Book Review: The Captive Heart by Dale Cramer

Excerpt: Caleb cleared his throat. "What I'm trying to say in my clumsy way is that if Gott says it is not good for the man to be alone, then it is probably not good too for people to be alone. We - my wife and children and me - have been alone in a strange land for a year now . . ."

His thoughts overwhelmed his voice for a moment and he paused to collect himself.

When he looked up again, his eyes found John Hershberger and he said quietly, "I think mebbe Gott meant for us to be with Him and with one another. I cannot tell you how full my heart is this morning when I look out and see that we are no longer alone. It is very, very good."

Miriam knew from personal experience that it was definitely not good to be alone. Keeping her eyes on her father, avoiding Micah's glances, she felt a pang of guilt. Domingo was not Amish. It was inevitable; any sort of relationship with him would surely bring censure of the church, but she couldn't help herself. His voice echoed in her head.

"Cualnezqui."

Beautiful one. The Captive Heart, pg 21.

Back Cover: The Epic Story of an Amish Community in Peril

Ravaged by disease, preyed upon by ruthless bandits, the Bender family's second year in Mexico has taken a grievous turn. Faced with impossible choices, the expatriate Amish discover, more than ever before, what it means to live by faith and not by sight.

But it's Miriam who must make the hardest choice as her heart takes her on a new and dangerous course. Domingo. "He is gentle," his sister said, "until someone he loves is threatened." Is Miriam that someone?

"Cualnezqui," he often calls her--the Nahuatl word for Beautiful one. The chiseled native has proven himself a man of principle, grace and power, yet is he the pearl of great price for whom Miriam would sacrifice everything, or is he merely a friend? Tormented by conflicting emotions, she's haunted by vivid dreams: Dressed in the coarse cotton pants and shirt of a peasant, she stands on the precipice of a sun-washed ridge searching desperately for Domingo. Domingo the fierce. Domingo the protector.

Domingo the forbidden.

Inspired by Actual Events!

My Review: The Captive Heart is the second book in the Daughters of Caleb Bender series. (You can read my review of  Paradise Valley, the first book in the series, here.) Dale Cramer's Amish fiction has a flavor all of its own. Too often, I am put off by this genre because of how the Amish way of life is romanticized. Cramer doesn't do that. The Captive Heart is the continuing story of an Amish community's struggle in a foreign and dangerous land. This novel is full of danger, bandits, disease, kidnapping and death. It is also a story of love and longing, and trying to understand the ways of God in the world of men. I appreciate Dale Cramer's style. There were times in this story that I felt distance from the characters. Maybe it was because there are so many characters to keep track of and care about. I didn't lose myself in this book like I would have liked, but I did enjoy it.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to readers of Amish fiction and fans of Dale Cramer.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review: Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer

Excerpt: "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Caleb nodded once. "We understand you want us to sign a paper promising to send our children to school every day." The rest, in Caleb's opinion, was trivial.

The judge peered warily over his glasses.

"And will you agree to do this?"

Caleb did not hesitate, nor did he need to confer with his brethren. There was nothing to discuss.

"No, Your Honor. We will not."

"Sixty days," the judge pronounced, and banged his gavel. "Gentlemen, I'm very disappointed. You should think more of your children's futures. Rest assured, you have not heard the last of this. Bailiff, remove the prisoners." Paradise Valley, pg 26.

Back Cover: "I would do a great many things for you." Even at sixteen, Jake's handsome features hold the calm certainty and patient confidence of a man, and Rachel Bender knows - Jake Weaver is the one.


Rachel will grow into a strong young woman with powerful gifts - but in a faraway country, without her Jake. In 1921, Ohio's new law forces Caleb Bender's family to seek sanctuary in the wilds of Mexico, where the government will not interfere with their Amish way of life or take their children from them. Nor will it protect them from the bandits terrorizing the countryside.

In an unfamiliar land where no one speaks their language or knows their ways, the Benders establish a homestead in exile. Sisters Emma, Rachel and Miriam find strengths unimagined, gifts unexpected, and yearnings beyond their deepest dreams. Even steadfast Caleb is compelled to wrestle with the demands of faith, only to discover that love has its own demands.

My Review: I am still not a huge fan of Amish fiction, but I appreciate the way that Dale Cramer deals with the subject. Cramer doesn't romanticize the Amish lifestyle, but gives a real look into the good and the bad. Perhaps its because of his own family background with the Amish, but for whatever reason, Dale Cramer's Amish fiction rings with authenticity. One thing that I really liked about Paradise Valley was the historical context. I've often wondered about some of the historical issues that the Amish have dealt with, and this book brings out one that I've wondered about. How did the Amish deal with going to school with Englisher children, and what happens if they, or their families, are physically threatened. I'm interested in reading the other books to come in the Daughters of Caleb Bender series. Paradise Valley was an enjoyable first installment.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to lovers of historical Amish fiction.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review: Levi's Will by W. Dale Cramer

"He has come to bury his father. The event is a milestone for any man - the falling of the last barrier before his own yawning mortality - but for Will McGruder it is more, having lost great chunks of his father in the tempest of his life, a tempest that with every passing year seems more preordained." Levi's Will, pg. 10.

When Will Mullet left his father's farm, in the Old Order Amish community, he chose to leave behind his past, his family and his name. But the past isn't so easy to bury, and there are things that Will can't forget. Eventually his thoughts drive him back to his father's farm, but Levi won't talk to his son. Will has been put on the ban, and Levi will not forgive a young man's indiscretions.

Levi's Will is a story of the power of truth, forgiveness and love. Will not only seeks to be reconciled with his father and family, but also to bridge the gap between himself and his youngest son - but the road home is long and full of trials. Will isn't sure that he is ready to face them all.

I really enjoyed this story. I appreciated the unique perspective that Cramer uses to tell the story. The story carried me along, and I felt that I knew Will and his son, Riley, well by the end. I also found Cramer's style intriguing. The story bounces back and forth between the present and Will's past, yet the flow of the story feels natural and not disjointed. The characters are complex and very human. I enjoyed watching them grow as the story went on. Excellent craftsmanship!

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of reviewing.)