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 … 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?
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Love and a Little White Lie by Tammy L. Gray is a story that will stick with me for quite a while. This is the first book that I’ve read by Ms. Gray, but it most definitely will not be the last. I really love Gray’s writing style and the way she creates very realistic characters. What I found so unique about this story is the protagonist, January. Her agnostic voice is one of the most real voices I’ve read in Christian Fiction. She could easily be one of the many agnostic people I know in my own life. Her thinking about life and her contradictions and her selfishness are spot on. And the dichotomy between Cameron (the super good, raised Christian his whole life, seriously sheltered man) and Dillon (the Christian who has just walked through some serious fire and is now angry and questioning God in a Job-like manner) is outstanding. These two men represent facets of Christianity that many authors have illustrated before, but the way Gray juxtaposes them in her novel really makes a Christian reader stop and think about her own faith and the genuineness of that declared faith. I have to say, Love and a Little White Lie really blew me away!
January Sanders drove me crazy. She is the most self-focused character I think I’ve ever read. Everything she does, she does for herself. She is not bothered with lies if they get her to where she wants to go or who she wants to be or how much money she wants to make. It does not really bother her that she lies about being a Christian when she goes for a job interview at her aunt’s church because she just needs a job. As she works within the church, her idea of Christian people shifts a smidge, but she constantly refuses to believe in an invisible entity in the sky. She is going to do good for others because she is a good person and it will make her life easier. When she sets her sights on Cameron, the super cute guitarist in the church band, she tells herself that she will respect his Christian boundaries, but she totally doesn’t. In fact, this is what drove me the most insane. She literally tells Cameron that she respects him and his Christian beliefs, but the second she feels a certain way and wants him to feel a certain way, she throws respect out the door and allows him a physical/sensual opportunity she knows he should not take. And, if that isn’t enough, the way she treats Dillon is quite awful. He is her punching bag, and punch she does — often. In many ways, January is NOT the good person she thinks she is.
By the 3/4 mark, I was ready to tell January off and put the book down. Not because the story isn’t good — oh my goodness, this story is super engaging. The pages flew by. No, I wanted to put the book down because January’s self-focus and selfishness became overwhelming. Every time she “helps” someone, I was annoyed because I knew she was doing it for herself. Every time she hangs out with Cameron it’s because she wants something from him. Every time she uses Dillon as a punching bag it’s so she can feel better. Then she has the audacity to tell the people around her that what they believe in is nothing more than fakery. Argh! But, I kept with the book hoping for an excellent come-to-Jesus moment. It’s a pretty darn good moment! And, what is the most awesome, January’s come-to-Jesus moment helped me understand God’s grace and forgiveness better. Once she understands things better and the puzzle pieces fit into place, January becomes one of the best characters in this book. I found I could let everything she did and said earlier go … just like that. Kind of like how God does for us. I know that the Bible tells us that love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), but I also believe that humility covers a multitude of sins, too. January’s humility after her eyes are truly opened to God is my favorite aspect of this novel. Cause isn’t that how it really goes? We are so selfish and so sure in our SELVES until we find God. Then we see ourselves the way God sees us and we are humbled and then we are grateful that love does cover all those sins we committed. Ms. Gray did an absolutely fabulous job of crafting January’s insanely realistic character. January’s journey to God is illustrated superbly in this novel, and made me look within my own self quite a few times!
Love and a Little White Lie is an excellent story that I highly recommend. I know I wrote A LOT in this review, but trust me, I barely cracked the surface. This book is gritty, realistic, and deep. It forces the reader to contemplate and evaluate themselves. It’s gripping and thoughtful and romantic. Love and a Little White Lie is one outstanding story.
I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Bethany House Publishers, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is a light yet intelligent contemporary romance. If you like Becky Wade, I think you’ll really enjoy ‘Love and a Little White Lie.’ It features a young woman who has never had any faith who finds herself working as a church secretary and the appealing cast of characters she meets at the church….all the while struggling to conceal her lack of faith, especially from the two men who show interest in her. This is a wonderfully refreshing voice in Christian fiction!
