Goodbye to Yesterday

Discovery #1

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

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 Middlebury, 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? 

Genres: Amish, Christian Fiction, Amish Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Romance, Audiobook

128 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2013

About the author

New 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.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first in a six-part serial, this sweet little novella sets the scene for the story as a whole and introduces the drama that will hopefully hook you into reading the next installment. It's hard to rate something that is really just the beginning of a longer piece, but I did enjoy this overall and I will read on to see how everything plays out.

[Lynnda Ell · Rating 1 out of 5]

As I opened the package and pulled out the free review copy of Wanda E. Brunstetter’s latest “book”, I knew I was due to be disappointed. Goodbye to Yesterday was only 121 pages long. In a small oval on the front cover were the words “The Discovery Part 1 of 6.”

I had been hearing rumors that publishers were experimenting with serials. (Long ago, prior to the development of paperback books, newspapers and magazines routinely published books as serials in their publications.) I presumed that the slim volume I held was evidence that the rumors were true.

At this point, anyone who is a faithful fan of Wanda Brunstetter can stop reading. If you will wait for six “parts” to be published and will pay US$6.99 for each “part,” then the rest of this review is a waste of your time. However, for the rest of you, here are my thoughts on “part 1”—Goodbye to Yesterday:

An episode of a serial has a different flow than a book. Instead of a beginning, middle and end, an episode introduces some characters, sets up a situation, ratchets up the suspense and stops when something bad is happening. (The outcome of the “something bad” is left unfinished until the beginning of the next episode.) Everything I just described is all you get in Goodbye to Yesterday.

In order for a serial to work, the reader must care about the characters. She has to wait until the next episode to find out what happened, so unless she cares a lot, the serial fails. In my opinion, the characters in Goodbye to Yesterday were so bland that I cannot tell you anything about them less than 24 hours after reading the “book.”

So that’s it: no plot, lackluster characters, and a few pages of imitation suspense building. I think the publishers should rethink this strategy. It didn’t work for me with Goodbye to Yesterday.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part 1 of 6. LOVE this Format. Sometime you want a quick easy read instead of being tied down to a long book. Nice change.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was pretty disappointed with this one actually. It's a tiny book with large print that in reality is only the first few chapters of a "real" book. I would have been pretty disappointed had I bought this book. There is nothing that is resolved in this part of the story. It sets up for continuing the series but in no way can be read on it's own. It honestly felt like a rip-off- a way to make money by forcing people to buy different parts of the same book. I'm not sure what the publisher or author's goal is for doing it this way, but I really didn't like it at all. With regards to the story, as I said before, this booklet introduces the reader to Meredith and Luke, a newly married Amish couple dealing with the stress of a lost job. I can't say that I enjoyed this too much either. It seemed to be dragged out too much, and the adding of Dutch words or phrases then explained by an awkward repeating by the second person in the conversation drives me nuts. This part of the story shows the stress of the couple as Luke lost his job a few months back, then his excitement and her misgivings as he goes to Indiana (from Pennsylvania) to learn and buy a business from his uncle only to experience "tragedy" as the back flap puts it. Which is exactly where the "book" ends. I was so annoyed by that that I really cannot recommend this book at all. I honestly would not bother unless you LOVE Amish fiction, and are willing to buy multiple books to get one story.

I recieved a copy of this book for review from the publisher.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. That ending was insane and now, even though I didn't have any plans to, I want to pick up the second book ASAP. I need to know what happens with Luke and how hurt he got from the attack!

I'm usually not a fan of Amish fiction, but Goodbye to Yesterday was written very well.

[Hannah Beth (Hannah's Book Cafe) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness, what a cliffhanger! Excited to get to the next part of the story.

[April Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodbye to Yesterday, by Wanda E. Brunstetter is a short but sweet Amish romance set in modern times. It is the first in the six book Lancaster County saga.

If you think Amish romances are boring, you couldn't possibly be anymore wrong. There is a reason Brunstetter is a NY Times Best Selling Author... Her stories are interesting, intriguing, and even a bit suspenseful.

