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Redemption #5
Reunion
A fresh new look for the best-selling series from America’s number-one inspirational novelist, Karen Kingsbury. Fans will enjoy a personal note from Karen and Gary Smalley as well as discussion questions for book group use. Revisit the Baxter family in all their life-changing events, or share the series with someone who hasn’t discovered it yet.
This touching story allows us to see into the lives of the Baxter family as Erin and Sam attempt to adopt a child. As the family looks forward to a heartwarming reunion, they find out that Mr. and Mrs. Baxter have a secret that could change their lives forever.
This touching story allows us to see into the lives of the Baxter family as Erin and Sam attempt to adopt a child. As the family looks forward to a heartwarming reunion, they find out that Mr. and Mrs. Baxter have a secret that could change their lives forever.
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2004
599 people are currently reading
5342 people want to read
About the author
Karen Kingsbury
208 books12k followersKaren Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books are being developed into a TV series slated for major network viewing sometime in the next year. Karen is also an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University. In 2001 she and her husband, Don, adopted three boys from Haiti, doubling their family in a matter of months. Today the couple has joined the ranks of empty nesters, living in Tennessee near five of their adult children.
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
October 24, 2023
Honestly, Karen Kingsbury would have been nicer to me in this book if she would have ripped my heart out of my chest and threw it on the floor! I spent half of this book crying(I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm pregnant right now either😂😂).
This was a great and HEART WRECKING last read in this first part of the Baxter saga. I can't wait to see what happens next.
This was a great and HEART WRECKING last read in this first part of the Baxter saga. I can't wait to see what happens next.
April 19, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
😭 This book broke me. It was amazing and beautiful and i cant wait for the greatest reunion of my own.
Baxter family drama ranking
1. Redemption
2. Reunion
3. Rejoice
4. Return
5. Remember
😭 This book broke me. It was amazing and beautiful and i cant wait for the greatest reunion of my own.
Baxter family drama ranking
1. Redemption
2. Reunion
3. Rejoice
4. Return
5. Remember
January 19, 2009
The Redemtpion series is wonderful.
There are so many true to life examples in them that they could touch and change anyone's lives.
I can't capture everything I feel about this series in mere words. If I could put words on what my heart has read and is now digesting, it still wouldn't be sufficient.
Even if you don't think you are a Karen Kingsbury fan, please reconsider this one time and read this series.
I can't wait to go on to the Firstborn series and get more food for my soul.
There are so many true to life examples in them that they could touch and change anyone's lives.
I can't capture everything I feel about this series in mere words. If I could put words on what my heart has read and is now digesting, it still wouldn't be sufficient.
Even if you don't think you are a Karen Kingsbury fan, please reconsider this one time and read this series.
I can't wait to go on to the Firstborn series and get more food for my soul.
September 30, 2016
My library had only two of the five books of this series--Remember and Reunion. Remember wasn't so hot, but Reunion was better. This series seriously overemphasizes the importance of physical beauty, which struck me as sadly superficial to be so hung up on surface values. I was ambivalence about this book. Much in the story felt soapish, juvenile, and often contrived and unrealistic. Her adult characters are ridiculously immature, and I was repelled by adult Christians responding hysterically and rather meanly to some difficulty, with the maturity of a 13-year old. Personally, I haven't noticed that the Christians in real life respond more histrionically to problems; actually quite the opposite, but Kingsbury characters do way too much emotional over-reacting and not nearly enough pro-active thinking and doing--just deal with it like other adult humans do! However, when the characters finally do get around to seeking answers in prayer, Scripture, and counseling and start to think and communicate, some actual maturity and biblical insights emerge--they just take so long to get there! On the plus side the Bible lessons she works into the solutions to her problems are right-on once she finally gets around to them. If I ever read any other Kingsbury books I will have learned the necessity of skimming over the juvenile hysterical junk and seek out the meat of the scriptural life lesson.
April 30, 2025
Another heart felt story about the Baxter family.
May 21, 2023
Over a month since I've finished this book and I'm still thinking about it every single day. I can't believe how much I cried while reading it. This is the 5th book in the Redemption Series following the Baxter family and finally-finally-there are some good resolutions to the many problems this family has been facing throughout this series. Most of the resolutions are wonderful, but OF COURSE Ms. Kingsbury found a way to break my heart into a million pieces too. This family loves one another so much and it has been both joy and pain to follow them for five books now.
