Review: Love and A Little White Lie by Tammy L. Gray

Series: State of Grace #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: Aug. 4, 2020
352 pages

About the Book:

January Sanders grew up believing karma was more reliable than an imaginary higher power, but after suffering her worst heartbreak in 29 years, she's open to just about anything, including taking a temporary position at her aunt's church. Keeping her lack of faith a secret, January is determined to use her photographic memory to help Grace Community's overworked staff, all while scraping herself off rock bottom.

What she doesn't count on is meeting the church's handsome and charming guitarist, who not only is a strong believer, but has also dedicated his life to Christian music. It's a match set for disaster, and yet January has no ability to stay away, even if it means pretending to have faith in a God she doesn't believe in.

Only this time, keeping secrets isn't as easy as she thought it would be. Especially when she's constantly running into her aunt's landscape architect, who seems to know everything about her past and present sins and makes no apologies about pushing her to deal with feelings she'd rather keep buried.

Torn between two worlds incapable of coexisting, can January find the healing that's eluded her or will her resistance to the truth ruin any chance of happiness?

  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐

I have such mixed thoughts about this book, I have heard such high praise of this story that I expected to really enjoy the story. But I struggled with the characters in particular one of the relationships.  I did read this when I was sick and have wondered if that affected my enjoyment of the book or not, if I hadn’t been sick would I have enjoyed the story more? Do I need to re-read this at some point?

January is a non-Christian who gets a job at a mega church as an assistant. I liked January’s heart for others and her willingness to take on tasks outside of her comfort zone to cover for her boss, Ralph, so that he could take some time to work on a personal matter. I enjoyed seeing her learn about Christ and form of relationship with God. I also liked the character of Dillon, even though he has been hurt by recent tragedies, he has not turned his back on God. January’s aunt and mom have a strained relationship, but this doesn’t stop her aunt from offering shelter to January when she needs an escape. Aunt Doreen accepted January as she was and just loved her. There was a plot twist I didn’t see coming but was pleased when it happened because I wasn’t a fan of where the story seemed to be heading prior to this. I loved the ending and January definitely grew over the course of the story. I did really enjoy the strong faith message of the story. 

Favourite Quote: 

“Faith requires trust even when we don't always understand His purpose.”

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

My Hope Next Door - The Fairfield #1

My Unexpected Hope - The Fairfield #2
The Truth Between Us - Brentwood #2 

Review: Kept by Sally Bradley

Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Publisher: Salena House Publishers
Released: Sept. 10, 2014
435 pages

About the Book:

Life has taught Miska Tomlinson that there are no honorable men. Her womanizing brothers, her absentee father, and Mark, the married baseball player who claims to love her—all have proven undependable. But Miska has life under control. She runs her editing business from her luxury condo, stays fit with daily jogs along Chicago's lakefront, and in her free time blogs anonymously about life as a kept woman.

Enter new neighbor Dillan Foster. Between his unexpected friendship and her father's sudden reappearance, Miska loses control of her orderly life. Her relationship with Mark deteriorates, and Miska can't help comparing him to Dillan. His religious views are so foreign, yet the way he treats her is something she's longed for. But Dillan discovers exactly who she is and what she has done. Too late she finds herself longing for a man who is determined to never look her way again.

When her blog receives unexpected national press, Miska realizes that her anonymity was an illusion. Caught in a scandal about to break across the nation, Miska wonders if the God Dillan talks about would bother with a woman like her—a woman who's gone too far and done too much. 

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I first read this book 6 years ago, I remembered bits and pieces of the story from previously reading it however not a lot. After meeting Miska at the beginning I was drawn to hear began to root for things to change for her. The author did not shy away from tough topics and all characters (both believers and unbelievers alike) had flaws. This felt realistic. Dillan is a youth pastor and Miska's neighbour which leads to an unexpected friendship forming between them, but their views and lifestyle are so different neither can predict what the future might hold for them. The portrayal of Dillan's struggles were filled with raw emotion and had me rooting for him. Tracey was probably my favourite character, I loved how she Miska and shared her faith not only through her words but backed them up with her actions. Tracey’s had her own struggles she was dealing with and could have treated Miska so differently. The friendship between these two was wonderful and heartwarming. The author does not gloss over the hard stuff instead shows readers God's grace and forgiveness. She really digs into the Bible and explains it well. I loved these characters and wanted to spend more time with them. I enjoyed the ending and was sad to say goodbye. 

Favourite Quote: 

“It doesn't matter how much you've done, whether it's one sin or a million sins. They both have the same punishment - hell, eternal separation from God.”

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Review: Becoming Fearless by Michelle Aguilar

Genre: Biography/Memoir
Publisher: David C Cook 
Released: Oct. 1, 2011
231 pages

About the Book:

As the Season 6 winner of The Biggest Loser, Michelle Aguilar goes beyond her grand-prize victory to inspire readers to overcome fear.

In Becoming Fearless, readers will discover Aguilar’s motivation not only for winning the show, but facing her deep seated fears. They will discover they have a lot to lose as well—whether it’s fear, weight, or insecurities that keep them from living a full life.

