Coming Home. Ah,
those two words for many of us evoke thoughts of family, safety, warmth,
togetherness. In Karen Kingsbury’s last Baxter book Coming Home- A Story of Unending Love and Eternal Promise, I would
say the descriptors are more like heartbreak, battle, loyalty and eternal
hope. This book opens with Ashley Baxter
rallying the troops (her siblings and their families) to pull off a 70th
surprise birthday party for their father and patriarch of the family John
Baxter. And so all of the siblings are invited and heading back to Indiana to
take part in this special celebration with each one asked to write a special
letter of love for their father. In the
process the reader gets to take a walk down memory lane as each sibling recalls
their own story and how their Dad was influential in it. For me, a true blue Baxter family fan, I
found it enjoyable to look back on each character’s story and journey and how
love of family and faith in God brought them through. The Baxter’s weren’t
perfect, in fact some of their choices along the way were choices that were not
what we would hope they would make, but no matter what, their love for each
other and trust and faith that God was working in the midst of the rebellious times
proves to be what gets them through. For a
new reader, you could actually learn about each character’s back story in a
condensed fashion and so I believe you could engage in this story. I thought it was well done.
The tragedy in this story, and there is tragedy,
was pretty heartbreaking. I can’t give it away as that is too much of a
spoiler. But, I will say that the Baxter family rallies around each other as
they have never had to do before and it is hard, heartbreaking and yet in that
way that Karen Kingsbury always has with her storytelling, it is filled with
heart, faith in God and their deep abiding love for each other that actually
leaves you with tremendous hope and faith.
I thought this ending was very fitting and there is a hope that Karen
Kingsbury will still give us certain little sneak- peaks into the Baxter’s lives
in the future through other books. I
will have to say that for some reason this series has struck a chord with me
and I know many other’s as her books are often NY times bestsellers. There is just something about the Baxter
family that you just really care about these characters and what happens to
them. And so with this last book, as I began to read it, I thought that the
title was so apropos “Coming Home” as that is how you feel about the Baxter’s
that they are real and could be your next door neighbors, and what wonderful
neighbors they would be.
5 stars
I received a free digital
copy if this book for review purposes.
All opinions expressed are honest and my own.
This book is amazing--you will not be able to put it down! Every page gets better. I was captivated on the first page.Karen does not leave us hopeless as we say good bye to this wonderful family that I have grown to love and cherish throughout this series. We see the family come together, lean on each other and support each other through this trying time. Throughout this journey the family's faith is strengthened and they learn that indeed God is enough for whatever trial or situation God brings into our lives, both the good, the bad and the ugly.God is right there holding us in the palm of his hand.
ReplyDeleteAs each of the children share in letter form how much dad, John Baxter, has meant to them, we get a glimpse of the back story of each of their lives. We are reminded of God's faithfulness in the midst of rebellion, walking away, heartache, battle and victory in their lives. We rejoice as we see how God worked all the pieces together for His glory.We get to relive the highlights and tragedies of the early Baxter stories.