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.

Cute to Tragic to Love.. All in one!

What made the experience of listening to Friends Forever the most enjoyable?

I had a constant want to listen to this book. It was a great story, and although there were moments where I was a little annoyed with what was happening, in the end it made it all worth it.

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this book to anyone! It starts out a little slow, making you wonder if it's something worth listening to but it definitely is so don't give up on it!! It gets a quite tragic throughout it, but the end is the best it could be. It made me really sad that it was over!

So Steel

What did you love best about Friends Forever?

Predictably Danielle Steel style, but isn't that exactly what we love? This book made my raod trip go so quickly, as one "issue" after another arose in her many characters. No real twists.. no special surprises, but a lot of action, many characters, and oh so entertaining

Who was your favorite character and why?

Not any one favorite

Which character – as performed by Nick Podehl – was your favorite?

again, no favorite

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

and life goes on....

Best and maybe one of the sadest book

I just adore this one. It made me cry but it was so good. It is like a picture of my generation - we have so much opportunities bur also so many ways to ruin it all (drugs, alcohol etc).

TOOO SAD

the story was ok..I don't like sad stories, specially when young kids died (too sad for me)

Good story...horrible narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend the book itself, but not this audio version. The story spans a long period of time and is fairly interesting. The narration is an abomination though.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Izzie was the main character in the book and I'd say she was my favorite. She was caring and the best friend to all in the group. My least favorite character was Billy. I felt everything that was written throughout the story about Billy was very predictable.

Would you be willing to try another one of Nick Podehl’s performances?

Absolutely NOT! I felt he was a bit lispy. I think the way he tried to imitate the voices made the women sound like 3 year olds and the men sound like they were stoned. I think it really detracted from the story. Perhaps I'm being sexist, but I would really like a story by Danielle Steel, a fantastic writer of women's fiction for decades, to be narrated by a woman.

If you could rename Friends Forever, what would you call it?

The Big Five

Any additional comments?

If you can endure the bad narration, you will enjoy the story.

Good but surprising

Where does Friends Forever rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I haven't read a Danielle Steel book in awhile because of the typical storylines but this one I must admit did surprise me. Good book and I liked the narrator

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

typical

Where did that come from?

Any additional comments?

I started this book expecting one thing. I had in my mind how it was going to read and the general direction that the book was going to go. I was so far off that it made the book all the more worth reading! I kept me so interested that every free minute I had I kept hitting the play button to listen for just a few minutes.

Excellent Read

I loved it so much I listen to it twice. And probably will again.

Optional

A good read. As always, I enjoy all of Danielle Steel books. Waiting for her next release.

Depressing

Two much death - can’t believe I made it until the end . I listened to this because I thought it would be an escape .