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Kentucky Brothers #1
The Journey
A New York Times and USA Today Bestseller! 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 one who seems perfectly suited for any Amish man and one who challenges long held ideas of the woman’s role. Who will Titus choose, and will it be the right choice?
382 pages, Paperback
Published April 5, 2011
About the author
Wanda E. Brunstetter
192 books2,235 followersNew York Times bestselling and award-winning author, Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
September 7, 2011
GENRE: AMISH
PUBLISHER: BARBOUR PUBLISHING
PUBLICATION DATE: APRIL 1, 2011
RATING: 4 OUT OF 10
When the chance to work as a carpenter in an Amish community in Kentucky arises, Titus Fisher jumps at the opportunity. Always in the shadow of his perfect twin brother, Timothy, and watched like a little child by his mother, Titus feels it’s time to find where he belongs in the world. And since this offer follows his girlfriend Phoebe’s announcement that she still isn’t ready to join the Amish church, Titus feels that perhaps it would do him some good to be away from the ties he has back home in Pennsylvania. Soon he’s settling into the rhythms of life in Kentucky, despite the dilapidated trailer he lives in and his lack of a buggy, and he strikes up a good friendship with the Yoder family, who are employing him to work in their carpentry shop. But it takes him longer to warm up to Suzanne Yoder, an unconventional young woman who prefers being in the outdoors and woodwork to cooking and sewing. But Suzanne looks just like Phoebe, and Titus can’t help but look of Suzanne and remember how Phoebe broke his heart when she went to explore the English world. Will Titus’s memories of Phoebe put a rift between him and Suzanne, or will he learn to let go of the past and discover what God has planned for him in Kentucky?
I will advise that while I tried to start this book with an open mind, I’ve never been a big fan of Wanda Brunstetter. While she’s incredibly popular in the Amish genre, which contains many of my favourite books, I’ve yet to figure out what is so appealing about her books. While many of them contain standard romance plots, I often find her writing stilted and her characters lacking in personality. Despite this, I determined to give her works another try with The Journey, which many of my friends have praised. The plot of this novel, while being fairly predictable, did sound like it had promise, particularly with Suzanne being such an unusual character for an Amish novel.
Unfortunately I found it very difficult to enjoy this book. As with previous Brunstetter novels (On Her Own, Plain and Fancy and Kelly’s Chance, to name those that I’ve read) I found the dialogue very stilted and fake-sounding, as were the internal thoughts of many of the characters. This was particularly jarring as the majority of The Journey is dialogue. I would say that at least 80% of this book was dialogue, and while normally I love conversation-driven novels, there was barely any description at all. Books in the Amish genre really need descriptions of the scenery and day-to-day life to make them seem authentic. Sadly, The Journey was very lacking in this department and could really have been set anywhere, if for the occasionally Pennsylvanian Dutch word and mention of a buggy. The Penn Dutch speech was pretty irritating in that whenever a character said anything in Dietsch, another character would then repeat the same sentence back almost word for word so that the reader would understand what the word meant. This sounded incredibly fake, and happened too often for me not to notice.
The plot jumped around too much for my liking, leaping back and forth between Titus in Kentucky and his family back home in Pennsylvania, and occasionally over to Phoebe in California. It seemed really unnecessary to include Phoebe’s sections as they really didn’t add much to the plot, other than to show that she wasn’t enjoying herself in the English world. The scenes in Pennsylvania were much the same, and seemed to repeat a lot of what had happened to Titus in Kentucky as word of his new life spread to all of her relatives. More often than not, these sections ended up detracting from the plot rather than adding to it.
There were a lot of dramatic events in this book, far too many than is realistic. On several occasions characters are nearly run off the road in their buggies - by a motorbike, a horse and wild dogs - and if these events had been connected I wouldn't have minded, but they weren't! These three events were never given any sort of plausible explanation that linked to the plot, and seemed mainly to function to bring Titus and Suzanne closer together in the aftermath of their experience. The first two events I shrugged off, but I’ll admit that I nearly laughed out loud at the appearance of the feral dogs. There's also a situation surrounding some stolen money which is cleared up far too quickly and easily to be at all believable, and then is never mentioned again by any of the characters. It felt like the author kept trying to insert some sort of mystery into the book but then resolved the situations too fast to actually make the book mysterious. And don't even get me started on all the deaths and tragedies that occurred with this family – is it really possible for one family to suffer so many traumas? Some of them seemed quite unnecessary, and the way that the characters dealt with them seemed rather offensive to anyone who has lost a relative or a child.
I have a few minor complaints about this book which, coupled with my issues with the dialogue, plot-jumping and unrealistic nature of some of the events in this book, ended up taking away from what could have been a fairly enjoyable reading experience. Firstly, The Journey apparently follows on from another series of books as numerous references are made to Zach having being kidnapped as a child. Yet for new readers, this situation isn’t explained very well and left me feeling very confused. There’s nothing in the synopsis to suggest that this series follows another one, so new readers beware of this. I’d also like to caution that while this book is marketed as Christian fiction, the spiritual aspect is very minor. The characters only ever talked to God when they were in dire need of help, but otherwise never mentioned Him, which is particularly unsettling for a novel about the Amish where God is normally central to their community and way of life. There’s a semi-conversion scene towards the end of the novel, which is one of my pet hates in Christian fiction because it is so rarely done in a tactful and satisfying manner.