Becoming Fearless is a story of reconciliation between a mother and a daughter, a testament to the power of forgiveness, and a reminder that the journey is even more important than the destination. It is an encouragement to “feel the fear” in any situation without being paralyzed by it. Will you have faith in God when you’ve lost faith in yourself?  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Michelle Aguilar was the season 6 winner from reality show The Biggest Loser. In this book she shares stories about her growing up years, time on The Biggest Loser and where her journey has taken in in the year since the tv show. The way the book read it felt like I was having a personal conversation with Michelle. She shares about some of her biggest fears and struggles and works to overcome them daily. While my life experiences are not the same, I felt like I could relate to some of her struggles and was encouraged by her perseverance. There is a strong theme of trusting God as Michelle shares her struggles and inner turmoil. I found it encouraging to read about her struggles and inspired by her attitude. This book gave me hope. As I remember watching her season it was fun to find out some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that viewers don’t get to see. I absolutely loved the faith message and would recommend reading this. 

Favourite Quote: 

“I am defined by my loving heavenly Father, who declares me perfect in His sight and reminds me daily that I am limited only by my own perceptions. So I just need to stop giving so much attention and power to my fears and, instead, simply agree with what He already sees.”

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

 

Review: Like the Wind by Robin Lee Hatcher

Releases: November 29, 2022 

Genre: Dual-Timeline, Women's Fiction 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Releases: Nov. 29, 2022
336 pages

About the Book:

A life in pieces. A hundred-year-old journal. And a chance for love to be reborn.

Olivia Ward arrived in Bethlehem Springs alone—with no job, no home, and no money—after her manipulative ex-husband used his power and wealth to destroy everything. Six years later, the peaceful life she rebuilt is once again turned upside down when she learns that her fifteen-year-old daughter, Emma, will be coming to live with her. The reunion should be a dream come true, but years of deception have driven a wedge between them. And Emma seems more interested in an old diary she discovered than reconciliation with her mother.

Tyler Murphy knows what it’s like to lose everything. Propelled by his history in the foster-care system, he’s determined to root out dishonesty and protect the most vulnerable through his work as an investigator. When he’s hired to investigate Olivia Ward, though, he finds himself longing to believe she’s exactly who she appears to be, and he soon realizes that his desire to learn more about her has nothing to do with his job. But how can he pursue a relationship that began with a lie?  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Upon starting the story, it did not take me very long to feel for Olivia. She has been through so much hardship due to her ex-husband. He was able to use his wealth and power to keep her daughter, Emma, away from her out of spite. When her daughter, Emma, moves in with Olivia 6 years later they are basically strangers to each another. The tension between them felt real and relatable. The way their relationship developed over the course of time felt natural. We saw Emma transform from a bitter, mad teen to someone who found something they enjoy and make friends. We see Olivia learn to lean on God and open herself up to those around her. I liked the character of Tyler, he truly was a nice guy and was sensitive towards Olivia’s feelings. I do wish he would have shared his secret with Olivia much earlier than he did, but I understand why he held back.  I really enjoyed that the historical portion of the story was told completely through diary entries. These were interesting to read and I found myself learning more about what some experienced during the depression years. The diary writer did question God at times but also shared how they saw Him at work in their lives. I could easily understand how Emma was captivated by the diary entries. Her experiences are quite different from the writer, but she was experiencing some of the same feelings. This was a sweet family relationship story with a budding romance between Olivia and Tyler. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between mother and daughter improve. I found the faith message to be inspiring and overall I enjoyed spending time in this story. 

Favourite Quote: 

“She hadn't always understood God or what He was doing but she'd believe in Him and had trusted Him even when she was hurting.”

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

Who I Am With You - Legacy of Faith #1
You're Gonna Love Me 

Review: Fatal Forensic Investigation by Darlene L. Turner

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Love Inspired
Released: June 28, 2022
224 pages

About the Book:

Remembering a serial killer’s face…
could be deadly

While interviewing the Coastline Strangler’s only surviving victim, forensic artist Scarlet Wells is attacked and left with amnesia. Now she’s his next mark and has no choice but to work with constable Jace Allen to unlock the criminal’s true identity trapped in her mind. Will they be able to recover the hidden memory and hunt down the killer before he strikes again?

  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scarlet is a forensic artist who has been brought in to sketch a picture of a serial killer based on a witness description. During the interview Scarlet and the witness are attacked and Scarlet receives a head injury which causes her to lose her memory. However the killer does not know that Scarlet is dealing with amnesia and has no memory of seeing them, so the killer set their sights on getting rid of Scarlet so she cannot identify them. How scary for Scarlett knowing someone is after her but having no idea what that person looks like. This story is action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat. So much happens and so many innocent people die. I quickly became invested in the plot and the characters. I enjoyed the way it progressed and keep me suspicious of everyone. I enjoyed following along with the police trying to figure out how it seemed the killer was always one step ahead of them. I had suspicions of who was responsible but I ended up being surprised by the final reveal. The suspense and the case took centre stage for the story with the budding romance in the background. Highly recommend.

(I borrowed a copy of this book from a friend; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Check out my reviews of other books by this author: 

   

Lethal Cover-Up

Safe House Exposed