Return to Intercourse: An Amish Romance

by Kristen Meinzer

Amish teen Sarah Yoder is enjoying her Rumspringa romance with aspiring NASCAR driver Tanner Chace when she's called back to her hometown of Intercourse to help her ailing father and struggling family after a tragic barn raising accident. While she loves her family and eagerly pitches in back home, Sarah also misses the speed and abandon of life with Tanner. But when a strange new farmhand comes to help in the family stables, Sarah realizes there may be satisfaction in a slower, less reckless path.

Genres: Romance

41 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2017

About the author

Kristen Meinzer is an award-winning podcast host, producer, commentator, speaker, and author specializing in contemporary social issues and popular culture. She is the co-host of "By The Book," along with Moth Storyslam winner Jolenta Greenberg and "We Love You (And So Can You)," also with Greenberg. Prior hosting credits include "When Meghan Met Harry," along with MTVUK host James Barr; CNN's "Lisa, Sandra, and Kristen Go To The Movies," with CNN senior entertainment reporters Lisa France and Sandra Gonzalez; and WNYC's "Movie Date" podcast, along with Newsday film critic Rafer Guzman. Kristen's books include "Return to Intercourse: An Amish Romance" (which she wrote in under two weeks as an assignment for "By The Book"); "So You Want to Start A Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen" (which Publishers Weekly called "invaluable"); and the forthcoming "How To Be Fine" (March 2020, William Morrow/HarperCollins). Kristen's work has been celebrated in Time Magazine, The Washington Post, Bust, Buzzfeed, Vice, The Guardian, The Evening Standard, Real Simple, Indiewire, and dozens of other publications. It’s also been showcased on NPR, NBC, TLC, the BBC, and other national and international outlets.

Reviews

[Leif Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty fun short story. It was very tongue in cheek, and aware of its own brevity and light weight storyline (not flimsy, but not exactly convoluted). However, perhaps because of Meinzer's humility, the story was surprisingly compelling. Meinzer developed the bones of a good story, fully nailing down the important parts of a story, like the overall plot, and the motivations of the characters. The writing that fills in the spaces between those bones and your eyeballs is amusingly simple.

To switch metaphors, if this story were a house, it would have a really solid frame and roof, but then the drywall and siding would be some cardboard held on with a staple gun. Oh, and the "house" would be about 100 square feet. Man, this seems more clever than my usual. I hope I didn't subconsciously steal that metaphor from the podcast.

[Shelly Janger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed and I cried. Sequel?

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

Both story and length make this the absolute perfect book to take a break with. You'll be whisked away for a moment.

[Terri Noftsger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Podcast “By the Book”. I downloaded this book because it was written by one of the hosts of the podcast when they “lived by the book” about writing a book and self publishing on Amazon. It was a simple short story and I enjoyed it very much. I read it in less than a half hour. Kristen did a really good job of making the characters interesting and having a happy ending as a good romance should. Though I bought this book a long time ago, I am just now reading it because “Amish romances” is a genre I didn’t really know existed. I also am very much a mood reader and today I was interested in a short sweet romance. If you like short stories and sweet romances, this a a good book to read. Good job, Kristen!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

YES!
+I will admit that I only read this because of my By the Book Podcast binge.
+That title!
+Cheesey NASCAR references.
+So sweet!

NO!
-Very rushed at the end despite being about slowing down and taking one's time.

[Jessica Rose Wilkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I downloaded this book after listening to the By the Book podcast. Usually I wouldn’t read romance (as it doesn’t appeal to me at all!) however for a quick read this was quite interesting and enjoyable

[Lauren Milewski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up for three reasons:
1. Fits the self-published category for Read Harder 2019
2. I love the By the Book podcast with Kristen Meinzer
3. I am perhaps weirdly fascinated with Amish life

This is a fun little novella that I read in an afternoon. It's cute and sweet but with enough tongue-in-cheek humor to demonstrate that it doesn't take itself too seriously. This both made me want to write a little book and wonder if there's a subgenre out there of Amish romances. Not life changing, but a fun interlude between longer/more serious books.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romance got me revved up.

Tanner a free-wheelin' stud zoomed into Sarah's rumspringa when she least expected it. He was the modern synthetic oil her dried up axles needed to get moving. At least until she meets a mysterious farmhand who just might be the fringe top her surry needed.

Sarah struggles to navigate the irrigation ditches and pit stops of romance with her heart torn between life in the fast lane and the simple life she's always lead.

This excellent novella by author Kristin Meinzer is sure to ignite the dry barn wood of your soul.

[Meg Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, I definitely read this because I love the "By the Book" podcast and I kind of want Kristen (and her amazing hubby Dean) to be my fairy godparents and come and help me sort out life. But I found it very amusing.

It's not what I would pick up if I was looking for a romance to read on a rainy afternoon. But as a satire it was great. I loved all the NASCAR references and I don't know anything about NASCAR. Quick read but great complement to the podcast.