Content Warning: This section discusses sexual assault, attempted rape, and stalking.

Amanda Delanoe, the female protagonist of Triangle, embodies the traits of Danielle Steel’s archetypal heroines: She is a strong, glamorous woman who must navigate significant personal obstacles to find love and fulfillment (Ott, Tim. “Danielle Steel.” Biography, 10 Aug 2020.). Despite her outward success as a 39-year-old contemporary art gallery owner in Paris, Amanda struggles with romantic relationships, a vulnerability that lies at the core of her character. This contrast between her professional triumphs and personal challenges makes her a complicated figure.

Amanda’s childhood shapes much of her outlook on love and relationships. Her parents, Armand and Felicia, had a glamorous but tumultuous marriage. Armand’s infidelity ultimately destroyed their relationship, leaving both parents heartbroken and longing for each other after their divorce. Amanda witnessed their unhappiness and experienced the pain of their separation, compounded by the loss of her mother at a young age and her father’s death when she was 22. These early traumas instill in Amanda a deep mistrust of romantic love, coloring her relationships as an adult and The Link Between Love and Marriage.