Novel: A Forbidden Rumspringa
Author: Keira Andrews
Genres: Romance, Amish
Released: 2014
Part of Book Series: Gay Amish Romance #1
Summary: In a world where every detail of life—down to the width of a hat brim—is dictated by God and the all-powerful rules of the community, two men dare to imagine a different way. At 18, Isaac Byler knows little outside the strict Amish settlement of Zebulon, Minnesota, where there is no rumspringa for exploration beyond the boundaries of their insular world. Isaac knows he’ll have to officially join the church and find a wife before too long, but he yearns for something else—something he can’t name.
Dark tragedy has left carpenter David Lantz alone to support his mother and sisters, and he can’t put off joining the church any longer. But when he takes on Isaac as an apprentice, their attraction grows amid the sweat and sawdust. David shares his sinful secrets, and he and Isaac struggle to reconcile their shocking desires with their commitment to faith, family and community.
Now that they’ve found each other, are they willing to lose it all?
Note: Contains explicit sexual situations and graphic language. This is not an inspirational/Christian romance.
Post’s Author Opinion:
Note: This is a personal opinion, it does not reflect YaoiOtaku’s official position towards the novel.
I was itching to start reading this series for quite a long time, but I kept turning to other books, finishing other series and reading other genres. This is the first book I read concerning the Amish community so I was intrigued. I am happy to say that Keira Andrews did plenty of research on the subject so I also learned a few things while reading this first book.
The book kept me glued to it this afternoon. What I liked most about it, was the questioning. David asked some very pertinent questions and he helped Isaac make a decision by asking those questions. It’s so easy to believe whatever someone else tells you and respond to everything with ‘this is our way’ that it’s terrifying. I cannot express how glad I was because of these two wonderful men’s wonder and desire to understand why things are that way and not the other. And really, why does it matter what size the hat brim is? And what’s wrong with having a cushion on your seat? Some rules are made just to be made, no reason or explanation whatsoever.
For the most part I liked the book, I liked the writing, but I could have done without the classic tropes. There were few, but they took me a little out of the story, I was really expecting something refreshing. However, the writing really is good. This is my first Keira Andrews book so I really went in with not even the faintest idea of what I’m getting and I was not disappointed.
I liked both Isaac and David and I liked that they were not clueless. I liked that there was an explanation for why they were not clueless. There were no plot holes and that makes me happy.
While reading the last two chapters I thought there could be only two endings, one that would make me want to read the next book immediately, and one that would make me maybe give a try to the second book, but it turned out to be a combination of both, to my surprise, and as a result I am more than glad to go ahead and read more about Isaac and David and their journey.
What’s your opinion on A Forbidden Rumspringa novel? Please let us know in the comments below.
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