Family (Baxter Family Drama―Firstborn Series)

I just love Karen Kingsbury's books. There are always something we can learn from each of her books. The Baxter family has become my 'family' and I have learned so many (spiritual) lessons. I can highly recommend her books!!

Karen Kingsbury is the most awesome author ever. Her series are great and so much into real life and current events. I cannot put her books down and I really get hooked on her series! Highly recommend any and all of her books!

This book in the Firstborn series is probably one of the more important ones. I won't say what happens to spoil it but it is SO addicting and keeps you in suspence the whole time! I loved it and if you love other Karen Kingsbury books, you'll love this one too!

I absolutely love Karen Kingsbury she is my favorite author. She makes me laugh and cry when I read her books. I also speak to God so I can have the character in my life that these books portray. Forgivness, loving. joy in all circumstances these are just a few

Never knew I could love "Christian Fiction" so much. Just don't start this series (from the beginning of course-Redemption) unless you are ready to take the Baxter family in as a part of your own. Great series!

Another Baxter family tale. These books are so good. I really enjoy how they each build off one another and keep the characters that we love front and center. Great starter to the new Firstborn Series.

Family is the 4th book in the Baxter's Firstborn Series. It is the 9th book in the Baxter series.

Katy and Dayne are set to testify in the trial where a crazed fan tried to kill Katy and Dayne on a beach one night. Dayne has done what he can to hide Katy's identity, but now that the hearing is here, they must release her name. The tabloids go crazy and do their best to get pictures of Dayne and Katy together. Katy and Dayne love each other but they just can't figure out how to be together with the paparazzi chasing them with their every move. Katy and Dayne almost have a car accident with the paparazzi chasing them and they realize that they have to say goodbye to each other b/c they will never be able to have a normal life without the paparazzi chasing them. One last look to each other and telling each other that they love the other one and that is their final goodbye. Dayne gets a call from his missionary friend who tells him that he needs to go to a beach someone and make a list of the important things in his life and then go after them for the rest of his life. Dayne makes that list and then he is determined to following it.

Ashley is determined to find her older brother, who was adopted. Ashley is the only sibling that knows about the adopted brother. Ashley keeps pushing her Dad to tell the other siblings. John Baxter sits down to write a letter to tell the other siblings about their brother and then decides to make a phone call and tell them. They are shocked but are forgiving of their parents and keeping the secret that they have kept for so long. Ashley answered her Dad's cell phone one day and Dayne Matthews is on the other end. Dayne made up an excuse but with other things that Jenny Flanigan tells Ashley, she figures out that Dayne Matthews is their brother. She calls him to find out if it is true and she invites him to their 4th of July picnic.

I am loving the Baxter series. I am not usually one for really long book series and I usually get sidetracked with other books but this series has kept my attention going on 10 books now. I love Karen's style of writing and I look forward to reading Forever.

After reading other reviews regarding FAMILY, and the Firstborn series as a whole, I would say I have to agree with some of the more critical reviews regarding redundancy, exaggeration, and rehashing of the same scenes. But because I wanted to continue with the series, and see where the Baxter family ends up before I move onto the Sunrise series, I had to learn to recognize the tells of Ms. Kingsbury digressing into a reflective moment and condition myself to skim the large authorial or superfluous sections.

Dayne and Katy are the typical Romeo and Juliet. Their relationship is made up of clandestine moments, others keeping them apart, a love so deep it aches, and the feeling as if life is not complete without the other. Thankfully, Dayne and Katy don't end up like their counterparts.

This installment in the series is a lot of back and forth between Katy and Dayne. At times, I felt like pulling my hair out because of the conjured up reasons they both kept coming up with that would make their relationship too difficult to continue. But, the highlights -the courtroom scenes, the times Katy and Dyne are together, and a fulfilling ending, is enough to keep true Kingsbury fans connected. The series could've easily been wrapped up in three books, but hey, Ms. Kingsbury and Tyndale House Publishers know a good thing when they have it. And no matter how repetitive the stories, I am still committed to finishing the series so I can move on to the next.

Though she will be a star witness at the assault trial of Margie Madden that does not frighten her as she survived the woman's efforts to make her the latest Los Angeles' homicide statistic. However, Katy Hart fears her new found fame and her relationship to Hollywood heartthrob Dayne Matthews will make her a paparazzi moment in which her privacy and those of her family will be forsaken. Still she believes their love for one another will carry her through the trial though she it not as confident about their relationship surviving his fame.

