Have you recently been captivated by Danielle Steel’s books but aren’t sure which ones to read next? We understand — Steel has written an incredible 140+ standalone novels alone. But don’t worry, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you and compiled all the Danielle Steel books in order.
We looked at all the books written by Danielle Steel and divided them into categories, and in this article we provide you with complete lists of the Danielle Steel books in order of publication to make it easier to choose the best reading order. We also provide you with some book summaries at the end to pique your interest!
Who is Danielle Steel?
Danielle Steel was born on August 14, 1947. Her full name is Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel, but she is much better known simply as Danielle Steel, which has graced millions of book covers.
Steel is the bestselling author alive on the planet today, and fourth on the list of all-time bestselling authors. Her oeuvre is fast approaching 200 titles, of which 170 are novels.
A staggering 900 million copies of her books have been sold to date worldwide, and her work has been translated into 43 languages in 69 countries. An impressive 22 of her books have been adapted for television, of which two have been nominated for a Golden Globe.
Steel is best known for her novels in the romance genre and her novels have all been bestsellers. They often deal with wealthy families in extreme situations, such as facing blackmail, fraud, suicide, or prison. She has also published children’s fiction, poetry, and several non-fiction books.
Recent & Upcoming Danielle Steel Book Releases
Never Too Late (March 5, 2024)
Only the Brave (April 30, 2024)
Resurrection (June 25, 2024)
Joy (August 13, 2024)
Triangle (October 1, 2024)
Trial by Fire (November 19, 2024)
Danielle Steel Books In Order of Publication
Want a printable checklist of all the Danielle Steel books in order? Check the end of the list for a link to your FREE download.
Standalone Novels
- Going Home (1973)
- Passion’s Promise / Golden Moments (1976)
- Now and Forever (1978)
- The Promise (1978)
- Season of Passion (1979)
- Summer’s End (1979)
- The Ring (1980)
- Palomino (1981)
- To Love Again (1981)
- Remembrance (1981)
- Loving (1981)
- Once in a Lifetime (1982)
- Crossings (1982)
- A Perfect Stranger (1982)
- Thurston House (1983)
- Changes (1983)
- Full Circle (1984)
- Family Album (1985)
- Secrets (1985)
- Wanderlust (1986)
- Fine Things (1987)
- Kaleidoscope (1987)
- Zoya (1988)
- Star (1988)
- Daddy (1989)
- Message from Nam (1990)
- Heartbeat (1991)
- No Greater Love (1991)
- Jewels (1992)
- Mixed Blessings (1992)
- Vanished (1993)
- Accident (1994)
- The Gift (1994)
- Wings (1994)
- Lightning (1995)
- Five Days in Paris (1995)
- Malice (1996)
- Silent Honor (1996)
- The Ranch (1997)
- Special Delivery (1997)
- The Ghost (1997)
- The Long Road Home (1998)
- The Klone and I (1998)
- Mirror Image (1998)
- Bittersweet (1998)
- Granny Dan (1999)
- Irresistible Forces (1999)
- The Wedding (2000)
- The House on Hope Street (2000)
- Journey (2000)
- Lone Eagle (2001)
- Leap of Faith (2001)
- The Kiss (2001)
- The Cottage (2002)
- Sunset In St. Tropez (2002)
- Answered Prayers (2002)
- Dating Game (2003)
- Johnny Angel (2003)
- Safe Harbour (2003)
- Ransom (2004)
- Second Chance (2004)
- Echoes (2004)
- Impossible (2005)
- Miracle (2005)
- Toxic Bachelors (2005)
- The House (2006)
- Coming Out (2006)
- H.R.H. (2006)
- Sisters (2007)
- Bungalow 2 (2007)
- Amazing Grace (2007)
- Honor Thyself (2008)