‘There’s different rules for someone like me. I don’t get to call on an imaginary higher being for strength. I have to find it in myself.’
January Sanders moves into a cabin on her aunt’s wedding venue property after a devastating heartbreak, and even accepts a temporary position at her aunt’s church, despite the fact that she doesn’t believe in God. Then she meets the church’s gorgeous guitarist, a match that will not come to any good, but she can’t look away. Then she keeps running into the landscape guy at her aunt’s property, who uncannily seems to know her secrets and heart agonies. January finds herself completely torn and has no idea which way to turn.
Tammy L. Gray was not an author I had read before and I hesitated a bit before reading. Because sometimes you read a dud. Wow! Not this time. This book is already on my top reads list for 2020. It’s that good. I knew when I read that January did not believe in God that I was going to love watching God woo her and run her down. I am all in when an author has me connect with the characters from the first page. And Gray did just that. I felt as if I knew them from the very start and each one proved to be real and walk off the page folks. I could not put this book down! I spent every single spare moment reading it and grabbed it first thing this morning to finish. A novel of redemption, grace, mercy and forgiveness is one that will grab the reader from the start and not let go. It is so fascinating to see how God works behind the scenes in our lives to bring about His purposes. I just loved it! The writing is stellar and the plot is one that will hook you immediately.
Highly recommended.
*My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book. The opinions here are entirely my own.
“No need to simplify the exceptional. January is a great name. Means ‘month of the wolf’, you know.”
Tammy L Gray, once again, has created a beautifully and soulfully written contemporary romance that will make you laugh, cry, hurt, and rejoice in a span of 368 pages. She truly is a master artist who can drape the canvas of her pages with raw, real, unencumbered emotions that will pull you in and not let go. There are themes to ponder – of forgiveness, reconciliation, letting go of fear, owning faith and making it personal, and surrendering all the anger, disappointment, failures and frustrations to the One who will willingly carry and love us.
There are delightfully funny and poignant commentaries about the church as an organization and the broken yet grace-filled people who make up the church spoken through the first person present-tense narrative of unchurched January (Jan). I’ve been a Christian for most of my life so Jan’s thoughtful observations about the church leadership and the daily grind of church administration are enlightening and sometimes quite humorous. Jan’s narrative has a way of making you feel like you’re right there with her through the entire book and her fun, quirky cleverness, along with her huge and tender heart, will have you wanting to be her best friend. Her emotional and spiritual journey is rocky, but to finally meet the mature, grounded woman that emerges through the heartbreak, self-realization, repentance, and courage is worth the rollercoaster ride next to Jan.
Cameron is a gifted but frustrated musician who’s still working out his calling in life. He’s incredibly sweet, thoughtful, innocent, and sheltered and truly every young woman’s dream. Dillon is a gifted architect who’s angry at God for how his life has unraveled in the past year but does have a softer side that comes out as he and Jan become friends. Their banter is so awesome and witty that they had me laughing out loud with tears. There is a group of Cameron and Dillon’s friends who have grown up in town and in the church together, somewhat reminiscent of friends from the author’s previous Bentwood series, and I’m hoping she is planning to expound on these secondary characters in future books.
Oh, and the music! The power and the beauty of the Spirit within worship music is so vividly painted throughout the book that it gave me goosebumps every time Cameron played.
If you enjoy well-written contemporary romance with depth and heart-rending emotions, you need to read this book. You won’t be able to put it down. I received a copy of the book from the author and Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
January Sanders was heartbroken after she gave up her job and moved with her boyfriend, who then dumped her for another woman. Her Aunt Doreen owned a wedding venue called Boots & Love Ranch, and she let January move into a cabin at that location. Aunt Doreen also got January a temporary job at Doreen’s church, Grace Community Church, assisting Discipleship and Education Pastor Ralph O’Neal, who was swamped with all of his commitments and was very unorganized. January had a photographic memory and good organization skills and was very successful in that role, even though she kept it a secret that she was not a Christian and didn’t even believe in God. While on the job, January met handsome Cameron Lee, who was the church’s guitarist on the Praise Team. She found Cameron to be irresistible, but again did not admit her lack of faith.
