The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury: A Baxter Family Series Review

Karen Kingsbury has become one of my favorite Christian book authors.  Her books are relatable because they deal with real situations that all of us face at one time or another.  I have enjoyed several of Karen's stand alone novels that address religious liberty, parenting a child with autism, abortion, broken relationships, renewed relationships . . . you name it.  If you can think of a real life situation that could challenge the faith of even the most faithful, Karen Kingsbury has probably written a story about it.  I recently finished the first five books in Karen's Baxter Family Drama Series.  The first five books are called the Redemption Series.

Karen Kingsbury's Redemption Series won Christian Retailing's 2005 Retailer's Choice Award for Best Series.  Karen wrote the Baxter Family Series for a joint purpose with Gary Smalley.  Each book highlight's a different theme regarding relationships.  Each book offers study questions at the end of the story and then gives you a sneak peak into the next book.  

The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury - Baxter Family Dramas

The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury:  A Short Synopsis Book Review

Book One:  Redemption

Book one of the Redemption Series is titled . . . you guessed it . . . Redemption.  Redemption is a novel that challenges our human ability to forgive.  In this first book of the Baxter Family Series, we are introduced to Kari Baxter.  Kari is excited about the possibility of teaming with her husband, Tim, to offer marriage counseling for couples at their church.  Kari barely has time to think through her plans when she learns that hubby, Tim, has been having an affair.  Tim eventually tells Kari that he no longer loves her and he wants a divorce.  Kari believes God has called her to remain with her husband and fight for their marriage.  

Admittedly, I don't know if I could do what Kari did in this book.  Personally, I believe the Bible tells me that I don't have to remain with a cheating husband but the point here is to tell you how Karen writes Kari's story and in this story, Kari remains faithful to what she believes God has called her to do.  In the end, God rewards Kari's faithfulness.  

Redemption is a story about perseverance, faithfulness, and forgiveness.  Through this story, I see how God calls people to do things we might think is unnecessary or even crazy in order to fulfill His purposes in the lives of His people.  God can redeem the most hopeless of situations.  

By the end of this first book, I think you will love the Baxter family.  I also think you might be inclined to offer forgiveness more freely to those who offend you.

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Book Two:  Remember

In book two of the Redemption Series, we learn more about Kari's sister, Ashley.  Ashley has returned from Paris with a deep secret that haunts her.  She feels like noone, not even God, would forgive her mistakes.  Ashley takes a job at a home for Alzheimer's patients.  She develops friendships with the residents, especially a woman named Irvel who continues to demonstrate a love for her longtime late husband, Hank.  The love that Irvel and Hank had shared is a love that Ashley can only dream about no matter how hard Landon Blake tries to capture Ashley's heart.  

In book two, Remember, we find ourselves back on one of the most heart wrenching Tuesdays many of us will ever remember, September 11, 2001.  By now, you have been introduced to all of the Baxter family siblings in some way.  September 11 becomes close and personal to some of the characters, especially the Baxter family youngest son, Luke, and his girlfriend, Reagan.  

So far, in Redemption (book one) and Remember (book two), the reader has worked through the Baxter family's perseverance and faithfulness to God through infidelity, adultery, and national tragedy.

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Book Three:  Return

In book three, Return, Karen writes a story that grips many hearts of Christian parents around the world, the reality of a child gone astray.  I mentioned earlier that September 11, 2001 was a day that personally affected a few characters.  The Baxter's youngest son, Luke, was especially changed by the events of that horrible day.  Luke turns from his faith, changes his appearance, and leaves everything precious to him behind, including his family.  

Luke is known as John and Elizabeth Baxter's golden boy, their only son, and youngest of their 5 children.  After September 11, Luke's relationship with his Reagan is broken.  In the months ahead, Reagan moves back to New York to live with her mother where she delivers Luke's son, a baby Luke knows nothing about.  

Through months of heartbreaking revelations and the faithful prayers of his parents, especially Luke's father, John, this book is about Luke's return home . . . home to his family and home to his faith.  

I'll leave one piece of information to your reading.  Will Luke learn that he is a father?  Will his relationship with the baby's mother, Reagan, be renewed?  