- Rogue (2008)
- A Good Woman (2008)
- One Day at a Time (2009)
- Matters of the Heart (2009)
- Southern Lights (2009)
- Big Girl (2010)
- Family Ties (2010)
- Legacy (2010)
- Happy Birthday (2011)
- Hotel Vendôme (2011)
- 44 Charles Street (2011)
- Betrayal (2012)
- Friends Forever (2012)
- The Sins of the Mother (2012)
- Until the End of Time (2013)
- First Sight (2013)
- Winners (2013)
- A Perfect Life (2014)
- Pegasus (2014)
- Power Play (2014)
- Prodigal Son (2015)
- Country (2015)
- Undercover (2015)
- Precious Gifts (2015)
- Blue (2016)
- Property of a Noblewoman (2016)
- The Apartment (2016)
- Magic (2016)
- Rushing Waters (2016)
- The Award (2016)
- The Mistress (2017)
- Dangerous Games (2017)
- Against All Odds (2017)
- The Duchess (2017)
- The Right Time (2017)
- Fairytale (2017)
- Past Perfect (2017)
- Fall from Grace (2018)
- Accidental Heroes (2018)
- The Cast (2018)
- The Good Fight (2018)
- In His Father’s Footsteps (2018)
- Beauchamp Hall (2018)
- Turning Point (2019)
- Silent Night (2019)
- Blessing in Disguise (2019)
- Lost and Found (2019)
- The Dark Side (2019)
- Child’s Play (2019)
- Spy (2019)
- Moral Compass (2020)
- The Numbers Game (2020)
- The Wedding Dress (2020)
- Daddy’s Girls (2020)
- Royal (2020)
- All That Glitters (2020)
- Neighbors (2020)
- The Affair (2020)
- Finding Ashley (2020)
- Nine Lives (2021)
- Complications (2021)
- The Butler (2021)
- Flying Angels (2021)
- Invisible (2022)
- High Stakes (2022)
- Beautiful (2022)
- Suspects (2022)
- The Challenge (2022)
- The High Notes (2022)
- The Whittiers (2022)
- Without a Trace (2023)
- Worthy Opponents (2023)
- The Wedding Planner (2023)
- Palazzo (2023)
- Happiness (2023)
- Second Act (2023)
- The Ball at Versailles (2023)
- Upside Down (2024)
- Never Too Late (March 5, 2024)
- Only the Brave (April 30, 2024)
- Resurrection (June 25, 2024)
- Joy (August 13, 2024)
- Triangle (October 1, 2024)
- Trial by Fire (November 19, 2024)
Max and Martha Children’s Series in Order
- Martha’s New Daddy (1989)
- Max and the Babysitter (1989)
- Martha’s Best Friend (1989)
- Max’s Daddy Goes to the Hospital (1989)
- Max’s New Baby (1989)
- Martha’s New School (1989)
- Max Runs Away (1990)
- Martha’s New Puppy (1990)
- Max and Grandma and Grampa Winky (1991)
- Martha and Hilary and the Stranger (1991)
Freddie Children’s Series in Order
- Freddie’s Trip (1992)
- Freddie’s First Night Away (1992)
- Freddie and the Doctor (1992)
- Freddie’s Accident (1992)
Picture Books In Order
- The Happiest Hippo in the World (2009)
- Pretty Minnie in Paris (2014)
- Pretty Minnie in Hollywood (2016)
Non-Fiction Books in Order
- Having a Baby (1984)
- Love Poems (1984, 1994)
- His Bright Light (1998)
- A Gift of Hope: Helping the Homeless (2012)
- Pure Joy: The Dogs We Love (2013)
- Expect a Miracle (2020)
Danielle Steel Checklist
Danielle Steel has written a lot of books. To help you keep them all straight, here’s a printable checklist that you can use to mark off the ones you’ve read. You can even rate them!
Download your free Danielle Steel checklist here.
Best Danielle Steel Book Summaries
This list is obviously not cast in stone — deciding which book is your favorite is very much a subjective thing, and will vary from reader to reader. However, these have been some of Danielle Steel’s biggest sellers over the years that many millions of readers have bought, enjoyed, and have become passionate about.
1. Summer’s End
Rich and beautiful Deanna surely has it all. She married handsome French attorney Marc-Edouard Duras when she was 18.
