One Tuesday Morning

9/11 #1

by Karen Kingsbury

I’m a firefighter, God, so I know I’ve been in some tough places before. But this . . . this not knowing the people I love . . . this is the hardest thing I can imagine. The last thing Jake Bryan knew was the roar of the World Trade Center collapsing on top of him and his fellow firefighters. The man in the hospital bed remembers nothing. Not rushing with his teammates up the stairway of the south tower to help trapped victims. Not being blasted from the building. And not the woman sitting by his bedside who says she is his wife. Jamie Bryan will do anything to help her beloved husband regain his memory, and with it their storybook family life with their small daughter, Sierra. But that means helping Jake rediscover the one thing Jamie has never shared with him: his deep faith in God. Jake’s fondest prayer for his wife is about to have an impact beyond anything he could possibly have conceived. One Tuesday Morning is a love story like none you have ever read: tender, poignant, commemorating the tragedy and heroism of September 11 and portraying the far-reaching power of God’s faithfulness and a good man’s love.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Inspirational

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2003

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

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOSH!!!!! I have no clue what to say, but, One Tuesday Morning completely broke my heart! I was such a sobbing mess while reading this heartbreaking beautiful written novel. One Tuesday Morning is the first book in the 9/11 series by Karen Kingsbury. I have never read Karen Kingsbury before, but i'm glad I picked this one up. Have a cozy blanket, a cup of tea, and box of tissues close by because you will need them! There were definitely no dry eyes in sight.

"How dare they take aim at the heart of New York City".

Jake and Jamie Bryan are happily married, and have a beautiful blue eyed, blonde curly haired daughter Sierra. Jake is a firefighter in Staten Island. Jake and Sierra have a special love for God and the Bible, while Jamie wants nothing to do with church, the Bible and or God. Jamie lost both of her parents in a car accident when she was younger, and constantly questioned why God wasn't with them. On September 11th, 2001 two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, and caused so much pain and heartache for everyone in America. Later in the day Jake's station was called to help victims, but so many lives were lost already.

The last thing Jake Bryan knew was the roar of the World Trade Center collapsing on top of him and his fellow firefighters. After that everything completely changed for the Bryan family and everyone else in New York City. Eric Michaels was working in the World Trade Center as these two planes hit. Eric has a wife Laura, a son Josh, and a brother Clay back in California. Laura and Eric got married at a very young age, and their marriage took a wrong turn. Eric was never home, he was always constantly working, he never told Laura and Josh he loved them.

I'm so happy I picked up this story because it just broke my heart, it had me crying from the very beginning. With every turning page I thought I had the story all figured out, but, I was completely wrong. One Tuesday Morning is the type of story I will never forget, it will always remain in my heart! One Tuesday Morning is a love story like none you have ever read. It's about commemorating the tragedy and heroism of September 11th, 2001 and portraying the far reaching power of God's faithfulness.

Still thinking of this book💔😭!!!

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was eighth grade, my last year of middle school. My favorite show was Diff'rent Strokes (ugh!), my favorite band was dc Talk (still is!), and I was awaiting the launch of the Nintendo GameCube, which was already tops on my Christmas list that year. (Yes, I started it as early as September; I did that ever since my sister asked me out of the blue what I wanted under my tree barely after school started.) At first, things were going well; on Labor Day--the day before school starts in my area--I took a trip with some friends from church to a local tourist attraction, and had fun.

Imagine my shock when, barely after that school year started, the unthinkable happened. Yes, that was 2001, the year when terror landed on our shores. Prior to that happening, I never thought passenger planes could have been used as a weapon; it just goes to show how demented the minds of Osama bin Laden and the Taliban were. Though I didn't personally know anyone affected by the attacks, I'll never forget the events of that day...and the aftermath: the war in Afghanistan, all the talk about Islam in the news, and especially all the expressions of American pride. Seriously, you couldn't go anywhere without seeing a flag on someone's car or in someone's yard. Though I don't want anything like those attacks to ever happen again anywhere in the world, I wish more people were proud of America, our flag, and everything for which it stands. Our country may not be perfect--and it probably never has been--but it was founded on Christian morals, not to mention the concept of liberty. (Any comments debating those statements will be deleted! You have been warned!)

