{"product_id":"rogue-isbn-9780440243298","title":"Rogue","description":"\u003ci\u003eMeet Maxine Williams, a dedicated doctor with three great kids, a challenging career,  and the perfect new man in her life. Her only problem? Her irresistibly charming,  utterly infuriating ex-husband, aka the . . .\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eRogue\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Being married to Blake had  been an amazing adventure for Maxine. Brilliant, charismatic, and wholly unpredictable,  Blake Williams made millions and grabbed headlines as a dot-com entrepreneur. His  only shortcoming was as a husband—first his work and then his never-ending quest  for fun kept him constantly on the move, far away from Maxine and his family. For  five years Blake and Maxine have worked out an odd but amicable divorce, with friendly  though infrequent visits, a yacht he lends her every summer, and three children they  both adore. Blake enjoys his globe-trotting lifestyle—dating a succession of beautiful,  famous, and very young women—while Maxine raises their kids in Manhattan and pursues  her passion, working as a psychiatrist, a world-renowned expert on childhood trauma  and adolescent suicide. Then everything changes….\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e For Maxine it starts when she  falls in love with Dr. Charles West, a man who is everything Blake is not—mature,  grounded, and present. For Blake it begins when a devastating earthquake strikes  near one of his palatial foreign homes and he sees hundreds of orphaned children  in need of shelter. Now Blake wants Maxine in his life again—as a partner in a humanitarian  project that could change countless lives. For Maxine the choice is clear. But Blake’ s sudden transformation—from carefree playboy to compassionate, responsible \u003ci\u003egrown-up—\u003c\/i\u003eraises  questions she’s never managed to answer . . . and some she’s afraid to ask. After  all, Maxine is on the cusp of a new life, about to marry Charles, and almost certain  that Blake Williams, aka the Rogue, is a man capable of doing anything—except change….\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e An unforgettable story of two people pursuing happiness from opposite directions,  \u003cb\u003eRogue \u003c\/b\u003eis a journey of choices and the amazing opportunities that come together—just  when life seems to have been successfully rearranged at last.\u003cb\u003ePraise for Danielle Steel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Steel is one of the best!”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Few modern writers convey the pathos of family and material life with such heartfelt empathy.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Philadelphia Inquirer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Steel pulls out all the emotional stops. . . . She delivers!”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What counts for the reader is the ring of authenticity.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eDanielle Steel\u003c\/b\u003e has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with over 650 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include \u003ci\u003eCountry, Prodigal Son, Pegasus,\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eA Perfect Life, Power Play, Winners, First Sight, Until the End of Time, The Sins of the Mother, \u003c\/i\u003eand other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of \u003ci\u003eHis Bright Light,\u003c\/i\u003e the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death; \u003ci\u003eA Gift of Hope, \u003c\/i\u003ea memoir of her work with the homeless; \u003ci\u003ePure Joy, \u003c\/i\u003eabout the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children’s book \u003ci\u003ePretty Minnie in Paris.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eChapter One\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The small single-engine Cessna Caravan pitched and rolled alarmingly  over the swamps west of Miami. The plane was just high enough for the landscape to  have a postcard quality to it, but the wind rushing in through the open hatch distracted  the young woman clutching the safety strap so that all she could see was the vast  expanse of sky beneath them. The man standing behind her was telling her to jump.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"What if my parachute doesn't open?\" she said, glancing over her shoulder at him  with a look of terror. She was a tall, beautiful blonde with a gorgeous body and  exquisite face. Her eyes were huge with fear.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Trust me, Belinda, it will open,\"  Blake Williams promised her with a look of total confidence. Skydiving had been one  of his many passions for years. And it was always a joy for him to share the wonders  of it with someone else.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Belinda had agreed to it the week before, over drinks in  a very prestigious private nightclub in South Beach. The following day, Blake had  paid for eight hours of instruction for her and a test jump with the instructors.  Belinda was ready for him now. It was only their third date, and Blake had made skydiving  sound so enticing that after her second cosmopolitan, she had laughingly said yes  to the invitation to skydive with him. She didn't realize what she was getting into,  and she still looked nervous now, and wondered how she had let him talk her into  it. The first time she'd jumped, with the two instructors he'd arranged, had scared  her to death, but it was exciting too. And jumping with Blake would be the ultimate  experience. She could hardly wait. He was so charming, so handsome, so outrageous,  and so much fun that even though she barely knew him, she was ready to follow him  and try almost anything in his company, even stepping out of a plane. But now she  was terrified again, as he turned her face toward him and kissed her. The sheer thrill  of being in his presence made the jump easier for her. Just as she had been taught  in her lesson, she stepped out of the plane.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Blake followed her within seconds.  She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed as they free-fell for a minute, and then  she opened her eyes and saw him as he gestured to her to pull the ripcord on her  parachute, just as the instructors had taught her to do. Suddenly they were drifting  slowly to earth as he smiled at her and gave her a proud thumbs-up. She couldn't  believe she'd done it twice in one week, but he was that kind of charismatic person.  