Weekend Writing: Reviewing Karen Kingsbury's "Sunrise"

"The wedding they were about to plan and the future they would build together were going to be better than any movie script. Because of Katy, he'd found new life with God and with his birth family. And one day after they got married, they would find another kind of new life. The family he would share with his forever love, Katy Lynn Hart. His Katy." - Karen Kingsbury, "Sunrise" 

What would you do if you had to plan a wedding in private? No one--not even your family--could know the exact date or location. Paparazzi might flock to your ceremony to take photos. You wouldn't have any peace and comfort. That's not how your wedding should be, but that was the reality for Dayne Matthews and Katy Hart in Karen Kingsbury's novel, Sunrise. 

The first book in the Sunrise series (a continuation of Kingsbury's Baxter Family series), the story focuses on Dayne and Katy as they plan their wedding. I have shared book reviews about the Baxter Family series, and this book is a continuation of what we read in the Firstborn series. We already read about Dayne (the firstborn Baxter son who reconnected with the Baxters--his birth family--after being adopted) and Katy's relationship. They had many ups and downs, mostly from Dayne's career as a Hollywood actor. 

Karen Kingsbury's Sunrise series (photo/Amazon).

But it seems like everything is going to be perfect now. Everything is going to be smooth sailing for them, but is it? They have to plan a wedding around the paparazzi. No one knows the plans until the wedding weekend, when everyone is packed up and they fly to the destination wedding in Cancun, Mexico. Their busy, complex wedding could have created problems for the couple, but Dayne and Katy are strong. It's something I have always admired about their relationship. No matter what happens, they're strong and committed to the love they share together. 

As long as they have that love and believe in it, they can have a future--whether it's in Hollywood filming movies together, or in Bloomington, Indiana with the rest of the Baxter family and Katy's Christian Kids Theater program. Whatever they decide to do, the future looks bright for them because their love is brighter than any signs of defeat. 

Their love is a sunrise, and it's the brightest thing of all. 

"A sunrise would change every few seconds, but with each change, the picture only grew more beautiful. The same way this was a beginning for the two of them, and changes would come. But as they did, Dayne was convinced to his core that the days would make themselves known the way the sky was coming to life here before their eyes. With bright and breathtaking colors and all the beauty of a changing sunrise." - Karen Kingsbury, "Sunrise"

As I read this novel, I was pleased to return to some of my favorite characters. The book (which somewhat feels like it should have been the last book in the Firstborn series) focuses on Dayne and Katy, but it also includes the entire Baxter family and their community in Bloomington. 

Karen Kingsbury's Sunrise. 

John Baxter, the patriarch of the family, is finally ready to accept the fact that he has feelings for Elaine Denning. Since his wife, Elizabeth, passed away more than two years ago, John has been hesitant about Elaine. She was Elizabeth's friend, and she's a great companion to John. But, could it lead to something more? Could there be a sense of change for them? Could John be like his firstborn son and find his own love? He already had a beautiful love story with Elizabeth--one he wouldn't change in a million years. But is it possible to have another chance at love? 

John learns that he can accept his feelings for Elaine while still honoring the love he had with Elizabeth. He's not ready to get married anytime soon, but he's at least ready to try. Kingsbury has been writing the widower John Baxter in a very delicate, respectful manner. He isn't moving on too quickly from Elizabeth, and he isn't being disrespectful to Elaine. He's often confused, and readers encourage him to take a chance. 

"It was wrong--and it always would be--that Elizabeth wasn't here, that she wasn't the woman standing before him, the one watching her eldest son marry the woman he loved. Even so, this was his life--and his life involved Elaine Denning. The way maybe--just maybe--it would involve her for the rest of his days." - Karen Kingsbury, "Sunrise"

But sometimes, chances don't work out the way you planned. A major subplot in the book is the focus on the Flanigan family. Basically modeled after Kingsbury's family, the Flanigans are a strong, stable family in the Bloomington, Indiana community. They invited Katy to live as a houseguest for a few years, so Katy is very close to them. At the same time, they have another houseguest--Cody Coleman. He's the star receiver on Jim Flanigan's high school football team, but he has a troubled past. 

For one thing, he's an alcoholic. He's just a teenager, soon to be a young man, but he already knows far too well how damaging alcohol can be for someone's health. He witnessed this with his mother, and that's why he lives with the Flanigan family. But, Cody still struggles. He's an alcoholic, and in this book, he has an alcoholic overdose that threatens his life. Readers sympathize with Cody, who truly wants to get sober and live a clean life. He wants to be a good man, like Jim. He wants to be a good example for the younger Flanigan boys. And, he wants to be a strong, supportive friend (and maybe something more) to Bailey Flanigan. 

But he'll always be an alcoholic, and he will always have to live with the temptation. But can he learn to move on from his past? Can he follow Isaiah 43:18-19 ("Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past") and forget about where he came from? Is that even possible? 

Like always, Kingsbury weaves together many storylines into one book. The majority of Sunrise focuses on Dayne and Katy's wedding plans. They envision a bright future, but will it be as bright as they hope? Can John Baxter also have a bright future with someone? And what about Cody Coleman? What's his future? 

Karen Kingsbury (photo/Downtown Naperville)

"The future" is a big theme in this book. The future is uneasy and very unpredictable. But just like a sunrise welcoming us to the many possibilities of a new day, God's love is welcoming us to many opportunities. It's a sunrise to a beautiful future. We may not know what lies ahead (like for Dayne and Katy, John, and Cody), but if we trust God, we know it will be a bright sunrise. 

I'm thankful Kingsbury reminded me of this in the book. I look forward to reading the continuation of this series. I just know it will be a beautiful adventure. Until next time...

Read on.

-KJL-