January also met a young architect, Dillon Kyle, who worked much of the time for Aunt Doreen, building more wedding venue structures and doing the landscaping. Dillon knew a lot of January’s past and pushed her to deal with her feelings. He came across as abrasive, but was also dealing with devastating situations in his own life.
There are also many other characters in the story who have an influence on January, most of them in a positive, God-guided way. Will Cameron and January have a future together? Will January finally realize that God is real and surrender to Jesus Christ as her Savior? Read this amazing book to learn all the details. Tammy L. Gray is a wonderfully talented author.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is my first experience reading something by Ms Gray, and I really enjoyed it. The characters were well-developed and realistic and it was easy to relate to them. The main character of the story is not big on faith, but finds herself working as a church secretary. January struggles to hide her faith from everyone while working there, especially from two men who have caught her attention. This is a beautifully written story that is inspirational and really touches your soul. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
I loved everything about this book. The characters have flaws and strengths. The writing is witty. I didn’t know how it would end until . . . well, no spoilers. Highly recommended!
Love and a Little White Lie by Tammy L. Gray is book 1 in the State of Grace series. This is not your typical Christian romance. It is even better. Often, I think characters are relatable or realistic. Here, the author’s characters go beyond this. I would call them broken and vulnerable and full of emotion. This leads to quite an interesting, unconventional story. I love the author’s approach. This is what the church should look like. I adored this book. It was not at all what I expected but it is just perfect for today. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
When I read the premise of this story, I expected to read a humourous, light-hearted story with a few truths sprinkled in. What I didn’t expect to read was a story with so much depth, truth and emotion. Tammy L. Gray has a gift for explaining those undefinable emotions that we all feel but don’t have a name for. I don’t want to spoil the ending so I won’t say too much about the story except that it was a beautiful story filled with loveable yet complicated characters. My heart broke for January as I read of her heartbreak and brokenness. To contrast those sad moments were the entertaining ones when January would do her best to blend in with these strange Christians and attempt to understand their odd jargon.
4.5 Stars
Don’t be fooled–this looks and sounds like a light novel, and though there are tons of moments that are light and hilarious, this book is so much more. I was stunned by how deeply it touched me.
The romance is perfectly paced, not too fast and not too slow. It’s a delicate dance that bobs and weaves into love triangle territory without fully committing to the trope. And the characters are wonderful. Everyone is struggling with something, which makes the characters rich and real. I appreciated that Gray didn’t try to smooth over the struggles or sweep them under the rug; instead, she showcased how wrestling with our faith can actually strengthen our faith.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next one!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All expressed opinions belong to me.
This book I added to my TBR because it sounded a bit like another of my favorite books. It turned out to be very different, of course, but I’m so glad I read it anyway because it was absolutely amazing. There were so many things I loved about it – the humour, the depth, the characters, the romance, how relatable it was – but by far, what I loved most was how real it was. Real, broken people dealing with very real issues in a way that felt so far from fiction. It dealt with a lot of issues most Christians like to skim over because they are uncomfortable. But I loved how they were written about and the incredible grace overarching it all. Really looking forward to reading more in this series.
Love and a Little White Lie
A State of Grace Novel #1
By Tammy L. Gray
January Sanders’s life is a mess, she’s a mess. The guy she thought was the one has dumped her and she needs to get her life and herself unbroken. Stuck in Texas after having left her life in Georgia behind she reaches out to her Aunt Doreen for a place to crash and then rebuild her life.
With a “bridal” cabin to call her temporary home and a temporary assistant job at her aunt’s church January just might be able to get her life back together and save up enough money to get herself back home to Georgia. There is just one little problem she doesn’t believe in God and working in a church is just asking for trouble. But as long as no one knows what harm could it do just faking the church stuff, after all, she’s helping out a very overworked staff member.