I feel like I know them personally and I miss them since I finished this series.
This finale set up the next two spinoff series well. The very day that I finished this book, I went out and bought the next nine books in this universe. I'm not ready to let these characters go.
I feel like I know them personally and I miss them since I finished this series.
This finale set up the next two spinoff series well. The very day that I finished this book, I went out and bought the next nine books in this universe. I'm not ready to let these characters go.
September 2, 2025
Lest i praksis. Siste bok i serien
June 21, 2013
This is the fifth book in the series, but I have a feeling that it is not the end of Baxter family saga. Each book in the series focuses on a different sibling and their problems, but none of the books is really a stand-alone tale. The story threads seem to continue into the following books. In this final book, the matriarch of the family is tragically ill, and how she and the family cope with her sickness is the crux of the novel. But there is a secondary story of a secret that the parents have been keeping from their children. This series has an overall feel of a Christian soap opera, if there is such a thing, with all the overwhelming emotions and strong Christian “preachiness,” but not very compelling writing. The plots are predictable for the most part and as well as trite, and I’m not sure, but it seems like the characters never do anything – and I mean ANYTHING – without praying about it and TELLING you they are praying about it. This series is heavy-handed in its witnessing but missed the mark as well-written inspirational Christian fiction.
March 16, 2023
4.5 stars
I cried buckets reading this and thinking about the last days of my mama’s life on earth.
I cried buckets reading this and thinking about the last days of my mama’s life on earth.
November 4, 2023
I’m going to share my thoughts for the series overall in bullet points:
* In these books we find represented a faith that is both profoundly simple and astonishingly nourishing to the soul.
* The Baxters represent the ideal - not in that a single one of them is without flaw or imperfection - but in that they show us what can happen in a family when God is given the highest place.
* Every member of the Baxter family is afforded their humanity. They doubt God. They question Him. Sometimes they turn from Him and each other along the way. They slip up, go against their convictions and virtues.
* Luke and Ashley have come to mean the most to me; perhaps because I see much of myself in their story. While Ashley suffers trauma as a result of her rebellion, Luke makes a series of bad choices as a result of, what he later recognizes, a shallow and self-righteous faith. In both of them, I see a three year portion of my own story during my early college years.
* Lori Callahan is perhaps the most striking side character. She never does find redemption in these books - after all, not all do. But in her we see how so often the waywardness of our hearts is a result of influence. Luke is seduced away from his family, his faith, and his bright future not because of Lori herself - his feelings for her were always little more than ambivalent - but because he had opened his ear to her in a season of vulnerability after tragedy and he allowed a negative voice to speak into his life. I can pinpoint many places in my life and in the lives of those I love where this has happened. Lori exists as a reminder of how important it is to be careful who we allow to speak into our lives. Lori was just as lost and lonely as Luke, and she certainly is no villain, but what happened was they began to commiserate in their skepticism and cynicism, their anger and their heartbreak. What’s the saying? “Misery loves company.”
* The loss of Elizabeth in the final book wrecked me. The way Kingsbury writes has you not only caring deeply for these characters but almost immersing yourself in their lives.
* This series’ focus on family cannot be stated enough. Family is at the center of this story, and God is at the center of this family. Coming from a Christian home - and going through a “black sheep” phase in my own life, facing medical crises with members of my immediate family, and dealing with negative relationships in church circles - I can attest to the fact that this series is realistic. Many critics might say it’s cheesy or cliche, but I don’t get that feeling at all. Why is it cheesy? Because Christian characters consult the Word of God for counsel? Why is it cliche? Because timeless, spiritual truths are explored?
* In many ways, the experiences of the central characters almost feel parabolic. We watch as the Baxters go through tragedy after tragedy, triumph after triumph, loss after loss, and miracle after miracle. Since this is a work of fiction, every event serves a purpose. Every character’s decisions illustrate not just a biblical truth, but a real-world truth. The only people for whom books like this would seem cliche are those who feel that this earthly realm is more real than the heavenly realm and thus seek to solve problems with earthly solutions.
* I also appreciated the way these books depicted prayer - it was very relational. Characters having conversations with God and many times hearing that “still small voice” answer in response. I find it personally challenging for me as so often I spend so much time praying that I forget to sit in the quiet and listen.
