Captive Heart, The

Dale Cramer

The Daughters of Caleb Bender

Dale Cramer is the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed novel Levi's Will, based on the story of Dale's father, a runaway Amishman. Dale's latest series, THE DAUGHTERS OF CALEB BENDER, is based on an Amish colony in the mountains of Mexico where three generations of his family lived in the 1920s. He currently lives in Georgia with his wife of 36 years, two sons and a Bernese Mountain Dog named Rupert. Visit him on his Web site at www.dalecramer.com

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: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is the second book of the author's The Daughters of Caleb Bender series. These books are inspired by actual events of a small Amish group that settled in Paradise Valley in Mexico. This book keeps you interested from the beginning.  The contents of this story make me wonder why this group of Amish would live in such a dangerous place. They moved there back in the early 1900's to avoid religious persecution and so that their children would not be schooled by the Englisher.  As the book describes it was a beautiful location that was ripe for farming but much danger surrounded them.The Captive Heart contains mystery, romance and heartache with religion as its cornerstone. If you enjoy reading Amish fiction this is a book for you!

I received this book free from Bethany House for this review.