And when she meets the perfect guy who just happens to work in the church’s musical ministry, well he doesn’t need to know just how her faith, or lack of faith, compares to his own beliefs. After sometimes the truth hurts a whole lot more than a little lie that is for the greater good. Now if only her aunt’s overly obnoxious landscape designer/architect would quit making her business his.
But Dillion Kyle tells it as he sees it and he isn’t about to let January get away with the mistruths she is using to hide behind. And he knows just what to do to get her temper into a smoldering tempest. But there is something about him that captures her attention too. Dillion knows the pain that she is living through, even if she doesn’t know the whole story (or even half of it). And even more interesting Dillion has a way of making her want to spend time with him, when he isn’t making her mad.
I have never read Tammy L. Gray’s work before and was well pleased with this introduction to her work. This book has a contemporary setting and is relatable whether or not one has found one’s self in a similar situation. January is a character one can identify with in one way or another as she deals with disappointments, family issues, and life in general. I can actually see this book being a good fit for a Hallmark movie. This isn’t all happy this is all good but it is a satisfying read and well worth the time spent between the pages. Would be an excellent book club selection.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but to provide my honest opinion – all thoughts expressed are my own.
Whether you are a member of an intimate rural congregation like me or you attend a multi-campus mega-church, we have to admit to at least a few church culture traditions or phrases that leave first-time visitors scratching their heads. Even though I didn’t grow up in church, it’s easy to forget what specifically I didn’t know about the church before Jesus and His Bride became such an integral part of my life.
With a heroine who is unapologetically opposed to organized religion, a discontent praise band guitarist, and an ever-present cantankerous handyman, there isn’t a shortage of either entertaining or thought-provoking encounters! At the heart of this story is the heart of the church, reaching the lost, edifying the brethren, and bringing all praise, honor, and glory to our Mighty Creator and Savior.
Although I’ve enjoyed Gray’s characters and stories for years, I am especially fond of Love and a Little White Lie. If you’re also familiar with her past works, you’ll find this story has a little less grit and a little more humor while retaining her signature authentically flawed characters and meaningful plotting. This reading experience has been a breath of fresh air which I highly recommend and I can’t wait to read more State of Grace novels!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Full disclosure – I have never read a Christian fiction novel before and I didn’t realise that Love and a Little White Lie fell under that category. After reading the blurb I thought it was a contemporary romance/rom-com novel, which it is but there is more…
Let me start by saying that I’m not an atheist or agnostic. I have my own beliefs on God and faith, but they are mine. So, I went into this story with an open mind.
And wanna know something? I’m really glad I did. Shocked you, huh?
January’s a little lost at the start of the book after a recent heartbreak. Finding shelter with her aunt while she heals her heart and decides what she wants to do next. I loved the fact that faith isn’t a barrier between Jan and her aunt. The love they have for one another leapt off the page.
Taking a temporary position at her aunt’s church changes more than just her own life. An atheist in a church sounds like the beginning of a very bad joke, but faith, or Jan’s lack thereof, doesn’t stop her from embracing her new role and all that it entails.
Jan’s story is one of self-discovery and finding where you belong, which might end up being where you least expect it.
Talk about emotional rollercoaster! I ran the full gamut of emotions with this one. The first time I cried it startled me as my reaction was so visceral. I’m totally blaming the connection between pawpaws (or in my case papas) and Amazing Grace. The fact that mine was always half-cut when he sang it is just by the bye *snorts*.
LaaLWL touches on a lot of different themes. The one overriding feeling I was left with at the end of this book was being true to yourself no matter what. For how can we hope to find happiness otherwise?
You all know I love a quote and I think Dillon summed it up best:
“It’s only now that the clouds have started to thin that I’m able to see some of the beauty the rain left behind.”
