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The Baxter Family are the focus of 5 series of books of ‘life changing fiction’ by bestselling author Karen Kingsbury.
An epic of family and romance, the account of the lives and loves of the Baxter family and those around them has grown into one of the biggest Christian book series of all time.
Each Baxter family series stands together as a self contained saga with any one book as a stand-alone novel.
The Baxters of Bloomington, Indiana
The Baxter family are born and bred in Bloomington, Indiana – a real life small American town. Each year, Karen Kingsbury hosts her Red Carpet Book Party there for thousands of her readers.
To appreciate the depth and breadth of this major work, and to follow the life changing, inspirational themes of the Baxter family’s experience, the books are best read in the following order:
NEW: The Baxter Family Collection:
- Love Story: Following the thread of John and Elizabeth Baxter’s own love story, the first of the all-new Baxter Family books shows how true love can last decades, and influence generations to come.
- In This Moment: Integrity and romance come together in this powerful story of trying to be a force for good in your community, and finding love along the way.
- To the Moon and Back: A stirring Baxter Family novel, To the Moon and Back is a story of finding hope amidst tragedy, of finding healing, and of finding love where you least expect it.
- When We Were Young: The latest in the Baxter Family series, When We Were Young is a romantic retelling of A Christmas Carol
1: The Redemption Series
(NEW: The Redemption Series is newly republished with new covers and key themes explored with relationship and life builder, Gary Smalley.)
- 1. Redemption: Kari Baxter Jacobs discovers her husband’s affair and decides to love him and remain faithful to her marriage at all costs. Gary Smalley themes: God in seemingly hopeless relationships. Love is a decision.
- 2. Remember: Ashley Baxter finally decides to open he heart to the man who loves her just as the events of September 11 rip into her world. Gary Smalley themes: Valuing and honouring one another.
- 3. Return: The Baxter’s only Baxter son, Luke is determined to embrace a new, freethinking future ignorant of the fact that his past holds a secret. Gary Smalley themes: Turning back and dealing with life changing revelation.
- 4. Rejoice: Brooke Baxter has everything the material world has to offer but faces tremendous loss. Can her fledgling faith and marriage survive? Gary Smalley themes: The grace of God and strength through faith.
- 5. Reunion: A heartbreaking secret threatens the Baxter family’s reunion. What lies ahead will bring each of them to a place of faith and honesty. Gary Smalley themes: Love always wins out, God reigns even in the darkest night.
2: The Firstborn Series
- 1. Fame: Dayne Matthews returns to Hollywood and faces the dangerous world of fame and the paparazzi as Katy Hart receives the offer to co-star beside him.
- 2. Forgiven: On the Hollywood A list, Dayne Matthews is empty and aching for real love. A friend tells him of a teaching centre that offers a way to become like a god.
- 3. Found: John Baxter sets about the search of a lifetime – to find their firstborn son. His discovery shakes him to his core with a secret he can tell or hide.
- 4. Family: Dayne’s celebrity life leaves Katy Hart uncertain that they have a future as John Baxter decides on the secret of Ashley’s Baxter sibling.
- 5. Forever: Luke Baxter wrestles with feelings a year of troubled feelings as the Baxters pull together one last time to give Katy and Dayne a chance at forever.
3: The Sunrise Series
- 1 Sunrise: Dayne and Katy keep their wedding from the paparazzi while the Flanigan family struggle with a crisis in the life of their young boarder, Cody Coleman.
- 2. Summer: Dayne and Katy are married and living in Bloomington with Ashley and Kari Baxter pregnant. Cody’s growing friendship with Bailey Flanigan comes under threat.
- 3. Someday: Celebrity weighs heavy on Dayne and Katy as the Flanigans feel the loss of their Christina Kids Theatre and John Baxter grows closer to Elaine.
- 4. Sunset: John Baxter makes plans to marry Elaine and the family tries to chart a course for the future in a story of faith and family in the sunset years of life.
4: The Above the Line Series
- 1. Take One: Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison leave the mission field for Hollywood with a mission to produce a feature film that could change the world.
- 2. Take Two: Completing a film that touches hearts around the world, Chase and Keith have a chance at the rights to the hottest inspirational novel of the day.
- 3. Take Three: The drama of the Baxter family’s romance between Bailey Flanigan and Cody Coleman becomes an added complication in the movie makers’ latests crisis.
- 4. Take Four: Professional success and failure threatens the personal lives of the fledgeling producers and they must truly act as missionaries save all they hold dear.
5: Bailey Flanigan Series
- 1. Leaving: Begins with Bailey winning an audition for a part in a Broadway musical and leaving Bloomington for the adventure of a lifetime. (Love, loneliness, big opportunities, and even bigger decisions.)
- 2. Learning: Romance with back home football coach, Cody as Bailey Flanigan grows closer to her dream of New York stage success. (Giving and receiving and comfort in tragedy, loss and separation.)
- 3. Longing: Bailey Flanigan wonders if her days with Cody are over forever as she becomes close to her former Hollywood co-star, Brandon Paul. (Turning points, remembering and finding a way back.)
- 4. Loving: Finale to the epic saga. Bailey Flanigan faces the choices that will shape her future. Will it be Cody in Bloomington or Brandon in Los Angeles? (Maturing, challenges, the joy and heartache of life’s decisions.)
Karen Kingsbury: author snap shot
- Karen Kingsbury is a bestselling author and inspirational speaker with more than 50 novels to her name. Writer multi-book sagas and individual novels, Karen Kingsbury’s work includes the epic Baxter series and Dandelion Dust – now an award winning movie available on DVD.
- Founder of the ‘One Chance’ foundation, Much of Karen writes and speaks in support of Christian education, adoption ministries and families seeking to adopt. With husband Don, Karen Kingsbury lives in Nashville, Tennessee with their daughter and five sons, three of whom are adopted from Haiti.
Baxter Family Series: The Trivia Files
- By the end of the series there is a total of 22 living members of the Baxter family including the Baxters, their spouses and children and the happily rediscovered and reunited biologically related child.