Almost Amish

Tomorrow's Promise Collection #5

by Kathryn Cushman

Julie Charlton is at the breaking point. She's overwhelmed and burned out, and in today's unrelenting society, her kids are, too. When her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series promoting simple living, and needs another family to join her, it seems like the perfect opportunity.
The location is an idyllic farm outside an Amish community in Tennessee. Julie, with her two children, joins Susan and her teenage daughter for a summer adventure. Susan needs to succeed in order to become self-sufficient after an ugly divorce, Julie needs to slow down long enough to remember what her priorities are and regain a sense of purpose and meaning. It becomes clear from the start that "living simple" is no simple matter. With the camera watching every move, Susan's drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. With each new challenge, their season of "going Amish" gets more and more complicated, as each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family.

Genres: Amish, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Amish Fiction, Inspirational, Contemporary

332 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Author Kathryn "Katie" Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy.

She is the author of ten novels, including the newly released, "The Plans We Made", which she co-authored with Lauren Beccue.

Kathryn and her family currently live in Santa Barbara, California.

Visit her Web site at www.kathryncushman.com

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a different narrative for an "Amish" story, and it was not what I expected - but in a good way! Two women and their children leave their busy California lifestyles to spend a few weeks in TN Amish country for a reality TV show. They're all put through different challenges each week to see how they would adapt to an Amish lifestyle - things like cooking over a wood stove, living with no air conditioning, and wearing conservative clothing. Needless to say, the "simple" life they imagined wasn't at all what they expected, but full of hard work and little time for themselves. There were moments of self-discovery that added great depth to the story, and times when it was more important to stand up for what was right rather than fulfill a TV contract's whims. All in all, it was a pleasant and quick read that fans of Amish or women's fiction will easily enjoy.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Amish was a really cute story! I found some aspects humorous and it was interesting to get a "behind the scenes" on how a taping of a reality show might work. I liked the characters a lot and thought the growth between Susan and her daughter was nicely done.

I loved Julie's character. She was so aware of everything that was going on, it seemed, and she also wasn't afraid to slow down.

All in all, Almost Amish was a good read and I recommend it. It was nice to have an "almost" Amish story.


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.*

[Tammi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Amish Fiction ever since I read the Annie’s People series by Beverly Lewis. So when I first saw this book as a pre-order in a fiction book catalog I put it on my wish list. Recently Bethany House sent out their monthly e-mail of available books to review, and Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman was one of the ones that were offered, I chose it and waited for it to arrive in my mailbox. It was worth the wait, because I was hooked from the first page to the last.

Julie Charlton is an overwhelmed stay-at-home mom; who, as my dad would say, has to many irons in the fire. She tries to keep her home, feed her family, and also be involved with her children’s schools and activities, PTA responsibilities, church activities, and helping in her husbands office. I’m tired just typing this out. She wants to slow down but doesn’t know how, she even said that she hates her life.

Susan Reynolds, Julie’s sister-in-law, is a single mom, who strives to be perfect in everything she does, and doesn’t seem to understand why others won’t do the same. Susan has cooking segments on a morning news and lifestyle program, and is offered to “star” in a reality tv program--Almost Amish, and asks Julie to join her. Together they learn to slow down, but not without conflicts. They also learn more about themselves and each other.

I have, at times, wondered what it would be like to live a simpler life, like the Amish. Could I live without the modern things that I am accustomed to having? I think I could, but it would take some getting used to. As I read the story, I saw some of myself in each of the characters, I saw my strengths and weaknesses, and learned from them. I learned that I need to listen better, and not to just look on at the outside of a person, but to truly try to see the person as God sees them.

I highly recommend this book, and hope that you will like it as much as I did, and that you will also learn something from Julie and Susan.

**Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman was provided for me free by Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book...we live in such a fast pace rat race. We seem to forget what is important, and this book helps bring things into reality.
We begin with Julie Charlton who doesn't seem to know the name "NO". She is always running from one thing to another, and sometimes has to be two places at once. When her husband Thomas's sister begs her to help her...of course Julie does what she always does "Yes"!
Susan Reynolds is in a fight to support herself and her daughter Angie, and the producers offer her an opportunity to advance, she has to do it! They want to do a reality show featuring the "Lisa Lee" show, and have Susan and Julie and their children going to Tennessee to live Amish style lives.
When they arrived they have all of 60 seconds to get their belongings out of the Limo...as quick as they can Julia, her daughter Whitney, and son Brian grab their stuff. They begin their long journey down the drive, and finally arrive at a picturesque house....more on the outside than inside. They are met by Susan and her daughter Angie. Thus begins their new adventure!
Julie wants desperately to find her God Gifts...even though she has always had them. You will watch them struggle and and in some ways envy them! They need to learn how to use a wood stove, and regulate it to cook with. Learn to wash clothes with a ringer washer...a real step back in time.
I loved the ways the kids adjusted from their hectic lives back in CA to enjoy the simpler things. Checker tournaments!
Do not miss this really heartwarming read. At times you won't like Susan, but travel along with them for a better look!

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Lynette · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was awful. I almost got to page 100, thinking it must get better, but it never did.

They're doing a reality show (segments, I guess?) But the only time it seems that the cameras are around, the producer is interacting with them. For instance, after their washing machine arrived and they were doing laundry, it didn't seem like any of that was being taped. It was so confusing - what WERE they taping? Also, they were aware of what the first challenge was ahead of time and could practice. And there were all the caveats - like indoor plumbing, they were originally going to wear their own clothes except for one week, etc.

I've watched a lot of these types of shows (The Edwardian Country House, etc), which was why I was interested in the book, but it was nothing like that.

The characters were all unlikeable, and in the 90-odd pages I read, nothing happened.

It just felt totally unbelievable. I'm not sure the author ever saw a reality show similar to the one she was trying to emulate, or maybe she didn't know how productions work. It was an interesting idea, but very, very poorly executed.

When I decided to stop reading, I came to Goodreads and read a few reviews to see if it was worth continuing. That's when I saw it was Christian fiction. I should have known, as that explains the kids being so excited about youth group. Many of the books I've struggled to finish because they're so detached from reality end up being Christian fiction (though a few I've really enjoyed are, too, so I'm not saying all Christian fiction is bad, it just seems like much of it is.)

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had an interesting premise but the writing just didn't grab me. The characters seemed rather extreme and many things that happened seemed unrealistic. For example, the character of Susan is always grumpy, a super perfectionist, and completely blind to what is happening in her life. Yet somehow, Gary is attracted to her? There are also inconsistencies with the supposed filming. At certain times they are so worried about what the cameras will film and other times it seems that no one is filming. And again with Susan: she is embarrassed to be I front of Gary in her pajamas but not worried about the rest of the country on tv? There were just too many little quirky inconsistencies for me. It did definitely do its job of making me think about how I'm using my time and about what is important to me. If you generally enjoy Christian fiction and aren't too picky, you will probably enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Tien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aside from this being a Christian fiction, it feels similar to chick-lits which is not my usual cup of tea and this is probably why it was only an okay read to me. I didn't really know this was Christian fiction. In fact, when a character started to read her bible some time quite later in the book, I was a little startled, and it wasn't until quite later that it dawned on me that it was Christian fiction even if the beginning didn't quite read like one to me. I believe that was because we weren't given much backgrounds on the protagonists so to find that they are firm Christians later on in the book, I was rather surprised.

The premise itself was rather interesting. A pair of sisters-in-law going on a tv show by dropping off all modern conveniences (or almost all) and trying to live life the Amish way (or Almost Amish, anyway). As they struggle through the days (mostly with putting up with each other), they learn about themselves and become the better & happier person at the end. It is an easy, light, and heart-warming read.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why a beautiful book—I lived the froth I the characters. Both Julie and Susan are such contrasts of our personalities—people pleasers or bulldozers. These are strengths and weaknesses as the story illustrated. We need to find our gifts.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever read anything about the Amish lifestyles, you know that they live a much simpler life, no electricity, no technology, no cars and just a whole lot less stress. So when the Lisa Lee show gets an idea for a new reality show called Almost Amish, a modern family from California is going to get a lot more lessons in life than simply learning how to be Amish.

