Paradise Valley (Daughters of Caleb Bender, #1)

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Paradise Valley (Daughters of Caleb Bender #1)

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 890 ratings · 112 reviews

An Amish settlement in Ohio has run afoul of a law requiring their children to attend public school. Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake esc...more

Kindle Edition, 370 pages

Published (first published December 3rd 2010)

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Apr 14, 2013 Adetia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Paradise Valley brings us the family of Caleb Bender, who after being arrested for his children's truancy at public consolidated schools, decides to risk everything and move his family to Mexico as an advance scout for a more accepting location for their local settlement to relocate to. We follow the Benders as they deal with the hard journey, having to start completely over, and the side issues of homesickness, leaving the colony style life back home, and missing friends and families. Caleb's d...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Paradise Valley" by Dale Cramer
"Paradise Valley"by Dale Cramer is definitely a 5 star book.This is the first book by Dale Cramer that I have read and I will definitely be reading more. This is the first book in a series of three. I started reading this book because it is the next book for discussion in my book club. I had a feeling that I wouldn't like this book, I have no idea way I felt that way. I am so glad that I didn't listen to that feeling and not read the book. I was caught up in the s...more

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May 05, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Jan 11, 2012 Dorothy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amish-fiction

To start, I must confess that I have this "thing" for Amish fiction. When I am having a particularly hard week or stressful day, I know that I can open my Kindle and escape to someplace beautiful and wholesome, sweet and innocent, peaceful and predictable. Predictable is the key word. Amish fiction is predictable to its core. Most who read it know it, and we don't care. When I saw this listed as a free Kindle book, I grabbed it without really reading the description. It was Amish-related. It was...more To start, I must confess that I have this "thing" for Amish fiction. When I am having a particularly hard week or stressful day, I know that I can open my Kindle and escape to someplace beautiful and wholesome, sweet and innocent, peaceful and predictable. Predictable is the key word. Amish fiction is predictable to its core. Most who read it know it, and we don't care. When I saw this listed as a free Kindle book, I grabbed it without really reading the description. It was Amish-related. It was free. It was predictable, NOT.

Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer certainly was not predictable. This became apparent even within the first chapter. Suddenly, it felt as if someone tossed a bucket of cold water in my face. I was awake and ready to devour this book, and I did.

The story starts off in Ohio during the 1920s. A community is troubled by a new compulsory attendance law which would require Amish children under the age of 16 to attend public school with the non-Amish. Families are torn apart by the government, briefly. Because of this a father is tempted to respond to an ad offering prime farmland in Mexico for a great price.

Without having seen the land, a family embarks on a journey to Mexico to not only begin a new life but to be a start of a new Amish settlement in a new country. The story follows their time there and all the troubles and joy that they find.

I'm sure some are wondering about romance. Don't worry, there is romance. The author, who happens to be male, does a wonderful job in creating a romance that touches the heart. There is a love that is torn apart due to the move, unexpected babies, and new love.

If romance isn't one's "thing", no worries. The story also includes Mexican culture of the early 1920s along with gun-wielding bandits, haciendas, lovely ladies, and handsome men. Pacifist Amish farmers are faced with many trials in a not-so-friendly land.

The author does an excellent job of building strong, likable, and not-so-likable characters. The scenery is described beautifully. Readers are easily taken from the traditional Amish farmland of Ohio to the dangerous mountain valleys of Mexico.

It didn't take me long to fall in love with the characters, and toward the end, it had me in tears.

If one really enjoys Amish fiction, this one will be surprisingly and pleasantly different. It is still clean and wholesome but oh so not predictable. It goes beyond the typical romance-type Amish fiction book to Amish fiction novel.

If one doesn't really enjoy the super sweetness of Amish fiction, this may be one to try. It features a bit more action and danger. It reads more similar to a historical novel with an Amish theme.

This book was a real treat as it was free on Amazon for Kindle users. Sometimes free books will only last a day or two. Later they will appear with a price. I would have happily paid for this book. Actually, a few days after reading this, I purchased the newer one in the series. I've already devoured that one as well.
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Jan 05, 2012 LeAnne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction, historical-fiction, romance, adult-fiction

My husband was strongly influenced by the Anabaptists in his teen years. My father was raised Quaker. Nevertheless, I have avoided the popular Amish trend in Christian fiction as a nostalgic desire to return to a simpler time and avoid dealing with modern reality. Dale Cramer’s Paradise Valley is not that.

