The Kiss (Hardcover)

by Danielle Steel (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
First kisses are often explosive, but not all are quite as disaster-ridden as the one that propels Steel's latest romance. Isabelle Forrester, elegant and refined wife of cold and indifferent Paris-based banker Gordon Forrester, has spent most of her marriage caring for her desperately ill teenage son, Teddy. Isolated in her Paris home, Isabelle's only comfort is her long-distance friendship with millionaire Washington power broker Bill Robinson, also stuck in an empty marriage. Isabelle and Bill, kindred spirits satisfied with their chaste relationship, agree to meet for a few platonic days in London. Following an enchanting evening on the town, they head back to their hotel in Bill's limousine. As the couple share their first, probing kiss, their car is struck by a speeding, double-decker bus. The horrendous crash kills many and leaves both Isabelle and Bill in critical condition. The long and arduous road to recovery is filled with both physical and emotional pain as Bill must make decisions about his crumbling marriage and the future of his career, and Isabelle must confront bitter truths about her husband. From adjoining hospital beds, they pledge their love to one another, but then Isabelle heads back to Paris to tend her ailing son, and Bill returns to the States for a stay at a rehabilitation center where he hopes to regain use of his legs. Will Isabelle eventually leave her husband and reclaim her freedom? Will Bill ever walk again? Will the two soul mates ever be reunited? Despite the wacky unlikeliness of the bus-crash plot device and the his-and-her IVs, Steel pulls through with skillful plotting, steeping a gentle brew that will once again gratify her legions of fans.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Ignored by her Parisian banker husband, the beautiful Isabelle indulges in a long-distance friendship via telephone with an American man. But of course all won't go well when they finally meet: at first kiss, their limo is totaled by a bus.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Press; Library Edition edition (October 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385335407
• ISBN-13: 978-0385335409
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #517,279 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars an OK read, November 7, 2001

By	K. Morgan (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Isabelle Forrester and Bill Robinson live in different continents but carry on a friendship via the telephone and a few visits here and there for four years. Isabelle stays at home with her sick child Teddy and her hateful husband. Bill is in a loveless marriage and doesn't want to get divorced because he's afraid it will hurt his career. Isabelle and Bill decide to meet in London for a few days to spend some time together. While in London they share a passionate kiss while at practically the same moment their limousine is hit by a double-decker bus. Their lives are forever changed.

The Kiss is an OK read. The characters are well developed and the storyline for the most part is good. However, there are some parts that are a little far-fetched, such as Bill's hospital bed being wheeled into Isabelle's room everyday. The story seems to get stuck at times and the same details are repeated, which seems is becoming a habit for Ms. Steel. But, once you get past the repetitive parts the story picks up and is interesting and easy to read. The reader is anxious to get to the end to see how the story ends. This is not one of Ms. Steel's best books but is OK to pass the time reading. A nice change of pace and escape in today's world.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Kiss by Danielle Steel, November 22, 2001

By	Greg Paris/Monroe County Hospital (Southeast Iowa, United States) - See all my reviews

I started reading this book the minute I got it. I so look forward to reading her novels. This one keep me so intrigued it was hard to put it down and tend to my families' needs. I felt like I was right there with the characters with all the happenings. The first kiss was so magical and holds them on after the tragedy. I still cannot beleive that Isabelle's husband could be so cold and heartless. Isabelle was so good to her family and her wifely duties that sometimes, I got so frustrated with her husband being a real "jerk" and having no heart when it came to his own son. The Love affair was written very true to reality, yet was not "smutty" at all, true to a Danielle Steel novel. Bill and Isabelle were in love and Bill's reactions to his body afterwards is so very true to reality. I see it all the time as I am a RN. I loved it having a happy ending and that all the characters got what they deserved. I recommend this novel to all Danielle Steel fans and romance readers.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DS is back again!, October 30, 2001

By A Customer

I have been a fan of Danielle Steel for many years...I have read all her books, and I wait patiently for each new book to come out so I can run out to buy it. The past few books I have been disappointed, feeling like it is not her normal quality great story. In fact, after I would read her book, I would tell myself that the next book I would get at the library or wait until it went to paperback (but of course, I always end up running to the bookstore to buy it when it is released). So I wasn't sure what to expect from The Kiss. I was very pleased. While showing how horrible both Isabelle and Bill's marriage are, making us hate their spouses, you feel the love and the bond that Isabelle and Bill have for each other. You fall in love with their love, and stand behind them while they fight for their lives, and for their love. I finished this book even more excited for her next book to be released. Thank you Danielle, for showing us why we fell in love with your writing!