So, this book was bittersweet in a way; though it reminded me of days gone by, it didn't take me back to "the good old days". (Then again, my childhood and teenage years weren't all that great anyway, and wouldn't have been regardless of any terrorist attacks or anything else that would have made headlines.) Looking at the state of our country now, it makes me sad to think how much we've grown apart; we need to come together, and focus on what unites us...like we did after 9/11! What's it going to take for us do that?

[Kym McNabney · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Tuesday Morning:

This is the first book I ever read by, Karen Kingsbury. I saw it at the store not long after 911, and because of that, wasn't sure I was up to reading anything about 911. Only because of the fireman on the cover, I bought it. My husband's a fireman.

Well, I was quickly drawn into the story. It was well written and a great read, keeping you turning the pages, wanting to see what happens next.

I finished the book, and thought it was really good; I couldn't get the brother, Clay, out of my mind. I really like his character and felt so bad for him. Little did I know, there was another book. Beyond Tuesday Morning. And guess what...Clay's back!

Beyond Tuesday Morning:

I can't tell you how excited I was to not only find out there was more/another book, but that it was about my favorite character from the first book...Clay!

This is one of those books that stay with you forever. Someday I'll probably read it again. For now, I've convinced my twelve-year-old to read it. I had passed my copy on to a friend; I thought it was that good. I then had to purchase another copy for my daughter to read, but I thought it was well worth it.

[Christine Indorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a reread for me and coming up on 9/11 I thought it would be a great time to reread this book. You follow 2 families. One couple who is happily married. The husband is a fire fighter in New York. He is a Christian and prays daily for his wife to accept Christ as her own Savior. Then another family. The husband has no time for his wife and son, climbing the corporate ladder is all that he can think about. Both men ends up in the Twin towers that day and only one will make it out alive. When one of the men comes too after the tower falls he can't remember who he is. The firefighter wife takes him home for him to remember, but who really is he. Can he remember and when he does will it shake both couple apart? Wonderful book. I was in tears a lot of the way thru. We must remember all who served and died that day and it is a reminder what families went thru losing their love ones. This book is not for only 9/11 but a commitment of love and family. So recommend this book. I am glad I am reading this now to remind me to never forget!!

[Christine Indorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been interested in 9/11 stories both Non Fiction and Fiction. This book was one of them. The book follows 2 men, one firefighter one businessman. Only one survived. The problem in this book was who? Now I figured it out almost right away and thought I wouldn't enjoy the book because I knew so early but even if you know the book is amazing. The one who survived as amnesia. So you wonder what will happen and if he will ever know who he is. The way they take you on this journey has your emotions all over the place. Literally I cried the last hour I read the book. It reminds you even if you survived 9/11 you also did suffer. I am not a big Karen Kingsbury fan but I really like this novel and plan to read the whole series. If you are interested in this novel it would be a great time to read the book since 9/11 anniversary is coming up. I find these book will never have you forget that awful day!

[Andrea Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second read, and the story was just as emotional as the first time around. I wept. I laughed. I cried some more. This story pulled me in and swept me away and reminded me of those memories I have of 9/11/2001. Though this story is a fictional account of that horrific day, it very well could have been the story of any number of the victims of that terrorist attack. This book is a great one for remembering the heroes who died that day as well as those everyday men, women, and children who suffered loss and grief during this tragedy.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. My family and I recently watched the 9/11 documentary on the Disney Chanel and it gives you more appreciation for the event.

[Karen J · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What can I say about 9/11 other than an absolute horrifying nightmare.
The story mainly follows two families and the devastation they all had to endure.

[Anna Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't very sure about this book. My first thought was that if it wasn't written with a lot of compassion then it would really do a great disservice to those that lost their lives on 9/11. However, the book came highly recommended from several people so I decided to try it.

I had mixed reactions to the book. The thing that really stuck out the most was that the plot simply wasn't believable. However, this is fiction so I pushed that thought aside. The writing was OK but didn't wow me. The character development was, again, OK but nothing happened with the characters that I didn't already expect. The one thing that I really did like was that the author didn't at all shy away from the whole issue of salvation and it's utter importance in our lives.

