Love and the Silver Lining

State of Grace #2

by Tammy L. Gray

Darcy Malone's dreams of mission work are dashed on her eve of fulfilling them: The Guatemalan school she was to teach at has closed. Devastated because she's already quit her job and given up her apartment, she also loses the perfect escape from the aftermath of her parents' divorce. Stuck in her worst-case scenario, Darcy takes an unexpected offer to move in with Bryson Katsaros's little sister, despite the years of distrust that's grown between her and Bryson, the lead singer in her best friend Cameron's band. As she meets those close to him, Darcy realizes that Bryson is more than she believed.

Struck with the need to find a purpose, Darcy jumps at the chance to care for and train a group of dogs, with the aim of finding each a home before their bereaved owner returns them to animal control. But it's Darcy herself who will encounter a surprising rescue in the form of unexpected love, forgiveness, and the power of letting go.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Romance, Fiction, Christian Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

352 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2021

About the author

Tammy L. Gray lives in the Dallas area with her family, and they love all things Texas, even the erratic weather patterns. Her nine modern and true-to-life contemporary romances include 2017 RITA award winning, My Hope Next Door, and show her unending quest to write high quality, culturally relevant stories with relatable and flawed characters.

When not taxiing her three kids to various school and sporting events, Tammy can be spotted crunching numbers as the financial administrator at her hometown church. Writing has given her a platform to combine her passion with her ministry all while sharing the messy, yet remarkable journey that is a faith-filled life.

Tammy L. Gray has lots of projects going on. For all the latest info, visit her website at http://tammylgray.com

I'd love to hear from all of you! Come join me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tlgraybooks or twitter @tlgraybooks

Reviews

[Oceana Reads Co. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love her storytelling!!! Darcy was a wonderful main character to follow and the way she dealt with her life being flipped upside down was so relatable and real. I’m grateful to read about Christian adults having difficult and mature conversations, and also having weaknesses and insecurities.
This is an excellent sequel and I highly recommend!

MY HEART.

[Dana Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

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, she 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.

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story! I loved Darcy so much in this story and can't wait for book 3 in this series! 5 stars!

Tammy L. Gray knows how to write characters with real emotion and depth. We follow Darcy's journey as she tries to navigate life after her mission trip she was looking forward to for so long has been canceled. She quit her job and gave up her apartment before the trip, but the trip was canceled and now she is trying to figure out the next steps in her life. She is devastated by this change, plus the recent divorce of her parents is weighing on her heart.

She's in a "worst-case" scenario and trying to find the "silver lining" in all of these changes. The Lord is with Darcy and I loved seeing her journey. She questions her faith, life and decisions made.

I don't want to say much more because I don't want to spoil the love interest portions, but there is a love triangle in this interweaved so beautifully -- I am normally not into love triangles but Tammy L. Gray does such a fabulous job in writing them! Top tier writing!

Also, as a side note, if you are a dog lover, you will love this even more! Darcy jumps at the chance to care for and train dogs, while trying to find them a home before they could possibly be sent away to animal control. So many beautiful depictions of her trying to help the dogs in this story.

These characters were relatable and I loved seeing their connections, conversations and journeys.

I can't wait for the next book in the series to see what happens next!

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Go to author for contemporary romance novels!

The first two lines of the second in the State of Grace Series are spectacular: "I'm supposed to be on an airplane, flying to Central America to teach children to speak English. Instead, I'm sitting on the couch and nursing my third pint of Rocky Road ice cream, watching a Telemundo soap opera in Spanish."

Darcy's career plans and personal life are not going at all how she expected. She's upset. She's frustrated. Her parents recently got divorced. Her career path came to an abrupt halt. Her apartment lease is quickly coming to an end. It seems nothing can go right.

Although she's irritated, I love that the warmth of her personality still come through. While Darcy yearned for mission work, she also loves dogs. A lot. To fill a void, she helps out the friend of a friend with a group of rescue dogs sorely in need of training before they are ready to be adopted.

Love and the Silver Lining is filled with what Tammy L Gray does best...an engaging story line, relate-able characters, character growth and a dash of humor. I especially loved Louis and Charlie.

