Ami's Hoard

This book "won" the Internet last year and it received so many glowing reviews (including an enthusiastic reaction from Heidi Cullinan). I was reluctant to read it since I wasn't really sure how I would react to the Amish part of the story. The thing is, when it comes to religion in my romance, especially in MM romance, I usually either feel 1) uncomfortable or 2) ragey. So I'm happy to stay away. Until this book was chosen as Book of the Month by my Indonesian M/M readers group. So I had to read it.

Interestingly (or is it unfortunately?) my reaction to the Amish part wasn't exactly what I was predicted before. I don't want to sound offensive ... because maybe I do, but my reaction was exactly the same like when I'm facing my Muslim friends when they are talking about an action or a thought that I just find ridiculously silly. No, NOT the kind of what the terrorists believe, but some everyday things. I can't help to snicker at them in my head, though nothing comes out of my mouth.

That was the reaction I had here. I was snickering all the way through (and really, I was in a wrong state of mind when I kept giggling at the word Zebulon, which sounded like a Star Trek planet, and I kept imagining Worf the Klingon saying it with his flat tone "Captain, we have arrived at Zebulon"). I won't elaborate because if I can't say something nice about someone's faith, I shouldn't say anything at all. So I will leave it at that.

Otherwise, to me this was just an okay story. It seemed that David and Isaac were quickly falling into their relationship too, quite naturally, which was weird for me since they were supposed to be virgins and not exactly exposed to sex before (except for watching a stallion mounting a mare or seeing it on a magazine -- but surely it was different, no?). I expected some awkwardness, I guess. It was hard for me to sympathize when I didn't feel their emotional conflict that well (it didn't feel as deep and as complicated as I pictured it to be, at least for me). They also became too mushy during sex, and the sex description felt too adult for characters that supposed to be "new adult".

So yes, 3* only for this. I didn't dislike it but it wasn't a stellar read too. Will I read the next book? Nope. I wasn't invested enough in them. I wish David and Isaac their HEA though.