While I did not enjoy this novel, I have read several glowing reviews of it and would encourage potential readers to read those before making a final decision on whether to read The Journey. As much as I hate to write a critical review, this is my honest opinion and I think it necessary to share my views on a book from one of my favourite genres. I’ve read many wonderful new books from this genre that have released this year, and The Journey just doesn’t measure up to novels from newcomers like Kelly Long, Barbara Cameron or Ruth Reid. On a more positive note, fans of Brunstetter will probably enjoy this book as it’s much the same as her earlier novels, but this also means that readers who dislike her work will probably have the same reaction as I did.
Review title provided courtesy of Barbour Publishing.
PUBLISHER: BARBOUR PUBLISHING
PUBLICATION DATE: APRIL 1, 2011
RATING: 4 OUT OF 10
When the chance to work as a carpenter in an Amish community in Kentucky arises, Titus Fisher jumps at the opportunity. Always in the shadow of his perfect twin brother, Timothy, and watched like a little child by his mother, Titus feels it’s time to find where he belongs in the world. And since this offer follows his girlfriend Phoebe’s announcement that she still isn’t ready to join the Amish church, Titus feels that perhaps it would do him some good to be away from the ties he has back home in Pennsylvania. Soon he’s settling into the rhythms of life in Kentucky, despite the dilapidated trailer he lives in and his lack of a buggy, and he strikes up a good friendship with the Yoder family, who are employing him to work in their carpentry shop. But it takes him longer to warm up to Suzanne Yoder, an unconventional young woman who prefers being in the outdoors and woodwork to cooking and sewing. But Suzanne looks just like Phoebe, and Titus can’t help but look of Suzanne and remember how Phoebe broke his heart when she went to explore the English world. Will Titus’s memories of Phoebe put a rift between him and Suzanne, or will he learn to let go of the past and discover what God has planned for him in Kentucky?
I will advise that while I tried to start this book with an open mind, I’ve never been a big fan of Wanda Brunstetter. While she’s incredibly popular in the Amish genre, which contains many of my favourite books, I’ve yet to figure out what is so appealing about her books. While many of them contain standard romance plots, I often find her writing stilted and her characters lacking in personality. Despite this, I determined to give her works another try with The Journey, which many of my friends have praised. The plot of this novel, while being fairly predictable, did sound like it had promise, particularly with Suzanne being such an unusual character for an Amish novel.
Unfortunately I found it very difficult to enjoy this book. As with previous Brunstetter novels (On Her Own, Plain and Fancy and Kelly’s Chance, to name those that I’ve read) I found the dialogue very stilted and fake-sounding, as were the internal thoughts of many of the characters. This was particularly jarring as the majority of The Journey is dialogue. I would say that at least 80% of this book was dialogue, and while normally I love conversation-driven novels, there was barely any description at all. Books in the Amish genre really need descriptions of the scenery and day-to-day life to make them seem authentic. Sadly, The Journey was very lacking in this department and could really have been set anywhere, if for the occasionally Pennsylvanian Dutch word and mention of a buggy. The Penn Dutch speech was pretty irritating in that whenever a character said anything in Dietsch, another character would then repeat the same sentence back almost word for word so that the reader would understand what the word meant. This sounded incredibly fake, and happened too often for me not to notice.
The plot jumped around too much for my liking, leaping back and forth between Titus in Kentucky and his family back home in Pennsylvania, and occasionally over to Phoebe in California. It seemed really unnecessary to include Phoebe’s sections as they really didn’t add much to the plot, other than to show that she wasn’t enjoying herself in the English world. The scenes in Pennsylvania were much the same, and seemed to repeat a lot of what had happened to Titus in Kentucky as word of his new life spread to all of her relatives. More often than not, these sections ended up detracting from the plot rather than adding to it.
There were a lot of dramatic events in this book, far too many than is realistic. On several occasions characters are nearly run off the road in their buggies - by a motorbike, a horse and wild dogs - and if these events had been connected I wouldn't have minded, but they weren't! These three events were never given any sort of plausible explanation that linked to the plot, and seemed mainly to function to bring Titus and Suzanne closer together in the aftermath of their experience. The first two events I shrugged off, but I’ll admit that I nearly laughed out loud at the appearance of the feral dogs. There's also a situation surrounding some stolen money which is cleared up far too quickly and easily to be at all believable, and then is never mentioned again by any of the characters. It felt like the author kept trying to insert some sort of mystery into the book but then resolved the situations too fast to actually make the book mysterious. And don't even get me started on all the deaths and tragedies that occurred with this family – is it really possible for one family to suffer so many traumas? Some of them seemed quite unnecessary, and the way that the characters dealt with them seemed rather offensive to anyone who has lost a relative or a child.
I have a few minor complaints about this book which, coupled with my issues with the dialogue, plot-jumping and unrealistic nature of some of the events in this book, ended up taking away from what could have been a fairly enjoyable reading experience. Firstly, The Journey apparently follows on from another series of books as numerous references are made to Zach having being kidnapped as a child. Yet for new readers, this situation isn’t explained very well and left me feeling very confused. There’s nothing in the synopsis to suggest that this series follows another one, so new readers beware of this. I’d also like to caution that while this book is marketed as Christian fiction, the spiritual aspect is very minor. The characters only ever talked to God when they were in dire need of help, but otherwise never mentioned Him, which is particularly unsettling for a novel about the Amish where God is normally central to their community and way of life. There’s a semi-conversion scene towards the end of the novel, which is one of my pet hates in Christian fiction because it is so rarely done in a tactful and satisfying manner.
