Love and the Silver Lining is the extremely enjoyable second book in the State of Grace series. I adored this book – even more than the first book. While they form part of a series and there are character and setting cross overs, you can read both books as standalones.

I think this was exactly the book I needed. It was light and heartwarming and so addictive. I really struggled to put it down to return to work and sleep. It was funny and heartbreaking and had so much story that made it just a delight to read.

Darcy has worked tirelessly to achieve her dream of becoming a missionary. Just as she is about to leave, it all falls apart and she is left without a job, apartment and no direction for her future. Her options are move in with her mother or with her best friend, but a sudden and unexpected offer from where she least expects it, brings her more into Bryson Katsaros’s life. Once good friends, now Darcy feels like she never understands Bryson. As she and Bryson spend more time together and start working on a project together, Darcy realises there is far more to the man Bryson has become than she ever realised.

The romantic tension between Darcy and Bryson is delightful, especially as they start to get to know each other better and really open up to each other. Each are working through their own pain and reluctance to trust. They must decide what is worth fighting for and risking if they begin a relationship.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

I picked this book because I've been in the mood for romances for insomnia nights, and when I saw something about dog training, I grabbed it.

I'm also a sucker for phoenix rising out of the ashes stories, though those can go a little dark sometimes, especially for 2:30 a.m. reads. But this one? Let's just say that I was not able to read a few chapters, see exactly where it was going (which would be just fine for the next insomnia stint) turn over and to back to sleep. Nope. I read through till my own dog was poking her nose in my face to say it was way past breakfast-and-walkies time.

Darcy is an emotional mess following losing the missionary job she'd been working toward for several years. She'd given up her apartment for it, even gave up air conditioning (the story is set in Texas, which has even more serious heat than SoCal, where I live) in order to acclimate herself to Guatemala's temperatures. Behind her, still festering, is her shock and anger at her parents' divorce seven months before, after a lifetime of believing her church-going, giving, smiling parents had had the perfect marriage.

Darcy, in desperation, is ready to sleep on her lifetime best friend's floor in his apartment shared with two others guys, who are mad at him for leaving their band for a chance at a pro band. Not ideal, though Cameron insists it'll be fine. So when another of her childhood friends turns up and says his sister has a spare room, she jumps for it.

Which has all kinds of emotional fallout that she was totally unprepared for. Meanwhile, she meets five problem dogs on a farm, all of whom are going to be sent to the pound in a month by a grieving widower, until Darcy promises to rehabilitate them all and get them adoption-ready.

I really fell hard into this book. I loved Darcy's inconsistencies (she wants her dad to move back and everything to be the way it was, though she won't actually speak to his cheating self--she loves her mom and wants her happy but cannot stand to see her dating other men), her well-meant obliviousness to what everyone else has seen all along with respect to her own emotional entanglements.

I especially loved the handling of Darcy's and Cameron's thread--Cameron, who has been the faithful best friend all Darcy's life. They rely on each other, they watch out for each other. That friendship has been her safety net, and also . . . well, I'll stop there.

Generalizing, I thought Gray did a terrific job with the conversations/confrontations. I really dislike relationship stories in which the leads get the hots for each other from chapter one, but misunderstand one another over something that five minutes of adult talk would clear up, but has to be sustained until a Big Dark Moment near the end before the wedding bells. Watching Darcy discover, and confront, her obliviousnesses one by one, then deal with them, even though they were painful and messy, especially when she saw how wrong she had been, was as much a pleasure as were the loving, insightful, vivid tales of the saving of those dogs.

I mentioned spirituality in a tag: this story has a spiritual element to it--Darcy struggles with her faith--and there is no sex (though there is plenty of sizzling attraction), for those who need these elements tagged.

Wow.
Obviously I assumed there would be heartbreak and romance. However, I wasn't prepared to feel so many emotions! I enjoyed the way the author wrote a love story between the two main characters, but they each had to deal with deeper emotional challenges with their relationship with God. Plus--there are dogs and music! ;) I especially enjoyed Charlie's character and the love he showed for children not his own. It was such a special picture of our adoption through Christ. Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this new-to-me author.

Love and the Silver Lining by Tammy L. Gray is book 2 in the State of Grace series. I read the first book in the series and this one is even better. It can be read as a standalone novel, but it is even better if read after reading the first book. I love this author's ability to create realistic, broken characters who are relatable and grow throughout the book. I think readers of clean Christian romantic fiction will love this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved this book! During the first half, I did not really expect much, but the plot was really really amazing. The book did manage to keep me engaged, especially the second half. Darcy has a childhood best friend, Cameron (who I totally shipped with her at first). Darcy was supposed to be going for missionary work but her entire plan is cancelled last minute. She is extremely devastated because she also ends up losing her apartment. She was already upset because of her parents' divorce and because of this messed up situation she has to move in with Zoe, Bryson's sister.

I absolutely adored Darcy and Cam's friendship at first, however after sometime I started finding it quite problematic. He was practically forcing her to love him back the way he did.

