I have the three series of books that include the Baxter family, its so easy to get involved with their lives and compare them to your own the way Mrs. Kingsbury protrays them. Thanks for all your work, They will
make you stop and take stock in your own life.

This book had to much religion in it. It is a good book but it was not like her other books that had belief in God, but not as strong.

I always enjoy her books. It was good to see Katy and Dwayne get married'
in the romantic Cancoon on the beach. I would love to see Karen's books in the movies.
'

I enjoyed Sunrise immensely, probably because I became familiar with Dayne and Katy in Kingsbury's book Fame. While Kingsbury does a great job slipping in the back story a little bit at a time, sometimes it's just not as good as reading it for yourself. I loved Fame and I loved Sunrise. (Nothing like going straight to the wedding.) Actually, there were four books after Fame that led up to this point, so if you like soap opera drama in the sense that every book makes you crave the next "episode" then you'll love Sunrise as a prelude to the exciting things yet to come.

The wedding scene was also the most beautiful and romantic that I've ever read. You can't help but love Dayne and Katy and want great things to happen in their lives. Especially after getting a feel for all that they went through even without reading the previous books. Their love is rich and deep and based on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Kingsbury is unabashedly Christian in that respect. She always emphasizes the importance of salvation in the lives of her characters. I love that. The subplot regarding the perils of drinking and driving was well done as was the budding romance between the senior Baxter, John, and his long-time friend, Elaine.

Kingsbury is also the queen of secondary characters and subplots. Just like in the soaps, there are always several stories going at once. Of course that makes me crave the next book in the series--which I thankfully have--so I can immediately continue on. Kingsbury writes fast enough to make it possible to go from one story to the next. I've probably done myself a disservice by not reading everything in order (I plan to jump back to read Forgiven (which comes after Fame) and I still need to read Redemption, which was the book that started the last two series. But no matter which way you slice it, each series containing the Baxter family is addicting. I'm glad to be getting my next fix.

I was very pleased with the product; it was in great condition and arrived at just the right time. The quality of the book was excellent, better than I had expected.

I read this in one afternoon and enjoyed it. The plot _is_ a bit thin, but Sunrise seems more like a transitional book, mainly written to wrap up the Firstborn series and lay the groundwork for the Sunrise series. As such, it works well. There were some minor inconsistencies (the press is watching the Baxter family to guess where the wedding is, but Katy's parents can take a commercial jet to Mexico with no problems? Wouldn't somebody be watching them, too?) but all in all, I love the book, and appreciated it more after reading Summer.

Karen Kingsbury continues the Baxter family lives. It is a very good read and inspirational. Will keep buying the stories.

I read "Summer" the day it came out in stores! It is the best one yet!
S Saffell

Karen Kingsbury is absolutely addicting! Summer is no different--except I needed about three times as many tissues as I normally do. I think I might start a grief support group for the day that I can't read about the Baxters, the Matthews, and the Flannigans anymore--they truly feel like good friends! Thank you, Karen, for opening my eyes wide open to another issue, for encouraging compassion, and for writing a truly wonderful story. Also, I LOVE the "inside perspective" on what it's like to be a famous person--hardly anything desirable, huh?
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because of the slow pace of the book at times. The first 2-3 chapters detailed in depth single days without significant relevance or enhancement to the plot, I thought.

Karen Kingsbury is a beautiful Christian Author. She continues to write books that intertwine Faith, Love, and the obstacles of everyday life. She has a way of writing a romantic situations, that give you the warm fuzzies of seeing someone in love, without the explicit sex part, it's all about the Love part!

A part of the story evolves around teenage drinking, even Christian kids! I felt like these kids, this football team could be from my City. I love the continueing story of the "Baxter" series.

Karen Kingsbury reminds me of my own faith, nad that it's always a work in progress!Redemption (Redemption Series, Book 1)Gideon's Gift/Maggie's Miracle/Sarah's Song/Hannah's Hope (The Red Gloves Collection 1-4)

I have enjoyed every one of Kingsbury's books, but this was one of the best.

I have loved all of Kingsbury's series and this one is off to another great start. The book arrived earlier than hoped for. Thanks!!

I love K Kingsbury books, & this is great like all her others. I'm really glad I got it. It's hard to put her books down--once I start reading them.
Loved the book!

I can tell that God has given Karen the gift of writing as it is so obvious with each and every book of hers. Thanks, Karen, for using your God-given talent to touch the lives of so many readers including ME!! Thanks, God, for using Karen to write the words I need to hear in my every day stuff and I feel more 'in-tune' to You with each book read!