Dayne feels on top of the world since he met and fell in love with Katy; much greater than any of his films have taken him. Through his love for his cherished Katy, he and his father John Baxter have gotten together and he has forgiven him and his late mother even as he looks forward to meeting his siblings. However, he does not want them or Katy to become meals of a media feeding frenzy that his blood link if exposed will bring to them.

Fans of the Firstborn series will enjoy the continuation of the Baxter family saga, which inspires the audience to believe in God's overall plan even when it feels off kilter. The story line is action-packed especially during the trial scenes and insightful as the Baxter brood, Dayne, and Katy forge new relationships. Though the repugnance of the paparazzi is overkill, series readers will appreciate this entry while newcomers should start with book one FAME and continue sequentially (through FORGIVEN and FOUND) to better grasp the complex interrelation nuances of the extended FAMILY.

Harriet Klausner

Have read the First books about Baxters and about to read last book in "firstborn series. Cannot stop reading it from first to last page. You cry with family celebrate with family and become a part of this family and never wish to leave them. They are so real. Only God can be guiding Karen's hand in such continuous truth of His words used in it

This is book four of five and each one is better than the one before. With the multiple books in the series, the reader gets to see into the hearts of the characters .. and feel like one of the family's. These are so well-written .. Karen Kingsbury is exceptional!!! Cannot wait to start book five!

I agree with the other poster that this one is the best yet in the series. I think I enjoyed it because finally Dayne got to connect with some of his family, his relationship with Katy stregnthed and went to a new level and his relationship with the Lord only got stronger. Be sure to have a hankerchief on hand for some touching but happy moments. Looking forward to the next book in the series which is sure to bring some new obstacles according to the preview chapter at the end of this book. If you don't want to be spoiled please avoid reading the preview chapter.

I love my family and they are my everything. When our children were younger they realized that our family was different because we spent so much time together. And now that they are grown and married with children of their own they still come home every Wednesday for family dinner, and the grandkids spend every Friday night with us. Family birthdays are always celebrated on the actual day and holidays are spent together. Family relationships are so very important and I am blessed with an amazing one.

I have been a big fan of Karen Kingsbury for several years now. And, while I enjoyed this story, I found like some of the other reviewers, enough already on the same story - the photgraphers, click,click, drive away - meet here, can't be seen together, etc., etc.

Also, I didn't understand why Miss Kingsbury labored the idea that the family would be hounded by the press if they knew the Baxters were Dayne's sisters & brother. I started thinking of the different stars I see on TV or in the movies or read about - I don't know much about any of their families, so how realistic is it to labor this point?

And another thing, if Dayne looked that much like his brother, Luke, why were they so slow to figure this out???? It just didn't make sense. It just seems it should've have dawned on someone a lot sooner, but then I guess the story would have had to end sooner too.

I just got through the marathon of book #4 in this series and thought I'd get online to see if anyone else felt the same way I did about this author and this series in particular... The overall story is OK, but the author feels she has to describe and exaggerate every single emotion the characters are feeling. If I hear ONE MORE TIME about how much Ashley loves Landon and is so glad every second of the day that he left New York for her... c'mon, they've been married several years now, where's real life??! Those kind of tender moments happen occasionally in real life but not every day! The overdone, gushy Baxter family is another great example of this. And the overdramatic style of writing is killing me!!! ("She couldn't believe she would be returning to that place. That place of such heartache. That place where dreams had come true. --paragraph break, drum roll please-- Malibu Beach." -- I made that up but the author does that ALL the time!) I'm not saying these books aren't somewhat entertaining (I have read the whole series and other books by this author for lack of anything better to do), but the overall style really turns me off...

I have just read poured through the Redemption Series and the First Born series. At first I couldn't get enough of them and wanted to keep reading. I wanted to find out everything I could about the family. On reflection, though, something is troubling me about these books. Despite wanting to keep reading, I wonder if they are something like Junk Food...wonderful to gobble through, but not quite nourishing the body as it should. The thing that bothers me most about these books is the "Princess dream" (for want of a better word), that Karen seems to perpetuate in every book. This theme is the underlying message that occurs every Mills and Boons, one where the beautiful woman is rescued / made-whole / courted / restored by the dashing, handsome, strong but slightly troubled male. I worked hard for 20 years to build a wonderful marraige with my husband....and it was about 10 years ago that I was struck deeply by the fact that my princess illusion would never come true. Despite my wonderful man, he was never going to be the prince that appeared in romance fiction.
I sincerely hope that other women do not buy into this illusion. No man will ever fill that longing and yearing we have for Love. Only God can do this for us. I feel that Karen Kingsbury is buying into this myth too much and it can destroy a woman's soul when she buys into it as well. Watch out....not everyman is Dayne Matthews, or Landon, or Ryan or John or Luke Baxter. They are just our men and we need to love them.

