{Review} Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

12:00 AM

Title: Temptation

Author: Karen Ann Hopkins

Number of Pgs. 383

Publication date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: YA

How I got the copy: Library

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.

I've been using a new way of reviewing that I saw over at Making the Grade. It breaks the book down and makes it easier to rate. The way it works is each category gets a score out of ten points. Then you add them all up + 50 (50% automatically for each book) and that's your score out of 100.

Plot 9/10: It is so original and dangerous to write about the Amish because most teens probably wouldn't be interested in reading about that culture. I mean how could a YA novel about the Amish be romantic and hot? Well Karen Hopkins found a way to make it sexy as hell, yet really classy and realistic. The plot was a mix of Romeo and Juliet's forbidden romance and Rose and Jack's (Titanic) lifestyle difference. In both classics the parents strongly disapprove of the love and this book was no different. It added a depth because the characters had to choose their family or their true love. The ending had me in tears and smiling and in tears and then smiling again. I guess what I'm saying is have a box of tissues nearby. But the ending pissed me off. I don't want to wait until May to find out what happens next!

Characters 8/10: Rose is a typical 16 yr old. She's not sure who she is yet and she's lost without her mom who just died. I definitley understood her instant obsession with sexy Noah. She's in a darkness and a new town and he's the perfect distraction and seems to really like her. Plus the attraction between the two of them is so electrifying it's tangible. Rose was immature and emotional at times which was annoying, but then I remembered that's how I was at 16 so I got over it. I couldn't believe she considers leaving everything/one she loves to become Amish all for a guy she just met. Noah is such a gentleman and really adorable. Since he's brought up to believe women should be silent and men should be in command, I ignored his annoying judgements. But as much as his controllingness annoyed me he really did care about Rose and his mother and sister so I know he's not bad deep down. I loved the relationships between the siblings. It was hilarious and so true!

Setting 9/10: I loved the Amish setting yet there was still Rose's house and some other places that brought contrast between the two worlds. I also loved learning how the Amish live and what their homes/communities are like. I wish Noah had been put into Rose's world for a little though. That would have been entertaining.

Pacing 9/10: The whole book was pretty fast paced. The slower parts were intense and had such a strong romance that it kept it interesting.

Style 7/10: The author used a few words over and over again. I rolled my eyes everytime I saw the words quaint or velvety voice. I want to buy her a thesaurus. But other than that I thought the writing was great, especially the romantic parts. She perfectly described the first time someone sees, touches, and kisses their first love and she managed to make it not sound stupid or unrealistic.

Final Thoughts: I love the cover, but I don't understand why there's nothing Amish in it. This book pleasantly surprised me. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something original with a hint of classic themes like forbidden romance. I can't wait for the second book!

Total: 92/100

“I'd never reacted to a girl this way before. My body was on fire when I was around Rose, and when I wasn't with her, all I did was think about her. Today had been the longest day of my life, dragging on forever until it was finally time to go meet her in the field.”
― Karen Ann Hopkins, Temptation