{Blog Tour/Review} Beyond the Valley by Rita Gerlach

ISBN #: 978-1426714160

Page Count: 336

Copyright: February 1, 2013

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Book Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

When Sarah Carr's husband, Jamie, drowns, her young life is shattered and takes a turn that she never expected. When she reaches out to Jamie's family for help, they devise a plan to have her kidnapped and taken to the Colonies to live a life of servitude.

Sarah endures the hardships of a sea voyage, the debasement of the slave auction, and loneliness. In despair, she puts her trust in her Savior as her new life in the Colonies finds her surrounded by a family's whirlwind of dangerous secrets. While she copes with new threats, Sarah dares to risk everything for a new love.

About the Author:

Rita Gerlach writes inspirational historical fiction with a romantic bent, with unique settings in both America and England. She lives with her husband and two sons in a historical town nestled along the Catoctin Mountains amid Civil War battlefields and Revolutionary War outposts in central Maryland.

Mandy's Review:

First, let me ask you: How beautiful is this cover?! I'm loving the colors on it. It's bright and will pull in anybody walking past it.

Sarah's story, while fictional, is one I'm sure is based in fact. How many young women have been duped, kidnapped, and brought to America as slaves we'll never know. It's sad to think about it happening. Unfortunately for Sarah, she was pregnant and widowed and had nobody that would miss her enough to wonder what happened to her.

I would list the numerous bad events that happened in Sarah's life, but I don't want to give any spoilers or sadden you. I know this book was about hope and love, but good gravy the hardships Sarah had to endure! Every time she turned around something else was happening to her. It was a little excessive.

The slight spoiler I will give you is that it all ends well for Sarah ... finally!!! I love a sad story with a romantic happy ending, but I could have done without a lot of the sad situations in the novel. Give me a little sadness or heartbreak, but don't overwhelm me with it. It'll make me not want to read the book.


*A paperback copy was provided by the tour host, Pump Up Your Book, for the purposes of this tour and in exchange for an honest review.

Tour Info:

To view the other blog participants in this tour, you can click here.