A 1921 Ohio law required Amish families to send their children to public schools where they must cut their hair and dress in “Englisher” clothing—a plan which would effectively wipe out the Am...more My husband was strongly influenced by the Anabaptists in his teen years. My father was raised Quaker. Nevertheless, I have avoided the popular Amish trend in Christian fiction as a nostalgic desire to return to a simpler time and avoid dealing with modern reality. Dale Cramer’s Paradise Valley is not that.

A 1921 Ohio law required Amish families to send their children to public schools where they must cut their hair and dress in “Englisher” clothing—a plan which would effectively wipe out the Amish community in a generation. The arguments in this part of the book sounded disturbingly like modern discussions of home schooling vs. ‘godless humanistic classrooms’. Caleb Bender’s response to government pressure was to lead a group moving their families to Paradise Valley in Mexico. Dale Cramer’s great grandfather was the patriarch of a similar community, and although few records survive of that experiment, he obviously identifies strongly with their faith, ideals and struggles.

Yet Cramer wrestles with real issues in a post-9/11 world. Can violence be realistically resisted with non-violence? Post-revolution Mexico is rife with decommissioned soldiers turned bandits. The old world where Spanish blood ruled, and Mexico’s original inhabitants were despised has been turned on its head. The Amish win friends by treating all their neighbors with respect and integrity, but their non-violence makes them vulnerable. And can they sustain it when those they love are threatened?

The story is not primarily romance although there are romantic plots lines—several, in fact, since Caleb Bender has several daughters. Some are satisfied in this first installment of The Daughters of Caleb Bender series; some are left in question. But your heart will be drawn to each of these strong young women.

Dale Cramer and his wife attended the same Monterey writing conference I did in October. I found them both warm and articulate. I already admired Dale’s writing. Now I eagerly look forward to the rest of this series. They have something to say to us in the twenty-first century whether our dress be plain or fancy.(less)

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Apr 21, 2011 Cafelilybookreviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have read a lot of Amish fiction in my time, but I think that Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer may just be the most interesting twist on this particular genre that I’ve seen.

The first book in The Daughters of Caleb Bender series, Paradise Valley incorporates the religious persecution of the old order Amish in Ohio with the Mexican Revolution. Who could imagine Pancho Villa being part of an Amish story? Not me! But it works very well in this story and I wasn’t bored for a minute reading this boo...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Brenda Casto rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My two favorite genre's to read are historical fiction, and Amish fiction, and when I realized that Dale Cramer had woven the two together to give the reader an Amish historical fiction, I had to read it.

In 1921 Ohio passes a law called the Bing act that stated All children between the ages of six and sixteen must be in school five days a week. The Amish had been sending their children to school one day a week, because they felt the education they needed couldn't be found in a consolidated scho...more My two favorite genre's to read are historical fiction, and Amish fiction, and when I realized that Dale Cramer had woven the two together to give the reader an Amish historical fiction, I had to read it.

In 1921 Ohio passes a law called the Bing act that stated All children between the ages of six and sixteen must be in school five days a week. The Amish had been sending their children to school one day a week, because they felt the education they needed couldn't be found in a consolidated school, but rather at home where they would learn to be farmers and farmers wives and learn the ways of Gott. To enforce the law and send a strong message to the Amish, in early 1922 five Amish fathers were arrested. One of the fathers that was arrested was Caleb Bender. He started praying to his Gott to show him another way, and when he finds an advertisement for cheap land in Mexico he decides this is Gott's answer and the Bender family are the first to settle in Paradise Valley, Mexico.
This story is quite different than most of the Amish that I read. Since this book is based on actual events I felt as if I was getting an education while reading fiction.The author's note at the end of the story actually tells the reader a bit about the truth behind the story. While I vaguely remember reading a little about the Bing Act, I was totally flabbergasted that the state went so far as to remove Amish children from their loving homes.
Mr. Cramer easily draws you into this story, allowing you to become connected, I found myself in awe of how the Amish adapted to their new home, and the way they interacted with their new neighbors. Because this book is the first in a new series titled "The Daughters Of Caleb Bender,"there are a few loose ends but that only heightens the anticipation for the next book in the series.
On a scale of one to five I would rate this book a six because its just that good!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (less)

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Apr 15, 2011 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Caleb Bender was in jail. Not only was Caleb in jail, so were four other Amish fathers. It was 1921 and Ohio officials were trying to force the Amish communities to send their children to public schools. And arresting these five fathers was sending a strong message to the Amish.
Caleb Bender is determined that something has to change. His wife is already in bad health, in fact the doctor has said she needs a dry climate, so when Caleb sees a ad for land for sale in Mexico, he knows that Gott is...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Maureen Timerman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-read

Synopsis An Amish settlement in Ohio has run afoul of a law requiring their children to attend public school. Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the children's home. Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's...more Synopsis An Amish settlement in Ohio has run afoul of a law requiring their children to attend public school. Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the children's home. Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. And since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation. Caleb's daughters are thrown into turmoil. Rachel doesn't want to leave Jake. Her sister, Emma, who has been courting Levi Mullet, fears her dreams of marriage will be dashed. Miriam has never had a beau and is acutely aware there will be no prospects in Mexico. Once there, they meet Domingo, a young man and guide who takes a liking to Miriam, something her father would never approve. While Paradise Valley is everything they'd hoped it would be, it isn't long before the bandits start giving them trouble, threatening to upset the fledgling Amish settlement, even putting their lives in danger. Thankfully no one has been harmed so far, anyway.
I enjoyed this book! Parts are very scary, and other times you will be chuckling! Was not aware that the Amish moved from Ohio to Mexico...that alone had to be hard. I know that their religion works because there are support of others. When Caleb moved to Mexico he was the only support his family had!
The cover on this book will draw you in, and I enjoy Amish stories. The character's seemed so real that at times I felt like I was riding in the wagon with them. I didn't want the book to end, their are a lot of answered questions! I see this is the first book in a series, so hopefully there are answers to come! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fictional book based on facts. The Author's father was raised Amish and lived in Mexico. Unfortunately this is a fast read, wish it was longer...I enjoyed being there with this family!(less)

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Jan 05, 2011 Sarah Sundin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The cover endorsement for Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer reads, "If you like Amish fiction, you'll love this book!" I would amend this..."If you don't read Amish fiction, you'll still love this book!"

I don't read much Amish fiction (although I've enjoyed Suzanne Woods Fisher's books), but I'll read anything Dale Cramer writes. He hooked me hard with Bad Ground, then made me a fan with Sutter's Cross, Levi's Will, and Summer of Light. He is a versatile and extremely gifted writer.

Paradise Valley...more

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Jan 02, 2011 Nora St Laurent rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have loved Levi’s Will, a gripping novel written in a Amish males point of view, so when I heard Dale Cramer was doing a prequel to it, I jumped at the chance to receive a review copy. Dale used real events as a backdrop for his new story that caught my interest and made me realize how much America has changed over the years in our education department. In 1921, five Amish fathers were arrested for neglect of their children. The Bing Act of 1920 stated all children in Holmes County, Ohio need...more I have loved Levi’s Will, a gripping novel written in a Amish males point of view, so when I heard Dale Cramer was doing a prequel to it, I jumped at the chance to receive a review copy. Dale used real events as a backdrop for his new story that caught my interest and made me realize how much America has changed over the years in our education department. In 1921, five Amish fathers were arrested for neglect of their children. The Bing Act of 1920 stated all children in Holmes County, Ohio needed to go to school or parents would be arrested. The Amish men stayed in jail until the government started heating things up to force their case by taking away their children and putting them in foster care. It’s unthinkable in a day and age when homeschooling is thriving.
So what do these men do to save their way of life? Caleb is willing to check out another place to live. They wanted to look outside the USA because laws were bound to get passed in all 50 states eventually - then an opportunity opened up outside the states. Mexico. It looked great at ten dollars per acre. So, Caleb volunteers his family to be pioneers in a new land. He’ll scout out the terrain and its people, then report back to the Amish community.