Susan Reynolds is a Martha Steward in training. She's a bit of what most would call overly assertive, a bit of a perfectionist, and willing to do whatever it takes to make sure not only she's on top of her game but also her young daughter, Angie as well. Since being divorced from her husband James, Susan's working harder than ever to make sure she provides the type of life she believes her daughter deserves even if it means pushing her a bit harder than most parents. So when an opportunity becomes available not only to sell her cookbooks, but also to star in a reality series based on a simple lifestyle, she jumps at the chance. Since the program is revolving around the Amish lifestyle, she manages to convince her sister in law, Julie Charlton, to join her with her kids for the summer shooting the series.

Julie Charlton has never been good at anything except the ability to overschedule and over commit herself to virtually everything happening in her families lives, from helping her husband Thomas out with work, attending to committees for her son Brian and her daughter Whitney, including all those after school sports events they are both committed to. Still Julie feels she is less than perfect. Even the cupcakes that she makes for the semi-formal, eight grade, parent- child dance come out wrong. They are lumpy and lean to the left or right, sometimes both, and even the frosting looks like a huge mess. So when Susan's offer for a simple lifestyle challenge is presented, she literally jumps at the chance to slow it down.

However what they all fail to realize is that this is a reality show based on ratings, the higher the ratings, the better the show, and the only way sometimes to generate that is to create the chaos going on with the family that now finds itself dropped off, on a dirt road, with only a mail box on the edge of a field as their only guide to the home they will be staying at. Not only that, they only have 60 seconds to retrieve their belongings before the driver takes off with them.

Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman is such a breath of fresh air from your standard Amish fiction books. There is something in this novel for everyone. Think of it like the show Survivor but geared to how a modern family can make it living like the Amish. It is both funny, emotional and there is a lesson in it for all of us, who simply wonder if there is a better way at life, than the busy ones we find ourselves in. So what about you? If you had the opportunity to spend three months living a simple life like the Amish, would you do it? You may just want to pick this book up first to see just how "simple" it really is!

I received Almost Amish compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I LOVED this one, such profound wisdom can be found throughout the pages, mostly in the words of Rosemary Foil, who comes to teach the women how to quilt but instead imparts such sage advice on thirsty soil in the hearts of them women who listen to her stories. She encourages, inspires and teaches them to look deep inside themselves to see why they have some to participate in this show. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and once again, Kathryn Cushman takes her readers to an unexpected place of pure enjoyment and speaks to the heart of a book lovers everywhere.

[Patricia Kemp Blackmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you heard the old saying, "I meet myself coming and going"? Well this is the life of Julie Charlton dedicated and exhausted wife and mother. She realizes her family needs to slow down but just can't seem to figure out how.

Until...! Her sister-in-law Susan is offered a Reality T.V. series called Almost Amish and she wants Julie and her two kids to be part of the reality show with her and her daughter. This seems like the answer to all Julie's problems and for opportunity for her family to slow down and enjoy the simple life of the Amish.

Boy was she ever wrong! From the minute they arrived Susan was so hyped up about making everything perfect in their new reality show home away from home. They all ended up spending most their days cleaning and working on one project after another. Susan had even made up a chore chart.

Things were not as Julie and the kids had hoped. The producer of the the reality show was determined to make things as difficult for them as possible. Making things even worse the woman had broken just about every promise she had made to them and the Amish community.

What had happened to slowing down and enjoying the simple life of the Amish. Julie and all three of the kids were determined to slow things down. They had a game plan! Which does not set well with her workaholic sister-in-law and the crazy reality show producer.

The author wrote a great story about how life is not simple even in an Amish Community. We have to work and pray for what we have. God will provide. I loved Julie and totally sympathized with her. Susan seemed to be a little to wrapped up in herself and so did the producer. the author also emphasizes how God has a plan for everyone and that it does not always work out the way we had envisioned it.

I recommend this book.

Disclosure
I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

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GIVEAWAY of one copy of ALMOST AMISH on MY BLOG.

[Kate Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Amish, by Kathryn Cushman, is a story about two families who are offered a chance to give up life as they know it to live “almost Amish” for a reality TV show.
Dual protagonists, Julie and Susan, are also sisters-in-law. Their reasons for participating in the show clash, creating conflict between them as well as within themselves.
Julie, an overscheduled mother of two, feels unfulfilled in her life. She is desperate to live simply, to slow down, spend more time with her family, all the while struggling with her feelings of inadequacy. She is hoping that the reality TV show will help show her how to find that simple, but meaningful, life she craves.
Overachieving Susan is a single mother of a teenage girl. This spot on the reality TV program is her big break. If she pulls it off to perfection, she’ll prove to the world that she is strong, powerful, and in control. She is so determined to be a success that she is willing to sacrifice her relationships and her principles for the sake of her reputation.
As Julie and Susan and their families begin to learn what it’s like to live without modern conveniences such as automobiles, washing machines, air conditioning, phones, they also quickly learn that simplicity doesn’t mean easy. Soon, their reality TV adventure becomes something much more serious—an opportunity for reflection and growth and honesty.
This is an easy, charming read, not overhanded in description or detail. The characters are nicely developed with believable strengths and flaws. The children (1 boy who’s a tween; 2 teenaged girls) offer some wonderfully humorous, lighthearted moments—although I think in some areas the kids could have been a bit more difficult to manage, considering their ages.
There is a nice, albeit overt, theme of gifts woven through the novel, which continually reminds the reader of the inner conflicts that Julie and Susan are experiencing.
My favorite aspect of the book is that the characters all overcame personal obstacles, thereby growing/changing by the end of the book. The various storylines tie together smoothly, with a couple of neat surprises at the end. Overall this is a delightful story that gently reminds us to take stock of our blessings and to live a life that makes a difference.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very different book about the Amish, since it is Almost Amish. Susan is perfect. Well almost. Everything she does has to be perfect. She even makes sure her seventeen year old daughter is perfect in everything she does. That is the way life is suppose to be, right? And Julie is the opposite. She is struggling with just what her position in life should be. She can’t find a thing she is really good at.

Then the opportunity comes to be on the reality show, Almost Amish. This is Susan’s one sure take at being famous, and sister in law Julie is willing to help, alone with her son and daughter. This is an interesting read, one that will make you stop and think about your own busy life. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, though some parts irked me. Like when the producer, and even Susan was ok with the cameraman sneaking pictures and video of the real Amish people, even though they were told not too. The answer was that they would never know it. Well, that rips respect all to pieces. Anything to up the ratings, and thats just what they strove to do. I was really happy that Julie had the guts to take a stand that one time, which make a huge difference in the decisions from then on out.

My only problem with the book was wondering how the Amish would feel about a reality TV show like this, or even a book written like this about their life style. Is this an invasion on their private lives? I wouldn’t want anything that gives us a reading thrill to upset them in any way!

That said, go grab a copy and see what you think. It will be interesting to see what people think about this very interesting book!

A copy of this book was provided by Bethany House through CFBA. I was not required or expected to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Almost Amish, go HERE.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I wasn't sure what I'd think about ALMOST AMISH. Reality TV shows, English living as Amish (dressed in pioneer closets?) and women's fiction.... Not a genre I'm a huge fan of, though I do read some. But this book - ALMOST AMISH grabbed me from the first page. I totally got Julie. Not perfect. Real. Gifted with organizing, but not cleaning. Gifted with seeing people, but not baking for school functions. And running ragged with all her and her children's and her husband's activities... Crazy. She needed a breather, and when her sister-in-law, Susan accepted a reality TV show position (for a needed boost with her career) she jumped at the chance to get away.

But the situation is far from perfect. They take out the propane stove and put in a wood stove -- which neither woman had even seen one before, much less baked/cooked with one. The producers "greeked' labels, meaning they didn't know what ingredients were what in some cases, and well, there were NO privacy. Julie found herself going to bat over and over for her children and Susan because Susan wouldn't stand up for herself (afraid to risk her career plans) and the producers were running alll over them. . .

Add a "handyman", a potential romance and lots of heart and realism and you have ALMOST AMISH.

