Forgiving Paris

The Baxter Family #8

by Karen Kingsbury

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of life-changing fiction brings her signature “emotional, heart-tugging” (Woman’s World) prose to this wise and worldly novel of forgiveness and hope in the City of Lights.

In Indiana, Ashley Baxter Blake and her husband are about to take an anniversary trip to Paris, but she is hesitant. More than two decades ago, she made her most grievous mistake in that same city. She has never forgiven herself for what happened there, and she still harbors secrets that she’s afraid will come to light. Just before the trip, Ashley gets a call from her niece. Jessie explains that her French boyfriend’s mother remembers working at a bakery with an American named Ashley. “Could that be you?”

When Alice and Ashley meet, a flood of memories comes for both women, taking Ashley back to a reckless affair and an unexpected pregnancy and Alice to the night she nearly ended it all. Can this reunion bring healing and closure? Maybe it is finally time for Ashley to forgive herself...and Paris.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Chick Lit

336 pages, Paperback

First published October 26, 2021

About the author

Karen 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...

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I'm going to be an outlier, I'm sure. Forgiving Paris was presented as a a book about a marriage, a mistake made two decades ago, a reunion between two women--all set in Paris. The cover is lovely and the premise, as I understood it, was intriguing.

As the story began, I was drawn in. Established in the late 1990s, set in Paris, as promised, it is the story of a mother and daughter struggling with the young woman's heroin addiction and its horrifying consequences. But the book soon jumps to the present and the life of the Baxter family.

This book is part of a long, long (I had not idea how long) series of books about the very Christian Baxter family. Just a few chapters in, I looked up Karen Kingsbury and found she is a Christian author who teaches at Liberty University. That was all I needed to know to explain the numerous Bible stories, scriptures, prayers, and praises to God and Jesus found every few pages throughout the book.

While this story tries to be a romance, a mystery, a police procedural, a family story, a travelogue (so many things) for me, I couldn't get past the proselytizing. I felt I was in a never-ending Sunday school class instead of reading the book I was promised.

Needless to say, I felt duped. Nowhere in the blurb was it mentioned that this was a "Baxter story." Some reviewers have mentioned it can be read as a stand alone, and it can. But the frequent mention of the dozens of other Baxter family characters and the filling in of their backstories really detracts from the storytelling. If you took that out, Forgiving Pariswould be about 1/3 shorter.

I am obviously not the audience for this book, which is fine. I just wish that had been made clear in the blurb.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, all I can say is, FORGIVING PARIS blew me away! Be prepared to go on an emotional roller coaster ride like you have never experienced before. It is part of The Baxter Family series but it can easily be read as a stand alone, which is what I did.

Karen Kingsbury sure knows how to make the reader feel as if they are right there at the kitchen table with the family dealing with all their troubles and FORGIVING PARIS is exactly that! She made me sad, then the next moment I was smiling and giggling out loud! You can never go wrong with a Karen Kingsbury book if you are a fan of the Christian fiction genre. All of her characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again. You will also wonder how much heartache a family can stand before it completely breaks down and splits.

FORGIVING PARIS is a heart tugging story filled with grief, loneliness, heartbreak, and love that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once I started this heartwarming story, it was very hard to put down! I really prayed that Landon would be able to convince Ashley that she wasn’t damaged and deserved to be loved and cherished. Karen Kingsbury isn’t afraid to write about subjects out of the norm as far as the Christian Fiction genre goes. Oh, as a warning to the reader, keep the tissues handy and do not read the ending in a public place unless you don’t mind crying in front of strangers! I’m so excited to continue catching up on all of Karen Kingsbury’s previous books.

Along with the heartbreak there is also hope, faith and healing. I felt so close to the whole family as I finished up FORGIVING PARIS and really didn’t want the book to end. Karen is an excellent story teller and she gets you so caught up in their lives right from the very first page and never lets you go. This is a book that will stay with me for a very long time!

FORGIVING PARIS is all about family and the past and the secrets that come out are heart tugging. It had me flipping through the pages like a woman on a mission. I had to know what was going to happen to Ashley and Alice and all the secondary characters. The characters are all well written and totally believable. FORGIVING PARIS is without a doubt one of the best books I’ve read in 2021 so far. I was instantly emotionally invested in all of the characters. My heart broke for Ashley as well as Alice and for all they were dealing with.