As usual I couldn't put it down. I read it so fast, that now I'm sitting on pins an needles waiting for the next book in the series. I am a big Karen Kingsbury fan. God has given her a real gift, and I'm glad I can enjoy it. Thanks Karen.

I am constantly touched, amazed, and blessed by Karen Kingsbury's writings. Every book I've read is an inspiration to walk closer to God and keep the desire to do His will.

I've enjoyed the Baxter family series and looked forward to reading Sunrise. I liked it, except for a couple things. The big one was that the chapter about Cole's basketball game had nothing to do with the plot. It was a chapter for Kingsbury to do a little preaching about parents who put too much pressure on their children playing sports.

This is a terrific start to the last section in the Baxter Family series of books. Karen Kingsbury is in top form here.

Karen, Thank you for creating the Baxter Family. Dayne & Katy are a real blessing to read about in each book. Sunrise was a wonderful wedding story....You also showed all of Us how Great God really is if We Rely on HIM!!! The Baxter and Flannigan Families are great example of God's Faithfullness. I am looking forward to reading Summer in a few weeks. I also enjoying sharing your First Born Series with my friends.

Sha in Hickory, NC

Always great and my wife loves them...that's why I keep buying them for Christmas, anniversaries, her birthday, etc., etc.

Karen Kingsbury has done it again. I read Sunrise in about 3 days, and now I'm lost without knowing what is going on with the Baxter clan and friends. I've followed them from the beginning (the Redemption Series), and am anxiously awaiting the release (next month!) of the next book.
Karen's books are perfect for anyone wishing to read about the trials and triumphs of a Christian family...we all have them, and sometimes it helps to "escape" through Christian fiction! I love it!

I loved this book. I have read all of Karen Kingsbury's books and they are very special and page turners. The Baxter family seems so real! I am looking forward to book 2 of this series.

I finished this book the day I got it. This whole sreies "Firstborn" and now "Sunrise" are incredible; so compelling, you live all of the experiences. I mean I laugh, I cry, I get what to me, is a private joke between frenz and I chuckle... Everytime I pick up any book from the series to read, I am transported to Bloomington, or wherever it is that this incredible family is at the moment. They are people I want to be;people who love God and lean on him. Their lives are just open for me to learn from and I do learn. Karen Kingsbury is a master. I truly hope she experiences God in her life the way she writes about Him.

My only regret is that the other books are so far in comin'. I mean 2008!!! Come on have mercy on us!

it is still a good story but lacks attraction like the others,after the climax it just ends

This book was wonderful. But what more can you expect. I love all of Karen's books can't wait for the next one.

I have loved all of Karen's books and Sunrise was wonderful - uplifting, true to life, moving - all the things we have to expect from her. I wish that this was not the beginning of the last books about the Baxters - I am praying that God really lays on Karen's heart at least one more series about a family that has become so beloved and real to not only her, but to all of her grateful readers. I love all of Karen's work - her stand alone ones, her 9/11 ones but the REDEMPTION series, the first of the Baxter family novels came into my life at a time I most needed it. I praise and thank God for the ministry that Karen is doing so well. You will not be disappointed with any of her novels, but SUNRISE is a sure winner. Not to mention, finally, Katie and Dayne get married!!!!!!

I have just finished reading Sunrise. And I absolutely loved it. I read it in 2 nights. I couldn't put it down. I have read all of her books so far in the Redemption Series and the First Born Series. I hate to see the Baxter Family Series end. I love the way Karen describes Bailey Flanigans' feelings dealing with boys and other teenage troulbes. I have a teenager also so I can relate to that. Karen has a way of bringing all the characters to life.

I love all her books.

Hi Karen, Just finished Sunrise and I want to renew my vows at Sunrise, how romantic was that?!!! I love the Baxters. I start out reading your books so fast I can't put them down, then when I realize I am almost done, I slow down because I don't want to say goodbye to the Baxters, am I crazy? When I actually finish the book, I am sad for a few days! I have two teenage daughters, so its so interesting to read about the Flanigans and the teenage issues they are going through with Bailey, Cody and the rest of them. We are praying right now about sending our daughter to a private Christian school because of some of the things she has faced in the public schools, please pray for our decision, we do feel the Lord leading us, but its such a financial issue, but know HE will provide if its meant to be. Anyway, thanks so much for your writing, I absolutely love you and just know we would be friends if we were next door neighbors. Have wonderful summer and relax, but don't quit writing. Can't wait to read Summer in August. Thanks Karen, Barb Wright, Waukee, IA

sunrise was spectacular. I have shared so many sad tears with the baxters, and I was glad that I got to share some very happy tears this time. I can't wait until Summer. -M. Wesley

At last Katy & Dayne are married. Karen Kingsbury's books get better all the time. I can't wait until this fall to get the next sequel - Summer. One feels so connected with the families and the struggles they face. Being a senior, I'm particularly interested in watching John & Elaine's relationship develop. All the girls in the family & their friends are hooked on Karen's books also.