* Most of all, these books unlocked places in my heart that I didn’t know existed. Watching characters fall in love, resist love, learn to love, run from love, and open themselves up to love unlocked a longing in myself to have that one day. And even helped me to realize how experienced and tragedies and failures in my own past have caused me to run from love or fear love myself.
* These books were deeply impactful and profoundly memorable, and I will be continuing with the spin-off series.
* In these books we find represented a faith that is both profoundly simple and astonishingly nourishing to the soul.
* The Baxters represent the ideal - not in that a single one of them is without flaw or imperfection - but in that they show us what can happen in a family when God is given the highest place.
* Every member of the Baxter family is afforded their humanity. They doubt God. They question Him. Sometimes they turn from Him and each other along the way. They slip up, go against their convictions and virtues.
* Luke and Ashley have come to mean the most to me; perhaps because I see much of myself in their story. While Ashley suffers trauma as a result of her rebellion, Luke makes a series of bad choices as a result of, what he later recognizes, a shallow and self-righteous faith. In both of them, I see a three year portion of my own story during my early college years.
* Lori Callahan is perhaps the most striking side character. She never does find redemption in these books - after all, not all do. But in her we see how so often the waywardness of our hearts is a result of influence. Luke is seduced away from his family, his faith, and his bright future not because of Lori herself - his feelings for her were always little more than ambivalent - but because he had opened his ear to her in a season of vulnerability after tragedy and he allowed a negative voice to speak into his life. I can pinpoint many places in my life and in the lives of those I love where this has happened. Lori exists as a reminder of how important it is to be careful who we allow to speak into our lives. Lori was just as lost and lonely as Luke, and she certainly is no villain, but what happened was they began to commiserate in their skepticism and cynicism, their anger and their heartbreak. What’s the saying? “Misery loves company.”
* The loss of Elizabeth in the final book wrecked me. The way Kingsbury writes has you not only caring deeply for these characters but almost immersing yourself in their lives.
* This series’ focus on family cannot be stated enough. Family is at the center of this story, and God is at the center of this family. Coming from a Christian home - and going through a “black sheep” phase in my own life, facing medical crises with members of my immediate family, and dealing with negative relationships in church circles - I can attest to the fact that this series is realistic. Many critics might say it’s cheesy or cliche, but I don’t get that feeling at all. Why is it cheesy? Because Christian characters consult the Word of God for counsel? Why is it cliche? Because timeless, spiritual truths are explored?
* In many ways, the experiences of the central characters almost feel parabolic. We watch as the Baxters go through tragedy after tragedy, triumph after triumph, loss after loss, and miracle after miracle. Since this is a work of fiction, every event serves a purpose. Every character’s decisions illustrate not just a biblical truth, but a real-world truth. The only people for whom books like this would seem cliche are those who feel that this earthly realm is more real than the heavenly realm and thus seek to solve problems with earthly solutions.
* I also appreciated the way these books depicted prayer - it was very relational. Characters having conversations with God and many times hearing that “still small voice” answer in response. I find it personally challenging for me as so often I spend so much time praying that I forget to sit in the quiet and listen.
* Most of all, these books unlocked places in my heart that I didn’t know existed. Watching characters fall in love, resist love, learn to love, run from love, and open themselves up to love unlocked a longing in myself to have that one day. And even helped me to realize how experienced and tragedies and failures in my own past have caused me to run from love or fear love myself.
* These books were deeply impactful and profoundly memorable, and I will be continuing with the spin-off series.
July 3, 2023
Deze boeken zijn het beste te vergelijken met een Netflixserie waar je verslaafd aan raakt en in één ruk wilt bingen. Ik heb dan ook erg veel gelezen de afgelopen periode en deze serie echt verslonden. Er gebeurt zoveel bij de familie Baxter dat het nooit saai is, het is zo geschreven dat je de situaties in detail voor je ziet en het sleept je totaal mee in alle emoties die langs komen. Het geloof speelt een grote rol, wat ik al lezende in de serie steeds meer heb weten te waarderen, inspirerend en leerzaam. Kortom: heerlijk! Ik neem even pauze, maar ga de Baxter-vervolgserie over Dayne Matthews meenemen op vakantie!
August 8, 2019
I really enjoyed this series. It is the first set of books I have read by Karen Kingsbury.Getting to know the Baxter family was more entertaining and inspirational than I thought it would be when I had started the first book. I am sure to read more by this Christian author.
