A Robertson Family Christmas

The hilarity and games they played and the laughter they let loose with reminded him of overloading on some dessert. It let him with a stomachache. Yet in this case, it was because he felt empty, his gut hollow and craving For what, he didn’t know because Hunter didn’t want THAT. All that over-everything in the family room. Overdoing the fun. Oversharing. Overseeing. He had caught a bad case of being overcome. He just wanted this Christmas holiday to be over. 

Book: A Robertson Family Christmas by Kay Robertson, Tyndale House Publishers, 2014

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 16+

Subjects: Salvation, Divorce, Family Relationships, Drugs

Summary: He was not chosen! He’s sure of that much! Maybe these people are real, but his presence is just the fault of this “random, ridiculous thing called life”. Seventeen year old Hunter, suffering from divorced parents, a dad and brother who don’t care and a mom who has to work too much has accepted his fate. He will have a miserable life. He accepts this. He doesn’t let himself consider such a thing as a loving caring family. Until he meets the Duck Dynasty family that is. His mom entered him in a contest to spend Christmas with the Robertson family and Hunter is the one Korie chose. Shipped off away from his family for the holidays, what little “family” he has anyway, Hunter is not thrilled to be meeting the celebrities. He’s never seen any of the shows and doesn’t know who they are. It wouldn’t matter anyway. Life holds nothing good for him. But spending days with this crazy family who goes all out for everything they do – including loving those around them – makes it pretty hard to hang on to his crabbiness!

Notes: A Robertson Family Christmas was written by Kay Robertson, referred to as the family “matriarch”. It has a double focus: half on Hunter and his struggles and half on Korie Robertson and her struggles and faith-filled response to them. It dwells a lot on her feelings as she sees her children growing up – it will be her oldest child’s last Christmas in high school. It also focuses a lot on her attempts to mother Hunter. In all of her pondering, it constantly takes it back to her faith. She prays and places her trust in Christ to help her work through her challenges. The part focused on Hunter shows a very hurt young boy who has written off nearly everything positive – including God. When Phil and Willie preach at him he tries to reject it, but that combined with the genuine love shown to him by the whole family breaks down his defenses. Phil and Willie both outright present the Gospel message to Hunter as they attempt to help him find a way to have joy and peace in a miserable home life. I highly recommend this book. It is filled with spiritual content that challenges and encourages. The one drawback to the book is that it is split between target audiences. Half of it is geared at an adult woman while the other half is geared at teenage boys. With all the focus on Korie’s pondering, it would probably appeal more to an adult woman than the teen boys.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Luke 2:11 – But the angel said to them, do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. 

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a free review copy of this book. In addition, they have sent me an extra copy to give away! The first to comment on this post will receive the book! Entries limited to the United States.