Book 4), Sunset (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3

First of all, all of Karen kingsbury books are amazing. I have almost every single one, they move me to tears and really touch me. Her books are for so many audiences, I'm 21 and in college and am hooked. I even got my fiance reading her stories!

I was bittersweet about Sunset. Devastated to have the series end, but also happy at the way things turned out for all the characters. This book ties up all the loose hands in a great way. I was happy at how the ending turned out for each and every one of the characters I've come to know and love. They all got an ending they deserved.

This books takes a close look at marriage as well in many aspects. I enjoyed the focus on Luke and Regean's relationship and deteriorating marriage because it's so true of what happens today in society. When we do handle things right away and let things build up and grow inside of us...it's bound to catch up. For Luke and Reagan it does, but thankfully everything works out for them. As a college student who reads I felt I could relate to them.

Anyway, Sunset is a great ending to the series. I finished it in a day. I only hope that Kingsbury will further explore Cody and Bailey's possible relationship.

- also, what happened with Ashley was predictable. But i was still happy.

Sunset is the fourth book in the Sunrise Series and the last of 14 books about the Baxter family. I immensely enjoyed the first 13 books and had looked forward to this final book with much anticipation and even a little sadness. After finishing it, however, I only felt disappointment.

Knowing that this was to be the "end" of the Baxter story, Kingsbury tries to wrap up ALL of the loose ends from the previous books...many of which did not need wrapping up. Happy endings are enjoyable, but when every single ending is picture perfect, the story loses a lot of the realism that makes the rest of the series so easy to relate to. There was less depth in this book, and too many easy answers.

Finally, the thing that bothered me most in this book was the way that Angela Manning (from the very first Baxter book, Redemption) is reintroduced. How would she not have recognized Kari?!? They spoke face-to-face in Redemption! And under the circumstances, neither would ever forget the other. The fact that the author forgot -- as well as her editors and the many other people who read her books before they go to print -- is hard to comprehend. That entire storyline felt forced and untrue.

The series is an excellent one, and Kingsbury is one of my favorite authors, but Sunset left much to be desired.

)"Sunset" is a beautifully written novel by an incredible author. Karen Kingsbury brings the Baxter Family saga to a close in this fourth novel in the series. Although it is sad to say goodbye to these beloved characters, I have read that they will make up part of the background cast in another of Kingsbury's book serieses. In this novel, Dayne and Katy are building their family - not without complications. John Baxter is moving on with his life after the death of his beloved wife - again, not without complications.

This novel reads okay as a standalone, but is so much better if you are already invested in the characters from previous stories in this series. There are some wonderful discussion questions in the back of the book for the reader to ponder or share with a reading group.

Dayne and Katy Matthews leave the bright lights of Hollywood to begin anew their life in Bloomington, Indiana where they plan to raise a family and to run the local Christian Kid's Theater; their first production is coming soon. While Cody Coleman fights in Iraq, Bailey Flanagan tries out for a role at the CKT while struggling with her feelings for the deployed soldier.

The family patriarch widower John Baxter and Elaine Denning are getting married. He knows he must sell the family home that ahs meant so much to everyone. However as endings occur with new beginnings, faith, love and friendship guide everyone through the dramatic upheavals of radical change.

As with the previous books in the Baxter family saga (see SOMEDAY, SUMMER and SUNRISE), redemption and faith are recurring themes inside an engaging character driven tale. The Baxters are moving on but it is not easy to leave behind the evidence of their memories though they each know the time is right to do so. Sub-genre fans will want to read Karen Kingsbury's Baxter family tales as love and faith are powerful twin engines in the hands of this superb author.

Harriet Klausner

With the support of their faith and family, Sunset details the trails and tribulations of a family who has lost their mother/wife. With a heavy heart John Baxter realizes that he must sell the family home. The home where with his wife they raised their children and had many happy memories. John asks each of his children if they would like to buy the house but they all decline the offer for various reasons. I don't want to say too much and give away any parts of the story. But I will say that there are a lot of twists and turns in the story to keep it interesting.
My regret is that this is the first book of the Baxter family series that I have read. Now I need to go back to the very first story. I look forward to it.

It seemed like Kingsbury tried to get too many social issues into this one. The characters wrestled with them in unrealistic ways. For example, the son had gotten into internet pornography. Dad took him fishing. Their conversation was all too perfect with the son responding with phrases and reactions that seemed fanciful to me. Although the plot included some interesting events, her characters represent Christians that do not exist in the real world! Not one of Kingsbury's best. In fact, while reading it, I wondered if she had employed a ghost writer.

Sunset, Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury
John Baxter has to sell the family home before he remarries.
Other members of the family rely on their faith to get them through their lives.
The Christmas play is underway and many in the family have gone through the trials in hopes to be selected.
The story also follows Cody who is in the Afghanistan area fighting in the war and he ask for God's help also.
Many births, weddings, deaths and everyday life experiences.
Scriptures are quoted throughout the book.
Spiritual and devotional: great combination.

This is the 14th book that Karen Kingsbury has written in which have the Baxter clan in them. I suggest starting with the first novel reading them all. If I could title this book any other name it would be Forgiveness. Kari has to deal with forgiving someone from her past and helping that person heal. To fully understand Kari's story you have to start reading from the beginning although Karen does offer a Cliff notes version of what happened. Also, Luke and Reagon have to deal with forgiving her other from the incident that started all their problems.

