The Promise: A Clean & Wholesome Romance

The Promise by Patricia Davids is the 3rd novel in The Amish of Cedar Grove series. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. I thought The Promise was well-written with solid characters and a lovely setting. There is humor scattered throughout the book that I enjoyed. Things never go as we plan them which leads to amusing situations. Sarah’s greatest desire is to marry a man, settle down near where she grew up, and have a family. She has no desire to move anywhere else. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of single men in her district. When Isaac Raber returns to town, it seems that God has answered her prayers. Isaac did propose to Sarah before he returned to Pennsylvania the summer he visited. Levi Raver loves his work of raising and training horses for racing. He has A Wing and a Prayer who is a promising filly. He needs to return to Pennsylvania, though, if he is train and race her. It was interesting to learn that Amish could raise, train, and own racehorses. They cannot ride the horses nor bet on the races. I liked that the characters from The Wish and The Hope appeared in the story. We get a chance to catch up with them. There are two side stories in The Promise. Henrietta Raber has returned to her hometown for a reason as her children soon learn. It will take some time to get the full story from her. Isaac keeps his phone close at hand and seems to text someone frequently. The Promise is a sweet, heartwarming story with festive fishing jaunts, a canoe crisis, one fine filly, a risky race, traveling by tractor, and quixotic quandaries.