Caleb discovers lush farming soil and Mexican people as varied as their languages. Then there are rumors of bandits. They meet Domingo, a young man who takes the Amish family under his wing and guides them through this new world they know nothing about. Paradise Valley could be their new home forever if only the bandits would stop giving them trouble. They were a peace loving people who would not fight for their possessions...even if it meant fighting for one of their daughters. They would trust God in all things, that would not change.

I’ve enjoy Dale’s books, because he is so very passionate about writing and gets to the heart of the matter in his novels. This book is no exception. Dale’s father lived in an Amish community as a boy and left when he got older. So, Dale has family connections that come out in his stories and help him in writing about their customs. This trilogy is inspired by historical events I found interesting. You’ll definitely want to know what happened to Caleb and his family on their journey to make a living in this foreign land. I know I did!

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org
Finding Hope Through Fiction www.psalm 516.blogspot.com
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Dec 19, 2010 Camille Eide rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While I am not Amish fiction’s #1 fan, I have read a few Amish titles which I’ve liked, and most particularly, Levi’s Will by Dale Cramer. I’ve waited a long time to get my hands on a new book by Cramer, and I was not disappointed. The saga of the Daughters of Caleb Bender begins with Paradise Valley, a fascinating introduction to the Bender family in the early 1900s. Knowing that Paradise Valley is based on actual events with added details from the author’s own family history made this story es...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Julie by: CFBA

Shelves: amish, bethany-house, historical-fiction, 2011-reads

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Set in the 1920's, Caleb Bender and four of his Amish brothers face the challenges of raising their children in an American Amish society. They are incredibly misunderstood and because of that and the Bing Act, Caleb and his neighboring brothers spend five nights in jail for not sending their children to public school. During their imprisonment, these children are also ripped from their homes and everything they know and love and are sent to foster homes. The men decide to comply with the Bing A...more Set in the 1920's, Caleb Bender and four of his Amish brothers face the challenges of raising their children in an American Amish society. They are incredibly misunderstood and because of that and the Bing Act, Caleb and his neighboring brothers spend five nights in jail for not sending their children to public school. During their imprisonment, these children are also ripped from their homes and everything they know and love and are sent to foster homes. The men decide to comply with the Bing Act and are subsequently released. Caleb isn't about to have that so when he spots an opportunity to buy land in Mexico for $10 an acre, he jumps on the chance. Leaving behind all his neighbors and some family, he moves his family from the demanding clutches of an Ohio government to Mexico where he has to start from scratch. Along the way, his faith is challenged in ways he would have never imagined. Would it have been better to stay in Ohio?

It's been awhile since I've read any Amish fiction but as always, I find it enjoyable. The Amish ways intrigue me more so than most other religions. They are such simple people, yet in my mind, so complicated. I know that I could never live the way of the Amish today knowing what I know of modern conveniences.

The one thing that struck out at me the most from this delightful read is the use of various languages. This was like a mini-language course in some respects. The book is written in English but has phrases in High German, Dutch, Spanish, and Nahuatl. I appreciate the author's research and use of the various words from this time.

*************SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT!!!!************************

I eagerly await the next book in this series (The Daughters of Caleb Bender) and suspect that it will focus on Rachel and the surprise she receives at the end of this book!

This book is available for purchase on Paradise Valley (The Daughters of Caleb Bender) Amazon as well as other fine bookstores!

Many thanks to Bethany House for providing this copy for review! (less)

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Aug 28, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: PARADISE VALLEY
Author: Dale Cramer
Publisher: Bethany House
2011
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0838-6
Genre: Inspirational/historical Amish

Rachel Bender is terrified when her neighbor and friend, Jake Weaver, came running over, announcing that his father had just been arrested and they were on the way to the Weaver farm…And sure enough, Rachel’s father is arrested too, as well as several other men in the Amish community. They are thrown into jail, and a short time later, the police come to take the school...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Shari Larsen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The characters in this story are fiction, but it is based on true events. In the early 1920's, 5 Amish fathers were arrested and jailed in Holmes County, Ohio, for violating the Bing Act of 1921 by not sending their children to the public schools. They bought land in Mexico, sight unseen, for $10 per acre and moved their families there.

