The Gift: The Story of Annie Laurie

The Caselli Family #4

by Ta`Mara Hanscom

“They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31

Guiseppi said, “The Lord gave me that verse when you were very small...I was so afraid to become a father again at the age of forty…the boys were big, nearly ready to leave home…I had raised my family…I was so afraid to start over…but one night, as I prayed for strength and wisdom, God led me to that verse and it is what has helped me through so many trying times, because, my Angel, we do hope in the Lord, and now your heart flies like an eagle.
“And just as God comforted His exiled people, telling them that their tears had been enough, He comforts you now and dries your tears of despair — because you have hope in Him…Your tears have been enough, my Angel. Let us rejoice and move on.”

270 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

I was born and raised in South Dakota, and I love her people and rich history. For many years I’ve also had a deep love for Italy and her colorful chronology. I was fortunate enough to visit Italy on my 25th wedding anniversary, and I added some of the details of my travels to my fictional series The Caselli Family Series.

My favorite sport is baseball – Detroit Tigers – and I can’t wait until the next time I get to see them play in Comerica Park.

I live for the next family barbeque.

My husband and I currently reside in northwestern Iowa. We have three grown children and one grandson. We’ve rescued two cats and one Pomeranian.

I teach AWANA Cubbies and speak at women’s events.

To learn more about The Caselli Family Series, please visit us on the web at:
www.TaMaraHanscomBooks.com

Reviews

[Joan Arning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great happiness and peace as well as grief make up The Gift! I loved this book! The first three books were great but left me feeling frustrated with the characters. The Story of Annie Laurie made me happy! Noah has always been a wonderful male protagonist! I admire him more now! You can read The Gift as a stand alone but it will be so much better if you read all of the series. The children are teenagers now and play a larger role in the book. Giuseppe is the head of this Italian family and adds humor to every situation. I recommend The Gift: The Story of Annie Laurie to others. I received a complimentary copy from the author. This is my honest opinion.

[Elle Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tamara Hanscom is at it again with her in depth characters, beautiful surround sound scenery, and intriguing stories that satisfy your need for great fiction. Not only will you be satisfied with what you are reading, if you are like me, you will be ecstatic that it's written to glorify God. You will be able to thoroughly enjoy your book without having to dip into "worldly (and not appropriate) fiction" to find something entertaining.

The Caselli Family Series is not of the "fast food" genre, where you get a quick read that leaves you hungry and wanting more. No, this series is more of the "gourmet" variety. It fills you up and sustains you, not only immediately, but for days as you process the story itself as well as how it relates to real life.

The Gift was my favorite of the four books I have read. I was thrilled with how much humor I found inside. No longer did I just read a few lines out loud to whoever was in the room. Instead, I would thrust the book in front of them and assign them whole passages of reading!

We serve a glorious God! I'm quite aware this story is fictional, but the truth inside is lovely. God has blessed this author with a story to tell. A story for the hurt, sick, lonely, lost, and everyone else. Please spread the word about these books, that they may be a light in the world of entertainment.

For a longer review click HERE to visit my blog. BEWARE: The longer review includes spoilers.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gift: The Story of Annie Laurie
This is the fourth book in the Caselli family series by Ta’Mara Hanscom. I have loved this series from the first installment and was anxious to read this one. The story picks up right where book three left off. Tillie and Alex have reconciled and are doing their best to be a family. Alex has stayed closer to home and has put his political aspirations on the back burner. Tillie has forgiven Alex for what he had done in the past, but has not completely forgotten what he put their family through. Noah still works with Alex, but he has not seen Tillie for six years. He has respected her decision to forgive Alex and remain with him and raise their children. Not very far into the book, everyone is again forced to look at their lives as they go forward amidst change brought on by tragedy.
The theme of forgiveness is front and center in this book. Tillie has been held back in her recovery by not allowing herself to truly put Alex’s past transgressions behind her. Once she is able to do this completely she is able to see that God has had a plan for her life since even before she was born. God’s perfectly timed gifts to her family show the progression of His plan for all of them. One of the things I love about this series is how these characters are not perfect. They make mistakes and ask God to forgive them. They ask God to show them the way. We are all truly blessed that God does forget our past transgressions and will continue to forgive when we ask him to. He loves us and has had our days planned out from the very beginning, therefore we should forge ahead with confidence that God has it all under control.
I truly loved this story and the characters and was so happy with the ending. This is, however, not the end of the Caselli family series. There are still a few loose ends that need to be tied. I look forward to what book five has to bring.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My opinion of this book is truly my own.

[Renee Knoblauch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t wait to get started on the fourth book in the “Caselli Family Series.” The book can be read as a stand-alone but there is so much depth throughout the series. The book does a good job filling in the gaps and summarizing events from the first books. The front of the book you have a glossary of all the characters. While you may get a glimpse at the series it just would lose its full flavor without the other books. It’s a continuing series that flows together nicely. You’ll want to go back and read the other books in the series if you haven’t done so.

I just love this series. In book one I fell in love with Noah’s and Tillie’s characters. Then I met Tillie’s family. Then forget it, I was completely in love with the series.

Tillie is doing good and making an effort to keep their marriage together. Alex has finally put his political aspirations last and his marriage and family first.

Things are looking up for them. A span of six years has passed for everyone. Tillie hasn’t had any contact with Noah. Alex still cares for the legal issues for Noah. Then tragedy happens. Noah escapes Alex’s fate with a last minute phone call from Mona.

Life has a tendency to catch up with you. Forgiveness is easier to say you forgive but, letting God help you is another thing.

This story left me crying, smiling, and laughing throughout. I love the characters absolutely all of them. With all their imperfections and love of family the story is just so precious. It also shows that sometimes we interfere with His plans and as a result we all have to deal with those consciences.