I also liked the fact that even though Bryson had went through a lot during his childhood, he didn't behave like a broken man who needs a woman as a rehab. At first I didn't really like that he made Darcy choose, however, I feel like I would have done the same in his place with an extremely clingy best friend in the picture (who also is a doubt-planter).

The only thing I wasn't a big fan of was Darcy because she was being such a bitch to her mom for dating. In the first half of the book, in almost all the chapters she was crying for her mom's dating. So what? Her mom doesn't have a right to love someone or be loved by someone? Just because her dad cheated on her mom and their marriage failed, she isn't allowed to be happy and must be grieving all the time? Even though Darcy was 30, she didn't want her mom to date. This made her sound like an extremely self-centred 17 y/o. It was pretty much clear that she didn't want her mom to move on from her dad's cheating.

There's character development in all the characters (excluding Cameron), even Darcy. I absolutely loved the ending, it was so beautiful. My only issue with the book was that all these characters, they didn't really sound like 30 year olds. They felt more like in their early 20s. Though that didn't matter to me a lot later, it was definitely un-put-downable, specifically the second half. I enjoyed it overall.
My rating: 4.5/5

Darcy finds herself at a loss when here one year mission trip to Guatemala is abruptly cancelled, leaving her without a place to stay or a job. She falls back on her friendship with her best friend Cameron and gets involved with Bryson, Cameron's partner in his band. She falls back on her love of training dogs and Bryson has a place for her to do that and a spot to live -- rooming with his sister. This all works out well for Darcy but Cameron isn't OK with it all and Bryson is hard to read. It makes for an interesting and moving story. Well worth the read!

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I will give this one five hearts. I was pulled in so quickly and just felt a part of the story. I loved the way things were written and the internal struggle of the main character. This story had everything, loss, grief, relationships, a love triangle that remained unknown by the main character. There was sooo much, but there was also faith. Even with everything going on in the story, it felt real and it felt organic. It was the story of a girl and the things she was facing and how she got through.

I felt blessed to be privy to her insights and her heart ache. Even the side characters were genuine and not flat. There was depth and growth enough for everyone. It was the journey that was so beautiful. It was the characters learning to heal from each other.

I can't find all the words to tell how much I loved this story, It just sucked me in and wouldn't go. There was such an element of trusting God and trying to figure out how to let go.

I was so happy to be able to receive an early copy from NetGalley and share this honest review.

Goodness, I enjoyed this book! This was my favorite by this author that I've read so far. I love the way she creates characters and plumbs and reveals their hidden depths! I love the spiritual journey that Darcy went through in this book and the people (and dogs) that helped her. I'm not really an animal-lover so the fact that I felt the dogs in this book were full-on characters that moved this story forward in a spiritual way is pretty significant! I thought it was sheer brilliance the way the author used Darcy's training of each dog in her spiritual journey! And I seriously couldn't love Bryson any more if I tried. The depths of love he showed were breathtaking at times. I loved Charlie, Zoe, the journey with Darcy's parents and people in their lives - everybody but Cameron who I pretty much just wanted to punch in the nose repeatedly throughout the book! :) I felt like I'm supposed to like him and that the next book in this series might even be about him so, if I'm right, this author is going to have to perform a miracle to get me to like him or feel for him at all. But I'm up for the challenge if she is - can't wait for the next book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Love and the Silver Lining" and all opinions expressed are my own. I wish I could read all the books in the series together. The first book was really good, but as time goes on you tend to forget some of it. This is the second book in the series and there will be a third. So anyway, I loved this book. You start reading and at some point you want to read quicker because the book is so good and also you want to read slower because you don't want the book to end! The characters are awesome and the story line is amazing! Tammy L. Gray is one of my go to authors.

What can you say about an author who can bring to life words on paper, and the words somehow become so much more? I had so much in common with Darcy (our h) in this book it scared me a little and gave me a serious case of deja vu. As I started reading Love and the Silver Lining, I realized that there were some things in my own self that I hadn’t dealt with that I thought I had. Specifically when it came to divorce and family.

We all know that divorce is a horrible and heartbreaking thing to go through, especially for the children involved. It doesn’t matter whether you're 3 or 83. It really sucks. It made me realize that we all need love, healing, and the Lord for every situation life throws our way. With that being said you grow up with Darcy, you cry with Darcy, you drop prejudices held with Darcy, and you love alongside her.

The romance aspect in LATSL was sweet. Darcy and Bryson (our H) made a very cute and convincing couple. I felt like their relationship touched base with a lot of things people deal with today: fear of commitment, communication, and forgiveness. Ms. Gray did a tremendous job with this. It kind of had a Pride and Prejudice feel.

Previously I hadn’t read many coming of age novels. I guess I felt like I got frustrated with the characters too easily. The risk was worth it though, (Now I suppose I have to try them out more often.) In a nutshell this novel kept me well engaged and turning pages. Very very enjoyable read and, I will definitely keep my eye out for this author in the coming months.

I will tell you straight up that this is going to be an incredibly positive review. I loved this book. I loved it even more than the first one (this is #2 in the State of Grace series; although you might THINK you can read them as standalone, in my longstanding opinion it is a MUCH BETTER experience - remember, context is key - if you read things in order. So go ahead and read this review because I'm not going to give you any spoilers, then go get "Love and a Little White Lie" and read it first, pretty please.)