While this book was not so much of an "edge of your seat" story, it still held my attention and drew me into the Baxter family once again. Karen is an expert at weaving godly principles into her books.

I really enjoyed this book. It was your typical Karen Kingsbury: a mix of tragedy, love, and redemption. A great beginning to a final ending. I will truly miss the characters when the series is over. I cannot wait for #2!

Sunrise was a beautiful story of love winning out in the end. Katy and Dayne have come a long way and fianaly, they get their dream come true! Kingsbury knows how to paint a picture with words and this picture is beautiful! I am now counting down the days until Summer is released this summer!!! I only wish the series would never end.

Karen doesn't disappoint! As you start this series, you will love it just as much as the others! I read it in 2 days!

Karen Kingsbury has did it again with the continuing saga of the Baxter family. I can't wait for the next book

I have loved this series, everyone can relate to the trials and joys of the Baxter family. I'm waiting for the next book in this series.

I've been looking forward to this book since I finished "Forever" in the Firstborn series. Then I started reading Sunrise. For the first time, I'm turned off by the characters and disappointed with an author.

In the book, John tells Elaine that Luke and Reagan are going to take the class "Growing Kids God's Way" at their church. He says something along the lines of "maybe they won't agree with everything". A few scenes later, we are treated to the stomach churning scene of Reagan singing the praises of the twisted, demented, unbiblical, and decidedly ungodly Gary Ezzo.

I hate to think of the number of parents who are going to turn to GKGW because of the way it's presented in the book.

[...].I can not and will not buy any more books from Kingsbury knowing that she is an Ezzo follower.

I don't get tired of reading Karens' books. They are very inspiring and hit home to me. I don't believe Raingirl has read any of the books at all if she thinks the Baxter family is "perfect". Reread them Raingirl, every one in that family is flawed. Two kids born out of wedlock, addiction to drugs, adultery and murder, infertility, handicapped kids, etc... These are everyday people struggling with life's problems that only God can help!

Katy Hart's wedding plans are secret: from her. Her celebrity fiancé, Dayne Matthews, faces the possibility of paparazzi swallowing their occasion which makes the secrecy a necessity. But it doesn't dampen their love for one another. And with family all around, life can't get much better. John Baxter examines his new relationship with Elaine. Widowed, he wasn't sure his family would be ready to share him with another, but in true Baxter loving style, they open their arms. Coach Flanigans' houseguest, Cody, provides tense moments with alcohol poisoning, and the bonds of family reach out to rescue him.

Kingsbury opens the doors of small town America and gives us a peek inside the lives of loving families. Her ability to spin a tale of loss and love's challenges is showcased once again. The new Baxter series is off to a good start.

Sunrise is right up there with Kingsbury's many other fantastic books. This story was captivating and very hard to put down. I had to make dinner last night for my family and I had my 5 year old daughter in the kitchen helping me, her job was to hold open the book while I read and turn the pages while i was cooking. Call me crazy, but books by Karen Kingsbury are so realistic, I feel like I am reading about very dear friends of mine and I simply can not put it down until it's over. I can't wait for Summer, this summer!

Another wonderful novel by Karen Kingsbury. Keeps you entertained with real life problems and issues that arise. Really enjoyed this book.

Dayne Matthews and Katy Hart are planning their wedding. Trying to keep the wedding of the hottest Hollywood heartthrob a secret from the paparazzi could undo everything they've come to cherish. Can they pull it off? Or will the glaring reality of the differences between life in the spotlight, and life in Bloomington pull them apart?

John Baxter is beginning to see the promise of a future after the death of his wife Elizabeth. He must learn how to take the past with him as he steps into a new phase of his life. Will his family finally accept his friendship with Elaine? Will he?

Alcohol overdose and the ramifications of teen drinking have impacted the Flanigan family, and their young border, Cody Coleman, must make a choice. If he drinks again, he loses their support.

Kingsbury hits another homerun with Sunrise. Characters that are real--flawed and imperfect--make their way through daily uncertainties because God's faithfulness is unending. Her writing is simple and layered and always leaves you with more than you started.