Life isn’t static. We have to roll with the punches sometimes but don’t close yourself off from love in its many forms.
January Saunders has just been hired as an administrative assistant at Grace Community Church, a job she desperately needs. So desperately that she’s willing to work in a church, despite not believing in God or any other higher power. The work isn’t difficult, but working in a new environment does have challenges.
She’s assisting an overworked pastor who covers a broad range of ministries. She soon finds he has more challenges than a lack of ability to organise hundreds of prayer request cards (her first task). Jen also finds herself working with Cameron, the handsome young worship leader who wants a career in music. Cameron is friendly and outgoing, and Jen finds herself spending a lot of time with him.
Jen is staying in a cottage on at her aunt’s wedding ranch, where she meets Dillon, the contractor installing a new gazebo and undertaking other repairs around the ranch. He’s always there, but he’s not the guy Cameron is. For one thing, Dillon is too blunt for Jen’s taste, especially when he calls her on her “little white lie” around her lack of faith.
Love and a Little White Lie is written in first person point of view. I like first person—it does a great job of bringing the reader (me) into the character’s head. I know some people don’t like first person, which is why I mention it. However, I do think it was the right choice for this novel, because it left the reader guessing which guy Jan was going to end up with.
Tammy L Gray consistently writes excellent Christian fiction. This is a bit of a change from her previous novels—a little more comedic, but also deeper in terms of the faith questions. Jen isn’t a Christian, and (as Christian readers) we know the story isn’t going to end with her being unequally yoked, so there is a definite faith journey that isn’t present in a lot of Christian fiction. That was good to read.
Overall, Love and a Little White Lie is a great contemporary Christian romance. Recommended for fans of Courtney Walsh and Kara Isaac.
Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
y Review:
When I first began to read this book, I was expecting to read an entertaining, clean Christian contemporary romance. This book does have romance in the storyline, but it’s so much more than just a romantic love story.
January Sanders isn’t a believer—-in fact, she’s never even considered that God could exist——but after a failed romance she takes a job as an assistant at Grace Community Church. During the job interview, she fails to mention that she’s not a believer. This leads to some interesting situations in January’s life, and she begins to look closely at her own beliefs. This book gives us a look at what can happen when an unbeliever begins to observe the lives of dedicated believers.
The best thing about this story for me was the people at Grace Community Church. They did not live perfect lives, but the more time January spent with them, the more she saw the difference that a relationship with Christ made in their lives. There’s grace, forgiveness, and the love of Christ all throughout this book, and it shows how sharing God’s love by both our words and actions can make the difference in the life of someone else. It’s an entertaining, romantic story that touches the heart.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Why hasn’t there big a bigger buzz around this book? It’s from a big publishing house, the cover is adorbs, and yet it seems the splash around its release was minimal. I’m so glad that it had even made it to the periphery of my radar (and my radar is laser focused on CF romcoms because there are so few and I didn’t even realize this was billeted as a romcom). I loved the first person narrative and the main character, who isn’t a Christian, stumbling over Christian-ese was pretty hilarious (and reminded me of Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh). Loved the character journey/arc and I’m looking to more light-hearted comedic romances from Tammy Gray.
This story had me from the beginning; I absolutely love the premise of a non-believer becoming a believer. January’s journey is a relatable one, love the realistic way in which the author portrayed January’s struggle with faith and how she gradually comes to have faith through experiences that makes her question what she believes in. This book is filled with wonderful secondary characters, I enjoyed the relationship between January and Cameron but was rooting for Dillon the whole time. Dillon was such a complex character and I loved how the relationship builds up between him and January. Overall, this was a great inspirational read with a wonderful relatable message.
I loved this book! I love the story about someone not believing in God working at a church. My faith was built!
I loved every minute of this book! It sucked me in right from the start and I was glad I was on a long road trip in which I could listen to the entire book in one sitting! I enjoyed what each of the characters brought to the story. When January starts reading to an old woman who is going blind, it made my book-loving heart smile! I would definitely recommend this one.