The Pretender: A Blackguard in Disguise Book Review

From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart—and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

About The Pretender: A Blackguard in Disguise

Set in South Dakota in 1975, where eighteen-year-olds could order 3.2 beer 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.

From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart—and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

My Thoughts

This is a powerful story of love, hope, lies, regret and fate. In our story, Tillie is a young woman who has spent her life focusing on her art and yearning for the day she would find her knight. She was always taught the difference between a blackguard, the type of man who would use a woman and leave her, and a true knight, the man who you want to marry.

Noah has always been viewed as the rebel in the family. He drinks, goes to work but wastes his money and still lives with his brother despite his advanced age. He is hurting on the inside and uses his actions to display how he feels. His behaviour is so bad that he has friends of friends praying for him to come right – including Tillie’s Mother who has never met him.

In a twist of fate, Tillie and Noah meet. While Tillie is cautious at first, she sees the real Noah. The Noah that he tries so hard to hide from others. Noah is in love with Tillie from the moment he meets her. She makes him want to be and do better and push himself to become the man his family knew he could be. They have a short romance before Tillie leaves with a promise to return so that they can be married.

In a cruel twist of fate, Tillie believes that Noah is not the man she thought he was. The two are torn apart but never speak about what happened. They lose contact but never stop yearning for each other. Both become lost, heart sore and shadows of their former selves. The people who should be there for them, hide information from them thinking it will help heal them.

This was a beautiful story that I could not put down. My heart was just so sore for this couple! Their lives were ruined and futures changed in one second due to a simple misconception and later when others refused to tell the truth. As we watch the story unfold, you can see how a simple lie can destroy a person. This is a definite must read novel – I loved every moment of it! I felt like the ending is leading into a second book and I really hope that she does continue this story.

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Rating: 5/5

About the Author

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.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.