Karen Kingsbury Books in Order
Some books make you cry on a plane. Karen Kingsbury has made a career out of those books. Her stories about faith, family, and second chances have sold millions of copies, and many readers stick with her for decades. If you are trying to sort out the Karen Kingsbury books in order, you are not alone. She has written more than 60 novels, and many of them connect in ways that are not obvious at first.
The biggest puzzle is the Baxter family. They show up across several series, spin-offs, and later standalone novels. This guide breaks it all down so you know where to start, what to read next, and which books you can pick up on their own.
Who Is Karen Kingsbury?
Karen Kingsbury started out as a newspaper reporter for the Los Angeles Times. She moved into true crime writing, then shifted to inspirational fiction in the late 1990s. That switch changed her career. Her books blend clean romance, family drama, and Christian faith, and they often tackle hard topics like loss, illness, and broken marriages.
She is one of the best-selling Christian fiction authors in the United States. Several of her novels have become films, including Like Dandelion Dust and The Bridge. In 2024, her best-loved family came to the screen in The Baxters, a series on Prime Video.
The Baxter Family: The Heart of Her Work
Most readers come to Karen Kingsbury through the Baxters. John and Elizabeth Baxter live in Bloomington, Indiana, with their five grown children: Brooke, Kari, Ashley, Erin, and Luke. Each child faces a crisis, and each finds a way back to faith and family.
The Baxter story runs across many books written over 20 years. Here is the reading order most fans follow.
The Baxters: A Prequel (2022)
This book came out late, but it takes place first. It shows the Baxter family when the kids were young. You can read it first for the full timeline, or save it for later as a look back.
Redemption Series
- Redemption (2002)
- Remember (2003)
- Return (2003)
- Rejoice (2004)
- Reunion (2004)
Redemption was co-written with Gary Smalley and introduces Kari Baxter, whose marriage falls apart in the opening pages. Each book in the series shines a light on a different Baxter sibling.
Firstborn Series
- Fame (2005)
- Forgiven (2005)
- Found (2006)
- Family (2006)
- Forever (2007)
This series follows movie star Dayne Matthews, who learns he is the son John and Elizabeth placed for adoption before they married. His story ties the glamour of Hollywood to the small-town Baxter world.
Sunrise Series
- Sunrise (2007)
- Summer (2007)
- Someday (2008)
- Sunset (2008)
The Sunrise books follow the Baxters as the grandchildren grow up. Expect weddings, births, and some of the most emotional moments in the whole saga.
Above the Line Series
- Take One (2009)
- Take Two (2009)
- Take Three (2010)
- Take Four (2010)
Two young filmmakers try to make faith-based movies in Hollywood. The Baxters and Dayne Matthews play supporting roles.
Bailey Flanigan Series
- Leaving (2011)
- Learning (2011)
- Longing (2011)
- Loving (2012)
Bailey Flanigan is the daughter of close Baxter friends. Her story follows her through college, a Broadway dream, and a long love story with Cody Coleman.
Later Baxter Books
After the main series, Kingsbury kept writing standalone Baxter novels. Read these in order for the best flow:
- Coming Home (2012)
- A Baxter Family Christmas (2016)
- Love Story (2017)
- In This Moment (2017)
- To the Moon and Back (2018)
- When We Were Young (2018)
- Two Weeks (2019)
- Someone Like You (2020)
- Truly, Madly, Deeply (2020)
- Forgiving Paris (2021)
Karen Kingsbury Books in Order: Other Series
Outside the Baxter world, she has written several shorter series. Here is how each one breaks down.
| Series | Books in Order | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Forever Faithful | Waiting for Morning, A Moment of Weakness, Halfway to Forever | 1999 to 2002 |
| Timeless Love | A Time to Dance, A Time to Embrace | 2001 to 2002 |
| Red Gloves | Gideon’s Gift, Maggie’s Miracle, Sarah’s Song, Hannah’s Hope | 2002 to 2005 |
| 9/11 Series | One Tuesday Morning, Beyond Tuesday Morning, Every Now and Then | 2003 to 2008 |
| Lost Love | Even Now, Ever After | 2005 to 2006 |
| Cody Gunner | A Thousand Tomorrows, Just Beyond the Clouds | 2005 to 2007 |
| Angels Walking | Angels Walking, Chasing Sunsets, Brush of Wings | 2014 to 2017 |
Worth a Closer Look
- The 9/11 Series: One Tuesday Morning follows a firefighter who loses his memory after the attacks. It is one of her most popular books and a strong entry point.