In this novel, Caleb Bender is the man taking that chance. He and his family are going down first to establish a foothold and assess the situation before other fa...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Molly by: CFBA

Shelves: book-review

Dale Cramer is a fantastic author! I read a book by him in the past called Levi's Will, and fell in love with not only his book but also his writing style. He has the skilled ability to create a novel that instantly captures the reader's mind and soul. He takes them on a twister of emotions and sets them down in the midst of friends and love.

Paradise Valley is phenomenally written. It's a novel for all Amish lovers, yes, but it's also a novel for those who are looking to strengthen their relati...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First posted on my blog, Book Reviews by Lady Katy.

I am not a big Amish fan, but Dale Cramer's book, Paradise Valley, was very interesting and very different than other Amish books I’ve read. Which was a nice change. I mean, these Amish people came face to face with bandits and several times the girls were nearly abducted! Yep, not a typical docile Amish story, to be sure! And the fact that this is based on real events—that there really was an Amish family who went to Mexico to start a new colon...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is not your average Amish love story! I was delighted with Dale Cramers newest work of art! As you follow Caleb Bender to a remote part of Mexico, you find yourself truly wishing you had been born Amish. The Bender family loves God Gott with all their being and their faith is unshakeable as they venture into unknown land, an unknown country still reeling from a revolutionary war. With only one family settling in the beginning, it was up to the women, girls and the men to do all of the hard...more

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May 07, 2011 Bonnie (Words at Home Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

It is no secret that I love Amish fiction but when you read a lot of one specific genre, the stories can sometimes get overdone, tired and predictable. This is why I was thrilled to discover that Paradise Valley was a completely unique look at Amish fiction. The characters and the story line were all written in the lovely tradition of Amish fiction but they shone with new life and really were a breath of fresh air.

In Paradise Valley we travel with the Bender family as they leave Ohio for Mexico...more It is no secret that I love Amish fiction but when you read a lot of one specific genre, the stories can sometimes get overdone, tired and predictable. This is why I was thrilled to discover that Paradise Valley was a completely unique look at Amish fiction. The characters and the story line were all written in the lovely tradition of Amish fiction but they shone with new life and really were a breath of fresh air.

In Paradise Valley we travel with the Bender family as they leave Ohio for Mexico in the hopes that they will be allowed to live their lives as their religion requires. The family faces unbelievable struggles as they attempt to start their lives over in a country which is itself trying to recover from war and revolution. The enormous emotional strength of each character is evident but I was pleased to see how it was the Bender women who were portrayed as some of the most brave, independent and capable members of the family.

Cramer takes some of the more traditional elements of Amish fiction (ie. the idea of forbidden love and longing) and puts a completely new spin on them. Amish fiction (In my opinion anyway) typically has a lot of expectations placed on it in terms of how characters will act and types of problems they will face. I think that it is really special when an author can take a genre like this and turn it on its head without alienating, frustrating or disappointing readers. I really loved Paradise Valley, as I am sure is evident by my gushing, and hope that you love it too!

This is the first time that I read Dale Cramer and I highly recommend him to any fan of Amish fiction, or really to any fan of contemporary fiction for that matter. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in The Daughter’s of Caleb Bender series when they come out and while I’m waiting I will definitely be picking up his earlier novel, Levi’s Will.

I received a free copy of Paradise Valley from the publisher Bethany House in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.

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Jun 04, 2012 Leena rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The warmth, love, hardships, sadness, fears, and strength found in this book awe me. This book is based on true events, set in the 1920's around an Amish community that is being punished for not letting their children attend the public school five days a week. The men are taken and put in prison, the children are thrown into a children home where they take their clothes and cut their hair. Trying to take away everything that could identify their heritage as Amish children. Compromises are made f...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Trisha Turner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read the Back:

“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...more Read the Back:

“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 yearning 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 Thoughts:

Gripping from the very start. Within the first 5 chapters of the book I was hooked! It’s rare that a book can grab me that quickly, but I’m glad it did. Dale Cramer’s book differs from most Amish books in that it adds an adventure side to it as well. There were parts of the book that were very suspenseful and parts where you could just soak up the emotions of each character.

