High Stakes by Danielle Steel – a Review

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Description:
Jane Addison is an ambitious young woman with big dreams of owning her own company someday. At twenty-eight, she arrives in New York to start a job at Fletcher and Benson, a prestigious talent agency. Eager to impress her new colleagues, Jane jumps right in as an assistant to Hailey West, one of the agents in the literary department.

Hailey is dedicated to the authors she represents, but her home life is chaotic and challenging. After her husband’s tragic and untimely death, she was left widowed with three children to raise on her own.
Then there’s Francine Rivers, the stern and accomplished head of the literary department. Also a single mom after her husband’s affair with the nanny, she has overcome the resulting financial hardships, but only with unbearable sacrifice.

Compared to Hailey and Francine, drama agent Allie Moore’s life seems much more carefree and uncomplicated. She relishes her success and loves working with the talented actors they represent—until a passionate relationship with one of her rising star clients threatens to derail her career.
Merriwether Jones is the CFO for the agency. She appears to have it all–beauty, success, and a perfect marriage until her husband’s jealousy over her career threatens to blow everything up.

Even though she’s a newcomer, Jane quickly realizes that there are damaging secrets hidden behind the doors of Fletcher and Benson. As one of the youngest employees, she has the least power, but is also the least willing to accept things as they have been for years. When she puts everything on the line to right these wrongs, the consequences will leave no one unscathed.

In this riveting novel, Danielle Steel tells the story of a group of remarkable women navigating the challenges of balancing their families, their personal lives and the high stakes of ambition at the top of their game.

Review:

High Stakes by Danielle Steel is another one of her wonderful stand-alone novels. Jane Addison has just graduated and dreams of one day owning her own publishing company; she takes an entry level job at Fletcher and Benson, a well-known literary and entertainment agency.  She is assigned to be an assistant to Hailey West, one of the best agents in the Literary department. To Jane’s dismay, she immediately encounters, Dan Fletcher, one of the co-founders of the agency, as he makes lewd remarks about her; she recognizes that he is a predator.  Jane will avoid him as much as possible, even though he continues to make sexual attempts on her, and she threatens to report him.   Jane discovers that most of the women try to stay clear of Fletcher, and despite their disgrace, no one reports him, as they fear for their jobs. 

We also meet the other wonderful women of the company. Hailey is at the top of her career, being a successful literary agent.  She is widowed, and has three children, and constantly struggles to keep up with her job, as well as take care of her children.

Francine Rivers is in charge of the literary department, and she is divorced with two children. Even though she has a good paying job, Francine also struggles with both work and home.  We learn quickly that Fletcher over a number of years, has forced Francine to have sex with him twice a week, stressing if she doesn’t, he will have her fired.

Allie Moore, is in charge of the entertainment department, dealing with actors and actresses; she loves her job, always dining out with many of them.  When she falls in love with one of the younger actors, she is warned it could hurt her reputation, as she is older than him.  Allie refuses to stop seeing Eric, but becomes concerned that her reputation could be tarnished.

Merriweather Jones, is the CFO of the company, and is very well liked by everyone. Her marriage is on the rocks, as her husband stays home and takes care of their daughter.  She loves her job, and dreads going home, as her husband is always belligerent.

When Fletcher accosts Jane again, pushing her against the wall, she goes to a lawyer to claim sexual harassment. Fletcher is charged, and tries to buy her off, which she refuses.  In a short time, a few others in the company will also add their voices to the sexual harassment fight.

What follows is a wonderful story of five very talented woman who supported each other, especially in this ‘me too movement’.  For most of the women, they all have their own issues, not necessarily the sexual harassment, but struggling with family and financially, marriages falling apart, love, respect, and threats against them.

High Stakes was a fabulous story focusing on not only social issues in life, as well as in the job. I have been very impressed with Danielle Steel’s more recent books which are not only interesting, but willing to cover various issues.  High Stakes was very well written by Danielle Steel, as she gives us a glimpse of hidden things women may face in the workplace.   Very well done.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher