OK, so I got what I deserved reading this book.  When you read a “tell all” book written by a famous actress, you should expect the strange.  Spelling writes about what it’s like to raise children in the limelight.  She herself longed for, and never got, a “normal” childhood.  Now she’s trying to create an idyllic normal childhood for her children.  Someone should tell her that if you want “normal,” maybe you should cancel the reality show being filmed in your house.  Maybe you shouldn’t let your best friend (she calls him her “gay husband!”) sleep in your bed when your real husband is out of town.  Maybe you don’t need to spend an entire chapter documenting the “normal” Halloween costumes you and your kids wore one year.  Maybe you shouldn’t live in Hollywood.  Maybe you shouldn’t write “tell all” books!

I read this book because I had previously enjoyed Sancutary, which was written by David Lewis and his wife Beverly Lewis. However, Coming Home just didn’t live up to my expectations. In the book, Jessie returns to her hometown after 10 years of estrangement from her family. Of course, she runs into her childhood best friend Andy (who is now single, extremely attractive, successful, etc.). Jessie and Andy then proceed to dig up some family secrets from Jessie’s past. I think Lewis intended the book to be suspenseful and eerie, but it really just dragged on and on, and the ending was just strange.

When I was in high school, I read Danielle Steel novels like a fiend. I just couldn’t get enough of them. Maybe Steel’s writing has changed for the worse, or maybe my taste in authors has improved for the better, but I couldn’t even finish this book. It was that bad. This was one of the last Steel novels that I ever attempted and I think I’m probably a better person for it.

True Believer is truly disappointing. I absolutely loved The Guardian, and have enjoyed all of Sparks’ other books. But this book was not much better than your average Danielle Steele book, which isn’t saying much. The mystery wasn’t a mystery, the romance wasn’t romantic and the obstacles to love seemed quite contrived. Don’t waste your money, your time, or the use of your library card on this book.