My gratitude to publisher Bethany House for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The State of Grace series is such a great series with characters that are real and likable with real life issues. Darcy is having a bad year with her picture perfect parents getting a divorce and a missionary trip she has saved for years is canceled. Has God left her? Prayer is not helping. She has terminated her apartment lease. She could move home with her mom or stay at best friend Cameron's place with all his roommates. But another friend, Bryson talks his half sister into letting Darcy stay with her for a while. Cameron, Bryson and other friends from youth group are part of an up and coming band so they are thrown together all the time. Bryson's friend and mentor has his own hurts and Darcy is able to work with his dogs to get them adoptable while she works through her hurts.
This is an emotional story about a group of friends who all have issues to work through. Darcy has to overcome her disappointment in her parents and other disappointments. She is left with trust issues.
Cameron is her normal sounding board but she is drawn to dark, brooding Bryson, who has a sad past. People are not always as they seem. We are all formed by our past and sometimes our present is not how we envisioned it. But God always has a better plan. I highly recommend this story of relatable characters who come out on the other side better for their trials and tribulations.
I received a complimentary ARC from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tammy L. Grey is hitting it out of the park with the State of Grace series. Love and the Silver Lining is a fresh, sparkling contemporary with heart and depth. Engaging characters, realistic emotions, and cute dogs combine to make a winning story for this reader.

Grey’s first-person narration style is stellar. Darcy is a secondary character in the first book, and she really shines here in book two. Life has dealt her a blow, and she’s left to deal with the things that she had hoped to leave behind. Instead of beginning her career of teaching children English in Central America, she finds herself dealing with her parents’ divorce and wondering what she’s supposed to do with her life now. I thought I had her pegged in the first book, but I was mostly wrong about her. This in and of itself surprised me and reminded me that we can never know what is going on in a person’s mind and heart. Speaking of that, I was ready to roll my eyes a bit at Bryson’s character. I am so not into the bad boy singer type characters, but he was not stereotypical at all. He has a deep back story that adds a lot of dimension to his character. Grey has an amazing ability to portray the emotions of her characters that really digs into your heart.

I adored the inclusion of dogs, and Darcy’s work with them, as well as the great friendship between Bryson and Charlie. These characters came to life, and I can’t wait to read the next book. I’m not sure who the next book is about, but there are certainly a few secondary characters that I could see having journeys well worth reading.

“It was in those hard moments when God did His greatest work on my heart.”

These words are found in the author’s note, and after finishing such a lovingly crafted story, they brought tears to my eyes. I guess over the course of the last couple of years, there seem to have been more hard moments than easy. But I also know that God was near to me in those moments, and because of that, I am never lacking in hope. A story that reminds me of that is always going to be a work of art for me. I highly recommend these books for readers of romantic contemporary fiction.

A complimentary copy of this novel was provided by the publisher. A positive review was not required.

[Tejomai (bible_and_books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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😁😁
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
Let me tell you their romance was amazing and faith at end just squeezed my heart...shuu I don't even know how else to say how much I enjoyed this book

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 😉

I cannot wait to read all other books by this author

I
*I received an complementary copy from Netgally in return for genuine review

[Sarah Monzon · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Sherwood Smith]

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.

Copy provided by NetGalley

[Anne (In Search of Wonder) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many people love this author that I had to give her a try. I was not disappointed! The story pulled me in and gave me all the feels.

Despite my 5-Star rating, there were a couple things I didn't like:

-first person present (my least favorite narrative style)
-the physical aspect was really close to crossing a line for me in a Christian book especially
-some aspects of the ending were maybe a little too convenient and rushed

But I still give it 5 stars because the storytelling was so fantastic. I was drawn into the characters lives and their stories and their emotions. Tammy L Gray is able to tell the story in such a way that you are experiencing every joy and sorrow and fear right along with the characters. You can feel the tension in the room, or conversely, the joy and relief. I also really appreciate the raw reality of the characters and their responses to what love threw at them. All of that was well done and counterbalanced the aspects I didn't love as much. I will be reading more by this author!

