Paradise Valley, Book Review

There is something irresistible for a dreamer such as myself when an author introduces a book as "inspired by actual events" followed by one of its character's statement "I would do a great many things for you." 

The first reached out to my thirst for history and the latter...Which one of us would not admit to a slight quickening of her/his hearbeat?

I have always liked Amish stories perhaps because we lived for a long time in Amish Country. I never quite forgot the clip clop of the horse pulled buggies passing by our log cabin. 

Well known authors such as Beverly Lewis, Cindy Woodsmall and Suzanne Woods Fisher of course have helped to promote delightful stories based on Amish lives. 

This was my first encounter with Dale Cramer's writing and I was not disappointed. He delivers what he promises.

Paradise Valley is a tale of faith, honour and courage in the face of adversity but also love and dreams. 

This is the story of one Amish family who chose to move to a foreign country when faced with a 1921 new Ohio law allowing the authorities to forcibly remove school age Amish children from their community and placing them in public schools.

Caleb Bender and his family establish their new homestead in the Sierra Madre Orientals, miles away from the nearest town and learning a new language whilst uphelding their beliefs in the Ordnung and preparing for the coming of others like them. 

Dale Cramer acknowledged his concerns to this wife about writing such a novel particularly when writing about Amish women and their hopes and dreams.

Admitting he knew nothing about women, he was rewarded after 35 years of marriage by three words: "You're absolutely right".

Rest assured Dale Cramer offers in Paradise Valley a wonderful knowledge of the Amish community and their beliefs combined with a touch of the West similar to Louis L'Amour's writting and enough romance to make any female reader enjoy his delightful novel.

This one reads like a box of chocolate...One is definitively not enough!

I give it 5 stars!

I received this book free from BethanyHouse as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not asked to write a positive review and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.