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    Temptation
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    Temptation
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    Temptation
    Ebook414 pages6 hours

    Temptation

    By Karen Ann Hopkins

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook



    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin
    Release dateJul 1, 2012
    ISBN9781459233263
    Unavailable
    Temptation
    Author

    Karen Ann Hopkins

    A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in Northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons, or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs, and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel. Karen loves to hear from readers. You can find her on the Web at Facebook.com/KarenAnnHopkins.

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    Reviews for Temptation

    4.5/5

    74 ratings14 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I need book 2! And 3, and 4. I loved Temptation. It was the first Amish romance I've read and I was fascinated by it. The author did a great job explaining about the Amish community.

      Noah and Rose are so beautifully in love. Their families, more so his parents, are against the relationship but they can't stay away from each other. They do whatever it takes to make their relationship work. It's inspiring to see a couple like that. Noah is probably the sweetest Alpha I've ever read about. He loves Rose so much and makes sure she never has any doubts about his love for her. Rose does the same. Communication, sweet, genuine love, trust = perfect relationship = Noah and Rose.

      Favorite quotes:

      “Somehow I had to convince Mother and Father that it was God’s will that I spend my life with Rose—an English girl.” - Noah

      “Right then and there I knew where I belonged, in Noah’s arms like that forever.” - Rose

      “Her mouth was soft and willing against mine, and for a few seconds the fields disappeared, and the push of the cold wind against my coat couldn’t be felt. It was only me and Rose, alone in the entire world. Nothing else mattered except the feel of her breath against my skin and the tangle of her hair around my face.” - Noah

      “'Nothing you or Mother say is going to stop me from loving her.' In a quieter voice I added, 'Someday she’ll be my wife.'” - Noah

      “I missed you so much. The only thing that’s kept me going this week was imagining what it would be like to hold you in my arms again.” - Noah

