I was pretty excited to read this book and to understand more about how Amish people might engage in an act like dating, but I was disappointed with the execution and I found the style of this book to feel quite stilted.

Sam was so judgemental. I couldn’t get over it. She talked about how she wasn't judging her friend Madison all the while judging every single other person. She misportrayed weed completely--weed doesn't actually screw you up completely and while sure, maybe the author didn’t want to encourage it use, but I think there could have been much more research done to aptly portray its effects.

Her relationship with Zach seems so juvenile. I read a lot of YA and I love hearing about the experience of falling in love with the first time. However, liking someone because they're the first person to ask you out is dumb, and yes, Sam says that at some point.

I felt like this book could be aptly renamed "High School Girls Don't Call" because I experienced more about high school drama than I did the Amish community. I enjoyed the few tidbits I did get of what it's like to be Amish, but overall I felt like I didn't get a true sense of it or an understanding, and instead just read about things I could have googled. The drama was really quite superficial and I was expecting more.

While the end did have a strong message, it came across as quite preachy and was hard to buy. I ended up rolling my eyes and skimming. I think this had a great concept but was executed rather poorly and I'd like to see another book about an Amish romance. However, this was not the one I hoped for.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This is the sort of book you just want to get lost in forever. I love Debby Dodds' characters because they're delightfully imperfect, and yet so lovable and easy to relate to. You feel Sam's insecurities and slowly fall in love with Zack right along with her. You can't help but sympathize with the trouble she has in her relationships with her mom and Madison. And that's the other area Dodds really shines. This book isn't just about the English versus the Amish or a girl falling for a guy who's really different from her, but about relationships. Buding romantic ones like the one she has with Zack, which is just so sweet you can't read enough of it, friendships that have their highs and lows, and family relationships, where it seems every single character struggles. Absolutely loved this book and look forward to more from Dodds.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book.

Please forgive typos. Entered via screen reader. ( )

For a Lancaster County native like me, Amish Guys Don't Call was a nostalgic look at my home town with lots of local references to restaurants, clubs and other locations. The author attended Lancaster Country Day School and clearly loves her native soil as well.

Her story of an "English"* girl who falls for a former Amish boy is tender and kind with a solid dose of mean girls mixed in. Samantha has arrived in Lancaster County after being caught shoplifting in Philadelphia, a compulsion she continues to fight throughout the book. Her mother seems to care little for her daughter and spends most of her time in the city, and her father is out of the picture. Swept up into the cool girls' group, Samantha struggles to find her place as she starts dating an unusual young man and make sense of her "friends."

My biggest criticism of the book was that Samantha never figured out that her boyfriend was Amish. Dodds addresses this in the notes at the end, recognizing that most readers would have understood (the title is a dead give away) but suggesting that Samantha had not lived in Lancaster County long enough to make the connection and that the cultures are divided in ways that would make cross connections uncommon.

This book would be an excellent read for young adults, helping them understand a different culture and better navigate their own.

*Amish refer to non-Amish as English.

This wonderful young adult book hits all the right notes: a budding romance, a difficult moment, and clear realizations about life, love, and family. The author utterly nails the way teenaged girls think and talk, and the protagonist's voice is clear, solid, and funny as hell. You understand her problems with empathy, and go along for the ride gladly. It's a page-turner with fun twists and turns, and a very satisfying read. Amazing! ( )