A surprising turn of events unfolds in Danielle Steel's new novel, '44 Charles Street': strangers become roommates, roommates become friends, and friends become a family in a turn-of-the-century house in Manhattan's West Village.

The plumbing was prone to leaks, the furniture was rescued from a charity sale, and every square inch was meticulously restored to its original glory - even as her own relationship was falling apart. Now, Francesca Thayer, recently separated from her lawyer boyfriend Todd, is desperate. The owner of a struggling art gallery, she is suddenly solely responsible for the mortgage on her Greenwich Village home. Francesca does the math and then does the unthinkable: she puts out an ad for tenants.

First, Eileen arrives, a beautiful young woman new from Los Angeles, now a schoolteacher in New York City. Then comes Chris, a young father grappling with a troubled ex-wife and the challenge of caring for his seven-year-old son who visits every other weekend. The final tenant is Maria, a famous cookbook author hoping to start a new chapter after the death of her husband.

As Francesca's gallery begins to thrive and Todd moves on with another woman, she discovers that her accidental tenants have become the most important people in her life. As the roommates bond and the house fills with the aroma of Maria's delicious dishes, dark and light moments emerge. Naive Eileen discovers the risky boundaries of online dating, Chris's custody battle for his son reaches devastating levels, and Maria faces an unexpected choice that leads her to unknown challenges. And Francesca herself considers what once seemed impossible: opening her heart again.

Over one amazing, unforgettable, and life-changing year, the house at 44 Charles Street is filled with laughter, heartbreak, and always, hope. In the hands of master novelist Danielle Steel, the house becomes a place that makes anyone who visits never want to leave.

• Publisher: Arab Scientific Publishers/Lebanon
• Number of Pages: 248
• Year of Publication: 2013