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Book Four:  Rejoice

Book four focuses on another Baxter sibling, Brooke, and her husband, Peter.  Like Kari and Tim, Brooke and Peter are struggling with a troubled marriage.  Brooke and Peter's troubles are different from Kari's and Tim's.  Their problems will resonate more with couples who grow apart more gradually through life circumstances.  In Rejoice, Brooke and Peter's youngest daughter who cannot swim falls ends up in the pool without her life jacket while attending a friend's party.  

Hayley's accident destroy's Peter.  Through circumstances that are sure to separate Brooke and Peter while forever changing the lives of the entire Baxter family, we learn how God can work through a family's worst nightmare to renew relationships in ways that only God can do.

By the end of this book, through all the pain and suffering of these first four novels, the Baxter family has a reason to rejoice.  The family, John and Elizabeth along with all 5 Baxter children, are reunited at a special wedding . . . a wedding that at one time seemed as though it would never happen - another relationship renewed through circumstances that only a faith in a sovereign God could accomplish.

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Book Five:  Reunion

The first four books in this Redemption series taught us about four of John and Elizabeth Baxter's 5 children.  In book one, we learn about Kari.  In book two, we learn about Ashley.  In book three, we learn about Luke.  In book four, we learn about Brooke.  In Book five, Reunion, we learn about another Baxter sister, Erin, and her husband, Sam.  

Erin and Sam never had biological children in spite of their desire for them.  After moving to Texas, they decide to adopt a baby.  The adoption process for Erin and Sam takes an unexpected turn that leaves Erin and Sam in the middle of a fraudulent situation and eventually without the baby for which they had prepared.  

With Erin and Sam in Texas and Luke in New York, Elizabeth wants a reunion with all their children together.  As all the children arrive at the Baxter house, John and Elizabeth prepare to tell them a secret they've hidden from their children for as long as they could.  Revealing this secret is sure to result in more heartbreak and yet again a challenged faith for this Godly family.  

I grew to love this family as I laughed and cried with them through this first series in the Baxter Family Dramas.  This family grew in their faith as they bonded over triumphs and tragedies that included so many life circumstances including troubled marriages, infidelity, adultery, abortion, a prodigal son, a child drowning, infertility, adoption, national tragedy, two devastating health diagnoses, broken relationships, parenting nightmares . . . and I'm leaving a few things out so I won't reveal everything before you have a chance to read these books. 

I will add that through all five books, book five was the one that ripped my heart into a million pieces.  I highly recommend reading them in the order presented here.  Reading the Redemption Series in order will give you the full effect like watching a movie series in order.  If you watch, or in this case read, out of order, you can probably still enjoy the stories, but reading in order will give you the full effect in time order.  

Book five revealed yet another Baxter family secret.  I won't reveal the secret except to say that it leads us directly in to the next 5 book series called Firstborn.  I have all five of those books sitting right next to me as I type this and I can't wait to start reading them.

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The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury:  
A Baxter Family Drama Series

Redemption by Karen Kingsbury (Book Review)

A little while back, I read my first Karen Kingsbury book.  I had been hooked on Amish romances, but someone highly recommended a book by Kingsbury so I read it.  I don't know why it took me so long to read one of her books!  I've heard her name for years, but for some reason, my eyes had not landed on one of her novels until fairly recently.  Since then, I've read several of her books and have loved every single one.  I've heard a lot of good things about her Baxter family series so I thought our current COVID19 "quarantine" would be a good time to start reading those books.  The first book in the Baxter family series is Redemption and it did not disappoint.  Was there any doubt?

Redemption by Karen Kingsbury

Redemption, as did Kingsbury's other books, had me immediately captivated.  This book, as captivating as it was, was also a hard one to read.  It wasn't hard to read due to the writing.  The writing was great!  It was the content that was so hard to grasp.  In Redemption, we are introduced to the Baxter family, a family of loving parents and several adult children.  The focus of this story is on Kari Baxter Jacobs and her husband.  Kari's husband teaches at the local university.  One evening, Kari is stunned to learn of her husband's affair with a student.  Kari believes God has taught her that love is a decision and God wants her to fight for her marriage.