May 1, 2018
Loved this book! It touched my heart. There were many biblical principles and reminders of God's redemption, faithfulness, and His future plans for our lives!
April 21, 2020
For me, this book was the crown jewel of this series. Karen Kingsbury brought these characters to life so vividly!
March 8, 2024
Heartbreakingly beautiful! A perfect end to the beginning of a fantastic series of books that will capture your heart and influence your life!
July 12, 2024
4.5⭐️
wowwwww these baxters really don’t have a dull moment
wowwwww these baxters really don’t have a dull moment
April 25, 2025
This book had me captivated from the first sentence. It was a beautiful culmination and ending for this series. I was on an emotional edge to the very end. And boom. No, I did not see that coming.
October 31, 2024
The ending of the redemption series had me in tears. This series has become a favorite and I for sure will read the rest of the Baxter books ❤️
December 21, 2024
This book tore me up! I absolutely love everything about this series. You get so wrapped up in each of the character's lives and feel like you know them. I really like how Kingsbury uses real-life scenarios in her books. It's not just a feel-good Christian book, but one that has pain, addiction, infidelity, child trauma, and more. The wonderful part, is Jeus is the thread that binds them all together throughout the hard (and good) things of life. This is a must-read series! Excited to read the next!
February 26, 2022
This is the 5th Baxter Family/Redemption series book by Karen Kingsbury.
There are five (really six) Baxter children. The first four books had mainly dealt with one of the kids. The others were involved and discussed but the issues of one child were the main part of the book. Thus I thought Erin and her adoption struggles would be the main focus of this book. Erin was involved in this book and her experience with adoption was a big part of this book but she really wasn't the focus. She was probably the third topic in this book.
The main focus of this book was the cancer that Elizabeth has struggled with has come back. How do the kids react? How do John and Elizabeth handle cancer and all it brings? How does cancer that becomes terminal affect their faith? How does a Christian face death? How do you react when God doesn't answer your prayers the way you think He should?
Kingsbury does a great job of showing God's Word and its applicability even when things aren't going great for you. We all have something in common-we all will die. Some at a young age and some at an old age. Some quickly and some over a long period of time. Some painfully and some with little pain. I will always remember "Your will be done" instead of my will. I will also always remember that we should not fear death because God will be with us helping make the transition to going home.
The second biggest part of this book is Dayne Matthews and his involvement with the Baxter family. I won't go into his connection with the Baxter family because I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read the story yet.
I am looking forward to the coming stories that will give more background as to Dayne Matthews and his connection to the Baxters and to God.
There are five (really six) Baxter children. The first four books had mainly dealt with one of the kids. The others were involved and discussed but the issues of one child were the main part of the book. Thus I thought Erin and her adoption struggles would be the main focus of this book. Erin was involved in this book and her experience with adoption was a big part of this book but she really wasn't the focus. She was probably the third topic in this book.
The main focus of this book was the cancer that Elizabeth has struggled with has come back. How do the kids react? How do John and Elizabeth handle cancer and all it brings? How does cancer that becomes terminal affect their faith? How does a Christian face death? How do you react when God doesn't answer your prayers the way you think He should?
Kingsbury does a great job of showing God's Word and its applicability even when things aren't going great for you. We all have something in common-we all will die. Some at a young age and some at an old age. Some quickly and some over a long period of time. Some painfully and some with little pain. I will always remember "Your will be done" instead of my will. I will also always remember that we should not fear death because God will be with us helping make the transition to going home.
The second biggest part of this book is Dayne Matthews and his involvement with the Baxter family. I won't go into his connection with the Baxter family because I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read the story yet.
I am looking forward to the coming stories that will give more background as to Dayne Matthews and his connection to the Baxters and to God.
April 29, 2023
*imagine this entire row being filled up with nothing but sob-faced emojis**
Okay. I'm done crying now.
I'm going to say that if you have not read the Baxter family series, but want to, don't read this review because there's no way I can write my thoughts and not address major series spoilers.
Okay, here goes.
This book broke my heart. See, my mother is my rock, my best friend and I love her with all my heart. So if I read anything or watch anything about someone's mom dying (especially if it's descriptive) it kills me. Christmas Shoes and Mighty Joe Young are depression triggers to me. So this book was heartwrenching for me, especially since Elizabeth reminds me of my mom in so many ways. She's a godly woman. Prays for miracles, believes strongly in God, loves God...and drinks tea out of real China! So yeah she reminds me of Mamma.