Darcy Malone has banked her future on a couple of things: she is going to be a missionary, and love is not reliable...the second conclusion reached following her parent's divorce. When the proverbial rug is yanked out from under her missionary plans at the last possible moment, she becomes paralyzed from one too many major letdowns at once.

Darcy's lifelong BEST FRIEND (yes the caps are intentional, because their BESTFRIENDNESS is a v. important part of the storyline) Cameron Lee had his own life turned upside down in book one, and he is counting on the band he joined to be his future. Cam is Darcy's go-to for basically everything - but when their mutual friend and lead singer in the band Bryson Katsaros is integral in finding Darcy a new place to live, she begins to look at him in a different light.

This book addresses grief - mourning the future you thought you were going to have; disconnecting from your faith and other things that kept you grounded - but still finding your way back; how even the deepestr of relationships can change and grow; and, not everything will be resolved by the end of the book - I appreciated the author's willingness to go there. The book is complete on its own but you will still look forward to the next one. Rich in snappy and compelling dialogue, laugh out loud moments, and dog training (you don't see too many romantic comedies that weave dog training into the story in an effective way, but this one does, and does it well)! I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I devoured this fantastic book in one day! Darcy Malone comes to a crossroads when her best-laid plans to become a missionary are dashed, and she's forced to find a new job and a place to live. An old friend and the town's resident "bad boy," Bryson Katsaros, offers for her to stay with his sister, and keeps Darcy company as she works to rehabilitate some abandoned dogs. This book was so unique, and subverted several rom-com and Christian fiction tropes in the best way. It felt very REAL, especially the parts where Darcy struggled with her faith as she wondered why sticking to the rules her whole life didn't "win" her her dream job, a concept I think a lot of Christians struggle with at times. I loved the way her and Bryson's relationship grew and how he challenged and supported her. (The only thing I didn't like was how cavalierly many of the Christian characters discussed having sex outside of marriage.) This book did not go at all the way I expected from the first book in the series, Love and a Little White Lie, but I am HAPPILY surprised. I will definitely be reading more by Tammy Gray. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!

Ever since reading Love and a Little White Lie, I've been stalking Net Galley for when Love and the Silver Lining would release. Tammy L. Gray has quickly become a must-read author for me. The character relationships and most of all the beautiful faith elements, are what had me hooked. This was definitely a pager-turner for sure!

I love the first one and this new one didn't disappoint. I do recommend reading the first book in the series to understand the dynamic and history among the main characters.

Darcy has everything set up to leave on a mission trip when it's cancelled at the last minute. She finds herself without a place to live and without a job, and her life couldn't get any lower, or so she thinks.

Her best friend Cameron is actually happy she didn't go since he didn't want her gone for a year, and he invites her to stay with him, which is not the best option for Darcy. Instead, she stays with Bryson's sister, who has a spare bedroom.

Like I mentioned above, it's much easier to understand the dynamic between Darcy, Cameron and Bryson based on their history and relationship. At times, Darcy is clueless to what's right in front of her, and the silver lining is how things come to be in the end.

I really liked how she worked with the dogs to rehabilitate them and I even got teary eyed near the end (in regards to Louie).

I'm hoping the next story is about Cameron.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Love and the Silver Lining is book 2 in the State of Grace series by Tammy L. Gray. While this story can easily be read as a standalone, the background of Darcy and Cameron’s relationship, which is an integral part of this story, begins in book 1, Love and a Little White Lie.

I was really looking forward to reading this story. In book one, Bryson was portrayed as a moody dark character that I wasn’t sure I would like and I wasn’t sure how he would pair with Darcy. I’m happy to say that I really like this couple together. I liked how Bryson opened up to Darcy so we could know who he really is deep down, not the persona he shows everyone. I also liked how Bryson made Darcy see what was really holding her back. I can’t go into more details because of spoilers, but I feel it will make the next story very interesting.

I did feel like there needed to be a bit more levity in this story as a lot of it was tragic. It picked up at the end, but the overall feeling of the story was heavier than I usually like to read. That being said, I am looking forward to the next story, which I am hoping is Cameron’s. I really want to see how everything wraps up!

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

LOVE AND THE SILVER LINING by TAMMY L GRAY is a delightful romance novel with quite a lot of depth as the characters work through difficulties and disappointments with varying reactions. There is also a good Christian message running through the story.
Cameron and Darcy have been best friends practically from birth. Cameron is a musician who has joined their mutual friend Bryson's band., Black Carousel, which is really taking off.
I love the part that dogs play in the book and how Darcy, as she works with Charlie's dogs, allows the Lord to work in her at the same time.
It is a most enjoyable read and one I highly recommend.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I have been anxiously waiting Tammy's next book and it did not disappoint!! She does such a phenomenal job of writing swoon worthy Christian romance. Showing that you can have Christ honoring relationship and still want to make out with your significant other! Hahah but seriously, she writes relatable, flawed characters that pull you in and have you rooting for them, issues and all!