Hi there! Today I want to share a review for a contemporary M/M romance by Kiera Andrews. A CLEAN BREAK is the sequel to A FORBIDDEN RUMSPRINGA, and it’s just as honest and conflicted as the first book. Issac and David are two young men raised in a very sheltered, xenophobic Amish community, and they have fled because they found love with each other, a love they knew their families would never accept…

About the Book:
David and Isaac have found happiness in each other’s arms. In faraway San Francisco, Isaac’s brother Aaron helps them explore confusing “English” life and move beyond the looming shadow of their Amish roots. For the first time, David and Isaac can be openly gay, yet they struggle to reconcile their sexuality with their faith. At least they don’t have to hide their relationship, which should make everything easier. Right?

But while Isaac thrives at school and makes new friends, David wrestles to come to terms with the reality of the outside world. Haunted by guilt at leaving his mother and sisters behind in Zebulon, he’s overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the city as he works to get his carpentry business off the ground.

While David and Isaac finally sleep side by side each night, fear and insecurity could drive them miles apart.

This is the second chapter in a trilogy of forbidden Amish love. This book features explicit sex and is not an inspirational/Christian novel.

My Review:
This is the second book in a series, and I think it’s best to read these books in order.

Isaac and David have fled their Amish community in Zebulon, Minnesota, and are living with Isaac’s brother Aaron. Aaron had left Amish life ten years ago, and has completely adapted to the ‘English’ life. He got a college degree and is now a teacher, and married to a Filipino woman who is a physician. They live in San Francisco, and are fully willing to support a David and Isaac until they can support themselves. They also fully accept Isaac and David being gay.

This book is told from David’s POV, and David is truly struggling. By leaving he abandoned his mother and four younger sisters. He was the only man of the family and he fears that they are struggling. He is too scared to write and find out however. Adjusting to English life is difficult in some ways, and not in others…

Isaac smiled sadly. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? How quickly we get used to breaking the Ordnung. Practically everything we do here is against the rules. But once you start, it’s easy.”

“Easy not to think about it, at least.” For when he thought about it, David remembered how hard things were in Zebulon. His chest tightened as he imagined how Mother and the girls would be struggling without him. Who would break the ice in the well, or chop the wood for the stove? Or—

As the cable car dropped off its passengers and did a loop around the turntable to face the way it had come, David shook his head as if he could shake free his thoughts. He could never go back. Only forward with Isaac.

Being in San Francisco and seeing openly gay people is a huge culture shock. Isaac and David have believed their love is a sin, but witnessing other men embracing and even kissing helps them to better accept each other.

“I want to worship you,” he whispered. Isaac was beautiful and good, and David wanted him to know it.

Groaning, Isaac dragged David’s head down for a hard kiss as he spread his legs and wrapped them around David’s hips. Isaac gasped, “It doesn’t feel wrong. Does it?”

David could only shake his head, desperate for them to be naked so he could experience the heat and sweat of Isaac’s body against him. Since that first night among the trees with loyal Kaffi standing guard, touching Isaac—loving Isaac—had only ever felt right despite everything.

Not only because of how good it made David’s body feel, but in the way it reached into his soul through every pore. In every shared moan and smile, in every tremble of limbs and press of lips, he was whole.

Their love is strong, but distance does begin to grow. Isaac decides to go to school, and David is nervous to begin a carpentry business on his own. Everything in this place, this new life, is foreign, and David is embarrassed about how little he knows and understands.

“I’m so glad you’re here. If you’d stayed, I don’t know what I’d do. I’d miss you so much I wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

“I’ll never leave you, Eechel. I’m right here. Go back to sleep.” He kissed Isaac’s head.

David stared at the faint pattern of the street lamps through the blinds, shadows and light spreading over the walls and ceiling. His earlier resolve grew stronger with each little shuddering breath Isaac took.

No more procrastination and naps. He’d get his business up and running so he could take proper care of Isaac. He would keep him safe and happy. He wouldn’t disappoint him. As Isaac burrowed close, David petted him and murmured a lullaby he hadn’t heard in years.

David’s struggle is intense and silent. He’s afraid to confide in anyone, to reveal his fears which leads to panic attacks, and further separation from Isaac. Isaac wants David to meet his friends from school, but David is ashamed that he will appear stupid to them, and continually puts it off. Plus, other men are showing too keen an interest in David, and Isaac suspects David wants someone else. There are lots of hurt feelings, lots of empty liquor bottles and lots of tears, but things end on a strained (but POSITIVE!!!!) note.

I can’t believe I love gay Amish romance, but I totally do. This series has me hooked. The feelings are so raw, and there’s a good amount of sexytimes. I am anxious to see how David and Isaac move forward, together, in the next book.

Interested? You can find A CLEAN BREAK on Goodreads, All Romance, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

As for the first book–A FORBIDDEN RUMSPRINGA–it is a story of many firsts, told by Isaac. Isaac is the “new” eldest son of his house. I say “new” in quotes, because his eldest brother, Aaron, was excommunicated when he left the Amish community several years before. Isaac is uncomfortable in his Amish home because he doesn’t feel attracted to girls. He’s actually quite attracted to David, an Amish carpenter who takes Isaac on as an apprentice.

Together, they find out about love, and life, during their forays into each other, and the “English” world just outside their settlement. Isaac knows he can never watch David marry, but he never suspects how deep David loves only him. It is a touching story that really got to me. Check out my review for more details.

Interested? You can find A FORBIDDEN RUMSPRINGA on Goodreads, All Romance, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy fiction, and—although she loves delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.”

You can catch up with Keira on her website, Facebook, twitter, and Goodreads.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!