Some readers might misunderstand this book to push the belief that God wants women to stay with husbands who mistreat them.  This is not what the Bible teaches but this is also not what Kingsbury is trying to teach her readers.  I'm a Southern Baptist raised woman.  I'm as conservative as they come and I believe that unfaithfulness in a marriage gives a woman Biblical grounds for seeking a divorce.  This is not the message Kingsbury is pushing.  In her story, Kari's personal testimony based on her relationship with God is that He wants HER to fight for HER marriage, not that this is what all women should do.  I need to add, however, that some women in real life situations similar to Kari's have felt this same calling on them as wives of unfaithful husbands and they have incredible personal testimonies of God's faithfulness to them and their families. I have always wondered how some women can come to the same decisions as Kari Jacobs.  This story helped me see how they do.

I can't relate to Kari's marital circumstances but I can relate to the need for redemption.  We are all fallen.  We all need redemption.

There are other plot twists to keep you guessing about how the story wraps up.  Kari has an ex-boyfriend, one who broke her heart many years ago.  Now, he's back in her life.  His presence makes Kari's fight for her marriage even more challenging.  Kari has other sisters and a brother.  They each have complex personalities, interests, and beliefs.  They were all raised by the same loving, Godly, and well grounded parents but they are all different, molded from different life experiences of blessings and brokenness.

As you flip through the pages of this first of many in a vast series of Baxter family stories, you'll laugh, cry, rejoice, and hurt.  Your heart will break, but also learn to heal. 

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Redemption by Karen Kingsbury

If you are someone who can relate to Kari's story on a level that I cannot, I hope you will find her story inspiring, even if your choice is different from hers.  My personal prayer for you is that you will be encouraged by this fictional story and that you will gain a desire to seek knowledge, understanding, and wisdom from the only source of real truth concerning marriage and relationships, the Bible.

Marriage is not the only area in our lives that can produce a broken relationship.  This book demonstrates how God can heal any kind of broken relationship even if restoring the relationship seems hopeless.

At the end of the book, there is a list of discussion questions to help you discover a deeper understanding of the story and applications to your own life.

I can't wait to start the next book in this series, Remember.  I'll let you know what I think.  :)

Other books I've read and recommend by Karen Kingsbury:

Unlocked

One Tuesday Morning

Beyond Tuesday Morning

Remember Tuesday Morning

Shades of Blue 

Oceans Apart 

On Every Side  

Where Yesterday Lives

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UPDATE:  Since I wrote this post, I have finished all five books in the Redemption Series.  You can find my review here.

I've made it through the whole series.  Karen Kingsbury's 9/11 series is made of of a three book trilogy.  One Tuesday Morning, Beyond Tuesday Morning, and Remember Tuesday Morning.  All three books were captivating.  I read and reviewed the first book last year.  I can't believe I waited so long to read the next two, but once I got started, I couldn't put them down.  I have read both books in one week.  If you haven't read any of these books yet, read them in order.  While many of Karen Kingsbury's books can be read alone even though they are part of a series, I recommend reading these three in order.  Each books builds on the previous one.

One Tuesday Morning introduces the reader to the main characters in the series.  Jamie Bryan is married to Jake Bryan.  They have a 4 year old daughter, Sierra.  Jake and his daughter go to church together but Jamie doesn't share their faith.  One Tuesday morning, on September 11, 2001, terrorists attack the Twin Towers in New York City.  Jake dies in the attacks.

Beyond Tuesday Morning takes you to 2004, 3 years after 9/11.  Sierra is 7 years old and is starting to forget things about the daddy she adored before the towers fell.  Jamie is keeping Jake's memory alive and honoring the life he lived by volunteering at St. Paul's Church.  Soon after Jake's death, Jamie began to read Jake's Bible and the journal he left behind.  She now shares Jake's steadfast faith in Jesus.  One morning, Jamie is headed to volunteer at St. Paul's when a group of young men hold her at gunpoint.  A man, Clay Michaels, is standing nearby.  He is visiting from California.  He sees the gun in Jamie's side so he and his friend, Joe, step in to save her from her predicament.  Could he be the one to lead Jamie out of the place where she still hangs on the past and into the place where she will find love again?

Image Credit:  Abundant Family Living (Tina Truelove)

Remember Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Remember Tuesday Morning introduces the reader to new characters while continuing Jamie's story in the background.  Alex Brady's father had been a FDNY firefighter.  He died on September 11, 2001 when the Twin Towers were attacked by terrorists.  Alex has spent the last 7 years trying to rid the world of bad guys.  The more bad guys he can get off the streets, the fewer families have to suffer the loss of a loved one.  Alex left his home in New York.  He left his faith, his mother, and the only girl he had ever loved to move to California to work for the LAPD as a K9 police officer.  With his faithful and loyal dog, Bo, at his side, Alex cares about nothing but ridding the world of evil. 

