Review of A Forbidden Rumspringa by Keira Andrews

 by Keira Andrews

4.5 Stars

When two young Amish men find love, will they risk losing everything?

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?

We are completely fascinated by this interesting forbidden love-story and couldn’t get enough!   Keira Andrews has a remarkable way of creating a story that grabs us, captivates us and keeps us wanting more, and A Forbidden Rumspringa is a heart achingly lovely story that enchanted us form the first words.  But forbidden love is always so steamy….

We start by being introduced to a closed Amish settlement in Zebulon, introducing us to this secret group of people who shun almost everything for the outside world.  Isaac Byler has know he is different and struggles that he will soon have to join the church and get married, but he knows that his feelings for other men keep him from making the leap.  He finds himself drawn to David Lantz, but through the church’s teachings knows that that kind of love is forbidden.  Through tragedy David has been left for support his mother and sisters, and now is resigned to accept the life that he doesn’t want.  But when Isaac starts as David’s apprentice, they find that their connection is mutual and sparks fly.

Keira Andrews brings us into this secret Amish world, where the leaders make the rules and people just follow because that is the way.  It is completely fascinating.  Although this is a love story it is set in this closed-off settlement and religion plays a big part in this story.  The story isn’t preachy, instead it is just a layer to add to the forbidden love between Isaac and David. 

Sign, Isaac and David are swoon worthy.  They are sweet, sexy and oh so lovely together.  And hot, hot hot - the chemistry between the 2 is off the charts sizzling.  But there is so much more than just their physical reaction to each other.  They have both been raised to find a wife as a helpmate, and they are desperate to create that life together for themselves.   There is some serious angst in this story, but really essentially a forbidden love, how could there not be?  They so want to be together but the rules they are taught to follow tell them it is wrong.  And if they do choose to leave the settlement to the ‘english’ world and be together they are essentially cut off from their families.  What a choice to make.

We so enjoyed A Forbidden Rumspringa, but shouldn’t be surprised as we adore everything by Keira Andrews, there are 2 other books in the series and SPOILER – we gobbled them up already!  So So SO SO Good!

Review of Owning It by Riley Hart and Devon McCormack

 Review of Owning It by Riley Hart and Devon McCormack

5 stars

Just out of an eighteen-year marriage, the last thing Jackson expects the first time he visits a gay bar is for a sexy, drunk, twenty-six-year-old twink to mistakenly climb into his Jeep. The twink part he’s good with, the drunk part…not so much. As far as Jackson’s concerned, the boy should come with a warning label. But Derek is not as flighty as Jackson thought…he’s actually pretty incredible. Getting to know the wild, funny man is a breath of fresh air. And when Derek calls him Daddy? Christ, he never thought something like that would feel so right.

Derek has serious daddy issues, and his name is Jackson. He’s stubborn and controlling…and ever since Derek woke up in the silver fox’s condo, he can’t get Jackson out of his mind. Maybe because no matter how many times he throws himself at him, Jackson doesn’t take the bait. And maybe because Jackson is the one person who sees him for who he really is. But Derek loves a challenge, and he’s eager to rock Jackson’s world.

Jackson isn’t interested in a meaningless hookup. He wants the real Derek, not just the sassy jokester everyone else sees. But it’s not easy for Derek to open up. He feels much safer guarding his heart. And Jackson needs to figure out the balance between living for himself and the mountain of responsibilities weighing him down. Derek and Jackson must find the common ground between hookup and commitment—if they can’t own their issues and work together to overcome their faults, they could smother the flame between them that’s just beginning to ignite.

So happy to finally read this book – Derek is a favouite character in the Metropolis series, and this book delivers his happy ending and SO much more.   We will start by saying that reading the description we weren’t overly excited for Derek’s story, and some Daddy kink, boy were we wrong, this is smoking hot, sweet, sexy and the best of the Metropolis series. 

Owning It is the 3^rd installment in the Metropolis Series, based around an apartment complex.  Derek is considered a twink, a go-to-fun guy, the life of the party, flirty and fun, and he plays his charter well.  After a drunken night of fun he stumbles in KJackson’s car thinking he is the Uber driver.  Jackson is newly divorced with a teenage son, and finally allowing himself to live his life for himself, and in walks hurricane Derek. 

Sign, this book is pure magic.  We love that Derek isn’t just a hook up to Jackson.  Derek struggles with letting everyone see his real self, and Jackson sees through his fun flirty exterior and wants to see the man underneath.  Derek needs someone to fight for him, to nurture him, someone he can lean on and Jack son is that.  Jackson really wants Derek to see his worth, and it creates this slow burn romance those notches up the sexual tension.  Let’s talk Daddy kink, woohooo, it is smoking hot.  Actually, this is our first Daddy kink book (say that 3 times fast!) , and there is something so sexy about Derek and Daddy Jackson, the heat literally melts the pages.  We thought it might be a little weird, but it fits Derek and Jackson, and only adds to the book.

Riley Hart and Devon McCormack are a formidable writing team, their voices blend seamlessly, and they weave a story that feels like every word moves the story along.  There is no unnecessary angst, ill-communication, or the usual pitfalls couples fall into.  Building through the Metropolis series, it is fun to revisit our favourite couples, but really excited about some of the new men being introduced. 

Owning It is a fun, flirty read that is one of our favourites this year.  If the Metropolis series keeps going this way we can’t wait to read the next books!

Review of Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

 by T.J. Klune

5 ++++++ Stars

Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was seventeen when he found out the boy’s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Where to start, what to say.  This is not the first T.J. Klune book we have read, or the first shapeshifters story, but this book is unexpected to say the least.  As we read the last page, we wanted to start it all over again. 

From the very first chapter you fall in love with Oxnard, or Ox as everyone knows him.  He is a sweet natured boy that has been stepped on over and over again by his father. He is a little slow, and has found himself the object of teasing in his very small town.  But life changes for him when he is 16 and meets his new neighbor, 10-year old Joe. And his fate is sealed. 

Joe is a whirlwind in Ox’s life, he brings him a sense of belonging to something greater, something Ox has always craved after his father left at a young age.  But Joe is a broken little boy who hasn’t spoken in 18 months after he was taken from his family and horribly abused.  Ox brings him peace, grounds him and allows him to grow into the alpha he is meant to be. 

Wolfsong is hauntingly beautiful, and although a romance, it is so much more than that.  It is about family and love and belonging, and believing in yourself.  Wolfsong is a story over 10 years, and the life of the wolf pack and of the love between Ox and Joe.  There is so much heartbreak in the book, and we cried in the first chapter, but there is s much love and humor as well. 

T.J. Klune has created a story that focuses on Ox and Joe, but weaves a life of complex characters around their love.  The wolves in the pack create a family that believes in Ox and allows him to grow into the person he needs to be. 

We didn’t think T.J. Klune could write a better book, but we were so wrong.  Wolfsong pulls you in and keeps you enraptured.  It is easily our favourite book of the year, and know we will come back to read over and over again.