I really love the character of Jake Weaver. He is the hopeless romantic type that most women can only dream of. Each character has their uniqueness to them and I really love that about Dale’s writing. You can vividly picture each character and the emotions they feel are raw and grip the reader.

I also found myself still learning new things about the Amish culture and language. I just love the way that the Amish dialect is peppered throughout the book and it intermittently reminds me that the characters are Amish as sometimes you can forget or your imagination can drift away from who the characters really are.

Thank you to Dale for writing such a beautiful piece of work. I recommend this book highly to anyone!

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.(less)

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Jan 04, 2011 Clockstein Lockstein rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer is the first book in the Daughters of Caleb Bender series. When Caleb Bender and four other Amish men are arrested in 1922 Ohio for failing to send their children to school, he decides that he needs to do something to keep his children safe from the Enlgisch influence. After seeing a flyer for land for sale in Mexico, he uproots his entire family as an advance crew to see if the land is truly farmable and the area safe for the rest of the community to move to as we...more

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May 10, 2011 Lola4 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After finding Levi's Will to be a marvelous departure from the generic plots of bonnet fiction, I was delighted to see that he's written another book based on real events in the lives of his Amish ancestors. This one generally did not disappoint, with characters less stereotyped and more real and human and the story more original than that which is usually found in that genre. My only disappointment was that the book ended abruptly and appears to be the first of a series. I always try to avoid r...more

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May 19, 2011 Holly (2 Kids and Tired) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When a law is passed in 1921 Ohio that requires all children to attend public school, Caleb Bender goes to jail rather than send his children to an English school. When he is finally released, he realizes that he can't stay in a place where his beliefs are challenged and he has no rights in regards to his family. Learning about a lush farming valley for sale in Mexico, Caleb makes the decision to move. His daughter Rachel, nearly courting age, is distraught to leave behind the love of her life,...more

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Apr 24, 2011 Cheri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, amish

The government decides that Amish children must attend the public schools, in the 1920's. Caleb Bender finds an advertisemnt - land for sale for $10 an acre in Paradise Valley, Mexico and decides to move his family there, so his children don't have to attend the public school and be among wordly people.
Caleb's, daughter Rachel is devasted to leave behind, Jacob Weaver who has been a friend to her and is becoming much more.
Caleb loves that his life is full of a beautiful country, with rich soil...more

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Jun 23, 2011 Paula-O rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a great story by Dale Cramer called "Paradise Valley", the family of Caleb Bender and how they survived when they faced moving from Ohio and all they knew to the unknown lands in Mexico. This was another book based on both fact and fiction and I really liked knowing that some of these things really happened. There was a beautiful story of a young girl growing up and "Just knowing" that someday she would live her life with a boy that had always been a friend and somehow they both knew th...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Theresa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amish, christian, early-reviewers, fiction, historical-fiction, historical-romance, review-copy

"Paradise Valley" was an amazing story! I think Dale Cramer's background had a huge influence in making this story not only believable, but really made it work. He brought to life the Ohio Old Order Amish of the 1920's and their struggles with the freedom that once again was taken away. This novel is not only about the Amish but is also a historical novel of life in Mexico, right after their war. It is a stunning piece of work that brings so many things to life: the characters, the situations, a...more

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Apr 01, 2011 Lyndi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone

Recommended to Lyndi by: B & N website

Good book , so refreshing to have a new perspective and author for Amish books. No offense to author with initials B.L. but her stuff is all the same, they work, they have church, they sleep, not a whole lot else real interesting going on. This really showed their hardships and what they had to do to preserve the life that they so long for, within this English world. And in this book, it was their children’s education. I can’t blame them for not wanting their kids around worldly people, and bein...more

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May 16, 2011 Martha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely enjoyed reading "Paradise Valley" by Dale Cramer. The novel is based on a true event and the characters all come to life. It was thrilling to participate with the characters as they each encountered life's problems and also life's beauty.
I do not do spoilers because to me that ruins a readers adventure in reading. I could not put the novel down until I completed it. When I completed it I did not want it to be over. Guess what?? It isn't the next edition will be out in the Fall. Yea!...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amish-fiction

