Love and the Silver Lining by Tammy L. Gray is another example of her brilliant writing. She uses depth of her characters and raw emotion to beautifully show that trials and heartache are a part of life. But, also shows that love and sacrifice can be found too. We have hope in Christ. That's what I love about this book. With likeable characters and a storyline that is hard to put down, I recommend this book to all romance readers. Especially, for those who like a bit of grit and sweet kisses to get to the happily ever after. I know I do.
*I was given a copy of this book by Bethany Publishers and this is my honest opinion.

Girl, you have to CHOOSE!

Darcy and Bryson. Darcy and Cameron. One of them is your best friend, and one is your boyfriend. There aren't many men in the world that will share a girl, even platonically, with another man.

But really, Darcy, is it about a guy? Or is it about you, figuring out who YOU really are.

Join Darcy in her chaos as she tries to navigate her way through life as a twenty-something.

Darcy Malone has everything she thinks she wants only to lose it, and have God show her what it really is she needs, and in the process, she sees she wants it as well.

We first met Darcy in the first book, Love and a Little White Lie where she is introduced as Cameron Lee’s best friend. That relationship is furthered, but Bryson is also in this book, and we get to know him beyond his exterior that is often portrayed as well, not really inviting to the general public. I liked the introductions of Zoe, Bryson’s sister, and Charlie. They made Love and the Silver Lining more well-rounded.

Darcy’s struggle is real, and I really enjoyed getting to know her, seeing her victory in the end that encompasses that she makes reconciliations with her family that she is estranged from.

My gratitude to Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a great read, it includes dogs, and that is what made me pick it up in the first place. The title resonates in so many ways, pulling away the layers of both humans and canines, and finding the heart.
So much human emotions, grief displayed in many ways both human and canine. A young woman willing to give everything to save the less fortunate, and give them a chance.
There is a bit of sweet romance, but will a life long friendship turn into something more permanent, or will the new feelings for another prevail?
There are answers and we are treated to the story to find them.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

Love and the Silver Lining is an enjoyable read! Tammy L Gray tackles real life issues that we probably all have faced at one time or another. The characters are very relatable and I found it hard to put this book down once I started reading it!

I loved this book! I greatly enjoyed Love and a Little White Lie so I was really looking forward to this new one by Tammy Gray. We met Darcy, Cameron and Bryson in the first book so I was definitely intrigued by a love story starring the three of them. Darcy has just found out that the year long mission trip she has saved up for and longed for has been cancelled. Now she has to decide what she is supposed to do with the next year or more of her life. When life has been totally upended (between her parents' recent divorce and her failed mission trip), Darcy questions God and what He is up to. She rebels in her own ways and wonders why God hasn't come through for her when she has done everything "right." Then there's Bryson. Bad boy, all black attire, broody Bryson. But when he lets Darcy in and shows her who he really is, he melts your heart. Tammy Gray's books are gut-wrenching in their honesty and sincerity. Her characters are dealing with real life circumstances that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. She also weaves faith fluidly throughout the book. Darcy has to come to the realization that although life doesn't look anything like what she thought it would, God had been there all along helping her "see that His way is better and perfect and it's okay that it doesn't always make sense." I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read with character depth and a wonderful storyline of loss and hope.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I am so glad that Tammy Gray is back and with another great book! This is book two in the State of Grace series and the first one was so great, so go read that one! But, you don't have to read that one to read this one. It is a stand alone book, although it does reference the first book a few times. I loved this book as well. I love how the author takes real people who are flawed, like we all are. I could not put it down, it was so good. The romance between the two characters is done so well, it will leave you swooning. If I have to give this book one complaint, it is that sometimes Darcy can be a bit naive and refuse to see what is going on right in front of her. But I loved it, and cannot wait for more by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I am a big fan of author Tammy Gray’s book Love and a Little White Lie. I was eagerly anticipating her newest story, Love and the Silver Lining, and I was not disappointed by this wonderful new book!

Our story features Darcy who seems overwhelmed with her life after finding out she will not be able to teach English overseas the next year, she has lost her apartment, and is coping with her parents divorce. She is questioning her life and her faith in God. She tells Bryson, our hero, she is mad and wishes she had not tried so hard to do the right thing. She wished she had rebelled. like she thought he had. He asks, “Are you asking me if being a rebel worked in my favor, or are you mad you could not bribe God with your good behavior?”

Darcy begins to find purpose in rescuing dogs in Bryson’s friend Charlie’s backyard. Charlie has recently lost his wife, and can not take care of them or himself. The personalities of Charlie’s dogs tend to mirror the people around Darcy which I enjoyed. I am only a minor fan of dogs, and I really enjoyed all the dog training scenes. But, if you are a lover of dogs you will be in heaven.

I found myself drawn into Darcy’s world as her questions about her life and faith resonated with me. This story tells it like it is and has no pat answers which I appreciate. I found it a little more serious than Love and a Little White Lie, but it still had funny moments and celebrated humor. The romance between Darcy and Bryson was fun to observe, and I am now definitely on team Bryson. He is a great hero who will stay in my heart.

