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Bailey Flanigan #4
Loving
The answers Bailey Flanigan once longed and prayed for are finally becoming clear. In Loving, the fourth and final book in the Bailey Flanigan Series by New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, Bailey is planning a wedding and making decisions that will shape her future. Bailey enjoys the beginning of her new career and time spent with Brandon while Cody faithfully coaches his team on and off the field. Will she spend her life with Brandon Paul in Los Angeles, or will her heart draw her back to Bloomington, Indiana and Cody Coleman, her first love? Bailey has learned much and grown over the years, but the greatest challenges, the richest joys, and the deepest heartaches are still to come. Featuring members from Karen Kingsbury’s popular Baxter family, Loving completes Bailey and Cody’s story � the finale thousands of fans have been waiting for.
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2012
334 people are currently reading
3714 people want to read
About the author
Karen Kingsbury
197books11.3kfollowersKaren 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 466 reviews
March 28, 2012
SO SO SO disappointed. I feel duped!
I've been a Karen Kingsbury fan for so long. I've read every book of hers that includes the Baxter family and have felt like I've invested myself in so much of this story.
SPOILERS
*
I am saddened that she had trouble separating her real life from fiction. The Bailey series feels like Dayne and Katy Part II, aka Kelsey and Kyle's real life. All along we've been set up that Cody and Bailey are meant for each other. It was pretty obvious from the start of Loving where it was going, but I kept holding out hope that something would change.
I feel disappointed at how Karen minimized Bailey and Cody's relationship, saying that it was just a school girl crush and that Cody could never love Bailey. Even Karen admitted that she was changing her mind as she wrote the last book, so we know that Cody was the original choice. She should have stuck with that. Instead, she decided to write out her own daughter's love life and disappoint the majority of her fans.
I give it two stars because it was a pretty good book, and I could feel the love Bailey and Brandon had for eachother.... but Karen ruined a 12+ books leading up to Cody and Bailey's love story.
I've been a Karen Kingsbury fan for so long. I've read every book of hers that includes the Baxter family and have felt like I've invested myself in so much of this story.
SPOILERS
*
I am saddened that she had trouble separating her real life from fiction. The Bailey series feels like Dayne and Katy Part II, aka Kelsey and Kyle's real life. All along we've been set up that Cody and Bailey are meant for each other. It was pretty obvious from the start of Loving where it was going, but I kept holding out hope that something would change.
I feel disappointed at how Karen minimized Bailey and Cody's relationship, saying that it was just a school girl crush and that Cody could never love Bailey. Even Karen admitted that she was changing her mind as she wrote the last book, so we know that Cody was the original choice. She should have stuck with that. Instead, she decided to write out her own daughter's love life and disappoint the majority of her fans.
I give it two stars because it was a pretty good book, and I could feel the love Bailey and Brandon had for eachother.... but Karen ruined a 12+ books leading up to Cody and Bailey's love story.
April 13, 2012
Overall, I found the Bailey Flanigan series a disappointment. I have loved the other Karen Kingsbury books, found the stories of the Baxter clan compelling and uplifting. Bailey's story just left me flat.
I wish more time and development had been spent on other characters and their stories. I got tired of Brandon and Bailey "falling into each others eyes." And I couldn't help but feel bad for people who are in marriages that don't "Look like love." Even though there is a great deal of love in a marriage it doesn't always "look" like that from the outside.
I ended up skipping through paragraphs by the end of the book. (Something I have never done before) I found the ending tedious and just a rehashing of everything that had already been said 100 times. I expected better.
I wish more time and development had been spent on other characters and their stories. I got tired of Brandon and Bailey "falling into each others eyes." And I couldn't help but feel bad for people who are in marriages that don't "Look like love." Even though there is a great deal of love in a marriage it doesn't always "look" like that from the outside.
I ended up skipping through paragraphs by the end of the book. (Something I have never done before) I found the ending tedious and just a rehashing of everything that had already been said 100 times. I expected better.
May 5, 2012
Hmmm... I'm having a tough time writing this review as I really do love Karen's writing and her books. To be honest, I started out loving the series about Bailey and really liking her as a character. However, by the time I got about 100 pages into this final book I was annoyed at the changes in her character and disappointed with where her story was surely headed.
Spoilers ahead***
By reading other reviews on here I know the opinions are mixed about whether or not bailey ended up with the right guy. For me it came down to who was genuine. I had a hard time from day 1 believing whether or not Brandon was genuine. That never changed for me the entire series, so I felt like bailey ended up with the wrong guy. I really felt like Cody got the short end of the stick In this story and was almost treated as a villain. Clearly her life would have matched with Cody's so much better. As a reader, I felt cheated out of a character I've been reading about and pulling for for years. I felt robbed out of the story that should have been.
As for bailey, I started out reading about her years ago and found her a character I could relate to. She was a lot like I was in high school. However, by the end of this series I just felt like she was kind of a spoiled brat who had changed and not for the better.
I think my biggest concern in this book and this series was something I've seen others mention here: the unrealistic view of relationships and life expectations this can give to young Christian women. I don't know many 20 somethings who could have enough money to buy their own place, purchase their own business, and have the perfect wedding of their dreams, especially in today's economy. I also thought the constant dramatic gestures by Brandon were way over the top and set up normal (non Hollywood billionaires) guys for failure in the eyes of the young women they're trying to show love to. I could see a teenaged girl walking away from this book with way higher expectations of guys, her wedding, her dream home, and her dream life... Than are often reality. Not to say that God can't do these things, because he can. But real life is much harder (even when you have a wonderful, loving, believing husband by your side) than these books showed.
All in all, I'm glad bailey's story is finished, but highly disappointed in the ending.
Spoilers ahead***
By reading other reviews on here I know the opinions are mixed about whether or not bailey ended up with the right guy. For me it came down to who was genuine. I had a hard time from day 1 believing whether or not Brandon was genuine. That never changed for me the entire series, so I felt like bailey ended up with the wrong guy. I really felt like Cody got the short end of the stick In this story and was almost treated as a villain. Clearly her life would have matched with Cody's so much better. As a reader, I felt cheated out of a character I've been reading about and pulling for for years. I felt robbed out of the story that should have been.
As for bailey, I started out reading about her years ago and found her a character I could relate to. She was a lot like I was in high school. However, by the end of this series I just felt like she was kind of a spoiled brat who had changed and not for the better.
I think my biggest concern in this book and this series was something I've seen others mention here: the unrealistic view of relationships and life expectations this can give to young Christian women. I don't know many 20 somethings who could have enough money to buy their own place, purchase their own business, and have the perfect wedding of their dreams, especially in today's economy. I also thought the constant dramatic gestures by Brandon were way over the top and set up normal (non Hollywood billionaires) guys for failure in the eyes of the young women they're trying to show love to. I could see a teenaged girl walking away from this book with way higher expectations of guys, her wedding, her dream home, and her dream life... Than are often reality. Not to say that God can't do these things, because he can. But real life is much harder (even when you have a wonderful, loving, believing husband by your side) than these books showed.
All in all, I'm glad bailey's story is finished, but highly disappointed in the ending.