In Los Angeles and the surrounding area, there is always the threat of summer wildfires.  This year, the threat is elevated even more with threats of arson from an environmental terrorist group.  They threaten to burn down high end housing developments which, according to the environmental terrorist group, represent extreme materialism with little or no appreciation for nature.

Soon after Alex had come to California, his former girlfriend, Holly, had come to see him as one final attempt to reach the deep, soft area of his heart and save their relationship.  Alex turned her away.  He assumed she had gone back to New York, married, and perhaps had started a family.  Alex didn't know that Holly had chosen to stay in the Los Angeles area.  She worked as a real estate agent for a development company which was in the process of developing a high end neighborhood - Oak Canyon Estates, the development that the environmental terrorists group is threatening to burn down.

Will Alex find out about Holly's whereabouts in time?  Will she finally be able to break down the wall Alex had built around his heart for the past 7 years.  Will Alex's faith in the God he once trusted be restored?  What about Jamie's family?  Will they be able to help Alex move forward after suffering his greatest loss since September 11, 2001?

Well, you'll have to read the book to find out the answers to all those questions.  I admire Karen Kingsbury's talent.  Her ability to wrap one story around another, resulting in tales of trials and triumphant faith is a gift that only God can give.

These stories pulled from the ashes of September 11, 2001 brought me back to that terrible Tuesday morning.  I remember it very well.  I can still see the images of the burning towers as people jumped to their deaths as I watched on live television.  Then, suddenly I was horrified as I watched one tower fall.  I was horrified again a little later as I watched the other tower fall.

Many years before 9/11, my family had visited New York City.  I had seen the Twin Towers standing in their place in the New York City skyline. I still struggle to explain all the emotions that welled up inside me as the events of that Tuesday morning unfolded before my very eyes.  A few years later, I visited New York City once again.  I walked slowly by the holes left where the towers had once stood.

As I read all three of the books in Karen's 9/11 series, I could imagine every event.  The story she writes in this trilogy is a fictitious one but this is a story that could have unfolded on September 11, 2001 and the 7 years after.

You will want to read all three books.

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Last year, I was introduced to Karen Kingsbury's 9/11 series.  The first book in the series is One Tuesday Morning.  Beyond Tuesday Morning begins 3 years after One Tuesday Morning ends.

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Beyond Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Jamie Bryan's husband, Jake, died on September 11, 2001 when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers in New York City.  He was a firefighter.  Now, three years later, Jamie is still volunteering at St. Paul's Church.  The church still stands across the street from where the Twin Towers had once stood.  Jamie ministers to families and friends of 9/11 victims as she honors the life of her husband.  Her daughter, Sierra, was only 4 years old when the attacks happened.  She is now seven and is starting to forget things about the man she had adored as her daddy.

Jake's former boss at FDNY, Captain Hisel, also volunteers at St. Paul's Church.  He and Jamie have become friends over the past three years.  He was there for Jamie when they thought they had found Jake alive after the towers had collapsed, but the man they found turned out to be another man who looked just like Jake, Eric Michaels.  The friendship between Captain Hisel and Jamie has grown very close.  In fact, Captain Hisel makes his intentions clear to Jamie.  He thinks of her as more than just a friend.

Eric Michaels had spent several months with Jamie while he recovered from his injuries.  He was suffering from amnesia.  He didn't know who he was or whether or not he had been a husband and father before September 11, 2001.  After his true identity had been discovered, Jamie helped Eric find his family.  For the past three years, Eric Michaels has been enjoying life in California with his wife and son.

Eric's brother, Clay, is a police officer for the LAPD.  After a shooting, Clay and his friend, Joe Reynolds, travel to New York for three weeks of police training.  Clay and Joe board a ferry on their first day in the city.  They are on their way to visit a church, St. Paul's, when they notice a woman in distress.  Clay catches a glimpse of the gun held to her side.  Of course, he and Joe rescue the woman from her dangerous circumstances.  Her name is Jamie Bryan.

