As I have finished the last word and turned the last page of this book, my feelings are still so raw. The characters are so richly developed and you will have strong feelings about them. They are real to life and you will be sucked into their story and experience all of the emotions along with them. This is a story of love; loss; growth; results of decisions made; expectations ... by family, friends, and self; dealing with healthy and unhealthy relationships; trust; and faith in God. Traveling through the pages will leave you angry at moments while experiencing hope and love at other times. The ultimate tale of grace and God’s redemption will leave you emotionally exhausted. But I strongly encourage you to pick this one up and be transported to Scotland, Texas, and through the lives of some amazing individuals.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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For this being a debut, Anna Daughtery deserves applaud. Her writing style is excellent. Outside Of Grace is not only approachable but relatable to a wide audience. Her debut Outside Of Grace, Daughtery reveals God's heart for His Children. This book is a great read for parents and adult children alike.

Though I would probably classify this book as predictable, I did enjoy it. It portrays a pretty accurate picture of what it's like to grow up as a pastor's kid, and I appreciated how eye opening it was for anyone who has never experienced "life in the fishbowl" the way pastor's kids do.
I also appreciated how it caused me to think about what I would have done in the lead character's shoes, and reminded me how easily it is to give in to temptation, even when you know what is right and wrong.
An excellent glimpse of the way all of us need grace!

While they're resolved in the end, and the discussion questions bring out the complicated interpretations of scripture, there was a large portion of the book that felt like it was blaming Ava as the victim, that she was really condemned. A lot of that could be seen as how she was processing things in her head, but it felt dangerously critical. And even though the assault was not actually her fault, and not a foregone conclusion based on her choices, there was no real focus on her bad choices leading up to the trauma. There were no hangovers from the drinking, no missed classes, no concerned friends as witnesses. There were several characters who could have had more depth, but didn't feel fleshed out.

Dealing with such a heavy topic is tricky. I feel that this one didn't give enough hope or grace to encourage a reader to make it to the resolution where she finds that she is worthy of love.

This is an excellent read that is full of emotions. It's an inspirational story that is full hope, forgiveness of self and others and learning to trust again. Ava's story will stay with you long after you turn the last page.
I received a complimentary copy from Black Rose Writing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was an excellent representation of what can happen when we change ourselves to fit into the places we are in or the people we are around instead of keeping God at the forefront of our minds and following our instincts in situations.

I do feel that trigger warnings are needed, especially when it comes to sexual assault. But that being said, the author was not graphic or gratuitous in the depiction. She didn't focus on the assault, but on the aftermath and how Ava responds to herself and others. Walking with Ava through her experience was real and honest. Following her struggle to learn to trust herself, her friends, and God was right on. Watching Ava remember and believe that God really did love her and was always with her was a beautiful thing to see.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This coming-of-age-story is quite on point in regard of how easy it is to leave the path you're on without even noticing at first. Christian parents often think it's enough to raise their children in a Christian way - but unfortunately it isn't, and it's not even necessary to go abroad. But God's forgiveness is limitless and we're never outside of grace.

Outside of Grace is a beautifully written inspirational book. A great plot and well crafted characters makes this a must read. I highly recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance book. This is my unbiased review.

An emotional story that tugged at my heart strings. So true to so many lives and very realistic in the development of the story. A huge reminder to act on the gut feeling as God directs my path.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Romance…love…friendship…starting over…this is a quick fun read with quirky characters who find each other…enjoy