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An Amish Christmas

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 724 ratings · 172 reviews

Meg Hobart has everything: a happy marriage to a handsome, successful husband, a beautiful home in Charlotte, North Carolina, and three wonderful children. But it all comes crashing down around her the day she learns that her husband, James, has been living a lie—and has brought the family to financial ruin. Penniless and homeless, the Hobarts pack up what little they stil...more

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published October 26th 2010 by Ballantine Books (first published October 19th 2010)

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Best of Amish Fiction

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Jan 06, 2013 Connie Kuntz rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this while the Vikings/Packer game was on last night. I read books like this when I am stressed out about something stupid. (In case you are interested in my reading process, I read good books when I am stressed out about something important.)

Anyway, while I love reading and learning about the Amish, this story doesn't do anything but whitewash the depth and beauty of the culture. It's just a silly story about two dumb parents with three dippy kids.

I didn't totally dislike the book; it...more

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Jun 18, 2012 d rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In need of a story while commuting to work I set out to find a good book on CD. This story is captivating. Even though it is set at Christmas time and out of season it engages the reader immediately with a well-off family struggling with loss of their home and strained relationships. The Hobart family finds themselves befriended by the Lutz family after an accident in Amish country in Pennsylvania. The author creates plausible character...more

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Dec 24, 2011 Sue Seligman rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was recommended to me by a close friend. It is a quick holiday read, enjoyable and descriptive. The Hobart family is affluent, living an upper middle class life in North Carolina, but yet something is missing. James is distant, focused on work and material acquisition, leaving the day to day functioning of his family to his wife, Meg. The two older children, Lizzie and Will, live by the teenage standards of today, ruled by their peer groups and the technological gadgets which control s...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Christina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 15, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: AN AMISH CHRISTMAS
Author: Cynthia Keller
Publisher: Ballantine Books
October 2010
ISBN: 978-0-345-52378-5
Genre: Amish

Meg Hobart seemed to have everything. A successful husband, a huge, expensive house, three children, and unlimited spending money. But her husband, James, has been becoming increasingly distant and grouchy. When he starts whining about money, Meg doesn’t know what has gotten into him, and James refuses to tell her anything.

When Meg finally learns the truth, she is stunned. Ja...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Regina Spiker rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: amish, unemployment, deceit, job-loss

Sometimes in the rat-race of life, we get so caught up with chasing the material things that it trickles down to our kids. In this little novel, Meg Hobart is becoming increasingly aware that such things are happening with her three spoiled children, Sam, Will, and Lizzie. Her husband has a well-paying job, is well respected, and has worked hard to give the family a lovely home with many lovely "things." When he loses his job and doesn't tell his family until everything is lost, Meg and the chil...more

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Dec 31, 2010 Dana Davis-avants rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction

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Oct 21, 2010 Carla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The beginning of this book is gives us a family like many of our own: self-absorbed teenagers, their younger brother, and parents that have a solid but distant marriage. Like many couples, as they built a career and family their own relationship slowly withered away to where both are not entirely happy. Instead, they focus on achieving the perfection of "the American Dream" - the often sought but rarely achieved nexus in today's society. The husband is so desperate to provide the Dream for his f...more The beginning of this book is gives us a family like many of our own: self-absorbed teenagers, their younger brother, and parents that have a solid but distant marriage. Like many couples, as they built a career and family their own relationship slowly withered away to where both are not entirely happy. Instead, they focus on achieving the perfection of "the American Dream" - the often sought but rarely achieved nexus in today's society. The husband is so desperate to provide the Dream for his family, he resorts to risking their entire savings (stealthily without his wife's knowledge) - which he ultimately loses. He can't face telling his wife right away, so he compounds his mistake by lying to her outright. The fact he destroys his teens' social status angers them, and the youngest child become more anxious than usual with all the drama unfolding around him.

With no job, home or income, the family packs up to move in with the wife's parents. It's right before Christmas, and they head north from North Carolina through Pennsylvania Dutch country. On the way, they -literally- run into an Amish farmer. With his Amish grace and acceptance, he invites the family to stay at his home until their car is repaired. Thrust into an unusual situation, each family member is confronted by the simplicity of the Amish - which makes them question their own life. Not every member arrives to peace in the same way or at the same time, but each one discovers that sometimes simple is best. And that a happy family and productive life is the real American Dream - not all the material things that replace love, hope and loyalty of family and friends.