Clay and Jamie hit it off right from the beginning.  Jamie is beyond thankful for her rescue, but is there more to the reason for her feeling towards this Clay whom she has just met? What was his name that she had heard him try to tell her over noise on the ferry . . . Clay Miles?  What about Captain Hisel who has shared grief and a three year friendship with Jamie?    Who is this Clay Miles anyway?  Does he have a family?  Where is he from?   All those questions will be answered within the pages of Beyond Tuesday Morning.

Then there is little Sierra who is not near as little as she used to be.  She's 7 now.  Some of her friends at school who lost their daddies in the Twin Towers now have new daddies.  Sierra misses her daddy but she is ready for a new daddy.  She doesn't really dislike Captain Hisel, but would he make a good daddy?  She doesn't have to wonder about her mommy's new friend, Clay.

"Before he left, Clay looked at her one last time and winked.  And Sierra did a little gasp because that's something she'd seen before.  Maybe it was her daddy who used to do that, or her second daddy - the one who lived with her after the Twin Towers fell down.  But instead of feeling confused, her heart felt happy.   Because maybe the wink was a sign that God knew how lonely she was without her daddy.  And maybe God would take away the lonely forever." - excerpt from Beyond Tuesday Morning

Karen Kingsbury's books always find a way to pull at my heart.  Beyond Tuesday Morning is no exception.  Reading One Tuesday Morning made me fall in love with the characters.  When Jake died in the towers, my heart broke into a million pieces.  As Jamie goes through the many emotions along the journey to live and find love again, I feel like I'm on this journey with her and it isn't an easy one.

I hope you will read One Tuesday Morning first.  Then, pick up the story with Beyond Tuesday Morning.  Get lost in the story and choose life along with Jamie, Sierra, and Clay.

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 One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

I remember September 11, 2001 very well.  I had returned home from dropping my oldest two children off at school.  It was my day off.  My husband had just come home from working the night shift.  Our youngest daughter was only 2 years old.  My husband and I were watching The Today Show as our youngest daughter played on the floor at our feet.  I wasn't feeling well that morning so I was half watching, half dozing.  My husband brought me back to reality when he told me that I might want to pay attention to the news.  He said a plane had just crashed into one of the World Trade Center buildings.  I watched as the second plane veered into the second building.  I felt like it was on purpose.  The scenes that followed have played over and over in my mind for the past 17 years - the burning buildings, people jumping, the collapse of one building, then the other.  There was also news of a plane crashing into the Pentagon and another one crashing into a Pennsylvania field.  The horrible feeling of realizing we were under attack here on our homeland was overwhelming.  My husband told me to go pick up our older two children.  We wanted our family to be together that day.  The uncertainty of what might happen next was almost too much to process.  It was a terrible, horrifying Tuesday Morning.

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury is a story about two families who navigate the events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 and the days and months that followed.  On September 11, 2001, I watched from thousands of miles away.  Some people I knew had family, friends, or acquaintances in the towers, the Pentagon, or on one of those planes that day.  I had no personal connection other than the agony I felt in my heart as an American.  One Tuesday Morning brought me into the households of two fictional families who suffered the hard, cold direct effects of that morning - and at one point, I was taken into the towers as the events unfolded much like I remember watching all those years ago.

One Tuesday Morning is the first book in a three-book series, the 9/11 series.  The next two books are sitting here beside me waiting for their chance to take me back to a place I'm not sure I want to go because my heart aches for these characters.  On the other hand, just like real life, I look forward to leaning how God works in the lives of these characters just like He works in the lives of real people.

One Tuesday Morning brings a fictional story (which could have happened) into a real life tragic event.  Get your copy here.

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Where Yesterday Lives by Karen Kingsbury

Ellen is a successful journalist in a marriage grown stale.  After she receives a call informing her of her father's death, she returns home to Petoskey, Michigan to face her somewhat dysfunctional family.  The death of her beloved father is only one of the challenges Ellen faces while she and her siblings help their mother plan their father's funeral.

Ellen had begged her husband to return to Petoskey with her.  She needed his support but his busy work schedule took precedence so Ellen returned to Petoskey alone.

Ellen's relationship with her sister, Jane, has been strained for years, but Ellen, for the life of her, can't figure out what happened between the two that would cause Jane to behave so terribly towards her.  After an entire week of planning and bickering back and forth, the truth finally surfaces, but will Ellen and Jane find enough common ground to move past their differences and restore their relationship?