This book was heart breaking. If you or a loved one has had cancer, this book may be a trigger for that as well.
But in the end, I love how John and Elizabeth weren't the perfect couple as evidenced by Dayne Matthews. It shows that everyone makes mistakes and God can change even the hardest of hearts for him. I can't wait to read more about Dayne Matthews in the upcoming Firstborn series...next on my list! :)
Very sad, but I loved it and I'm sad the Redemption series has come to a close. I hope to see some of the other characters in the upcoming series that I read!
Okay. I'm done crying now.
I'm going to say that if you have not read the Baxter family series, but want to, don't read this review because there's no way I can write my thoughts and not address major series spoilers.
Okay, here goes.
This book broke my heart. See, my mother is my rock, my best friend and I love her with all my heart. So if I read anything or watch anything about someone's mom dying (especially if it's descriptive) it kills me. Christmas Shoes and Mighty Joe Young are depression triggers to me. So this book was heartwrenching for me, especially since Elizabeth reminds me of my mom in so many ways. She's a godly woman. Prays for miracles, believes strongly in God, loves God...and drinks tea out of real China! So yeah she reminds me of Mamma.
This book was heart breaking. If you or a loved one has had cancer, this book may be a trigger for that as well.
But in the end, I love how John and Elizabeth weren't the perfect couple as evidenced by Dayne Matthews. It shows that everyone makes mistakes and God can change even the hardest of hearts for him. I can't wait to read more about Dayne Matthews in the upcoming Firstborn series...next on my list! :)
Very sad, but I loved it and I'm sad the Redemption series has come to a close. I hope to see some of the other characters in the upcoming series that I read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
December 16, 2009In this book all of the Baxter children return for a dinner. It had been awhile since all of them had been together in one setting. They are finally happy when they find out that their mother has cancer. She will not be able to fight it off. As they wait for a miracle, we see that they had a big secret. They had had a child before marriage, but had given him up for adoption because they were too young. He is a famous actor, but cannot find his biological parents. He has tried many times, but always gets dead ended. Finally, he learns that his mother has cancer and does not have long to live. He goes to see her, and sees her right before she dies. Her last wish was to see him before she died. John, his father, goes in to check on her and she tries to explain that she had seen him. He automatically thinks it is the cancer spreading throughout her body.
This book reminds me of how the love of a family can conquer anything. All of the children set aside their own personal feelings when they found out their mother was severely sick. They had a great unity in the end, and it was definitely breath taking.
This book reminds me of how the love of a family can conquer anything. All of the children set aside their own personal feelings when they found out their mother was severely sick. They had a great unity in the end, and it was definitely breath taking.
January 31, 2015
I loved getting an insight into the lives of John and Elizabeth Baxter, the mother and father of the Baxter family i have come to "know" and "love" through reading all the Baxter family books. The previous books opened a window into each of their children's lives, so I really enjoyed finding out how the couple met, the troubles and trials they went through initially and how the Baxter family first got started.
I don't want to give too much away about the story line but this was THE most touching of the series, contained the most miracles and really emphasized and highlighted what it truly means to have a relationship with God and to know Him as your Heavenly Father. Elizabeth's character especially touched my heart: her quiet, gentle and maternal spirit. Beautiful and inspiring. This whole series managed to show what true faith really is and I can see these books touching many hearts for God and showing the difference between Love and religion :)
I don't want to give too much away about the story line but this was THE most touching of the series, contained the most miracles and really emphasized and highlighted what it truly means to have a relationship with God and to know Him as your Heavenly Father. Elizabeth's character especially touched my heart: her quiet, gentle and maternal spirit. Beautiful and inspiring. This whole series managed to show what true faith really is and I can see these books touching many hearts for God and showing the difference between Love and religion :)
December 15, 2015
I was looking forward to this book. I assumed there would be a happy ending.. Nope this whole book was depressing as eff. it doesn't help that the book was all about Elizabeth dying and I just went through this with a family member so I could hardly get through the book. i felt like she wrote this book more trying to be a lesson than a story. (hey make your life count!) I felt like Karen tried to wrap up n make all the kid's stories all happy n hunky dorry to make up for this super sad book. I did not like how she threw I'm the secret son, I felt like his was thought up for this book and to make another series but it didn't seem like it fit in with the four previous books. really they kept that a secret all this time even when two of their kids had babies out of wedlock?? To me this whole book was a flop
May 5, 2024
The Baxters have a special place in my heart. This one is always the hardest for me to read. As a now two time cancer survivor, near Elizabeth’s age in this story, it hits close to home. I only hope that when I have used up all my borrowed time that I will be as peaceful and ready as Elizabeth for eternity.