Luke and Meredith are off to a rough start as newlyweds... They should be experiencing newlywed bliss, but instead they are struggling to meet ends meet since Luke was recently laid off from his job at a furniture store. When Luke gets a phone call from his uncle offering him ownership of his business, he happily accepts it, and heads out to Indiana. Is this an opportunity of a lifetime? Or should Luke have listened to his wife's reservations and stayed home?

Luke crosses paths with a drug addicted drifter and his life changes forever. His wife's concern turns out to be well warranted. But was there a bigger reason for them to have crossed paths? And what will become of Luke and Meredith when the truth hangs in the balance, and reality is not real at all?



Find this out and more, in Goodbye to Yesterday.

[Tima · Rating 1 out of 5]

Luke and Meredith are newlyweds. Luke recently lost his job and tensions are high as he looks for a source of income. Then an offer comes along that seems to be a dream come true. But Meredith has reservations and can't shake her worries.

The story seemed to speed forward without much character or plot development. The clues given made the ending very predictable. Before my attention could be captured the story was over. With only 114 pages (in a 1/2 size book) the book seems more of an excerpt than an actual book. This is a regular book that has been broken into six pieces. I would not have agreed to read the book if I'd known this. I certainly wouldn't pay the $6.99 that Amazon is asking. Sadly, the part 1 did not interest me enough to want to read the rest of the book.

I received this book free of charge from Handlebar in exchange for my honest review.

[Mady White · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, that ended interesting

[Momma Frugal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited to be able to read one of Ms. Brunstetter's books! I have seen many of her books before and I know she is a very accomplished author.


This particular book is actually part 1 of a 6 part series. It's more of a serialized novel. Think of it more like your favorite tv show where you are left waiting for the next episode.


The Overview


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 Middlebury, Indiana. A deadly encounter at a Philadelphia bus station. Will their love and faith be enough to bring them back together again, against all odds? Book 1 of the 6-part serial novel--The Discovery-A Lancaster County Saga.


My Review



At the beginning, you learn about Luke and Meredith Stoltzfus who are a young married Amish couple living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.


We are introduced to Luke, who is an unemployed carpenter, and to Meredith, who is a homemaker. At first that surprised me that he was unemployed and concerned about money. I live near an Amish community and most of the Amish also farm so they do have the income from that. And they are excellent craftsmen and make money that way as well. Many women also are crafts'women' as they sell the quilts and other items they make, such as baked goods, for the area stores.


Something else that struck me as odd is the front cover in the book. I don't know if the Amish in Lancaster County are different, however, I thought it was tradition that once they were married, the men let their beards grow?


The story starts off talking about the struggles Luke and Meredith are facing financially. Then Luke receives a call from his Uncle who has a business proposition for him. Luke jumps at the chance, but it means taking most of their savings, as well as leaving Meredith, while he goes to Middlebury, Indiana. And unbeknownest to him, Meredith feels that she may be pregnant.


I was really hoping I would be clinging on to each word while reading this novel, but unfortunately I wasn't. When the author starts discussing the first night Meredith is left by herself and when she lets Luke's dog outside, I thought there may be something happening when she heard the dog thumping against the door, however, I was left disappointed as the author went into great detail on how the dog circled around, left muddy footprints on the floor, and then settled down and went to bed.


I was able to receive a complimentary copy of the first series but I honestly don't know if I will continue on with the remainder of the series. I have a feeling it will be very predictable. I don't want to go into any spoilers, but I'm hoping I'm wrong.


I'm not sure alot of people are going to be willing to pay over $24 for a 6 part novel. Her true fans might but as a first time reader of her works, I don't think I would. Especially after reading the first series.


**Thank you to Barbour Publishing for providing me with a complimentary copy for my review**

[Patricia Kemp Blackmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luke Stoltzfus has lost his job, with no offers of another on the horizon in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He has become depressed, distant and on more than one occasion a little snappy at his wife Meredith. What will they do they do not want to ask their parents for assistance. Their parents need what money they have coming in to support there families. Then when things look hopeless Luke gets an offer from his uncle to learn a new trade and take over his uncle's business. But that means leaving his wife and going to Indiana for a few weeks. Meredith does not feel comfortable about him leaving because there is a bad winter storm moving in and she does not want him traveling by bus until the storm passes. Luke makes the final decision to make the trip anyway. Meredith will have to pray and put her faith and trust in God to protect Luke.

