Silver Lining

by Diana Simmonds

It’s so far beyond “just one of those days” that Amanda McIntyre can’t think of a single thing that’s going right. The banking industry is toast, her career in tatters, her girlfriend is up to her ears in someone else and New York City has frazzled Amanda’s last nerve.It’s not hard for her best buddy Malcolm to persuade her to take time out on a trip to his Australian home. Malcolm’s sister Clancy is waiting at the airport and Amanda can’t see the silver lining around this particular dark cloud. Clancy seems to blame the pampered banker princess from the States for the near-collapse of the family business. She’ll tolerate the visitor, but only just. Amanda wants to run for home, yet one week becomes two...becomes four...Diana Simmonds is the author of Forty Love and Heart on Fire, and returns to lesbian romance with this irreverent tale of looking for—and finding—the dark cloud’s silver lining.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Australia, Enemies To Lovers, Lesbian Romance

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2013

About the author

Diana Simmonds (born 1953) is an Australian journalist and arts critic, currently editor of Stage Noise and Sydney Alumni Magazine. She has written several novels and non-fiction books.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read about two very different women.
I was laughing a lot about the pickering and the dialogues of the two of them.
And the tension and connection between the women was palpable.
I loved this story very much and I will read more from Diana Simmonds.

[Elske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay read. 3.8 which makes it 4 stars

[Clare Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to put your feet up to an expertly written light romance, with great settings, and attractive characters with attitude and flaws then I can't recommend this highly enough. Written with wit and style with rich and colourful scenes, set in New York and Australia.

[Pin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silver Lining is not your average romance. It is a complex story with various aspects of life in general (cultural, social, political, economic...). This approach can be boring and confusing if overdone in romance novels, but here the author did it to the right extent. Add to that great dialogue, brilliantly developed characters, refreshing humor, a sweet love story, and you have a great read.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in paperback version. This is a romance threat is set in Sydney and New York City. I enjoyed the interaction of the main characters. It had a good plot but I still found it to be a little slow at times. Most readers should be ok if they try to read it in a day or two.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

[Kaz Bland · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Diana Simmonds book was Forty Love. Loved it. Silver Lining I also really liked it. The characters were relatable and struggles appeared real. I love her style of writing and was glad to read another one of her books.

[SussexCat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this again because Clancy is delicious and Amanda is adorable and the chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS.
And I needed some ice queen and some angst and some down right loveliness.

I love you, Clancy.

[Ayse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly enjoyable -- the writing was pretty good, although Amanda sometime lapsed into Aussie speak, which felt unrealistic. I liked the way the romance played out over a long time, but there was very little payoff. I was happy when they got together but I wish it had happened sooner. The story, interestingly, felt like a very modern and yet very classical romance. Many of the straight romances I read in my youth had only the perspective of the girl with an enigmatic (though clearly interested) love interest. This too was like that, told almost completely from the point of view of Amanda, with a cool and aloof Clancy (even the names are ones that would not be surprising in straight romance). The modern twist though was the eroticism with other people. It was very refreshing and not something that one expects in a romance, where sadly much slut shaming still happens. The other odd thing that really took me out of the story and has lingered with me to the end, was the very detailed discussion of the Subaru in Australia, which bordered on a commercial. The characters discuss the finer points of the car being diesel, the fuel efficiency, etc. That and the number of times that they mention that they drove a Subaru (when they didn't even have another car that might have confused the reader) was very strange and really felt like ad copy. I hope the author got some money for it :)

[Jayne Fereday · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to indulge in a romance once in a while, but I find so many formulaic both in terms of characters and tone with unrealistic stagey dialogue and incredible story lines (in a bad way).

It's such a relief to find Silver Lining - a great comfort romance, brilliantly written. The characters are real with faults and irritating habits that make them all the more loveable. The writing is several leagues above your average lesfic romance. And the settings and the way they are evoked make this a great arm-chair get away.

More please.

[Yasmary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as great as her previous works. A bit on the long side; it goes on for quite awhile before the characters get to a point where it seems like they even like each other.

Maybe I had a hard time with the pace. It's not a traditional story. It feels like a tag-along to someone's life. Which is okay, I just didn't expect it in this genre.

[SussexCat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely surprise.
Totally love Clancy and Amanda was a sweet, slightly naive and adorable little thing.
Some very sexy scenes - one of them not even between the leads. Had me twitching a little.
Really loved the tension and sparks in this book.
One of my all time favs. No doubt.

[Alexis(Andra) · Rating 2 out of 5]

How could the person who wrote " Heart on Fire" have written this book? Maybe I'm jaded from having read so many of the genre. This was just not good.

[Elizabeth Tanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read although a bit more sex needed than necessary. Story line was good.