{"id":7398,"date":"2011-04-14T22:45:51","date_gmt":"2011-04-15T03:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=7398"},"modified":"2011-04-14T22:45:51","modified_gmt":"2011-04-15T03:45:51","slug":"the-journey-by-wanda-brunstetter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=7398","title":{"rendered":"The Journey by Wanda Brunstetter"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Wanda Brunstetter<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Journey (Kentucky Brothers) <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Barbour Books (April 5, 2011)<\/p>\n

***Special thanks to Sharon Farnell, Director, Faith Division, Planned Television Arts for sending me a review copy.***<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Wanda E. Brunstetter is a bestselling author who enjoys writing Amish-themed, as well as historical novels. Descended from Anabaptists herself, Wanda became deeply interested in the Plain People when she married her husband, Richard who grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania. Wanda and her husband live in Washington State, but take every opportunity to visit their Amish friends in various communities across the country, gathering further information about the Amish way of life.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

This is the first book of the new Kentucky Brothers Series by<\/p>\n

Wanda Brunstetter. Discover along with Titus Fisher how life can begin anew in Christian County, Kentucky. Moving from Pennsylvania, finding rewarding work, and leaving a broken romance behind is the best decision Titus ever made. But is he ready to consider love again when he meets two women: one who seems perfectly suited for any Amish man and one who challenges long held ideas of the woman\u2019s role. Who will Titus chose, and will it be the right choice?<\/p>\n

<\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n

Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $14.99<\/p>\n

Paperback: 384 pages<\/p>\n

Publisher: Barbour Books (April 5, 2011)<\/p>\n

Language: English<\/p>\n

ISBN-10: 1602606811<\/p>\n

ISBN-13: 978-1602606814<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Paradise, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

\n

Titus Fisher liked horses, dogs, and shoofly pie. What he didn\u2019t like was a cat that scratched, and a woman he couldn\u2019t trust. Today he\u2019d dealt with both.<\/p>\n

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed his horse\u2019s bridle and led him into the barn, wishing he hadn\u2019t gotten out of bed that morning. The day had started on a sour note when Titus had come to the barn to feed the horses and accidentally stepped on one of Mom\u2019s cats. Five of the irksome critters lived in the barn, and every one of them liked to bite and scratch. Whiskers, the smallest of the five, was the most aggressive. The crazy cat had been so miffed when Titus stepped on her tail that she\u2019d clawed her way right up his leg, hissing and yowling as she went. When Titus had tried to push Whiskers off, she\u2019d let him have it\u2014leaving a nasty scratch on his leg.<\/p>\n

Titus pulled up his pant leg and stared at the wound, still red and swollen. It reminded him of the time when he and his twin brother, Timothy, were six years old and had found a wild cat in the woodpile behind their barn. The mangy critter had bitten Titus\u2019s hand, and when the bite became infected, he\u2019d started running a fever. Mom had taken him to the doctor\u2019s, where he\u2019d been given a tetanus shot and an antibiotic. Ever since then, he\u2019d had an aversion to cats.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my opinion, except for catching mice, cats are pretty much worthless,\u201d Titus mumbled as he guided his horse into one of the stalls. When he patted the horse\u2019s ebony-colored flanks, the gelding whinnied and flipped his head around to nuzzle Titus\u2019s hand. \u201cNot like you, Lightning. You\u2019re worth every dollar I paid for you. You\u2019re dependable and trustworthy.\u201d He grimaced. \u201cWish I could say the same for Phoebe Stoltzfus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Titus poured some oats into a bucket, and as his horse ate, he replayed the conversation he\u2019d had with Phoebe on his way home from work that afternoon. . .<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not ready to join the church yet, and I\u2019m too young to get married.\u201d Phoebe flipped the strings of her head covering over her shoulders and blinked her blue eyes. \u201cWhy do you have to put so much pressure on me, Titus?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2013I\u2019m not,\u201d he stammered, \u201cbut I\u2019ve been waiting a long time for you, and I\u2019d thought that when I joined the church two years ago, you\u2019d join, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t ready then. I was only sixteen and had other things on my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow well I know that. You were too busy runnin\u2019 around with your friends and tryin\u2019 out all sorts of worldly things.\u201d Titus groaned. \u201cFigured you\u2019d have all that out of your system by now and would be ready to settle down.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head. \u201cMaybe in a few years I\u2019ll be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said that two years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThings have changed.\u201d She placed her hand gently on his arm. \u201cMy friend Darlene Mast is planning a trip to Los Angeles, and she\u2019s leaving in a few days, so\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