There are some nice unexpected surprises that happen to one of the Baxter siblings at the end of the book. Often I am tempted to flip to the back of the book and read the last few pages. Don't do that. It will ruin the twists and surprises. You will not regret reading this book. I am thrilled to hear that this is not the last we will hear from the Baxters. She is writing a new series of books about a different family who will be moving to Bloomington, the town where the Baxters live which means we will get updates on what is happening in thier lives. You won't regret reading this novel if you have come to love the Baxters like they were real people.

Honestly! From beginning to end everything about this family is unbelievable. I don't usually write reviews but I've read every single book about this family except for Coming Home and they are terrible. Karen Kingsbury goes out of her way to tell us how beautiful or handsome these characters are and often times the "villains" or antagonists are overweight or unattractive. What kind of message is this sending? This family is like the Christian version of the Kennedy's. A lot of tragedy. I know this stuff happens in real life but this is just ridiculous. This is why I generally don't like Christian fiction; very cheesy and completely over the top. It kills me that I left the series unfinished but I know what happens and it's what you would expect. It would just leave extremely unhappy and dissatisfied. I probably will not read anything else by Karen Kingsbury.

Book Four of an Amazing series on the Baxter family by Karen Kingsbury. I totally enjoyed this series, and so did everyone else! This is the third book of the third series on the Baxter family. I suggest them ALL! However, starting on this third series will not leave you lost. Everything from the past is well explained. You will enjoy!

Like many, I have followed the Baxter family from their beginnings in Karen Kingsbury's Redemption series. I fell in love with them and with Karen's writing style. Sunset is the last of her books with the Baxters as the central characters and it did not disappoint. True to her style Karen Kingsbury made me laugh and cry and cheer before I closed the cover.

One of the things I love about her style of writing is that she has brought to life characters who reflect real life. She uses everyday situations, many that we all face or know people who have faced them, and she shows us how we can live and love and sometimes suffer with grace because of God in us, showing us how to live. She doesn't back away from the important truth that to live in victory we need the Lord in our lives.

In Sunset she brings resolution to volumes of storylines that I felt I lived through with good friends. It wasn't totally predictable, but then again, the parts that are somewhat predictable I feel are in a good way, because they show us what is right, what should happen in a family like this. It gives me hope for my own family and a sense that at least in one corner of a fictional world there are answers and there is hope that a family can live through difficult, trying situations and come out loving one another and doing what is right. There is also hope for individuals who have 'messed up' and have to face their failings and learn to rise above them. I recommend this book, but please don't start here. Meet the Baxters from the beginning, but don't miss this wonderful ending.

Book Four of an Amazing series on the Baxter family by Karen Kingsbury. I totally enjoyed this series, and so did everyone else! This is the third book of the third series on the Baxter family. I suggest them ALL! However, starting on this third series will not leave you lost. Everything from the past is well explained. You will enjoy!

Like many, I have followed the Baxter family from their beginnings in Karen Kingsbury's Redemption series. I fell in love with them and with Karen's writing style. Sunset is the last of her books with the Baxters as the central characters and it did not disappoint. True to her style Karen Kingsbury made me laugh and cry and cheer before I closed the cover.

One of the things I love about her style of writing is that she has brought to life characters who reflect real life. She uses everyday situations, many that we all face or know people who have faced them, and she shows us how we can live and love and sometimes suffer with grace because of God in us, showing us how to live. She doesn't back away from the important truth that to live in victory we need the Lord in our lives.

In Sunset she brings resolution to volumes of storylines that I felt I lived through with good friends. It wasn't totally predictable, but then again, the parts that are somewhat predictable I feel are in a good way, because they show us what is right, what should happen in a family like this. It gives me hope for my own family and a sense that at least in one corner of a fictional world there are answers and there is hope that a family can live through difficult, trying situations and come out loving one another and doing what is right. There is also hope for individuals who have 'messed up' and have to face their failings and learn to rise above them. I recommend this book, but please don't start here. Meet the Baxters from the beginning, but don't miss this wonderful ending.

Karen Kingsbury again does a wonderful job bringing us into the lives of the Baxter family. If you have read the whole series, you might feel like you know the characters in the book better than you know your own family. Knowing that this is the last book in the series is a little sad since we don't know what will happen to them exept though the Baxter's being mentioned in the background of her next series. I was thrilled with the ending, it seemed fitting for all that the family had been through. It seems as the the S series wrapped up we were more focused on the lives of Ashley and Dayne, where as I would have liked to have gotten to know Erin and Brooke's families a little more. Overall, any Kingsbury book is a winner with me, she strengthens my faith even more in a higher power!

Wonderful series! If you want it to continue with some of the Baxter family (Ashley, Landon) and more.. "The Bailey Flanigan Series" Leaving, Learning, Longing, and Loving. These will keep you in the family. They are wonderful too!!!

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As an avid reader and author, I don't know how Karen does it...but she does it again. I love this story and am so sad that this series is ending. Good for Karen flowing in her gift of writing. Isn't God good?

Karen Kingsbury has delivered once again. It is going to be so sad to say goodbye to the wonderful Baxter Family!!! I feel as if they are "MY FAMILY". Karen truly has a GOD GIVEN GIFT of bringing God's word to her readers and applying it to her character's lives in a way that everyone, both old and young can relate and grow from spiritually.

I would encourage you to read her books!!! Your life will truly be changed!!

I enjoy all karen kingsbury books and look forward to reading "sunset". I also enjoy the fact that I can order used books from the store and get great quality. Karen Kingsbury never fails to bless me with her writing.