Kay Robertson

I have a lot of respect for Kay Robertson for standing by her man until he decided to pull himself together and follow God and become the man he was meant to be. And I respect her for doing all she does to hold the family together with good food and family gatherings. That’s hard work!

I purchased this book at full price back in 2013 from Amazon. The first recipe I tried was her “Nutty Good Oatmeal Cookies” (p. 78), the page is still dog-eared, and I haven’t made a different cookie show more ever since. My grandies just love them and so do I…except I prefer walnuts over pecans in my cookies.

This is a wonderful cookbook with great family photos and stories and remarks on each recipe by the one who created and presented the recipe, or by the family member who simply grew up loving it.

RECIPES TESTED

- Nutty Good Oatmeal Cookies - p. 78 (The best ever! These are the only cookies I have made now for the past 9 years. I use walnuts instead of pecans. All my grandies LOVE them!)

- Phil’s Jambalaya - p. 119 ( Good flavor, but not Cajun jambalaya. Southwest Louisiana jambalaya must be different than our northern Yankee neighbors. Sorry Phil, but I like mine better.)

I’m not done with this cookbook! show less

Stacy is at her wits end with her teenage son, Hunter. He is depressed, moody and an extremely unhappy person. She enters a contest where one lucky person will get to spend the holidays with the famous Robertson family of Duck Dynasty. She knows the chances are slim that her son will win, but when she receives word that indeed her son will be enjoying Christmas with The Robertson's , she can't believe it.

Hunter is not really thrilled with his new plans for Christmas, but off he goes on an show more adventure that will have a huge impact on his life. I loved the compassion and caring that the author wrote as Hunter was introduced to the family. I believe they are just like that if you meet them in person. The family is faith based and is willing to open their home and heart to a young man they don't know. He needs to see how a family cares about each other and guidance from some spiritual men. The Robertson men do a great job of including Hunter in activities and he starts to open up a little.

The story is well written and I felt like I was in Miss Kay's kitchen watching her cook as Phil is in the other room watching tv. I did get a chuckle when Willie kept disappearing without an explanation. What is Willie plotting? It has funny moments, serious moments and encouraging moments as the story unfolds. As Phil shared his story with Hunter, I could feel the depth of love Phil has for Jesus. Overall the story is one I would recommend for everyone to read . It is such an inspirational story to watch as Hunter experiences things like duck hunting and cooking for the first time. Does he finally fit in somewhere? Will his relationship with his mom change when he returns home? I enjoyed the traditions that were shared in the story, which gives readers a glimpse into the real life of the Robertsons. The presents Hunter gets from the Robertson's were very thoughtful and one will make a huge impact on his life.

Thank you for writing such a beautiful story of faith, family and love. It will be a treasure to read this story ever year to remind me of what Christmas is really about.

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review. show less

Miss Kay Robertson has written a fictional account of a typical Christmas holiday for the famous family through the eyes of a troubled teen. Her book accomplishes one of the things I love most about fiction--getting a fly-on-the-wall view of a family thousands of people are coming to love because of their television presence. While the story may be the product of Miss Kay's fertile imagination, the setting, the typical Robertson quirky conversations, their everyday activities, and the show more Christmas traditions the family keeps are true to life.

From the book Jacket summary: He misses being included in any guy trips since his parents divorced and he went to live with his mom. So he's less than happy when his mother tells him that he won a contest to spend Christmas in West Monroe, Louisiana, with a family named the Robertsons. For some reason, they're supposed to be a big deal. How did he win a contest he didn't enter? Besides, he's never heard of them and sure doesn't want to spend Christmas in a swamp with a bunch of strangers.

Korie Robertson is excited to open her heart and her home to Hunter and show him what the Christmas season looks like for the Robertson family. And like it or not, Hunter experiences it first hand. From duck hunting disasters with the bearded guys, to learning to cook with Miss Kay, Hunter quickly discovers what it's like to live with this boisterous, yet loving family. Putting on his headphones and ignoring them is not an option. Before long, Hunter begins to let his guard down. But with Christmas and the end of his trip fast approaching, will it be too little, too late? Or will Hunter be open to the greatest gift of all?

For the few days of his visit, Hunter stayed with Willie and Korie Robertson and their children. He bunked down with John Luke, who was about his age, and went with them when they visited other family. He was like a thunder cloud flashing danger signals and raining on everything they did. They often didn't know how to read him; his lack of enthusiasm created some tension. Miss Kay wrote most of the story from Hunter's point of view and she nailed it completely, right down to his sarcastic responses when the family included him in their activities. It was obvious what he thought of the Robertsons, their huge family, their playfulness, their devotion to God, and life in general. Hopelessness dogged his very steps.

The author also wrote part of the tale from Korie Robertson's point of view. Hunter's darkness touched her deeply and she ached to draw him out of his shell. She hoped this visit with her garrulous family would attract his attention and change his perspective for the better. For awhile, it didn't look like that would happen. Korie needed to get input from Willie. Underneath that big old beard and silly grin was a wise man.

It goes without saying that this book includes the usual nonsense and shenanigans the Robertsons are known for. It begins with the duck hunting adventure and keeps up the pace right to the end. I enjoy redneck humor as much as anyone else does. For me, this was a fun book to read.

Second, there's wonderful truth tucked away in all the busyness and crazy stuff; Jesus Christ is in the center of Phil Robertson's entire family, because when young Phil had gotten lost in the tangle of a personal crisis, Jesus was there for him. God and his family became his bedrock. He, in turn, pointed the rest of the family to God's love and grace. It's what makes the Robertson family so special. Their lives are not about religion but about a personal relationship with Christ.

The third thing I loved about this book is that no one preached at Hunter during his visit...well, maybe there was a little bit from Phil. He couldn't help himself. But for the most part, the family allowed their lives to speak for them. They saw Hunter as he was and accepted him. It was the one thing that touched him most.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers and their blogging program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. show less

I have only watched Duck Dynasty a couple of times, but really enjoyed what I watched. Knowing just the little I know about the family though, this book was a real treat to read.
I get annoyed with books that try too hard to rhyme. I feel like a lot of authors figure kids won't care if it is a stretch. I didn't feel this way at all about the book. I thought the flow was great. The illustrations were adorable too.
I would recommend this to ANY duck dynasty fan. I want to buy a copy for our show more friend who now has a one year old. show less