While I did not enjoy this novel, I have read several glowing reviews of it and would encourage potential readers to read those before making a final decision on whether to read The Journey. As much as I hate to write a critical review, this is my honest opinion and I think it necessary to share my views on a book from one of my favourite genres. I’ve read many wonderful new books from this genre that have released this year, and The Journey just doesn’t measure up to novels from newcomers like Kelly Long, Barbara Cameron or Ruth Reid. On a more positive note, fans of Brunstetter will probably enjoy this book as it’s much the same as her earlier novels, but this also means that readers who dislike her work will probably have the same reaction as I did.
Review title provided courtesy of Barbour Publishing.
April 15, 2011
Wanda Brunstetter is a well-known name in the Amish genre. Branching off of the Fisher family from previous series, she begins a new series focusing on the youngest of the Fisher family, Titus. It was neat learning tidbits about the previous adventures that the family has gone through—makes me want to go and get the other books to read about them in detail!
The first chapter was rather humorous as the reader was introduced to Titus, who has a big dislike for cats. As the story continues you can’t help but sympathize with Titus as he tries to deal with his longtime girlfriend breaking up with him. He’s joined the church, but she doesn’t and wants to leave Paradise, thus ending their relationship. He takes this news hard—he’s waited for her since he was 17 years old. Now at 22 going on 23, he’s not sure if he will ever forget the hurt. Desperate to get away from the painful memories, he moves to Kentucky...and meets Suzanne Yoder. I really liked her character. She was strong and determined, and the way she handled many situations was commendable. Her predicament over cooking was rather funny!
The Journey was, in some ways, predictable. This didn’t ruin the book for me and I was still pulled into the story, regardless. My hunch was right in the end, but the plot leading up to the ultimate ending was intriguing and kept me reading.
Once or twice the writing style was a little vague, especially the scene when the two men barge into Titus’ house. While I still understood what was going on, I didn’t feel “in” the scene…more like someone watching it all from afar. So, besides a few instances like this, the story flowed well and it was easy to get lost in the world of Titus and Suzanne.
I have only read one book by Wanda in the past, so don’t have much experience with this author. But I enjoyed this story and would consider getting the next in the series, when it is released. As I mentioned above, The Journey is the beginning of a new series that is a branch off from previous series concerning the Fisher family. I thought this was really neat, continuing the Fisher legacy. I am sure fans of the Fisher’s will be eager to get their hands on this new installment.
The first chapter was rather humorous as the reader was introduced to Titus, who has a big dislike for cats. As the story continues you can’t help but sympathize with Titus as he tries to deal with his longtime girlfriend breaking up with him. He’s joined the church, but she doesn’t and wants to leave Paradise, thus ending their relationship. He takes this news hard—he’s waited for her since he was 17 years old. Now at 22 going on 23, he’s not sure if he will ever forget the hurt. Desperate to get away from the painful memories, he moves to Kentucky...and meets Suzanne Yoder. I really liked her character. She was strong and determined, and the way she handled many situations was commendable. Her predicament over cooking was rather funny!
The Journey was, in some ways, predictable. This didn’t ruin the book for me and I was still pulled into the story, regardless. My hunch was right in the end, but the plot leading up to the ultimate ending was intriguing and kept me reading.
Once or twice the writing style was a little vague, especially the scene when the two men barge into Titus’ house. While I still understood what was going on, I didn’t feel “in” the scene…more like someone watching it all from afar. So, besides a few instances like this, the story flowed well and it was easy to get lost in the world of Titus and Suzanne.
I have only read one book by Wanda in the past, so don’t have much experience with this author. But I enjoyed this story and would consider getting the next in the series, when it is released. As I mentioned above, The Journey is the beginning of a new series that is a branch off from previous series concerning the Fisher family. I thought this was really neat, continuing the Fisher legacy. I am sure fans of the Fisher’s will be eager to get their hands on this new installment.
October 29, 2021
This was the second book I’ve read by this author. The first was The Seekers, the Amish Cooking Class which rated 5 stars. The Journey seemed to be crafted earlier because it unfolded slowly and awkwardly. Titus had lost his girlfriend because she wanted to experience the English world. She didn’t want to join the Amish church. He moved to slower paced Kentucky where he meets another girl and they fall in love. The inspirational Bible verses and the saving of a needy person gave some depth to the narrative but I hope to read novels with more pizazz.
October 21, 2011
The words "Plain" and "Simple" may be a bit underwhelming to most of us, but in the amish world those are very good things and I would definitely say that the plain and simple story told here about Silas and Suzanne and how their worlds come together is plain, simple, and a very good thing.