While here husband remains in Miami, Ellen reconnects with her old high school boyfriend, Jake Sadler.  Jake has never married.  After spending time with Ellen, it is evident that he still loves her.  With Ellen's marriage already strained, will Ellen completely destroy her marriage by having an affair with Jake?

There are three other siblings in the Barrett family:  Megan, Amy, and Aaron.

Amy, the youngest of the girls, is married and seems to be the least dramatic sister.

Megan, in my opinion, seems to be the most mature of the five children; although her past might have led her down an entirely different road had she not come to her senses.

Aaron is an odd one.  He is the only boy and the youngest of the five Barrett children.  He keeps to himself, hiding behind his sunglasses, unless he becomes frustrated and angry.  At that point, he becomes rather violent.

At the end of the week, each sibling gets a chance to speak at their father's funeral.  This gives them each an opportunity to express thoughts and feelings that they have kept bottled up until now.

Will the sibling rivalry between Ellen and Jane come to an end?  Will the relationship be restored?  What about Aaron?  Will he step out from behind those sunglasses and allow himself to love and be loved?

Family dynamics, marriage problems, secrets that destroy, temptations almost too great to overcome - Where Yesterday Lives has it all.

Overall, I liked the book.  I think it addresses issues common to many families.  Many readers will relate to the troubled marriage, bickering siblings, and the death of the family patriarch.  I think this book will likely cause people to stop and think about their own family struggles and perhaps set them on a course to solving their own issues.

I was fairly recently introduced to Karen Kingsbury books.  I've since read several of them and loved them all.  This one was a little harder for me to get into.  The sibling rivalry seemed a little too drawn out. It seemed more like I was reading a dialogue between bratty teenagers instead of Christian adults who would hopefully handle things with more maturity.  The mother seemed less nurturing than I would have liked.  Aaron's character was violent to the point of destroying property.  In reality, he would need professional help (in my opinion).  In Where Yesterday Lives, this behavior was written off as almost normal.  His siblings simply avoided conflict with him.  Otherwise they knew he would throw or break things.  I felt like his character could have been more developed and his issues addressed rather than them, for the most part, remaining overlooked.  In spite of these few "problem areas," I liked the book overall.

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Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury

Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury is a story about the after-effects of abortion.  This story is unique because it is told mostly from the heart of the baby’s father, Brad Cutler.  Brad works in a successful advertising agency in New York City.  His boss is also his future father-in-law.  Brad is just weeks away from marrying Laura James when he is trusted with a brand which manufacturers baby items.  While struggling with the campaign, he realizes that his past haunts him.  He cannot move forward with the campaign or his bride-to-be until he apologizes for his roll in his ex-girlfriend’s abortion.  Just weeks away from his wedding day, Brad travels back to North Carolina to find his first love.

Emma Landon is a school teacher in North Carolina.  It has been nearly a decade since she and her ex-boyfriend made the decision to end her baby’s life by abortion.  She has never found the strength to move past November 20, 1999 – the day her baby died.  Soon after that terrible day, her boyfriend, Brad Cutler, left her and her mother passed away.  Emma carried her burden alone – until almost a decade later when on the last day of school, she walked out to her car to find Brad waiting for her.

During the days that followed, God gifted both Brad and Emma with more than either of them thought possible.

Shades of Blue is a story about the after-effects of abortion but it is also a story about forgiveness, both giving it and receiving it.

As great as the story is, I have to admit that the story did not end the way I wanted.  There were times when I thought Karen might end the story the way I hoped, but . . . nope.  My heart broke for everyone involved, but I really wanted the story to end differently.  However, I know that this is a story that could probably be taken from the real lives of countless couples around the world.  This is how real life sometimes plays out.

At the end of the story, there is a letter to the reader.  In the letter, Karen explains how her story came about.  She also shares the reason the topic of abortion is personal for her.  It took her several years to develop the story because she wanted to present it in a non-condemning way.  If you read this book, I highly recommend that you read the letter to the reader at the end.

If you are reading this and you are considering an abortion, please contact someone at one or more of the following resources.

National Right to Life

ProLife Across America

Here is a list of many resources.

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I read Oceans Apart by Karen Kingsbury before the Christmas holidays began.  I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that this is one of the most heart-gripping books I’ve ever read.  My emotions were all over the place with this one.  I’m not exactly sure where to start.  It was that good.