Armchair Interviews says: Kingsbury has written more than 20 books, so if you like her writing, you will not be disappointed in her newest offering.

I ask myself why?
Why has Tyndale allowed this insanity of the baxter's last for so freakin' long? I mean it's been since 2002 or whenever the first book about this ridicoulsy perect family was put on shelves.
Why does it take a whole entire book to get Dayne and Katy married? oh wait, in Christian fiction it has to take a whole book because then we know God is fully at the center of the freakishly perfect charcters wedding.
I wonder why i buy these books. oh i know i love throwing them across the room when i'm done, if i don't do it before then. I wonder why i even read christian fiction and now i know why i don't. It's to forumlatic. I now know why i read "secular" fiction. I can live with the swear words and sex because at least the charcters aren't perfect and are flawed unlike the Baxter Family and their little friends.
And finally, why does it seem as if karen has done little research on hollywood. news flash there is more then one actor in hollywood that is followed around by the paparazzi. and why would a romantic comedey win a oscar? espescially in this day and age.
and finally why should i care about this family anymore.
And one more thing. Why are her dedications dissertations on everyone in her family. i don't care. at all. say thank you family, i love you. the end.

Review by Roseanna White

Katy Hart and Dayne Matthews are finally approaching their wedding day. The time they spend together in Indiana draws them closer, but Dayne's fears about the paparazzi are always in the back of his mind. What will it take to have the wedding of their dreams without it being crashed by his continual nightmares?

John Baxter is thrilled to have Dayne setting up house so nearby, but even with his oldest son finally a part of the family, questions remain. It's been two and a half years since his wife's death. But is his family ready for the changes in his heart concerning his friend Elaine?

The Flanigan family is working hard to influence the life of their young boarder, Cody Coleman, who nearly dies from alcohol poisoning. Cody seems to be on the mend, but his crisis is an indicator of the bigger problem facing Jim's entire football team. Can he reach them before tragedy strikes again?

Sunrise, the first book in Karen Kingsbury's new Baxter Family Drama Series, is a continuation of her successful Firstborn Series. Kingsbury writes with clarity and heart, unafraid to face down the most pressing issues of the day. She tackles the fears, uncertainties, and weaknesses of her characters with the healing touch of grace but the unmoving conviction of faith.

Kingsbury's faithful readers are going to love this installment that gives a continued look into the lives of the Baxters, Flanigans, and their branches. However, those who haven't read the Firstborn Series will probably be lost, as I was. It took me half the book to figure out who everyone was, how they were related, and keep the multitude of characters straight. By the end I felt like I had become involved in their lives, but I'm still clueless about a big portion of their lives--incentive to pick up her previous books, I admit, but I know I would have enjoyed this one more had I read them first.

Overall, this new series is sure to be devoured by the many readers already invested in the Baxter family, and Sunrise was a stirring beginning that touched my heart with the depth of its characters'. I can't wait to see how the characters continue to develop in later books.

In Bloomington, Indiana, Katy Hart and renowned actor Dayne Matthews are planning their upcoming marriage as she knows she will soon move out of her apartment above the garage on the Flanigan estate overlooking Lake Monroe. They have plenty to do but his biological family the Baxters are their to support him so he believes anything can occur; even keeping the overly zealous paparazzi (an oxymoron) away as he does not want another incident when they caused his near fatal accident (see FOREVER) Katy struggles to balance the nuptials with a possible acting career and the fate of the Christian children's theater that she has fully supported.

Clear Creek HS football coach Jim and his wife Jenny Flanagan are at the hospital praying for Cody Coleman, whom they brought into their home to help the teen, but he has become an alcoholic; he passed out from too much liquor for his body to metabolize. To Jim's dismay, his three team captains Tanner Williams, Jack Spencer, and Todd Carson also like the booze; as does much of the rest of the players. Will everyone learn from this potentially deadly lesson caused by overindulgence and driving under the influence or will it take another tragedy like the third stringer who committed suicide three years ago too late for counseling and intervention?

SUNRISE is a transition novel as the focus begins to spin from the Baxters being the hub to the Flanagans becoming the center. Thus the audience sees Katy and Dayne happily preparing for their wedding while Jim and Jenny cope with teen drinking problems. The story line smoothly switches the spotlight as readers will see first hand the excessiveness of alcohol on the body and the impact of DUI on the lives of more than just the alcoholic. This is a terrific tale as the aptly named book begins a new Hoosier SUNRISE.

Harriet Klausner