April 9, 2012
Aside from “Redeeming Love� by Francine Rivers (WHICH I LOVED), I have never laid a hand on another Christian romance until my friend forced the Bailey Flanigan series onto me last year. I started with “Leaving� only days after its publishing date and fell in love with the tender romance between B&C. Because I felt like I was lacking a great deal of history to an otherwise promising romance, shortly thereafter, I started reading all the Baxter series in order. As I (and many before me) went through each of the books, I’ve developed a definite attachment to its characters, including and most especially to Bailey and Cody � who’s story has been building up for books and books. It is without a doubt that by midway through all those 18 books leading to the Bailey Flanigan series, we have all (fans of B&C or not) predicted that B&C’s story was coming up. And doubtless, that it would end with Baily and Cody professing their love towards one another and bonding their love in holy matrimony.
But by the time “Longing� came around, though, the story (the very same story that legions of fans has been following for over 18 books) took a turn for the worst. After finishing the last pages of “Longing� I could have guessed where the B&C romance was going to end (…SPLIT). And quite frankly, I was sort of routing for such an ending, because though the soulful Cody has grown into a better and much more loving man, the charismatic girl that I have fell in love with has vanished within a few short months. In her place, is someone who’s ideals and ‘love� I put into questions time and time again (“would she love Brandon so much if he didn’t have the wealth the maintain his habit of visiting her on the whim or showering her with gifts that he wouldn’t have otherwise gotten?)! I am not saying that being rich is bad, I cannot fault Brandon for that; he remained who he is from the beginning, but what changed was Bailey’s personality and the whole ‘picture� of what she has professed to want all her life� So much with wanting a life just like her parents! *roll eyes* Mind you, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with changing dreams, but boy was that change hard to stomach� For long-time readers (or fans of the Baxter series) who’ve watched the progressive relationship and growth of Bailey and Cody, I think the equation in “Longing� just doesn’t sit well. Too much change in Bailey’s character + so little time passed = HARD TO BELIEVE!
Overall, I didn’t hate the B&B pairing, I personally thought that their FANTASY HOLLYWOOD STARLET COUPLE thing was tolerable, OK even, if a bit too hard to believe, but hey, it is a fiction for a reason. So yes, by the end of “Longing� I was like, “go ahead KK, do tell the story like you want (though not intented from the first � we all know how the story was supposed to end originally)!� And I was open and curious enough to see how KK would be able to convince both the CODY and BRANDON TEAM that Bailey and Brandon would make the better match than she with Cody.
And this fellow readers, is where KK disappointed me beyond compared. I took offense as a fan, as an avid reader, and by goolie as an intelligent human being, when she turned the sweet and loving story of two young souls into a puppy (cliché) teenage love that is nothing but a fleeting fancy. I find IMPOSSIBLE TO FATHOM that KK would think us gullible enough to swallow that pack of NONSENSE!
After all that’s say and done; I TRULY didn’t mind that B&B ended up together, I’ve known that since reading “Longing� but I took affront (and the reason for the 1 star) that KK (despite her previous brilliance) has taken us for fools! That mistake made the entire series REDUNDENT and INFINITELY UNSATISFYING!
My message to Karen is that: “you took a gamble and you’ve lost a good chunk of your fans!�
But by the time “Longing� came around, though, the story (the very same story that legions of fans has been following for over 18 books) took a turn for the worst. After finishing the last pages of “Longing� I could have guessed where the B&C romance was going to end (…SPLIT). And quite frankly, I was sort of routing for such an ending, because though the soulful Cody has grown into a better and much more loving man, the charismatic girl that I have fell in love with has vanished within a few short months. In her place, is someone who’s ideals and ‘love� I put into questions time and time again (“would she love Brandon so much if he didn’t have the wealth the maintain his habit of visiting her on the whim or showering her with gifts that he wouldn’t have otherwise gotten?)! I am not saying that being rich is bad, I cannot fault Brandon for that; he remained who he is from the beginning, but what changed was Bailey’s personality and the whole ‘picture� of what she has professed to want all her life� So much with wanting a life just like her parents! *roll eyes* Mind you, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with changing dreams, but boy was that change hard to stomach� For long-time readers (or fans of the Baxter series) who’ve watched the progressive relationship and growth of Bailey and Cody, I think the equation in “Longing� just doesn’t sit well. Too much change in Bailey’s character + so little time passed = HARD TO BELIEVE!
Overall, I didn’t hate the B&B pairing, I personally thought that their FANTASY HOLLYWOOD STARLET COUPLE thing was tolerable, OK even, if a bit too hard to believe, but hey, it is a fiction for a reason. So yes, by the end of “Longing� I was like, “go ahead KK, do tell the story like you want (though not intented from the first � we all know how the story was supposed to end originally)!� And I was open and curious enough to see how KK would be able to convince both the CODY and BRANDON TEAM that Bailey and Brandon would make the better match than she with Cody.
And this fellow readers, is where KK disappointed me beyond compared. I took offense as a fan, as an avid reader, and by goolie as an intelligent human being, when she turned the sweet and loving story of two young souls into a puppy (cliché) teenage love that is nothing but a fleeting fancy. I find IMPOSSIBLE TO FATHOM that KK would think us gullible enough to swallow that pack of NONSENSE!
After all that’s say and done; I TRULY didn’t mind that B&B ended up together, I’ve known that since reading “Longing� but I took affront (and the reason for the 1 star) that KK (despite her previous brilliance) has taken us for fools! That mistake made the entire series REDUNDENT and INFINITELY UNSATISFYING!
My message to Karen is that: “you took a gamble and you’ve lost a good chunk of your fans!�
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2013
Well, I didn't expect this.
By the middle of this book, I felt sick. I couldn't properly finish it for both impatience and irritation, so I skimmed the remainder. Karen Kingsbury draws a 'realistic' picture with the outcome of these four novels, and ultimately, the story of Cody and Bailey. That's a problem in fiction. Here's what she does: Spends countless (dozens?) of novels building up the relationship between Cody and Bailey, intriguing readers, giving them something to root for and hope for.
Then yanks the rug out from under them. In, what, a righteous fictional telling of reality? Partially. The realistic portion was the fact that fairytale romance like the spark that Cody and Bailey had hardly exists. People change, grow apart, there's a season for everything, like Kingsbury reiterates in her novels. It's 'realistic' that Bailey would meet someone else and she and Cody would fall to pieces.
But as a fiction lover and writer myself, I have impossible difficulty figuring how an author can build so deeply on a relationship, work so intimately with it, pour so much time into it, so many years... only to trash it in the end. I really felt like that's what she did with Cody and Bailey. The shift of both their feelings felt artificial, inane. Suddenly, the depth of Cody's love for Bailey amounts to a chilly brotherhood? Randomly, a favourite character of mine from the Above the Line series, Andi, is reintroduced in a way I could hardly imagine more tasteless - to ignite some absolutely random flare of love and purpose in Cody's heart.
Yippee. Forgive me if I'm sardonic, but this book was an incredible disappointment. I had high expectations, and honestly... Cody's devotion to Bailey was the main reason I bothered with these books (I'm not good with sappy stuff, generally speaking). That devotion, upon finishing, was cheap and fairly worthless, as far as I was concerned. Cody basically convinced himself his love for Bailey was childish, and he's grown up.
