A Forbidden Rumspringa by Keira Andrews (Gay Amish #1)
Released: September, 3, 2014
M/M Romance
Self Published
Reviewed by Mandi
I’m going to be totally honest and say when I accepted this review request I did it with a little snicker. I’ve had very bad luck in the past with Amish romances (I’ve only tried a few) and I just was convinced a male/male Amish romance couldn’t work. But Keira Andrews proved me wrong. I really enjoyed this and I’m totally invested in David and Isaac’s happy ever after.
David and Isaac both live in an Amish community called Zebulon. Their community is very strict compared to other communities and for good reason. They all used to live in another settlement in Ohio, but after some time the rules relaxed. People started ‘cheating’ their plain living, kids were running off trying English (non-Amish) ways. After a couple of teenagers did drugs and ended up dying, the leaders decided to start fresh. They moved to Minnesota and now they live a very, very strict Amish life. Let me say that I’m not familiar at all with the Amish, but I have a feeling this author did a lot of research. There is a lot of detail in this story that makes the setting and their way of life quite vibrant to the reader.
Isaac is eighteen and I think David is a few years older. Both have not been baptized to the church yet – once you do you are able to start courting and get married. Isaac has known David for most of his life, but recently when he has been in his presence, he can’t help but stare at his physical features. When David invites him to apprentice with him as a carpenter, Isaac agrees but is nervous. He doesn’t understand his reaction and feeling towards David, he just knows it makes him nervous and anxious. As these two spend time together, they come to realize what lust is, what sex is, and what it is to be gay in a strict Amish community.
This book isn’t just a book about David and Isaac falling in love, but also what it means to be Amish and how it affects every minute detail of your life. Choices are taken away from you and while some embrace this, David and Isaac are uncertain. They are not rebellious necessarily – they treat their families and elders with respect. Isaac wants to be a good Amish son but the idea of being baptized and courting a woman terrifies him. It makes him physically sick to envision his life married to a woman. The idea of the world outside the Amish community is terrifying too. Sometimes a kid would sneak in an iTouch or David is a tiny bit more worldly and they sneak off to a drive-in movie. But Isaac is truly naive to anything outside of his community. Even the idea of someone being gay makes him worry because it’s not what he has been taught. David is the one that pushes the boundaries a bit – being a little more brave venturing into the English world and breaking the Amish rules. But with his father dead, and a mother and sisters to take care of, he also feels like he can’t just leave. Oh the angst of it all.
This author does a really nice job building these characters. I really feel like I got to know both of them, and on top of that, their Amish ways and families. There is also great chemistry between David and Isaac. This book isn’t an inspirational or christian romance, but religion does play a big part. But there is also a lot of sex in this book. Barn sex, treehoouse sex – no buggy sex darn it! But David and Isaac explore each other and….are very horny.
As the moon rose, its ghostly light filtering through the thinning autumn leaves, David brought Kaffi to a stop. The horse bent his head to munch on a low bush, and for a moment the rustling was the only sound. David looked over his shoulder at Isaac with eyes so serious that Isaac held his breath.
“What would you think if we didn’t go fishing tonight?”
“Huh?” Isaac realized he was still hanging on although they weren’t moving. He dropped his hands from David’s waist, making fists to keep from fidgeting.
David watched him steadily. “The truth is, I don’t want to go fishing at all.”
They sat so close that David’s breath tickled Isaac’s face. “What do you want to do?” Isaac whispered.
David’s gaze flicked a few inches down. “I want…”
What David?? What do you want? I bet Isaac wants it too! *wink*
There is a HEA at the end of this book but there is also a second book in early 2015 that will continue this couple’s journey. I’m really glad the author gave us closure on their relationship but didn’t rush all the changes that will be happening in their lives.
Rating: B
Goodreads l Author Website l Series
Leave a Reply