Silas Fisher is a broken man- the woman that he was so positive that he was set to marry has decided to take off to California as she isn't so sure that this Amish way of life is for her and wants to spread her wings and fly away. Poor Silas is left to lick his wounds and decides a change of scenery might be a good thing. He is presented with a job opportunity that takes him from Paradise , Pennsylvania to the more rural Pembroke Kentucky. Silas starts over with a new job doing woodworking with the Yoder family. Suzanne Yoder, not your typical amish woman also has a love for woodworking. Although her family members can't quite embrace her affinity in that area and so she feels frustrated with her inability to do what she really loves. When these two characters meet at first, they both have a slight aversion to each other- Silas is not fond of Suzanne as her coloring is very similar to the girl who had jilted him and Suzanne wasn't fond of him because Silas wouldn't even meet her eye. Eventually, they see each other for who they really are and the romance between the two is sweet and builds slowly as the story unfolds.
I liked the fact that both characters had some growing up to do in this story and that transpires because they both are grounded in their faith and want to do what God wants. One can't help but love the characters and love the families around them that always try to love and support them even if their opinions can sometimes be a little off. They all meant well of course, but sometimes moms worried too much and brothers had their old-fashioned opinions. It just made the characters real and endearing. The Journey is the first in the Kentucky Brother's series and I have to say I'm hooked now and want to see what happens next.
I was very fortunate to win this book through the First Reads giveaway program here on Goodreads.
Silas Fisher is a broken man- the woman that he was so positive that he was set to marry has decided to take off to California as she isn't so sure that this Amish way of life is for her and wants to spread her wings and fly away. Poor Silas is left to lick his wounds and decides a change of scenery might be a good thing. He is presented with a job opportunity that takes him from Paradise , Pennsylvania to the more rural Pembroke Kentucky. Silas starts over with a new job doing woodworking with the Yoder family. Suzanne Yoder, not your typical amish woman also has a love for woodworking. Although her family members can't quite embrace her affinity in that area and so she feels frustrated with her inability to do what she really loves. When these two characters meet at first, they both have a slight aversion to each other- Silas is not fond of Suzanne as her coloring is very similar to the girl who had jilted him and Suzanne wasn't fond of him because Silas wouldn't even meet her eye. Eventually, they see each other for who they really are and the romance between the two is sweet and builds slowly as the story unfolds.
I liked the fact that both characters had some growing up to do in this story and that transpires because they both are grounded in their faith and want to do what God wants. One can't help but love the characters and love the families around them that always try to love and support them even if their opinions can sometimes be a little off. They all meant well of course, but sometimes moms worried too much and brothers had their old-fashioned opinions. It just made the characters real and endearing. The Journey is the first in the Kentucky Brother's series and I have to say I'm hooked now and want to see what happens next.
I was very fortunate to win this book through the First Reads giveaway program here on Goodreads.
January 12, 2011
The Journey is the first book in Wanda Brunstetter’s new series Kentucky Brothers, a spin-off of her Daughters of Lancaster County series.
There are always comparisons between siblings in families, but being a twin brings on even more comparisons for Titus Fisher. Titus, a 22 year-old Amish man who still lives with his parents in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, lacks confidence in himself. He feels he is always being compared to Timothy. Titus is courting Phoebe, who has yet to settle down and join the church, much to Titus’ dismay.
There are expectations of a young Amish woman – she should know how to clean, to sew, to cook. But 22 year old Suzanne Yoder would rather be fishing, working with wood, or be outside. Suzanne, single and living with her family in Pembroke, Kentucky, feels she doesn’t need to know how to cook since she’s never had a boyfriend, is probably never getting married, and tells her family she’s alright with that.
What happens in order for Titus and Suzanne to meet can only be God’s plan, because Titus’ mamm is concerned that he’s not thinking right. She has no idea why he would want to leave his family and everyone he knows in Pennsylvania to move to Kentucky for a possible job woodworking job for someone he’s never met. The pair gets off to a rocky start – Titus with his broken heart and Suzanne with her resemblance to Phoebe.
I loved this story – the broken hearts, the family interactions, the community, the misunderstandings, the mystery, the drama, and the reliance on God. I experienced a vast array of emotions while I read – joy, frustration, fear, relief, pain – as well as laughing out loud, shedding a few tears, and lots of smiles. I would recommend this novel to anyone who would enjoy inspirational fiction, Amish fiction, or a sweet love story.
I received this advance copy of the book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and am was not required to provide a positive review. This book comes out on April 1, 2011.
There are always comparisons between siblings in families, but being a twin brings on even more comparisons for Titus Fisher. Titus, a 22 year-old Amish man who still lives with his parents in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, lacks confidence in himself. He feels he is always being compared to Timothy. Titus is courting Phoebe, who has yet to settle down and join the church, much to Titus’ dismay.
There are expectations of a young Amish woman – she should know how to clean, to sew, to cook. But 22 year old Suzanne Yoder would rather be fishing, working with wood, or be outside. Suzanne, single and living with her family in Pembroke, Kentucky, feels she doesn’t need to know how to cook since she’s never had a boyfriend, is probably never getting married, and tells her family she’s alright with that.
What happens in order for Titus and Suzanne to meet can only be God’s plan, because Titus’ mamm is concerned that he’s not thinking right. She has no idea why he would want to leave his family and everyone he knows in Pennsylvania to move to Kentucky for a possible job woodworking job for someone he’s never met. The pair gets off to a rocky start – Titus with his broken heart and Suzanne with her resemblance to Phoebe.