I enjoyed this story tremendously, and found myself pondering the themes and going back and rereading parts of the book after finishing it. Darcy and Bryson’s story is one that I truly delighted in, and this is one of my favorite reads of 2021

Such an incredible story and heartrending memorable characters. The thing is that with every book Tammy L Gray writes, the individual characters and the interwoven relationships are so much more than words on a page. I feel like I truly know these people. When she describes someone’s brokenness or emptiness inside, I feel that person’s deepest emotions. I loved Bryson and Darcy so much in this story. Their romance was a hard fought one that required a lot of growth and openness and even sacrifices, but intense and true and so romantic and deeply felt. I can’t recommend this one enough. I expect and hope to hear more of Cameron and possibly Zoe in the future. So thankful for your gift, Tammy Gray, and for sharing it with all of us!

Loved this story. It winds through so many surprises and up and downs of relationship drama. A perfect summer reading book. I was so glad I had a chance to read this!

Oh my, loved this!
Well I absolutely loved Bryson.
Broody, protective, backstory and depth.......yes please.
This book definitely gave me the feels and I was rooting hard for Bryson the whole time.
This author has a great way of handling triangles. Which is such a tricky trope.
This book touches on some real feelings, especially for me who has been a Christian for awhile, sometimes we wonder...."why is this happening to me, I have tried to do all the right things ".
Darcy had some growing to do and I loved seeing how she fought it at first, then you see how she changes.
Bravo
Another winner in my opinion!
I recieved a complementary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally. All opinions are honest and completely my own.

I love stories where the characters battle their own demons and overcome them and this one did not disappoint. Tammy L Gray's characters are so relatable and her writing really pulls you in. I enjoyed the chemistry between Darcy and Bryson. It's heart warming to see the characters overcome and grow throughout the book. Overall, a great read that I would highly recommend!

I reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A really really quick read and enjoyable. It’s a story of everything is against the protagonist Darcy and yet love comes knocking and friends are there to help her and of course dogs our ever faithful companions. The way pain is described in this is so metaphorical. My fave trope is bad boy who deep down has a heart of gold! Ultimately I like this writing and was impressed and would definitely pick something else up by this author

Darcy Malone worked for a year to go on a long-term mission trip to Guatemala. Days before her adventure begins, she gets a phone call from the school where she will teach for a year canceling her trip. Devasted, she doesn’t know where to turn. She must move out of her apartment and find a job. Without her best friend, Cameron, she doesn’t know what she’d do. He’s not-so-secretly happy her trip got canceled, because he doesn’t know what he’d do without her for an entire year. After all, they’ve been besties their entire lives.

Cam offers to let her move in with him and his two roommates until her new apartment opens at the end of the summer. Her recently divorced mom gives her the same invitation. Neither one appeals to her. When her childhood friend and Cameron’s bandmate, Bryson offers his sister, Zoe’s, apartment as an option, Darcy reluctantly agrees.

Bryson introduces her to Charlie, a recently widowed man with five rescue dogs on his farm that he can’t take care of. Darcy jumps at the chance to work with the dogs and prepare them for adoption—after all, she has no other options that spark her interest.

The unruly dogs become a metaphor for all the things plaguing Darcy—trust, forgiveness, purpose, and love.

What I Loved About this Book

This friends-to-lovers book has a trope twist readers will love. Darcy struggles with her relationship with her parents and the fact her childhood now seems like a lie. The proverbial Christian good girl, Darcy has done everything right yet feels as if God has abandoned her.

Fans of Emma St. Clair’s Sandover Beach series will enjoy this book.

This has to be the first Christian book I'm reading and not cringing to but find really relatable. We've all had our life mapped out for us and suddenly it goes up in smoke and we're left wondering what happened and fighting with God.
That was Darcy's story which i loved loved reading because she reminded me a lot of myself a year back. I loved how the plot moved seamless and discovering Darcy's growth throughout the pages.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for something inspiring yet light to read

I’m kinda staring at the question Goodreads is posing to me: What did you think? So much, Goodreads. So much. And yet those thoughts are kind of bouncing around like the ball in a pinball machine. First off, I’ve read a number of Tammy’s books before. In so much that the first book of this series surprised me because it was a lot lighter and humorous than the other books by her that I’d read. A romcom! This book, however…. Not a romcom. More like a marriage between her serious/deep/hurting characters from her past book with maybe a slighter lighter side. One thing you can always garauntee with a Tammy Gray book is that it’s going to be well-written, and this book is no exception.
Overall it was an enjoyable read although there were times when I seriously wanted to shake Darcy. Like, seriously. Lol. Loved Bryson though and his tortured soul and how he was willing to be so vulnerable even after he’d experienced so much hurt and rejection in his life. The dogs were great too. And Charlie.
So. Good book but doesn’t have that humorous feel of the first

After reading and loving Love and a Little White Lie last year, I couldn't wait to dive into this one. I'd really enjoyed Darcy's character, and I was excited to hear she was getting her own story. I didn't expect to end up enjoying this one quite as much as I did the first, but I ended up surprising myself and loving this one even more. It's definitely one of the best books I've read this year, and Tammy L Gray is quickly moving up my list of favorite authors.