Karen Kingsbury really knows how to write about family drama, heartbreak, and forgiveness. I can not wait to read more by this wonderful and heart tugging author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again, Karen Kingsbury has written a book that is tied up in a bow. Or reads like a Hallmark movie. (And I don't mean that in a nice way.) When topics of redemption, grace, and moving in from the past feel like trivial plot points and cursory Christian lip service....you have a problem. Also "angels" constantly saving the day? Sure..yeah...okay.

The plot of Ashley Baxter returning to Paris held lots of potential. For those of us who have read every Baxter book, we know the significance of that place. And truly, in a time where there isn't much traveling, Karen did a great job taking us there. But Karen should have avoided trying to make a villain, a suspense element. Oh that BOMBED and was a plot point with a resolution that made me shake my head. (Seriously we the reader had been expecting an attempt on her life and then....the villain was just caught.?! )

I continue to read the Baxter.books. but I really feel like it's time for them to be over. Franchises can only last so long. And when you rely on Joel Osteen like platitudes and constant references to Liberty University..... The reader feels disengaged. Or at least this one does.

[Dana Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgiving Paris by Karen Kingsbury was a book that pulled me in by the heartstrings. I felt as if I was actually in Paris walking around seeing the sights and being a part of Ashley Baxter's life. To he honest, I wasn't sure if I would like it. I haven't read but one or two of her Baxter books and I worried I would be lost. Not the case at all. It read like a stand alone and I didn't miss a beat. The author gives a little cheat sheet in the back of all of the character's names and explained who they were. The book featured Ashley. The daughter who is a gifted painter. The one who had been in Paris twenty three years before and came home pregnant. We get to know what happened during that time and what she felt. The inspiration of this book is that God forgives and He redeems. This is a perfect book to give to anyone who can't seem to get past their shame or regrets from bad decisions. Maybe, someone needs to read this because they cant forgive themselves. I highly recommend this book because it is well written and easy to read with a beautiful inspirational message. *I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always excited to reconnect with the Baxter family, having followed their journey from the beginning.
To see Ashley face her regrets and shameful past was inspiring, and Landon's dedication, support and love of family is what we should all aspire to. I felt like I was walking the streets of Paris and facing Ashley's demons with her. What Ashley didn't recognize from her past was the way she was touching the lifes of others. My one issue is I felt the storyline of Ashley being in danger was a bit over the top and more of a distraction than a needed element to the novel. Other than that another wonderful story of grace, forgiveness and the bounty of God's love.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

[Laura M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting at all. I was unfamiliar with the author and not sure where I got the recommendation for this book. For me, this was basically a religious Hallmark movie. I am a person of faith, but it was too much hitting the reader over the head with it, coupled with completely unrealistic "miracle" scenarios. I can see the appeal, and I like the overall redemption theme, but it just isn't for me.

[Lisa Konet · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think there has only been ONE Karen Kingsbury book I kinda sorta liked and I cannot recall the title, it was that forgetful. There was no mention in any of the premises that this is part of a series, and no word about how long the series has become. While the some parts of the story were intriguing there was my too much Christianity and faith throughout the book. I am a Catholic girl myself and I believe in Jesus, but in this book it seems like it forced on the reader to become a Christian and it is off putting. For a good religious Christian series, I recommend the 11/12 books of Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, not this garbage.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!!

I forced myself through this but clearly this book is not for a reader or audience like me. Cannot recommend. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley, Karen Kingsbury and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 10/26/21

[Carrie Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love spending time with the Baxter Family. Ashley has come so far since the Redemption Series and she'll always be a favorite of mine. I love seeing her and Landon together and loved watching her re-walk through her days in Paris. There were a few holes in the storylines that pushed this to a four star. Initally, I couldn't fathom that the main conflict with her time in Paris would never have been shared with anyone, especially Landon. But once I made peace with that and got sucked into the suspense of the story, it resolved basically off page. I was ready for some intense scenes and it fell a little flat. Overall, a good and fast read. I simply loved Landon's theme of "little boats"

[Michael Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Karen Kingsbury.

[Jennifer N · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was terrible. I didn't realize it was part of a series but the author says it can stand alone. There are many characters and I kept getting confused. There was a lot of religion thrown in - even angels saving someone from an assassination attempt. It just didn't make sense. It is supposed to be a character driven novel and then we have hit men thrown in for no purpose whatsoever.

[Kathryn · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - The book summary should advise the reader of the overwhelming religious Christian theme in this book. This reads too much like a sermon for my pleasure. No thanks!

