A Gandy Girl

Imagine growing up where everything you do, down to the length of the brim of your hat is dictated by religion.



Where interaction with the outside world, is limited to passerbys stopping in to buy goods or your occasional trip into town for supplies. When after you turn 18, you are expected to officially join the church, find a wife and start a family. In the community of Zebulon, where there are less than 200 people in total, finding love in any form would be a challenge.

So what are the odds when two young men, who soon will join the church and follow the beliefs that have been instilled upon them since birth, find each other? Can they fight what comes “natural”?



"I want it so much.”
“So do I.” David kissed him softly. “Touching you feels right. It feels…beautiful. It makes me so happy, Isaac. If it is a sin, then I’ll gladly call myself a sinner.”
Isaac stroked David’s back, his eyes closed. “Sinners both,” he whispered.

A life where touching, cuddling, or even expressing love to one another "just wasn't their way". Could this really be God's way?

He couldn’t remember ever seeing his parents so much as brush their shoulders together or touch hands. Forget kissing or hugging.
He’d wondered from time to time if it was different when his parents and other married adults were alone. Because being in the same room with David and not being able to run his palm over David’s back, or press a kiss to his neck, or feel the warmth of his breath, made Isaac ache.

How can this kind of love be denied? Be forbidden? I am left fascinated by how certain faiths can be so about following God’s way and yet throw aside what comes natural…Love. Can Isaac and David come to accept that to be happy they have to leave their family and the only life they have ever known behind?

This is an absolutely beautiful (and scorching hot) book. I am still on my emotional high from reading this (read #1) in 12 hours. I just could not put it down. A special thanks to Elsbeth for being with me along the way. Easily one of the best books I read in 2014.

Final Comment after -1st reading:


Even after 4 reads, I find myself with an even more highlighted copy, teary eyes and a full heart once again. I am anxious about what lies ahead for these two beautiful souls...I have no doubts that the road ahead will not be easy...I only hope that they remember...

"No matter what happens. I will always love you."

Read #2...My absolute favorite MM still...review updated below....yes, I am certain there will be more than a few rereads in my future.

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Read #3...I am not sure I will ever get tired of reading this. Third time and it gets better every time. ❤️❤️❤️

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Read #4...As beautiful as ever. A fantastic BR with Elsbeth, Nathan and Paul ❤️❤️❤️

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Read #5 and I'm still as emotional as I was the first time. Absolute love for this book! ❤️❤️❤️


Status Updates (Read #1):

14%
"Thank you for your guidance."
"Thank you for your guidance."
"Thank you for your guidance."

32%

Gaaah...I am loving this!

37%
"You should run far away from me, Issac. I'll drag you down. Lead you to temptation."
Issac considered his choice-the first he'd truly had in as long as he could remember. It was easy, really. With another deep breath, he tightened his fingers in David's hair and pulled his head down. "I'm already there," he whispered.

My GAAWD!

48%
I cannot stop reading this AT WORK!!!!


63%


75%
I just have to believe there will be a HEA in this story. *Heart Breaking*


75%
"We were just..." The words tumbled out, and Isaac's cheeks burned. "We weren't..."
Danielle held up her hands. "You don't have to explain anything to me, hon. And I won't say anything to anyone, so breathe, okay?"

96%
I think I might be sick any minute.

Status Updates (Read #2):
10%
Barn raisings and trains, oh my.

14%
So what David says...
"Thank you for your guidance." ...
"Thank you for your guidance."
What I have to believe David is thinking...


19%
"He was a good brother, and I loved him."
Isaac held his breath. He wasn't sure he'd ever heard someone talk openly about love. It just wasn't their way.


28%
"You can talk to me about whatever you want. I may not know what to say, but I can listen."
"Thanks, Isaac. You know you can say anything to me, right?" David glances around. "Anything you want, even if you think you shouldn't say it. I won't tell."
❤️ the trust building between these two.

32%


41%
“Do you like this?” he whispered.
Isaac nodded so hard he was in danger of giving himself a concussion as he knocked his head back against the wall.

48%
Never had Isaac felt more worthy. He knew it was proud and vain, but David made him feel like such a thing of beauty. It was as though David could see straight to his heart— to the very soul of him.

50%
Footsie?? Oh, yes!!

53%
“You don’t snore, do you? Because I’ve put up with Nathan’s nightly thunder for as long as I can, and I’m afraid I can’t take more of it.”
“I don’t think I do. Joshua never mentioned it. But perhaps you snore.” It was David’s turn to frown, although his eyes danced. “That would be very disruptive.”
“But you’d put up with it for me.” Isaac let go of David’s hand and tickled him lightly. “Say you would.”
"Yes, yes.” David squirmed and batted Isaac’s hand away. “I’d put up with anything to be with you.”
Gaaaahhhhh!

55%
Shaking his head, Isaac leaned into David’s touch, those calloused fingers somehow so soft on his face. “It feels so right, David. I think about what it would be like to live with you instead of a wife. To share a bed every night, and work side by side each day. I know it’s a terrible sin, but the thought of it makes my heart so glad.” He sucked in a breath, trying in vain to stop tears from forming. “I want to be with you forever.”
I could quote this entire book. ❤️❤️❤️

58%
Well...they may consider themselves sinners...but they certainly are clean ones. *fans self*

65%
"I just want to see what’s out there. I feel so closed in here. I love farming. But I hate all the rules. I hate how controlled we are. Not even just the youngies— the adults too. Does God really care how wide the brims of our hats are? Or whether a girl’s dress goes to her shins or the tops of her shoes? The rules are different everywhere. How does it work? When you really think about it, none of it makes any sense. There are so many English people out there. Are they all going to hell?”
Sweet Ephraim

70%
David took Isaac’s face with shaky hands, his eyes bright. “Yes. I love you, Isaac. No matter what happens, I’ll always love you.”
❤️❤️❤️

75%
"I wish I could have a picture of you, my Isaac."

84%
“We can leave. We can go into the world, where there are other people like us. Where there are people who won’t judge us. I love you, David. More than anything. We can be together. We can be free.”

92%
I am not sure I have ever read a more perfect, touching and beautiful phone conversation. ❤️❤️❤️

“Then that’s the way you were born, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Not a thing . Isaac, I love you just the way you are, and so will a lot of other people. Thank you for telling me. I’m so proud of you.”

98%
By the Lantz barn, David turned and watched him thunder up. Yanking on the reins, Isaac slid off Silver’s back— and into David’s arms. Their harsh breath clouded the January air as they held each other. Isaac clutched David to him, burying his face in David’s neck.

Status Updates (Read #3):

9% done with A Forbidden Rumspringa: Isaac thought of how the English exchange rings. Too vain for the Amish, but he didn’t see why they couldn’t wear plain bands. Of course their commitment to each other and God was what really mattered, he reminded himself. A commitment he and David would never be allowed.

Status Updates (Read #4):

10% David still watched him, but now there was something new in his gaze— a strange and wonderful shine that made Isaac feel unbearably hot all over. He couldn’t look away, and the moment stretched out, silence between them , and the sounds of work and men all around fading into the damp spring air.
The barnraising. ❤️

19%
“I know, but…”Anna’s eyes filled with tears. “He was a good brother, and I loved him.”
Isaac held his breath. He wasn’t sure he’d ever heard someone talk openly about love . It just wasn’t their way.
I love sweet Anna.

32%
Isaac could only jerk his head in a nod. He held his breath as David reached down and ever so gently zipped the fly of Isaac’s English jeans. He did up the button at the top, his knuckles brushing against Isaac’s trembling belly. They were standing so close that Isaac could see the flecks of gray in David’s eyes, and—
ZIPPERS!!!!

34%
Laughter bubbled up in Isaac’s chest, and before he knew what he was doing, he dragged his finger across David’s chin, swiping away the red sauce that dripped there. He brought his finger to his mouth and flicked his tongue out to taste. “Wow. That really is good.” He slowly sucked his finger clean, savoring the smoky- sweet flavor. Then he licked his lips.
Gaaaaahhhhh

43%
“I never dared. I never thought…” He pressed their foreheads together, his breath warm. “Never thought I’d meet someone like me. Not just like me, but…you’re so much more than I ever dreamed. I want to kiss you forever.”

79%
“I love you, and you love me. Don’t you?”
A tear slipped down David’s cheek. “I love you more than anything. That’s why it has to be over. We were fooling ourselves, Isaac. Thinking we could break the rules and not face the consequences. You know it’s true.”

94%
“Then that’s the way you were born, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Not a thing . Isaac, I love you just the way you are, and so will a lot of other people. Thank you for telling me. I’m so proud of you.”