This book, like all Karen kingsbury's, was wonderfully written and very uplifting. All her books make me cry but always leave me feeling better spiritually and this one is no exception. The characters were great and I love the plot twists. Can't wait to see what happens to the Baxters next.

I just finished reading this book moments ago, and decided to post immediately. This was the best book in the Firstborn series so far. Karen Kingsbury has a gift given by God to captivate readers to get wrapped up in her books as if they are really the characters like Dayne Matthews and Katy Hart, not to mention the entire Baxter family. And the preview for book #5 has already piqued my interest, so that I am anxiously awaiting it's arrival in March!!!!

I really enjoy all of Karen Kingsbury's books. This series started my love for the author. And this book is no different. I truly enjoyed Family and the whole series. I find myself reading her books so fast and then wishing & waiting for the next one to come out. Family really reminded me how thankful I should be for my family.

I thought this was the best in the series. I finished today and am going to read through the highlights again before I put it back on the shelf. I think Karen did a great job showing spiritual maturity in Dayne and that Katy was right to hold to her convictions. It would have been "easy" for her to compromise but not "best" for her and Dayne. If she had compromised Dayne wouldn't have gotten his priorities straight and aligned with God so soon. I am looking forward to the next one and am happy that they will live on in the Sunrise series. Thank you Karen for writing so well and delivering a God given and God centered story with "real" people who make mistakes.

I Just love this series! "Family" is a very good book that I could not put down. Karen Kingsbury is an excellent writer. See for yourself! All the books in this collection are page turners.You won't be disapointed!

Don't miss this book! This whole series is SO GOOD! I usually can't put the book down. There is another series by Karen Kingsbury that is the sequel to this one that is equally as amazing. She has a great way of capturing your interest to the point you think the characters are real and an actual part of your life.

AMAZING author, and amazig book!

Once again she writes beautifully, drawing in the reader, making us feel like we know the characters. From the very first book that I read of hers I have been an avid follower. She writes from the soul and she ministers to mine. I truly feel closer to my faith when I am involved with her books.

I am always waiting for the next release...and then I can't put it down until I'm finished!

The Firstborn series is by far one of my favorites. Karen keeps you in suspense right up to the very end. If you are looking for a GOOD Christian book about family this series you will truely love. I cannot say enough good things about Karen. Just waiting for the next book in her series to come out. Can't wait!!!

Family was just as wonderful to read as the other books in this series. Karen writes with a great deal of spiritual uplifting even in the most difficult of lifes situations. I never want any of Karen's books to end as I can hardly wait for the next one come.

This series has been tedious for me. While I loved the Baxter Family series (Redemption, Remember, etc.), I am finding the Firstborn series rather reptitious. I had to make myself finish Family and was so tired of hearing Dayne Matthews and Katy Hart whine. This book has very little spiritual depth and it reads as though Mrs. Kingsbury was making it up as she wrote. If you have not read the Firstborn series, don't waste your time. Although Mrs. Kingsbury has written some really good Christian fiction, this series is not it.

I have to wonder why I torture myself and buy these ridiculous books in this series. Really it's like a freaking soap opera.

In this book Katy was a snobby brat. Why did it take so long for dumb dad baxter to spring on his kids they had an older brother. And please, Dayne cannot be the most famous actor in Hollywood. Even in fictional Hollywood.

I have to wonder why I ever liked this author. She realeases too many books a year and they are poorly written. It's no wonder I have stopped reading Chrisitian Fiction entirely. It sucks.

The Book
A star witness at the assault trial of Margie Madden, Katy is thrown into the world of paparazzi. Katy Hart finds the world of fame, along with her relationship with movie star Dayne Matthews is a world she could only dream of, not live in.
Dayne finds a new life in Jesus Christ and seeks to live that heavenly life. He falls in love with Katy and wants to protect her and his new found family from the much public world of hungry for knowledge fans.
He is torn between the two worlds.

My Thoughts:
This forth book in the Firstborn series is one of heightened drama. I rarely cry when reading a book but this one brought many tears to my eyes. It was a message of a family coming back to one another. It was a message of finding answers and living live in pursuit of that answer. I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a quick read, a hard to put down book and very engaging. I love the characters and will miss them when I'm finished reading this series.

Karen Kingsbury did it once again, she released a book that kept me in my chair reading for hours. I really enjoyed this book, and am diligently awaiting the next one of the series. I strongly recommend this book to anyone.