Wow. If this is Kingsbury's idea of fiction - something you curl up with after a long day, something you intend to enjoy... well, she's pretty far off the mark. Unless you enjoy heaps of senseless mush that barely caters to intellect in any form. And is riddled with mistakes. The reader in me wishes she could overlook these, but the editor can't very easily. I remember reading repeat paragraphs in one of the books. Finding easy mistakes, for example - Cody's mother's name changed from one series to another. That's a mistake an accomplished author should not afford, let alone her editors... if there are any. And these copies were published for retail.
...I'm not much of a ranter, but look at this review. I don't mean to offend with it, but I'm very honest - this series had a lot of potential, but cheapened characterization, poor plot pacing and an over-abundance of sappy, cavity-inducing romance led to its downfall in my opinion.
And again, both the romantic and the writer in me needed to see Kingsbury's lengthy work through to a proper conclusion. Proper I didn't receive. How can someone put so much into two characters only to let them drop in the end? Give up on them? Paint them a plastic 'happy ending'? It's a mystery to me.
By the middle of this book, I felt sick. I couldn't properly finish it for both impatience and irritation, so I skimmed the remainder. Karen Kingsbury draws a 'realistic' picture with the outcome of these four novels, and ultimately, the story of Cody and Bailey. That's a problem in fiction. Here's what she does: Spends countless (dozens?) of novels building up the relationship between Cody and Bailey, intriguing readers, giving them something to root for and hope for.
Then yanks the rug out from under them. In, what, a righteous fictional telling of reality? Partially. The realistic portion was the fact that fairytale romance like the spark that Cody and Bailey had hardly exists. People change, grow apart, there's a season for everything, like Kingsbury reiterates in her novels. It's 'realistic' that Bailey would meet someone else and she and Cody would fall to pieces.
But as a fiction lover and writer myself, I have impossible difficulty figuring how an author can build so deeply on a relationship, work so intimately with it, pour so much time into it, so many years... only to trash it in the end. I really felt like that's what she did with Cody and Bailey. The shift of both their feelings felt artificial, inane. Suddenly, the depth of Cody's love for Bailey amounts to a chilly brotherhood? Randomly, a favourite character of mine from the Above the Line series, Andi, is reintroduced in a way I could hardly imagine more tasteless - to ignite some absolutely random flare of love and purpose in Cody's heart.
Yippee. Forgive me if I'm sardonic, but this book was an incredible disappointment. I had high expectations, and honestly... Cody's devotion to Bailey was the main reason I bothered with these books (I'm not good with sappy stuff, generally speaking). That devotion, upon finishing, was cheap and fairly worthless, as far as I was concerned. Cody basically convinced himself his love for Bailey was childish, and he's grown up.
Wow. If this is Kingsbury's idea of fiction - something you curl up with after a long day, something you intend to enjoy... well, she's pretty far off the mark. Unless you enjoy heaps of senseless mush that barely caters to intellect in any form. And is riddled with mistakes. The reader in me wishes she could overlook these, but the editor can't very easily. I remember reading repeat paragraphs in one of the books. Finding easy mistakes, for example - Cody's mother's name changed from one series to another. That's a mistake an accomplished author should not afford, let alone her editors... if there are any. And these copies were published for retail.
...I'm not much of a ranter, but look at this review. I don't mean to offend with it, but I'm very honest - this series had a lot of potential, but cheapened characterization, poor plot pacing and an over-abundance of sappy, cavity-inducing romance led to its downfall in my opinion.
And again, both the romantic and the writer in me needed to see Kingsbury's lengthy work through to a proper conclusion. Proper I didn't receive. How can someone put so much into two characters only to let them drop in the end? Give up on them? Paint them a plastic 'happy ending'? It's a mystery to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2012
Loving by Karen Kingsbury
****BEWARE SPOILERS***
I have never been so disappointed or letdown by an author as I am with Karen Kingsbury. The Bailey series was by far Not my favorite, but I hung in there because I wanted to see Bailey and Cody get together in the end. Isn’t that what is suppose to happen in the writing world? Karen made an extremely bad error in the writing world by taking two series and lifting up her hero, Cody, building up that relationship with Cody and Bailey and more importantly Cody and the Lord, then dumping him, kicking him to the curb.
And she changed her mind at the last minute for family reasons??? That sure tells us where all of us fans, those of us who have purchased all of Karen’s books, been faithful readers and followers where we stand. Loving is the worst book I have ever read and the worst ending to a series I’ve read, and I am a book reviewer, so I read hundreds of books a year.
I know I get too involved in characters, but Karen did this to us in the last two series about Bailey and Cody. I just can’t see how she can create a character like Cody, put him in a family that will love him and raise him, and then try her best to politely toss him from the family as an outcast. Now he will no longer feel secure with this family that he loves so much. Sorry Karen but you blew it with this.
The sad thing is, a huge percentage of teens and young adults who read this series and especially Longing will get a misled message. Wonder how many will go out there trying to find a rich kid that has all the money in the world to woo them literally any way they want. I’m afraid a lot of guys may be treated just like Karen treated Cody just because they are looking for those riches and the fake relationship that comes with it. Karen is leading a lot of young ladies on the wrong road and for that, I would want any of my family to read her books.
That said, I do not recommend this book, nor do I recommend this series for anyone to read because it is critically leading our young ladies in the wrong direction when it comes to dating and marrying. And yes I know this is ‘just� a book. But how many people out there actually take the Baxter’s and Flannigan’s for real people. I’ve heard Karen speak in person, and I have seen how adult ladies act at those conferences about her books. How much more will teens and young ladies idolize her enough to listen to this incorrect advice?
This book was provided by the publisher, Zondervan in exchange for an honest review. I was not required or expected to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.
****BEWARE SPOILERS***
I have never been so disappointed or letdown by an author as I am with Karen Kingsbury. The Bailey series was by far Not my favorite, but I hung in there because I wanted to see Bailey and Cody get together in the end. Isn’t that what is suppose to happen in the writing world? Karen made an extremely bad error in the writing world by taking two series and lifting up her hero, Cody, building up that relationship with Cody and Bailey and more importantly Cody and the Lord, then dumping him, kicking him to the curb.
And she changed her mind at the last minute for family reasons??? That sure tells us where all of us fans, those of us who have purchased all of Karen’s books, been faithful readers and followers where we stand. Loving is the worst book I have ever read and the worst ending to a series I’ve read, and I am a book reviewer, so I read hundreds of books a year.
I know I get too involved in characters, but Karen did this to us in the last two series about Bailey and Cody. I just can’t see how she can create a character like Cody, put him in a family that will love him and raise him, and then try her best to politely toss him from the family as an outcast. Now he will no longer feel secure with this family that he loves so much. Sorry Karen but you blew it with this.
The sad thing is, a huge percentage of teens and young adults who read this series and especially Longing will get a misled message. Wonder how many will go out there trying to find a rich kid that has all the money in the world to woo them literally any way they want. I’m afraid a lot of guys may be treated just like Karen treated Cody just because they are looking for those riches and the fake relationship that comes with it. Karen is leading a lot of young ladies on the wrong road and for that, I would want any of my family to read her books.
That said, I do not recommend this book, nor do I recommend this series for anyone to read because it is critically leading our young ladies in the wrong direction when it comes to dating and marrying. And yes I know this is ‘just� a book. But how many people out there actually take the Baxter’s and Flannigan’s for real people. I’ve heard Karen speak in person, and I have seen how adult ladies act at those conferences about her books. How much more will teens and young ladies idolize her enough to listen to this incorrect advice?