This is a good story but I felt it was written for middle grade rather than adult. If that were the case it would then be a good read for that age level. I do not like that is only 128 pages and part one of six. In my opinion if it had been in one book not six it would have meet with better reviews and an older readers. Like I said before the story seemed to be a good read but was very frustrating to get to a climax in the book and then you have to wait for the next book and the next. Sorry this was a bad idea splitting it in parts!

Buying each of the six parts make an expensive book to read. I don't see to many people unless they are just die hard fans spending that kind of money.

This was difficult for me to give my honest opinion because I very rarely give negative reviews. Put it all in one book then I will more that likely to have a good review.

I do not recommend this book the way it is presented in parts 1-6.

With a heavy heart I rated this book a 3 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Barbour Publishers/Handlebar Central for review. This is my honest opinion.

Looks like Amazon is not open for reviews on this book or I would have you vote on my Amazon review.

[Angieleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 Update: I'm finally getting around to being able to hear the last two parts of this serial and wanted to refresh my memory of the story. I'm not quite sure what I meant by they held grudges past when they should in my previous review, but upon listening to it again, I've bumped my rating from three to four stars. This is a good start to developing who these characters are.

The one thing that I am going to nitpick at is the fact that in Pennsylvania, you cannot leave dogs out in a doghouse overnight, especially in inclement weather. While Meredith didn't leave Fritz outside, it still peeved me that she nearly did.

----------------------------------------

Brunstetter is the queen of Amish fiction and one of my go-to authors when I want to lose myself in the Amish culture that surrounds me where I live.

Brunstetter is also very predictable with her plots. It's very easy to figure out what is going to happen just by reading the synopsis, but I dived right in regardless.

While I enjoyed getting to know Meredith and Luke, but they both annoyed me because of how stubborn they are and how they held grudges that lasted far longer than they should have.

I know serials aren't everyone's favorite, but I love them when you want a quick read. Though I may not care too much for Meredith, I am hopeful she will redeem herself in the next serial.

[Ruth Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am quite surprised that this book's rating is not higher because I found it quite amazing. I have become a true lover of Amish fiction, so I jumped at the chance to read this first installment of the author's "Discovery" series. I love the fact that the couple is already married. And they are experiencing things that other couples can relate to. From the moment I picked up the book, I did not want to put it down.

This is a short book, and it will leave you hanging. I can hardly wait to read the second installment! I loved the characters and the story. It takes a great author to be able to write the characters in such a way that I feel I know them and care about them--especially in a short book.

I am so glad that Christian values are displayed and emphasized even amongst the evil of the outside world. There is nothing better than reading about people who truly trust in God, especially in this day and age.

I highly recommend this book. It's a quick read, but it is worth it!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

[Sandra Noel · Rating 2 out of 5]

What?!? I won an ARC of this book--well, what I thought was a book. Can't figure out exactly what is going on here. Is this a tease for a new book coming out, or is this the first "book" of a series....??? I can't believe this is for sale on Amazon.com for $4.97 for pb and $5.59 for kindle. 121 pgs, but SMALL pages with large typeface. The story as far as it got is fine--I probably would enjoy the ENTIRE story--but I felt cheated. I would have been seriously annoyed had I paid the price for what I thought was a book and got this dinky little thing. I gave it two stars only because I was enjoying the story. Very disappointed.

[Emily Dillon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is book is garbage. The 121 pages could have been trimmed down to maybe 46 pages and nothing would have been lost. Not only is it plotless, more than half of the pages were filled with a character's fear of potential weather hazards, which only leads the reader hoping this is obvious foreshadowing ending in a horrific bus accident, but leaves you disappointed in the end as nothing happens. The only redeeming quality of this book is a mention of cavorting barn cats and a mugging by a "drug addict" that could have been cast on Saved By The Bell.

