Friends Forever

A Novel

By: Danielle Steel

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Five children meet on the first day of kindergarten. In the years that follow, they become friends and more than friends. Together, they will find strength, meet challenges, face life’s adventures, endure loss, face stark realities, and open their hearts. In this moving novel, number one New York Times best-selling author Danielle Steel traces their unforgettable journey - full of tests and trials - as three boys and two girls discover the vital bonds that will last a lifetime.

Gabby, Billy, Izzie, Andy, and Sean - each bursting with their own personality, strikingly different looks and talents, in sports, science, and the arts. Each drawn by the magical spark of connection that happens to the young. At the exclusive Atwood School, on a bright September day, starting in kindergarten, they become an inseparable group known to outsiders as the Big Five. In this rarefied world, five families grow closer, and five children bloom beside one another, unaware of the storms gathering around them.

As they turn from grade-schoolers to teenagers, seemingly perfect lives are buffeted by unraveling families, unfortunate missteps, and losses and victories great and small. And, one by one, they turn back to the Big Five to regain their footing and their steady course. But as they emerge from Atwood and enter the college years, the way forward is neither safe nor clear. As their lives separate and diverge, the challenges and risks become greater, the losses sharper, and the right paths harder to choose, in a journey of friendship, survival, and love.

In what may be her most intricate and emotionally powerful novel yet, Danielle Steel tells a heart-wrenching, ultimately triumphant story that spans decades, weaves together a vivid cast of characters, and captures the challenges we face in life - sometimes, if we’re lucky, with a friend forever by our side.

©2012 Danielle Steel (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Friends Forever

An excellent read once again by Danielle Steele. Love and friendship is always good to read about. Always enjoy the twists in the story about relationships, grief, love and friends.

Great story

Loved it. It has good narration. it has a good ending. A good book.

Perfect naration - great daydream

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would. This book is perfect as an introduction to this author. I have seen plenty of her books on my mother's shelves over the years. According to her whose taste is wider than most, these books are: "Typical housewive's reads, not award material." Over the last weeks I have used an insane amount on audiobooks. A lot of themmemoirs. I craved this narrator's voice. Sadly he seems to have dobe mostly sci-fi and fàntasy. Generøs I am very picky about no matter who the narrator is. Hence I landed on this. It is not life-changing, but it did take my hand and Lead me safeely into the land of dreams. The first chapters introduce you to each character. Sadly as the story moves on the author pushes the spead-button.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

"Oh, come on, too easy way out,"

Have you listened to any of Nick Podehl’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, I love his voice. In fact so much I would listen to other books by this. author as long as he reads them.

Do you think Friends Forever needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. The end does not leave room for it.

Brilliant!

Would you consider the audio edition of Friends Forever to be better than the print version?

Yes.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Friends Forever?

REmembering the first day of school for all of them.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely

Any additional comments?

Absolutely wonderful reading. This may have been fiction, but touch so much of my life in more ways than 1.

great book cryed alot

great story sad at time but I listen to it 3 times and passed it alone to other who love it 2

Super

Danielle steel never disappoints!! Her stories are all great an interesting. This one is no different.

Not what I expected.

This is a Sad story. Lessons are understood. But still pretty sad . The storyline was not expected.

Very sad.

I have no idea why Danielle Steele wrote this book. It just has tragedy after tragedy in it and it was very hard for this bereaved mother to listen to. I also wonder why in the world whoever was in charge of the recording did not tell the narrator how to pronounce kindergarten! That word is said over and over in this book and it is not kinnergarden!!!!!

A downer

Definitely not the type of book to read as a pick me up. Very sad story.

Meh.....

This was not my favorite Danielle Steele novel. I have read quite a few and found most of them moving. It's been a while since I read anything of hers and bought this during a 2/1 credit sale last year. I promptly forgot that I had it. Browsing through my library I found it again and decided to give it a shot.

This book thoroughly depressed me. I don't want to spoil anything, but, to me it felt like the entire book was just kind of phoned in. I'll probably give Danielle another shot but if she dis saplings ne again I am done.