He held up his hand. \u201cPlease don\u2019t tell me you want to go with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it would be fun, and I\u2019ve always wanted to see the Pacific Ocean.\u201d She looked up at him and smiled. \u201cYou\u2019re full of adventure and like to try new things. Wouldn\u2019t you like to see California?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugged. \u201cMaybe someday, but not right now. What I want is for you to join the church this fall so we can get married.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head. \u201cI just told you\u2014I\u2019m not ready for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you ever be ready?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d She pushed a wisp of soft, auburn hair under her white organdy head covering and turned her gaze away from him. \u201cI\u2014I might not join the church. I might decide to go English.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you kidding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not. I don\u2019t know if I want to be Amish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Titus\u2019s jaw tightened as the reality of the situation set in. If Phoebe went to California, she might never come back. If she didn\u2019t join the church, they couldn\u2019t get married. Titus had been in love with Phoebe since he was seventeen years old, but she\u2019d been four years younger than him, and their parents had disapproved. He\u2019d waited patiently until Phoebe turned sixteen. Even then, his folks had been opposed to him courting her because she seemed so unsettled and ran with a wild bunch of kids.<\/p>\n

Now Titus, at the age of twenty-two, still wasn\u2019t sure he and Phoebe would ever get married. If she did go English, the only way they could marry would be if he broke his vow to the Amish church, which he did not want to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we talk about this later?\u201d he asked. \u201cAfter you\u2019ve had a chance to think about this some more?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing to think about. I\u2019m going to California.\u201d She tipped her head and stared up at him. \u201cIf you don\u2019t want to come, then I guess it\u2019s over between us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t do this, Phoebe. Are you just going to give up on us like this?\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you love me anymore?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2013I\u2019m not sure. Maybe we\u2019re not meant to be together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Titus flinched. He felt like he\u2019d been kicked in the stomach by one of his dad\u2019s stubborn mules. He had a sinking feeling that once Phoebe left home she\u2019d never come back. All his years of waiting for her had been for nothing.<\/p>\n

Titus\u2019s horse whinnied and nudged his hand, pulling his thoughts back to the present.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop it, Lightning. I\u2019m not in the mood.\u201d Titus kicked at a bale of straw and winced when Lightning whipped his head around and bumped his sore leg.<\/p>\n

Lightning whinnied again and stomped his hoof. Then he moved to the other end of his stall and turned his backside toward Titus.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, boy. I\u2019m not mad at you.\u201d Titus stepped up to the horse and reached out his hand. \u201cI\u2019m upset with Phoebe, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

As though accepting his apology, Lightning nuzzled Titus\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n

Horses and dogs\u2014that\u2019s about all that ever held my interest until Phoebe came along, Titus thought. If there was only some way to get her out of my system. If I could just tell myself that I don\u2019t care anymore.<\/p>\n

Pembroke, Kentucky<\/p>\n

As Suzanne Yoder stared out the living room window, a sense of discontentment welled in her soul. She enjoyed living in Christian County, especially in the spring when the flowers and trees began to bloom.<\/p>\n

I wish I could be outside right now, tilling the garden or even mowing the lawn, she thought with regret. It was too nice to be stuck indoors, yet she knew she needed to work on the quilt she\u2019d started several months ago for her friend Esther Beiler\u2019s twenty-fourth birthday, which was less than a month away.<\/p>\n

Suzanne\u2019s gaze shifted from the garden to the woodshop, where her grandfather and twenty-year-old brother, Nelson, worked. Due to painful arthritis, Grandpa\u2019s fingers didn\u2019t work well anymore, so he\u2019d recently decided to look for someone else to help Nelson in the shop. Someone younger and more able-bodied. Someone who knew the woodworking trade.<\/p>\n

Grandpa wasn\u2019t one to sit around or take life easy while others did all the work, but Mom had convinced him that he could still have a hand in the business by ordering supplies, waiting on customers, and keeping the books. Grandpa wasn\u2019t happy about it, but at least he wouldn\u2019t be sitting on the porch in his rocking chair all day, wishing he could be in the shop.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you were supposed to be working on Esther\u2019s birthday present,\u201d Mom said when she joined Suzanne in the living room.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was, but my eyes needed a break. I was thinking about going out to the woodshop to see if there\u2019s anything I can do to help out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mom\u2019s dark eyebrows furrowed as she slowly shook her head. \u201cYou\u2019ll never get that quilt done if you keep procrastinating, and there\u2019s no need for you to run out to the woodshop, because I\u2019m sure you and Nelson would only end up in a disagreement. You know how he feels about you hanging around the shop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suzanne frowned. No one in the family understood her desire to be in the woodshop, where she could enjoy the distinctive odors of wood being cut, sanded, or stained. It was a shame nobody took her interest in woodworking seriously. Not long ago, Suzanne had borrowed some of Grandpa\u2019s tools so she could make a few birdhouses and feeders to put in their yard. She\u2019d never gotten any encouragement in making them, though. She guessed compared to the cabinets, doors, and storage sheds Grandpa and Nelson made, the birdhouses and feeders were insignificant.<\/p>\n