I loved this story – the broken hearts, the family interactions, the community, the misunderstandings, the mystery, the drama, and the reliance on God. I experienced a vast array of emotions while I read – joy, frustration, fear, relief, pain – as well as laughing out loud, shedding a few tears, and lots of smiles. I would recommend this novel to anyone who would enjoy inspirational fiction, Amish fiction, or a sweet love story.
I received this advance copy of the book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and am was not required to provide a positive review. This book comes out on April 1, 2011.
March 12, 2011
With all the anticipation of this living up to my expectations and its fellow Amish romances, I was unfortunately let down. The book is exasperatingly lengthy and almost seems to be written by a non-native English speaker. It takes forever for any real romance to happen and the emotions and insights of the characters are so monotonously explained again and again that any passion is non-existent. The disastrous outcomes of much of the secondary characters was almost laughable in its unreality. The primary male character was unlikeable to say the least while Suzanne the lead female was the only character I really enjoyed. Had it not been an 'Amish' novel, I would have wished for a little more gumption to stand up for herself, but all things considered I felt she had the most real life of any one character. Lastly, the true chaffing occurred in the premise that's repeated over and over that Suzanne's identity and purpose are fragmented by her inability to find a man pleased with her. This is a slap in the face to anyone who prides their self on any little bit of female independence. The prior issues were just ones of plot preference while the travesty of the theme ruined any hope I had for liking this novel.
July 20, 2011
This is the first Amish book that I have read. I admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I knew that the Amish are a people of great faith and live a simple lifestyle compared to the rest of the world. I was surprised at how much technology they actually use. That the amount allowed is under the direction of the local area religious leaders. I guess I live in a different region of the United States.
Titus is the main male character. He has had his heart broken by Pheobe and moves from Pennsylvania to Kentucky. There he begins to forge a life for himself partly to move from all reminders of Pheobe and partly to prove himself and an adult. He meets a couple of eligible young women, but doesn't feel ready to begin courting yet.
Suzanne and Ester are best friends. One is interested in Titus at first, but realizes that they have nothing in common. Then the other begins to develop feelings for him. Let's not mention that Phoebe is still hanging around in the picture.
I love the faith aspect of the book. I love that this is a clean romance that I would give to my mother in a heartbeat.
I am glad that I won it from the first reads program. Just wish that I would have been able to get to it a little sooner.
Titus is the main male character. He has had his heart broken by Pheobe and moves from Pennsylvania to Kentucky. There he begins to forge a life for himself partly to move from all reminders of Pheobe and partly to prove himself and an adult. He meets a couple of eligible young women, but doesn't feel ready to begin courting yet.
Suzanne and Ester are best friends. One is interested in Titus at first, but realizes that they have nothing in common. Then the other begins to develop feelings for him. Let's not mention that Phoebe is still hanging around in the picture.
I love the faith aspect of the book. I love that this is a clean romance that I would give to my mother in a heartbeat.
I am glad that I won it from the first reads program. Just wish that I would have been able to get to it a little sooner.
September 19, 2012
This is a great book for a third grader. Not even sure if it is written at the 6th grade reading level.
The character development is minimal, the dialog is wooden and phoney and the jumping back and forth from city to city really makes the chapters short. Almost like reading the USA Today. You want MORE!
I skipped to the last chapter to get through it.
Sorry Wanda. I know a lot of people think you are an amazing writer, I'm just not one of them.
The character development is minimal, the dialog is wooden and phoney and the jumping back and forth from city to city really makes the chapters short. Almost like reading the USA Today. You want MORE!
I skipped to the last chapter to get through it.
Sorry Wanda. I know a lot of people think you are an amazing writer, I'm just not one of them.
May 18, 2011
I have determined that Brunstetter's writing is inferior to that of other authors in the Amish fiction genre. The dialogue is not authentic nor natural-sounding and some of the story lines are too contrived for my taste. However, I did like the continuation of the characters from an earlier series and I do want to see what happens in the next installment in this series.
August 11, 2021
This was a nice easy and enjoyable read. I'm trying to clear my shelves a bit (to make room for more treasures). It was what I expected and didn't disappoint.
August 24, 2021
I absolutely loved this book and look forward to reading the remaining two books in this series. I am always fascinated by the Amish way of life - and anytime I read about an Amish family - it is amazing the amenities that we take for granted. From phones to hiring drivers to take them to the city. At the same time there is so much peace in their communities. I especially loved the fact this book is set in KY - my home state. Many places were mentioned that I am aware of and could picture in my minds eye. I have always said - reading is like watching a movie with your mind - you just get to choose the actors! This was a beautiful story of maturity from living at home to moving and becoming a responsible young adult and the challenges that go along with it. Well worth the time I spent reading it! I could read it again (and probably will someday)! 💕
May 10, 2018
The Journey is the first in a series about "Kentucky Brothers." I love series and this one was no exception. I loved the two women that were introduced in this book and the issues that Titus had committing were very real. I loved how this book flowed into book 2, The Healing, because once I fall in love with characters, I want more. I don't want to say goodbye too soon.
February 3, 2021
If you enjoy reading about the Amish and there ways, you will find this appealing.
