Dale CramerThe Captive Heart (The Daughters of Caleb Bender)

I have read many Amish romance novels (thank you Beverly Lewis) but never one like this.Dale Cramer develops his characters and plot lines so well I lost myself completely in the story, so much so I literally had to put the book down several times because I got sucked into the terrifying scenes. Each time I wanted to stop reading the book completely. After awhile, I couldn’t resist coming back to the story. I hate to admit it, but I’m hooked! Dale Cramer has become one of my favorite authors.

I've read another Amish novel. One that runs pretty close to an Amish romance. Okay, so it is an Amish romance. But it also has bandits, epidemics, kidnappings, and a murder or two.Perhaps there's a publishing genre called speculative Amish romance?The book in question is "The Captive Heart" by Dale Cramer. It's the second in the Daughters of Caleb Bender Series, the first being "Paradise Valley."I will read anything Dale Cramer writes, novels like "Bad Ground," "Sutter's Cross," and "Summer of Light." "Levi's Will" is an Amish story, but more about a young man breaking away from the Amish order and joining the army in World War II. It's based upon the story of Cramer's own father. And "Summer of Light," well, let's say I laughed and cried at this story of a man finding himself.Like its predecessor "Paradise Valley," "The Captive Heart" is based upon the true story of Amish families who left Ohio in the early 1920s, fleeing from the state's compulsory education laws, and settled in Mexico. This is the Mexico just past its revolution, and it hasn't really left the revolution behind. Gangs of revolutionaries have turned themselves into gangs of bandits, and they roam the mountains and plains looking to pillage and plunder.The Amish, of course, are pacifist. Cramer plays that pacifism against the violence of the bandits, and surprising, unexpected things happens.That's the larger story within which two romances develop. First is Rachel and Jake; Jake's family had decided to stay in Ohio but Jake is able to come to Mexico eventually with another family as a kind of indentured farm hand. But the focus is Miriam Bender, the settlement's schoolteacher and at 20 beginning to face the possibility of an unmarried life. Miriam finds herself pursued by a young Amish man while she's attracted to her father's hired man Domingo. But a romance with Domingo risks banning and separation from her family.Cramer tells a good story. He builds suspense - and a growing sense of dread - at what is going to happen. The characters come alive with their hopes, dreams and struggles, not the least of which is the struggle of maintaining their faith in the face of a very harsh, very brutal reality."The Captive Heart" is a fast, enthralling read. I will even say I'm anticipating the next book in the series. I may not have converted to the cause of Amish romances, but I have converted to the cause of Amish romances as told by Dale Cramer.

The Captive Heartby Dale CramerPublished January 1st 2012Bethany House Publishers “The Captive Heart,” the second book in the Amish suspense trilogy, “The Daughters of Caleb Bender,” opens with the Bender family already settled in Mexico’s verdant Paradise Valley, yet not all is well in paradise. The serpent slithers through their midst throwing test after test against them. As the bandits pillage and threaten the valley, a fatal plague rages with dreadful consequences. When the community seeks help from a doctor in Agua Nueva, the journey places Aaron, Rachel, Ada and baby Amos in unthinkable jeopardy. At this point, Rachel’s desire for marriage with Jake Weaver becomes the least of her concerns. When Jake and Domingo take an extraordinary risk, events spiral out of control and result in a hair-raising climax. In the lull that follows, practical Miriam faces an awful choice between two courses of action. Either way, she faces heartbreak. In “The Captive Heart,” Dale Cramer captures the reader’s heart and keeps them flipping pages far beyond bedtime. I heartily recommend this book for adult readers. Primarily due to violent and mature content, the faint of heart might find some scenes difficult to read. Although these sections graze the rules of Christian fiction, none explicitly flouts them. Cramer leaves much to the reader’s imagination. As an aside, while I rant about books that take this reader captive, keeping a person up to all hours of the night, Dale Cramer’s writing makes up for the loss of sleep and leaves the reader with the satisfaction at having read a story well worth the expense. In fact, the compelling characters of this story plant themselves so firmly in the imagination that they linger there for days and make the reader impatient for the next book. I give “The Captive Heart” five stars and a thumbs up.

This 2nd book in the series continues the story of the Bender family in Paradise Valley, as they wait and hope for other families to join them, but this is not your typical gentle romance of an Amish tale but rather one of struggle and hardship - yes the land is a paradise where things grow easily, but there are too many people who want a share in the bounty. There is a sense of foreboding throughout the book that the outcome won't be good - when you are pacifists who live in a place where the majority have guns and are willing to use them to take whatever they want, how can you protect your people and your land. Although this is fictionalised it is based on real events, and after reading book one, I downloaded and read the others immediately after. In summary: not great if you want a sweet tale of simple folks, but a fabulous read if you prefer something far meatier (with a sweet romance thrown in!).

Why do we read Amish fiction? No doubt, for many of us, we enjoy exploring a different life-style, whilst finding an escape in the security of their orderly lives, strictly dictated by the 'ordnung'. Well, for those who favour some drama and adventure, in Dale Cramer's 'Daughters of Caleb Bender' trilogy, one finds the best of both worlds. Caleb and his family work hard in a hostile environment and they quickly establish a productive farm that attracts other Amish families to join them. We observe an Amish culture of hard work, faith and pacifism being established whilst being sorely tested by the challenges of corruption, violence and banditry. The relationship between Rachel and Jake grows stronger, whilst Miriam's feelings for the Nahua, Domingo, are questioned and condemned. Will she choose faith and family or follow her heart? This book is definitely not for before-bed reading as you won't be able to put it down.

I loved the first book, I loved this the second and I cant wait to read the third.You can't help but fall in love with the characters and will them along and together.

I really enjoyed this book,and how it relays a new religion and how it works ,a really good book kept me reading far too long.

I enjoyed the first book and this one is just as good. Lots of romance and action. Hard to put down, can't wait to read theNext one!