Now, at 37, she should be happy and content in her stylish San Francisco home with Marc and their teenage daughter, Pilar. But Deanna is not happy, and Marc has become distant…
So one summer, when Marc and Pilar leave on holiday, Deanna meets a man who, for that one blissful summer, gives her a tantalizing taste of a different life beyond the marriage she feels trapped in. But her newfound happiness ends with the summer, and as her life unravels, those brief moments of happiness fade like the memories of a dream. Can she ever make her way back to a love that held the promise of true and lasting joy?
2. Palomino
Glamorous Samantha Taylor’s life is destroyed when her husband abandons her for someone else. She places her advertising career on hold to immerse herself in the daily chores of a good friend’s ranch in California.
Soon the healing power of hard work, simple pleasures, and the company of trusted friends start restoring her. But then she meets the ranch foreman, Tate Jordan, and a stormy relationship develops between them.
But then Tate disappears and a disastrous fall from a horse confines Samantha to a wheelchair. Can she possibly find the courage to face a whole new set of challenges? Possibly even be a mother to the adopted child she’s always longed for?
3. Family Album
Through a career spanning 40 years, Faye Price would be a great actress, build a family, and become one of Hollywood’s first female directors. However, nothing rated more highly with Faye than her five children.
But in a changing world where family values are under constant attack, the Thayers have to face the harshest test a family can endure. It is only when Faye is gone that they can truly assess how important their family album is.
4. Kaleidoscope
Three sisters were born to a French mother, Solange, and an American GI called Sam.
However, after killing Solange, Sam committed suicide. Lawyer Arthur Patterson was involved in the tragic affair and arranged to have each girl placed in a different home. They grew up in very different circumstances.
Now Arthur Patterson is ill and nearing death, but there’s something he must do before he dies to right a terrible wrong. He hires a private investigator to find and reunite the three sisters.
But one of the girls, in particular, is torn between pain, yearning, fury, and heartbreak. Will she allow love back into her life, or will she keep running from the long-buried and shocking truth?
5. Zoya
During the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, Zoya, cousin to the Tzar, escapes the seismic events, and, along with her grandmother, escapes to Paris. World War I soon brings American soldiers to the city, and Zoya finds love in the arms of GI Clayton Andrews who takes her to America once the war is over.
Everything seems rosy for a while, but for Zoya, alas, security is yet again short-lived and happiness seems beyond her reach. However, the single constant throughout is Zoya’s unwavering resolve to build a better future for herself.
6. Message from Nam
Paxton is a committed journalist, so when she suffers heartbreak as a result of the Vietnam war, she is determined to find out what is really happening there. She is appalled at what she finds, and she ramps up her investigation. Committed to sharing what she finds, she starts immortalizing her experiences and the soldiers she meets in a newspaper column.
Message from Nam movingly captures the destructive impact of war on the soldiers fighting, and on the civilians caught in the crossfire.
7. The Gift
As Maribeth finds out in the 1950s, being 16 and pregnant means your straight-laced family rejects you. Thrown out, she first finds her way to a convent. When it is not the sanctuary she hoped it would be, she is forced to move on again. Determined to look after herself, she takes a job as a waitress until the baby arrives.
In another home, a family is bereft after a great loss. Then a chance meeting and a blossoming romance brings two worlds together and reignites hope all around.
8. Silent Honor
After 18-year old Hiroko is sent from Kyoto to live with a family in California, she starts making a life for herself. Then a catastrophic development shatters the status quo: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor.
Suddenly Hiroko is a national enemy, and internment camps become a harsh reality. Her struggle for acceptance becomes a desperate fight for life as the brutality of a xenophobic regime snatches the last vestiges of her childhood away.
9. Special Delivery
After the death of his one true love and then a messy divorce, Jack Watson does not value the idea of love too much. He doesn’t lack for company though, as a socially sought-after bachelor and the owner of a successful boutique in Beverly Hills.
Amanda Robbins was a successful actress who gave up her acting career for love and children. But then husband Matthew dies of a sudden heart attack, and with her life suddenly hollow, Amanda falls into depression.
