When the world falls apart, can one young woman's spirit remain unbroken? Steel proves that resilience isn't just surviving—it's choosing to thrive.
Author: Danielle Steel
Publication Date: 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Book Summary
A Mind of Her Own follows Alexandra Bouvier, born in Paris in 1900 at the dawn of a new century. Raised by an enlightened family—her father a French doctor, her mother an American nurse, and her grandfather a respected Midwestern newspaperman—Alexandra is encouraged from an early age to think for herself and forge her own path.
But at fourteen, her comfortable world shatters when World War I erupts across Europe. Her parents answer the call of duty, heading to the front lines to perform triage at a field hospital, confronting the brutal realities of poison gas and trench warfare. The merciless fighting, combined with the devastating Spanish flu pandemic, wreaks havoc across the continent and tears through Alexandra's family.
By eighteen, Alexandra has endured unimaginable losses. With her grandfather's support, she makes her way to the University of Chicago, determined to follow his footsteps into journalism. As a newspaper intern, she meets Oliver Foster, a fellow reporter covering the gang wars sparked by Prohibition. Both scarred by devastating loss, they're drawn to each other despite their fears of attachment. But Alexandra soon discovers she has good reason to be cautious about opening her heart.
My Review
I'll be honest—when I picked up A Mind of Her Own, I was expecting another typical Danielle Steel romance with a historical backdrop. What I got instead was something much deeper and more emotionally complex. This isn't just a love story; it's a masterclass in resilience wrapped in the kind of sweeping historical detail that makes you feel like you're living through one of the most turbulent periods in modern history.
Alexandra is the kind of heroine I didn't know I needed. She's not perfect, she's not always likable, but she's absolutely real. Steel does something brilliant here—she shows us a young woman who refuses to be broken by circumstances that would destroy most people. Watching Alexandra navigate the devastation of WWI and then the chaos of Prohibition-era America, I found myself rooting for her in a way that surprised me.
What struck me most was how Steel handled the historical elements. The WWI sequences felt authentic and heartbreaking without being gratuitously graphic. You feel the weight of loss, the uncertainty, the way war changes not just nations but individual families. The transition from war-torn Europe to 1920s Chicago was seamless, and I loved seeing Alexandra find her voice in the male-dominated world of journalism.
The romance with Oliver felt earned rather than forced. Both characters carry such heavy emotional baggage that their cautious dance around each other felt completely believable. Steel doesn't rush their connection, which I appreciated. Too often in historical fiction, the romance overshadows everything else, but here it feels like a natural part of Alexandra's journey toward healing.
My only minor complaint is that some of the middle section dragged slightly when focusing on the newspaper politics. I wanted more of Alexandra's internal struggles and less of the procedural journalism details. But honestly, that's a small quibble with what is otherwise a really engaging read.
This book reminded me why I fell in love with historical fiction in the first place. It's not just about the costumes and settings—it's about universal human experiences played out against the backdrop of extraordinary times. Alexandra's story is ultimately about finding your own strength when everything familiar is stripped away, and that feels incredibly relevant no matter what era you're reading it in.
Steel's writing here feels more mature and nuanced than some of her earlier work. The historical research is evident but never overwhelming, and she strikes a nice balance between sweeping historical drama and intimate personal storytelling. The pacing moves well between the war sections and the post-war rebuilding, though it occasionally slows in the middle act.
Key Themes
- Resilience in the face of devastating loss: Alexandra's journey shows how trauma can either break you or forge you into something stronger
- Women breaking barriers: Her pursuit of journalism in the 1920s highlights the challenges women faced in male-dominated professions
- Family legacy and independence: The tension between honoring family values while carving your own path
- Love after loss: How to open your heart again when you've experienced profound grief
Why You Should Read It
If you're looking for historical fiction that goes beyond surface-level romance, A Mind of Her Own delivers. It's perfect for readers who love strong female protagonists, richly detailed historical settings, and stories about overcoming adversity. This works well for both longtime Steel fans and newcomers to her work—it showcases her storytelling abilities at their best.
I'd especially recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Nightingale or The Alice Network. While it's not as intense as those novels, it has the same focus on women's strength during wartime and the lasting effects of historical trauma.
Similar Reads
If you enjoyed Alexandra's journey in A Mind of Her Own, here are some other books that capture similar themes of resilient women during turbulent historical periods:
- The Alice Network by Kate Quinn - Features both WWI and WWII storylines with strong female protagonists, including a female spy and a determined young woman searching for answers. Perfect if you loved the dual themes of war and women's strength.
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - While set during WWII rather than WWI, this novel explores how war transforms women and showcases incredible female resilience during impossible circumstances.
- Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain - This memoir (also adapted as historical fiction) follows a young woman's experience during WWI, including her work as a nurse and her losses during the conflict. It's the real-life version of what Steel imagines for Alexandra.
- The Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear - Starting with Maisie Dobbs, this mystery series features a female investigator in 1920s England who served as a nurse during WWI. Great for readers who want to see how women rebuilt their lives after the war.
- Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler - For readers interested in the 1920s American setting and women finding their voice during the Jazz Age, this biographical novel offers another perspective on the era.
All of these books share Steel's focus on how extraordinary circumstances reveal women's hidden strength and determination to forge their own paths.
Join the Conversation
Have you read A Mind of Her Own by Danielle Steel? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Did Alexandra's strength through all that trauma resonate with you as much as it did for me? And if you haven't read it yet - what draws you to historical fiction that spans such dramatic periods? There's something so compelling about stories that show how people survive the unthinkable.
Want to Read It?
Find the book on Goodreads
Read my Goodreads Review
Shop the Book on Amazon
If you haven't picked up the book yet, consider purchasing it through the link below. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue sharing reviews and recommendations with you.
★ Shop the Book on Amazon ★
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases — including purchases made via OneLink for international readers at no extra cost to you.
🌍 International reader? You'll automatically be redirected to your local Amazon store when available.
Discover more romance reads I've reviewed — your next favorite might be just a click away.
Found your site from Instagram! This story captured me until the very last page.
ReplyDeleteHi Stacey!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this wonderful comment! 😊 I'm absolutely thrilled that A Mind of Her Own pulled you in and kept you there until the very last page. Stay awhile, if you enjoy the site consider subscribing to see all my last posts.