The Ball at Versailles

By: Danielle Steel

Narrated by: Maxwell Hamilton

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Four American debutantes attend a renowned Paris cotillion in #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel's captivating new novel.

It's the summer of 1959 and the Palace of Versailles is hosting an event that will make history. It is an exclusive dusk to dawn ball in which a select group of American and French debutantes will be presented to international society and royalty. Four young women, all with something to prove, receive what some see as the invitation of a lifetime.

Amelia Alexander, who hopes to eventually attend law school, hesitates to participate in what she sees as an archaic and privileged tradition. But her indomitable widowed mother, Jane, who's struggled financially and sacrificed for a career, encourages her to attend. Jane would do anything for Amelia to have the chance at happily ever after.

Felicity Smith is equally uncertain about the ball. Although her family is prominent in the Dallas social scene, Felicity prefers to keep to herself, avoiding the older sister who torments her. But to get out of her sister's shadow, Felicity decides to accept. If it's a success, the tables will have turned at last.

For Caroline Taylor, the beautiful ingénue and daughter of Hollywood legends, the ball is an irresistible opportunity. But an unexpected heartbreak just before she leaves for France gets things off to a bad start.

Then there's Samantha Walker, an art history major with an overprotective father. Her excitement about the invitation is overshadowed by the emotional and physical effects of a past tragedy that still haunts her.

For all these young women, Paris and one transcendent night will change their lives forever. Bestselling author Danielle Steel extends an invitation to all, in The Ball at Versailles.

©2024 Danielle Steel (P)2024 Recorded Books

Beautiful Story

I immersed myself into this lovely and beautiful story. Wonderful descriptions so you could see the setting and the characters.

Romance meant to be

Amazing story of mothers, fathers, and daughters finding their true loves and themselves at the ball of versailles

Eh! It was ok. Predictable

I save all my credits waiting for Danielle Steel releases. They are all beginning to sound alike though. This was a mixture of books that’s she’s already written. Very predictable and uneventful. It was ok, easy to listen to, but not my favorite of her books.

The 4 girls

I love how the lives of 4 very different young women became intertwined at…a ball in Versailles no less. What I loved the most was how you really felt like you knew each of the girls…Danielle always has amazing characters.

Bad performance

The story is interesting but performance is so monotonous and dull - puts you to sleep

Sweet Story + Reminder of Era Past

This was a very sweet story of love found amidst times of the era. Plus the struggle of the times in the lives of the girls.

The elegance.

I liked the overall storyline and a peak back in the old world charm of historical and iconic places.

Way too predictable and shmatzy!

I enjoy “fluff” every now and then but this takes the cake—a total fur ball! Characters and plot way too shallow. Kind of a waste of time; oh well.

Another one !

I feel that Ms DS put something more into this book. I can’t put my finger on it but it’s just one of her top 3 in how many did she write over 200 ?

Perfunctory

Very much like a listing of activities of 4 girls. I got no sense of character development, character interaction or character emotion… just that it happened. Much too much with trying to follow 4 characters with very little plot or storyline. They met, they talked, they were here. They were there.

Not up to DS STANDARDS from past experience.
I was not at all engaged