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 to 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.

A Christian romance that actually dealt with issues of faith...I appreciated that aspect of it. I could have done with a little less of the romance-that-wasn't-meant-to-be and more of the actual romance. But overall, a solid read that kept my attention.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! While contemporary romance is generally not my thing, this book was less about earthy romance and more about the wooing of our Heavenly Father to one lost sheep. January (Jan) Sanders finds herself at the end of her rope after a massive heartbreak and finds solace with her aunt who offers her a place to stay and helps her find a job. The problem is that the job is at her aunt's church, and January doesn't believe in God. I loved how this book portrayed Christians - imperfect, but loving human beings. While Jan didn't believe in God, she still cares about people and so she fits in, even if she doesn't "speak the language". I loved her compassion towards her boss and one of the elderly church members who'd ended up in a nursing home and the ways that she goes about helping them without them knowing about it.

This book had great characters, and great character development/growth. I found myself laughing at the banter and crying at the unraveling places. One thing I love is when books have characters with some serious quirks. Jan has a fascinating mind that looks at the world a bit differently and I loved that quirk about her, even if she didn't like it about herself. The story itself was great and the healing process was both intense and realistic - for many of the characters, not just Jan. The romance was a solid theme throughout, but everything that happened both within and without the romance was clear evidence of God seeking Jan's heart. The ending was wholly satisfactory as well and I was glad to see some loose ends tied up with Jan's relationship with her mother. All in all, this was a beautiful story of God's love and grace, shown to His children, often by His children.

Special thanks to Ms. Gray and Bethany House Publishers for an advance copy of this book via NetGalley. I was not obligated to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

Love and a Little White Lie was about a gal who had been through some rough times, something most of us have on some form. A family that doesn't quite fit what normal is. I LOVED this story from page 1, I didn't want to stop reading it, January was someone I wanted to know and be her friend, she struggled with her thoughts on religion with an aunt that helped her get a job in a church to her Mom that pushed her away from all beliefs. The way the story enfolds gave me so many different feelings. Tammy Gray is a new favorite author of mine,

I loved this romantic story about finding somewhere to belong and connecting with a faith. Love and A Little White Lie has a love triangle that provides a romance that is really fun and sweet as well as a romance that is full of connection and honesty.

January is looking to start over. Her last relationship failed just after she gave up her joy and spend all her savings moving across the country to be with her fiancé. Now she has returned to her Aunt’s property. Her aunt has also secured her a job at the local church. The only problem is that January doesn’t believe in God and isn’t an Christian. She decides not to tell anyone. But Grace Community is more welcoming than she expected, especially Cameron, one of the musicians, and she feels needed and like she is finally making a difference. Everything would be great if it wasn’t for Dillon, a landscaper working at her Aunt’s property, who calls January out on her deceit.

Love and A Little White Lie is a fun and easy book to read. I loved January’s voice. She is a genuinely nice character and reaches out to help others without even thinking about it. I was intrigued by the way she noticed little details and remembered information. While we are told this is one of her gifts (she considers it more a quirk), it’s also shown throughout the story, which made it really believable and nice detail in the story.

Honestly, I would have loved more time between January and Dillon. While her relationship with Cameron is necessary for her development and coming to know more about herself and God, it felt like a waste of time - she needed to be with Dillon!! Clearly you know whose side I am on in this love triangle. Her fights and conversations with Dillon touch on hard topics for the both of them and they both must face a bit of healing and restoring faith. The other characters in Love and A Little White Lie are delightful, from January’s caring Aunt to January’s overwhelmed coworker.

Love and A Little White Lie is a fun book about a journey from grief and disbelief to faith alongside a touching romance.

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

I loved this book! I really enjoyed the setting and the characters, but what I liked the most about this book was the writing. I loved the humor and wit, and the overall feel of the book. It just made me happy. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love And A Little White Lie was a beautifully written story with characters that were authentic and relatable.

January journeys through her family dynamics and her past with a rawness that draws the reader in. She struggles with being attracted to two different men and wrestles with being agnostic while working at a church.

I loved seeing the transformation in her heart occur in this story! Her feistiness and the swoony moments make Tammy L. Gray’s newest release a must read!

Thank you to the publishing team for this opportunity to read and review this book honestly!

Wow! This book had me laughing, crying and really thinking about all the aspects of my life. This story is about finding faith and trust in yourself, others and God. It was very moving and the characters were all very likable.

Thank you to Netgalley and Baker Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my humble, honest opinion.

This book drew me in from the very first page. I had a hard time putting it down! Tammy Gray addresses a lot of issues we all deal with - anger, frustration, and hurt but also what it’s like to love. You won’t be disappointed- excellent book!