Blake could make people do almost anything.\u003cbr\u003e Belinda was twenty-two years old, a supermodel  in Paris, London, and New York. She had met Blake while visiting friends in Miami.  He had flown in from his house in St. Bart's to meet up with a pal of his own, and  had arrived in his new 737. He had chartered the smaller plane and a pilot for their  jump.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Blake Williams appeared to be an expert at everything he did. He was an Olympic  Class skier and had been since college, had learned to fly his own jet, with a copilot  in attendance, given its size and complexity. And he had been skydiving for years.  He had an extraordinary knowledge of art, and one of the most famous collections  of contemporary and pre-Columbian art in the world. He was knowledgeable in wines,  architecture, sailing, and women. He loved the finest things in life, and enjoyed  sharing them with the women he went out with. He had an MBA from Harvard, an undergraduate  degree from Princeton; he was forty-six years old, had retired at thirty-five, and  his entire life was devoted to self-indulgence and pleasure, and sharing them with  those around him. He was generous beyond belief, as Belinda's friends had told her.  He was the kind of man every woman wanted to be with-rich, smart, good looking, and  devoted to having fun. And in spite of his enormous success before he retired, he  didn't have a mean bone in his body. He was the catch of the century, and although  most of his relationships in the last five years had been brief and superficial,  they never ended badly. Even when their fleeting affairs with him were over, women  loved him. And as they floated slowly down to a well-chosen strip of unpopulated  beach, Belinda looked at him with eyes filled with admiration. She couldn't believe  she had jumped out of a plane with him, but it had been the most exciting thing she'd  ever done. She didn't think she'd do it again, but as they held hands in midair with  the blue sky all around them, she knew she would remember Blake and this moment for  the rest of her life.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"It's fun, isn't it?\" he shouted, and she nodded. She was  still too overwhelmed to speak. Her jump with Blake had been much more exciting than  the one with the two instructors days before. And she couldn't wait to tell everyone  she knew what she'd done, especially with whom.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Blake Williams was everything people  said he was. He had enough charm to run a country, and the money with which to do  it. Despite her initial terror, Belinda was actually smiling when her feet touched  the ground a few minutes later, and two waiting instructors unhooked her parachute,  just as Blake landed a few feet behind her. As soon as they were free of their parachutes,  he had her in his arms and kissed her again. His kisses were as intoxicating as everything  else about him.\u003cbr\u003e \"You were fantastic!\" he said, sweeping her off the ground, as she  grinned and laughed in his arms. He was the most exciting man she'd ever met.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"No,  you are! I never thought I'd do something like that, it was the craziest thing ever.\"  She'd only known him for a week.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Her friends had already told her not to plan on  having a serious relationship with him. Blake Williams went out with beautiful women  all over the world. Commitment was not for him, although it had been once upon a  time. He had three kids, an ex-wife he said he was crazy about, a plane, a boat,  half a dozen fabulous houses. He just wanted to have a good time, and made no pretense  of wanting to settle down, since his divorce. For the time being anyway, all he wanted  to do was play. His early killing in the high-tech dot-com world had been legendary,  as had been the success of the companies he'd invested in since. Blake Williams had  everything he wanted, all his dreams had already come true. And as they walked away  from the beach where they'd landed, toward a waiting Jeep, Blake put an arm around  Belinda, drew her closer to him, and gave her a long, searing kiss. It was a day  and a moment that Belinda knew would be engraved in her mind forever. How many women  could boast that they had jumped out of a plane with Blake Williams? Possibly more  than she knew, although not every woman he went out with was as brave as Belinda.\u003cbr\u003e ***\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The rain pelted against the windows of Maxine Williams's office on East 79th  Street in New York. It was the highest recorded rainfall in New York in November  for more than fifty years, and cold, windy, and bleak outside, but cozy in the office  where Maxine spent ten or twelve hours a day. The walls were painted a pale buttery  yellow, and she had quiet abstract paintings on the walls in muted tones. The room  was cheerful and pleasant, and the big overstuffed easy chairs where she sat talking  to her patients were comfortable and inviting, and upholstered in a neutral beige.  The desk was modern, stark, and functional, and so impeccably organized it looked  as though you could perform surgery on it. Everything about Maxine's office was tidy  and meticulous, and she herself was perfectly groomed without a hair out of place.  Maxine had her entire world in full control. And her equally efficient, reliable  secretary, Felicia, had worked for her for almost nine years. Maxine hated mess,  disorder of any kind, and change. Everything about her, and her life, was smooth,  orderly, and seamless.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The diploma framed on her wall said that she had gone to  Harvard Medical School and graduated magna cum laude. She was a psychiatrist, and  one of the foremost experts in trauma in both children and adolescents. She had extensive  experience with schizophrenic and bipolar adolescents, and one of her subspecialties  was suicidal teenagers. She worked with them and their families, often with excellent  results. She had written two highly respected books for laymen, about the effect  of trauma on young children. She was frequently invited to other cities and countries  to consult after natural disasters, or man-made tragedies. She had been part of the  consulting team for the children in Columbine after the school shooting, had written  several papers on the effects of 9\/11, and had advised the New York public schools.  