Book Review: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Temptation
Temptation #1
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: June 26th 2012
Review Source: NetGalley
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Your heart misleads you. That's what my friends and family say. But I love Noah. And he loves me. We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be ROSE & NOAH forever, easy. But it won't be. Because he's Amish. And I'm not.

Temptation By Karen Ann Hopkins has stolen my heart, with her calm and smooth love story of two teenagers who fall in love within the first sight of each other. I truly do not know where to begin with this review. When the words don't come easily for me, it's because I want to make sure that every line is crafted just right.

Noah is a young man from the Amish faith, and Rose as he states, is English. In our words, just a normal American girl. Rose knows from the moment that she lays eyes on Noah, that he is the one. When the butterflies flutter forcefully in your stomach and a soft ache creeps up when days go by of not seeing the other, you know their the one. So it only seems natural, that two people who have found a sweet attraction, would give love a try. Unfortunately, this trial wouldn't come without heartache and true pain along the way, ultimately tearing them apart.

I read the pages of Rose and Noah's love story through their eyes only. The author switches back and forth through each chapter, with a new voice, quit effortlessly. I could feel the pain, sorrow, desperation and love, as I read. I could hear their conversations clearly through each page. The author's description of the setting of the story was so vivid that I could truly visualize every single scene. For twenty-four hours, I lived on endless acres of land, where one, somewhat modern home was just moments away to a home that was built and maintained on order, traditions, expectations, faith and the way of life that could not be deviated from. It was Noah's way.

It's been a long time since I've read a novel that earned the coveted 4 or 5 tree status that OUaT issues with our reviews. I give this novel 4 trees, for its passion, love, realistic characters and the overall feeling that I got when I read Karen Ann Hopkins words. This isn't the first novel that I've read centered around a deeper look into the Amish faith, and certainly will not be my last. Hopkins is no longer an unknown author for me. As I for see her realistic approach to fiction in this novel, is just a beginning.