“Love and a Little White Lie” is a sweet story of family, friends, love and loss. The book explores what happens when you look beyond the world as it has always been presented to you and start to see it for yourself. The book is so well written that the characters seem to come alive before you and you find yourself invested in their happiness. Great summer read that is difficult to put down.

This is the first book I've read by this author. January was an unusual character because she was an agnostic and happy being one. I liked that none of the church staff pushed their faith on her even though she worked there. Both Dillon and January had reasons to be angry. It was interesting to see how the author chose to use that. This is a very realistic story with characters readers will enjoy. Recommended!

Oh my goodness! Every time i read a book by Tammy Gray, it is better than the last one and this one is no exception! I loved every minute of it. The author has a way of making the characters believable and real and I enjoy that they are not the "cookie-cutter" Christians. They have real problems, just like all of us.
The romance is always my favorite part, and it was done so well! I loved the bickering/slow burn between Jan and Dillon.
I am hoping there will be a sequel involving Darcy and Cameron. Fingers crossed!

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

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. Such a nice surprise!

January moves to her aunt's property following a bad break-up, and takes a temporary job at her aunt's church. She keeps her lack of faith and belief in organized religion a secret and soon finds herself immersed in the community.

When she meets Cameron, the church's guitarist, there's an instant mutual attraction. Cameron is a believer and writes/plays Christian music, but that still doesn't make January tell him the truth.

I really liked seeing Cameron and January together. He was the perfect boyfriend and treated her so well, which she needed. But I was on edge of my seat for the moment when he found out January's secret.

Then there's Dillon, the landscape architect who works with his dad at January's aunt's property. He's cynical and too direct, but there was something about him that held a hint of hope. His relationship with January develops in a totally different way and I enjoyed their interactions.

I pretty much read it in one sitting and stayed up way too late to read the resolution. Totally worth it.

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

This book wasn't what I expected, but it was so raw and real that I couldn't put it down! The characters are truly flawed, in so many ways, which made them just a little bit more relatable...you were rooting for them. With an agnostic taking a position working for the church, you knew there were going to be some missteps and funnies (hopefully) along the way, but it all played out well. Having worked in a nursing home, I felt like I was right there beside January as she made here visits...connecting in a very human way. She may struggle with her faith and her job, but it helps her to eventually heal and help.

This is normally not my type of book at all....but I found it very sweet. The characters were great, I felt like I wanted to actually meet them. My kind of people. I read the author was going to give up writing, I'm glad she didn't.

This is a well written book that hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. This is a book you don't want to end, but you just have to know what happens next. This was a very emotional story, it made me laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between. I can't say enough good things about this book without letting a spoiler slip out, So all I'm going to say is this is a book you don't want to miss. I hated to see it end. Thank you Bethany House Publishers and Tammy L. Gray via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love and a Little White Lie by Tammy L. Gray is an I CAN'T PUT DOWN BOOK! I literally read it in two days and I couldn't stop thinking about it when I put it down. Gray has a way of making this messed up world and the grittiness of it, come across the pages as relatable. Because, the characters are flawed, just as we the readers are flawed. Yet we see the handiwork of God sprinkled throughout. The heroine, January is an agnostic. She has experienced disappointments with the men who have come in and out of her life starting from childhood. However, her life is changed upside down when she gets a job at a church. This book has wit, heartache, romance and restoration. It also offers hope and love and that is what I feel we all crave and desire.
*I was given a copy of this book by Bethany House publishers, and this is my honest opinion.

I loved that this story was unique in the fact that it shows a non Christian young woman who is drawn to two Christian men. Their story and complex issues kept me wondering which one she would end up with and how it all would play out. Each character had fears, doubts and issues. And the lie by omission that January told complicated their lives.
I think this story is a good example of how there are seasons in all of our lives where we question God, can't seem to find him and wonder why things happen. There is a message of hope here that all things happen for good even if we don't see them now.
I recommend this story, well worth the read!
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley but these opinions are all my own.

I loved January and Doreen !such a feel good story about second chances and love. I so recommend this book for anyone in need of a romance with a biblical feel..

This is the first book I have read by this author. I must say, I am SOLD.

After a major heartbreak, January moves to Texas to stay with her Aunt Doreen and Uncle Jim, who own and run a beautiful wedding venue, the Boots and Lace Ranch. January is desperate for a job, and Doreen refers her to her local (mega) church, even though January does not believe in God. She gets the job and the antics ensue....but they are not necessarily typical, and January's journey is moving and engaging.

Numerous laugh out loud moments...unexpected relational payoffs....realistic resolutions to long held belief struggles, even some that aren't fully resolved in the best way possible...the list goes on and on with reasons why I enjoyed this book. I am on the hunt for more Tammy Gray books -and I absolutely suggest you start with this one!

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