A Forbidden Rumspringa, by Keira Andrews, is not only her best book to date, but also one of the most beautifully written romances I have had the pleasure to read. This Amish-set m/m romance transcends the general expectations of the genre to be a story of religion, obligation, and choice. But it is a romance at its heart, and a unique one at that. But first, the blurb:
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?
But while the sex scenes are well written, it is the emotional journey that Isaac and David take that is exceptional. Andrews has crafted a romance free from stereotype and created a stunning story. Despite the deeply Christian setting, homophobia is refreshingly not the focus of the tale. Sure, there is one character who does not react well to their relationship, and there is a lot of internalised homophobia within point-of-view character Isaac given what he’s been raised to believe. But Andrews knows that there is a better story to tell here, and that is the idea of feeling trapped. Both Isaac and David have their obligations in the community: David cannot abandon his widowed mother and dependent sisters, while Isaac feels unable to subject his parents to the pain of losing another son, after older brother Aaron was shunned for leaving the community after joining the church. Seeing Isaac and David reconcile their love for each other with their beliefs and their duties is where the real meat of the story is, and Andrews handles it with a deftness and complexity that marks her as a wonderful and sensitive writer.
Crucially, Andrews is not critical of the Amish community, and this is perhaps the book’s greatest strength. Despite the fact that the people in Zebulon would shun Isaac and David for their relationship, the beliefs and rules of Zebulon are never criticised or judged. Each character in the community is sympathetic and well-rounded, and their beliefs are entirely understandable. It is clear that their religion is restrictive to Isaac and David’s desires, and also to other characters such as Ephraim and Mervin, frustrated by the community’s strict rules. But rather than presenting these views as simply wrong, they are seen as “wrong for the characters”, which is entirely different. It is obvious that Andrews has put in a great deal of research, particularly into German Amish communities like Zebulon, with her interviewing a number of ex-Amish in the planning stages of writing. It is this that allows Andrews to craft this story without judgement and sensationalism, and results in such a natural relationship for Isaac and David.
A Forbidden Rumspringa is the first novel in an upcoming series, and on the strength of this book alone, the series is sure to be a must-read. It is a novel that, despite a reader’s opinions on the romance genre or on m/m romance, is so stunningly written that it simply demands to be read. If you only read one romance novel this year, make it A Forbidden Rumspringa. It is a book that leaves a lasting impression, and one that does not disappoint.
You can find Keira Andrews at her website or on Twitter.
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