This book was provided by the publisher, Zondervan in exchange for an honest review. I was not required or expected to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.
June 25, 2012
I took my sweet time in getting around to reading this novel. The reviews on Amazon have been polarizing from the moment it was released: some loved it, some hated it. I wasn't in a hurry to be disappointed, and while Karen rarely does, I did recognize there was plenty of potential for my reading experience to go either way.
I was only as far as Chapter 2 when I began to see that something was off. Storylines started to take contrived turns and, honestly, they never recovered. One of my least favorite plot devices is when a writer lays something out and then jerks it all back and says it means nothing. I call it the yo-yo effect and some authors have it perfected (I'm looking at you, Julian Fellowes). Unfortunately, the whole Bailey-Cody-Brandon triagle turned out to be one big yo-yo.
You'll have to read it to see if I'm referring to Bailey deciding Cody wasn't the one for her after years of loving him, or Bailey deciding that even though she's been seeing Brandon and he wants to marry her that she goes back to Cody after all.
I've defended Bailey in the past. She has lived a charmed life, so if anyone has the right to freak out over first world problems, it's her. But just a few books ago we could see Bailey being a bold witness for Christ in whatever situations she found herself in. Now she is reacting to everything out of fear. She runs. She cuts people out of her life. She's nothing close to a role model.
Let's count the ways Brandon Paul is similar to another Kingsbury leading man, Dayne Matthews. Hollywood heartthrob? Check. Falls in love with a girl from Indiana? Check. Finds Jesus? Check. Lives in a Malibu beach house? Check. Has problems with paparazzi? Check. In "Loving" the parallels reached ridiculous levels.
Cody seemed poised at the end of "Longing" to accept his dream job. Enter a new dream job out of nowhere to shake things up. Does it come as a package deal with a girlfriend he's known for a long time? One who has long held affection for him? Is this too good to be true, or too contrived to hold water? Hmmm...
By the end I wasn't sure if I was reading Karen Kingsbury or Stephenie Meyer. I've never read Meyer but many of the detracting points in "Twilight" seemed present in "Loving". I hope I never have to say that about another Kingsbury book ever again! And yes, I plan to keep reading. Surely the woman who brought us "Redemption" and "Remember" can find herself again and bring us more stories that we can recommend to our friends. My best advice to you would be to treat this book like one treats "Rocky V": pretend it never happened.
This review originated at
I was only as far as Chapter 2 when I began to see that something was off. Storylines started to take contrived turns and, honestly, they never recovered. One of my least favorite plot devices is when a writer lays something out and then jerks it all back and says it means nothing. I call it the yo-yo effect and some authors have it perfected (I'm looking at you, Julian Fellowes). Unfortunately, the whole Bailey-Cody-Brandon triagle turned out to be one big yo-yo.
You'll have to read it to see if I'm referring to Bailey deciding Cody wasn't the one for her after years of loving him, or Bailey deciding that even though she's been seeing Brandon and he wants to marry her that she goes back to Cody after all.
I've defended Bailey in the past. She has lived a charmed life, so if anyone has the right to freak out over first world problems, it's her. But just a few books ago we could see Bailey being a bold witness for Christ in whatever situations she found herself in. Now she is reacting to everything out of fear. She runs. She cuts people out of her life. She's nothing close to a role model.
Let's count the ways Brandon Paul is similar to another Kingsbury leading man, Dayne Matthews. Hollywood heartthrob? Check. Falls in love with a girl from Indiana? Check. Finds Jesus? Check. Lives in a Malibu beach house? Check. Has problems with paparazzi? Check. In "Loving" the parallels reached ridiculous levels.
Cody seemed poised at the end of "Longing" to accept his dream job. Enter a new dream job out of nowhere to shake things up. Does it come as a package deal with a girlfriend he's known for a long time? One who has long held affection for him? Is this too good to be true, or too contrived to hold water? Hmmm...
By the end I wasn't sure if I was reading Karen Kingsbury or Stephenie Meyer. I've never read Meyer but many of the detracting points in "Twilight" seemed present in "Loving". I hope I never have to say that about another Kingsbury book ever again! And yes, I plan to keep reading. Surely the woman who brought us "Redemption" and "Remember" can find herself again and bring us more stories that we can recommend to our friends. My best advice to you would be to treat this book like one treats "Rocky V": pretend it never happened.
This review originated at
March 28, 2012
This is one whole Karen Kingsbury series I would seriously NOT RECOMMEND.
First of all, I think this series proved to be a weak spot of Karen in that she mixes up biography with fiction.
She allows too much liberty of her daughter's real life happenings to influence the story's direction when the story began years before her daughter met her current fiance!
It is sad that Kingsbury's maternal emotions over her own daughter's love life gets all worked up in a fictional story she had long established with her readers. Worse, it seems like she wrote this whole series for Kelsey and Kyle rather than for the readers she had gained through the previous series she wrote about Bailey and Cody --- which I find very unfair.
On the other hand, I am sure there are people out there who can relate with her so-called "twists and turns". Personally, it is simply an unprofessional work coming from a well-known New York Times bestselling author --- that's what makes it much more disappointing.
First of all, I think this series proved to be a weak spot of Karen in that she mixes up biography with fiction.
She allows too much liberty of her daughter's real life happenings to influence the story's direction when the story began years before her daughter met her current fiance!
It is sad that Kingsbury's maternal emotions over her own daughter's love life gets all worked up in a fictional story she had long established with her readers. Worse, it seems like she wrote this whole series for Kelsey and Kyle rather than for the readers she had gained through the previous series she wrote about Bailey and Cody --- which I find very unfair.
On the other hand, I am sure there are people out there who can relate with her so-called "twists and turns". Personally, it is simply an unprofessional work coming from a well-known New York Times bestselling author --- that's what makes it much more disappointing.
April 1, 2012
In the fourth and final Bailey Flanigan book, Bailey makes some major decisions when she starts coming across obstacles. She begins to detest her life in LA and realizes that it is not as glamourous as she expected. She must decide whether to stay for Brandon, move back home to Bloomington, or give New York another try. Along with those decisions comes thoughts about what Bailey wants to do as a career and what man she will end up with. She learns what love really is and finds that sacrifice is essential to any relationship.
I was extremely disappointed in this book. With each book that Karen writes, the quality decreases. The characters seemed fake and too perfect, the story was contrived and the writing and language was corny and completely unrealistic. I even found some spelling errors and at least one name mix-up. This whole series was written about Karen's daughter and so she changed the story to match up with real life situations. In this way, the book isn't true fiction and knowing she based the book off of her daughter's life made the story unrelatable.
It was also disappointing that Karen just threw away story lines that she had spent multiple books investing in. After years of being her main focus, Cody Coleman was just thrown aside and seen as not good enough for Bailey, and Brandon, her "knight in shining armor" was annoying and lame as a character. This book turned into a fairy tale. Karen's books used to be so deep and impacting and now they are nothing more than Christian harlequins. I only forced myself to read this because I have read every book in the series and wanted to see it through, but there were multiple times I was tempted to return the book without finishing it!