      “Nothing in the world mattered as long as he held me like that. I could handle any calamity that was thrown my way with his arms protecting me.” - Rose
    • 4/5
      Loved it..thoroughly enjoyed. Had no idea there would be a sequel. Shocked by the ending. Rose stronger than her family thought. I on the on the other hand knew she'd go the distance. The Amish Community.....great topic.
    • 3/5
      I was torn about what to rate this one. Did it keep me turning pages, even when I should have been doing other things? Yes. Do I want to read book two? Yes. Was I crazy about the main characters and their plight? Not 100%--hence my hesitation in assigning a set rating to this one. The premise was interesting--Amish boy, decidedly non-Amish girl, forbidden romance--very Romeo and Juliet-ish, though the barrier was cultural rather than a family feud. That could be part of my issue with this book--I am perhaps the only English teacher in existence who cannot stand that play. (And that would be a big reason why I stick to middle school instead of high school.) Insta-love combined with the "I-cannot-survive-without-him/her-for-the-rest-of-my-life" shtick...I didn't like it in 14th century Verona, and I'm not crazy about it in modern times either. For both Rose and Noah, it is their very first relationship. They are both about as inexperienced as you can get. I thought their attraction was understandable--attractive new neighbor, the lure of the unknown and the temptation of doing something forbidden--but didn't quite "get" that they instantly decided that this relationship was going to be THE ONE. On the one hand, Noah's state of mind makes a certain amount of sense, since his parents have been pressuring him--his culture expects him to marry within the community soon. Rose's, though, expects her to finish high school and go on to college. The jump for her from "hey, cute guy next door" to "we must be together forever" seemed a bit quick, even for a teenager in the age of Twilight. Overall I thought her behavior was far too immature and at times wondered just what Noah saw in her. The preview of book two at the end didn't really do much to convince me that she's going to grow up any time soon either, unfortunately. Still, though, this book did interest me enough that I do want to see what the author has in store for these two.
    • 3/5
      I so badly wanted to like this book. I have always been fascinated with other lifestyles, especially those like polygamy and Amish that seem so odd and foreign but take place right here in the US. For that reason I was really excited to read Temptation, it seemed like exactly the kind of novel I would love. However, it didn't quite live up to my hopes. Although I was initially intrigued by the differences between the two lifestyles in the switching points of view, there were qualities about both main characters that took away from the novel.Lets start with Rose, for no other reason than her point of view comes up first. Her personality is just not consistent. She is wild and expressive, she loves to dance and horseback ride. She is ready to tackle her brothers, older and younger, when they tease her. She does what she wants, and being the only girl, she is used to getting whatever she wants. However, she is fixated with Noah and even though she gets mad at what he says and does, she humors him and lets him take control of her. From the moment she meets him, her life becomes about him. Other than being ridiculous, she doesn't seem like the kind of girl to do that. Moving on to Noah... Ugh. I realize that he grew up in a really rigid patriarchal society, but oh my goodness he drove me crazy. He is extremely possessive of Rose. At one point he even contemplates getting her pregnant so that she would be forced into his life style. I mean, really? He's known the girl for hardly a month, even less than that I think. He is only content when he can picture her Amish and is unnaturally mad when she wears makeup or mentions anyone else. God forbid she should go to a party. I guess most of my issues lie in the instalove. It is legitimately portrayed as the love-at-first-sight type of thing. As their relationship progresses, they have a completely physical attraction to each other. They like each other because they see the other as beautiful and forbidden. The relationship didn't seem real, but then they start talking about marriage and children! Call it culture shock, but Noah really hindered me from enjoying the plot. However, there were some aspects that I liked. I did enjoy learning about the Amish way of life, something that is not widely found in YA literature. Also, I loved Rose's brothers. Her younger one is fun and seems to never be paying much attention, but when Rose needs him, he is very supportive. Her older brother is protective of her and oddly enough takes on the "mom" role. With one parent dead and the other mostly absent with his job, Sam does his best to guide and protect Rose, even if it is not what she wants to hear. On the other side, I loved Noah's sisters. They are very supportive of Rose and I loved reading about themSo although the main characters did not interest me, there were redeeming qualities to this novel.
    • 5/5
      The Amish culture is one that has always fascinated me. I admire how they live and I respect their beliefs. So I was a bit worried when I started reading Temptation. I have never read a YA book that had characters that were Amish and I didn’t know how they would be portrayed.Ms. Hopkins not only wrote book that was respectful to the Amish, it was so wonderful that it made it hard to put down! Temptation is more than a forbidden love story between an Amish boy and an English (modern) girl. It also gives us a good picture of what everyday life is for Amish teens.Through both Noah and Rose’s eyes we see why they made the choices that they made and how they deal with the resulting consequences. They both have an interesting perspective on how each other’s families do things.If you do not know much about the Amish culture, please don’t let that put you off from reading Temptation. It is so enjoyable that you do not want to miss reading it. I will fully admit that I loved this book and I cannot wait for the next in the series to be released!
