Redemption by Gary Smalley, Karen Kingsbury (2002, Paperback)

This series is not only addictively entertaining, it is also very inspiring. The Redemption Series is in Karen Kingsbury's collection of 'Life Changing Fiction' and it lives up to that classification. What I really enjoyed is that this mid-western family is so real. The author is so talented in her approach to the characters that you feel as though you are a member of the family. You rejoice with them, you cry over them and you worry about them, just as you would a family member. The situations and challenges in the family members lives are normal, realistic events. It is a learning experience to see how these characters respond and react to the situations they find themselves in. I have seen parts of myself in many of the characters, and the desire to be like many of these characters. In the back of each of the books you will find a list a questions to ponder. These questions help you to apply the relationship building skills in your own life. As an example: The first book deals with forgiving an unfaithful spouse. I do not have this challenge in my life, but the discussion and questions at the end of the book help you to apply the skill of forgiving those in your life who have betrayed or mistreated their relationship with you, whether it be a family member or friend. It also helped me to see the importance of keeping the lines of communication open with my spouse and to make sure that he has the priority in my life that he should. If you take the time to apply the principles taught in these books, they truly can be live changing. These books are written with a very stong Christian perspective. Great books to start when you have plenty of time (vacation, holiday or long weekend) because once you start the first book, you won't want to stop until you've finished them all.