[Nikki Akerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ It was a slow start for me learning the background of the characters. We follow two men and their wives. The story came to life when 9/11 happened and it was completely heartbreaking to read about. My heart continues to ache for those people who lost their lives and the families left behind. Those firefighters I believe are some of the most incredible people to have lived, their bravery is unfathomable. We find out the two men look a like. One survives and one doesn’t. There is a mistaken identity with an amnesia trope. I just don’t get how she thought it was her husband when it wasn’t. How could she not know? One of the men was from New York and one from California so the accent you would think would give it away but they blamed it on smoke inhalation. It just wasn’t believable for me. There were a lot of touching moments and a lot of faith which I loved but it wasn’t what I expected.

[Krista-Marie Linegar]

I really enjoyed this book…it’s crazy to think this happened so long ago now. I am pretty sure this is my first Karen Kingbury book. Looking forward to reading more.

[Ariel Jensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a strange, creepy story. The whole time I was thinking, how could this possibly end well? (It doesn’t & yet it seems like the author thinks it does.) This is like a Lifetime movie, but with Pet Semetary vibes. And on top of the bizarreness is the fact that the 9/11 attack seems irrelevant—it could have been some other disaster. I can’t believe there is a satisfaction guarantee sticker on this book (ha)! Just… nope.

[Christa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Just no.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting not that long before Sept 11, 2001, this is a story about two men who were in the South Tower who looked almost identical even though they weren't related. One dies and one survives with virtually total amnesia. Because he looks just like a firefighter, he is first identified as such, and he goes to live with the wife of the firefighter after he is released from the hospital. This is called a love story, but it's not a romance. Both Jamie, the unwitting widow, and Eric (who everyone thinks is Jamie, struggle with their faith. Jamie was happily married, but Eric's marriage was not good at all (read the book to find out why if you really want to now and you like Kingsbury's writing) . His voice has been messed up by the smoke, which I can believe, and the doctor attributes his different type of behaviour to his amnesia--I am not sure how medically accurate this is since Kingsbury made mistakes with blood type information. The firefighter has type AB+ blood and Eric O-; the doctor said if they didn't have time to test they'd put O neg (universal donor for the ABO Rh groups, but nowadays they try to match more than this), which I have a hard time buying. But wait, there's more. At least once she has the doctor say that O negative is the most common blood type--WRONG, that would be O positive, and, in the US then A pos, andB pos before you get to O neg, although the distribution isn't the same in every country in the world, and there are two blood types more rare than AB positive. I know, you read this looking for this information ;) ). This is different if you look at it globally (well, O rules regardless) were negative RH is much less overall.

The writing is fairly good and many things are well done, but there are a number of things I didn't think were that great, but despite a slow start, I ended up liking it overall.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one. It was heavy and filled with a lot of grief and sorrow, but also had hope and the light of Jesus that kept the book from being overwhelmingly heavy. It briefly follows two men and their families leading up to the attacks on the World Trade Center, and then follows the aftermath. There's a richly faith based story line, and there's one faith based scene that happened inside the towers during the buildings being on fire that had me fighting back tears. One of the men in the book is a believer, and his faith and his life end up touching more lives than he probably ever imagined. The characters were well developed, and the author did a fantastic job with making me feel like I was experiencing the emotions the characters were feeling and were right there with them. I wont give spoilers but will say there's one part of the book that had me questioning something, and I felt like it dragged on for so long, I started to lose interest because it took so long to get to the answer. But, I'm glad this is a series, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Erica T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this book. The fictionalized story placed in the 9/11 event felt too contrived. I know this is fickle of me to say as I love plenty of books that are a fictional story placed in a historical event. I wonder if this one just didn't feel right to me, because I remember 9/11 so clearly, and most other historical fiction I read contains events from before my lifetime.

This book is pretty heavy on the Christianity aspect with lots of scripture quoting, prayer, and church attendance. Being a daily-Bible-reading Christian myself this did not bother me but just surprised me a little. I listened to this one, and it had multiple readers. I decided I might actually prefer one reader when I listen to audio books.

I liked the writing and would give another book by this author a chance. I think I'll just avoid 9/11 stories from now on.