    • 5/5
      Temptation is not a book for everyone. Yes, it is a sweet romance, but it also walks a very fine line with its message to young girls. I think when a lot of readers see an Amish / Non-Amish love story they have the assumption that the Amish person will give up their life style to be with the other person, or that the two will find a compromise between life styles.In Temptation, Noah and Rose don't have the luxury of being adults and being able to handle the consequences of breaking the rules. Noah has no interest in entering into an "English" life, and Rose doesn't know if she can handle the Amish life, yet they are forced to choose. They both decide they are willing to try the other's way in order to be together. This is where I think a lot of readers will struggle with the story. They won't struggle with Noah giving up his Amish ways, because there is a judgement people place on the Amish for being uneducated, old fashioned, and a male dominated culture. But the idea that Rose would consider giving up her education, equal rights, and chance to live in a technologically advanced society will infuriate many readers. I'm one of those that can see that both life styles have their advantages and disadvantages, so for me it wasn't a question of whether they were making the right choice, but whether they were making a realistic choice.I loved the characters of Rose and Noah. Rose is lost after the death of her mother, and then a move to the country. It seemed natural that she would fall for a handsome, older, good boy. He's off limits due to his religion/culture, yet he's also safe in that those beliefs will keep him from pressuring her. There are times when she is a whiney, manipulative teenage girl, but that's what she is and those reminders are what makes her actions and choices hard to stand behind. Noah is content with his Amish life, he loves working his farm and attending church sponsored events. Rose is the only thing he desires that he can't have. He lives the Amish life without apologies, and it dominates his character. He is sweet and loving, he is considerate and charming, but there is a part of him that wants to control Rose. It's a control that he feels is a natural part of a relationship and that if she understood Amish ways she would control herself. It is definitely interesting to see him struggle with the knowledge that Rose doesn't want to be controlled and it is actually that uncontrolled part of her that attracts him.I give fair warning that I cried for about the last third of this book. And that ultimately is why I rated it 5 stars. Whatever I thought about the choices made by Rose and Noah, their story was well written and drew me in. I was a bit surprised to discover that this is a sequel, but I'm glad it is, I am really interested to see how Rose and Noah deal with the consequences of their decisions and how it effects their relationship.
    • 3/5
      I had Temptation only for 2 hours before I started reading it. The description, cover, and the premise were just screaming at me, “READ ME! This is the type of book you want to read right now!” My brain was telling me to just read this one and not wait, so I did.I fell in love with the first 2/3rds of Temptation. I was so wrapped up in Rose and Noah’s story. I just wanted to read, read, read even though I was going on vacation the next day and had more important items to tackle right then. The romance was just wonderful and forbidden and the tension was there. Rose and Noah are super sweet.Rose had just moved next door to Noah when the story opens. Her mother has passed away within the last year and her father is a doctor and is away at his job a lot. Noah is Rose’s Amish next door neighbor who, from the first time laying eyes on Rose, is enamored with her. I loved watching the two of them slowly fall for each other. I was on Twitter calling Noah a “frisky Amish boy!” I was just loving how these two characters felt for each other.I enjoyed the writing style of Karen Ann Hopkins. I was feeling so many emotions in the beginning portion of Temptation partly due to her writing. She had me glued to wanting to continue reading the story.Now let us discuss this last third. I was expecting Temptation to go in a certain way and maybe the story wouldn’t end with puppies and rainbows…I was cool with that. I was expecting angst and even my Twitter friends expected angst and were asking me about it. The angst I was expecting never really showed up. Instead, Noah and Rose decided to act like 16 & 18 year-olds and do, say, and think very stupid things…over-the-top stupid things. I understand they’re teenagers and they are allowed to make stupid mistakes, but what they said and were willing to do to be together was just horrible. Willing to change for someone you love to the point of being unhappy and putting aside your hopes and dreams at such a young age…horrible.I know Temptation isn’t my book, but I really wish Karen Ann Hopkins would have taken the story in a different direction, since that direction ruined what could have been a perfect book to me. I’m hoping since Temptation is a series and Rose and Noah’s story isn’t over that maybe, *crosses fingers* just maybe, Karen Ann Hopkins can turn their story around.
    • 4/5
      I technically cheated, having read the final book in the series before the first. But after reading the third book, and then realizing I also had the second for review, I decided I needed to purchase the first one and find out how the story began.