The end of the book ends on a positive note, but I would not exactly call is "happily ever after". In this book, you know that the family will survive intact and they will ultimately succeed and be happy. However, you are also aware there will be bumps along the way. The book does not tidily push aside resentment or suddenly establish trust between two partners, all because of one "a-ha" moment. Instead, the characters clearly state that this is only a start and they will do their best from that point forward. I liked that honest assessment at the end.

I found this book to be very uplifting and an easy read. It gave me new hope, and I found it perfect for Christmas. At a time when our economy has so many families downsizing and not able to afford the excesses of past Christmases, this is a comforting book to read. For my library, it is definitely a keeper.
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Sep 16, 2010 gina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Disclaimer:
I've received quite a bit of ARCs recently so I wanted to get a timely review out of this one and had a colleague read and review it (a fellow librarian). I'm writing the review from memory from a conversation I had with her.

She stated she had stopped reading "Inspirational Christian Fiction" years ago. She had simply gotten burned out on it. She felt this book was quite different than how the genre used to be and she was very pleased with the improvements. Wherein past stories there...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, christian, given, not-yet-reviewed

Cynthia Keller is giving Beverly Lewis a little bit of competition in An Amish Christmas.

The style, the wording, the atmostphere are all very Lewis-esque. It was an easy transition for me since I am a devouted Lewis reader and am usually critical of any other fictitious books based on the Amish. While the Amish dialogue was remarkably different than what Lewis chooses, it fit well especially with any newcomers to the Amish fiction genre.

A quick read worth cozying up with during the winter months...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Sarah Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a sweet novel that teaches a good moral lesson. Meg is a stay at home mom whose family has lost sight of what is important - each other. Meg's husband tells her on Christmas Day that he's not only been lying about losing his job months before, but he's lost everything they own in a deal gone bad. All five family members are forced to pile into a vintage Mustang with just a few suitcases and travel across country to live with Meg's awful parents. Along the way, they wreck and are forced t...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Alegnab rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: christmas

I didn't care much for this book. I didn't find anything to like about the "English" family members. The kids were mean to each other and rude to their parents but rarely were disciplined or reprimanded. I got tired of reading their rude comments. The Amish characters were almost all perfect, and even the two who weren't perfect were still far, far better than any of the non-Amish family.

I prefer Amish fiction published by Christian publishers. Their portrayals of the Amish are far more realist...more

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Jan 01, 2011 Bluerose's Heart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, romance

I like that all of the stories conected with each other. Some of the same characters showed up in each of them.
The all contained sadness, or moments from the past that had caused pain through the years. There was happy moments, but I do prefer my Christmas stories to be on the happier side. :) I really did enjoy the stories, though, and I think fans of Amsih stories will really enjoy it, too.
I really connected with the story of Miriam. I totally understood her feelings throughout the story!!
I...more

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Jun 06, 2011 Maureen Timerman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Meg and James have lost everything they thought they valued. They along with their 3 children Lizzie, Will, and Sam, have left North Carolina and are headed to Homer NY to live with Meg's parents. At the beginning of the story it does not seem possible that this family is going to be able to stay together.
Fate brings them to visit the Amish community in Pennsylvania, and a near fatal mishap ends up changing their lives. While traveling down a Country Road in their packed to the gills Mustang, J...more

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Jun 06, 2011 Juju (Tales of Whimsy.com) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story is SO different from the average Amish tale. It is about being stripped down to nothing and seeing that your family and your life still have value. It reminded me that sometimes really beautiful things can come out of life's tragedies.

Review Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com

To read my review in full please visit: http://www.talesofwhimsy.com/2010/12/...

