A while back I purchased The Portrait to take on our road trip when takin Charlie to Hobart to visit Mikayla. I couldn’t get into the book on the trip and switched to a different book. But I’ve been trying to get back into reading The Portrait by Danielle Steel, which is one of those books that hasn’t been easy for me to get into right away.
I hate to admit it but I’ve actually picked this book up several times and struggled to stay with it. I’ve even taken the book with me when David has been doing yards, and I’ve read a few chapters and still ended up setting The Portrait aside because I couldn’t get into the story at the time.
That same feeling showed up again this week when I sat down to read the book. The first few chapters felt slow for me, and it took effort just to stay engaged instead of putting it down again. But I got through 2 full chapters.
Because of that, I’ve decided to approach The Portrait differently this time instead of trying to rush through it or force read the book in one sitting. My plan is to read the book in small pieces, either a couple of chapters a day or about thirty minutes at a time.
Then I can actually give The Portrait a fair chance to unfold the way it’s meant to. I’ve learned that with Danielle Steel’s books, sometimes the connection doesn’t happen immediately, but once it does, it tends to hold strong.
Right now, I’m still in that early stage where I’m working through the setup of the story. It hasn’t fully pulled me in yet, but I also don’t feel like I’ve reached the point where I can step away from it for good either. It feels like one of those books where the beginning takes patience, and the payoff usually comes after you’ve pushed through that initial resistance.
The goal for this week is simple: stay consistent, keep going a little at a time, and see where The Portrait leads once, I’m past those opening chapters. Now, I have a question for you. Do you think I will finish the book or not?
About the book:
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A gifted portrait artist and a high-powered subject confront past wounds to embrace new love in this poignant novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel.
Devon Darcy’s reputation precedes her. As a highly sought-after portrait artist, she seems to have the ability to peer into the souls of her subjects and then capture them on canvas. But the world doesn’t know about the devastating losses she has endured, first as an orphan, then as a far-too-young widow.
When entrepreneur Charles Mackenzie Taylor sees her at a New York gallery event, he is instantly haunted by her beauty and her talent. Having lost his mother when he was thirteen and still living in the cold shadow of his late banker father’s disapproval, Charlie has given up on love. He’s resigned himself to a loveless marriage to avoid the inconvenience of divorce.
But Devon awakens something in him across that crowded gallery, and she is in turn intrigued by Charlie. He approaches her to paint his portrait, and while her schedule is booked for many months before she can accommodate him, with the electricity between them palpable.
When they encounter each other over the summer in the Hamptons, their connection deepens as they each release years of pent-up emotions and unfulfilled longing. But the ghosts of their pasts are not easily put to rest. Charlie wrestles with his fear of real intimacy for the first time in his life, while Devon struggles with her fear of abandonment. And after an accident endangers Devon’s career, they must decide together what their future holds.
Danielle Steel’s sensitive portrait of two successful people who have built walls around themselves is a wise chronicle of the rocky path to true courage and connection.
About the book: Danielle Steel
Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with nearly a billion copies of her novels sold. Her recent many international bestsellers include Against All Odds, The Duchess and The Right Time. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; and the children’s books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood. Danielle divides her time between Paris and her home in northern California.
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Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