I skimmed many parts of the book because the whole story line was almost identical to Katy and Dayne's, even down to the songs used at the wedding and the fact that they moved into Dayne and Katy's old house, bought CKT, etc. Bailey's character, once so strong, became wishy washy and weak. Even though Karen put to rest the Cody story in the last book, every time Cody texted Bailey or wanted to meet with her, she started wondering if Cody was the one. I really hope Karen starts writing about new characters because the Baxters/Flanigan story lines need to be put to rest.
I was extremely disappointed in this book. With each book that Karen writes, the quality decreases. The characters seemed fake and too perfect, the story was contrived and the writing and language was corny and completely unrealistic. I even found some spelling errors and at least one name mix-up. This whole series was written about Karen's daughter and so she changed the story to match up with real life situations. In this way, the book isn't true fiction and knowing she based the book off of her daughter's life made the story unrelatable.
It was also disappointing that Karen just threw away story lines that she had spent multiple books investing in. After years of being her main focus, Cody Coleman was just thrown aside and seen as not good enough for Bailey, and Brandon, her "knight in shining armor" was annoying and lame as a character. This book turned into a fairy tale. Karen's books used to be so deep and impacting and now they are nothing more than Christian harlequins. I only forced myself to read this because I have read every book in the series and wanted to see it through, but there were multiple times I was tempted to return the book without finishing it!
I skimmed many parts of the book because the whole story line was almost identical to Katy and Dayne's, even down to the songs used at the wedding and the fact that they moved into Dayne and Katy's old house, bought CKT, etc. Bailey's character, once so strong, became wishy washy and weak. Even though Karen put to rest the Cody story in the last book, every time Cody texted Bailey or wanted to meet with her, she started wondering if Cody was the one. I really hope Karen starts writing about new characters because the Baxters/Flanigan story lines need to be put to rest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2012
I found the whole Bailey Flanigan series to drawn out and frankly, disappointing. When I first started reading about Bailey, I thought she was a wonderful role model for teenage girls/young women, but as this series progressed I found her very annoying. She suddenly became self centered and everything seemed to revolve around her. What sacrifices did she make for the "love of her life"? She came across more as a taker then a giver. The whole relationship with Brandon was unrealistic and I found it just too perfect. The perfect girl, perfect boy, perfect careers, perfect house, perfect wedding, perfect wedding dress. Way too perfect! Although I was hoping to see Bailey and Cody finally get together after numerous books leading the reader that way, I was surprisely pleased with the Cody/Andi match up. Nothing perfect about these two. Just two genuine, down to earth people who have overcome heartache and through God's grace have moved forward with a stronger faith and sense of well being and happiness.
September 9, 2012
This book was so far removed from some of Kingsbury's older books that I really began to wonder if she actually wrote it. I was stunned at the number of opportunities for "life-changing fiction" were skipped over so that more detail could be given to trite issues and wedding details. For example:
1. Brandon and his parents haven't talked in years and years. Yet, all that was given to the reconciliation between them was one simple paragraph. His parents simply drove up his driveway and got out of the car and all was well. Can you imagine how many readers could have benefited from a more detailed explanation of the process of forgiveness and how Brandon got to that point with his parents. Instead we read this book thinking that nothing ever has to be discussed with estranged loved ones and that we should just act as if the situation never happened. I realize that once Brandon became a Christian he never had another struggle, outside of his distance from Bailey, but this just leads Christians to believe that reconciliation should happen this way, while it isn't a realistic or a healthy view of forgiveness at all.
2. After so many novels about these characters, I feel like I really know them and their character. But the Jim Flanigan that I have come to know would have never so readily given his blessing for a marriage that his daughter was so obviously conflicted about. Just weeks before, Bailey ended her relationship with Brandon, yet when Brandon comes in to ask for Jim's blessing in marriage, he gives it right away. This seemed so forced to me... like Karen just needed this to happen to get to the conclusion that she wanted, regardless of how out of character it was. I feel like, at best, Jim Flanigan would have talked Brandon into waiting the time it took to get everything straightened out between he and Bailey before jumping into marriage. Even though Jim Flanigan's marriage is easy and perfect, I think he is a wise enough man to know that when you are having problems in a relationship, marriage doesn't solve those problems. Yet, once again, instead of the "life-changing fiction" that Karen Kingsbury would have used at one time to show the importance of a right relationship before jumping into a marriage, now she writes in favor of parallelism to her own life, regardless of how ill these two fit together.
3. The first 3rd of the book goes into great detail about how Brandon is fine with the paparazzi, he has grown up with it and it doesn't bother him at all. He even gets to the point of frustration with Bailey because she lets it affect her so much. However, in one or two paragraphs all of a sudden Brandon hates the paparazzi and can't live like that any longer. He sees exactly why Bailey has been so upset about it and is willing to give it all up right then and there. I'm sorry, Karen, but we can't get there that fast, and to expect us to makes the entire story unbelievable and difficult to relate to. People don't change their minds about an issue that big that quickly. I would have much rather had less wedding detail and more time spent given to this change of heart that Brandon experienced instead of it all happening at once.
Not only was the writing different from past novels, but I barely got a glimpse of the character that Bailey once was. Her character has changed so much through these novels that she isn't even recognizable in the Bailey Flanigan series. The character that I first got to know in the Baxter series books was selfless and loving to others and put ministry above pretty much everything else. When we met Bailey in high school, she had friends that she prayed with and prayed for and sought to minister to them where they were in life. The Bailey Flanigan that this character became was self-absobed and consumed with her relationship and didn't spend her time ministering to anyone. I think the parts of this book that were most indicative of who Bailey had become were those that showed how Bailey didn't have any friends her own age. The only person that she had to be her maid of honor was Andi Ellison, who may have have been a good friend of hers 4 or 5 years before this novel takes place, but at this point they have little more than a "talk on the phone" relationship. And after spending an entire year in New York, outside of the Kellers, who are senior adults, Bailey barely has1 friend. And the saddest part is that anytime Bailey thinks back to her time in New York, we hear about skype dates, visits to the Empire State building after hours and a private prom on the Kellers roof. Not one time during this entire novel does Bailey think or speak about the 1 friend that she made in New York who died. That is reflective of a very shallow person. I also find it sad that guests of Bailey's wedding shower, and members of her bridal party for that matter, consisted of Andi Ellison and the Baxter sisters, who are all 35-45 years old at this point. When Bailey has issues in her life, she talks about it with Katy Matthews or Ashley Blake, who are both around 35+ years old. She doesn't have a single friend her age who she spends personal time with, outside of Brandon Paul. Ministering to others comes best through building relationships with others, and Bailey no longer takes the time to do this. However, in this "life-changing fiction" we seem to hear more details than we want to about the white silk bows that run down the end of the pews and how Bailey pins a few strands of her hair up for the wedding but leaves the rest down. And in the end, as rings true with her other novels starring the Flanigans, everything worked out exactly as Bailey wanted it to without her having to sacrifice one thing. I was almost angry when, at her wedding, she was saying that she was so in love with Brandon that she would follow him anywhere, even LA. It is really easy to say that after Brandon gave up everything so that Bailey could have her dream exactly the way she wanted it. But when it came to her actions, we all saw that statement was the furthest thing from truth.