January 19, 2011
My 2 Cents: I started reading Amish books a few months ago, this is my 8th one if I am not mistaken and 3rd or 4th by Wanda Brunstetter. I love her work. I am never disappointed in her characters, setting, or issues. Titus moves away to Kentucky to get away from Phoebe. She broke his heart and went off with a friend to California after leading him to believe she would join the church and marry him. Life changed for Titus once he got to Kentucky from day one. He met the granddaughter ( Suzanne ) of the man he was working for and she looked like Phoebe's twin. He was disgusted by her at the beginning. Can she really be just like Phoebe? Then we meet Esther, Suzanne's best friend, Titus really takes a shine to her. Let the romance begin.
Wanda has a way of bringing in sorrow and humor together that makes you feel at ease. One minute you feel sorry for Titus on how insecure he is and the next you are laughing when he falls in a pile of manure. Or when he moves into the trailer a friend of his has and it is so messy and vile you would rather sleep outside, to everyone wanting to help him fix it up.
I love the romance part of the story it takes off slow and you really wish he will make the right choice. I found myself rooting on one character and feeling sorry for the ex girlfriend in some ways and wanting to slap her silly the next.
I also love the innocent humor among the characters. I was laughing out loud through quite a few pages causing stares from some people ( guess they never read a good book ). This was a fun and easy read. If you have reservations of starting a Amish read give some a try I am glad I did.
Wanda has a way of bringing in sorrow and humor together that makes you feel at ease. One minute you feel sorry for Titus on how insecure he is and the next you are laughing when he falls in a pile of manure. Or when he moves into the trailer a friend of his has and it is so messy and vile you would rather sleep outside, to everyone wanting to help him fix it up.
I love the romance part of the story it takes off slow and you really wish he will make the right choice. I found myself rooting on one character and feeling sorry for the ex girlfriend in some ways and wanting to slap her silly the next.
I also love the innocent humor among the characters. I was laughing out loud through quite a few pages causing stares from some people ( guess they never read a good book ). This was a fun and easy read. If you have reservations of starting a Amish read give some a try I am glad I did.
January 13, 2011
We meet Titus Fisher a young Amish man who lives in Pennsylvania with his parents. Titus has a twin brother who he compares himself to and falls short in his mind. He has been in love with Phoebe for 5 years and while their parents have not allowed him to court her due to her young age, she has finally turned 18 and an age where they can be together and marry. Pheobe decides she is going to try the ways of the English and go to California with her friend. She wants to have some fun, and refuses to marry or court Titus. Suffering from a broken heart, he moved to Kentucky after and offer of a woodworking job from a family friend. He feels that he needs to be away from the memories of his love and to be able to make it on his own so his parents will stop treating him like a child.
Working for the Yoder family in Kentucky, he meets Suzanne Yoder a 22 year old Amish woman who enjoys woodworking rather than cooking and being inside. He he does not want anything to do with her as she looks just like Pheobe. He starts to court Suzanne's best friend but the sparks don't fly there.
Eventually he gets to know Suzanne better and is discovering that she is nothing like Pheobe and that they have a lot of common interests.
This story was very sweet and I just loved Titus and Pheobe. I was a little confused by some of the characters in Lancaster, it seemed that I was missing something and I now realize Wanda E. Brunstetter has many Amish stories out and it seems they are characters from previous books. It did not take away from the story, it just makes me want to pick up some of the previous novels. This was a nice, clean christian book that was a refreshing read.
Working for the Yoder family in Kentucky, he meets Suzanne Yoder a 22 year old Amish woman who enjoys woodworking rather than cooking and being inside. He he does not want anything to do with her as she looks just like Pheobe. He starts to court Suzanne's best friend but the sparks don't fly there.
Eventually he gets to know Suzanne better and is discovering that she is nothing like Pheobe and that they have a lot of common interests.
This story was very sweet and I just loved Titus and Pheobe. I was a little confused by some of the characters in Lancaster, it seemed that I was missing something and I now realize Wanda E. Brunstetter has many Amish stories out and it seems they are characters from previous books. It did not take away from the story, it just makes me want to pick up some of the previous novels. This was a nice, clean christian book that was a refreshing read.
November 12, 2018
Apparently someone told Brunstetter to end each chapter with some kind of tension. Unfortunately, she's so dedicated to this concept that the story suffers. If there isn't anything handy, she invents something as unprobable as a pack of wild dogs or a run away horse with no precedent anywhere in the story before they show up. The story reads very predictable and rather than being the sweet unfolding of a clean love story, it's a choppy that leaves the reader with almost no attachment to the characters. Also randomly thrown in are POV's from peripheral characters that are not significant to the story arc. The worst sin in this book is the reader of the audio version. She would have a nice voice if she read it straight, but instead she attempts to do "voices" with a no German for the sprinkling of traditional Amish terms and a painfully bad southern accent that comes and goes for Kentucky characters.
August 20, 2017
Manufactured crises, stilted dialogue, and poor overall writing make up this story, set in Lancaster County and in Kentucky. I've enjoyed brunstetter's work in the past, so this was a surprising disappointment. Worse than the writing itself, though, was the poor quality of the audio version. The reader had a distracting accent and pronounced the Amish words very badly. Also, she used confusing inflections to add drama to the wrong parts of the storyline. overall, not a great book, but it helped me get to sleep in some rough hotel beds on my road trip.