This book takes you to Paradise Valley, ironically enough in Mexico. I enjoyed this book immensly and really would like to see the second in the series. At least I hope there is a second! On the spine of the book it denotes Daughters of Ammana 1. So there is hope! The writer is very vivid in describing not only the people but their feelings and surroundings. So much so that you find you have no difficulty picturing each item mentally. The author truly allows you to feel as though you are a part...more

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About Dale Cramer

About Dale

Dale Cramer was the second of four children born to a runaway Amishman turned soldier and a south Georgia sharecropper’s daughter. His formative years were divided between far-flung military bases, but he inherited his mother’s sense of place—

"I remember knee-deep snow in the Maryland woods, chasing horned toads in El Paso, playing soccer in Mainz, and the way German shopkeepers and hau...more About Dale

Dale Cramer was the second of four children born to a runaway Amishman turned soldier and a south Georgia sharecropper’s daughter. His formative years were divided between far-flung military bases, but he inherited his mother’s sense of place—

"I remember knee-deep snow in the Maryland woods, chasing horned toads in El Paso, playing soccer in Mainz, and the way German shopkeepers and hausfraus fussed over us kids. But when I picture that sun-rippled macadam road leading up to my granparents’ house in Georgia I can still feel the anticipation. That was home."

True to his Amish ancestry, Dale skipped college and went to work with his hands, earning a living as an electrician, but he had early acquired the habit of reading widely and voraciously. The thought was never far from his mind that someday he would like to write books. In 1975 he married his childhood friend, Pam Crowe, and in the early years of their marriage the two of them enjoyed traveling, camping, water skiing, scuba-diving, snow skiing and flying sailplanes. They eventually bought a piece of land and built a home out in the country south of Atlanta. In 1990 their first child, Ty, was born. Dusty arrived two years later. Unlike their parents (Pam was an Army brat as well) Ty and Dusty have lived in the same place all their lives.

At the age of forty, with two toddlers in the house, Dale began to ask deeper questions of himself. He’d attended church all his life but never felt a real sense of God’s presence. After months of study and meditation he began to feel that he was being called to do something, but he had no idea what it was. He finally came to understand that genuine commitment means no reservations, that the answer to the question ‘Will you do it?’ is not ‘What is it?’ The only acceptable response is ‘Yes—whatever the question, the answer is yes.’ That deeper level of commitment brought a very real sense of God’s presence and a sense of direction in Dale’s life, though he still did not know the direction.

After keeping the boys in daycare for a year Pam and Dale decided to make whatever sacrifices were necessary to provide a full-time home. The decision altered their lives in ways neither of them could have anticipated when Dale drew the short straw and became a stay-at-home dad—

"A baby is a lot like an old truck— it leaks and makes weird noises. Clean up the mess, top off the fluids, and the noises usually stop."

He took on small construction projects at night to help make ends meet— "and to preserve the remainder of my sanity," he says. While building an office in the basement of a communications consultant, a debate over labor/management relations turned into an article on mutualism which found its way into an international business magazine. It was Dale’s first published article, and he liked the feel of it. He bought books, studied technique, and began participating in an online writers’ forum, writing during the boys’ naps and after they went to bed at night. Before long he was publishing short stories in literary magazines and thinking about writing a book.

Three storylines vied for Dale’s attention when he finally decided to write a novel. His first two choices were commercially viable secular stories, and a distant third appeared to be some kind of Christian saga about a broken-down biker. The process of determining which novel to write was settled by a remarkable encounter with his youngest son, a lost set of keys, and God.* His sense of direction was suddenly clarified. In 1997, Dale began work on Sutter’s Cross, which was eventually published in 2003.

His second novel, Bad Ground (July 2004), while it is not autobiographical, contains a great deal of material drawn from his own experience as a construction electrician. The industrial setting is based on a real water treatment plant on the southside of Atlanta. One of the main characters, who has been (less)

More about Dale Cramer...

Books by Dale Cramer

The Captive Heart (Daughters of Caleb Bender, #2)

Though Mountains Fall (Daughters of Caleb Bender #3)

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Paradise Valley (Daughters of Caleb Bender #1)

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