Book Review: Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

About Leaving: Bailey Flanigan Series, Volume 1
Bailey's determined to take advantage of her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on Broadway, but is she really ready to leave family and friends for the loneliness of New York City? And what of Cody? His disappearance has her worried about their future and praying that their love can survive. In order to be closer to his mother in jail, Cody takes a coaching job in a small community outside Indianapolis. New friends, distance, and circumstances expose cracks in his relationship with Bailey Flanigan. Love, loneliness, big opportunities, and even bigger decisions highlight the first book in the new Bailey Flanigan series that features members of the popular Baxter family and will complete the story of Bailey Flanigan and Cody Coleman.

My Thoughts
From the very first page of this book I was hooked.  Karen Kingsbury has a way of drawing her readers into the story so much that the characters seem real.  I really enjoyed that this book incorporates the Baxter family story as well and I pleased that Ashley and Landon's story (from the Redemption Series) continued in Leaving.  This book was very inspirational to me because the characters talk to God and realize that He is in control of every situation.  In the way it is written, we actually read the prayers of the characters and in turn we learn how to pray in everyday situations.  The conclusion of the book left me wanting more and I was happy to read that the next book in the series comes out June 2011. 



Final Thoughts
If you are looking for an inspirational and enjoyable book Leaving is an excellent choice.  I also recommend that if you are looking for good books to delve into this summer, check out another series by Karen Kingsbury called the Redemption Series featuring the Baxter family.

I would like to thank Zondervan for providing me with a free copy of the book for review. I was not required to write a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are my own.