This was a beautifully written story that I totally LOVED. I have made decisions to slow our family life down as I grew older -- getting rid of TV, baking most meals from scratch, not eating out, and spending time together as a family. We have a reputation of being "The Waltons" around here - actually eating at the table as a family. . . etc. I am not good at gardening, (Julie was) and not good at sewing (Julie was) but otherwise I totally related to her. GREAT story. I haven't read much (if anything else) by this author, but I will look up more, based on this book.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The minute I read the back cover copy of this novel I loved it. A modern family enters a reality television show to become “almost Amish.”. Love that premise and the novel pretty much followed what I expected, in both story and quality.

I loved Julie’s heart. She is a woman every house wife in America can relate to. I immediately sympathized with her situation and hopeless driftlessness in it all. The only thing I wish was that the dynamic between her and her husband had been brought into the story in a stronger aspect.

I now own and have read all of the author’s novels to date and let me say this: I love her stories. Each word effortless slides into the next and the next, stringing a story that takes no energy to read. I simply have to turn the pages and join the world of the characters. Setting, emotions, character portrayal and situations are all great.

I thought the middle sagged just a tiny bit. At times I was wondering what was going to happen, but thought the showing of the character growth (and sometimes not) was great through this entire part.

Character growth was genuine. So often in a novel, to find that tidy ending, events are rushed or feel fake. Nope. All good on that front here.

All in all, I really enjoyed the novel. And maybe…I really don’t want to become Amish like I thought. (wink)

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.

[Caitlyn Santi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me speechless! I could not come up with any words to describe how much I loved it, I will try to now but I can't make any promises! I truly felt when the characters were on the farm that I was reading a chronicle of my own life! I loved Angie, she is so much like me it's scary! I grew up watching and loving the PBS show Frontier House and this book is very similar to that show. I knew when I read the summary of this book that I would love it and I am pleased to report that I loved it even more than I thought I would! The message of contentment and the conclusions that the characters came to about life are the exact same ones I have come to in my own life and it was awesome to feel like the author really GOT me! I believe everyone would love this book and I think it should be required reading for all! Almost Amish really touched me personally! This book is absolutely incredible! All I can say is I really hope the author will write a sequel, I am not ready to let these characters go!!!


I recieved this book for free from Bethany House publishers in exchange for an honest review. I have done so. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!! Julie and Susan are sister in laws and as different as can be. Susan wants to gain fame that she hopes to cash in on by being on a reality TV show--Almost Amish. Julie is just looking for a simpler and slower lifestyle. They both learn alot about themselves and what their God given talents are.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I actually couldn't finish this book because I felt it was boring. I made to page 100 and realized that I couldn't connect with the characters. They seemed flat and one-dimensional for some reason.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

great message but a little preachy.

[Patty Eagle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really gave this a book a fair chance by reading nearly 1/2 the book. I just could t get into this and finally gave up.

[Rachel Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

GENRE: CONTEMPORARY/WOMEN’S FICTION
PUBLISHER: BETHANY HOUSE
PUBLICATION DATE: JULY 01, 2012
RATING: 4 OUT OF 5 – VERY GOOD

PROS: All women will be able to relate to Julie in some way; great message about the gifts God has given us; dispels some myths about Amish simplicity

CONS: Hard to sympathise with Susan; Susan’s change of character didn’t seem entirely realistic

There are some days when Julie Charlton would love to just leave her hectic life behind and start over in a much less stressful world. When her sister-in-law, Susan, announces that their family has the chance the take part an Amish reality television show, Julie can’t help but wonder if this is God’s answer to her prayers. The idea of becoming Amish for the entire summer and giving up PTA meetings and all the other trappings of her life couldn’t be more appealing. But once Julie, Susan and their children arrive on their farm in Tennessee, the reality of their situation kicks in. Not only had they not entirely thought through how “easy” and “simple” life would be with a wood-burning stove, a ringer-washer and limited air-conditioning, but they find it hard to leave behind their old attitudes. Susan has a book deal resting of the success of this show, and can’t stop striving for perfection, driving her own daughter, as well as Julie and her children, nearly over the edge with her insistence that they must appear to be a perfect family at all times. Living in such close quarters with Susan makes Julie feel all the more inferior for her lacklustre cooking and housekeeping attempts. If Susan has all of these gifts, why can’t she have at least one? The pressure doesn’t seem to have lessened at all in their simplistic Amish retreat. Can Susan and Julie learn anything from their “Almost Amish” experience, or will they return to their lives in California with their attitudes intact and unchanged?

