Weekend Writing: Reviewing Karen Kingsbury's "Return"

"They kept going back to that wonderful, heart-pounding love that drew them together...Day after day after day." - Karen Kingsbury, "Return" 

I recently reviewed Remember, the second book in Karen Kingsbury's "Redemption" series, and I already made my way through the third book, Return. This book was a quick read. I was flipping through pages, racing to the end of the book as fast as I could.

Karen Kingsbury's "Redemption" series (photo/Kalyn Brooke).

That's when you know you're reading a good book--when you can't put it down. Karen Kingsbury tends to write captivating novels and Return is no different.

Primarily focusing on Luke Baxter, often referred to as the Baxter's "golden boy," Return tells the story of how Luke completely walked away from everything he has ever known and what mattered to him: his faith, his family, his responsibilities, and Reagan, his true love. In the previous book, Luke was torn apart by the events of September 11, 2001; therefore, it's not surprising that he is still suffering in this book.

He moves in with Lori, a free-thinking woman who believes in open relationships. Luke went from being a strict Christian who loved and believed in God to believing in nothing at all. He's lost and angry at his family. He doesn't even make plans to attend his sister's wedding.

That's what I love about Kingsbury's fiction; her characters aren't perfect. In Christian fiction, one would think that the characters lead perfect lives. They never do anything wrong. They're always happy, attending church, and everything works out for them.

Well, that's not reality. People fail. People crumble and fall at times. True characters lose a part of themselves at some points, only learning to be picked back up. That's exactly what Luke Baxter needs to do in his story. He has fallen so far away from the person he used to be that it seems impossible if he will ever return to the way he was.

Now, I'm not going to spoil the book for you because you need to read it yourself, but there were many twists and unexpected events throughout the whole book. There were many moments when I couldn't believe what was happening. That's why I kept flipping pages and reading more chapters. I had to know what was going to happen next.

Karen Kingsbury (photo/Simple Grace)

Karen Kingsbury has a way of doing that--making you crave for more. Luke's story is so emotionally draining. You can't help but feel sorry for the young man because we know he's hurting. We know he's in pain and that he's conflicted. We know he's searching for answers, but he doesn't have the willpower to do it himself. It takes a miracle to save Luke Baxter, and I'm glad Kingsbury presented this to us in yet another compelling life-changing work of fiction.

And if you're wondering what the quote I included at the beginning of the post is referring to, well, you'll just have to read the book to find out. Is Return a love story, too? Well, yes, because it's hard to return to your past and faith without the presence of love...

I can't wait to continue reading more novels in the Baxter Family series. I'll be sure to share my thoughts on the next book, Rejoice. In the meantime, go read Karen Kingsbury's work. They offer many lessons on faith, family, being true to yourself, and love. Her characters aren't perfect, but Karen Kingsbury certainly is in her storytelling.

Read on.

-KJL-

My copy of Penumbra (photo/Kasy Long).

P.S. I wanted to share some publication news with you, as I like to do on this blog. I recently had three poems published in Penumbra, an annual art and literary journal from California State University-Stanislaus. The journal publishes both undergraduate and professional writers, and I am very honored to be included in this year's edition.

I'm writing poetry and finding homes for these little pieces of writing. Because I had three poems accepted, my submission pile is running a little low. I guess that means I have more poems to write! Onward and upward...