The High Notes

by Danielle Steel

In this heartfelt novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, a young woman with an unforgettable voice fights for the freedom to pursue her dreams.

Iris Cooper has been singing ever since she can remember, hitting the high notes like no one else. When she is twelve, her father convinces the owner of a bar in Lake City, Texas, to let her perform, and she stuns the audience. In the ensuing years, never staying anywhere for long, father and daughter move from one dusty town to the next, her passion for music growing every time she takes the mike in another roadhouse.

But it is not an easy life for Iris with her father in charge and using her income to pay for gambling, women, and booze. When she starts to tour at age eighteen, she takes on a real manager. Yet he exploits her too, and the singers and musicians she tours with are really the only family she has. It is they who give Iris the courage to finally fly free, leave the tour, and follow her dreams.

After years of enduring the hardships of the road, exploitation, and abuse, to do what she loves, her big chance comes as her talent soars. But at the top at last, Iris still has to fight every step of the way. In The High Notes, Danielle Steel delivers an inspiring story about finding the strength to stand up for yourself and your dreams, no matter what it takes.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction, Adult Fiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2022

About the author

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world's bestselling authors, with almost a billion copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include All That Glitters, Royal, Daddy's Girls, The Wedding Dress, The Numbers Game, Moral Compass, Spy, and other highly acclaimed novels. 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; Expect a Miracle, a book of her favorite quotations for inspiration and comfort; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children's books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.

Facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial
Instagram: @officialdaniellesteel

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Women's Fiction. I really loved the main character, and I loved the wild ride this book takes you on. The only thing I did not love the big event that happens at the end of this book because I did not think it was needed. There was a lot that happened in this short book, but it was written well and well done. Another Danielle Steel book I enjoyed. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Random House Publishing) or author (Danielle Steel) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trifecta. Weak. Lame. Boring. 0 of 10 stars

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read. Fun and easy. I was a little put off that this was so similar to another DS book, Star which I read many years ago, as well as the recently published Run, Rose Run. But if you look past that it was a really sweet story.

[Suz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a work day off and as always, love to listed to DS when I have monotonous tasks. I had some data entry tax stuff to do and this book sat perfectly. There was much repetition and predictability, and in fact, the storyline felt extremely familiar. I had to check my Goodreads shelves which assured me it was unread, nor was it on my tbr (why do I not just stick to reading books on my tbr?!).

Rags to riches, older man younger woman. Some curious antifeminist comments (DS really doesn't help the cause), the usual tropes abound but I am always ok with this.

A young girl is completely mistreated by her father, singing in bars from a young age while he drinks away the limited profits. She goes on to again, be treated appallingly by the next manager this time in a group setting where it's accepted and acceptable that they are paid badly and berated for poor performance while they are completely capable. This part of the storyline is where the majority of the repetition occurred. Minutes and minutes wasted and rehashed.

I listened to this via the Libby app and my public library.

[claudia (purged my account) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Iris Cooper has been singing ever since she can remember, hitting the high notes like no one else. When she is twelve, her father convinces the owner of a bar in Lake City, Texas, to let her perform, and she stuns the audience. In the next few years, never staying anywhere for long, father and daughter move from one town to the next, her passion for music growing every time she takes the mike in another roadhouse. But it is not an easy life for Iris with her father in charge and using her income to pay for gambling, women, and booze. When she starts to tour at age eighteen, she takes on a real manager. Yet he exploits her too, and the singers and musicians she tours with are really the only family she has. It is they who give Iris the courage to finally fly free, leave the tour, and follow her dreams. After years of enduring the hardships of the road, exploitation, and abuse, to do what she loves, her big chance comes as her talent soars. But at the top, at last, Iris still has to fight every step of the way. Will she ever make it with her music?

All my reviews have the possibility of spoilers, be warned!

Iris really was the star of this book and I couldn't help but root for her. All she wanted in her life was her music and I am so glad she got it. I enjoyed watching her grow into a person who would stick up for herself and find her way.

This was a cute read I have no idea why I don’t have any quotes for this book saved. It has major Daisy Jones & The Six vibes so if you like that you’ll like this. It's also a super quick read, it took me two hours while on a plane.

I didn’t expect her to end up with who she did it was a twist I never saw coming. It wasn't too compelling for me to read I was more interested in Iris and her singing, to be honest.

[Wendy W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The High Notes by Danielle Steel is a stand-alone novel about one woman’s rise to fame in the country/pop music industry.

Story Recap:
Iris Cooper was born to sing, it’s the only thing she knows and the only thing she wants to do in life. With only a father to raise her, she was singing in bars before she was 12. Father and daughter lived a nomadic life, traveling from town to town in Texas, Iris singing, and her father spending everything on drinking.