At forty-two, she was an expert in her field, and appropriately admired and acknowledged  by her peers. She turned down more speaking engagements than she accepted. Between  her patients, the consulting she did with local, national, and international agencies,  and her own family, her days and calendar were filled.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e She was always incredibly  diligent about spending time with her own children-Daphne was thirteen, Jack twelve,  and Sam had just turned six. As a single mother, she faced the same dilemma as every  working mother, trying to balance her family responsibilities and her work. And she  got almost no help from her ex, who usually appeared like a rainbow, unannounced  and breathtaking, only to disappear again. All the responsibilities relating to her  children fell to her, and her alone.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e She sat staring out the window, thinking about  them, waiting for her next patient to arrive, when the intercom buzzed on her desk.  Maxine expected Felicia to tell her that her patient, a fifteen-year-old boy, was  coming through the door. Instead she said that Maxine's husband was on the phone.  Maxine frowned at the word.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"My ex-husband,\" she reminded her. Maxine and the kids  had been on their own for five years, and as far as she was concerned, they were  doing fine.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Sorry, he always says he's your husband . . . I forget . . .\" He was  so likable and charming, and always asked about her boyfriend and her dog. He was  one of those people you couldn't help but like.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Don't worry, he forgets too,\" Maxine  commented drily, and smiled as she picked up the phone. She wondered where he was  now. You never knew with Blake. It had been four months since he'd seen the kids.  He had taken them to visit friends in Greece in July, and he always loaned Maxine  and the children his boat every summer. The children loved their father, but they  also knew that they could count on their mom, and that their dad came and went like  the wind. Maxine was well aware that they seemed to have an unlimited capacity for  forgiving him his quirks. And so had she, for ten years. But eventually his total  self-indulgence and lack of responsibility had worn thin despite his charm. \"Hi,  Blake,\" she said into the phone, and relaxed in her chair. The professional distance  and demeanor she kept always vanished when she talked to him. In spite of the divorce,  they were good friends, and had stayed very close. \"Where are you now?\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Washington,  D.C. I just came up from Miami today. I was in St. Bart's for a couple of weeks.\"  A vision of their house there came instantly into her head. She hadn't seen it in  five years. It was one of the many properties she had willingly relinquished to him  in the divorce.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Are you coming to New York to see the kids?\" She didn't want to  tell him that he should. He knew it as well as she did, but he always seemed to have  something else to do. Most of the time anyway. Much as he loved them, and always  had, they got short shrift, and they knew it too. And yet they all loved him, and  in her own way, she did too. There seemed to be no one on the planet who didn't love  him, or at least like him. Blake had no enemies, only friends.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"I wish I could come  to see them,\" he said apologetically. \"I'm leaving for London tonight. I've got a  meeting with an architect there tomorrow. I'm redoing the house.\" And then he added,  sounding like a mischievous child himself, \"I just bought a fantastic place in Marrakech.  I'm flying there next week. It's an absolutely gorgeous, crumbling palace.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Just  what you need,\" she said, shaking her head. He was impossible. He bought houses everywhere  he went. He remodeled them with famous architects and designers, turned them into  showplaces, and then bought something else. Blake loved the project even more than  the end result.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e He had a house in London, one in St. Bart's, another in Aspen, the  top half of a palazzo in Venice, a penthouse in New York, and now apparently a house  in Marrakech. Maxine couldn't help wondering what he was going to do with that. But  whatever he did, she knew it would be as amazing as everything else he touched. He  had incredible taste, and bold ideas about design. All his homes were exquisite,  and he owned one of the largest sailboats in the world, although he only used it  a few weeks a year, and lent it to friends whenever he could. The rest of the time  he was flying around the world, on safari in Africa, or making art forays in Asia.  He'd been to Antarctica twice and came back with stunning photographs of icebergs  and penguins. His world had long since outgrown hers. She was content with her predictable,  well-regulated life in New York, between her office and the comfortable apartment  where she lived with their three children, on Park Avenue and East 84th Street. She  walked home from her office every night, even on a day like this. The short walk  revived her after the hard things she listened to all day, and the troubled kids  she treated. Other psychiatrists often referred their potential suicides to her.  Dealing with difficult cases was her way of giving to the world, and she loved her  work.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"So Max, how's by you? How are the kids?\" Blake asked, sounding relaxed.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"They're fine. Jack's playing soccer again this year, he's gotten pretty good,\" she  said with pride. It was like telling Blake about someone else's children. He was  more like their favorite uncle than their father. The trouble was, he had been that  way as a husband too. Irresistible in every way, and never there when there was something  hard to do.","brand":"Dell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300511338725,"sku":"NP9780440243298","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780440243298.jpg?v=1767735883","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/rogue-isbn-9780440243298","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}