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 Her Majesty’s Men by Marquesate

Her Majesty’s Men by Marquesate

4 stars

 Her Majesty's Men is the story of two soldiers in the British Forces and of a friendship taking unexpected turns. In the eyes of the Army they are just two mates who are close. But from the revelation of personal secrets, ensuing hatred and aggression, through terror and danger, to loyalty, triumphant strength and courage, grows their own realisation of what they are: comrades first and foremost, but something else too, something more significant. The two Royal Engineers, Sgt Tom Warren and SSgt Alex Turner, learn to understand the real meaning of loyalty and strength. Their fight for survival cuts through all the discipline and rules, to tie them together in a unique bond of companionship and trust.

This is a gritty read, and not an easy read of lust between military men.  We first meet Tom, a closeted gay man that is hiding his secret lust for his best friend and fellow soldier, Alex.  Alex is straight as they come and Tom struggles with being authentic and losing his best friend over coming out.  But in a drunken night he finally tells the truth to Alex who pushes him away in a shocking moment of homophobia. 

Marquesate tells the story from Tom and Alex’s point-of0-views, but instead of switching chapter to chapter, Tom’s story is the first half followed by Alex.  This is a story of love, but it isn’t sweet, or fun, it is intense ad sucks you in from the first moment.  While reading we wondered how Alex would make this work between these men, but we should have had faith.  Although their love-story isn’t typical, it is still there.  Alex comes to his senses and remembers that he loves Tom as his friend and even Tom being gay isn’t changing that. 

Although this is a military romance, it doesn’t really focus on the military part, yes there is reference, but we are so wrapped up in this gut wrenching, violent, sexual, heart-breaking story that we kind of forget about the military.  There is no sweet word, no flirty looks, no stolen moments, but throw downs, harsh words and hot hot hot sex.  Alex eventually softens around the edges, but their relationship will never be an easy one.

Okay, so there is so much to say about Her Majesty’s Men, we really enjoyed it, but it left us wanting more.  Instead of the 144 pages we could have ready so much more about these fantastic military men. 

Review of Beyond the Sea by Keira Andrews

 By Keira Andrews

4.5 Stars

Even if it means quitting their boy band mid-tour, Troy Tanner isn’t going to watch his little brother snort his future away after addiction destroyed their father. On a private jet taking him home from Australia, he and pilot Brian Sinclair soar above the vast South Pacific. Brian lost his passion for flying—and joy in life—after a traumatic crash, but now he and Troy must fight to survive when a cyclone strikes without warning.

Marooned a thousand miles from civilization, the turquoise water and white sand beach look like paradise. But although they can fish and make fire, the smallest infection or bacteria could be deadly. When the days turn into weeks with no sign of rescue, Troy and Brian grow closer, and friendship deepens into desire.

As they learn sexuality is about more than straight or gay and discover their true selves, the world they've built together is thrown into chaos. If Troy and Brian make it off the island, can their love endure?

This is our first Keira Andrews book and will not be our last!  First let’s address the elephant in the room, the GFY storyline. We have had this book 6+months in our Kindle by never read, and honestly the blurb sucks.  The story tag “Two Straight guys. One deserted island.” Is not what this story is about.  Yes, there are 2 straight guys, and a deserted island, but it is about 2 people living their lives and finally having the chance to breathe, find themselves and accepting their authentic self.  And we LOVED it!!!

Beyond the Sea starts with a fight between brothers, and Troy finally making a stand and leaving the boy-band and his brother Ty, after finding Ty and other band-mates deep into drugs and alcohol.  Troy’s family has always had a shiny outside appearance, but just under the surface lurks deep addiction issues that claimed his father a number of years ago.  He charters a flight back home and meets co-pilot Brian Sinclair.  After a horrendous cyclone the small charter flight goes down on a deserted island in the middle of no-where.  Brian struggles with the memory of anther plane crash and they face the reality that they might die alone on the island.

The book is a slow-burn romance, but so interesting that is never lags or you want to flip forward to find some steam.  Rather, the book engrosses you in the daily life of surviving against all odds and the relationship these 2 very different men form trying to survive.  There are so many tender, poignant moments in Beyond the Sea that you can feel the love building between Brian and Troy.  And heartbreak when they both start to accept that they only have each other and that being rescued might not happen.

Now, the steam, as we said it takes a while to get there, but it is so worth it.  There is nothing forced, and the sex adds so much to the book, to their relationship.  It is almost a moment that they accept that this is their new reality and that they can be together here in their own little world.  It’s kind of a moment that we as the reader are torn between wanting them to stay on the island forever together and remembering that there are people grieving for them back in the real world. 

Beyond the Sea is one of the best books we have read in a while.  It is heartbreaking, yet so sweet and tender.  It is more than a story of love between 2 men, but just love, when everything is hard and bleak, it is about finding someone who loves and cares for you.