      Once again, the story is well written and well edited, finding only one major editing error in the form of an extra word or two, and I cannot even remember what page it was on. The fact that I could keep reading in spite of an error like that is a testament to how well written and captivating this story really is.

      To get a glimpse into how Noah and Rose's story began, to get a glimpse into how these two worlds collided, was like a breath of fresh air into my pollution clouded lungs. All around us in the real world, we see how complicated relationships can be, how much life can cloud our judgment and make decisions impossible.

      And yet, here are two young people with insurmountable obstacles who try everything in their power to make things work, despite the odds being stacked against them.

      How would you handle falling in love with a guy who was from a completely different culture, a completely different world? I couldn't even begin to imagine.

      This author has a gift for painting a picture and drawing you into a world and a life beyond your wildest imagination and I cannot wait to read more.
    • 4/5
      NOTE: I received this book to review from Netgalley.

      As usual, I'll start off with my thoughts on the writing and the story as a whole, then proceed to talk about the characters themselves.

      The writing style was nice, though there were places where it felt kind of stiff and chopped. The story flowed fluidly, and was deeply moving and captivating. I could easily step into the story along the characters and walk in their world, i.e. it was realistic and could hardly be put down.

      I also loved the deep level of research that the author has made in order to give us readers a sense of reality in this unknown to us world - the world of the Amish communities. Not even for a minute did I forget that we were in an Amish community. The strict rules and laws, the buggies and old fashioned clothes, the outdated mannerisms... they all spoke of an era long forgotten.

      With this said, let me give you a little note on what this book is about. It's about the impossible love between an Amish boy (Noah) and an English (where English encompasses anyone who isn't Amish) girl (Rose). Lots of conflicts, rules and circumstances stand between those two, and they aren't sure where whether their love would be enough to overcome them. This first installment of the trilogy is full of hot and passionate romance, of heartbreak and hope.

      I think I should say that I understand the Amish point of view though. The desire to live simple lives rebuking all temptation, and staying away from the outside world isn't foreign to me. I've wondered about the benefits of such life not once. But even with all the corruption out there, some technologies have become a necessity to our households.

      So let's talk characters now:

      *Rose - she's the most sensitive person I've ever encountered in a book. Until she met Noah she appeared to be calm and composed even after her mother's death and the move to a new place. But then she met Noah and all those problems began and she always seemed to be crying over this or that. Truly, I understand what it means to be sensitive and emotional - I can describe myself as such - but Rose was totally overdoing it. It was truly irritating from one point onward. I swear I rolled my eyes not once as her tears rolled down.

      *Noah - I think that guy was the most honest guy I've ever read about. I kept on thinking that he'd lie or something, but he didn't. It felt bizarre and weird and also very nice, knowing that the guy you love wouldn't ever lie to you. What surprised me most about Noah was that he had never even considered living outside his Amish community, or finding a girl from among the English, and here he was, falling head over heels for Rose. And the passion he showed for her... perhaps the restraint came to be too much when one loosened? I dunno, it was just weird. I definitely liked him though, and I think that if it depended on him, he wouldn't really want Rose to give up on all parts of her life for him.

      *Rose's father - in the beginning and the end he acted like he very much cared about Rose and his two sons. But in the middle pages, he was all absorbed with his new girlfriend..... That's just wrong. He didn't figure out there was anything going on between Rose and Noah until it was too late. And then he couldn't stop it. Not that I think he should've stopped it, but he could've worked out a better compromise or something.

      *Sam, Rose's older brother, seemed to be stuck playing the father's role. Not that he was any good at it with his non-stop partying and girl-hunting. I understand that he tried, but when it was most crucial, he wasn't there.

      So, in conclusion, I'd recommend this novel to any reader obsessed with YA contemporary fiction. The romance was sweet and at times bright hot. What more is there to know?
    • 4/5
      Originally posted at Paperback Wonderland.

      After her mother's death, Rose's family relocates to a new state so her father can take up a position in the local hospital. Their new next door neighbours are friendly and eager to help with the move, and Rose and the boy next door, Noah, find themselves falling for each other. There is only one problem: Noah is Amish and so they cannot be together.

      The only reason this one isn't getting a five is due to the insta-love, but even that can be easily overlooked, given the setting.This book was so amazing! YA books are never the best when it comes to female protagonists having a spine - oh, they'll be feisty and independent but then they'll meet the boy of their dreams and nothing else matters, there are no doubts in their minds, they'll do anything, leave everything behind, just so they can be with their ~true love~.

      So when I started this book I was bracing myself, and I kept waiting for the ball to drop until the very last page. But Hopkins may have just written some of the most realistic and sane teenagers in a romance book.