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library

[Grace Johnson]

Review to come! :D

[Becky of Becky's Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

[Baylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words. This has got to be my favorite book of the year so far and easily one of my favorites of all time. I connected so deeply to Darcy-I felt like God was talking to me directly through this book. I truly don’t even have the words to say about how much I loved it and how much it touched my heart.

Cannot wait for the next book to come out.

[Christine Indorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the State of Grace series. Darcy lost her chance to go to a mission trip and feels terrible about it. Her group of friends try to help her get over it especially her best friend Cameron. But the one person she really doesn't like comes to her aid and they start to form a friendship. Everyone thinks Bryson is wild especially Darcy, but as time goes on and their friendship grows, Darcy see a new side to Bryson. She begins to wonder if she could give her heart to Bryson. Can Bryson accept the fact that Darcy is Best friends with Cameron. Does Cameron like her as more as a friend? I love Tammy L Gray. She doesn't just write easy material, she goes to the middle of the issues even if they aren't pretty. I love this story because Bryson isn't perfect but loves Darcy with all of his heart even when Cameron is trying to tear both of them apart. This really is such a great book and series. If you haven't read any of Tammy L Gray this series is a great one to start off with. I highly recommend this book and hope you take a chance and read this wonderful book for yourselves!!

[Miriam Simut · Rating 5 out of 5]

currently experiencing a whirlwind of emotions right now...

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like Book 1, the characters and drama was a bit much for me at times, but overall, I wasn't as annoyed. Dog lover that I am, the dog content was great to see, and I really liked how the story ended. Also, the faith content really impacted me. Darcy's life looked like it was super hopeless, but God turned it around perfectly for her and made some much-needed changes which gave her a better future than she could have ever imagined. I thought I'd dislike Bryson as much as I did in Book 1; and I'm not the bad boy type, but I was pleasantly surprised that he had quite a heart under all that black leather. Who knew? On the other hand, I don't even want to talk about Cam in this book. All I can say is, there'd better be a heckuva good redemption arc in Book 3, because this girl is SICK and TIRED of his creepy, wayward, selfish, possessive crap. Seriously, Cam you best straighten out or I'm fixin' to give you a Texas-sized kick in the butt. 👊

[Christine Indorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I loved book 2 more than book 1. A story of not believing what everyone says and trust in your own feelings and trust in God's his love for you. I do feel sorry for one of the characters in this story but he was out to get the girl no matter what and that isn't love. I love Tammy L Gray and her writing is for now and she puts life situation in each book. Highly recommend and hope you try others from this fabulous author!

[MJSH · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I mean, what is the point of working and straining to hear God's will when in the end I'm just as lost as if I'd never tried in the first place? Wouldn't it be easier if I just didn't care at all?"

Oh, Darcy. What a heart-breaking and soul-wrenching journey she takes after everything turns upside down and sideways in her controlled, neatly packaged world. Her naive, steady, optimistic, good girl self goes through blinding disappointments, crushing life circumstances, life-altering challenges, and an undeniable call to leave the past behind. This book, more so than any other of the author's I've read, has captured me wholly and completely with the raw intense emotions. Throbbing grief is balanced by unshakable friendship, sense of purpose is restored by training rescue dogs, and God's molding and shaping through difficulties is so evident. Though the book plays out through only Darcy's first person viewpoint, we get to know Bryson pretty well and he is the epitome of a reborn man. His sensitive, sweet, tender, compassionate nature that no one else knows allows him to fit into Darcy's 'new' world and his sacrificial love is incredible to behold. Charlie and Zoe are excellent secondary characters who add depth to Darcy and Bryson's world and I'm secretly hoping that there will be a book about Zoe.
It's another winner for Tammy L Gray. You don't want to miss this contemporary romance filled with characters who will feel like your best friends that exquisitely paints a journey of hope, grace, and forgiveness that will feel like your own.

I received a copy of the book from Bethany House and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

[Joy Tiff · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one missed the mark for me. I spent 3/4 of the book hoping that the heroine would choose a different hero… and the last 1/4 hoping she wouldn’t choose either one. I did, however, enjoy the rehabilitation of the dogs. And Charlie was one of those old men you can’t help but love and his story touched me. I’m curious to see what the third book will be about. I’m willing to see if perhaps that one will be a hit for me since I loved the first book in this series so much.

