Love Story: A Novel Hardcover – June 6, 2017

As I've started studying the Bible and becoming more interested in learning what it has to say, I also wanted to explore the religious fiction genre. I had heard of Karen Kingsbury but never read anything so I looked for a good title to start with. Love Story just came out and I am always a fan of a good love story so I figured this would be the perfect place for me to start!Love Story is part of Karen Kingsbury's Baxter Family series but you don't have to read the other Baxter family books to follow this one. I haven't yet read them and I was mostly able to follow the family stories. The beginning of the book offers an introduction to all of the characters which is great if you aren't familiar with the family. Love Story follows multiple love stories and all tie into the Baxters. Cole Blake is a high school student who is doing a school project on his family history. He asks his mother, Ashley (nee Baxter) to accompany him when he asks his grandfather, John Baxter, to share his love story. Over the next four weeks, Cole and Ashley sit and listen to John as he reveals the beginning of his love story and the power of love, family, and friendship. The entire family ends up learning about how their family started as well as more about themselves.Though a good part of Love Story focuses directly on John and his first wife, Elizabeth's, story, there are other love stories weaved in. We hear about Cody Coleman and Andi Ellison as well as Bailey and Brandon Paul. Everyone knows the Baxters in some way and it's beautiful to see how their stories are tied together.I finished this book last night and loved it! I enjoyed the love stories, along with all of the emotions the characters experience. If a book is well-written, I often feel what the characters feel and I definitely felt them while reading this book. I felt the love, sadness, joy, and heartache because Karen Kingsbury wrote this book so well! I even cried toward the end because I loved it that much. Perhaps one of the things I enjoyed the most was seeing how all of the characters talk to God, pray, asking Him for guidance, and read the Bible. Some of the characters even turn their lives around because of the presence of God and signs He shows them and that made me enjoy this book even more.Love Story was my first Karen Kingsbury book and I'm already reading another one! You definitely don't have to have read the other Baxter family books to read this one because an overview of the characters helps you get to know them. Still, I will be reading more of her books and am looking forward to the second book in this series! I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy love stories where the characters are religious and talk to God daily!

This is a beautiful novel covering the love stories of several couples. It is so exciting to see them struggle and then find their happiness.

Love Story by Karen Kingsbury held my heart as I reunited with the Baxter Family and learned about the not so perfect John and Elizabeth Baxter.Cole has a heritage project for school and wants to talk to his grandfather, John Baxter. As you can imagine there are mixed emotions in the family as John will have to relive his life with Elizabeth Baxter. Since John is remarried, this creates an even more awkward situation for him.I absolutely loved the concept for this story. I thought the class project was a brilliant and interesting way for the story to play out. In what could be a long drawn out family history lesson-turned into a trip to the past where I was standing and watching a love story blossom.Through Cole’s project, we learn how John and Elizabeth met and their relationship. Many times we can view John as a picture perfect individual who seems to do what is right, but in this story, we get to see a different side of him.I love how beautifully Karen wove together this story with tenderness, hurt, sorrow, forgiveness, and love.It was fun to reconnect with the Baxters, a family so many readers have come to know and love. While the story focused a lot on John and Elizabeth, we were able to connect with other members in the family as well.This story inspired me to take a look at my own heritage, which is something I had been considering doing for a while.This was truly a story only Karen Kingsbury could write. One that drew me in, took me back in time, and melted my heart all at the same time.

This story was absolutely incredible! The way she weaved all the stories together was amazing. I love that her books have so much depth to them along with all the Christian aspects. This is by far one of my favorite Kingsbury books! 10/10 must read!