Ms.Danielle Steel is the world most popular author writing today and she lives in San Francisco.
Ms Steel is the author of the “MAX and Martha ” series of books for young readers.In
1989, She was listed in the Guinness book of world records for having at least one of her books on the times best seller list for 381 consecutives weeks.
She deals with the themes that touch on the most pressing issues of life like kidnapping, mental illness, divorce, and marriage…
* TITLE(Cottage)of the Novel:
The Cottage referred was one of the last legendary homes of Hollywood and was constructed for Vera Harper, a great Star.*It was described as extraordinary one surrounded by fourteen acres of park, gardens, Tennis Court, enormous pool and etc., etc.
CHARACTERS in the Novel.
1.Cook Winslow –Main Role –Cinema star,
*2.Liz –secretary, Abe –accountant, Paloma –cook, Livermore –servant to Winslow
*3.Mark Friedman- Lawyer, side role, (Janat, also lawyer, mark’s wife. divorced)
*4.Jimmy O’connor- Socialist –side role.(Maggie- jimmy’s wife –died due to illness)
5.Valerie - Jimmy ‘s mother
6.Jane Axman, Charlene and Alex –women associated with hero in his personal life
7.Taryn –Daughter of Jane Axman
STORY
Public lives and private secrets collide at the cottage. Not completely personalized story .Coop Winslow had owned a Cottage in Bel-Air in New Port, Rhode Island*.
He was Hollywood’s ageless wonder, charm and amusing guy and was in the silver screen for more than a decade. *
*He enjoyed his life in old-fashioned glamour in spending money lavishly and outing with many women including Charlene, Jane Axman and Dr.Alex. He had a habit of offering costlier gift to women with whom he was often dating. That was why there was a threat to sell the cottage besides there was no major cinema roles’ coming his way. So there was no option left for him other than renting out part of the house to Mark and Jimmy
*Later, Charlene and Jane Axman who stayed with Winslow for short period claimed to have given birth to children of him. Charlene ‘s claim made him restless. He paid maintenance for childcare till DNA test favored him
*At the end of the story Winslow prevented from selling this cottage in settling his debt with the money he got from a movie in which he played a “father role “ that he had never liked to play in his life time but he accepted this role only for want of money.
* UNEXPECTED REVELATIONS AND ACCEPTED by winslow
*He never liked children till he met Taryn.
Taryn is a daughter of Jane Axman who had sex relation with Winslow before her marriage . Jane never told her husband about the secrecy of her daughter. Taryn at her age of 39 as a widow came to Winslow with a letter that was written by her mother. That letter revealed about Taryn and their relation. Winslow did not want to rid of her; instead, he felt Taryn was his own image. He was convinced by her activities that she had genetic link with him. He felt that she was not only daughter but also a reliable friend whom he told his entire history.
Later, Taryn had a love affair with Mark whose children were also fond of her .
Mark’s first wife went away with a Doctor Adam who gave medical treatment to her mother. That resulted her divorce with Mark ignoring her two teenaged children.*
Jimmy ‘s car accident made his mother to travel to Chicago from Boston. Jimmy’s mother enduring in the cottage made matched pair with Winslow and led to their new live in life at end of story.
Jimmy affection with Dr Alex rapidly increased after the accident despite she dreamt of marring Wilson who sincerely loved her. Winslow went to the extend that he proposed to marry her but author did not make it happened
EMOTIONALS SCENES.
1.Winslow with Jane Axman’ daughter Taryn (page 254 to 263.)
It was a pleasant conversation between Winslow and Taryn when her mother letter discovered a piece of history for them to share. First he suspected her if she would blackmail him. Then he asked her what she wanted. But this question made her sad even though She had hoped for warmer response from him.
2.Winslow with Charlene page 93 to 108
Coop was at the main house in the bed with Charlene………., she a fierce lioness, a moment later, defying him to conquer her .she kept him busy for most ……… She spent for 15 days with him. she delivered a girl baby without taking his advise for abortion.
3.Winslow with Alex.( Page 372 &373)
He wanted to have a rich wife in his life and found Dr.Alex being a special nature but later he made a U turn and said “ may be we both need people closer to our own age. I don’t know why but all my instincts tell me that we both need to walk away from this before we make a real mess of it. If it’s any consolation, you have taken a piece of my heart with you, just keep it close to you like a locket or a lock of hair. But let us not go back and make a big mistake we will both regret. I think we both need to go forward instead of back”
SUMMARY
1.Language used in this Novel is simple and Elegant . we don’t feel of stopping to read. Every part in this novel is either emotional or suspense that create curious to know what is next
2.Some of the phrases are very eye catching like
Fate is a wondrous thing some times(page 366)Nature will push him if nothing else does(page 365)Money is meant for Spent –Winslow desperately expressed. *
One should learn from the past and make use of it …Valerie
3.Author demonstrated through Jimmy, Valerie that Love was thick to some extent
4.It is a little bit of surprise to note that Person in coma(Jimmy) will recover very fast if his/er close persons(Alexand & Valerie) speak to them and create sensation. That resulted him to recover fast rather reborn.
5.The jimmy car accident, author created was to make one unmatched relation(Winslow & Alex) to break and two-matched pair(Winslow & Valerie and Jimmy & Alex) to get married
6.Finally, author made all possibility of unification of four couples to live happily that was at the end of the story though they were widow, old, divorce.,