Jack and Amanda don’t move in the same social circles, but the marriage of their children, Paul and Jan, brings them into contact. When Amanda, most untypically, goes to one of Jack’s parties, things progress from there. As Jack and Amanda fall in love, they learn how to strengthen both themselves and their families.
10. His Bright Light: The Story of My Son, Nick Traina
Danielle Steel is known for portraying family tragedies in her fiction. However, His Bright Light is the authentic and deeply moving work of non-fiction depicting her son Nick’s life and death. He was a gifted young man who had a lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder — a fight he tragically lost as he died at just 19 years of age.
Steel tells the story with great honesty in this moving tribute to her beloved son. The proceeds from the initial sales of the book were used to set up a foundation in Nick Traina’s name. The Nick Traina Foundation funds and supports the treatment of mental illness.
11. Safe Harbour
When Ophelie finds her 11-year-old daughter, Pip, befriending a strange man, she is justifiably concerned. Who is he, and what could he possibly want with her daughter?
Matt Bowles turns out to be a man whose luck seems to have run out. Once a loving and contented husband and father, he is now a lonely artist, still smarting from the hurts of an acrimonious divorce. He sees something in Pip of his own daughter who’s now lost to him, half a world away.
Soon Ophelie finds herself reluctantly warming to Matt as well. It seems that Pip might have unintentionally welcomed in a stranger who can change their lives forever. But then the ghosts of past loves begin to haunt the promising present…
12. Echoes
Beata and Antoine are deeply in love, but he’s a French Catholic and she’s a German Jewess. World War I is well underway, so it’s not a union supported by either of their families.
However, the lovers refuse to let anything stand in their way — rejected by their respective families, they start building a life together.
Years later, when World War II sweeps across the world, the past that Beata has hidden comes back to haunt her family and children. Her Jewish heritage now means they’re all in terrible danger. Even her daughter Amadea, who has recently become a Catholic nun, is not safe.
Can Amadea summon the strength to do what is necessary to escape with her life?
13. Amazing Grace
In San Francisco, one beautiful night in May, the glittering Ritz-Carlton ballroom hosts a glamorous celebrity-studded crowd. Everything is absolutely perfect until the wonderful scene is literally and violently shattered…
In the earthquake’s terrible aftermath, the lives of four complete strangers will converge. Sarah Sloane, the beautiful wife of a financial genius; award-winning singer Melanie Free; photographer Everett Carson; and Sister Maggie Kent, a nun who normally works with the homeless. As the city claws its way back to life, each of them will discover an unexpected and life-changing gift in the wake of the tragedy.
14. Prodigal Son
Peter has always hated his twin, Michael, and they live very different lives. Peter left his hometown to become is a high-flying investment banker, while Michael stayed and became the local doctor.
Then the Wall Street crash leaves Peter penniless and alone. He has nothing left but a cabin he inherited in the hometown he couldn’t leave fast enough. Forced back to his hometown, Peter is forced to start questioning all he thought he knew about Michael…
15. Blue
Ginny was a promising TV news star when her life is brought to a devastating halt. Suddenly bereft of her family, she desperately tries to find something to live for.
She hopes to find it in helping others so she becomes a humanitarian aid worker. But time does not seem to do much to heal her sorrow.
But then she meets 13-year old Blue. Like Ginny, he is alone in the world, and learning to trust again is hard for him. However, the pair begin to build a friendship that starts filling the void in their respective lives.
But Blue has a secret. Will Ginny be able to put her grief aside to be there for Blue when he needs her the most?
Final thoughts on the Danielle Steel books in order
Well, there you have all of the Danielle Steel books in order, as well as book summaries to get you started with reading her works.
Danielle Steel’s long writing career and continued phenomenal commercial success must surely indicate that her books address some need in the vulnerable human heart. Her books have captivated millions, and continue to do so.
We hope this list of the Danielle Steel books in order has helped you decide which to pick up next!
Looking for more books in order?
Check out this list of Nicholas Sparks books in order.