More than anything I felt that what this book lacked most was creativity. Aside from the very obvious fact that this story line was already used with Katy and Dayne's story, there were parts of this book that made me roll my eyes and audibly groan they were so bad. For instance, the first time we meet Molly Anderson on the set of the Montana movie she is described with this sentence, "Anyone who would listen had heard her explain how she was born for the part - what with her real name being Molly, same as the real-life girl." Really? That is as creative as you can get? That sounds like something that one of Ashley Blake's children would say, not a 19 year old actress who is described later as having great professionalism. I don't think a 19 year old would feel that she was born for a part just because she and the character share a very common name.
I used to love the plots that Karen Kingsbury could work up and how realistic and truly life-changing they were. She drug the poor Baxters through the mud and back, but it spoke straight to people's hearts because they continued to cling to God in the midst of so many trials. Yet, for the Flanigans, life continues to remain easy and untouchable. They get the jobs that they want, the life they want, the perfect kids, and the perfect house, and while that may be the writer's life, it isn't the reader's life and we can't relate to that. I really hope that this experiment of writing fiction that mirrors the writer's life is over, because it did not turn out very well. I miss the truly "life-changing" novels of Karen Kingsbury.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2013
It's been months since the release of the last Bailey Flanigan series book, and I still can't calm the disappointment ( a very serene word for my real feelings) in the waste of time and money I spent on these books. I got hooked on the Redemption series, and pulled into the Fame series because I loved the idea of a small town theater director and a popular actor finding their way to each other. Throughout the Fame series, I was a little surprised how Kingsbury's writing tone seem to change. Friends advised I loved the Redemption series so much because Gary Smalley helped author them. I chose to ignore their point and continue through with Kingsbury's multiple additions despite the writing getting more boring with each book. I was going to stop after Fame series ended, but developed a small affection for Bailey & Cody and was sucked back in to faithfully await how Kingsbury would FINALLY bring a resolution to their story.
Instead, I feel like I was dropped on my backside and could hear cruel laughing in the background. All I could think through this book was the waste of money I spent (I usually would rent through my local library, but convinced myself I would want these to share with others later) and the hours speed reading through mediocre writing determined there HAD to be a happy ending on the way for Cody & Bailey (Something Kingsbury herself admitted to heading for until the book before Loving was released. Ironically her daughter who poses for Bailey got engaged to the young man who posed for Brandon in real life & on Kingsbury's FB she said she suddenly felt a pull to head in a different direction with Bailey's love life that even she had not expected.)
After finishing Loving I immediately collected all the books I had from Kingsbury, threw them in a box and deposited them at my local library. This book officially ended any desire to read another Kingsbury again.
Instead, I feel like I was dropped on my backside and could hear cruel laughing in the background. All I could think through this book was the waste of money I spent (I usually would rent through my local library, but convinced myself I would want these to share with others later) and the hours speed reading through mediocre writing determined there HAD to be a happy ending on the way for Cody & Bailey (Something Kingsbury herself admitted to heading for until the book before Loving was released. Ironically her daughter who poses for Bailey got engaged to the young man who posed for Brandon in real life & on Kingsbury's FB she said she suddenly felt a pull to head in a different direction with Bailey's love life that even she had not expected.)
After finishing Loving I immediately collected all the books I had from Kingsbury, threw them in a box and deposited them at my local library. This book officially ended any desire to read another Kingsbury again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2018
This was so adorable and I Loved it.
Bailey and Brandon giving into their feelings once and for all eternity
Bailey and Brandon giving into their feelings once and for all eternity
January 23, 2016
I have just finished, LOVING, the final installment in the Bailey Flanigan series. I am glad I stuck it out (even though I skipped UNLOCKED, and the Above the Line series) just to say I completed the series. But, like many other reviewers, my thoughts are not completely positive.
My two biggest problems with this series are, One- the constant back story that I had to constantly skim through to get to the new story. And Two � Bailey & Brandon was just a rehashing of Katie & Dayne. I also began to lose a connection to Bailey because I could not relate to her near perfect life. This girl would be every parents dream, and maybe Kelsey Kingsbury really is this perfect, humble, always make the right decision, never makes a bad choice person, but I feel her faultlessness made it difficult for me to relate, as it would with most girls her age. I also had a hard time believing the flawlessness of Brandon. Now granted, I didn’t read UNLOCKED where Brandon & Bailey were introduced–and by hints of his history was far from a stand-up guy–but to say a young adult of his age and his background would think kissing was too big a step to take in the early stages of their relationship seems a bit antiquated to me. And again, maybe Kyle Kopecky was just that perfect. But, I think Ms. Kingsbury could have easily written a more realistic picture if she wasn’t so close to the perfection of her own family. Now, I am not saying I would’ve enjoyed the book more if she ended up with Cody, and I do like that Ms. Kingsbury gave some closure to his story, I just didn’t like having to read about all the trappings, struggles, and dilemmas of a Hollywood lifestyle when I already read about them in Katy & Dayne’s struggle.
I know this sounds like a lot of bashing, and maybe since I live in the real world I am just a little bit more realistic, but I definitely felt these were major flaws in the series. But, Karen Kingsbury is a best-selling author with an incredible following. And at one time, I would’ve put her at the top of my list of favorite authors. I even got a chance to meet her at a convention I attended. I just feel her earlier stand alone novels like WHEN JOY CAME TO STAY, A THOUSAND TOMORROWS, and A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS, held my interest more because they had more realistic storylines.
My two biggest problems with this series are, One- the constant back story that I had to constantly skim through to get to the new story. And Two � Bailey & Brandon was just a rehashing of Katie & Dayne. I also began to lose a connection to Bailey because I could not relate to her near perfect life. This girl would be every parents dream, and maybe Kelsey Kingsbury really is this perfect, humble, always make the right decision, never makes a bad choice person, but I feel her faultlessness made it difficult for me to relate, as it would with most girls her age. I also had a hard time believing the flawlessness of Brandon. Now granted, I didn’t read UNLOCKED where Brandon & Bailey were introduced–and by hints of his history was far from a stand-up guy–but to say a young adult of his age and his background would think kissing was too big a step to take in the early stages of their relationship seems a bit antiquated to me. And again, maybe Kyle Kopecky was just that perfect. But, I think Ms. Kingsbury could have easily written a more realistic picture if she wasn’t so close to the perfection of her own family. Now, I am not saying I would’ve enjoyed the book more if she ended up with Cody, and I do like that Ms. Kingsbury gave some closure to his story, I just didn’t like having to read about all the trappings, struggles, and dilemmas of a Hollywood lifestyle when I already read about them in Katy & Dayne’s struggle.
I know this sounds like a lot of bashing, and maybe since I live in the real world I am just a little bit more realistic, but I definitely felt these were major flaws in the series. But, Karen Kingsbury is a best-selling author with an incredible following. And at one time, I would’ve put her at the top of my list of favorite authors. I even got a chance to meet her at a convention I attended. I just feel her earlier stand alone novels like WHEN JOY CAME TO STAY, A THOUSAND TOMORROWS, and A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS, held my interest more because they had more realistic storylines.