June 13, 2016
I fell in love with the Baxter family from book 1--so obviously I'm gonna love it! Yes, so the books are a bit predictable, but who cares?! The message is so strong and it's so nice to see scripture in a fiction book, so you see it's not all fiction, because we know God is real!
September 12, 2014
Final book in first Baxter series--Elizabeth's cancer returns.
February 12, 2025
Finished with more questions than really answers
November 7, 2017
This book was wonderful like the rest of the series but very difficult to read. It was primarily about Elizabeth Baxter, mother and matriarch of the Baxter family, losing her battle with cancer. Since I’ve read the Sunrise series, I knew she was going to pass away, but struggled along with the family and never lost hope for a miracle. I also noticed on the front cover of the book the grave stone in the Baxter’s backyard. If this is supposed to be Elizabeth’s, next to the bench her and John would spend talking on, it doesn’t make sense because in the Sunrise series the family would visit a cemetery with a bench beside the grave. Anyway, the family gets to say their goodbyes, but a secret between Elizabeth and John remains. They gave up their first born son when Elizabeth got pregnant before they were married. They tried to locate him when Elizabeth first battled cancer in the 90’s, but had no luck. Instead, Dayne Matthews, movie star, finds Elizabeth. Through a series of coincidences, Dayne’s entertainment lawyer is in a firm where Luke Baxter is working as an intern/part-time, before he gets his law degree. Dayne is introduced to Luke and they have no problem having a conversation. When Luke shows Dayne pictures of his family and his mother, Dayne is struck with a knowing that he’s seen Elizabeth’s picture before. He finds a box marked adoption papers in a storage unit he kept with his parents’ belongings. (His parents were killed in a plane crash doing missionary work.) In the box is a picture that resembles the picture that was on Luke���s desk. Only after hiring a private investigator is the truth confirmed...Elizabeth is his birth mother, the Baxter’s his family. Dayne is able to arrive at his mother’s bedside hours before her death, and they are able to meet for the first time, alone. A nurse sees him, but thinks he is Luke.
Ashley and Landon get married. They have to move up their wedding a week earlier due to Elizabeth’s impending death, but the day turns out perfectly.
Kari and Ryan have the Flanigan family over for dinner. We are introduced to the family. Jim works with Ryan coaching football at the college.
Brooke and Peter’s daughter, Hayley, continues to make progress from her drowning.
Erin and Sam are living in Texas. They are waiting to adopt a baby girl, but the baby’s mother, boyfriend, and his friend make Adam and Erin pay them an extra $5000 for “expenses.” Only when they ask for another large amount of money do they call the authorities. Then when the baby is born, the biological mother, Candy, refuses to give up her daughter. But as time passes, Candy gets more addicted to drugs, and leaves her baby with a neighbor to take care of. She doesn’t return, and in the meantime, she gets arrested for shooting a man in a drug deal. Because of her jail sentence, and because Candy’s mother will be working on a cruise ship, Erin and Sam not only can adopt the baby, Amy Elizabeth, but also her two sisters, Chloe and Clarisse. Erin and Sam also adopt a baby that was abandoned by its mother who they name Heidi Joe! So they now have four daughters!
Ashley and Landon get married. They have to move up their wedding a week earlier due to Elizabeth’s impending death, but the day turns out perfectly.
Kari and Ryan have the Flanigan family over for dinner. We are introduced to the family. Jim works with Ryan coaching football at the college.
Brooke and Peter’s daughter, Hayley, continues to make progress from her drowning.