[Angie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a reread for me...because apparently the 20 other books I have started aren't grabbing my attention
😝. Still 5 stars. I love it! There are many relatable things/ characters in this book , which makes it one of my favourites.

[Nikki Schoenbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ripped my heart out as it hit a little too close to home. Darcy’s character reminded me so much of myself and what has happened in my life…minus two hot rockstar friends competing for me lol.
-Darcy always wants to follow the rules, do everything perfectly, not take risks until suddenly her parents are going through a divorce and everything she thought she knew turned out to be a lie. She doesn’t understand why any of this is happening to her when she does everything right and follows all the rules. The home she grew up in is no longer recognizable and she doesn’t have a sense of security or purpose anymore.
-This book was depressing as it reminded of my life and childhood but I think there was a lot of life lessons I could take away from it. Great faith content and romance.

[Natalie Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid 4.5* for me. I had a hard time investing in the heroine when it came to her loss over the mission trip, seemed overly dramatic, but her relationship with the family issues was perfectly balanced and believable. Gritty hero that was easy to root for and a secondary character who bordered creepy, Gray kept me turning pages to an enjoyable end.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it crazy to want to cry because a story is over? Oh my word, this story was so excellent! I literally just finished the last page wondering if I should get all of my thoughts and emotions out now or collect my thoughts. I'm just going for it.

I had an idea of what I thought Darcy's story might look like after getting to know her in book one. Boy was I wrong. I think even she didn't know who she was. This story was really about her getting to the core of who she was and the relationships that involved her. I appreciated how the author used the dogs Darcy ends up working with to give us insight into what she was going through.

I also had very strong feelings about Bryson from book one, and none of them were kind. Seriously, if you've read book one tell me I'm wrong. I will admit after reading book two in wondering if I should go back and read book one to see if I can find things I might have missed. Needless to say, I had strong feelings about Bryson at the end of this story as well.

There's so much to pack into this review. Darcy goes through a lot. A lot more than most in such a small period of time. It was incredible to watch her try to process everything and find her way in life. Cameron, her best friend, is there through the thick and thin.

Cameron is still figuring out life after the fallout from his relationship with January. He plays a big part in this entire story as well.

Of course, there's the man in all black, Bryson. This guy has walls in place no one should be able to get through. I just loved how the author drew back his layers through Darcy. Along with her, we get to know him better and deeper.

If you're looking for romance, this story will fill that desire utterly! There were so many moments where my heart was racing because the story was able to spark my romantic side. It also evoke emotions from me for the deep pain all 3 of the main characters were feeling! I was a total mush ball with my emotions all over the place, much like the characters in the story!

*I received this book for review. This is my personal opinion.

[Chautona Havig · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read Love and a Little White Lie, I suspected I'd like the next books even better. And I did. Giving this book five stars was hard, though. It earned every one of them and then some. The deep faith, the raw, authentic reactions to a life shaken until it seems like it can never be steady again--it all converges into multiple tales of love and commitment with the blinders ripped off.

Of everything in this book, seeing Darcy through the parallels of the dogs she trains is probably the most brilliant use of imagery I've seen in a long time. Because here's the deal. It is right there and obvious from the first time we meet the motley crew of canines, and yet, I didn't really see it until 2/3 through the book! In fact, astute readers (which obviously doesn't include me), can even guess the progression of the entire story through the lens of those dogs. Genius.

Okay, here's the deal. If there is any doubt of how much I love and respect this book, the fact that I love a ROMANCE, written in first person/present tense, with the level of sensual passion displayed on the page... Well, that should say a lot. As to the former--most of the time I didn't notice, so Gray did a great job with a format I really don't care for. As to the latter, I confess to skipping most of Darcy's more... shall we say... private scenes. No, they don't cross "the" boundary (although Gray wisely shows that it could have happened. That's reality, folks, and I support her 100% on that). I'm just a prude, I admit it, and the "heat" level went about as far as a clean novel can go without dipping into spicy. That's not my fave.