**No language. Very clean book.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good historical fiction read about the disaster of 9/11. The author did a great job of creating a story that “truly could have taken place.”(Author’s Note) Christian themes are present throughout, and there is no vulgar language used.

Memorable Quotes:
(Pg.117)-“Jake looked at the other firefighters. They were wide-eyed, but they still went about their business, voices calm, loading patients on their backs, and operating on a sort of automatic pilot-the result of training that would have them working the rescue as long as they drew breath.”
(Pg.260)-“But that didn’t mean death would stop dancing on our earthly days. Since the snake entered the garden, it has done that, and it always will...the story of Jesus and Lazarus is a prototype, an illustration that with Christ, death will not have the last dance. Not ever.”- Pastor Richie

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one in a series of two fictional books about 9/11. Great characterization. I felt as though I were there with those people experiencing the fear, the horror, and hopelessness along with them. Truly enjoyable book by Karen Kingsbury. I've read others of hers, but to me, this is the most outstanding one I've read.

[Heather Jasinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Kingsbury is such a great Christian writer. I can't wait to read more of her books! This book drew me in and it was hard to put down.

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me cry so hard.

[Abigail Harris]

Genre: Christian Fiction,

My Rating: 4 Stars.

Recommendation: 15+ because of some things that happened in this book.

My favorite character/s: Jake is my favorite character, he’s kind, loving, sweet, loyal, and faithful to God and family. I enjoyed reading his POV (Point of View.) He’s a great firefighter, dad, husband, and makes an interesting character. I loved how sweet he was with Jamie, how he was so kind and loving with Sierra.

My Verse for Jake is Psalm 31:23
O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

My thoughts: This was a sadly sweet book. I enjoyed the plot, characters, and feel of the book. I haven't read many books about firefighters or 9-11 and it was interesting to read about firefighters on 9-11. The author did an excellent job with the character development. I can't say that I didn't see the plot twist coming yet, it was pretty good even if a little predictable. I wish that there were more books that remind people of 9-11 even if they are fictional.

[Teya Teya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very few times have I teared up reading. I did with one of my own authored books, but I can't think of a one fully tear-jerking as this one. I actually had to blow my nose twice. Anyway, this story was gripping from the first work. I honestly would not be surprised if a story like this might have existed. However, the events of that day are so ingrained in my mind and heart. It's true when they say you remember everything that happened the moment you find out about something that tragic. I was in my twenties and I remember It seemed distant and unbelievable until I started finding out I knew people or I heard stories from friends' families involved in those towers. I thought it could be real also because of a story I know about in the stairwell. It was not like this book but it was true and it was gripping. I had been there in New York and seen them standing. I have not been back since before this event. I loved this story and it's my first ever of this author. I will say you know what's coming while reading it, and you wonder when it's going to because a reality but I think it added to the gripping part of the story. I want to read the next book because it was so good and well written. It is heavily laden with Christianity, which is good because at that time and now it's definitely a needed part of our lives and reading, per my opinion.

[Emilie Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book before the remembrance of 9/11 this year and let me just say, I felt like I was there each step of the way. Although I wasn’t born yet when the events of this story took place, I’ve always had an interest in this harrowing moment of our nation’s history. This story perfectly captured the fear and trauma each person faced following the attack. This book made me really stop and think about the importance of loving the family that God places in your life.

My heart goes out to the families who lost someone those 21 years ago.

May we never forget their sacrifice.

[Joleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of two family's lives forever altered by the events on 9/1/2001.

Slow start and a bit too much background, but once things really get going, oh my! It’s gripping.

I don’t care for information about lovemaking in Christian fiction. Not unclean, just unnecessary.

Loved how lives are changed for the better by a thorough yielding to Christ.

[Kiara McClelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this, and part of me did, but an ever bigger part of me just couldn’t get past the implausibility of the plot…

[AlegnaB † · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0

[Mathiasherm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pick, Carolyn!!

