Seventeen year old, Johnny Peterson could brighten anyone's day with a simple smile, fill his mother with happiness and pride, make his girlfriend, Becky, melt with a glance and inspire his brother, sister, and friends without even trying. Johnny, the valedictorian of his senior class, had a bright future awaiting him with a football scholarship that promised him an incredible education. However, it was all taken away when someone else's bad driving not only took Johnny's life but greatly hurt Johnny's family and those close to him.
Johnny Angel, by Danielle Steel, is a realistic fiction book about overcoming a hardship. Danielle Steel wrote 58 bestselling novels and is considered one of the world's most popular authors. Her writing style is very straightforward and describes only what is necessary. She also uses a lot of dialogue with just enough background information to make you understand what is happening. However, sometimes there isn't enough detail to paint a picture in my head.

Johnny Angel is all about the struggle for Johnny's family and his high school sweetheart, Becky, to put back together the pieces of their broken lives. Despite the tragedy that hurt Johnny's already broken family even more, a miracle happened that saved them.

Johnny's family had troubles before Johnny's death. Five years ago when Johnny's brother, Bobby, was only five, he and his father, Jim, drove off a bridge. They both survived, however very narrowly. A stranger saved Bobby, and Jim managed to get out just in time. Bobby was on life support for two weeks, and ever since then Bobby hasn't spoken a single word. Jeff is so consumed with guilt that he can't even manage to stay in his house (sober, that is). So, every night, while Bobby is locked in his silent world, Jim drinks himself to sleep in front of the television.

Becky, Johnny's high-school sweetheart, doesn't have it easy either. Her father died 2 years ago, and now her mother works for most of the day, so Becky has to take care of her four brothers and sisters while maintaining two jobs and schoolwork. Becky did not get the scholarship that she hoped for so now she can't go to college and has to begun to work full time at a local drugstore. In Becky's life, Johnny was her sweet spot. Now that he is gone, Becky is completely heart broken. It would take a miracle to mend her broken heart; it's a good thing one is on the way.

Johnny's mother, Alice, is by far the most upset about the loss. Johnny meant everything to her. He was her first child and his birth was the best moment of her life. In the pain and grief of Johnny's passing, she lost weight, sleeps barely an hour every night, and is very sick. One night she becomes so sick that she begins vomiting blood. She is rushed to the hospital and goes through intense treatments for a bleeding ulcer and eventually Alice gets better, but she probably would have passed away if it weren't for a miracle, a miracle that was about to mend many broken hearts.

The Peterson family has had much damage done to there relationship with each other and all of their outlooks on life, but they're all about to get a wake-up call when a special miracle comes literally walking through the door. Johnny Angel is an unforgettable story that I enjoyed reading very much. Despite the fact that it is an emotional story that promises at least a couple tears, the story's plot is very inspiring and uplifting.