Paris, France; Los Angeles, California – Present Day

Turning fifty is an important milestone for Carole Barber. Not only is she a renowned actress with two Oscars sitting on her mantle, two grown children, Chloe, and Anthony, but Carole is also recovering from the loss of her second husband, Sean. Carole has decided now is the time to write her novel, except, after re-organizing her bathroom, kitchen, garden, and closets, she finally admits she has writers' block. Stevie, her assistant, suggests that she take a vacation to clear her head. When Stevie suggests Paris, Carole hesitates, but then decides that after fifteen years, it is time to face Paris and the ghosts she left there. Stevie usually travels with Carole, but not this time. With her reservation at the Ritz confirmed, Carole is ready to face her past. Once in Paris, she heads to the old house on the left bank. But this time, she doesn’t feel the hurt and pain; she feels relief, and as she soaks in the beauty of the moment, she knows what she will write. Carole hails a taxi to return to the Ritz, and as the taxi heads into a tunnel, things go terribly wrong. The last thing Carole remembers is a flash with explosions, fire, cars and people flying through the air, then darkness.

Jason, Carole’s ex-husband and the father of her children, has been trying to contact Carole for a week, but when she doesn’t return his e-mails, he calls Stevie, and sharing her concern, calls the Ritz. He is told Carole checked in, but has not been seen. Jason is concerned; the terrorist attack was brutal, could she have been hurt? Under Jason’s direction, the Ritz checks with the police and the hospitals -- after all, she is a famous actress, how could she disappear? Jason immediately flies to Paris where he learns there is a Jane Doe in the hospital who is in a coma with severe injuries. At that moment, a very prominent and powerful man reads the paper. What does he have to do with Carol? Is he the reason she came to Paris? Could he be her ghost?

Carole is identified, but when she finally comes out of her coma, she doesn’t know anyone. After everyone leaves, Carol has a visitor who seems to know who she is. Matthieu de Billancourte tells her they once loved each other, but it ended tragically. Carole wants to know why. She is not happy with his answer -- should she be?

HONOR THYSELF is about a second chance in life. Our heroine barely escapes with her life. She is a loving mother, honest, and kind -- she doesn’t deserve this. Yet after her near death experience, she has the opportunity to take a second look at herself and her loved ones, to examine her life and to find the strength to be happy with herself and accept the many blessings she has. Secondary characters blend into the story. Chloe, her clingy, moody daughter, only wants her mother’s attention. Is Matthieu, the source of her sorrow? Why has he come back now? Can two people who once loved each other long ago make a go of a relationship? Is Matthieu her soul mate?

Headline news, the tragedies that can strike anywhere, are what Danielle Steele uses to sow her tale. HONOR THYSELF, with its core theme stressing that life is precious, is an engaging and sensitive story about one woman’s strength and courage to embrace life. As with all Danielle Steel novels, get your hankies out ladies, you will need them.

Deborah C Jackson