Title: By the Creek
Series: N/A
Author: Geoff Laughton
Genre: MM / Contemporary / Young Adult
Length: Novel
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Reviewer: Thommie
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: Soon-to-be high school junior David Harper hates his family’s move to the country. There’s nothing to do, and he misses his friends in the city. But he doesn’t have a choice. His mother’s job is in Mason County now, so David and his mom are too, and he has to make the best of it.
At first, the only redeeming feature of David’s new home is the swimming hole across the field from his house. Then David meets Benjamin Killinger, and suddenly life stops being so dull.
Benjamin is Amish, and cooling off in the swimming hole is one of the few liberties he and his brothers enjoy. A friendship with an English boy is not—but that doesn’t stop him and David from getting to know each other, as long as it’s on the neutral ground by the creek. After David risks his life to save Benjamin’s father, the boys’ friendship is tolerated, then accepted. But before long, Benjamin’s feelings for David grow beyond the platonic. Benjamin’s family and the rest of the community will never allow a love like that, and a secret this big can’t stay secret forever….
Product Link: http://harmonyinkpress.com/new-release-by-the-creek-by-geoff-laughton/
Review: Well, the moment I started reading this story I knew what I was facing. This is a very sweet, romantic and sad story. I’ll not go into details about the story itself as the blurbs says more than enough, but I’ll say a bit at the fact that there should be more books like this one.
This is a teen romance and of course the drama of the teenagers is there full front. I loved though that it wasn’t tiresome on that aspect. The feelings it evoke were genuine enough and it reached the point where it caused moisture in my eyes. And that is not easy to accomplish.
I think what caused me so much sadness was the fact that Benjamin, on the contrary of David, had no real options in front of him. The despair he felt, the despair children in his place out there feel every day, is what got to me the most.
Yes, this book has a HEA thankfully. And through many difficulties and lot of inner strength our two boys and especially Benjamin manage to get their lives in a line, and I managed to get my wits about me. The book was very well written, and while it certainly was no light-read, or the entertaining kind, I am more than happy to have read it. I’m also more than happy to recommend it to all of you who love a good romantic, young adult story.