[Faelyn]

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury is a tragic reminder of the events that happened on September 11 of 2001. Although this book is fictional, it is couldn’t be more accurate with this historical information within it. If I did not know any better, I may not have known it was not a true story. The attention that Kingsbury paid to detail is remarkable, and it really takes the book to a whole new level. While the characters may be fictitious, the content could not be rooted in the truth any more than it was written in. I believe that this book was not only written for entertainment, but also as an acknowledgement of respect for the people who were involved with that day.
This book displayed a few notable themes throughout itself. One of the ones I noticed to stick out was its emphasis on faith. As a Christian, Kingsbury incorporates her religion into her books as much as possible, and this one wasn’t an exception. Christianity holds a big part of this book, which I enjoy very much. Another theme observed was love. Love was shown in many different lights throughout One Tuesday Morning. A few of these were the love between a husband and wife, the love between a parent and a child, the love between friends, and of course the love of God. However, sometimes it wasn’t love being shown, but rather the lack there of. Kingsbury really made the reader feel for the characters in the book, making it even more wonderful.
One Tuesday Morning was written as a narration. It told a story through a series of chronological events. It followed the lives of two different families living thousands of miles apart. However, because of certain occurrences, these families’ lives came crashing together. It really paints an amazing picture of the time you read about. It is like watching a movie unfold in front of your eyes with only the use of written words.
I loved this book. I am not an avid reader, but I couldn’t put this book down. I really liked the way it was constructed, and it was very well written. I had a hard time not tearing up at certain parts of the book, and that was surprising to me. The way she makes the reader feel about the characters is astounding. I would recommend this book to anyone who is at least in high school, only because of the advanced grammar and slightly mature content. The only thing I would want to change is the predictability of which character would make it out alive. Other than that, this was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.

[Evelyn Lilyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third time reading, September 2021.

This book holds a special place in my heart. Who could ever forget 9/11? The question will forever be, "where were you that day"?

I was 9 and getting ready for school. I turned on the TV as I always did before eating breakfast and there it was, the north tower had just been hit. I was too young to understand the full implications of such a disaster. I didn't think about death right away nor how this could not be an accident. Then I saw live on TV as the south tower was hit. At school later that day, my teacher explained it all to us; the impact of 9/11 and what it meant for America and the rest of the world would have been lost on me if someone hadn't spelt it out to me. I remember her telling us, "One day you'll be one of the surviving few who lived through this day and you'll tell it to the younger generations."

That was the year I learned new words, names, places, phrases like; terrorism, terrorist, hijack, Al-Qada, Osama bin Laden, Afghanistan, war on terror, ground zero. Before 9/11 I didnt pay much attention to the news, after 9/11 I did. Half my childhood it seems was spent against the backdrop of terrorists, war, and hunting down Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

We will always refer to life as pre-9/11 and post 9/11 life really was never the same after that day.

So about the book. I can connect with this story like no other, though I live clear across the country from NYC and I didn't lose anyone on that day, it affected everyone some way or another. I teared up the first time I read this, Jake's character is such a beautiful image of a godly family man and a symbol of God's unconditional love. This novel has it all, love, redemption, faith, healing, joy, sadness, loss, and gain. I have no other words really. It's an all around beautiful, beautiful story.

[Diane U · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Tuesday Morning is a story about 2 separate families in different areas of the country and how their lives were changed forever from the events of September 11, 2001. Jake and Jamie Bryan live in Staten Island with their four year old daughter, Sierra. They have been in love since childhood and married after college. Jake is a firefighter for the FDNY in Manhattan. Jake is a dedicated husband and father and has a strong Christian faith but Jamie has been questioning her faith since her parent's death when she was 18.

Eric and Laura Michaels live in Los Angeles with their seven year old son, Josh. Eric and Laura have known each other since Laura was in high school. Eric is almost a partner in his firm and works lots of hours at the office and away on business. Josh barely knows his father since he has missed almost everything of importance in his life. Laura is lonely and misses her husband and is willing to do anything to get their relationship back.

On 9/11, Eric meets Jake in a hallway as he is trying to leave the south tower of the World Trade Center before the builidings come down. Their lives change forever. Will they survive? Is God listening to their prayers?

This was a sad and touching story about how personal lives were affected by the September 11th attacks on the United States. With a strange turn of events, that you will have to read to discover, several people will find God and change their lives.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reviewing Beyond Tuesday Morning, the second book in the 9/11 series by Karen Kingsbury next.