I recently received "The Captive Heart" by Dale Cramer from Bethany House Publishing. While I received the book free, the opinions below are my own.
Summary from CBD.com:
"Bandit troubles intensify as Caleb Bender's family tries to settle into their new life in 1920s Paradise Valley. When El Pantera kidnaps Rachel and leaves her brother, Aaron, for dead, Jake Weaver and the Mexican native Domingo pursue the bandit leader to his mountain stronghold in a hopeless rescue attempt. Jake and Domingo manage to escape with Rachel, with the bandits hot on their trail. In a desperate attempt to avoid recapture, Domingo puts himself squarely in harm's way, giving Jake and Rachel time to get away. This is not the quiet life Caleb Bender envisioned when he led his family out of Ohio. What is a father to make of his daughter's obvious affection for a man outside the fold? And how will a pacifist Amishman like Caleb respond to the events that threaten his family and their way of life?"
My Review:
"The Captive Heart" is book #2 in 'The Daughters of Caleb Bender' series. The first book was "Paradise Valley" (you can read my review for it here). Dale Cramer is a great writer in my opinion. This book series drew me in from the beginning. It is based from a true story, which draws my curiosity automatically. The story is very detailed, from the bandits and wars to the love stories that seem to blossom all around. The hardships and sacrifices in this story are amazing. I cannot begin to think of myself in many of the situations that these Amish families face in "The Captive Heart". I would recommend this series and this author to anyone, but especially those who love Amish fiction. These books are even suited to a teen and in my opinion would be enjoyable to them as well.
