The Gift

This historical romance set in the 1950's during the time when being an unwed mother was shamed for some people. Setting of on her own Maribeth meets Tommy who's going through a tragedy of his own. The Gift is a very heartwarming, compassionate and inspirational book. Everyone faces difficult decisions in life and some are very hard to deal with. Then the loss of a child can bring about a state that no one is prepared to deal with. Maribeth had to make decisions based on what would be best. The story was a very quick read, yet pulled at the heart strings greatly. 4 Stars

Great story, set back in time when having a child out of wedlock was a big sin. Her parents were very typical of the day and although it made you angry that they treated her that way, that's really how it use to be. I was very proud of her when she left the nuns, had she stayed there she would have been warped for life. Lucky for her she had money to go off on her own. She was a very brave girl and she made good decisions all along the way. She knew she could not keep the baby even though at times she thought she might. She gave a family a new life in more than one way.

I decided to explore the literary work of Danielle Steele by choosing this short novel from my local library. Some may find it a bit mushy but I definitely was hooked all the way through.
It was almost magical how the pain the Whittaker's loss of their daughter was mended by Maribeth's arrival in their world. It shows you that children no matter what they get themselves into can somehow still display innocent and trusting for one another. Love truly can conquer all as Tommy certainly looks past the problems of Maribeth and sees her emergence as a calming presence to the loss of his sister and the near destruction of his family. Slowly but surely and certainly happilly, Tommy, Liz and John manage to come together again.
I guess one never knows where the missing puzzle to someone's happiness lies. Sometimes I guess one has to believe in magic and Danielle Steele certainly affirms this.

The Gift is a heartwarming story about a sixteen year old woman who accidentally got pregnant and has found new life with another family after her father temporarily disowns her.It has a short novel with a simple plot that would give faith and hope to women who have the same experience of the main character,Maribeth Robertson.It is one of the outstanding novels written by Danielle Steel that many would truly enjoy inspite of the typical elements present in it just like the others she has written.Great read for everyone.

The "Gift" is a very heart warming, compassionate and yet inspirational book. Loss is part of this book, and unfortunately in life everyone at some point will face loss. I lost four close family members, so I immediately related to the story in this book. It also made me think of how different people react differently to loss, and also how people try to move beyond loss. It includes stories of family, love and being there for one another. I found this book easy to read, and a book I did not want to put down. I would highly recommend this book. I do not think you would be disappointed, and you may feel spiritually and emotionally uplifted after reading it.

Reviewed by Bridget Carley, author of "Walking Out of Darkness"

The title tells you everything. A young teenage woman faced with a pregnacy that she is to young to handle, who must face the ultimate decision of her life, does she keep the baby or give it up for adoption?
This is a wonderfully told story of all the emotional conflicts and feelings a young woman goes through while trying to come up with a solution that will affect not only herself, but the life of the unborn child.
This is a tender tale, well written, and full of emotions that pluck the heart strings.

The Gift By: Danielle Steel
The Gift by Danielle Steel is a marvelous novel, which takes place in the 50's. The reason why I feel that this book is so wonderful is because it reflects to our young teens today. I feel that once you get this book in your hands you really can't let go. It's true when people say don't judge a book by its cover, even though it might not look interesting at all. Danielle Steel is one of the best selling authors, and this novel can just prove how creative her work is. It takes place at a happy home, when everything shatters by a child's senseless death. The Whittaker ends up losing her beautiful young child Annie of the sickness meningitis. The family, which includes Tommy Whittaker, Annie Whittaker, Elizabeth Whittaker, and John Whittaker, then is so affected by the startling tragedy that they stop communicating together and the loving marriage of Elizabeth Whittaker and John Whittaker starts to unravel. The story is then switched, introduced is, the gifted 15-year-old- Maribeth. A narrow-minded father who forces her into going to her prom with a repulsive navy blue dress demoralizes her. After one wrong incident that night, Maribeth's life turns upside down. She becomes pregnant and is sent to a convent by her severe father, where she is to lose her baby, if she wished to return home. She escapes the brutal convent and ends up in the little town of Omaha where she starts working as a waitress in a diner. Young unwed Maribeth, and young hopeless Tommy meet one day at the diner and end up falling in love. Their love, so innocent and full of hope, helps to restore a family's dreams. And all of their lives changed forever by the precious gift she lives behind, her beautiful baby girl Kate. I would definitely recommend this book to young teens around the world, who strongly believe in true love. This book teaches the readers that if two people are truly in love, they will pull through the toughest times together but at the end it would all be worth it. Even though it is a story that leaves you hanging at the end, some use their imagination to end it and some readers wait until the continuation of the story comes out. I would also recommend this book, because it reflects on our young teens today. All around the world young girls are having unprotected sex or are fooled by the guy and they all end up getting pregnant. They end up having adoration or a hard time taking care of the child. By reading this book, it takes you through a life of a typical teenager who happens to make a mistake that ruins her life forever. It shows how the life of a young girl distorted because of an unwanted pregnancy. It also shows the readers that things happen for a reason and just when you think your life is ruined, something special comes along. For Maribeth, she met the love of her life, the person that understood her problem and respected her. This fabulous book will keep you on the edge of your sit, just waiting to see what is going to happen next. It is such an emotion book it leaves its readers in tears. The story also gives the reader the idea that miracles do happen. The Gift is one of the best-written books by Danielle Steel because it is a book a lot of people can relate to. A book that is filled with sadness, and hopelessness and then changed into love and happiness. I defiantly recommend it to all the young adults.
Critical Review By: Elizabeth Adzhemyan