Oceans Apart by Karen Kingsbury

I suppose the best place to start is the first chapter.  It is as dramatic as the last.  Within the first few pages, Karen has her readers emotionally attached to little Max and his mother, Kiahna.  Readers of Oceans Apart suffer their first emotionally traumatic moment at the end of the first chapter.  That’s where we loose Kiahna and our hearts break for Max.

Don’t worry.  The loss of Max’s mother is no spoiler as this information is clearly exposed on the book jacket.  Although her death is important, the plot is about what happens next.


In the second chapter, we’re introduced to Pilot Conner Evans and his family.  Conner is husband to Michele and father to two girls, Elizabeth and Susan.  They live happily in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Max lives in Hawaii with his mother’s friend, but not for long.  A life-altering long-ago decision between Conner and Kiahna, a long-kept secret, is about to be revealed.

Kiahna’s will and testament concerning her son was clear.  If anything should happen to her, Max’s father must be contacted before her son would be delivered over to the state.  Kiahna requested that Max spend two weeks with his father, giving his father a chance to decide whether or not to keep and raise Max.  However, if Connor should decide to send Max back to Hawaii, he was never to contact Max again.

In all the pages that follow, right up to the point when Conner’s decision is final, the reader is taken into the Connor home to experience the roller-coaster ride of emotions that would wreak havoc over the Evans family during those two weeks.

I couldn’t help but wonder what I would do if I were in Michele’s place.  Before I read this book, I was certain about how I would handle such a situation.  Now, I’m not so sure.  One thing I do know for sure is that after reading this book, readers will clearly see how God works in what seems like impossible circumstances.

Faith, love, happiness, contentment, suspicion, hurt, devastation, anger, and resentment are some of the emotions that grip Connor and Michele throughout the story.  Will Connor’s and Michele’s faith be deep enough to nurture a spirit of forgiveness strong enough to save their marriage?  If they manage to save their family unit, will Connor and Michele find a place in their hearts for Max?

Oh how I loved that little boy . . . and oh how my heart broke over how the consequences of poor decisions affected Max and the Evans family.

 To find out how the story plays out, get your copy of Oceans Apart by Karen Kingsbury here. 

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Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury is a story about a boy living with Autism, but it is so much more than that.  It’s a story about loving people who are different from you.  It’s a story about friendship, loss, reconnecting and if you look closely, it’s also about forgiveness.  Unlocked is a story that gives hope where parents find little.  It’s a story about encouragement, changing hearts, and making a difference.  It’s a story about faith.

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Holden Harris is 18 years old and living with Autism.  He was perfectly healthy when he was three year old.  He was happy and his future looked bright.  His friend Ella was also three.  Their parents were the best of friends so Holden and Ella spent a lot of time together during those early years.  Their parents even dreamed about a day when Holden and Ella might date.  Maybe they would grow up, go to the Prom together, and even marry someday.

Then, Dan and Tracy Harris’ world changed.  Holden started withdrawing into his own world, an inner world where no-one could reach him.  No matter how hard Dan and Tracy tried, Holden continued to slip away until he became unresponsive to them.  He became non-communicative.

Holden’s diagnosis was hard on everyone who loved him.  Ella’s parents responded in such a way that separated Holden and Ella . . . maybe forever.  Dan and Tracy’s marriage changed in such a way that would challenge even the most devoted couples.

15 years pass and Holden is now in high school.  He only communicates through PECS cards but those are new to him.  He exhibits behaviors that puzzle his mother, his teacher, and his therapists.  Is he progressing or regressing?  Will he someday be unlocked and released from his private world and reenter the world of those who love him?

Holden loves music.  One of the girls in the drama class pushes the teacher to allow Holden to sit in the room during rehearsals for the Spring play, Beauty and the Beast.  She has noticed the boy in the hallways . . . perhaps being bullied . . . by her own boyfriend, but there is something about him, something about his deep blue eyes, like maybe she should know him somehow.

Ella grew up to be a popular girl with popular friends.  That was true until she realizes the truth, the way her friends treat others who are “different.”  They bully kids like Michael Schwartz who plays the flute in the band.  Michael’s story is one that will rip your heart into a million pieces.

Unlocked is a story about Autism, friendship, hope, and all the things mentioned in the first paragraph here.  It is also a story about bullying and teen suicide.  Unlocked is an inspirational read about hard things in life.  It’s a story about a deep faith in a God who loves us through all the hard things . . . and sometimes He grants us a miracle.