When Iris gets older, she eventually goes on tour, but her father still spends all her earnings, and when she eventually finds a new manager, things are not much better for her. This is a story of Iris and her climb to fame. But, will she ever achieve her goals?

My Thoughts:
The High Notes is a quick read with a captivating story and a lot of emotion. It’s not a new story, or anything different, but it’s very well told, and the characters, especially, Iris are very realistic and compelling. The book does highlight some of the horrors of talent management and the rougher side of fame.

Lily really is the star of this book. I just couldn’t help myself from rooting for her the entire way. She’s such a sweet woman, who had a horrible upbringing. She loves music and loves to sing, and that’s all she wants in life. Iris eventually learns to stick up for herself and she finds her way. Her journey from a young girl, dependent on her terrible father, to a self-assured pop star, is a lot of fun.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend The High Notes to anyone who enjoys stories of rising to fame. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, another crappy DS book; she is just not a good writer, although she is certainly prolific. Way too repetitive with completely irrelevant and meaningless text and her stories truly have little basis for reality. Instead her books are more like poorly conceived fairy tales where the heroine has triumphed over adversity in her early life, is beautiful but not vain, smart but not always educated, and is swept off her feet by a wealthy, important, attractive and usually much older man, and then gets pregnant and lives happily ever after. And the violins play and rainbows magically appear as the heroine and her knight ride off into a golden sunset.

Hah.

Poor Iris - she had a tough childhood and a lousy life through her 20s. But we are only told about her dreadful life - we aren’t given the opportunity to see it for ourselves and form our own opinions. DS never takes us inside her characters- she’s just not that good a writer. Iris makes a good male friend along the way, gets some lucky breaks, deals with pesky bad guys who want to exploit her talent and then is caught in what is supposed to be a horrific incident towards the end of the novel (which didn’t really seem believable). But Iris rises above all that distraction, and gets her happy, albeit far-fetched, ending. Blah, blah, blah.

All without professional help to overcome the traumas she endured, which would have taken down the average person.

Back to the library this one goes.

[Marian · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I can form a judgment from this one book, I would say that Danielle Steel is a very earnest and boring writer. Also, she makes sure to mention the words "The High Notes" at least once every four pages. It is tedious.

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Danielle Steel’s latest release didn’t reach any high notes for me, but it was an easy and quick read (256 pages). The first half dealing with Iris’s childhood was far more entertaining than the last half and the ending was less than satisfying – although you can count on a rushed and rather dull and drab happy ending.

I liked the premise of this story, but the delivery was stiff and underdeveloped in my opinion. There’s more telling by the author than character dialogue which was one of the turn-offs for me as a reader. I also was not a big fan of the nineteen-year age difference between Iris and Clay. And finally, the inclusion of an event that felt like a last gasp for dramatic and shocking just didn't work.

I agree with other reviewers that this plot is reminiscent of “Star,” an earlier release by Ms. Steel.

[Readaholic Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally pulled this book off the shelf because the singer on the cover resembles Reba McEntire, a country star I admire.
Iris Cooper is a wonderful character and I can't help feeling for her. It's a wonderful story about Iris's journey.

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iris is a singing prodigy, but unfortunately is raised by a selfish, alcoholic father who forces her to sing for both their suppers. When she finally breaks free of him, she still has to deal with dishonest and abusive managers as she tries to make her way in the music business. More than once, Iris has to walk away. What she eventually finds is a singing career and more.

I enjoyed Iris's friendships, especially with Pattie and Boy, and her willingness to start a new life. There is an event that happens in the book that is similar to a music-related tragedy in real life, and I thought that was done very well. The fact that Steel's heroine in this book is not rich and has to make her own way over many obstacles is a welcome departure from many of Steel's other works. The romance is sweet and does not take over the novel. There is a realistic look at family and how they can let you down.

The first 15% of this book is hard to get into. Steel is known for breaking the rules, but the "telling instead of showing" doesn't work as well in this book, and there are way too many run-on sentences. The book does get better, though, and I was able to eventually connect with it.

I received a free copy of this book from Delacorte Press via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful....Loved this one!

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

The High Notes follows Iris Cooper. She is a child of a drifter who puts her to work singing in bars when she is only twelves years old. Her natural voice and innocent look support the two of them. Trying to make it in Vegas he presses her into a contract to tour for years. Of course eventually she is going to get her big break and maybe a shot of her own happiness. I like Iris but I found the story superficial. I think is covers the heartbreaking use by her dad well. But she tours for over nine years and the biggest thing you get is her one friendship. There is never a first love or loss of virginity. What makes her make a pack up and leave the road is an attack that isn’t made against her. Her eventual romance is with a wonderful man but the age gap is too great and falls into my icky zone. (Happy zone is anything half age plus seven years.) You can’t help wonder if she isn’t looking for a replacement for her father. Their intimacy is behind doors so you don’t get to feel much connection or chemistry between the two.

