5-Star Review of "Return to Paradise"

Return to Paradise review by Barbara Cameron

Twelve months ago, David Stoltzfus left the Amish community in Paradise, Pennsylvania—and encouraged his siblings to follow—after their father became overly stern and even abusive with them. Escaping to a new life in the Englisch world was the only way to keep one another safe. But it was not without sacrifice. When David left his father’s house and community, he also left behind Lavina Zook, the woman he planned to wed. 

Lavina hasn’t forgiven David for abandoning her, but when David’s father is diagnosed with cancer, she believes she might be the only one to lure him back to make peace . . . before it’s too late. Still, forgiveness isn’t easy. Even if she can get David to return, she’s not sure he will forgive his father. And she’s not sure she can forgive David, either.

MY REVIEW:  Barbara Cameron is one of my favorite authors so I was really excited to be able to read the first book in her new Coming Home series.  David Stoltzfus and his two brothers have all left their Amish home and community to live among the Englisch, but David had promised to marry his Amish love, Lavina. He left when he could no longer handle the abuse from his father, but he did not even tell Lavina goodbye or ask her to go with him. Her heart has been broken and her trust betrayed, but she feels obligated to try to find him and tell him that his father has cancer when his mother tells her she needs him to help.  He returns home with his newly acquired truck, but can he and his father mend their differences?  Can Lavina forgive him and give her heart to him again?   What if he leaves again?  

       This book is wonderful.  I can certainly understand the difficulty of forgiving an abusive father.   His father does not make life easy for him.   I also can see how Lavina would feel that she can't forgive him as well. Forgiveness is hard and it takes time for most of us to be able to forgive others of wrongs.This book addresses this in great detail and with honesty.   I fell in love with the characters and now I can't wait to read the other books in the series.  

      A bonus is that several recipes the characters used in the book are shared with readers. I can't wait to try them!

      I rated this book 5 stars and highly recommend it to readers of Christian and Amish fiction.

      I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

CBD, CBA, and ECPA bestselling author of 24 books (including new series upcoming for Abingdon Press in 2011/2012) including fiction and non-fiction books for Abingdon Press, Thomas Nelson, Harlequin, and other publishers.

I sold three films to HBO/Cinemax and am the first winner of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award.

My two novellas won the 2nd and 3rd place in the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest from the Faith, Love, and Hope chapter of RWA. Both were finalists for the novella category of the Carol Award of the American Christian Writers Award (ACFW).