Mom touched Suzanne\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI\u2019m going to plant some peas and lettuce this afternoon, so if you think you\u2019ve worked long enough on the quilt today, I could use your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suzanne didn\u2019t have to be asked twice. Any chore she could do outdoors would be better than being inside, where it was warm and stuffy. \u201cI\u2019ll meet you outside as soon as I put away my quilting supplies,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll be fine.\u201d Mom gave Suzanne\u2019s arm a light tap and disappeared into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Suzanne glanced out the window once more and sighed as her gaze came to rest on the woodshop. \u201cGuess I won\u2019t make it out there today\u2014except to take the men their lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paradise, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Titus left the barn and was about to head for the house, when a dark blue pickup rumbled up the driveway. He didn\u2019t recognize the vehicle or the young English man with dark curly hair who opened the cab door and stepped out.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this where Zach Fisher lives?\u201d the man asked as he approached Titus.<\/p>\n

\u201cSort of. My dad owns this place, and Zach and his family live in the house behind ours.\u201d Titus pointed in that direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see. Is Zach at home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope, not yet. He\u2019s up in Blue Ball, painting the outside of the bowling alley. Probably won\u2019t be home till sometime after six.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man extended his hand. \u201cI\u2019m Allen Walters. I knew Zach when he lived in Puyallup, Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was when he thought his name was Jimmy Scott, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cZach\u2019s my half brother. My twin brother, Timothy, and I were born during the time Zach was missing. He was about six or seven then, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother and the woman Zach thought was his mother became good friends, so Zach and I kind of grew up together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cZach\u2019s mentioned that,\u201d Titus said. \u201cSure is somethin\u2019 the way he was kidnapped when he was a baby and never located his real family until he was twenty-one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI really missed Zach after he left Washington, but I\u2019m glad he found his way home.\u201d Allen folded his arms and leaned against the side of his truck. \u201cThe last time I saw Zach was before he got married, and that was seven years ago. We\u2019ve kept in touch through letters and phone calls, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Zach know you were coming?\u201d<\/p>\n

Allen shook his head. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t know I\u2019ve moved from Washington State to Kentucky either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome to hang around here until he gets home, because I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be pleased to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, I\u2019ll do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just then, Titus\u2019s mother stepped out of the house and started across the yard toward them, her slightly plump figure shuffling through the grass.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my mother, Fannie Fisher.\u201d Titus motioned to Allen. \u201cMom, this is Zach\u2019s old friend, Allen Walters. He used to live in Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mom\u2019s brown eyes brightened as she shook Allen\u2019s hand. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to finally meet you. Zach\u2019s told us a lot about you and your family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s talked to me about his family here, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI explained to Allen that Zach\u2019s still at work and said he\u2019s welcome to stay here until Zach gets home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mom bobbed her head. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you stay for supper? I\u2019ll invite Zach and his family to join us. I think it would be nice for you to meet his wife and children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like that,\u201d Allen said with an enthusiastic nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you need a place to spend the night, you\u2019re more than welcome to stay here.\u201d Mom smiled. \u201cSince Titus is our only son still living at home, we have more than enough room to accommodate guests.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate the offer, but I\u2019ve already reserved a room at a hotel in Bird-in-Hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine, but the offer\u2019s open if you change your mind.\u201d Mom turned toward the house. \u201cI\u2019d better go back inside and get supper going.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Mom headed to the house, Titus motioned to a couple of wooden chairs sitting beneath the maple tree on their lawn. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we take a seat?\u201d he said to Allen. \u201cI\u2019m real interested in hearing why you moved to Kentucky.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

MY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Journey<\/a>, <\/strong>the first installment of the Kentucky Brothers<\/strong><\/em> series, features members of the Fisher family who were first introduced in the Daughters of Lancaster County<\/strong><\/em> series. Titus is brokenhearted by the rejection of the woman he planned to marry and quickly accepts a job offer in Kentucky to get away from reminders of her. Immediately upon his arrival in Kentucky he meets Suzanne who reminds him of his former girlfriend. They instantly dislike each other which results in numerous conflicts.<\/p>\n

As Titus struggles with his damaged self-esteem and Suzanne pushes against the traditional gender restrictions that prevent her from doing the work she enjoys, they slowly become friends. As can be expected in an Amish romance novel, a romantic relationship develops, but not without complications. The question is, “Will Titus and Suzanne work out their differences and overcome the past?”<\/p>\n

With a plot that moves at a steady pace, good dialogue, a touch of both drama and humor, The Journey<\/a><\/strong> is an entertaining read. For those who love Amish novels, this is one not to be missed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38,8,60,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-amish","category-books","category-contemporary-fiction","category-romance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7398"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7502,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398\/revisions\/7502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}