While I love Amish fiction, I've found that Christian women's fiction can often be a bit hit or miss. I've never read a women's fiction novel from a Christian perspective that I've absolutely adored, and I’ve come across a few that have been a bit too preachy for my taste. This considered, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from Almost Amish. How would it blend these two highly popular genres? This definitely isn’t your typical Amish novel, despite what the cover might suggest, and in fact, I’d seriously hesitate to even call it Amish. The main characters rarely interact with anyone from the Amish faith, but the book does address a lot of the issues that feature in the Amish genre: slowing down, searching for simplicity and a deep focus on family and relationships. Amish fans may be a little disappointed that this book isn’t quite as Amish as they’d like, but I think that Kathryn Cushman manages to cross genres quite well. Almost Amish may end up grabbing the attention of some readers who wouldn’t normally pick up a book with a bonnet or buggy on the cover, and educate them on why so many people find the Plain folk so fascinating.


I was surprised to find that Almost Amish wasn’t told entirely from Julie’s point-of-view, but also included sections from Susan, her perfectionist sister-in-law. But even though I was able to take a peek into Susan’s life and discover what had made her the woman she was at the start of the book, I still struggled to sympathise with her. That said, I am a lot younger than Susan and don’t have anywhere near as much life experience as her, so perhaps older women who have shared her struggles – infidelity, divorce, raising a teenage daughter – may be able to relate to her a little bit. I genuinely found Susan to be quite off-putting to begin with, and I have to admit that although I was glad that she grew as a character, I didn’t find her turnaround to be entirely realistic. I would have preferred a more gradual development of character, while it seemed almost as if her discussion with her daughter, Angie, caused her to instantly redefine her life and her priorities.

While I'd like to think I'm a tad better at cooking and housekeeping in comparison to Julie, I could definitely empathise with her feelings of trying to keep all the balls in the air and do everything at once. While Susan was always looking at everyone else and thinking about how she could improve on their mistakes, Julie constantly focused on her own shortcomings and never felt like anything she did was good enough. It was endearing to see how, in focusing so much on being involved in women’s groups and trying to do half a dozen things at once, Julie was missing how much her kids appreciated how she would drop everything for them. Julie’s story paved the way for a great message about how everyone’s gifts are equal, and that being a great listener and friend doesn’t make you less important than someone who is a gourmet cook or master seamstress. This is a message that I’m sure every female reader needs to hear.

Even if this isn’t necessarily a book about the Amish, I loved the way that Kathryn addressed the idea of how “simple” the Amish lifestyle really is. Almost Amish showed how being Amish doesn’t necessarily make your life easier, just as living in the English world doesn’t automatically mean that things will be more difficult. Julie and Susan didn’t necessarily go home and throw out all of their electrical appliances after their Amish experience – and I’m sure their time in Tennessee made them appreciate these modern conveniences even more! – but they did re-evaluate their priorities and adapt their lifestyles to suit some of the habits they’d learned while being Amish. I’m sure a lot of readers will appreciate being reminded that you don’t have to be Amish to make time for your family and enjoy nature. Almost Amish also contained some gentle reminders about how the Amish aren’t walking tourist attractions and that they deserve just as much respect as anyone else on the planet. Considering how popular the Amish are right now, it’s encouraging to see authors touching on this matter and kindly reminding readers to put their cameras a way and not point and stare.

Don’t let this cover fool you; Almost Amish is not your typical Amish novel. In fact, it isn’t really an Amish novel at all. Instead of writing about a simple Amish family going about their everyday lives with a sense of peace and contentment, Kathryn Cushman treats readers to the harsh truths about the stresses that face the average family in the twenty-first century. Whether you’re a perfectionist, like Susan, or never feel like you’re good enough, like Julie, you’ll be sure to appreciate the message in this book. Hopefully readers of Almost Amish will finish this novel with the feeling that they’re not alone in this world, and some ideas on how to simplify their lives that don’t require them to buy a horse or start wearing a bonnet.

