Book Review: Temptation by Kathryn Barrett

Temptation by Kathryn Barrett

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Publish Date: February 2013

eBook, 336 pages
Fiction, Romance, Amish meets Hollywood
 ISBN: 9781622669615

My Review:
If you have been reading my blog this year you may have noticed my love of Entangled Publishing books.  Their publicists are awesome at selling you on their books.  And then after you read a few all I have to do is get an email from a publicist I know is from Entangled, glance through and make sure it's a type of book I read and then I quickly shoot back an email and beg for the book. Entangled is really a great publishing house and is really being noticed.  And I am thrilled. It's fun to have followed them since almost the beginning and see how they have grown.  I honestly want to read all of their books and try to get as many of them for review as I can.  So the other day I was going through Netgalley and Temptation caught my eye.  Hmmm, I hadn't gotten a note on that one, but the premise is interesting, so I requested it, got it and read it over the weekend.  And the verdict, another winner for Entangled.

So to the actual book.  I have read Amish fiction on and off for several years now and really enjoy it, but let me tell you if you shy away from it, this is not your typical Amish fiction novel.  It's called Temptation for a reason.  But don't let that scare you either.  I felt that Ms. Barrett handled a tough and interesting situation very well.  What you have is a woman who is an actress, but basically, Laura is a good woman, she wants to be an actress but she wants to escape from some of the trapping of her life (her mother for one, and some other leeches on her life as well) and while she is making a movie focused on an Amish character she finds peace in a house she buys and the people around her even though they don't always like her.  And she finds Jacob, an attractive Amish widower with a child and a mother who is facing his own battles within himself as well.  Of course the sparks fly between the two of them, but Jacob is strong in his faith and tries to stay away from Laura.  I won't give much else away, but a lot of the book is a struggle.  I had a hard time reading at times because I could feel the struggle of both characters, more of Jacob's.  At times I felt that Laura thought things were too easy, but as the book progressed she grew and I became less frustrated with her.

I loved the characters.  Even with my frustration with Laura, I really liked her. She had a good heart, she was just trying to find her way.  And in Hollywood today we know that can be so hard.  Jacob I truly admired for his battle between his heart, mind and his faith.  I found some of the Amish to be so strict but I understand they have to be that way.  But I loved the Bishop and his gentle way.  He was one of those guiding leaders that taught by instructing to follow what was in your heart and let God guide you.  He never seemed judgmental and I really liked him and I really like how things work out with him.

Temptation is truly a different type of romance and Amish book. I applaud Ms. Barrett for writing it.  I truly enjoyed it the whole time I was reading it because I didn't know what would happen. It truly felt real, the struggles were tough and they meant something to the characters.  They weren't whims that they could just decide on and not care the next day.  They were deep decisions not to be taken lightly.  It was a fascinating story and I am really glad I found it and read it. I highly recommend anyone who enjoys reading about the Amish and reading a good romance (warning again this is not your typical Amish romance, it involves an Englisher involved with an Amish).  It's not hot and steamy throughout, but let's just say it can get interesting in a good way ;)  I'll end this review with a simple well done Ms. Barrett.


My Rating: 4.5/5.0


About the Book:
Laura Hayes has been acting since she was an infant, making Hollywood the only home she has ever known. But when she moves to Pennsylvania's Amish country to film her next movie, she discovers there's more to life than a pair of Jimmy Choos and a Marie Claire cover.

Intrigued by the Amish simplicity, she's soon gardening and baking plum pies—and enjoying it. And when her neighbor turns out to be the local heartthrob and a talented furniture maker, she realizes that what's missing from her life might be the love of a good man—not to mention the perfect heirloom tomato.

Jacob fights the urge to question the teachings of his Amish beliefs—despite his desire to create furniture that is beautiful as well as useful—and struggles with his longing for the sexy stranger who makes him feel truly alive for the first time. As his attraction grows, so do his doubts, until he's forced to face temptation and decide once and for all what is truly worth the fight.




The Trailer:

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
Kathryn Barrett reluctantly put aside childhood dreams of becoming an author and took a more practical approach, majoring in Business Administration in college. But after marrying an Air Force officer, she realized a career in high finance didn’t suit an itinerant lifestyle. She happily returned to her first love, writing stories that feature larger-than-life characters, family relationships, and of course, a happy ending.

Having lived all over the United States, Kathryn and her family now live in England, just outside London. She enjoys walking her dog in the Chiltern hills and exploring crumbling castles, and only occasionally reads the Financial Times.

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***I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***