Erin and Sam are living in Texas. They are waiting to adopt a baby girl, but the baby’s mother, boyfriend, and his friend make Adam and Erin pay them an extra $5000 for “expenses.” Only when they ask for another large amount of money do they call the authorities. Then when the baby is born, the biological mother, Candy, refuses to give up her daughter. But as time passes, Candy gets more addicted to drugs, and leaves her baby with a neighbor to take care of. She doesn’t return, and in the meantime, she gets arrested for shooting a man in a drug deal. Because of her jail sentence, and because Candy’s mother will be working on a cruise ship, Erin and Sam not only can adopt the baby, Amy Elizabeth, but also her two sisters, Chloe and Clarisse. Erin and Sam also adopt a baby that was abandoned by its mother who they name Heidi Joe! So they now have four daughters!
April 17, 2024
Shameless tease.
But also an extremely emotional story. Unfortunately, in my mind, that is negated by the way this entire franchise keeps teasing storylines through several books or entire series. A certain storyline is hinted in earlier books, especially the prequel, #0. Then it is fully teased in this book. Then there is a partial conclusion to it, an emotional one. But not completely. There is just enough to make this book not a total loss.
I had read The Firstborn series years ago and forgotten most of it. As I saw where this book was headed, I got curious and discovered my old reviews (with private notes) of that series. I feared what the author would do to conclude this book, but I was only partially correct.
This book, even ignoring the teasing, is difficult to read and extremely emotional. It describes a woman's experience with devastating cancer and it does it with detail. Especially her emotions and her family's. It is intense. I find it disgusting that the author had to take commercial advantage and blatant manipulation to increase sales. It would have been even worse if a reader picked up the franchise while it was still being written. I read a review that said that at one point the publisher required Kingsbury to shelve this series in order to write a different one before continuing this one.
There is another thread about one of Elizabeth's children that has more or less begun here and reaches a happy conclusion. Two other of her children also receive happy news and a wedding is planned for two of them. Still the overall gloom is hard to dispel.
In one of the last chapters, a thread is begun that will dominate the next series.
This is a Christian book. The world view of Christians removes some of the sting, but not completely. Like other Kingsbury books, the prayers of characters often receive verbal responses from God. It bothers me some that a human author places herself in the role of God. Of course that is always the case to some degree, but these verbal responses given here make that aspect somehow more irreverent.
I said it before in my review of The Firstborn series, and forgot it, but this time hopefully I don't forget. Karen Kingsbury I say goodbye to your works.
Mature themes: Cancer. Sex between unmarried people but it is mentioned only in a fade-to-black manner. Drug use and abuse. Severe child neglect and possible abuse. Physical abuse of a woman. Early in the book a woman describes physical female things intimately. (Only simple biology, but still.)
But also an extremely emotional story. Unfortunately, in my mind, that is negated by the way this entire franchise keeps teasing storylines through several books or entire series. A certain storyline is hinted in earlier books, especially the prequel, #0. Then it is fully teased in this book. Then there is a partial conclusion to it, an emotional one. But not completely. There is just enough to make this book not a total loss.
I had read The Firstborn series years ago and forgotten most of it. As I saw where this book was headed, I got curious and discovered my old reviews (with private notes) of that series. I feared what the author would do to conclude this book, but I was only partially correct.
This book, even ignoring the teasing, is difficult to read and extremely emotional. It describes a woman's experience with devastating cancer and it does it with detail. Especially her emotions and her family's. It is intense. I find it disgusting that the author had to take commercial advantage and blatant manipulation to increase sales. It would have been even worse if a reader picked up the franchise while it was still being written. I read a review that said that at one point the publisher required Kingsbury to shelve this series in order to write a different one before continuing this one.
There is another thread about one of Elizabeth's children that has more or less begun here and reaches a happy conclusion. Two other of her children also receive happy news and a wedding is planned for two of them. Still the overall gloom is hard to dispel.
In one of the last chapters, a thread is begun that will dominate the next series.
This is a Christian book. The world view of Christians removes some of the sting, but not completely. Like other Kingsbury books, the prayers of characters often receive verbal responses from God. It bothers me some that a human author places herself in the role of God. Of course that is always the case to some degree, but these verbal responses given here make that aspect somehow more irreverent.
I said it before in my review of The Firstborn series, and forgot it, but this time hopefully I don't forget. Karen Kingsbury I say goodbye to your works.
Mature themes: Cancer. Sex between unmarried people but it is mentioned only in a fade-to-black manner. Drug use and abuse. Severe child neglect and possible abuse. Physical abuse of a woman. Early in the book a woman describes physical female things intimately. (Only simple biology, but still.)
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