Scavenger Hunt Stop and Book Review: Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda E. Brustetter

This is the beginning of a serial novel so it is not the complete story.

It's my turn and honor to share in the fun of  the Discovery Saga online scavenger hunt! For full details on the hunt and how you can participate (and possibly win an amazon Kindle) please go to Discovery Saga Scavenger Hunt. Remember that the clues can be found in the ten blog reviews by finding the word that is in all capital letters.

Goodbye to Yesterday: Part 1 (The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga)

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books (February 5, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616260858
• ISBN-13: 978-1616260859

Genre: Amish Fiction
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description

Release date: February 5, 2013 | Series: The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga (Book 1)

Join Meredith and Luke Stoltzfus, an Amish couple who are faced with the greatest challenge of their young lives. Financial struggles. Arguments. A suspected pregnancy. A last-minute trip to South Bend, Indiana. A drug addict on the run. A deadly encounter at a Philadelphia bus station. Will their love and faith be enough to bring them back together again, against all odds?

Review:
Luke Stoltzfus is struggling with having lost his craftsman's job and being unable to find a new job in his community. He is sensitive and moody and his young wife, Meredith, is frustrated as they are not communicating well. Meredith worries as she thinks she may be pregnant but she doesn’t want to stress Luke more.

Then Luke’s uncle invites him to come to Indiana to learn the trade of engraving headstones. Luke will have to invest a good portion of their dwindling savings to buy the equipment but it would give him a skill and a career to secure their future. Although everyone else in the family is excited and supportive of the opportunity, Meredith has reservations. She particularly isn’t comfortable with Luke having to travel to Indiana during bad snow storms.

The day arrives and Luke heads out on the bus to Philadelphia where he will switch buses. Unfortunately the storm is moving in from the west and Luke may be heading straight into it. Before he can face that danger, a rather naive Luke has a very bad encounter with a drug addict. What SEEMED like a God given opportunity to improve his life turns out to be a horrific experience. Meanwhile Merrie is feeling lonely at home waiting for a call to reassure her that Luke has arrived safely.

I enjoyed the characters, the lovely descriptions and Luke's pet dog. The financial struggles and resulting friction between the newlyweds are circumstances that many can relate to and I found it interesting in the Amish setting. I was rather surprised by the stubbornness, pride and worry of the couple as these attitudes don't fit my expectations of the Amish. It is also interesting how Ms. Brunstetter presents the background and mind set of the drug addict.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is sweet and dear but a very light level read. At times I felt it was written for younger readers, still it was enjoyable. I would be interested to try a full novel by Ms. Brunstetter to see if the writing is the same style.

I didn’t particularly mind the cliffhanger ending but I am not sure I am in favor of spreading a book of this nature over six short novellas, especially considering the price to get the full set. If you like Amish stories with real life issues you might want to try this sweet read.

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A passage I particularly like:

    Meredith smiled and felt herself relax. God’s Word always had a way of speaking to her just when she needed it most. Page 103.

I hope everyone has been having a great time following the clues. 
Okay, Discovery Saga scavenger hunters—the FINAL clue will be posted tomorrow at:  Http://www.perfectisboring.blogspot.com
GOOD LUCK!
Let your friends know about the hunt and invite them to join us while there is still time.

I received this book from the author through Handlebar Publishing for an honest review.

About the Author..

Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 60 books with more than 6 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today. Wanda’s books have been translated into four foreign languages.

Wanda’s fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda’s desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.

All of Wanda’s novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

Make a visit to Ms. Brunstetter's website and you just might hear something surprising!