But again. Five stars. Because this is gritty, edgy, authentic Christian fiction at its finest. This is God's people nearly (and sometimes) falling flat on their faces because they're still human under that cleansing blood, and they still blow it. I just appreciate that I didn't get a front-row seat of it all. Trust me, an aisle seat near the middle was more than close enough for me.

And I'm still cheering over here. Onto book three. I suspect she's going to knock it out of the park.

[Ochegba · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to to when it seems like your dreams and all you prayed and planned for come crashing down?
I had eagerly been waiting for this story. I remembered how hard Darcy worked for her dream in the first book and wanted to see how it's all pan out.
It was interesting meeting characters from the previous story and seeing what they way up to, wondering how Darcy's relationship with Bryson and Cam will pan out and seeing her make those tough decisions that were long overdue.
It's a wonderful story as usual from the author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are solely mine

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know why it took me so long to open this book and start reading it. I loved book one, Love and a Little White Lie, and I think I might have been a bit scared that book two would not move me as much as that first story. Well, I was so wrong! Love and the Silver Lining pulled my heart around in the best of ways. I love it even more than I did the first book! I am so glad that I pre-ordered book three, Love and the Dream Come True, and that it is on its way to my door right now. I can hardly wait!

This story is told in first person narrative from Darcy’s perspective, yet I felt as if I was as connected to the hero, Bryson, as I was to Darcy. At the opening of the story, Darcy has had some really upsetting events in her life. She feels as if every rug out there that she has stepped on has been pulled out from under her. She honestly doesn’t know what to do with her life, what to do about her divorced parents, and is one very unhappy person.

Enter Bryson. From the very beginning of the book, it is clear that Bryson is more than what everyone seems to think he is. He is the brooding lead singer of a band, yet there is this deep and painful backstory to him that Darcy begins to learn about, both from others and directly from him. He goes out of his way on so many occasions to be there for Darcy and my heart soared and broke for him time and again.

This was one powerful story! I loved it from start to finish and I really am not ready to set it away on my shelf yet. This one is definitely a favorite and will be a book I reread for sure.

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[T. Rosado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is a standalone, if you read book 1 in the State of Grace series, you’ll remember Darcy, Cameron, and possibly Bryson. After Darcy’s ministry plans are thwarted, she’s forced into finding a new plan for her life while navigating her parent’s recent divorce, her friendship with Cameron, and her biased perception of Bryson.

The one thing I can rely upon with this author, she doesn’t skirt around real life issues like anger, grief, irrational behavior, and unwise choices. It’s all in here and there’s some ugliness that the characters go through prior to getting to the goodness.

In all honesty, I was a little nervous when I started this one. This wasn’t the Darcy I expected after meeting her in the previous book. I’m not a fan of negativity or a “poor me” attitude and Darcy was dwelling in some serious self-pity. I also felt her reasons were overblown, since there were/are numerous opportunities for ministry outreaches. Then I remembered how my own daughter was forced home from her own mission work at the beginning of the pandemic and how her anxiety and depression were amplified. It was also the impetus to an entirely new life plan. So, forgive me for my early judgment of Darcy, since the author also managed to craft a lovely and believable character transformation from those beginning chapters.

Boy, did Gray ever deliver on the brooding hero. Bryson might just be my favorite to date from the author. He was the perfect balance of strong, sensitive, and self-aware. A man who has faced the hurts of his past and is seeking a better future. My heart broke while he attempted to be a better friend to Darcy and others, while still being viewed through a distorted lens. As Darcy began to see the true Bryson, their chemistry became lightning. And so very, very swoon-worthy.

There were also many secondary characters and circumstances that helped to carry the story forward, as well as giving Darcy some perspective. Such as, her boy-crazy roommate, grieving Charlie, her divorced parents, and the dogs. I found the dog training a smart and entertaining plot device often used as a catalyst for some great life lessons.

I’ve read quite a number of Tammy L. Gray’s books and this one is right up there with my top favorites.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh I so loved this story. The romance was amazing and Bryson is such a strong character. I have no complaints (except for the fact that I actually despide Cameron)

[Erica Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️