner.

Though she does most of the work, she does have workers for difficult tasks (like a roof), with a local contractor, Norm helping her occasion.  When there is a wild fire that threatens the area, Melissa is lucky that it was put out before it reached her home.  Melissa’s estranged sister, Hattie is a nun, and especially since the death of her son, she rarely sees her; but learning about the fire, Hattie comes to visit her, and slowly their reunion will help rekindle their relationship and become closer.  Melissa opens up to Hattie about how she became pregnant at 16, and their mother forced her to travel to a convent in Ireland; to have the baby, and give it up for adoption.  Melissa talks about her grief and how terrible the nuns were to her, another reason why she hated when Hattie became a nun

Unbeknownst to Melissa, Hattie decides to get permission from her Mother Superior  to travel to Ireland to see what she could find out, since all records were destroyed years ago.  Hattie’s journey will not only bring her to the convent in question, and learn about the conditions at that time, and how the rich paid the convent for adopting the babies.  But when she travels to meet a woman who wrote a book (baby mills) about the deplorable times back then, who happens to be a nun who left her vocation.  Hattie heads back to America, with the name of three women who may have adopted Ashley. 

What follows is a wonderful heartwarming journey, when Hattie will find Melissa’s daughter, and it is so emotional, I had tears in my eyes.  We meet Michaela Ashley, who tried to find her real mother years ago to no avail; her adopted mother is a world-famous actress, who supported her search.  Michaela was a fantastic heroine in her own right, as she was so happy and loving toward Melissa, as well as her family (husband, two kids, and adopted mother) who all open their arms to Melissa.   

Beside the background story of the convent, making lots of money adopting out the babies, and treating the young girls badly, there was another background storyline.  This was very much like the ‘me-too’ movement, as the Hollywood stars started accusing the men who made their lives difficult.  There was also a tragedy that also brings Melissa and Michaela even closer.

Finding Ashley was a fantastic and engrossing story that pulled on many emotions.  I loved seeing Melissa and Hattie reunited and together again after all those years.  Melissa finding happiness again with a family, as well as a possible relationship. Danielle Steel once again surprises me with a different kind of story that was a masterpiece.  You need to read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher