Still on My Mind: Noah from Temptation

Still on My Mind is a meme hosted by Haley at Ya-Aholic where every Thursday she features a book that was "so something" that she revisits them on her blog. Haley invites other bloggers to participate. (details here)


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.




A few weeks ago a read and reviewed Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins. It took me forever to write my review (read it here) because I found that I wanted to focus on the character Noah more than review the book. I decided to save that for another time which I guess is now because I cannot stop thinking about this character.

In the review, I barely touched the surface of what Noah's life was like and the depth of his love for Rose. He was so conflicting - being both caring and obsessive. I couldn't decide if he is someone that Rose really should be with. Was this a healthy relationship? He was so set in his ways and beliefs and making her a part of his life. There was one point when Noah acknowledged that he hadn't really thought about Rose's life with her English friends - her other life - without him. At that point, he did make an effort - though very little.

I marked quote after quote where Noah questioned Rose's motivation and who she was and just how different they were from each other. From the very beginning this questioning began:

If Rose had been Amish, she would have joined my sisters. The fact that she had chosen the boys worried me.
     That was the problem with English girls -- they did what they wanted.
     But then again, maybe that was one of the things that made Rose so intriguing . . . and dangerous to me. (page 34) 

But his wasn't a complete jerk. He was pretty crush-worthy based on his affection and attentiveness to Rose BUT it is a pretty fine line between devotion and obsession. I shared my thoughts with the author, this is what she said:

As far as Noah is concerned, I completely agree with you.  You captured the heart of the problem perfectly when realizing that even though Noah loves Rose greatly, is he REALLY good for her?  I wrote his character from my own observations and interactions with many of the young men and even some adult ones within the Amish community.  At the heart of their culture, there is much love, respect and caring shown towards their women (mostly), but the men are still the bosses.  The culture revolves around the strict interpretation of the Bible, causing boys to grow up with a very definite idea about the role women.  Can any of these young men change their ideas and beliefs?  YES!  But, only those with more pliable personalities and a strong motivation to do so.  BELONGING will delve into the Amish culture, especially the young ones, much deeper than TEMPTATION.  I'm sure you'll be surprised and even shocked by the end!

I'd love to know what other readers thought about Noah. Did you love him? Hate him? Did you accept his perspective because of his upbringing? If you've read Temptation, let me know your thoughts about it in the comments below. Thanks!