Ruthless by Danielle Steel

I finished Ruthless by Danielle Steel this weekend, and it reminded me exactly why I love her books. They’re so easy to read, and sometimes, after a particularly hard week at work, that’s exactly what I need. Something I can pick up, switch off and completely escape into.

And what better place to escape to than the glamorous Caribbean island of St Barts, surrounded by luxury yachts, billionaires and complicated relationships?

Two stories that intertwine

Ruthless follows two very wealthy and successful businessmen whose lives become connected in unexpected ways.

John Randall Williams is a powerful shipping magnate who has built his empire by being exactly what the title suggests: ruthless. Recently widowed, he meets a beautiful younger woman, Lillith, and invites her to spend Christmas aboard his luxury yacht in St Barts. But behind the glamour and extraordinary wealth is a man who is used to controlling everything and everyone around him.

Meanwhile, technology billionaire Ben Sharpe meets Charlotte Ramsay, a senior editor at Vanity Fair, who has travelled to St Barts to interview him. Their relationship gets off to a slightly rocky start, but as they get to know one another, a different side of Ben emerges.

As the two stories intertwine, we see how differently these powerful men approach relationships, trust and control. I won’t give too much away, but there’s plenty of drama along the way.

Why I loved Charlotte

Charlotte was definitely my favourite character.

She’s intelligent, independent, successful in her own career and, importantly, not intimidated by wealthy and powerful men. I loved that she had her own opinions, wasn’t afraid to ask difficult questions and stood her ground when it mattered.

In a book filled with powerful businessmen, I found it refreshing that Charlotte was such a strong female character. She doesn’t need somebody else’s wealth or status to define her, and I really liked that about her.

A little about Danielle Steel

Danielle Steel is one of the world’s bestselling authors, with more than a billion copies of her books sold worldwide. Her novels often explore love, relationships, family and resilience, usually with a little glamour thrown in.

What I particularly enjoy about her writing is how accessible it is. You don’t have to concentrate too hard or keep track of complicated plots. You can simply enjoy the story, which is sometimes exactly what reading should be about.

My verdict

★★★★☆ 4 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed Ruthless. It was the perfect book to unwind with after a busy week, and I loved following the two stories as they came together.

My only criticism, and the reason I’m giving it four stars rather than five, is that both storylines moved forward a little too quickly. I would have liked more time for the characters and their relationships to develop, particularly because I was enjoying them so much.

But that’s a relatively small criticism. If you love Danielle Steel or simply want an easy, enjoyable read that takes you away from everyday life for a few hours, I’d definitely recommend it.

Sometimes you don’t need a complicated book. You just need a good story.

And Danielle Steel knows how to tell one.