      Rose does want to be with Noah, but she's not blindly in love. We get to see her do a lot of thinking, trying to come to a decision, admitting not to even know what she wants, and yes, making some stupid choices like thinking about getting pregnant so they'd be allowed to be together, but considering her age and immaturity (which she is always quick to point out herself), all of it felt real. Even her final choice was open ended, she didn't close all doors in her life. Noah's behaviour, which I usually loathe in male protagonists, was understandable due to his cultural background, and his thought processes were so well-written that I couldn't even be annoyed with him for any of it.

      And best of all, there were no judgemental lessons in this book. We get to see things from all perspectives. It was really refreshing to have Rose's family be so open about teen sexuality and not have the subject just swept under a rug, but discussed rationally. There wasn't the usual slut-shaming or double standards you frequently see in other books (her brother sometimes made questionable remarks, but you could tell he was just being an obnoxious big brother and didn't really mean them). Honestly, I can't wait for the next book!
    • 4/5
      Imagine if Mr. Right couldn't be anymore any more right in the eyes of old fashioned values, but wrong in every sense of the word because of the world he lived in. When Rose and her family move to the quiet town of Meadowview, they are all still grieving from the death of her mother. The move was suppose to bring closure and give the kids a fresh start, nobody could have guessed the changes that would tear them apart.Since the death, no one has made Rose feel more alive than Noah, the Amish boy who lives down the road. For Rose, Noah is perfect and beautiful and innocent in the ways of teen dating and sexuality, he's a complete and total gentleman and values women and modesty. He's perfect in work ethic and family values and cherishes his parents, he's all of this and more due to his Amish upbringing. On the flip side though he is also unattainable, ignorant in the ways of the world and closed minded about things like music, dancing, movies, culture and as the Amish would call it, the ways of the English. But Rose cant help the intense feelings she feels whenever he is near her, she can't help the draw her body feels when he's near. She'll risk anything to see him and do anything to be with him, even perhaps giving up her dreams.Noah is a good son, he follows the rules and seriously loves his life, the Amish way is the only way and not being a part of worldly culture means nothing to him. When Noah, his father and brothers are hired to help fix up a house, he meets the family living there and is amazed by the way they act. They openly talk, laugh, listen to loud music and he's shocked by some of their behavior. The girl who shyly stares at him is beautiful, he even feels a deep desire for her that's never happened before, the way her body looks in clothes, the way her hair hangs long on her waist, Noah cant stop the tornado of emotions and eagerly gives in to his temptation. Quickly the two become friends and Noah's family knowing nothing about the attraction, invite Rose's family to special dinners and welcome them into the neighborhood. Those dinners lead to taking the relationship to the next level and losing all sense of himself, Noah begins sneaking away from the community to see Rose whenever he can. They go night riding, sneak stolen glances and take things to forbidden scenarios. Noah loves Rose so much, he'll do anything to see her, and like Rose will even perhaps give up his only security.Its only for so long that the couple can sneak around before Rose's brothers and Noah's parents find out. Everything falls apart once the community of the Amish catch on and Noah is forbidden to see Rose. The couple is desperate to be together and try everything to maintain some type of relationship. Noah wants Rose to become Amish so he can marry her.......Rose loves Noah but the thought of marriage and becoming Amish terrifies her. Rose wants Noah to become like her, but without an education and no family, he has nothing. Each of them is desperate and miserable without the other and what happens, something no one could have imagined, will change the course of everything for Noah and Rose.The Amish have always fascinated me, not so much by the religion (which is based in Christianity) but the way they live. Hopkins doesn't go into the religious aspect of Noah's life more so she focuses on the simple way he lives. The day to day chores, the rules and how hard it would be for a young teenage boy of marrying age to leave his community. Without an education past the eighth grade or any money Noah wouldn't make it very well in the real world, with his family he has land, community of support, livestock and everything he needs to have a successful life. This story did a great job of twisting your emotions, I wanted Rose and Noah to be together, but it was almost impossible, each one would have to give up their way of living to be together and the sacrifice on either part was tremendous. I really enjoyed reading this story and while I'm not thrilled with the outcome as of now, I know this is a part of a series, so I can't wait to see what happens when these two worlds that should have never collided, come face to face with its consequences.
