Amazing Must-Read Book Series!

My newest literary obsession is the Bailey Flanigan series by Karen Kingsbury, best-selling Christian fiction author. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I read Leaving-the first book in this series-during my week at the beach. In just the past week I have read the remaining three books in the series: Learning, Longing, and finally Loving. I won't share a whole lot about the plot synopsis of each book because a)they are so amazing it's hard to put into words how wonderful they are and b)the best way to find out is read them for yourself, which I highly recommend! They are so good you won't want to put them down and will fly right through them. I wanted to get through each book as quickly as possible while still absorbing the story so that I could move on to the next one and find out what happens next in Bailey's life. In short, the series chronicles Bailey Flanigan's life as she auditions for a role in Hairspray on Broadway, prepares to move to New York City to pursue a lifelong dream of dancing on Broadway, and learns lots of valuable lessons about God, life, and love as she journeys along in this next chapter of her life in New York City and beyond. At the center of the series are Bailey's conflicting feelings about her old friend and first love Cody Coleman and the new guy pursuing her-Brandon Paul. The series takes readers on multiple twists and turns regarding Bailey's relationship with both of these young men. That's all I'm going to say about plot-y'all will have to read them for yourself to find out who Bailey ends up with.
Karen Kingsbury has such a gift for writing and I am so glad one of my Bible Study leaders raved about how much she enjoys her books and how they help her grow in her faith. I love a sappy chick flick, gushy Nicholas Sparks novel, and Disney princess "happily ever after" just as much as the next girl. However, the love story told in the Bailey Flanigan series is a thousand times sweeter than all of those things combined because a love for Christ is at the center of the relationship.
There some earlier Karen Kingsbury series that include Bailey as a character and now I am definitely going to read those as well. However, while I recommend reading the four actual Bailey Flanigan series books in order, it does not matter whether or not you have read any of the earlier series with Bailey. If you are new to Karen Kingsbury books like me then you can definitely start out with the Bailey Flanigan series. Here are the four books:

Book One

Leaving

Book Two

Learning

Book Three

Longing

Book Four

Loving

Have you read any of the Bailey Flanigan series? Or any other Karen Kingsbury books? If so which ones? She is definitely one of my new favorite authors!

-L

xoxo