The author, Danielle Steel, caught my eye right away and held it throghtout this book. As Elizabeth Wittaker (the main character) still believed in dreams, everything had started changing; dreams had definitely left her beliefs. To begin, a happy home was destroyed by a child's senseless death. Nothing had seemed to matter throughtout Elizabeth's life after that.
Throughtout this story, I seemed to relate to Annie the most (Elizabeth's daughter). When she suddenly became sick and senseless, I could relate to that. Personally, throughtout reading this book, when Annie was rushed to the hospital, I felt as though something had been the matter with me and I needed a doctor. At that point in the story, Elizabeth had felt that her little girl would nver, once again, wake up; as probably my parents wold feel too.
Before reading this book, I had expected to maked a personal connecton, and be able to feel what the actual characters were feeling. Indeed, this book definitely fulfilled my expectations.Throughout the explicit details told during the story between the characters and the true meaning of this book, I got the reality of the book right in fornt of me. I would most definitley read this book, if you had not already!

Tears of saddness in the begining. Tears of joy in the end. This is a wonderful book. Maribeth and Tommy, what a pair. The loss of Tommy's sibling, to the joy of a new sibling. The joy of Maribeth not having to worry about the life in her no longer not being safe. This is a must read! I am still telling people to read this book. That it will truly be a gift to your mind. I loved it!!!

This story packs of heck of a punch. The characters were so vivid, at times I thought they were real. I'm not a Steel fan, but this one impressed me to no end. If you're looking for a great read with lots of emotion packed between the covers, this isn't one to pass on!

This book was interesting. It is written at about a fourth grade reading level. The book isvery predictable. Halfway through, I knew what the ending would be, and I was correct. THe characters are easy to relate too. Daneille Steel develops the characters and their relationships well. Overall, I give 3-stars.

I really liked this book. I found it quite enjoyable, except I already knew what was going to happen a little while after starting it. Also, it left me wondering what happened to Tommy and Maribeth at the end. Did she come back to visit? Did they get married? I would reccomend it though, because it was a great story.

The gift is the perfect example of telling, not showing. The Gift tells the story of carboard cutout characters. A good father and a bad father. A storybook loving family and a PC vision of an unhealthy one.
Her cardboard cutout characters are perfect and oh so dramatic, and always, always, always! teary eyed. A cute little doll of a girl dies and no one, Steele tells us ad nauseum, "can bare it." I couldn't, anyway.
This children's story was tedious, clichéd and trite in the extreme, thus earning its five star rating by Steele's readers. When Steele tells her fans to be moved by a story, they are.
I was not.

This was the most captivating book by Steel yet. The story of a girl that leaves a special gift with a family and changes their liver forever. Surprise ending that shocks all !! One of the few you will read over and over again !

Danielle Steel's "THE GIFT" is a incredible romance. The way Ms. Steel expresses all the emotion and what everyone's feels is what makes this book so great. It's the kind of romance that everyone wishes for: loving, caring and understanding under all circumstances. It's trully a great read!! I'd recomened it to everyone who loves love stories and is a romance fool like me.

I listened to this book first on audio. But after I was finished listening, I had to go out and buy the book to read once more. It's definately my favourite Danielle Steel book I have read. The story about a young 15-year-old girl and how she found comfort in a new family is so heartwarming. I definately recommend this book to everyone. Especially mothers and those expecting!

I listened to this book first on audio. But after I was finished listening, I had to go out and buy the book to read once more. It's definately my favourite Danielle Steel book I have read. The story about a young 15-year-old girl and how she found comfort in a new family is so heartwarming. I definately recommend this book to everyone. Especially mothers and those expecting!

I found this book to be somewhat interesting. I admit it was hard to put down, even though it was very predictable. It's one of those things that you just have to keep reading to make sure that you're right.
About the ending...I didn't like it too much. It left me with too much to wonder about. I figured it was going to be like that, but I can still whine.
I suggest this book to those who like the fairy tale endings and such. It doesn't exactly end as a fairy tale would, but it'll help to escape reality for a couple hours.

This is the first Danielle Steel book I have read, and it will be the last. Aside from the sappy, predictable story and elementary use of the language, the book contains (for me, at least) an egregious editorial mistake - Tommy thinking about Maribeth, page 158 of the paperback: "But there was something he didn't like to think about, her going back to Iowa and her parents." This would be the same Maribeth who took a bus from Onawa, Iowa to Omaha, Nebraska, then got off in Grinnell on the way to Chicago. The only Grinnell, with a college, on the way to Chicago from Omaha, happens to be the one in IOWA!!

I suppose, to some people, this is a small point. However, in my opinion, if you're going to write fiction, make it up. Don't screw it up.

And by the way, Grinnell is a very cool town.

The book is about the most basic longing of nearly every individual--the need to love & be loved. I find it very simple and yet realistic. The values and moral lesson of the story isn't lost here between the pages. The fact that Maribeth stood up right after her mistake is remarkable, but what Tommy did (stood by her through it all)is even more amazing. A story about love, trust, betrayal, hope..and eventually loving again...

Danielle Steele did an excellent job when she wrote this book. It is a wonderful drama that puts a warmth in your heart, and a tear in your eye. This is a very touching book that covers a very touching subject. Everyone in the family can learn a lesson from this book, and it will bring them closer together. This touching drama deserves more, but I give it five stars.