Review title provided by Bethany House.

[Suja · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is again one of the books that I picked up because I really loved the cover of the book and the title intrigued me. People are generally curious about Amish and their way of life. Amish are secluded and still are not "on par" with the modern world. They believe in simple living without much of the luxuries that modern technology offers.

Synopsis: Julie Charlton is a harried mother of teenaged kids and a husband with a demanding job. She is at a breaking point and burned out. Her sister-in-law Susan lands an opportunity at a reality tv show promoting simple living "almost" like Amish. She asks Julie to be a part of it along with the kids, and Julie jumps at this opportunity to take a break from her routine life. What follows is the story of Julie and Susan along with their kids living in idyllic farm outside Amish community in Tennessee.

Observations
1) The characters are highly unidimensional and there is no in depth character development. Most of the characters are sketched without much thought.
2) Too many stereotypes, female executives are stylish stick thin people. Men are super tall with baby blue eyes and women have water blue eyes (I still can't figure out the difference between baby blue and water blue)
3) Too many inconsistencies in the story and writing. Sometimes, I did not know which character's pov was being presented.
4) Almost all the dialogues in the book seemed very formal and on the surface. There was no in depth dialogues nor effective ones

I really did not enjoy this book. I have never read any Christian fiction before and this book is my first one. And this one came across too preachy.

I rate this book at 2.25 rounded to 2

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Amish is about two ladies that leave their busy lives for a summer living a "simple" life like the Amish. They are sisters-in-law and take along their 3 teenaged kids.

This book was really good. I was actually disappointed when it ended. Both of these ladies are busy living their lives the way they think they are supposed to, only to be stressed, overworked, overwhelmed, and disappointed. And the Amish life is anything but easy. But they both learn some important lessons about themselves, each other, and their kids.

[Laurie Grooms · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story has an over all good message. It makes you realize we all have our own special qualities. We need to stop judging ourselves based on how we measure up against another's qualities. Stop pushing ourselves to do what we think others want us to do or be. Really focus on our family and what makes us find joy! The story line felt choppy at times and spent too much time on something's and not long enough on others.

[Jessica Braun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book that tells the story of a woman named Julie who makes a TV show called Almost Amish. A family is filmed in their home while they are cooking or doing chores to show the world how different their lifestyle is from the English. From the way they wash the laundry to the way they cook meals, the Amish still manage without the modern conveniences like electricity and indoor plumbing.

[Sue Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unusual

This was definitely a unusual story line than most books I have read. But I did enjoy it. I could relate to Julie, that was me years ago when our children were younger. Learning to say “no” was so hard to do. It took me too long to realize this but so glad I did. I am enjoying this series and looking forward to starting the next book yet tonight.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was an easy read. The story was about a ‘normal’ family who spends the summer finding out what it’s like to live as Amish for a reality show. The story was predictable, one of the main characters was not likeable and the dialogue was pretty corny and unrealistic. It was very religious too with a large focus on god/ church.

[Thirza Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gelezen op aanraden van een vriendin, aangezien ik zelf niet zou kiezen voor dit genre. Ondanks dat; ik heb enorm genoten van dit boek! Aan het begin moest ik er even inkomen, maar uiteindelijk ging ik het grappige en het leuke van het verhaal zien... :)

Het boek is vooral ter ontspanning, niet voor diepgang of 'moeilijk denken'. De moeite waard!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite quotes from the book about the people who read Amish fiction: “They read those books to escape for a little while into a simpler lifestyle. One they wish they could lead.”
I think I like them because I also like to bake pies and quilt.

[Larisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I Enjoyed about this book - is that it has a reality show theme.

The flow of the book allows the reader - to kinda walk through their shoes, see what their days are like. The 2 main characters are like Mary and Martha in the bible.

[Sherri A. Michaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

At first wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this book. As I got into it I realized it definitely had a learnable plot!! Please we need to enjoy our lives without stressing on perfection