December 3, 2017
Titus always felt inferior to his twin brother. To get out from under
his shadow & to get away from memories of the girlfriend who left him,
he moves away. He meets a nice girl but after a few dates they feel they
don't have much in common. Another girl reminds him too much of the
girl who left him. She is also a bit unconventional by Amish standards.
So many things happen in this book that you won't see coming.
his shadow & to get away from memories of the girlfriend who left him,
he moves away. He meets a nice girl but after a few dates they feel they
don't have much in common. Another girl reminds him too much of the
girl who left him. She is also a bit unconventional by Amish standards.
So many things happen in this book that you won't see coming.
May 3, 2016
This is book one of the series, but it might be a spin-off. The way that happenings were referenced made me feel like I should known about them (past kidnappings and deaths and such). Anyways, I thought this was a clean adult romance, but it felt more like a middle grade or maybe YA vibe to me. I do like those types of books, but for some reason, I just couldn't get into this one.
February 1, 2019
Only gave two stars as the rating style is super basic. Reminds me of how a young person would write. Too much of the obvious spelled out versus details that should be added. Story very slow moving and book could be half the length it was. I have this book as part of a trilogy in one book. I’ll keep reading the series when I have nothing else on hand.
December 28, 2017
I love the way Wanda Brunstetter writes. This book didn't pull me in like I thought .I could tell where the book was going after the first chapter.
August 12, 2019
As I "read" the audio version, it's a bit difficult to review the writing, as the inflection might be different than what I would use. I did find the speaker’s Kentucky accent very distracting (do the Amish in Kentucky actually speak with that much of an accent?) as was a woman trying to emulate a man’s voice.
As to the book overall , I feel as though it was written with the themes in mind first, (hero has heart broken, wants to escape from under the shadow of his successful brother and his hovering mother, heroine wants to prove she can do what a man does), then was set with Amish characters.
I expect someone writing a book about a specific historical period or culture, such as the Amish in this case, to do research. I’ll admit I haven’t researched the Amish community but I have a pretty good idea that they don’t name their children Mindy, Jared, Chad, use nicknames such Zach for Zachary, Dan for Daniel, or use paper towels for cleaning up spills. I don’t think it would be all right when an employee says he’s sorry he’s late again; the Amish are known for being conscientious, hard-working people.
There was too much inconsistency between English and Amish, sometimes the characters actually speaking in Amish, other times using English words I don’t think they would use. Even in the narrative, the references shouldn’t be “Grandpa”, “Mama”, “Dad”, or “running around period”.
As to the book overall , I feel as though it was written with the themes in mind first, (hero has heart broken, wants to escape from under the shadow of his successful brother and his hovering mother, heroine wants to prove she can do what a man does), then was set with Amish characters.
I expect someone writing a book about a specific historical period or culture, such as the Amish in this case, to do research. I’ll admit I haven’t researched the Amish community but I have a pretty good idea that they don’t name their children Mindy, Jared, Chad, use nicknames such Zach for Zachary, Dan for Daniel, or use paper towels for cleaning up spills. I don’t think it would be all right when an employee says he’s sorry he’s late again; the Amish are known for being conscientious, hard-working people.
There was too much inconsistency between English and Amish, sometimes the characters actually speaking in Amish, other times using English words I don’t think they would use. Even in the narrative, the references shouldn’t be “Grandpa”, “Mama”, “Dad”, or “running around period”.
January 16, 2019
The Journey by New York Times Bestseller Author of Sister a Hope Wanda Brunstetter. This story take place Paradis, Pennsylvania. Tituss and Phoebe. Tituss was 23 and had all ready join the church he was wanting for Phoebe to do the same so they could be married. Phoebe had other plans she wanted to go California and see the Pacific Ocean. So a friend of Phoebe. Darlene planned a trip to California. Phoebe ask Tituss to come with them. He told her no . So Phoebe left for California with her friend Darlene . In the meantime Tituss was left with a broken heart. So one day a friend of Tituss was tell him about a job in Pembroke, Kentucky in wood working. Tituss thought this could be good for him to get away and find him self. So the Journey Phoebe and Tituss was come to a end. The one find the Lord again and come home to start over the other found love and him self by the help of praying and ask for the Lord help. This book really got to me they talked about for giving and ask God for help. It also say the hardships we experience and the trials we face here on earth teach us to trust more in God. Some one told me one time that he only give what we can handle.
November 17, 2018
When Phoebe Stoltzfus breaks off their courtship, Titus Fisher decides he needs to start a new life and moves from Pennsylvania to Kentucky and it turns out to be the best decision he's ever made. He finds rewarding work that he really can see himself making a career of and he starts to wonder if he may be ready to move on from his relationship with Phoebe and risk getting his heart broken again. When he starts thinking about whether or not he should try courting again, he has two young women to consider: one seems like she'd be the perfect Amish wife and the other seems to challenge long-held ideas of women's' roles. And to further complicate things, the girl that challenges him also happens to look a lot like his ex-girlfriend, Phoebe, even though they couldn't be more different in personality.