April 27, 2012
Let me just say that I am an avid reader of Karen's books! She writes in a way that ministers to me, and this is such a blessing! With that being said, I have of course read, the Redemption series, Firstborn series, Sunrise series, Above the Line and finally the Bailey Flanigan series. Loved, loved, LOVED them all! Although I have to say that as we got into the Bailey Flanigan series I was NOT happy about the relationship, or lack thereof, between Cody and Bailey. It had seemed like all along in previous books that Cody and Bailey truly were meant to be together, and I held onto that as I started reading the Bailey Flanigan series. I even gave less then 5 stars on the first couple of book reviews because I SO wanted Cody and Bailey to be together. However, I have to say that this final book, "Loving", although there is still a tiny little bit of disappointment with Cody and Bailey not finally working things out to get together, I am happy with the ending. What a LOVE story in this book! How could I NOT start to cheer for Brandon and Bailey?! And when you think about it, real life is like that many times. We think we KNOW who we love and who we need to be with, but when we step back and let God lead (and I learned this from personal experience many years ago), He will bring the person into our life who is perfect for us! And that is what I saw in this final book about Bailey Flanigan. Both Bailey and Cody really thought they loved each other and would be together eventually, and both of them held on to that for a long time, Cody even longer then Bailey. But when they both gave their wants and desires over to God in this area of their life, God had a much better plan for them! So, yes, I loved this love story that was God-ordained. And now I can give this final book of the Bailey Flanigan series a definite 5-star rating! Thank you, Karen, for staying true to what God was telling you to write! Can't wait for "Coming Home" in June! And then I'm going to have to start all over again with Redemption, otherwise, I will really miss the Baxters and the Flanigans WAY too much! :)
May 17, 2012
Karen is a great writer and I love almost all of her books, but this is one of the biggest disappointments I have ever encountered in a series. Bailey works hard through her high school career to become an amazing actress and be on Broadway, but she goes down without a fight when that dream is eventually taken from her. Secondly, Brandon comes off as a playboy even after his supposed redemption; everything he says sounds like a line that a guy would tell a million girls. It's not realistic, and no guy talks like that, especially all the time. Thirdly, this story is getting a little old because it mirrors Katy and Dayne way too much. Karen has worked for twenty-odd books to build up Cody in the mind of the reader, and it is INCREDIBLY disappointing that these people who were CLEARLY painted as perfect for each other don't end up together. I suggest reading up to take three and leaving it at that. Just tell yourself Bailey and Cody get married and ride into the sunset to avoid this major letdown.
April 7, 2012
I've read a lot of Karen Kingsbury...so I knew by chapter 2 what the outcome of this book would be... KK holds a place in my heart, but I've become so bored with her books lately - there's just too much perfectness, too much predictability.
March 27, 2017
A wonderful ending to the series. So inspirational and motivational. I'll admit that there were many parts of these book that were really cliche and eye roll worthy but I couldn't help but love it! The scripture readings always seemed to speak to me personally and I really love the way Karen Kingsbury was able to tackle difficult topics from a perspective of love and grace. The writing style was very simple and easy to follow and the characters were very well developed throughout the series. I'll probably forever love Brandon Paul!! ❤❤�
I definitely recommend this series. For those looking for a sweet (albeit sometimes cheesy) Christian romance, this is an excellent choice. I'll definitely be reading other books from Karen Kingsbury in the future.
I definitely recommend this series. For those looking for a sweet (albeit sometimes cheesy) Christian romance, this is an excellent choice. I'll definitely be reading other books from Karen Kingsbury in the future.
June 23, 2012
I read the other reviews on here and was hoping to write a review and say I was pleasantly surprised. I am unable to do that. I felt like Karen copied too much of this last book out of the story of her daughter Kelsey. Bailey seemed to want everything handed to her and did not seem to do a lot on her end to make sacrifices.
She kept saying she wanted to move on with her life but then seemed to throw a fit at first when Cody told her he wanted to start a relationship with Andi. She also seemed to walk into her first movie role with expectations that the director would do everything her way (and the movie was a total copy of Freedom Writers) but when that didn't happen she didn't sit down with the director and try to resolve anything or work things out. She just walked away.
Also, I think Ms. Kingsbury could have found a better term of endearment than "baby". Makes me think of reality shows like the Jersey shore each time i hear it.
Also it was almost too good to be true how everything magically fell together with her buying CKT and getting Dayne and Katie's old house (and I sat there scratching my head as to why they were giving it up).
The strong stories in this book came from Andi and Cody. Those were the stories I found myself drawn to. Bailey seemed to complain, whine and pout when she didn't get what she wanted right away. I only read this book with the hopes the other reviews disliking this story might have been wrong; they were instead right on the money.
For those who are looking for a good story of romance, sacrifice and starting out life, I would recommend the Katie Weldon Series from Robin Jones Gunn. You will find in Katie what lacks in the story of Bailey.
She kept saying she wanted to move on with her life but then seemed to throw a fit at first when Cody told her he wanted to start a relationship with Andi. She also seemed to walk into her first movie role with expectations that the director would do everything her way (and the movie was a total copy of Freedom Writers) but when that didn't happen she didn't sit down with the director and try to resolve anything or work things out. She just walked away.
Also, I think Ms. Kingsbury could have found a better term of endearment than "baby". Makes me think of reality shows like the Jersey shore each time i hear it.
Also it was almost too good to be true how everything magically fell together with her buying CKT and getting Dayne and Katie's old house (and I sat there scratching my head as to why they were giving it up).
The strong stories in this book came from Andi and Cody. Those were the stories I found myself drawn to. Bailey seemed to complain, whine and pout when she didn't get what she wanted right away. I only read this book with the hopes the other reviews disliking this story might have been wrong; they were instead right on the money.
For those who are looking for a good story of romance, sacrifice and starting out life, I would recommend the Katie Weldon Series from Robin Jones Gunn. You will find in Katie what lacks in the story of Bailey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2012
Spoiler*
I enjoy Karen Kingsbury's writing. I think she is a very good story telling and her books are quick to read because the characters are so engaging. One of the specific problems I have with her is that she makes her characters too perfect. In this particular series, the main character is based on her own daugther and family. They seem too good to be true - always respectful, loving, patient, kind. There is no way that her family is that perfect and it seems almost egotistical to write about yourself that way. How about some reality and then the use of biblical principals to overcome that? I was also disappointed in the ending as Bailey doesn't end up with Cody after Karen built that relationship up for the past 10 books. I could maybe appreciate the fact that this may be a more realistic ending, as most people don't end up with their first love/high school sweethearts, if I didn't feel like she manipulated the story to match her daughter's real life. I specifically resented her contrived adding of something happening with Brandon on the "date" Bailey prayed for her future husband's life. That plot point felt completely forced and an attempt to manipulate the story from what she had already set up with Cody being the end game for Bailey.
I am not as angry as some readers who say they will never read her books again. I still enjoy her stories and I am looking forward to reading the new one about the Baxters. I just wish she didn't feel the need to match her daughters life with these books just because the character was based on her.
I enjoy Karen Kingsbury's writing. I think she is a very good story telling and her books are quick to read because the characters are so engaging. One of the specific problems I have with her is that she makes her characters too perfect. In this particular series, the main character is based on her own daugther and family. They seem too good to be true - always respectful, loving, patient, kind. There is no way that her family is that perfect and it seems almost egotistical to write about yourself that way. How about some reality and then the use of biblical principals to overcome that? I was also disappointed in the ending as Bailey doesn't end up with Cody after Karen built that relationship up for the past 10 books. I could maybe appreciate the fact that this may be a more realistic ending, as most people don't end up with their first love/high school sweethearts, if I didn't feel like she manipulated the story to match her daughter's real life. I specifically resented her contrived adding of something happening with Brandon on the "date" Bailey prayed for her future husband's life. That plot point felt completely forced and an attempt to manipulate the story from what she had already set up with Cody being the end game for Bailey.
