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Coming Home
After five years, Katie Brannigan has grown and matured...and so has her love for Keith Castle.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1996
About the author
Barbara Jean Hicks
27 books15 followersAcclaimed children's book author Barbara Jean Hicks offers visiting author programs and workshops for aspiring writers of all ages. With a flair for the dramatic, Barbara engages, entertains, educates and inspires her audiences. She has taught at the preschool, middle school and community college levels and most recently worked in an elementary school as author-in-residence, program facilitator and parent educator. She has also written marketing copy and edited manuscripts for numerous trade publishers. Her picture books include the award-winning Jitterbug Jam: A Monster Tale and The Secret Life of Walter Kitty. Barbara lives in Oxnard, California.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 16, 2026
An example of some quotes from this book that show why I liked it:
“Mary’s response to the angel’s announcement, her expression of hope, was simple and humble: ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.’ I’m sorry to say my response to God is not always so humble,” the minister confessed. “While Mary’s hope was grounded in humility, sometimes what we call hope is nothing of the kind. Sometimes it’s arrogant, presumptuous – a kind of hope that may appear to wait, or anticipate, or suppose, but in reality – demands. It focuses on what we think we’re owed. We say expect, but we mean ‘insist on’. Sometimes when we expect certain responses from our children, our friends, our spouse, even God – our expectations become requirements. We consider the person from whom we expect that particular response duty-bound to provide it for us – obligated to give us what we ask. If they don’t, we become angry, resentful, bitter. We expect our children to help clean the house – we have, after all, provided them with a roof over their heads. We expect out friends to remember us at Christmas with gifts, or invitations to dinner, or at the very least a Christmas card – after all, we go out of our way to remember them. We expect our spouse to be understanding when we snap at them – we wouldn’t have got stuck in traffic and been late for dinner if we hadn’t been doing a favor for them in the first place. We expect God to make our lives easy and painless and happy all the time – we’ve done everything right, haven’t we? Followed all the rules? In other words, we say to these persons who we feel are obligated to us, ‘You had better respond the way I want you to – or else’. Or else you’ll get grounded, or else you’ll never get another gift from me, or else don’t expect any more favor. Or else, in the case of God, I won’t talk to You anymore. I won’t worry about doing what is right. I won’t even believe in You anymore. Do you have the guts to engage with God? To tell Him how you feel? To move beyond all the way you think He’s failed you? To ask His forgiveness for your arrogant demands that life turn our the way you think it should? In a life transformed by God, the act of giving becomes its own reward, a reward beyond all your expectations, all your hopes. You begin to offer your love freely, from a place of abundance and joy, rather than withholding it out of fear you won’t get it back.”
“Mary’s response to the angel’s announcement, her expression of hope, was simple and humble: ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.’ I’m sorry to say my response to God is not always so humble,” the minister confessed. “While Mary’s hope was grounded in humility, sometimes what we call hope is nothing of the kind. Sometimes it’s arrogant, presumptuous – a kind of hope that may appear to wait, or anticipate, or suppose, but in reality – demands. It focuses on what we think we’re owed. We say expect, but we mean ‘insist on’. Sometimes when we expect certain responses from our children, our friends, our spouse, even God – our expectations become requirements. We consider the person from whom we expect that particular response duty-bound to provide it for us – obligated to give us what we ask. If they don’t, we become angry, resentful, bitter. We expect our children to help clean the house – we have, after all, provided them with a roof over their heads. We expect out friends to remember us at Christmas with gifts, or invitations to dinner, or at the very least a Christmas card – after all, we go out of our way to remember them. We expect our spouse to be understanding when we snap at them – we wouldn’t have got stuck in traffic and been late for dinner if we hadn’t been doing a favor for them in the first place. We expect God to make our lives easy and painless and happy all the time – we’ve done everything right, haven’t we? Followed all the rules? In other words, we say to these persons who we feel are obligated to us, ‘You had better respond the way I want you to – or else’. Or else you’ll get grounded, or else you’ll never get another gift from me, or else don’t expect any more favor. Or else, in the case of God, I won’t talk to You anymore. I won’t worry about doing what is right. I won’t even believe in You anymore. Do you have the guts to engage with God? To tell Him how you feel? To move beyond all the way you think He’s failed you? To ask His forgiveness for your arrogant demands that life turn our the way you think it should? In a life transformed by God, the act of giving becomes its own reward, a reward beyond all your expectations, all your hopes. You begin to offer your love freely, from a place of abundance and joy, rather than withholding it out of fear you won’t get it back.”
May 28, 2024
This story starts with a Prologue that presents the lead characters at a much younger, age, but even though Keith (Kee) and Katie (Irish) are much younger, we see their strong, childhood friendship, how connected they are to each other. Then chapter one begins five years later, after the two besties have been separated from each other by oceans and continents.
We learn of the story of Keith & Katie, Doc & Danny & Toni, Emily & Beau, Chappie & Tomahawk Church, and North Carolina State & Professor Henry Gillette. The character’s stories pulled me in. Keith’s tale was layered and his response to the death of his mother was tinged with mystery. Danny & Toni’s story at first seemed rather hopeless, but by the end of the book their story is relayed in a very satisfying way. Emily is a wonderful best friend to Katie, and the entrance of Emily & Beau’s first child arrives with a splash during a concert. Henry Gillette is a pivotal secondary character and although Katie turned down Henry’s marriage proposal, he continues to supports her personally and professionally.
Barbara Jean Hicks writes great characters, the characters are not stagnant, they grow and change. An example of that is Keith and Katie’s spiritual and emotional journey they travel before they successfully connect as a couple. Chapters twenty and twenty-one were absolutely the highlight of the journey of Keith and Katie; Chappie plays a pivotal part. The Epilogue was the finishing touch to a very good story. I must say, it is always good to find a Palisade book, my surprise find came from a county-wide used book sale.
We learn of the story of Keith & Katie, Doc & Danny & Toni, Emily & Beau, Chappie & Tomahawk Church, and North Carolina State & Professor Henry Gillette. The character’s stories pulled me in. Keith’s tale was layered and his response to the death of his mother was tinged with mystery. Danny & Toni’s story at first seemed rather hopeless, but by the end of the book their story is relayed in a very satisfying way. Emily is a wonderful best friend to Katie, and the entrance of Emily & Beau’s first child arrives with a splash during a concert. Henry Gillette is a pivotal secondary character and although Katie turned down Henry’s marriage proposal, he continues to supports her personally and professionally.
Barbara Jean Hicks writes great characters, the characters are not stagnant, they grow and change. An example of that is Keith and Katie’s spiritual and emotional journey they travel before they successfully connect as a couple. Chapters twenty and twenty-one were absolutely the highlight of the journey of Keith and Katie; Chappie plays a pivotal part. The Epilogue was the finishing touch to a very good story. I must say, it is always good to find a Palisade book, my surprise find came from a county-wide used book sale.
April 11, 2011
Easy to read Christian romance.
September 12, 2008
A beautiful romance with a real characters. Not too far fetched storyline.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews