The Grace in Darkness

Darkness Duet #2

by Melissa Andrea

Every part of me yearns for Ryland and there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by that I don’t question if I made the right decision. Adjusting is something I should be used to by now but how can I do that when life has other plans?

When darkness consumes you, only true light can free you

Remembering how I existed before Araya came into my life and turned everything upside down has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I can’t stand to be round anyone and the feeling is mutual. But I’m ready to take back what’s mine. I’m ready to be whole again. But every decision has a choice and every choice has a consequence.

To find the grace in darkness, you must
Dare to be BRAVE
Dare to be STRONG
Dare to be ALIVE

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Amazon, Disability, College

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2013

About the author

I find it hard to sum up my life in a paragraph, but I'll try.

Reading has always been a passion for me and writing is as instinctive as breathing. Every inhale is an idea; every exhale a creation. Flutter, The Discover Series was my debut release and since then I have written a contemporary romance, The Edge of Darkness. The only thing I do better than writing? Making beautiful, sassy and independent, girls. My daughters will always be my greatest accomplishment, my biggest fans and my every inspiration. I live, breath and would die for them! I've been married to one of the greatest men in my life for 7 years and I love him more than chocolate (you know shit just got real :), Justin Timberlake and Friday's. Without him my website would be a mess and I would probably be paying more taxes than I should. He is a jack of many trades and this is just my opinion but I like to think besides my daughters, I'm his second biggest accomplishment. (Does anyone else hear a horn tooting?)

I was born in Denver, Colorado -but I will always think of sunny Arizona as my home. I don't have a big family, but I'm close with my sister, brother & my mom. My mom is my hero, my inspiration, and I couldn't have asked for a more amazing person to be raised by. She has supported me throughout this crazy adventure and I'm lucky to have her on my side!


6 things you should know about me:

1. I'm a tornado with lipstick! Translation: I'm very girly, but I can get down and dirty with the best of them.

2. I adore the color pink!

3. I love things that sparkle (including vampires!)

4. I like even numbers (hence 6 things about me, not 5)

5. I'm loyal to a fault but I like to see the good in everybody. Don't mistake my kindness for weakness though because my bark is not always bigger than my bite :))

6. I don't like calling readers 'fans'. When it come down to it, I am all YOUR biggest fan! MWAH!

I will never be able to thank every reader, every blogger or every author who has helped me in one or a million ways since I published but I will try every chance I get. Y'all are the reason I am here and every comment, every message, every review makes me feel like I have a reason to be. So to the moon and back, THANK YOU!

Okay, so this was a little longer than a paragraph.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every part of me yearns for Ryland and there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by that I don’t question if I made the right decision. Adjusting is something I should be used to by now but how can I do that when life has other plans?

When darkness consumes you, only true light can free you.

Remembering how I existed before Araya came into my life and turned everything upside down has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I can’t stand to be round anyone and the feeling is mutual. But I’m ready to take back what’s mine. I’m ready to be whole again. But every decision has a choice and every choice has a consequence.



This book picks up right where we were left off in book one :
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

"Is there a limit on your first love? Is that something you ever get over?"

What a beautiful story ! I absolutely loved book one of this series and I could not wait to dive into this book. We left Ryland in book one and in NO WAY were things over between he and Araya. Despite the forces of creepy bad evil.....Ryland was able to find Araya.

"It was a few months after you started. He was in the hall, looking for you. I found him. Mind you, I didn't know who he was at the time, but I brought him to you. You were dancing and he looked...he looked like a guy still in love with you."

I know that it has been some time between these books but Rylands character in my opinion did a 180. Instead of his swoony hopeful self as he was when I fell in love with him in book one....in this books he was moody, broody and down right RUDEY !!! Since I now have a new found love for that type of jerk....I LOVED RYLAND's....take no shit attitude. It really worked with this story. Here we have a mouse of a girl, blind, orphan...Araya...

She's trying to find her way through life. She had been neglected since her mom passed away and she was learning to become independent and how to function with her disability. I took her under my wing for sure and I was very happy with how her character evolved. She was all-around amazing.......

and in comes her Knight in shining armor fighting off the forces of evil ...Ryland


Their love was better than ice cream !!! Genuine and innocent and sweet and sexy ❤️

"Don't you get it Araya? You are my life now. I meant it when I said that you saved me. "
"We saved each other, Ryland. We saved each other. "

I don't want to give away the story but let me just say again for the record : If I ever rise to power, I'm going to eliminate people like JD!!!! He was the epitome of cruel, evil, powerful, crapola!!! Getting to their happily ever after was a great journey.



And I don't exist without you, Ryland. You are my beautiful darkness.

With Ryland I had found my grace in darkness

I loved this authors poetic style. And I absolutely adored the four month later, six month later, eight months later chapters of epic greatness to the final beautiful my heart-soared-to-the-sky epilogue ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Zakirrah BookBlogger · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 INSPIRING, PASSIONATE, HEART-WARMING STARS!!



Okay first of all have you read The edge of darkness(book 1)?
No? NO? You kidding me right? Get on it right now! And don't read this review if you haven't read the first book :P

So as you all know I loved book 1 it was different, surprising, moving and kept me hooked until the last page and even after! So I was really intrigued to see how the story would continue, it was left at the part where Araya has gone away from Ryland to learn to do things for herself. Ryland doesn't know where she is at and has to go work for J.D. until he can figure out where she is and they can be together again.


"Don't you get it Araya? You are my life now. I meant it when I said that you saved me. "
"We saved each other, Ryland. We saved each other. "


I hated the separation I was just dying for them to find each other again.In book 1 their love is sweet, cute and down right adorable but in this book we see passion, lust, love and much more.
The way they meet well..I really wasn't expecting that, their chemistry and love for each other was explosive.Even after the separation their love never wavered, it changed them both in different ways.

The Ryland you see in book 1 is a sweet and I don't know happy and nice and lovely and in this book he turns into a broody, (still hot)rude guy who just doesn't give a shit about anything or anyone. He is bitter, hurt and angry at Araya for leaving, at J.D (The pig), at Careless and even at Sebastian. He does some funny silly thing when he bashes that dumb guys face in hah! Its like all his happiness and light has been sucked out of him since Araya left and he doesn't know what to do with himself and he hates it.


"It was a few months after you started. He was in the hall, looking for you. I found him. Mind you, I didn't know who he was at the time, but I brought him to you. You were dancing and he looked...he looked like a guy still in love with you."


The distance made Araya realises a lot of things, she can't live without Ryland, it's like there is a part of her missing and nobody can fill that place.She grows and learns to becomes independent and accepts that she can't do everything and pushing people away to become independent doesn't get us very far.She grew as a person became more confident and started facing problems head on.

Now lets get to one character that pissed me off to no end..J.D..now there are a million different types of names I could all this waste of space piece of shit but he just isn't worth it! The amount of times I wanted to read into my phone and snap his neck, bring him back to life and then re-snap is a couple thousand times yeahh.. I hate him.
Why? What the hell is his problem? Why are you so damn annoying?Why can't you fall in to a deep hole and die? Urgh he was just damn cruel!

Oh and Sebastian did anyone else feel really sorry for him? Was it just my heart that hurt for him?He was always the one that got the shit end of the stick when everyone was having a happy time. He was pushed aside, bashed and ignored numerously and I just wanted to give him a big hug! I really want him to have his own book I want him to have a happily ever after, I was a little annoyed that he wasn't mentioned at the end!


"I want to come back in pieces." I frowned.
"In pieces?"
"Yep. A piece of me would come back as the wind so I can be the one to lift and caress your wings when you fly. Another piece would come back as the sun so I can be the light that guides you and the warmth that warms your dainty feathers. I'd come back as the piece of the sky so you always had a place to fly free. And a piece of me would come back as a tree so you always had a place to call home, Hummingbird." -Ryland


Aww I loved Ryland and Araya scenes they are just so damn cute together.I liked how this book carried on with the dual POV so we got an insight into both their lives when they were apart and their thoughts and feelings.We even got a bit of Sebastian's POV which left me hopeful about him getting his own book ;)
I am happy with the happily ever after! It doesn't mean that everything ended perfectly naahh nothing is ever going to be perfect there will always be both light and darkness you can't have one without the other.
This book shows how to see the positive, the light in every dark situation and never let the bad situations get you down.

******************************************************************************************************************
*ARC provided by the lovely author for an honest review*

Check out my blog for more reviews!
http://zakirrahsbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

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[Ena May - Swoon Worthy Books/Enticing Journey Book Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the follow up of The Edge of Darkness. If you haven’t read The Edge of Darkness – DO IT! But please do not read this review…..

Okay so when I first got the ARC to read I was all like….



The Grace in Darkness starts off right where The Edge of Darkness ends. Lost and confused Ryland is trying to understand why Araya left him. Broken and angry Ryland is pushing away everyone in his life with his bitterness and anger. He is different, almost like life isn’t worth living without Araya and doesn’t seem to care about anything anymore. Ryland was different and not the happy go lucky, romantic, sweet, kind, generous Ryland I fell in love with in The Edge of Darkness. I wanted my Ryland back. After the betrayal that he went through with his family and the broken heart he suffers from losing her left me feeling….



“You’re being really selfish, Ryland. Look, I get why you’re upset, I really do. You loved her, I get that. You wanted to take care of her but whether I helped her that night or not, she was going to leave and there was nothing you could do to stop that. At least nothing short of keeping her here against her will and that’s what you would have if you convinced her to stay…..”

Araya is even more beautiful in The Grace in Darkness – if that is even possible. After deciding to finally live her life and become more independent she has this new glow to her – this new light. Her confidence is gradually getting better and she is finally doing something that she used to live for – dancing. Being without Ryland isn’t easy for her but she knows that she needs to do this for her and she will never stop loving him. Seeing how this character has grown from the very beginning to where she is at in this book is amazing. On many occasions Araya had me feeling like this because of the amazing things she was accomplishing….



“I’ll take my chances. I’ll take that stupid girl and hide her so far away from you that you’ll spend the rest of your miserable life looking for her. She thinks it’s dark where she lives now, she has no idea. I’ll be her worst nightmare in the darkest parts of her world and she’ll have you to thank for that, son!”

Okay let me just say 1 thing real quick – I HATE J.D. with a flippin passion…When I think of him my mind starts wondering of all the horrible things that he deserves. I would smile with pleasure if I saw this……(maybe just a little bit harder though)



The love that Ryland and Araya have for each other nothing can keep them apart and Ryland will stop at nothing to have Araya back in his life and let her know that she can do whatever it is she wants to do. He won’t hold her back from anything – he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life showing her just how much she means to him.

“Don’t you get it, Araya? You are my life now. I meant it when I said that you saved me.”
“We saved each other, Ryland. We saved each other.”

Oh the hummingbirds are back when those two get together again. It’s like life is the way it should be. Ryland is my Ryland again and Araya is glowing more than ever now and it’s absolutely breathtaking to follow them on their journey. They can’t take their hands off each other – they need the warm of each other’s bodies like they need air to breathe and oh boy did I enjoy getting a bit of this….



So now they are back together right – and you expect roses and sunshine and fairytale endings, right?



Life isn’t easy for them because J.D. won’t back down and Melissa throws us a curveball I never say coming. It was a whopper that had me questioning what the fudge was going on. One minute it was like oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the next minute I was like……



“…..You told the police that you had an emergency…actually you told him you were speeding because your brother called you for a family emergency. So what was the emergency?”

After everything Ryland and Araya had already been through I wanted it to stop!!!! I wanted them to finally have their happily ever after – but we all know J.D. and doesn’t he always get what he wants? Will Ryland and Araya get their happily ever after? Does J.D. stay true to his world and take Araya away from him again leaving her forever trapped in her own darkness?

I can’t begin to tell you what this duo has done to me, there has never been another story like this and I felt invested in their story and I wanted to know how it ended. It was a crazy, beautiful, emotional, journey and I am so amazed by this author. I will forever be a Melissa Andrea fan and I can’t wait to read more of her work! Amazing job hun!

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

The Grace in Darkness is an intense and angsty conclusion to a beloved tale.

This will be a difficult review to write, I think it’s because I had high expectations and also I hate angsty books, so with that said.

WOW, WHAT THE HECK WENT ON IN THIS BOOK?

There will be spoilers from The Edge of Darkness

The Grace in Darkness picks up right where The Edge of Darkness left off with that CRAZY, HAIR-PULLING CLIFFY! Oh my goodness, did you feel your heart break? Didn’t you want to reach through the pages and yell at Ryland to talk to Araya!

Araya is at the school of blind, she’s making some friends and is dancing again. She also has an admirer, Peirce, a boy who can see and dance. Ryland is a mean train wreck. He’s distraught, a mess and is dealing with his situation the best he can, by staying with Sebastian (his brother), working with his sadistic father and drinking and fighting his nights away.

Yes, he’s a bloody mess.

One of my pet peeves is when the Hero and Heroine are not together in the book. I’ve never liked reading couples separated and it seems to be a very used plot in book 2 of series. The first 25% of the book could have been edited out. Basically it’s just Ryland going through is crazy mean emotions and Araya dealing with a broken heart.

HUGE SIGH

I get it, I needed to read the pain, the heartache, BUT I really didn’t want to. I skimmed this a bit because I just wanted them to interact!
Finally when they do meet, it’s like rocket fire, it’s explosions and I’m like YAY!!!! I’m jumping for joy and I’m super excited, like a kid in a candy store.

BUT THE FATHER

Oh man, Mr. Dare, he’s just so evil! I wanted to punch him in the face, I wanted to push him over a cliff and at times, I loved to hate him. The only problem I had with is how Ryland and Araya dealt with him. Overall, I felt like Ryland and Araya were pretty level headed, but sometimes, I wanted to shake them and just yell at them to figure it out.

I had a few underlying questions when I finished. I didn’t understand what happened to Sebastian or why Araya’s roommate started to act odd. I wasn’t sure if there would be a spin off series, but I don’t like having questions when I finish a book.

Yes I was very frustrated with this book and yes I skimmed a bit, but I think it’s because The Grace of Darkness wasn’t written in the style I like to read and also I had HUGE expectations because I loved the previous book so much.

I do love how over protective Ryland is. He was a bit aggressive and mean at times, but I understand and see his love for Araya. I also love their unique relationship and I am happy there wasn’t a HUGE fat lovely happy ending. Yes there is a HEA, but there was still some heartache, at least in my opinion.

It’s not an easy tale to read, but a must needed conclusion to know.

Series Order
REVIEW | AMAZON
AMAZON

More reviews - > http://jacquelinesreads.blogspot.com

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by author for honest review
4.5 Stars
I was beyond happy when I received my ARC of Grace in Darkness. I mean finally Ryland and Araya can have their well deserved HEA. And they do, but of course these stubborn kids don’t make anything easy and it’s a bit of a journey for these two to reconnect.

Both Araya and Ryland want one another. But of course, they feel like they would be holding the other back and think they are better off alone. WRONG. I loved how this book started. It picked up right where it left off in The Edge of Darkness. This was great for many ways, mostly because I didn’t have to go back and re-read the end of the last one to figure out where I left off, nope, that’s all done for us, with a bit of added detail.

Literally from page one, your back into the story like you never left. Araya is at school and crafting her talent, while Ryland is staying in the shadows not even allowing her to know he now knows her location. Araya is happy but not enough, not without Ryland. Eventually these two hash things out and though there are still many obstacles, including his father, standing in their way, their love is strong and able to surpass many obstacles.

I was happy Araya’s aunt was more of a thing of the past. I mean the poor girl has suffered enough at her hands and still is dealing with the aftermath left by the drama between Ryland’s father, sister and her aunt. Ryland finally pulls on his big boy pants and claims his girl. I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of action or even over-the-top drama in this book, but each page is exciting in its own right.

I’m sad to see this series end but I thoroughly enjoyed both these novels. Each was full of love, passion and a connection you don’t often see even in romance novels. I was pleasantly surprised with Ryland’s attitude and more importantly his behavior in regards to Araya. Sure she’s different, but not only does it take him forever to realize, he never once ridicules her or throws it in her face. He just loves her and as lame as it is, it’s a beautiful thing. Can’t wait to read more from this author…

[Lydia's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap, Batman! As soon as I finished reading book 1, The Edge of Darkness, I one-clicked this sequel IMMEDIATELY. I had absolutely fallen in love with Rayland and Araya, so I needed to read this book. Desperately. If you haven't read the first book, go buy it now. Trust me. Just buy it. It's amazing!!!! And you have to read it before this one.

"New surroundings, new people, a new life...but moving on was impossible when my heart wasn't on my side, and I was starting to wonder if you truly loved someone, can you ever really move on?"

The Epilogue from book one left me heartbroken. Like I mentioned in that review, it was an ending that needed to happen, but still, I felt sad. So I dove into this book. Once again, Melissa Andrea captured my full attention with the Prologue!!! My God, this lady can sure write Prologues!!! I was hooked. From the very beginning, I knew this would be another page turner for me.

"I struggled to breathe. Struggled to do the simplest thing -- survive. But most of all, I struggled to live without her."

This time around, we got 'new versions' of Araya and Rayland. Their separation had definitely changed both of them. Araya was heartbroken, but more independent and sure of herself. Whereas Rayland was just angry and moody. He missed her too much and took out his anger on those closest to him. Deep down they were both still the same, though, and madly in love with each other.
Rayland's father, J.D., still played a huge role in keeping Araya and Rayland apart. That man was pure evil. But you see, unlike in book one, this time, J.D.'s plan backfired. When Rayland came face to face with Araya, there was no way he would lose her again...despite J.D.'s best efforts.

"Don't you get it, Araya? You are my life now. I meant it when I said you saved me." -Ryland

Once reunited, the passion between Rayland and Araya was intense...and HOT! I swear, there might have been fireworks!! I felt their chemistry in my bones. It was amazing seeing how much they loved each other. All the things they went through to be together.........
Queue the angst!!!!
I was once again anxious to see how everything would unfold! Melissa Andrea gave us a few more twists, turns, and bumps in their story. Rayland and Araya did not have it easy, that's for sure. Their journey towards their happy ending was beyond tough, but never impossible.

"You don't need anyone to pick up the pieces for you. I don't want to take care of you because you need it. I want to take care of you because I love you." - Ryland

Towards the end, my heart was about to burst with happiness. Such a beautiful ending! Seriously! I could not have asked for a better conclusion to their story. Amazing! I could finally let go of the breath I was holding since starting book one! Sheesh!

"With Ryland, I had found my grace in darkness."

Yet again, I can't end this review without saying....I love Sebastian!!!! I really enjoyed seeing him play an even bigger role in the plot. Melissa Andrea, can he get his own book??? Please??? I feel like he deserves his happy ending!! Especially after everything he went through during this book. Sigh. Oh and Cara too!!!! Yes!! They both need their own books! :)

Okay, really. Go buy this book!!! A truly amazing conclusion to a fantastic and different story! I highly recommend this book!

"I promise to give you nothing less than everything I am, Araya."
"Forever and always, Ryland."
"Damn, I love you Hummingbird."

[Rachmi · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The Edge of Darkness left me wanting to read the sequel ASAP, though it didn't wow me. The (sort of) cliffy ending and the main characters, Araya and Ryland are the main reasons I read this book only in within weeks.

As you know from The Edge of Darkness, Araya wants to learn to depend on herself, though she's already an independent girl to begin with, in my opinion. She pushes and relies just on herself. I liked that she has those qualities, despite her blindness. And she's even more independent and brave in this book than in previous book, though she still makes mistakes too while Ryland is quite different here. Araya's leaving makes him broody, moody and hateful. In some part I like his new personalities. His character grows into more than just knight in shining armor for Araya, but in other part I don't quite like it. He often does things based on his mood and emotion which will lead him into regret.

It's the story that makes me think that I cannot give the book more than an okay book. There are too many things happen to Araya and Ryland it makes them feel like they only touch the surface, didn't dig deeper so they won't leave a hole in the plot. And so I won't feel like the problems are solved too easily or even left unsolved. what actually happened with Makayla? Who killed Craze? How Careless collects evidence from her dad? Was J.D. just hand it over to her (If it was the case then he's so stupid) or she got it from someone and/or somewhere else (if this was the case who gave it to her? Where she got it?) ?).

Araya and Ryland’s problems are mostly come from Ryland's dad, J.D, you've already know it since book 1. He's like an evil incarnation. Regarding of what happens to him, I have to say that I'm kind of disappointed because somehow I think that he's not that clever as an evil antagonist he cannot trust anyone but how come he's so easily trusting Careless to take care his "sins"? it doesn't suit with his personalities. Or is it because he's careless? I don't think so, not when everyone tells me that he is so good on keeping people under his sleeve.

And then Araya and Ryland's relationship. I liked that their relationship is so strong and they are trust each other without doubt. But their constant love speech, keeps telling each other they cannot live without each other is too much for my taste. It's too sweet it makes my teeth hurt. Don't get me wrong, I like love declaration and all but I don't think they need to tell me every time they are having conversation or even in most of their waking hour.

So it didn't live my expectation and it even didn't as good as book 1, but I'll give a try if the author want to write other characters' stories.

[Ji · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 to 4.5 TRUE LOVE STARS

Ryland


Araya


I loved loved loved this book! I really wish there are a lot of books like this. Though the situations are completely shitty and there is a lot of drama going on, Ryland and Araya really stood by each other. They trusted one another. They loved each other and they really support each other. Nothing could drive these two love birds away!!!

This book takes off right after the first book. Araya is trying to learn how to dance again. She's also trying to be independent. She's doing this for herself. She does not want to be a burden to Ryland.
Ryland completely changes after Araya leaves. He's become this brooding asshole. He blames Sebastian and Careless for everything.
Ryland works for J.D. Ryland and J.D. make a deal. J.D. tells Ryland to work for the company for a whole year if he wants to see Araya again.
J.D. makes all the Dare siblings' life a living hell!!!

A lot of things happened in this book. But I really loved how Araya and Ryland stuck to each other.
They never denied their love for each other. It was really cute and endearing.
I especially loved when Araya would ask Ryland her "If I were..." questions.

The reasons why I didn't give this book 5 stars:

I was a little bit frustrated with Araya in this book. The whole Araya and Pierce thing in the beginning was annoying me.
I also found Mac really annoying for some reason. What happened at the Underground? Where did she disappear off to?
I also did not understand this!!!!When and how did Sebastian fall in love with Araya??? WHAT??!!
I was left wondering. I needed answers!!!

Despite my few problems, I really adore this book!
Ryland and Araya are definitely one of my favorite couple!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Do you believe in reincarnation?”
“So if you could come back as anything you wanted, what would you come back as?”
“That’s easy. A hummingbird.”


"Your turn.”

“I want to come back in pieces.”
“In pieces?”
"A piece of me would come back as the wind so I can be the one to lift and caress your wings when you fly. Another piece would come back as the sun so I can be the light that guides you and the warmth that warms your dainty feathers”“come back as the piece of the sky so you always had place to fly free. And a piece of me would come back as a tree so you always had a place to call home, Hummingbird.”


Araya was so fudging perfect in this book. She decided to leave in the end of the first book. We see her becoming independent and shinning from that darkness as she dances her way through it. Her confidence is just gradually getting better and we see her finally living.



Ryndal was very easy to love. He was heartbroken in the end of the first book. But couldn't deny how confident, possessive, protective, passionate and mostly of all fudging sweet he was.


This book is beautiful, I loved it. It caught my attention from the very beginning starting with the first book, but this one was just a little more fudging awesome. The characters were easy to love. So much passion! I cried, laughed, got fudging mad and didn't regret non of it. Yes I recommend to everyone!

Ps: I need Sebastian and Mckayla to have a book together or have their own stories ASAP!

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would probably get Three and a HALF stars if half stars were allowed
It was a good story, I liked it, HOWEVER... there is a glaring plot hole in this one that I just can't get past.

Supposedly, Araya sustained so much damage in the car accident that she's unable to have kids. According to the doctor, they told her aunt this when she was unconscious. So why then would her aunt put together a whole plot to get her impregnated by a billionaire, if she already knew she wasn't capable of conceiving? It makes no sense.

[вιвℓισρнιℓια {кιηgѕℓєу & ѕøяєη ƒσяєνєя} · Rating 5 out of 5]

... seriously loved everything about this book, about this series. Ticked all the right boxes for me, and I'm gonna miss it so much.

[All Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

>I LOVE ARAYA AND RYLAND!!!

Seriously though. I am obsessed with this couple. Their need for each other is rivaled only by my need for them to be together.

So I feel in love with these two in The Edge of Darkness and you can read my review here.

The Grace in Darkness picks up right where we left off. Araya is at her special schooled paid for with JD"s dirty money. But Ryland has found her. A part of me died a little when he didn't just rush in and gather her into his arms but I got it. He thought she was happy and in a lot of ways she was. But these two apart just doesn't make any sense.

As the book progresses we finally get our reunion and it is so fucking hot I can't even stand it. I mean we're talking hot angry sex here people. But it's followed by a ton of sweet. It just fits this couple perfectly and I love every sexy moment.

Araya is still dealing trying to be independent and not feel like she needs help or that everyone around her thinks she needs their help. What I love is that she learns that her limitations are ok and that everyone has them and that this is how Ryland sees her no matter what:

Ryland is so angry through so much of this book and it is painful to see sometimes but it's also very powerful.

Other characters that were amazing were of course Careless- who really redeems herself in this book and Sebastian. OMG Sebastian:

He is AMAZING in this book. He really steps up as a brother and a friend in a huge, major way. Like you will die. It's everything. And I need to know more about him and I need him to find love.

There are two new characters: Pierce and Makayla. I am a little torn on these two. Pierce seemed nice enough but he wasn't Ryland so I just didn't care.

And Makayla- something happened to her or she is hiding something and until I know what this is- my decision on how I feel is left hanging. There is a pivotal scene in the book and after than moment it is clear she is hiding something. I don't know what it is but it made me unsure about her.

And unfortunately we still have to deal with the super villain that is JD. Seriously- this man is one of the most evil characters I have ever read about and I hate him so much.

I can't spoil it for you but people who hate JD (which should be everyone) you will end up loving this book for a lot of reasons. You won't love him- in fact you will hate him more- but well just read it to find out what I am talking about.

There is nothing about this book that I didn't love. It was sexy, sweet, romantic and kept me guessing.

There were some heartbreaking moments along the way and I cried- especially for Araya but by the end I was crying happy tears. The epilogue was utter perfection. I mean I could not have loved it more. The way it was broken up into 4 months, later 6 months later, etc. was just wonderful. I loved getting these little glimpses and I ended with so much joy for these two characters you would think I knew them personally.

Do yourself a favor and read this series. It is emotional and beautiful with the perfect amount of angst and sexiness and I just love it

[Sienna Logan (Lost to Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating 2.5

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. It was unique with it's characters so therefore I was excited to see how Araya and Ryland's story ended.

Whilst this book kept me hooked, and it was enjoyable to see the characters develop and get there own back, I don't think it was as good as the first. It wasn't as clear, well written, or unique. It seemed like the author was trying to put too much in it and the further I read on the more ridiculous the story line got.

Unlike with the first book I started skimming sections in this. And I rolled my eyes a lot. I didn't feel the relationship was developed that well and it was rather jumpy and incoherent. It seemed all over the place and the time line didn't always add up.

Besides that Araya's blindness never seemed to play a big enough part in this book and it definitely needs another edit. On one occasion a character's name was spelt 3 different ways on one page. I'm not that picky with things like this but there were a few too many in this book.

Overall, whilst I'm glad there's a HEA, I felt this book was a bit too unbelievable. The story just didn't seem realistic in the end and I feel it lost its uniqueness.

[Abby McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I was on the edge of my seat for some of this. There was a whole element of what is going to happen. Then once we finally got to what was going to happen it felt a tad rushed. I also had some confusion with the writing a few times. There was a point where Ryland goes to get the car and Araya is waiting, then Araya goes back to her apartments and finds her friend, she tells her friend that she left with Sebastian because she was mad at Ryland. A minute later however, Ryland is waiting near her apartment right where she left him? It was confusing, it made me think that this was written both ways and the author never made up her mind, or she forgot to change something. Now I am sometimes, a little picky on this, but as soon as this happened it dropped to a 4. Then for me the end was a tad rushed and it went on and on.

I did Love how much Ryland loved Araya. There was sweetness to him. I also loved a ton of his lines to her.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!!!

Still keeping my lips zipped as not to ruin the story for anyone, but have to say this second book was amazing and there is a HEA! A reallllllllllllly good one too!!!

If you have read book 1 then this book is essential to your sanity!

My favorite quote from the book..

"I want to come back in pieces." I frowned. "In pieces?" "Yep. A piece of me would come back as the wind so I can be the one to lift and caress your wings when you fly. Another piece would come back as the sun so I can be the light that guides you and the warmth that warms your dainty feathers. I'd come back as the piece of the sky so you always had a place to fly free. And a piece of me would come back as a tree so you always had a place to call home, Hummingbird." - Ryland

[L.L. Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness I am bawling right now! The Grace in darkness was so beautiful and words can not express how I feel right now. Melissa did an amazing job. I love her descriptions and her style. I will forever be a fan of hers and I ship Ryland and Araya forever!

[Rebecca Audette · Rating 4 out of 5]

more of a 3.5...I don't know what to say, it delivered on everything I expected...I just wanted more.
full review @ http://bookheartsandpageturners.blogs...

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful! So glad I stumbled upon this story. I loved Ryland. Adored Araya.
Despite everything they been through - all the lies, hate, deceit and constant haters tryin to keep them apart - they were just meant to be. True soulmates and their happy ending was much deserved!!

[Raj · Rating 3 out of 5]

JD is evil!!!
He got what he deserved!!!!

I kinda hoped she got her eyesight back.

[Page Turning Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 out of 5 Magical, Heart Stealing, and Inspiring Stars!

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WOW...What a powerfully inspiring and heart melting story! Move aside Cinderella...and take your glass slipper with you because there is a new heart stealing fairytale in town that will bring you to your knees. Melissa Andrea is a genius and then some *insert groveling bow*. I loved everything about The Grace in Darkness. It had a little of everything...just the right amount of angst and steamy goodness, a little mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat, and characters that mark you deep into your very soul. I really couldn't put the book down but hated for it to end at the same time.

"You see my light and love me for my dark."

"You couldn't shine without your darkness, Araya."

The Grace in Darkness is the second book in Ryalnd and Araya's story. The Edge of Darkness left off with Araya leaving Ryland to go to the Madison Academy for the Blind, which was paid for by Ryland's dear old dad who wanted Araya out of their lives. She left because she felt that she was holding Ryland back and wanted to prove to him and herself that she could be independent. Meanwhile, Ryland took on working for his spawn of satin of a father in order to find out where Araya was. He finally did find her and saw how happy she was dancing again and didn't want to ruin that by making her choose, so he let her be...for the time being that is. It was evident that they loved each other, to the extent that they sacrificed being with each other in a misguided attempt to make each other happy, which merely left them as two miserable lumps. Ryland felt so out of sorts that he didn't know where to place his anger and frustration, so he blamed everyone around him including his brother and his sister Cass. In order to get some much needed release from all his pent up anger, he began to fight at the Underground with his brother Sebastian.



"I struggled to breathe. Struggled to do the simplest thing-survive. But most of all, I struggled to live without her." - Ryland



They were both at their breaking point and wanted to see each other desperately but fate, also known as Ryland's father J.D., stepped in to stir the pot for them. She'd been practicing for a performance for a benefit, which conceitedly was the same benefit Ryland was forced to go to by his father. The reunion between them was flawlessly perfect and I was left in an emotional high. Of course things are never what they seem since it was all orchestrated by J.D. You get secret inklings throughout the book that let you know there is something seriously bad that is going to happen. The occasional unidentified chapters throughout the book added an agonizing mystery that left me edgey and nervous. I kept flipping back as I read to see if I could piece some of the mystery together...just call me Sherlock. What I did gather from it all was that they were both going to have to fight hard to get the happily ever after ending.

"The best things in life are never that easy. I'm prepared to fight my ass off, Hummingbird."

Okay, maybe it was that easy, I thought, feeling my insides turn to mush at his words.

"No fighting necessary, Ryland. I'm already yours. I've always been yours."



There are some twists and turns that I am dying to talk about because it was wildly intense, but I hate to give it away for those who have yet to read this amazing story. Let's just say that everyone, not just Ryland become twisted in the wrath of J.D. and a sunny outlook is meek. Apparently everyone underestimated the lengths that J.D. would go to get what he wants. I yearned for the taste of revenge almost as much as these charters did. On top of all that mess, Araya has to deal with some devastating news that leave her spiraling down into the darkness, making the light feel out of reach. I crossed my fingers and my toes that it would all work out for them. It is awe-inspiring to see how strong and resilient Araya is as she struggles with so much. The love that Ryland and Araya share is something fairytales are made of and should really go down in history. Ryland was so dreamy, that if he was a dream, I would never want to wake up * long exaggerated SIGH*.



" I want to come back in pieces."

I frowned."In pieces?"

"Yep. A piece of me would come back as the wind so I can be the one to lift and caress your wings when you fly. Another piece would come back as the sun so I can be the light that guides you and the warmth that warms your dainty feathers. I'd come back as the piece of the sky so you always had a place to fly free. And a piece of me would come back as a tree so you always had a place to call home, Hummingbird."-Ryland





I most definitely needed a hug after that. Everything wrapped up really well, with the exception of Araya's best friend Makayla. There were still some chin rubbing questions that I was left with. I wonder if perhaps she will have a book? I adored all things about The Grace in Darkness as well as The Edge of Darkness. I always worry that after a great first book, the sequel will not be on the same level. This was not the case here, the second book transcended any of my expectations. I am so glad I stumbled upon the Edge of Darkness while I was aimlessly scrolling Amazon one day. If you haven't read these books, crawl out from under that rock , and DO IT! You will not be disappointed. I look forward to more stories from Melissa Andrea because she is an amazing story teller!


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[Readwithnikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This book did not live up to my expectations, but I still liked it.
Ps: I Love Ryland So Muh-Huh-Huch🥲🤧🥰

Favorite quote:
"I want to come back in pieces." I frowned. "In pieces?" "Yep. A piece of me would come back as the wind so I can be the one to lift and caress your wings when you fly. Another piece would come back as the sun so I can be the light that guides you and the warmth that warms your dainty feathers. I'd come back as the piece of the sky so you always had a place to fly free. And a piece of me would come back as a tree so you always had a place to call home, Hummingbird." - Ryland🤎

[GingerOrange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance:3
Steaminess:3
Action/suspense:3
Overall:3.5

A good second installment to the series.

Firstly, Araya's character grew on me a little more. Strangely enough, Ryland was the one I had a bit of a problem with. Compared to his character in the first book, his personality was much darker. Way more angrier and I got kind of frustrated with him at times. Romance was good. This book was definitely steamier than the last. The action plot was a little hard to follow so not great. But it was okay.

Overall, a good read. Not my favorite but good.

[Roz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I thought it was dark but all I read was words full of hope and love. The storyline is perfect. The main characters are the best, they had unique personalities that I couldn’t find in any other book before. The heroine being blind made every situation intense. the hero saying he’s a player but shows nothing but love and respect for his soulmate is beyond amazing. After reading the first book I couldn’t wait to jump to the next one. I devoured The Grace In Darkness. I would love to read Sebastian story also to see a glimpse of Arya and Rylan after there happily ever after.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I waited such a long time to read this book. I wanted to keep it for the right time because I felt like I needed to be prepared. I had high expectations and unfortunately they weren’t meet.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a great book but something was still missing for me in the end. Still I’m glad Ryland and Araya got their HEA and for the sequel to a debut novel it was a job well done.

[Celine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can you not do for love? When it's a battle of wills, it has to be something deliberate and albeit twisted. No holds barred for the happiness.

[Sandi Blaylock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

These Darkness Duet books have been my very favorite. I will never Forget these books they were amazing. I'm so happy I came across them. Very happy indeed.

[Donna Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Totally unexpected. Great story, great characters, and a bit of twists and turns, which I loved. I couldn't put it down! Absolutely loved it!

[Beachbaby]

I own book #1 - in boxed set "Silk"

[Lacole Kinter · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, Melissa said she was worried about me specifically when putting out The Grace in Darkness. I don't know why? Lol.

Melissa is nothing short of amazing and I say that with the utmost confidence and respect for her writing.

Now, onto my review. I didn't know what to expect when I heard she was working on the second (and last) book in this series. I knew J.D. would continue being the prick that he is, but I wasn't sure just how far he would go to keep Ryland and Araya apart. I can't get over their names! Love the name Ryland and Araya is just beautiful.

The Grace starts off pretty much where the last book left off. Araya has escaped from Ryland's grasp and this leaves him confused, angry, and hateful. He is simply existing without her and not living his life to its full potential, taking his anger out on those around him. When he goes to visit her, he can't bring himself to squeeze back into her life after seeing a genuine smile on her face. He wants nothing more than for her to be happy, yet he wishes she could be happy with him. Questions race through his mind and the most important one being 'why can't he stay away from her?' She surrounds his every thought and is the solution to his own demise.

Araya has moved on, but not completely. Though she lives through dance, it doesn't complete nor define her. It is not the window to her soul without Ryland. She's happy but constantly waiting for Ryland to come find her and take away her shattered heart. She knows that J.D. is keeping them apart, but also blames herself for not being good enough. She doesn't want Ryland's life to be hard after everything they've been through together, she can't ask more of him.