I loved how realistic and authentic this entire story is from start to finish. Darcy starts off as an emotional mess. Her dream has been to be a missionary for as long as she can possibly remember, and when that falls apart on top of her parent's marriage failing, she can't figure out how she's supposed to go on. When she unexpectedly ends up moving in with Bryson's younger sister, she finds herself spending more and more time with Bryson in the process, and realizes he's so much more than she ever could have expected. When a chance encounter with him leads her to a temporary position helping rehome foster dogs, Darcy starts to see her future in a different light. However, her longtime friendship with her best friend Cameron is causing tension and strain on her new relationship, and she can't figure out how she can have both of these relationships in her life, without sacrificing one over the other.

Love and a Silver Lining is heartfelt, emotional, and moving, and I could barely bring myself to put it down once I started reading it. Darcy's journey is rough, but she learns the valuable lesson of truly needing to wait on God's timing, and not take matters into her own hands. I loved getting to see a much deeper side to Bryson, and how he goes out of his way to show Darcy how much she truly means to him. This book overall focuses around healing, and growing your faith, and I think the author did a beautiful job of showcasing these processes to the reader.

The only negative for me was Cameron's character. I found him kind of selfish and juvenile in the first book, but he was even worse in this one. He came across as hostile and entitled for the majority of the story, and I think his character needs a serious turn around in future books if he is ever going to redeem himself in my eyes.

Overall though, I absolutely adored this heart wrenching contemporary, and can't possibly recommend it enough.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Thanks so much to Bethany House for allowing me to advance read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.

Woohoo!! Solid 5 starts
Ahh! How do I explain this book.. it was just amazing sent my heart rate racing to breaking it and crushing it and fixing it 😁
I adore this book now ...I didn't think I'd enjoy it much since I hate love triangles but I'm clearly I'm dead wrong and I'm glad I'm wrong😁😁

I really felt the depth in all the characters especially Bryson and Darcy..I totally got smitten with Bryson for his character ..I almost ached for him to be chosen ..uhh such a great story..I also get Darcy's desire for true passion in a relationship ..I too feel it

I must admit that I was bad about Darcy being confused and not choosing the true love right front of her..but that's just life..we all make lil mistakes

Another best thing about this book was the faith felt so so realistic like getting silence as an answer for desperate prayers..us being unable to see with faith....I could relate it it all
The way she used training and loving dogs as a metaphor for real-life God's grace and love and choosing to not give up on Us

This was just Sooo Goodd
My heart!! I love Bryson and Darcy ...I couldn't quite get them out of me now . I'm just happy dancing and smiling

I'm highly highly recommending this everyone

It's a series but I read it as a standalone

This author is now my autobuy... she's just amazing..swoony romance... genuine faith ...Jesus love for me 😊 what more can a book loving girl ask for 😁😁
I'll take Bryson for now and keep thinking about him until my next favorite bookboyfriend comes 😉

It's been a few days I've read this book..may be a week but everytime I think about this book it just fills my heart with such good feelings

This is gem..you don't want to miss out on this one

I cannot wait to read all other books by this author @tlgraybooks

4.5 stars, rounded up

I was drawn right into this book from the beginning. The descriptions are excellent. The plotting and story line are well done and tied together well. All the big and little details are taken care of and weave together the story perfectly. I was drawn into each of the characters' lives and how they interact with one another. I didn't realize until I was a ways into this book, that it is the second book in a series, so there were a few mild spoilers, though the story does stand well on its own, but I do wish I'd read the two books in the correct order. There is an underlying theme of faith in God, but it doesn't overpower or take over the story or the romance. I loved the secondary characters and how they relate to the story as much as I loved the main characters. The dog training aspect is a fun addition and showcases either the author's personal love for animals (and dogs in particular) or the author's attention to detail and research and how to incorporate it seamlessly into her writing. I also wonder if the author will be continuing this series with more characters from the first two books, based on who's romances are still left unresolved. I love the cover of this book too! The bright colors of the sunset and the contrast with thew black/shadowing of the other images, they work together really well and are so eye-catching and pleasing to the eye as well. An absolutely enjoyable clean contemporary romance! I will definitely be reaching for this author's books again!!

So much fun! This was a satisfying contemporary romance read with lots of sigh-worthy scenes without being too graphic. You have to love “bad-boy” Bryson, who ends up being way more complex than he first appears. Throw in some lovable dogs, Bryson’s devil-may-care sister, and Darcy and Cam’s complicated relationship, and now you have a story with depth and authentic characters. This story also tangles with the hard topics: forgiveness, reconciliation, confidence, and trust. Definitely give this one a try!!

Rated PG-13 for topics involving infidelity and divorce
—no language
—topics concerning divorce and infidelity (not graphic)
—some sensual scenes without overt sexual/bedroom scenes
—no gore

I received this ebook free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.