Spring is in the air and HarlequinTEEN wants you to fall in love! And they have just the books to make that happen! In this epic tour, we'll be featuring 9 authors and their amazing, toe-curlingly romantic books!
Hello my lovelies! Wow, do I have a treat for you guys today! My blog is part of the HarlequinTEEN's spring Reading into Romance Blog Tour @ Kismet Book Touring. This is a great way to learn more about all of these wonderful books seen above and enter to win them as well. I just so happened to be paired with one of my favorite author on this tour, Karen Ann Hopkins. Today I will be sharing all about the author and her most excellent book, Temptation. (my review found here) I loved Temptation and am so looking forward to reading my ARC of Belonging soon (coming out April 30th 2013). I can't wait to find out what will happen next to Rose and Noah. ♥
Temptation (Temptation #1)
by Karen Ann Hopkins
Paperback, 383 pages
Published June 26th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
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.
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound
Belonging the sequel to Temptation will be released April 30th by HarlequinTEEN -
add it to your goodreads shelf!
Belonging the sequel to Temptation will be released April 30th by HarlequinTEEN -
add it to your goodreads shelf!
Courting Amish Style
Yes, there still is a place in the world where the process of a boy and a girl getting to know each other is called ‘courting.’ In Amish communities throughout the Midwest and stretching into other regions of the United States, dating is called courting and breaking up is referred to as ‘quitting’ each other.
Because of my years of contact with Amish teens coming to my farm to participate in horse-back riding activities, babysitting my children or hanging out with my own teenagers, I’ve come to understand their secretive world of courtship very well.
First, Amish teens do get to pick their partner, contrary to popular belief. But they must choose another Amish member or they’ll get into heaps of trouble as seen in TEMPTATION where Noah, an Amish teen, falls for Rose, an outsider. The boys and girls of a community spend their entire lives together; meeting as toddlers, going through school together until the eighth grade and participating in church and weekly youth activities, such as singings and volleyball or softball games.
By age sixteen, many of the Amish have already decided on their future spouse. Courting is serious business for the Amish. ‘Dating around’ is not acceptable behavior within the Amish. A person chooses carefully who they will commit to courting, because they know that they will be expected to stay in the relationship due to problems that can arise within the community when couples ‘quit’ each other. Also, divorce is almost unheard in the Amish world, so teens tread lightly with the opposite sex until they decide on the right person.
The Amish youth are encouraged to begin romantic relationships, because it helps insure that they will remain Amish. Since the teens aren’t allowed to court until they’ve officially gone through the ceremony to join their church, many young ones who might have reservations about living their lives the Amish way, will commit to it in order to be with the person they’re fond of. With courting, comes the prospect of marriage and a jump into adulthood, which satisfies the hope of more freedom.
Each community has its own set of courting rules. The community I live in for instance, has a-hands-off courting policy. This basically means that a couple will get in HUGE trouble if they get caught holding hands, kissing or going any further physically within the relationship. Punishment includes reciting their sins before their entire community on Sunday and possibly being ‘shunned’ for a length of time, usually lasting one to six weeks, depending on the conduct. Shunning is especially painful to the couple, because it means they won’t be able to see each other until the time is up. Other communities are a bit more relaxed on the matter, but Amish teens are always held to a high standard when courting. This doesn’t mean that couples aren’t getting a kiss in here and there or even going much further into a physical relationship, but they are watched carefully and learn early on to either abstain or be extremely stealthy in their liaisons.
Although, the courtship rituals of the Amish society might sound harsh to those of us on the outside, there are many positives to their strict structure. Most couples will begin courting at the age of sixteen and marry by the time they’re nineteen or twenty. Because the teens have a deep sense of responsibility and meaning about entering a relationship, they don’t play games, and there is much less drama and heartbreak involved. They enjoy support from their families and community and begin their lives together on solid ground.
I’ve witnessed many teens go through the process of courting and each couple eventually married. In the end, they were in love and happy…and isn’t that what we all strive to achieve?
About The Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Find Karen @ Goodreads / Website / Facebook
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. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. 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.
Thank you all for stopping by and be sure to enter my giveaway to win a copy of Temptation.
Whoo Hoo! It's giveaway time!
Please use the rafflecoper form below.
Contest is open US/Canada ONLY! For full rules and regulations check here.
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Contest is open US/Canada ONLY! For full rules and regulations check here.
Also each entry you submit gives you a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE! What's the grand prize?
HarlequinTEEN dresses you for a romantic date with this beautiful and unique heart shaped locket! And in case it’s a chilly spring evening, don’t forget the matching beautiful Pashmina!
Tour Schedule
Monday, March 4th - Karen Ann Hopkins and Temptation:
Wednesday, March 6th - Liz Fichera and Hooked:
Friday, March 8th - Cayla Kluver and the Legacy series:
Monday, March 11th - Aimée Carter and The Goddess Test series:
Wednesday, March 13th - Julie Kagawa and The Iron King series:
Friday, March 15th - Katie McGarry and Pushing the Limits:
Monday, March 18th - Rachel Vincent and The Soul Screamers series:
Wednesday, March 20th - Hannah Harrington and Saving June:
Friday, March 22nd - Jordan Dane and In The Arms of Stone Angels:
Posts
Wow being Amish sounds tough :S I suppose when you have grown up in that environment you get used to it but it definitely is difficult for the "outsiders". Interesting post :)
ReplyDeleteLove this giveaway!
ReplyDeleteAnd what I find most tempting is just the way the relationships build up and by the end you're TOTALLY rooting for them! :)
Liza @ Book Crook Liza
The build-up and not just the instant romantic connection.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
I got teased when my husband and I dated because I knew about bundling and a bundling board which have been used by Pennsylvania's Amish. I do not know if this is practiced in other Amish communities.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the question - so I would say temptation to break rules.
ReplyDeleteI find the character's struggle with what is right and wrong to be my tempation
ReplyDeleteI love when the characters struggle over what they want and what they need.
ReplyDeleteBeing apart I think you just want to be together always when you have a good romance.
ReplyDeleteWatching the love blossom
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of dark books and a sweet romance for me is what I call a palate cleanser. They generally lift the spirits and leave me happy :)
ReplyDeleteI adore reading romance novels and my favorite part about them is the constant push and pull of the relationships. Nothing over done but the types where the two people just are able to grasp on to what the other may mean to them at first. I do like the gradual build up of the relationship. The final moment when the two characters give up and just admit that they are destined to be together.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the spark and watching it grow
ReplyDeleteI love the tension before the two individuals finally admit to themselves and to each other how they feel--it makes your heart clench in anticipation!
ReplyDeleteOf course when the characters can't be together for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI think the character's attitudes, thoughts and emotions are big part. I like how thy overcome obstacles and led up to the encounter. I like to use my imagination past that point.
ReplyDelete