- Red Gloves: These are short Christmas novels. Each one stands alone, so you can read them in any order during the holidays.
- Angels Walking: A mix of faith and fantasy, where angels quietly help people on Earth.
Karen Kingsbury Standalone Novels
Not all Karen Kingsbury books are part of a series. These standalones are great for a single sitting or a book club:
- Where Yesterday Lives (1998)
- When Joy Came to Stay (2000)
- On Every Side (2001)
- Oceans Apart (2002)
- Divine (2006)
- Like Dandelion Dust (2006)
- Between Sundays (2007)
- Shades of Blue (2008)
- This Side of Heaven (2009)
- Unlocked (2009)
- The Bridge (2012)
- The Chance (2013)
- Fifteen Minutes (2013)
- A Distant Shore (2021)
- Just Once (2023)
- The Christmas Ring (2025)
The Christmas Ring is one of her newest books, a holiday novel released in 2025. Just Once, from 2023, is a World War II story that many fans count among her best recent work.
Do You Have to Read Karen Kingsbury Books in Order?
For the Baxter books, yes. Characters age, marry, have children, and face loss over many books. If you read Sunset before Redemption, you will spoil major turns in the family’s story.
For her other series, reading in order still helps, but each series is short. You can finish most of them in a week or two.
The standalones can be read in any order. Pick based on mood or topic.
Where Should You Start?
Your best starting point depends on what you want:
- For the full family saga: Redemption. It is where the Baxter story began in print.
- For a single emotional read: One Tuesday Morning.
- For a holiday book: Any of the Red Gloves novels, or The Christmas Ring.
- For a quick test: Like Dandelion Dust, a short and gripping story about adoption and custody.
If you loved the Prime Video show, start with Redemption. The show draws from that series, so the characters will feel familiar.
Common Questions About Karen Kingsbury Books in Order
How many Baxter books are there? Counting the prequel, the five main series, and the later standalone Baxter novels, there are more than 30 books in the Baxter world.
Are her books clean? Yes. Karen Kingsbury books contain no explicit content. They deal with serious themes, but in a gentle, faith-centered way.
Are her books only for Christian readers? Faith is a big part of every story, but many readers enjoy them for the family drama alone.
Is she still writing? Yes. She signed a three-book deal with Forefront Books in 2023, so expect more new titles in the coming years.
Tips for Reading Her Books
- Keep tissues nearby. Fans joke about it, but it is good advice.
- Track the Baxter family tree. With five siblings, their spouses, and a growing crowd of grandchildren, a simple chart helps.
- Try the audiobooks. Many readers enjoy them on long drives.
- Read with a friend. Her books spark good talks about forgiveness, marriage, and faith.
How Long Does It Take to Read the Baxter Books?
Most Baxter novels run 300 to 400 pages. At two books a month, you could finish the main Baxter story in about a year. Many fans take breaks with her standalones between series, which keeps the reading fresh. Whatever pace you choose, following the Karen Kingsbury books in order keeps the family timeline clear and the big moments in the right place. A printed checklist of Karen Kingsbury books in order is a simple way to track your progress.
Final Thoughts
The Karen Kingsbury books in order span more than 25 years, with the Baxter family at the center of it all. Start with Redemption if you want the full saga, or pick a standalone like One Tuesday Morning for a single heartfelt read. Keep this list of Karen Kingsbury books in order handy, and you will always know which story comes next.
Key Takeaways
- Karen Kingsbury has written more than 60 novels, many tied to the Baxter family of Bloomington, Indiana.
- The Baxter reading order runs through the Redemption, Firstborn, Sunrise, Above the Line, and Bailey Flanigan series, followed by later Baxter novels.
- The Baxters: A Prequel (2022) takes place first in the timeline but came out late. You can read it first or last.
- Other series include Forever Faithful, Red Gloves, the 9/11 series, Lost Love, Cody Gunner, and Angels Walking.
- Her standalones, like Like Dandelion Dust and Just Once, can be read in any order.
- The Baxters became a Prime Video series in 2024, drawing from the Redemption books.
- Redemption is the best starting point for the family saga. One Tuesday Morning is a great single read.
- Her books are clean, f