    • 4/5
      Loved it..thoroughly enjoyed. Had no idea there would be a sequel. Shocked by the ending. Rose stronger than her family thought. I on the on the other hand knew she'd go the distance. The Amish Community.....great topic.
    • 4/5
      First- let me start by saying that this is not normally my type of read. However, when you put the words together He's Amish and She's Not- you've got my attention. 16yr old Rose and her family move into a house in the country side next store to Noah and his Amish family and a forbidden love unfolds..... I loved this story_ I have to admit that this was the first book of 2012 to make me shed a tear (just one single tear though) at the last page. Temptation was a new and unique read for me~ There were about 2-3 chapters where I began to get a tiny bit board with the story, but I kept pushing through and I'm so glad that I did. The character were interesting and well developed. The plot & dialog in Temptation was fantastic. I felt like I was able to learn about the Amish Community with one of the main characters (Rose) in a realistic way..... Karen Ann Hopkins wrote a well balance story with ups and downs that tempted you to keep flipping the pages. I encourage everyone to read this book even if it's not you type of read. I read this on my Kindle, but I plan on adding this one to my shelves. Thank You to NetGalley and the Publisher for approving me to read this title on my Kindle!
    • 3/5
      I found Temptation a difficult book to enjoy because the first 60 or so pages are extremely unbelievable. We've all read insta-love before but this was extreme: both Noah and Rose fall, literally, in love at first sight, and I found the idea so preposterous I almost stopped reading. What Kept me going was that, since the book is told in dual perspective, I enjoyed Noah's chapters as they provide an interesting insight into Amish life. I can't comment on the accuracy of the portrayal, but I was intrigued by Noah's world-view and liked seeing everything from his perspective. The characters felt flat to me, with nothing that distinguished them from similar characters in YA. Yes, Noah is Amish and he is interesting because of that, but otherwise there was no real reason I could see for Rose to want him as badly as she does. On the other hand, I feel that most of Noah's attraction comes from the fact that Rose is the first girl aside from his sisters he has had any contact with, and as someone who is not Amish, she is so different the other girls he knows that he finds himself attracted to her. So in short, the world-changing love that Noah and Rose feel for another seems misguided to me and I really don't see it being realistic. Speaking of realistic, one of the things that agitated me the most about Temptation is that both Noah and Rose believe the other should change so that they can be together. Everything is complicated by the fact that Noah, being eighteen, is expected to marry very soon, and so their relationship has a sense of urgency. Noah is constantly worrying how Rose will fit into his community without ever considering that Rose may not WANT to leave behind her education, family and way of life at sixteen to be with him. Similarly, Rose sees no reason why Noah wouldn't leave his oppressive (as she sees it) way of life and go back to school and get a job. She doesn't seem to consider it such a big deal for him to leave the community he has grown up in and estrange himself from his family, but feels she can't do the same. It is a difficult situation, I understand that, and I feel that adults in the same situation would behave much the same as Noah and Rose, but I still had a hard time reading it without getting frustrated. The book is written very well - I felt all the urgency that Noah and Rose felt, and when inevitably they were caught sneaking around, I felt the pain of their separation and their desperation to find a solution that allows them to be with one another. I think their romance is realistic and their bumbling, sexually charged encounters are amusing. I could also feel how difficult it was for Noah to hold himself back when he firmly believes that Rose should enter their marriage as a virgin. Temptation is a good book that deals with some extremely difficult issues and doesn't pretend to give answers to them. Although I feel that the romance between Noah and Rose is artificial, the rest of their problems are real and I did empathise with them. However, I cannot say I enjoyed the book very much because it provoked a strong sense of frustration in me at how Noah and Rose handled their problems. Temptation is part of a series, and after some thought I have decided that I am invested in the characters enough to want to read the next book, but I know I will probably end up fuming again at their decisions. You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.