The story is good but generic. I think Steel fans will enjoy as will readers who enjoy a woman’s fiction with a closed door romance. But I’ve read this kind of story many times and this didn’t bring anything new or special to help me remember it. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is 2022. Can we stop trying to romanticize a young and emotionally inexperienced twenty something year old woman falling in love with a man in a power position over her who is old enough to be her father just because she didn’t have a good father or father figure growing up? Then this man who has two twenty something year old daughters himself falls in love with her and keeps talking about how she is so innocent and not like his ex wife or the women he usually dates? It’s just gross and unhealthy. Danielle recently did this in another book this past year. Very old school and irresponsible writing.

[Lauren Savett · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was incredibly repetitive. The story line could have been a perfect vacation read, but I found the author to repeat clarifying descriptors of the characters repeatedly. Sometimes within the same paragraph.

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The High Notes is my 46th book I’ve read by Danielle Steel. Iris Cooper has a rough childhood growing up with a “loser” of a father. She starts singing at a young age and she even writes her own songs. I enjoyed this story of how she became famous and was rooting for her the whole way! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published October 2022.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific

Wow! what a fantastic book. Another Danielle Steel winner.

It follows the life of a young girl through the downs of the singing career. It is a winner every way.

Great characters are folded into a terrific story. I highly recommend.

[Dean · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped reading almost immediately. It’s going to take some major convincing to pick it back up.
I was at 3% on my Kindle and “High Notes” had already been said FIVE times. The writing already felt extremely blunt on top of the awkward repetition.

I wasn’t going to give it a chance to get more heavy handed than that.

[Karen Axnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am ambivalent about this book. On one hand, I really liked the protagonist, and several other major characters. On the other, the violence woven into the storyline was troublesome. The event described toward the end of the story may have been sadly realistic, but it felt insensitive given the current milieu in our country.

Iris Cooper has a gift – a beautiful voice capable of hitting “high notes” that others only dream about. Unfortunately, her alcoholic father began a pattern of exploiting her talent at the tender age of 12. After years of emotional abuse at the hands of her parent and unscrupulous managers, she breaks her latest contract, sets out on her own and lands a recording contract with a well-known impresario in New York City. The remarkable thing about her is that despite her rocky childhood and teenage years, she has remained a kind, caring person who only wants to share her love of music with others.

While I enjoyed the basic premise of this book, it suffers from the author’s tendency for repetition of backstory details. Several of the characters seemed cliched and one-dimensional: the alcoholic father, the kindly bartender, the abusive, manipulative managers, the older, protective manager/love interest and the vitriolic ex-wife and daughter. Clearly, Iris is not only the star talent, but she is the star of the book.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

.

[Hailey Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

Believe it or not, the phrase “hit the high notes” was said a total of 32 times in this book. At one point, 4 times on a two page spread!

The characters were so black and white - either sheer perfection in human form or completely evil, with no grey morality in between. The main character had absolutely no personality. All she did was be perfect and hit those high notes!

The love story was incredibly creepy and uncomfy. The man was twice protagonist’s age and had a daughter only 5 years younger than her. They constantly referred to him as her father figure, and his main source of attraction towards her was the fact that she was “innocent” and looked 16 (at age 27 so it was legal of course!) (Oh, and she also could hit the high notes.) I also really hated that this book was written to try and make us think this dude was her hero. He also kind of forced her into a marriage and motherhood when she said she wasn’t ready. NOT COOL AT ALL!

YUCKY VIBES, MRS. STEEL! This book did not hit the high note for me, sorry.

[Alex (Alex's Version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the case of "High Notes," parallels can be observed between this book and Steel's earlier work, "Star," published in 1989. It appears that the author has taken inspiration from her previous novel and updated it to fit a more contemporary setting. Star is a much better book.

[Madoka Kamimura Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danielle Steel brings us the story of Iris Cooper. Iris has been singing all of her life. It serves as her constant as she travels from place to place with her father as he looks for work until it is time to move again. She gets her chance when her father convinces her to sing at the local bar and surprises the patrons. They continue this routine until she gets a contract and learns the not so glamorous part of the business while her dad spends her money. She finally gets the chance to shine when one bad experience after another forces her to leave what is familiar and her support system into the unknown hoping for better. Will she only go from one bad situation into another? Or, will she finally be able to fly and make sure dreams come true? What will she find on her journey and will it all be worth it?

Danielle Steel brings us the story of how powerful a dream can be. Iris' dream of just being able to sing her songs lead her through all of the highs and lows of the music business. You get to follow her on her journey and learn alongside her as she meets those who hold her up and those who take advantage of her. It is a sweet story filled with hope, disappointment, friendship, and love. It draws you into her world and you want to see what happens next for her until you realize that you have reached the end of the book hoping there are more words on the next page. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press for this privilege.