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have not read any of the Baxter series books, I found this book easy to follow and enjoy and will definitely read the others in this series.

Ashley Baxter Blake is finally reached the pinnacle of her art career and is having an art show in Paris. But she's not sure she is ready to return to Paris where her life had been derailed. Will Ashley find redemption when she returns or will memories continue to haunt her forever?

This book reads well as a stand-alone even if you haven't read any of the other Baxter series books. Ashley's time in Paris led to many decisions that caused her to feel that she had left God and God had left her, but little did she know that she planted seeds elsewhere that would grow and lead to decisions that would affect not only her life but others as well. Redemption was the main focus throughout this novel.

"God is waiting for you in your tomorrow....,just like He is for all of us."

Another well written read from Karen Kingsbury.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

[Sarah Carper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it hurts me to give it three stars. I absolutely love Karen Kingsbury's Baxter Family Series. It is one of my most favorite series ever and I love reading more about the family. Paris holds some critical truths for Ashley Baxter and I've been intrigued to know more about her time there. When I saw that Karen Kingsbury was writing a book about this, I was so excited! I dropped everything to read this book as soon as possible. However, much of this book fell flat for me. I found there to be too many characters introduced and a lot of them weren't connected until so late in the book. The plot just wasn't too engaging, I felt. This feeling may have been just me and my high expectations. If you're a Baxter Family lover, I encourage you to give this one a chance.

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick book to read especially if you skip all the sermons. It had the promise of a good book/story but it became too much for me. #religiouschicklit

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt very much like a time-slip novel, though I don’t suppose it technically is. Memories played a huge role in the story. While that was disconcerting at first, I grew to understand that half or more of the novel would actually be experienced through memories.

I loved how everyone’s lives were interconnected and overlapped. It was a beautiful example of how one person’s life really does intersect with thousands of others’ during a lifetime. It also showcased how one tragic mistake could cast a shadow over one’s life… but that redemption through repentance and accepting Jesus as one’s Savior can turn the trajectory of one’s life from a spiral of destruction to a pathway of blessings.

Reunion stories are so much fun! I liked that there were family AND friend reunions after long estrangements or having crossed paths once upon a time. This was my favorite aspect of this book.

There was one scene that linked this book to the Angels Walking series. The rest of the book fully linked it to the Baxter Family saga that is spread over numerous series and “stand-alone” books.

Content: drugs, alcohol, unwed pregnancies, marital affairs, abortion discussed, suicide discussed, expletives

[Emily Damon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book🤍 so precious, wholesome, and sweet. Honestly it encouraged me with some of my life situations right now. Very good read. To the advanced reader, it may be too predictable for you… but I loved it.

[Ellen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of the Baxter books from the beginning until this one. I have to say this story of Ashley and Paris is the best one since the original books. I love that Ashley is able to revisit Paris and let go of the past as well as finally forgive herself for her past. To me, it is one of the most realistic feeling books of Karen Kingsbury that I have read in many years. Recommend it to anyone who enjoys her books!!

[Betty Popa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashley's story touched my heart on so many levels..

[Victoria Lanigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the tales of the Baxter family. I have been following them for years. In this addition, Ashley heads back to Paris 23 years after her first visit. Ashley made her biggest mistakes and out of it came her biggest joy in Paris. Now it’s time to face her past and go towards her future.
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So many small world moments in this one. These are Christian based books and I always enjoy the little moments in these wholesome books. They make their mistakes, but find love, forgiveness and trust in each other and their faith. I love this close knit family and can’t wait for the next installment.
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Thank you to @atriabooks for an advanced copy.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many good components to this book. I haven’t read KK in a long while. And it was definitely a pleasant surprise how much I enjoyed this book. I don’t typically enjoy Christian fiction when it directly has Christian discussions (aka comes across too preachy, even for me). Which this one, I have to say, bordered on. Nothing against it for readers who appreciate that. It was just a little much for me. I loved the relationships in this book though. Although at first it was a little hard for me to keep track of the who’s who since I haven’t read a Baxter family book before. Alice and Ashley’s names were just so close and I kept getting their POV’s confused. What I enjoyed most was the twists I didn’t entirely see and how the characters all came together in the end. What I liked the least was the “Angel” part. I’m sorry. That just feels like an overdone cliche Christian cop out in fiction books. O-ver-done.

