Rogue

By: Danielle Steel

Narrated by: Brian Keith Lewis

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's Summary

Being married to Blake had been an amazing adventure for Maxine. Brilliant, charismatic, and wholly unpredictable, Blake Williams made millions and grabbed headlines as a dotcom entrepreneur. His only shortcoming was as a husband - first his work, and then his never-ending quest for fun, kept him constantly on the move, far away from Maxine and his family.

For five years, Blake and Maxine have worked out an odd but amicable divorce, with friendly though infrequent visits, a yacht he lends her every summer, and three children they both adore. Blake enjoys his globe-trotting lifestyle - dating a succession of beautiful, famous, and very young women - while Maxine raises their kids in Manhattan and pursues her passion, working as a psychiatrist, a world-renowned expert on childhood trauma and adolescent suicide. Then everything changes....

For Maxine, it starts when she falls in love with Dr. Charles West, a man who is everything Blake is not - mature, grounded, and present. For Blake, it begins when a devastating earthquake strikes near one of his palatial foreign homes, and he sees hundreds of orphaned children in need of shelter.

Now, Blake wants Maxine in his life again - as a partner in a humanitarian project that could change countless lives. For Maxine, the choice is clear. But Blake's sudden transformation - from carefree playboy to compassionate, responsible grown-up - raises questions she can't manage to answer...and some she's afraid to ask.

After all, Maxine is on the cusp of a new life, about to marry Charles, and almost certain that Blake Williams, a.k.a. the Rogue, is a man capable of doing anything - except changing.

©2008 Danielle Steel (P)2008 Brilliance Audio

Critic Reviews

"Steel keeps the pages turning and offers a satisfying twist at the book's end that most readers won't see coming." ( Publishers Weekly)

Nice Job

This was a good story. My only problem is that, like many of Danielle Steel's books, the ending was less than satisfying. It just wrapped up too abruptly to be believable. But aside from that, the storyline and characters were enjoyable.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Same, same, same

Beautiful story, as they all are. Same concept, different background, similiar characters. No change to her writing. If you like her style you'll like this book. She pops out one seemingly every couple of weeks, they all read the same, but you enojy the new bookcover and hope its different. It isn't. Her married character loves, loses, finds, learns and triumps. Thanks DS, now waiting for your next book (probably in two weeks)

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Usually like Danielle Steel but not this time

The story was ok but it moved very slowly and not to allow development of characters or story line. The narrator was rather flat and sounded bored. Sorry but this is not one of Ms Steel's best.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

So-so

Book was okay-different from most of Steele's books. It was interesting and was something you could listen to and leave it for awhile, come back and still know the story.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

A big disappointment

I have read many of Danielle Steel books. The whole book was like the character Charles. Very dull and lack-luster. Ms. Steel has written some great books but this one should have gone into the trash. I only gave it one star because the review required me to fill in those.

love

so much love another great listen love all the books by Danielle Steel worth the listen

Boring book

this is the first book I have read that is so boring, I don't need to write 15 words to explain how boring a book it is.

Good read!

I really like Danielle Steel's style. She developed her characters so well! The reader was good, but I would have liked a little more emotion in the voice.

Rogue

Any additional comments?

Rogue is just under ten hours of listening, read by Brian Keith Lewis.

Most Steel books go to great length to put at least one character in a bizarrely wealthy setting. Ergo castles, private planes, glitter and glitz, beautiful women; a fantasy life surrounds the the male lead and traverses the pages of the Rogue. An over-the-top wealthy playboy, a stereotypical bad-boy is our Rogue, the father of the main character’s children.

Initial observation pertains to the career of the main character, a child or adolescent psychologist. The character is renowned in her profession, author of books, a busy, busy lady. Troubled adolescents, suicidal kids are her fortè, and she often races to a hospital to ‘be in charge’. Really? Sorry, Danielle, but this medical profession is as much an outsider to slit wrists or a dose of heroin combined with sleeping pills as a chihuahua. She would not be in charge. The cardio surgeon, the medical professionals who would save a life, yeah. The shrink comes later, much later. The only realistic element might be the main character letting next of kin cry on her shoulder. No authority here, but I have relatives who are professionals in the world of psychiatry … they are not racing to the ER responding to a middle-of-the-night urgent call, nor would they be involved in any way but waiting with the family … they wouldn’t even do that unless it was a rare circumstance of a very close relationship. Not realistic circumstances, seemingly written only for character drama. The female lead has the love interest of a guy with an attitude toward her kids and parental responsibilities that would have any normal woman kicking him to the curb. He’s never been a parent, and although going through the right motions, it’s clear early on that the affair will be temporary, the Peter Pan dad from whom she is divorced will grow up and a happy ending with him will result. Rogue is a transparent story early on.

But then, Danielle Steel’s legion of fans won’t care. This is a brainless-beach-read. If you’re a fan of Steel, you are content with this type of character development. Danielle almost always reaches for the stars with the extremes of unrealistic situations, and Rogue falls right in line.

The audiobook is nicely narrated by Brian Keith Lewis. No trouble determining who-is-talking-to-who. If you’re a fan of Danielle Steel, I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

Enjoyable

It was a okay listen. I agreed with other listeners; too much repeating of the same lines in the beginning.