I would never in a million years recommend this book.

[Kalyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing seems very childish, and not well thought out. I would honestly recommend these more toward tweens and teens, as their first dip into more adult Christian Fiction. The scenes are very clean, and not the least bit edgy at all.

Read the rest of my review here: http://wordswithbooks.com/2013/02/28/...

[Melanie Brinkman]

Wanda Brunstetter is one of my favorite Amish authors. I was introduced to her writing via my mother.

Goodbye to Yesterday is the first of a six-part series.

In Goodbye to Yesterday, a young couple, Luke and Meredith, are facing financial trouble after Luke lost his job. Meredith then finds out she's pregnant.

Then things seem to turn around! Luke gets a job offer from his uncle. Luke then goes to learn the trade from his uncle but then tragedy strikes!

This is a good start to a new series.

[Grace, Queen of Crows and Tomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gotta admit, I love Amish fiction and this one was no exception! This book is the first in a six part series, so the author uses this book to set up the characters and the situations/backstories of said characters. The book ends somewhat on a cliffhanger, so I will probably be reading the next one soon! If you're a fan of Amish fiction, check this one out!

[Tammy Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good beginning to a continuation of books that I am looking forward to read. In this first book we are introduced to the main characters, Meredith and Luke - a young married Amish couple going through the trials that young people sometimes do. Looking forward to reading the next installment!

[Teri Pre · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First in a new Amish series... Good!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this through my scriptd subscription on audio. It does leave you needing to read/listen to the next book.

[Katrina Lybbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cliffhanger! Will have to keep reading the series for sure!

[DevotedToHope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short novella ….

[Babetta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another serial...sigh.

[Jacqui · Rating 1 out of 5]

God awful dialogue with the most boring plot

[Rhonda Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanda Brunstetter is one of my favorite authors and this book was a wonderful one. I quickly fell in love with the story of Meredith and Luke. They are dealing with the loss of Luke's job and my husband is currently in the same position so this is a dilemma I can definitely relate to. The anxiety related to the financial stress causes arguments between the young newlyweds, and Meredith is pretty sure that she is expecting their first baby. She does not want to tell Luke until she has it confirmed by the Amish midwife, and so he leaves for his trip to his uncle's home before she finds out for sure and certain. I also am a proud mom to a fur baby and their dog, Fritz, keeps Meredith company while Luke is gone.
Then a new and ugly twist enters the story's plot: the drug addict, Alex, who has already stolen drugs and money. Alex now seems to threaten the happiness of Luke and Meredith. In fact, the end of Part 1 leaves us wondering if Alex kills Luke, or does he seriously harm him instead? Will Luke ever get to his destination? Will Meredith receive a call that he has safely arrived? or will she hear that her beloved is never going to return home at all? I was hanging on the edge of my seat by the end and already wondering what happens next. I will eagerly wait for Part 2 to be published so I can find out what the verdict is.

[Donna Mork · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke and Meredith are struggling financially since his job loss. He gets an offer from an uncle to learn a new trade and decides to go. While traveling he is attacked and left for dead. The bus he was riding on meets with a terrible tragic accident that will change everything. Meanwhile his wife is awaiting his call that he has arrived safely. She had been against this trip and believes she may be pregnant. She doesn't want to share the information with her husband until she confirms it, and then wants to wait until he returns so she can tell him in person if the news is true.
A short novella that keeps you hooked.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is short, but it packs a lot into it and is perfect if you are looking for something to read in one sitting. I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed the book, because in the past I haven't exactly loved other books by this author. The story was so sad and the ending made me pick up the next installment immediately. Definitely would recommend this series of books if you enjoy Amish fiction.

I received a complementary copy to review.

[Sheila Samuelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in 2013 2017 and 2022.
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
Another great Amish Fiction Series by Wanda!!

The Characters are so interesting to read about. I love Luke and Merrie's story.

The Setting was so beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in PA while reading.

Even tho this book ended on a sad note im anxious to see how the story continues in Book 2.

Can't wait to read more by Wanda in the future!!