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Dec 07, 2011 Mary Oddi O'Brien rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-books

According to Goodreads:

Meg Hobart has everything: a happy marriage to a handsome, successful husband, a beautiful home in Charlotte, North Carolina, and three wonderful children. But it all comes crashing down around her the day she learns that her husband, James, has been living a lie—and has brought the family to financial ruin. Penniless and homeless, the Hobart's pack up what little they still possess and leave behind their golden life for good. But it’s not the material things Meg finds her...more According to Goodreads:

Meg Hobart has everything: a happy marriage to a handsome, successful husband, a beautiful home in Charlotte, North Carolina, and three wonderful children. But it all comes crashing down around her the day she learns that her husband, James, has been living a lie—and has brought the family to financial ruin. Penniless and homeless, the Hobart's pack up what little they still possess and leave behind their golden life for good. But it’s not the material things Meg finds herself mourning. Instead, she misses the certainty that she should remain married to James, who has betrayed her trust so thoughtlessly. Worse, she is suddenly very aware of just how spoiled her children have become. Meg wonders what her family has really sacrificed in their pursuit of the American dream.

A frightening twist of fate forces the Hobarts to take refuge with a kind Amish family in Pennsylvania, where they find themselves in a home with no computers, no cell phones, nothing the children consider fashionable or fun. Her uncooperative brood confined to the Amish world of hard work and tradition, their futures entirely uncertain, Meg fears she can never make her family whole again.

Celebrating life’s simplest but most essential values, packed with laughter and tears, this is a story of forgiveness and the power of love. You will never forget the special moment in time that is An Amish Christmas.

The Hobart's adventure started off a little rough. All the children did was complain about the things they didn't have instead of being grateful for what they did have. Even her husband James forgot about what he was missing and lived in the moment.

I believe that their marriage would not have survived if this mishap hadn't occurred. It's amazing how much we rely on computers, cell phones, and TV. The Hobart's learned that there is more to life than all that. They actually learned a thing or two about the Amish lifestyle. James learned all about what the men do on a daily basis such as farming. Meg was able to cook with the woman and take care of the house. Even the children had chores that they helped with. At the end of the day, there was still time for some fun!

By the end of the book, the Hobart's learned that there is more to life besides electronics. They learned a lot about each other and the people they lived with.

I find the Amish lifestyle intriguing. I do feel as though we rely to much on video games, cell phones, computers, and the internet. It seems as though the Amish lifestyle is much simpler and more family based. When you think about it, our roles are very similar to those of the Amish. The men work outside the home, some women work outside the home while others work at home.

I rate this book 4/5(less)

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Jul 25, 2011 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-wins-to-read-and-review, read-in-2010

I won this Advance Reader's Edition from GoodReads.

This was a nice easy read. A heartwarming story of a family who finds what really matters after losing everything they thought was important. The story flowed nicely, it was well written. A genuinely feel-good family story. I will say I would have liked a little more depth to the characters and maybe gotten a little deeper into the conflict/resolution aspect. Also, I lived in a small town in PA for 10 years and spoke with many Amish people, I w...more

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Sep 13, 2010 Ariana rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: christians, young readers, anyone, really

Shelves: firstreads, newish

This is a clean, light read.

An Amish Christmas isn't as much of a Christmas novel as I expected, which was actually okay. The main point of the book (that I saw) was how living with the Amish for a few weeks impacted the life of this materialistic, spoiled family. The two teenagers in particular changed for the better due to their experiences in the Lutz household.

Some of the references to technology and current lingo struck me as bumpy, but that would make sense as they were coming from Meg's...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I won this Advance Reader's Edition from GoodReads. This was a nice easy read. A heartwarming story of a family who finds what really matters after losing everything they thought was important. The story flowed nicely, it was well written. A genuinely feel-good family story. I will say I would have liked a little more depth to the characters and maybe gotten a little deeper into the conflict/resolution aspect. Also, I lived in a small town in PA for 10 years and spoke with many Amish people, I w...more

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Sep 12, 2010 VLynch rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-read, amish

I received this book free from a Goodreads Giveaway, and I have to admit it was an easy read. I finished in 2 days. The book starts out with a typical family who seems to have everything, 2 loving parents, 3 children, a big house and plenty of money to provide for the family and keep them in nice cars, piano lesson, private schools and the latest electronic updates on phones, iPods, laptops, etc. Suddenly it all comes crushing down on Meg, James and their children when James breaks the family tr...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Anne-marie added it

