40 Miles to Happy: The Love Story of a Rancher and his Wife

by Vally Mulford

Discover the extraordinary love story that began at a 1947 dance in small-town Utah and spanned a lifetime of dreams, challenges, and unwavering devotion. "40 Miles to Happy" follows Denny and Della from their first dance to their final goodbye, weaving together the courage of their pioneer ancestors with their own journey to build a ranch and a legacy of love. A sweeping family sage that reminds us that the most extraordinary stories are often found in the most ordinary lives..

Genres: Amazon

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 12, 2026

About the author

By the time he was twelve years old, Vally figured it was likely that no one else in the whole world had a name like his. He asked his mother how it was that he ended up with a name typically associated with maps. She explained that the name came from a character in a book that she was reading. Smitten with the name, she decided then and there---right on the spot, that her next child would have this name. Years later, Vally's wife suggested that they continue the geography theme for their five children, who now find themselves explaining to others how they ended up with their geography names: Canyon, Ridge, Ravine, Desert, and Mesa. You could say that Vally is coming to you directly from the Geography Family.

His first book, Tales from the Mudhole, Why Pigs are My Friends is the story of the time, when fresh out of college, he found himself unexpectedly managing a commercial hog farm, a position for which he had very little training. It was an experience that eventually helped him learn about hogs, life, and so much more.

More books are on the way from this budding author. Stay tuned for updates!

Reviews

[kristeen]

​I thoroughly enjoyed reading 40 miles to Happy by Vally Mulford. It is a beautiful, captivating look at love, resilience, and family that left me wanting to know even more about the main subjects, Denny and Della.

​What struck me most was the fascinating look at how they navigated their relationship. Seeing how they managed to come back to each other and maintain their connection through old-fashioned mail—given the time period—was incredibly moving. It’s a wonderful reminder of how powerful intentional communication used to be.

​Additionally, having the story told through their son’s eyes was such a refreshing and unique narrative choice. It gave the book a deeply personal, authentic feel that kept me hooked from start to finish.

​If you love regional history, enduring love stories, or beautifully told family memoirs, I highly recommend picking this up!

[Neena]

Mulford reflects on the quiet power of ordinary lives in this multigenerational memoir. “Even though the story that we each create will ultimately succumb to time… we have the chance, right now, to live lives of goodness,” he writes. The story centers on Denny and Della Mulford, the author’s parents, whose romance begins at a local dance and leads to a spontaneous Las Vegas elopement—and a shared dream of building a life on ranch. Their story emphasizes partnership, hard work, and enduring companionship rather than dramatic conflict.

Woven into the narrative are accounts of earlier generations, especially women navigating faith, hardship, and polygamy in frontier Utah. Through figures like Martha Adams, the book examines the strain between obligation and personal fulfillment. The narrative shifts across timelines, balancing the couple’s grounded life with the upheaval of those who came before. Mulford writes with a descriptive, often sentimental touch, bringing Utah’s orchards, rivers, and red-rock canyons to life as both setting and subtle metaphor. Even when the themes are expressed directly, the emotional honesty remains compelling. A warm, reflective memoir that honors love, resilience, and the overlooked significance of everyday lives.

[kristeen]

This book is an absolute gem of a non-fiction read. From the moment I picked it up, I was hooked. The Author, Vally Mulford has a wonderful way of drawing you into Denny and Della’s world right from the beginning.
​Reading about their history, their deep devotion to each other, and their family was incredibly moving. What made this book even more special was the story of their ancestry. Getting a glimpse into the journey their pioneer ancestors made added so much depth and understanding to their lives. It made the story feel rich, grounded, and profoundly real, like I was there.
​I found myself completely flying through the chapters, eager to learn more about this remarkable couple. It’s a beautiful reminder that some of the most powerful love stories aren't fiction, they are lived. Highly recommended

[Chris]

Much More Than Just a Love Story

This is taglined as a love story, but it is so much more than that. Yes, it details the love story and lives of the author's parents, but it also delves back through the family trees on both sides of the family, and gives their stories, too. It also gives a background to the Mormon church,and how it developed. Vally must have done an immense amount of research before he wrote this book. I really enjoyed the stories, but I did get a bit confused at times, when the book moved to a different era, and I wasn't immediately sure who the characters were. But ultimately, that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book as a whole.

[Patricia L .Jex]

This is a wonderful addition to someone’s family history, but it got a bit long and slow for me at times. There is a lot of flowery language and writing that feels like filler in it. I had to take a break in the middle. I enjoyed learning about this part of history in central Utah. I found the struggles and experiences of those settlers very interesting. Those were hard times and made strong people.