Sidenote: listened to the audiobook and lordy lordy was the female narrator annoying. Yikes. She had great French accents but HORRIBLE male voices. And her cadence of reading felt unnatural and just bothered me. The male narrator was good though.

But the story itself was good.


Language: 0/10 (see Christian fiction 😉)

Sex: 2/10 (actual mild sex scenes, which was a surprise to me, but done conservatively and discreetly)

Violence: 1/10 (not talks of violence than anything)

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ashley has always been my favorite of the Baxter family. Her story is so heartbreaking and encouraging, so I was very excited to dive into another story with her as the focus.

Even though Ashley came to terms with her mistakes in past books, it felt very realistic for her to have some unresolved anxiety about Paris years later. I loved how this focused on Ashley's journey to forgive herself, and my favorite parts were the flashbacks between Paris trip #1 and today, showing how much she and Landon had grown.

Despite that, I had some real issues with the plot in this. The entire Albert plotline was ridiculously unnecessary. From the moment it was introduced, it felt unbelievable and unrealistic. It clearly wasn't difficult to find Ashley, given the phone call from Jean-Claude's people in the one of the previous books, so if Albert was so obsessed with finishing his job, he had plenty of opportunity to do so over the last 23 years. And to make this plotline even more pointless, Albert's arrest happened entirely offscreen, so there was all this build-up for a confrontation that never even happened. I'm not sure why this was even included. The book would have been much better if it focused on Ashley reconnecting with Alice and Mia.

Additionally, the amount of angel intervention in this seemed excessive. I consider the Baxter stories to be semi-realistic Christian fiction and the use of angel intervention in two very separate scenarios a couple of chapters apart was just too much for me. I know this could be countered with "this is happening all the time and we don't notice," but I still find it unrealistic that there would be two instances that the same family recognizes as angel intervention.

Overall, I'd recommend if you are a fan of Ashley and the Baxter family because the Ashley / Landon moments are sweet, but be prepared for some unrealistic plot.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Stacy Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grab some crackers because you’re gonna need it for all this cheese. 🤪🤪🤪
So cheesy. Soooooooooo cheesy. I can’t even describe it. It’s like a Lifetime movie married a Hallmark movie.
I’m all for a love story - but it needs to be believable. Not full of mush. Real people don’t talk like this. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I only finished because I started it. 🤪 And I would have given two stars except it deserved three because it was clean and I love a good redemption at the end.

[Lisa Burgos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story of love, redemption and forgiveness.

[Ester Birgersson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I tell you how wonderful this story is, I need to warn you that this book is a part of the Baxter series. It is a stand-alone novel but if you, like i recommend you to do, want to read the whole series this is not the place to start. You will understand this story completely but the story contains spoilers for the first books in the long series. So just do yourself a favour and start in the beginning with the redemption series.
Okay now that that is said I just wanna tell you that this story is great. It's about forgiveness and about all things that one person's acting can change for someone else. It's about learning the good outcomes of a terrible mistake. And about he who has more love and power than any other. It took me one day to finish the book and in the end I was left with the feeling that there are a lot of people that need to read this story. I really hope some of them get the opportunity to do so and that they understand the true message of the story. God loves you and forgives you, learn to forgive yourself and if you look closely you will see the light.

[Barbara Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven’t read Karen Kingsbury books in quite a while, despite being what would probably be considered her target audience, a Christian woman. That being said, her books always force you to look within and consider your life choices. In this story, which is a continuation of the Baxter series, Ashley returns to Paris to face the demons of her past and get a chance to make new memories to replace the bad ones. Family ties are reconnected and relationships are strengthened, including their relationship with God. Although I hadn’t read the other books in the series, I was able to get through it without any real trouble without knowing the backstory. This is very much about the benefits of leaning on Hod when life gets tough and the possibilities of angels all around us.
Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

After so many years with so many Baxter books, I'm kind of Baxtered out. But this book made me cry. We finally get to see what Paris was really like for Ashley the first time around, and then we see how all the sin and heartbreak are redeemed with this trip back 23 years later. I loved how Karen showed God's hand moving in what seemed like terrible things to bring good. Truly a God-glorifying book even if it is fiction, because it reflects how God chooses to work sometimes. It gave me hope.

[Jennifer Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Loved this book. One of my favorite authors. Nice to read about the continuation of the Baxter family

[Macy]

i felt like i was missing out on something because it is a sequel. a little unrealistic. that baxter family has some problems. cool setting.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Marie Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good…Karen is my go to when I want a wholesome book :)