I enjoyed the book.  It was an inspirational read but it was also a hard one at times.  Autism, bullying, and suicide are themes that have affected me personally.  At first, I wondered if Karen might have assumed too much when telling parts of Holden’s story from his own point of view, but after asking my own cousin who is currently raising a boy with Autism and several other moms and teachers of autistic children, they all agree that Karen does a fantastic job of writing the character and private personality of those living with Autism.  I learned a lot about the minds and thought processes of my precious relative and a few friends with Autism.  At the end of the story, Karen writes a letter to the reader which explains how she learned about Autism.  I think Unlocked is a great book for people who know little about it but want to gain a deeper understanding.

Some stories were left open.  I’m wondering how some of them turn out.  Perhaps a sequel in the future?  I”m new to Karen Kingsbury books but I know she has written several series novels so maybe there will be more to this one.  I hope so because if there is, I’ll be one of the first to read it.

Get your copy of Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury here.

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On Every Side by Karen Kingsbury was written in 2001 but it could have been based on today’s headlines.  It’s a story about life and death, love and loss, good versus evil, fragile relationships, the hard things that happen in life, and the controversial topic that never sleeps – the question of the separation of church and state.

Image Credit:  Abundant Family Living (Tina Truelove)

 On Every Side By Karen Kingsbury

The story centers around an old but popular Jesus statue that has graced the center of Jericho Park in Bethany, Pennsylvania for more than a hundred years.  The statue is special to many people in Bethany including Faith Evans, the local TV news reporter.  However, a visitor arrives to file suit against the town of Bethany, claiming the statue implies a government endorsement of Christianity.  Jordan Riley, the visitor who filed the suit claims the statue forces Christianity upon park visitors; but Jordan is not just a visitor.  His history in Bethany has left him angry at God.

Jordan’s anger seems firmly planted in soils of resentment with roots running so deep that he might never return to his former self – one who once loved God (and Faith Evans) with all his heart.

After many years of separation, Faith and Jordan meet at a diner on the day of Jordan’s arrival in Bethany which begins a roller-coaster ride of emotions as the story plays out.  Obviously, Faith’s excitement over seeing Jordan doesn’t last long.  How can two people who find themselves on opposing sides of a spiritual battle remain friends?

There is sort of a play on an old Bible story wrapped up in the pages of  On Every Side.  The park’s name is JERICHO Park.  Jordan Riley asked for a WALL to be erected around the Jesus statue.  The attorney representing religious freedom for the city of Bethany is named . . . Joshua.  Readers who are familiar with the Bible story about Joshua and the Battle of Jericho will understand what I’m talking about.

Faith, still recovering from her own hurts and in spite of her feelings for Jordan, remains true to her convictions.  She develops a plan to save the statue, but will her plan work?  Can Faith and Joshua convince the judge to not only order the temporary wall to be “torn down,” but to also allow the stature to remain visible forever for the people of Bethany?

Will Jordan Riley remain on the wrong side of religious freedom?

There’s more.   Jordan had a family, a mother and a sister.  You’ll need lots of tissues as you travel through the pages and memories of Jordan’s past.

There’s still more.  Faith has a soft and special place in her heart for a little foster child named Rosa.  Part of Faith’s job at the news station is to run her weekly Wednesday’s Child segment.  Rosa is precious and Faith can’t understand why God has not provided her with a forever family.  God has a plan for Rosa too and although they don’t understand it for most of the story, His plan for Rosa has everything to do with the battle over the Jesus statue.

On Every Side addresses many issues and questions we face in our own lives every day.  Why do bad things happen to good people?  Why isn’t God answering my prayer the way I want Him to?  Whey am I suffering through this hard battle right now?  My situation seems hopeless.  Does God really have a plan in all of this?

One of the threads of encouragement woven through the pages of the battle-story is based on Deuteronomy 31:8.

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

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As I read the story, I thought about circumstances in my own life, both past and present, and how the Lord has promised to “go before me.”  When the battle rages “on every side,” the Lord says, “I will go before you.”  All we need to do is be obedient.  The Lord will do the rest.
 
I enjoyed On Every Side by Karen Kingsbury and I think you will love it too.  The book is available here if you would like to add it to your home library.

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