I really enjoyed the beginning of this series. I've always liked Wanda Brunstetter's books and this one has her signature talent for character creation and storyline that her books are known for. As always, she manages to create characters that are dynamic and that you can't help but bond with. This sweet story has themes of forgiving others and yourself. It also deals with feelings of not measuring up to what your family expects you to be. These are things that many of us can relate to. That's another thing I really enjoy about Wanda's books. They're all very relatable, even if you aren't part of the Amish lifestyle. The themes are universal. And, she manages to write the story in a way that makes you almost feel as if you're a part of the story. I know the rest of the series will be just as good and I'm looking forward to getting to know my favorite characters better and to having others introduced in greater detail.
I really enjoyed the beginning of this series. I've always liked Wanda Brunstetter's books and this one has her signature talent for character creation and storyline that her books are known for. As always, she manages to create characters that are dynamic and that you can't help but bond with. This sweet story has themes of forgiving others and yourself. It also deals with feelings of not measuring up to what your family expects you to be. These are things that many of us can relate to. That's another thing I really enjoy about Wanda's books. They're all very relatable, even if you aren't part of the Amish lifestyle. The themes are universal. And, she manages to write the story in a way that makes you almost feel as if you're a part of the story. I know the rest of the series will be just as good and I'm looking forward to getting to know my favorite characters better and to having others introduced in greater detail.
December 26, 2021
I found this book to be such a joy to read. This has some of the character from the Daughters of Landcaster County series.
In this first book, we're following the story of Naomi's brother, Titus Fisher, who has a plan to move to Kentucky to get away form the memories of his ex-girlfriend, Phoebe.
I didn't like Phoebe at all in this book, except for at the end when she finally decided to turn her life over to the Lord. For most of the novel, however, i found her to be very selfish.
I'm very happy that Titus chose Suzanne at the end. I thinkl she will be a better wife for him.
Another thing; I don't think Fannie had any reason to be so worried about Titus. The fact that he was hurt isn't a good enough reason for him to go back home. All she can do for him is pray.
5 star read! Can't wait to find the rest of the trilogy.
In this first book, we're following the story of Naomi's brother, Titus Fisher, who has a plan to move to Kentucky to get away form the memories of his ex-girlfriend, Phoebe.
I didn't like Phoebe at all in this book, except for at the end when she finally decided to turn her life over to the Lord. For most of the novel, however, i found her to be very selfish.
I'm very happy that Titus chose Suzanne at the end. I thinkl she will be a better wife for him.
Another thing; I don't think Fannie had any reason to be so worried about Titus. The fact that he was hurt isn't a good enough reason for him to go back home. All she can do for him is pray.
5 star read! Can't wait to find the rest of the trilogy.
October 18, 2018
Excellent book! Brunstetter has written another trilogy about the Fisher family. In this book, Titus Fisher, now grown up, has his heart broken and decides the best thing to do is to leave Lancaster County and move to Christian County, Kentucky, where his brother Zach's best friend (and Englisher) lives. It's a tough decision, but one he feels is best for him - not only to heal his heart, but also to find his way in life. I found this book especially interesting to read because I am familiar with the Hopkinsville, Kentucky, area, and just recently learned that there is a thriving Amish community there.
May 13, 2019
I tried. I got about 85% through the book, but couldn't take it any more. It's a DNF for me. Another reviewer, Rachel Brand, said all the things that I was thinking about this book, so read her review! Basically, too many contrived (and just plain silly) plot points, too many dumb decisions by the characters, too much telling us what's in the everyone's head. I listened to the audiobook and found myself just yelling out loud out of frustration. Also, the reader was pretty good, but she mispronounced many of the Amish words, which kind of bugged me. I do like a good Amish romance, but Wanda Brunstetter just isn't for me. This is the third book of hers that I've tried. I'm done.
February 23, 2020
Titus leaves Lancaster county for Kentucky to work in an Amish carpentry shop. He wants to leave because the girl he has loved for years won't join the church and is going to California. In Kentucky the daughter of the family is Suzanne. Suzanne prefer woodworking to learning womanly skills, her brother does not approve. Suzanne has already joined church and is kind and helpful. Titus has to figure out his future all over again. Can he forget and forgive the girl he loved so long? Is Suzanne the one God intended for him. Wanda Brunstetter takes Titus on The Journey to finding the path God wishes him on.
May 13, 2017
I enjoyed this Amish story. It is about how three young people try to find themselves and fit in and how their lives intertwine. It contrasts kindness with selfishness as well as comparing themselves with others. The romance develops at a nice pace so that I could keep up and was onboard for them. The choice that is made in the end, is done in a pretty logical and mature fashion which included relying on the Lord for guidance.
I did feel that our selfish person made a change to abruptly in the end, it didn't feel real to me.
I did feel that our selfish person made a change to abruptly in the end, it didn't feel real to me.
August 7, 2022
The Journey comes after another series, but I don't remember which one. There are references to things that have happened in Zach's past, but not enough for the reader to know his whole background. I picked this up to read only to realize I have read it before.
The story jumps around quite a bit between three settings, making it a bit hard to follow. The writing is stilted, the conversations are stilted, and there are things that happen that make no sense and are completely unnecessary to the plot line.
This is a predictable story of a young man becoming his own person.
The story jumps around quite a bit between three settings, making it a bit hard to follow. The writing is stilted, the conversations are stilted, and there are things that happen that make no sense and are completely unnecessary to the plot line.
This is a predictable story of a young man becoming his own person.
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