This book amazed me, surprised me, and had me rooting for a happy ending the entire time. We learn that J.D. holds no limitations to his power and determination to keep his son away from Araya. Why, I don't exactly know but the one thing I do know is people like J.D. do exist and appearance means everything. He can't have his son galloping around with a blind girl. J.D. is cruel and you can tell there isn't even a drop of love roaming through his veins. He is despicable and even though I hated him throughout, I also respected his character. He was truly believable as a character.

All characters in this book go beyond one-dimensional and you can see their different personalities immediately. We get to see Araya break down and question if she is good enough for Ryland again, but something takes a hold of her and she realizes she cannot live without him.

There was only one thing that bothered me about the book and that was how hard Araya fought to gain independence to show Ryland and herself she could survive on her own, yet she still relies on people around her. Pierce and Makayla are Araya's crutch and honestly this is to be expected, but I wanted to shake her and say 'let Ryland take care of you woman!' If he's not going to someone else will have to and it's better to have someone you love there to help you navigate life. I know Pierce and Makayla came to love her and who wouldn't? She's an absolutely loveable character and I would love to have a friend like her. There's no way she could be a nuisance.

I loved quirky Makayla, a friendship that started when Araya was paired with her to show her around. I'm sad for Makayla though, because it's obvious something has happened to her and I wish she would've opened up to Araya because now I am so curious as to what could have happened to take the life out of her so to speak. I have an idea but I hate making my own assumptions about the book.

Pierce, Pierce, Pierce. He is swoon-worthy and the second best thing to Ryland in Araya's eyes, but she can't give in to him when her mind and heart are constantly gravitating towards Ryland. I feel bad for the guy, but obviously didn't want Araya with him.

Sebastian and Ryland's bickering continues and you can't help but smile when they do. Love Sebastian.

Careless is still Careless. Ryland is shunning her for what she did in The Edge of Darkness. She suffers during most of the book, trying to gain back Ryland's affection as an older brother and his trust.

This book makes me want to read The Edge of Darkness all over again by the fireplace with a hot cup of cocoa. I can't get enough of these books and these are probably the most beautiful stories I have read in a long time.

Melissa, don't worry about what I'm going to think. I may not like a book and I may love it, but it doesn't mean I don't have any less faith that you will continue to put out books that touch people's hearts and souls. I will forever remember these two books. I can't wait to see what you come up with next. It's going to be hard to top these two emotional, yet very real, in depth books. I also want to thank you for all the help you've given me and advice you've thrown my way when publishing my own book. I will forever be grateful to you for everything you've done. You are a Godsend and have a beautiful, selfless heart.

[H · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 this-was-amazing-and-now-I'm-a-wreck stars.

And if you know, how do you get up from an all time low?
I'm in pieces, seems like peace is
The only thing I'll never know
How do you get up
Get up

'Cause driving won't do it
Flying won't do it
Denying won't do it
Crying won't drown it out
What you said

"All Time Low" by The Wanted

Reviewing The Grace in Darkness spoils for the first novel The Edge of Darkness, so if you haven't read that yet, AVERT YOUR EYES NOW.

[eyes averted if need be? sweet.]

“...You’re so afraid that I’m going to treat you or see you as some helpless blind girl that you’re forcing that excuse at me with everything you have... You believe it so much that you left me because of it. You left me, Araya!”

“I left because I needed to learn how to be independent! Not because I didn’t love you! ... I needed to prove to myself that I could be okay on my own, but you’re trying to turn that into something it’s not. You have no right...telling me what I should be doing.”

When we ended The Edge of Darkness with a major cliffhanger, I had no clue where the sequel was going to go. It seemed like Araya and Ryland had so many issues to get through (mainly -- Araya realizing that she needed to take a breather and work on herself before diving headfirst into a relationship.) It was a heartbreaking ending, but a necessary one. I thought Araya's decision was the best thing she could've done, both for herself and Ryland. While she obviously was still very much in love, her blindness clearly clouded his judgment in that he wanted to take care of her all the time -- not allowing Araya to blossom. And even though he doesn't realize it amidst his pain, Ryland needs time to work on himself as well.

I would wait. I would give her what she asked for, what she needed, but when she was ready, all bets were off.

The Grace in Darkness finds Araya at a special school for the visually impaired, where she has begun to dance again and enjoy herself. Even though she gave Ryland the blessing to date other people once she left, Araya finds herself still hopelessly in love.

I knew I asked for this. New surroundings, new people, a new life...but moving on was impossible when my heart wasn’t on my side, and I was starting to wonder if you truly loved someone, can you ever really move on?

Meanwhile, Ryland's conflict with his father comes to a head, and he's forced to decide how far he will go to avoid being controlled by his father's iron fist. Further complicating Ryland's attempt to make a clean break is the threat of harm to Araya by father dearest. Ryland finds himself slipping into destructive habits as he tries to cope with his increasingly turbulent life.

One of the strengths of The Edge of Darkness was the secondary characters, and The Grace in Darkness is no different. Ryland's brother Sebastian and sister Cara (Careless), his housekeeper Annie, Araya's aunt and uncle, (among others) are as well crafted and complex as our two lovers. Melissa Andrea's writing skills elevate this pair of novels far above usual romantic fare.

I realized you may not always get what you want in life, but if you are lucky, if you are lucky, you get exactly what you need.

Ryland and Araya have already been through infinite struggle, but The Grace in Darkness adds much more to their complicated love story. It will make your stomach churn, your heart leap, and your eyes well up in equal measure. I'm glad I took the chance on this enchanting duet -- if you are looking for a complex love story that makes you feel, look no further.