There is one more book in the series and I can’t wait to read it. However it makes me sad that the story will be over when I read the last word on the page.

This series has been one of my favorites out of the many books I have read throughout the years. I'm always reading something!

I received a free copy of this product from Reata Publishing

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gift is book four in the Caselli Family series by author Ta’Mara Hanscom. This novel includes the long-awaited story of Annie Laurie. Fans who have read books 1-3 are sure to enjoy this book also. Others reading this series for the first time will want to read the whole series, it is that good!

I felt involved with the characters and was sad when they were sad and rejoiced when they rejoiced. I was surprised at the turn of events and enjoyed following the lives of Noah and Tillie. I also appreciated the strong Christian values of the families.

Author Ta’Mara Hanscom is another great author I love to follow and I look forward to the last book in this series, Book V. I recommend this series to Believers and Seekers of the Truth.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book four in the Caselli Family Series and I recommend you read the books in order as you won’t want to miss anything that takes place in this must read. It is a story of hope, redemption, forgiveness, and putting the past behind and running the race that God has set before you. I love that this family is flawed and make mistakes but they still love and support each other. They share a strong faith and it is woven beautifully within the story. Noah and Tillie were denied being together twenty years ago and now they are given a second chance......will they finally find their forever after or will the past define them? You must read their continuing story to find out as I don’t want to write a spoiler. I look forward to book five. I recommend adding these books to your TBR pile, as they will draw you in and leave you thinking about what next.
I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

[Lisa Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tillie and Alex have spent years trying to mend their marriage. Alex is scheduled to go on a business trip with Noah and Tillie is left wondering what he is up to. Tillie is notified that the plane carrying Alex and Noah has gone down and everyone killed aboard. She is in shock to see Noah at her door. He never made it on the plane, his son was sick and he decided he needed to take care of him. Tillie's family comes to support her after Alex is laid to rest. Her parents continue to stay for a while. They watch as Tillie begins to heal with the help of Noah and his kids. Her family is excited for her and Noah after all the years they have been apart to see them make a new beginning. Enjoyed reading this book and seeing how the characters Tillie and Noah has finally found peace. I looked forward to reading the next book. Thanks Ta'mara for the opportunity to read this wonderful series. I was given this book as an ARC for my honest review

[Kelly (Simply Kelina) C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved following the Caselli family through books one through three, so I am not really sure why I was so hesitant to pick this one up. I was hesitating for no reason as as soon as I did, I was instantly taken in to this world just as I was with the rest of the series.

This picks up right where we leave off in the previous book. I recommend starting this series from the beginning to truly love and understand all of these amazing characters. You will not regret it, as I love Tillie and Angel. The Gift was no exception! I actually can not decide if this is my favorite book in the series so far!

There is one more book in the series in which I am hoping concludes everything nicely as most of the books have left us wanting to know more (some even have cliff hanger endings).

Overall, I love being a part of the Caselli family.

[Michaela Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Caselli Family Series. I haven’t gotten to finish this book yet, but so far I am loving it!

This book is really about hope, redemption, and learning about God’s timing.
From book one I have wanted Noah and Tillie to get together, but the timing has never been quite right. Tillie has always been faithful to the Lord trying to follow His will for her life, even when it has not been an easy for her. Now her dreams are starting to fall into place after it seems like everything in her life has fallen to pieces. Saying to much about this book will definitely give the whole thing away, and I don’t want to do that. I definitely think if you have not read this series you should! You will for sure want to start with the first book and read them in order.

[Dawn Kimmel​ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently re-read The Gift: The Story of Annie Laurie as invited to do so by the author upon release of the new edition in May of 2019. The review provided is an honest expression of my reading experience – not so much in story content but in how relatable I find the storyline to be.

I am fully entranced by the Caselli family! Though I completed the series when it was first released, the re-write has provided a more defined presentation of characters allowing the reader to better understand seemingly complicated relationships. The author's portrayal of family dynamics and how God's presence in the family impacts its function, is so real. While the story of love at first sight, misunderstandings and rash decisions has a fairy tale quality, the truth of God's plan superseding all else holds true.

It is a pleasure to be absorbed in a story family and feel their emotions come through the pages as if they were personal friends (or sometimes adversaries). I appreciate the focus on godly behaviors without eternal condemnation for taking a wrong turn. The truth of punishments we put upon ourselves when we have already been granted forgiveness is heartfelt. Believing inaction, when when God directed otherwise, is irreversible is as frustrating in the story as it is in life. In these pages, I see peace in forgiveness and healing in recognizing where the world plan detoured from God's plan. It really isn't too late to make things right.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could very well be one of my favorite books and I can’t exactly tell you why because if I do it could spoil the whole story line. However, you will definitely want to read this whole series. This book could be read as a standalone, but I would highly recommend that you read the series. I fell in love with the series a few years ago when I read the sixth book in the series. I was hooked, and had to read all the other ones. I honestly thought these people were real not fiction characters.

Tamara tells a story that kind of makes you cringe because it doesn’t always turn out the way you want it to. Sometimes the boy doesn’t always get the girl, but in the end it’s a fabulous story about love and forgiveness and living according to God’s word and family so beautiful, you don’t want to miss the journey.

This book is about dreams coming true, a I Corinthians love, and reward for being faithful to God. I would say get a box of tissues. If you love this family like I do, your gonna need it. You would think this book wraps up the series, however, there is still one more to go! Trust me, If you haven't met them yet, you definitely want to get to know, the Casseli's, Tillie and Noah.

I was blessed with this book by the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not asked to write a positive review.