The Pretender- Tamara Hanscom

  • Author: Ta’ Mara Hanscom
  • Publisher: Reata Publishing
  • Print Length: 360 pages
  • Release Date: September 21, 2013
  • I Rate it:    
  • GenreChristian
  • Purchase on Amazon

Book Summary

South Dakota: 1975. Eighteen-year-olds could order 3.2 beers in a bar and loaded guns were kept under the counter. Frankie Valli sang My Eyes Adored You, and American soldiers returning from Vietnam struggled with their new reality.

It’s within this tumultuous season of American history that Tillie Caselli meets Noah Hansen, and they are never the same again. Their lives were mysteriously intertwined – and had been for many years – yet they had no idea.

 

Will God’s mercy shine a beacon in the fog of despair and prove sufficient to heal their souls?

<h2><span class="wrap"><span class="inner">About The Author</span></span></h2>

Born and raised in South Dakota, Ta`Mara loves to write about the Great Plains and the beauty and people of Italia. While her husband and children manage their two pizza ristoranti, Ta`Mara works full time on The Caselli Family Series, and ministers to women. It is Ta`Mara s prayer that as the readers explore the truths in these volumes, they will come away with a new perspective on love, forgiveness, obedience, and God's plan for marriage

 

You can find Ta' Mara on:

Book Review by Bree Herron

It’s reading a coming of age novel that is not set in a big city but a town that has webs to weave for tales. It holds emotions that will drive a reader to the end and leave you wanting more. A novel that you can sink your reading glasses into.

Characters

Tillie Caselli is the girl next door style. She has a well rounded life, and a family that you will get to know and love. Her spirit is gentle and moving. She was the type of character I instantly like.

Noah Hansen has some rough parts of his heart. He would have been that student or young adult I would have worked with and hoped to see the bright future, he was the opposite of Tillie in ways, yet they were both in that need for a deeper connection with love. He painted a different side of a story in this book, and it was good.

Enjoyable Moments

Love at first sight, it is a beautiful thing and it was my favorite part because it built the story. Without this moment the story would have not had its foundation. The book was strong also in the variety of characters that were in Tillie’s family. They were another source of sunshine to me.

Setting

Loved the post- Vietnam era and in South Dakota.  It was wonderfully done, with the period and the details, I felt like I traveled back in time and to a state we hold dear in our family. It was all the more unique being in South Dakota, and added to the ruggedness that Noah had.

Synoptic

Overall, it is a great start to a series that I will need/want to continue to read. The characters were vivid and full of life, the era spoke of a time not remembered and gave a breath to a story that felt made for readers. I am eager to see what is next in the series. Now to add the rest to a review pile!

I Rate it

What do you like about tough characters?

**DISCLAIMER: I was provided an opportunity to read this book as an Advanced Reader Copy in return for a fair and honest review.

Professional Reader Affiliates

NetGalley Professional Reader Frequently Auto-Approved 200 Book Reviews 2016 NetGalley Challenge Reviews Published Great Escape Tour Host BethanyHouse Blogger Reviewer

Peruse My Other Reviews

  • Unlucky Charms
  • Biscuits and Slashed Browns
  • Putting on the Witch—Joyce and Jim Lavene
  • Well Timed Murder
  • The Devoted
  • Crime and Catnip
  • Top 5 Christian Authors of 2016
  • Scavenger Hunt with "A Spring of Weddings, Melissa Wardwell"
  • No Woman's Land
  • Top 12 Cozy Authors to Watch in 2017
  • When the Heart Sings
  • Whiskers in the Dark
  • The Banished Lands
  • The Dog Who was There
  • Bought the Farm
  • A Just Clause
  • Wings of the Wind
  • This Treacherous Journey
  • Get Witch or Die Trying
  • Silent Days, Holy Night
  • Unnatural Causes
  • Cowboy Christmas Guardian
  • Escape: Intense
  • The Esther Paradigm
  • Body on the Bayou
  • To Wager Her Heart
  • An Act of Murder
  • A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder
  • Spotlight: The Seven-Course Christmas Killer
  • Top 12 Christian Books of 2016
  • A Plain & Simple Christmas
  • 21 Days of Love
  • Chickadee Chickadee Bang Bang (A Bird Lover’s Mystery)
  • Together Forever
  • Murder Made To Order
  • Bearly Departed

Affiliate Disclosure

I am grateful to be of service and bring you content free of charge. In order to do this, please note that when you click links and purchase items, in most (not all) cases I will receive a referral commission. Your support in purchasing through these links supplements the costs of keeping my website up and running, and is very much appreciated!

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Get My Latest Book Reviews

Join my mailing list to receive the latest and greatest delivered right to your inbox.

You have successfully subscribed! Please check your email to confirm your subscription.

Share This