I am not as angry as some readers who say they will never read her books again. I still enjoy her stories and I am looking forward to reading the new one about the Baxters. I just wish she didn't feel the need to match her daughters life with these books just because the character was based on her.
October 24, 2022
Edit 24.10.22: I wanted to read the books about Bailey Flaningan once more for some reason. Reading the second time around and being three years older made me realize how americanized these books are. I know books are ment to be an escape from reality and that they are made because stories like this can never exist in real life. Nevertheless, I think I would appreciate the series more if it was somehow more similar to reality. More relatable, if that makes sense. Giving it four stars this time around.
Original from 2018: I loved it! ❤️ Even though I find it hard to believe that love like this exists, I loved how this book made me feel. I have been laughing a lot, I have been feeling angry at times and I have even been crying every once in awhile towards the end of the book. I can never imagine how my wedding day will be like. But now I am really looking forward to it. Thanks Bailey for being the only fictive character I feel I can relate to. We have been through a lot together and I can't wait to be experiencing some of the same things that you are. When you moved away from home, I did the same, so I hope that someday I'll get to be where you are now. That someday in the future I can marry a guy who indeed loves me, but loves God most of all ❤️ Giving 5 stars.
Original from 2018: I loved it! ❤️ Even though I find it hard to believe that love like this exists, I loved how this book made me feel. I have been laughing a lot, I have been feeling angry at times and I have even been crying every once in awhile towards the end of the book. I can never imagine how my wedding day will be like. But now I am really looking forward to it. Thanks Bailey for being the only fictive character I feel I can relate to. We have been through a lot together and I can't wait to be experiencing some of the same things that you are. When you moved away from home, I did the same, so I hope that someday I'll get to be where you are now. That someday in the future I can marry a guy who indeed loves me, but loves God most of all ❤️ Giving 5 stars.
March 28, 2012
Who will Bailey choose? Wanting to have this series end the way I want it to, may or may not be the reality that will be. Within the first six chapters of Loving I see turmoil in Bailey and see so many twists and turns to this story. Is Bailey with Brandon only because she has to have someone. OR ...Who will Bailey choose.
I so want to write about this book and how it ended, but I guess all I can say right now is I feel as if it ended the way it should have. To quote a line from the book "And just because all love is not the same that doesn't make it less than love."
Maybe a new series should emerge? just a thought.....
I so want to write about this book and how it ended, but I guess all I can say right now is I feel as if it ended the way it should have. To quote a line from the book "And just because all love is not the same that doesn't make it less than love."
Maybe a new series should emerge? just a thought.....
September 20, 2017
Another beautiful book in the Baxter series. This one concentrated on Bailey Baxter & her life after school & her try at being a movie star.
May 22, 2012
**Forewarning... there will be spoilers below.**
You've been warned... LOL :)
Let me say, I thought I was going to hate this book or just not like it... that wasn't the case. I ended up really liking the story, but there were some things that annoyed/bothered me.
One thing I've never really liked in Karen Kingsbury's novels is that sometimes it almost seems like God is "talking" to the characters. It's like putting words in God's mouth. In most of her previous books, I overlooked it because I just loved the stories too much to give it anything less than five stars, but this one is really disappointing in many ways.
Suffice it to say, disappointing, but good - if that makes sense. :|
I got this book from the library and decided to share my thoughts about it. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
You've been warned... LOL :)
Let me say, I thought I was going to hate this book or just not like it... that wasn't the case. I ended up really liking the story, but there were some things that annoyed/bothered me.
One thing I've never really liked in Karen Kingsbury's novels is that sometimes it almost seems like God is "talking" to the characters. It's like putting words in God's mouth. In most of her previous books, I overlooked it because I just loved the stories too much to give it anything less than five stars, but this one is really disappointing in many ways.
Suffice it to say, disappointing, but good - if that makes sense. :|
I got this book from the library and decided to share my thoughts about it. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
May 8, 2012
I am so glad this series is over. I guess I am not really a fan of romance novels. They just get on my nerves. How many times can you "get lost in his eyes" before you figure out how to get back out? Bailey had an incredibly poor sense of direction because she got lost in her fiance's eyes, her ex-beau's eyes, her father's eyes, maybe even those little googly eyes you use for crafts. Enough already.
September 21, 2015
I was really afraid I was going to be so disappointed in Bailey & Brandon being together after all the anticipation but I'm not! I was starting to change my mind & did for sure when Brandon flew in on the 4th. It's still bittersweet that she & Cody didn't end up together but I am okay with it now.☺️ I didn't like that they were putting Cody & Andi together at first but I'm ok with that now too. What a sweet genuine love Brandon had for Bailey. How could you not root for them!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2016
I dont think I have read a book before this or since I read this that made me more frustrated and angry...if you have read any of the other series leading up to this, just skip this one, it ruins the whole series. I actually threw this book at one point, but I did finish it thinking maybe it would suddenly resolve the way it had been supposed to for the past 3 series. Just save yourself some time and money and skip this series.
June 19, 2012
I'm not sure why, but this is the series I loved the least of all the ones related to "Baxter family" Maybe because I was really rooting for Cody, but just something about it didn't have me loving this series like I had the previous ones
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2022
Overall Amanda rating: A
I am not going to lie, the first thing I did when I picked up this book was read the last few pages to see if the characters were ending up in the way I thought they needed to go. I wasn't going to read the book if Bailey ended up with the right option. I read the book.
I think that in places the story was a little dragged out. I think that quite a bit of the story was fluff to add pages to the book.
Overall this was a good series to read for any young Christian girl trying to find her mate in life. This book teaches how to wait for love, pray always, and the bonds within the family.
I think that all the characters ended up with the right match within this book. I was also very pleased to see that Andi got a happy ever after as well.
Great series. Great read, just it could have been trimmed down into fewer books.
I am not going to lie, the first thing I did when I picked up this book was read the last few pages to see if the characters were ending up in the way I thought they needed to go. I wasn't going to read the book if Bailey ended up with the right option. I read the book.
I think that in places the story was a little dragged out. I think that quite a bit of the story was fluff to add pages to the book.
Overall this was a good series to read for any young Christian girl trying to find her mate in life. This book teaches how to wait for love, pray always, and the bonds within the family.
I think that all the characters ended up with the right match within this book. I was also very pleased to see that Andi got a happy ever after as well.
Great series. Great read, just it could have been trimmed down into fewer books.
August 27, 2017
Bailey is planning a wedding and making decisions that will shape her future.
Wow! What a book to end this series. For me, it's at the perfect time. My daughter, on eclipse day, became engaged to be married.
This story was beautiful, a picture of the love God's given to His bride. Love flowed from each page, causing the read to flow like a fast river. In two sittings, I experienced the story.
There were surprises a long the way. A visit to past stories and past memories. That's what makes the Baxter family stories the best.
Wow! What a book to end this series. For me, it's at the perfect time. My daughter, on eclipse day, became engaged to be married.
This story was beautiful, a picture of the love God's given to His bride. Love flowed from each page, causing the read to flow like a fast river. In two sittings, I experienced the story.
There were surprises a long the way. A visit to past stories and past memories. That's what makes the Baxter family stories the best.
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