At first I was a bit afraid, thinking this would be purely chicklit, which I don't particularly fancy. But Hallelujah, such was not the case. A couple with three kids, well to do, lose everything, their house, their money, job...
THey will have to go and live with woman's parents, which is not particularly appealing to either of the parties involved. On their way over, they have a car accident, nearly kill an Amish man.
The man takes to his house,offering them shelter and food.
This story is about...more

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Aug 30, 2010 Meghan rated it 2 of 5 stars

The story started off a lot like a Lifetime movie made in the late 90s or early 2000s. Basically the family loses all their money and its all the husband's fault and the wife and their children are victims of his selfishness, stupidity, etc. Its my opinion that if you have plenty of money and three children, you have a responsibility to at least be involved in your family's financial situation enough to ensure the children's futures are financially protected which is why I can't really see the m...more

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Sep 19, 2010 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: inspirational, women's fiction

Shelves: first-reads

Although I won this in a good reads giveaway, I would have read this book regardless. I love "fish out of water," Amish-themed, or Christmas morality tales and this book was all three.

If you are looking for a book such as Richard Evans or other Christmas tale, this one is not as full of tears or awash in fairytale resolution. Nothing magical was accomplished in this easy read. But that made the book more authentic. However, it is also not a warm, fuzzy, Christmas tale. More of a heart-wrenching...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Krazeeg rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the best feel good, restore your faith inhumanity novels I have enjoyed in a very long time! It may mean more, personally, since my family has received the brest fortune of getting neighbors, with whom we have become close friends, who are Mennonite; this is one of many Amish-like "Plain People" faiths & lifestyles. I read this novel last year & immediately purchased it for out home library. I "forced" our family to begin reading it aloud together last year, but time const...more

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Sep 23, 2010 Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: firstreads

Any book I get from FirstReads makes me happy. When I get an ARC from FirstReads, I'm over the moon. An Amish Christmas was not only an advanced copy, it was also a fantastic book in its own right. Let's go in chronological order, shall we? (Yes, I'm obsessive enough that I took notes while reading.)

- I understand that the move from materialism to thankfulness is a theme in the book, but I dislike how the materialism was handled. Keller could have gotten away with just subtly mentioning that the...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: already-read

I loved this book. I did not plan to read this book, I am glad I saw it while just walking around the library looking for something different to read. This book really shows how commercialized Christmas has become for most people and how we really rely on technology to get us through our lives. When i saw this book I thought it would be a good read. As it turns out, it had completely transformed how I looked at my own life and what I thought was important. If you really want to read about a cult...more

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Sep 12, 2010 Kris rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the second book I've won in a Goodreads Giveaway, and I'm so glad to have learned about that area of this website. Thank you to Goodreads/Ballentine Books for the copy. It was an easy, enjoyable read. Other reviewers have talked about the plot: it covers the theme of forgiveness, the teens are at first spoiled with their comfortable, upper middle class life, but when all comes crashing down and the family becomes homeless, they find meaning during a stay at Christmastime with an Amish fa...more

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Sep 18, 2010 Melissa (i swim for oceans) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book free of charge from GoodReads First Reads. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

I would do a deep review of An Amish Christmas, but it's not really necessary. This is a light read with good morals, a strong theme, and a sweet (albeit predictable) storyline.

I am a fan of holiday stories, so I jumped at the chance of reading this one. An Amish Christmas is not bad in any way, shape, or form, but it's not exactly one of those reads that will stay in my mi...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Roberta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: holiday-books

I thought the characters were very realistic, especially the teenagers Will and Lizzie.

And I liked Meg's assessment of her life in Charlotte, "might be busy, but it wasn't full."

One thing I found incongruous was the mention of a refrigerator on page 97. Cynthia Keller specifically says the family didn't have electricity. They used lanterns at night for light, yet they had a refrigerator? Generator, maybe?

Now, I'm just picking nits here, but this bothered me a little. On page 85 Catherine tells...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Lee-ann Sleegers rated it 4 of 5 stars

An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller was a wonderful book that illustrates what can happen if a family is able to disconnect from the electronic world for a while and reconnect with each other. It was interesting to watch a family who had everything they wanted loose everything because of poor decisions by James, but as a result of circumstances beyond their control the family was able to reconnect. The family initially dreaded spending time with a very accommodating Amish family. It is this det...more

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