[Craig and Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Pan Macmillan for sending us a copy to read and review.
A rags to riches story about one woman’s rise to fame in the music industry and the struggles and romance along the way.
Iris Cooper has always had the gift of a magical voice.
She grew up poor and her mother left her as a baby but Iris had her music to survive.
Her father drank and seduced women and pushed her into singing in dive bars to make money for his bad habits.
Her teenage years were met with scrupulous managers and tours with bad contracts.
But when Iris breaks free and heads to New York, things change.
Her talent is met with open arms and romance and success is just around the corner.
But the past is about to catch up with her and tragedy happens.
Popular fiction author Danielle Steel is a worldwide bestseller in the genre of contemporary fiction and her latest novel centres around the good and bad aspects of the country pop world and the journey of one superstar woman with the voice of an angel and fans will love it.
The premise of this story is quite good even though it’s been done before, the tale on paper is slightly underdeveloped and the plot is underdone.
The phrase “make sure you hit the high notes” was used to the extreme throughout most of the book and it became overused by the end.
In saying this, it’s one of the better ones to come out of the Danielle factory.
If you’re in the mood for something not on the heavy side and with a happy ever after ending then you can always pick up this Steel story.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danielle Steel's latest novel hit all the right notes. Readers will fall in love with Iris as they travel along with her from humble beginnings, striving for a better life and remaining grateful for her gift.

Donning cowboy boots and a bedazzled jean jacket, that's luxury to this simple country girl with the golden voice. From an early age, she's requested to 'hit the high notes' and the melodious tone of her voice leaves listeners mesmerized.

Hurt by those that should have protected her, Iris was mistreated throughout her childhood. As she matures, having tours under her belt gives Iris confidence to seek a better life.

An equal part chance paired with perseverance; Iris starts to realize her dreams along with people that she can trust. Will she be able to leave the past behind or will it return to haunt her new beginnings?

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #TheHighNotes in exchange of an honest review. I'm a fan of Steel's writing and I enjoy some of her novels more than others. This story will strike a chord with readers.

[Kristine · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The High Notes" tells the story of Iris Cooper, a small singer with a big voice. Life hasn't always been easy for her. From tour managers to her own father, she has been exploited for as long as she can remember. Just as her career really begins to take off and she finds true love, tragedy strikes. Will she give up or will she continue to hit those high notes?

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. Overall, I liked the storyline, even though I feel this particular story trope is overused a bit. The age difference between Iris and Clay was somewhat cringeworthy, especially given the fact she lacked a fatherly role model and the story mentioned him "fathering" her a couple of times. While I really enjoyed all the strong characters, it just wasn't enough to pull me in and I struggled to finish the book.

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Adrihanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was bad. It was very cheesy but was definitely a easy read. I hated the romance in this book. It was boring and their was no actual romantic scenes. There biggest conflict in Iris and Clay’s relationship was supposed to be the age difference but I don’t think that was where the power dynamic issue laid. The power dynamic issues between singer and record dealer is really unequal so I did find their relationship to be a little inappropriate. I also didn’t like that the climax in the book was Iris becoming a mother. I would have rather it been Iris reaching her career goals and finally finding bliss instead of her becoming a mother. It bothers me that in the media in general, the biggest plot twist a women can have is becoming a mother. That isn’t that same for men. Men’s plot twists in books are very rarely a step into fatherhood. I really hated that part of the book. Overall I would recommend this to fans of fiction books about the music industry.

[Catherine Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven’t read a Danielle Steel book since the 80’s but a friend told me The High Notes was worth the 7 hour listen. Maybe…but not if you’re over 30!

This is a ripped from the headlines (think David Foster & Katherine McPhee with a 15 carat diamond) combined with popular movies (Pretty Woman meets A Star is Born) little story. There is a lot repetition—I kept thinking “I’ve already heard this…”. There’s a primary character named “Boy”—which I couldn’t get used to. The book is harmless and simple but not for readers of a certain age 😉.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel this is one of Danielle Steel’s best books. Iris hits the high notes when singing starting at 12 years old. She started out poor, singing in bars, hungry, cold, and left penniless by her drunken father. Unusual for a Danielle Steel book, but not to worry because good times are in store for Iris. Have the tissues close by because you might need them before you finish the book.

[ROBIN RUIZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Danielle Steel you made me cry through the last half of this book!
A beautiful story of love, forgiveness, success and life changing moments

I loved these characters and this story. Beautifully written

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.".

The High Notes just wow I'm in love with this book I can't wait until it comes out I'm getting myself a copy 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review


Happy Reading Lisa 📚