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.
"My boyfriend was from the 1800s."
One thing I like about this book is that, I learned new information that I can share with others too. This is absolutely a very unique story and it was the first time that I heard about the Amish community. What would happen if an Amish boy falls in love with an English Girl? But before anything else, let me first tell you something about the Amish Community. How do they live? Who are they? Why is it a possible dilemma when Amish goes into a relationship with someone outside the community?
Who are the Amish?
The Amish (sometimes called Amish Mennonites) are members of an Anabaptist Christian denomination who are especially known for their separation from society, for living in isolated Amish communities, for the rejection of most modern technology, and for their distinctly conservative dress.
In the United States, Amish communities are mostly found in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.
Religious services are held on a rotating basis in family homes and barns. A large wagon, filled with benches for the service and dishes and food for the meal that follows, will often be pulled to the host's property.
Amish children attend one-room schools run by the community and they attend school only through the eighth grade (this was deemed acceptable by a 1972 U.S. Supreme Court ruling).
Amish young adults are expected to find a spouse and be baptized. But in accordance with Anabaptist doctrine, this must be a free and personal decision. At this point, some young people choose not to join the church and instead live the rest of their lives in a different community or wider society. If a young man joins a Mennonite church or other less exacting religion, the Amish will often say “he got his hair cut.” If a young person abandons the faith altogether, they say that person “went English.”
Everyday life and customs in the Amish community are governed by an unwritten code of behavior called theOrdnung. The Ordnung began as a basic outline of Anabaptist faith in the 16th century, and since then, details and new rules have been added that help define what it means to be Amish. It now governs everything from clothing and child bearing to occupational activities and how the weekend is spent.
Shunning (Meidung, "avoidance") was the practice that set the Amish apart from the Mennonites several centuries ago, and it remains the fundamental way in which the community deals with disobedient members.
The use of electricity is fervently avoided by Amish, because it is a prime connection to the world that could lead to temptations and worldly amenities detrimental to the community and family life.
The Amish are especially known for their distinctive self-made clothing, which is essentially that of 17th-century European peasants. The distinctive attire reflects the Amish resistance to change, respect for tradition and interpretation of biblical instructions against conforming to the ways of the world (e.g., Romans 12:2). Its plainness also reflects the great importance of humility in Amish communities.
The Amish do not live in complete isolation and are often seen making regular trips into their local town for groceries. They reject the use of automobiles and use either bicycles or horse-drawn buggies instead. The buggies are box-like and usually black, but some are white, gray, or even yellow, and many groups can be distinguished by their chosen color of buggy.
The Amish may be reserved and humble, but they are not always solemn and enjoy common pastimes and games. Volleyball and softball are popular with many Amish families, but they are played strictly for enjoyment and not in a spirit of competition.
The story was good but I just can't take and believe that there are still these kind of people left in this world. Just when I thought that my country is a bit conservative,I was surprised to find out there exist more conservative people than us.
If you're into the you-and-me-against-the-world theme, then this is for you.
Meet Rose Cameron. She's new in town. Her dad uprooted the whole family and decided to accept the job as head of ER in another town. Ros is the epitome of an American girl. Independent. Blonde. Not afraid to say what she had in mind. Bold. Bubbly. She has th future ahead of her. She's a ballet dancer and she's also a highschool student. She hated her dad for bringing them to a forsaken place until Mr. Amos Miller and his sons came and introduced themselves as their neighbors. She suddenly thinks that maybe it won't be that bad after all.
Noah Miller.As much as I wanted to hate him, I understand that he was brought up the Amish culture. It really pains me because he is such a good guy and he really has pure intentions toward Rose.But, the way he easily judged the customs of the other people is really unfair. I actually hated him in this book because between the two of them, Rose has a lotto sacrifice in order for their relationship to work. It was only in the last chapters that his character has grown on me.
Let me share some of his dialogs that made sigh and frustrated towards him and made me want to shake him and smash his head so I could put some sense into his head.
"If Rose were Amish, it wouldn't be a question at all. She'd be strictly disciplined in what she could do and diligently watched over by the entire community. But instead, she was off dancing in some big city and probably staying out late with her friends."
Duh, is a girl not entitled to have some fun? Yeah, girls in Amish community aren't allowed to do that, but she's like any ordinary American like most of th population of US.
"A woman's hair is a very seductive thing, Rose. It invites unwanted attention from men - other than the woman's husband, especially hair like yours. " He sighed heavily, staring at me.
"Can't you men control yourselves?"I asked sarcastically.
"It's not a matter of control, Rose. It's that a husband doesn't want other men looking at his wife, covering her. A wife should reserve her beauty for her husband, and no one else." He instructed me as if I were mentally challenged, too ignorant to understand the fundamentals of life - his way of life anyway.
"It's so much more comfortable having my hair down. Women shouldn't have to be tortured just so their husbands can have their wife's hair all to themselves. That's just...dumb,"I argued. I was disappointed with myself for not coming up with a better word, but at the moment my annoyance with Noah was growing, distracting me.
There. Rose explained it herself.
"I'm sorry, Rose. I deserve your slap - I really did. It's just that I love you so much, and I can't begin to think of my world without you in it. I was so frightened when you didn't immediately agree to become Amish. I just felt that if you really love me, you'd give up your English life so we could b together."
What the hell?! She can say to same to you. You are the man. You should be the one doing that. She has a lot more to lose. You might lose the support of your family? That's your problem.
"Last night was the first time I'd felt anger toward her. I wanted to grip her shoulders and shake some sense into her, make her understand that the best thing for both of us would be if she became Amish....In the English world there would b so many forces at work to make our relationship more difficult. Like her going of places whenever sh wanted to or dressing in her tight clothing. I couldn't deal with all that. I didn't want to."
***
"Another idea has briefly penetrated my brain p getting her with child. My folks and her dad would be forced to allow us to marry."
***
"I don't see any other way for us to be together. So if you don't want to try that option, and you don't want to become Amish...then I guess it's over between us."
***
"When given the choice, Rose picked her comfy, materialistic world over me. And even though it still hurt like hell, I knew what I had to do to get over her."
***
"The other thing that slammed into my sight and caused a ripple of anger to bubble up inside me were the short jean shorts she wore and the pink sleeveless top that hugged her breasts tightly. Granted, her shorts weren't as skimpy as the blonde girl, but still, thy were incredibly inappropriate. Th shirt didn't leave much to the imagination either."
Do you feel me? I felt like a fuming bull ready to charge towards Noah.
Sam Cameron.He may be a 6'2" football player but when it comes to his sister, he's a softy. Though at times thy tackle each other.
"I wish Mom were here to handle this. But, I guess,since she's not, I'll have to fill in for her."
Isn't that sweet?
Justin Cameron. H's such an adorable sibling to Rose. He may be a bit young but he sure has a lot of advice for her sister.
And of course, David Cameron. Their father. He's a really cool and good father. Rose had him wrapped in her finger and her father can't say no to her pleadings.
"If you think I'm going to let my daughter drop out of school to live in your anti-feminist world, you're delusional."
Exactly my point Mr. Cameron!
Over all, I'd give it a 4. The story was good. I enjoyed it even though I can't fully accept Noah for Hunter. Now that the foundation of the trilogy was established, I', curious as to how the author will make the two survived the relationship. For this book, I'd give a 5 for Rose's character. She's not afraid to commit even going as far as converting into Amish just to be with Noah.
"I think a lot of guys are as afraid of us as we are of them. The only was they begin to open up is when they know for sure that the girl thy like is into them, too."
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.
