Weekend Writing: Reviewing Karen Kingsbury's "Chasing Sunsets"


"God knows better than we do. He always does. Even when it doesn't make sense." - Karen Kingsbury, "Chasing Sunsets" 

In March, I reviewed the first book in Karen Kingsbury's series, Angels Walking. As I explained, I loved everything about the first book. The series focuses on a team of Angels who are assigned to various missions on Earth--to help lost individuals in their journeys. They must perform missions to help shape the future. When Angels walk, most people never know. But they are here, and they're always ready to work for God's good grace.

The second book in the series, Chasing Sunsets, continued the story, but it shifted direction quite a bit. The main focus of the first book was Tyler Ames and Sami Dawson. The Angels had to work on their broken relationship--Tyler's broken relationship with God, and the couple's broken relationship with each other. It was a successful mission because Tyler and Sami--high school sweethearts--reunited at the end of the book and got back together. They rekindled their relationship and Tyler realized there was more to life than his baseball career.

Karen Kingsbury's "Chasing Sunsets"
(photo/Kasy Long).
But Chasing Sunsets doesn't focus as much on Tyler and Sami. Instead, the novel focuses on Sami's best friend, Mary Catherine, and Tyler's best friend, LA Dodgers pitcher Marcus Dillinger. Marcus recently opened a youth center for troubled teenagers and youths. This is obviously a wonderful charity, but the inner-city gangs of Los Angeles aren't pleased with Marcus.

This leads to Marcus almost being shot to death outside the youth center by a gang member. Luckily, an Angel was nearby and pushed Marcus out of the way to save his life. If Marcus had died, the mission would have failed immediately. Marcus has to live, but as I was reading the book, I kept wondering why. 

But this leads to Mary Catherine. We were introduced to Mary Catherine in Angels Walking, but her story is the main focus in Chasing Sunsets. Right away, we learn something upsetting about Mary Catherine: She was born with a congenital heart defect. She was born with a coarctation of the aorta, and a bicuspid aortic valve. Basically, Mary Catherine's heart is failing--drastically. She doesn't have long to live. So, even though she's in danger, she doesn't give up on her charities. She still helps teenagers at the youth center, especially a gang member's girlfriend, Lexi, and she still has high hopes of moving to Africa one day to help children at an orphanage.

These are Mary Catherine's plans and none of these plans include Marcus Dillinger. But the more time she spends with Marcus, the more she is drawn to him. He feels the same way. It's quite obvious the two characters are meant for each other, but Mary Catherine denies his love each time. She's determined to stay single--because she doesn't want to hurt anyone when she knows she doesn't have long to live. She keeps her health a secret, which ultimately hurts Marcus all the more.

I'm not going to spoil the ending of the book, but I will tell you that Marcus and Mary Catherine don't end up together at the end. You would think they would, right? You might say, "These characters are obviously soulmates and should be together." Yeah, that's what I thought, as well.

But instead, Mary Catherine brushes Marcus away, even though she loves him. She tells him, "If...If I was going to love someone...it would be you." 

In Mary Catherine's perspective, she had spared Marcus the pain of loving her. But in Marcus's perspective, he had no idea why she was refusing his love. He was back to "chasing sunsets" with her--chasing her, but not knowing if she will ever accept him. Marcus thought to himself, "In all his life, he'd never felt like this. The way she made him feel." 

All I have to say is that these two characters better end up together. That's all I ask, Karen Kingsbury!

Karen Kingsbury (photo/Fantastic Fiction)
Kingsbury has, once again, written a beautiful novel that made me consider the possibility of taking chances. If Mary Catherine took a chance with Marcus, how would that change things? If Marcus wasn't so determined to chase after Mary Catherine, how would that change the story's fate? I'm guessing in many ways, because I know in my heart that these characters are meant for each other.

Kingsbury is known for writing "Life-Changing Fiction," and this is an accurate description. I was deeply connected to these characters. I felt angry towards Mary Catherine for not confessing her secret to Marcus and her friends. I only want the best for everyone. But maybe everything will work out just fine. I can only hope.

As Kingsbury wrote, "You have one chance to write the story of your life. Make it a bestseller." How will this story turn out? How will these characters write their stories? How will the Angels Walking team benefit them? Will the ultimate mission be a success?

I can't wait to find out what happens in the third and final book in the series, Brush of Wings. I'll be sure to write a review of that book, as well.

Until then, read on.

-KJL-

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