Tari FarisRezensionen

As I posted on Goodreads midway through this novel, "I haven't had a novel draw me in like this in a long time."
Okay, this novel was amazing. The character growth, the friends-to-lovers, Pastor Nate and his advice (I must have a story featuring him.), almost everything about this novel was perfect.
The only thing I have about this novel is that Luke and Hannah needed to learn how to communicate with each other. They had obviously known that they needed to work on it for years, but they never really did figure it out.
You Belong With Me is a perfect light-hearted read for a quiet day at home.
Rating: 5 Stars
Content: 5 Stars
*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

was going to rate 3 stars but that ending...

Some books have a lesson that touches you.

Then, there are other books, books like Since You've Been Gone, where the lesson just reaches out with each smooth turn of the page with a brush of love from the author's heart to paper and then into a reader's touch. The way she wove such a careful story of redemption, healing from wounds inflicted by those who should be the ones you can always go to, and that each and every person is special was one not easily forgotten.

Tari Faris is an auto need to read, where is my copy, kind of author. She's been that way since I read You Belong with Me when it first came out. The way that the characters come to life, the town becomes a piece of your heart, and you never want to stop reading it makes me wish there was more.

Jon, oh, okay, Jon! He's just so close to stealing Nate's place as my favorite of the guys, but so are Luke, Grant, and Colby, oh, and I can't forget Chet! They are just such sweet guys that I loved reading about. The girls are also so awesome, can I just be Hannah when I grow up? Yeah, and then there's of course Leah. Yikes, it was crazy relating to her about things but not being able to imagine what happened to her and her family in the past. And, sweet Jimmy! I loved finding out what happened with him though I totally called it. Abby is somebody I really want to see more of in the future.

The sibling relationship/guardianship and raising a little sister for Jon and Abby were so bittersweet... I worried there for a bit that there wouldn't be an outcome I liked. Did I like it? More than I can say but you need to find out for yourself if you agree on that ending!

As happy as I am that this series has ended, I am saddened to leave the world of Restoring Heritage and the characters that are now like old friends.

Warnings: 18 due to romance, past abuse, mentions of drinking/drunks, unwed pregnancy before the book starts and a character knows God, etc. Mentions of attraction, sexy is used, some other focuses on attraction.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I was in love with this book before I even knew what it was going to be about. Before I knew the title, and before I knew who it would be about.

From the book's description, I expected "Until I Met You" it seemed that the story would focus on Libby and Austin, and I was pleasantly surprised that we also get to follow Nate's and Olivia's story and we finally get to see what happened with them and where they go from "You Belong With Me" which I loved!

"Until I Met You" has so many things I love … Broken guys, brothers who are at odds and must figure that out, two girls who become fast friends, a librarian, and so so many more things.

After finding several new favorite books this year, I have quite the list to break down to find my top five or ten favorites this year … And, this one? Well, it parked itself in the first place.

I love, love, love the changes we see in Austin and Libby, they grow so much and their romance is very well done. There is a bit of kissing that isn't graphic, just a warning, there is kissing.

Now, I've said I love this book, I want to be clear that this book is clean, but, it deals with hard topics.

Warning!!! Spoilers!!! Warning!!!
Nate's sins come to light. Since we knew that the tattoed pastor was a former bad boy we could expect this, I just want to say that I am impressed with how well Mrs. Faris handled Nate's past. Among which was that he had a son with an old girlfriend, that he didn't know about since the mom said she would get an abortion. This is clean enough and done in a way that my younger sisters were allowed to read it since the consequences of their sins are shown in a light that can help young readers to learn from the characters’ mistakes.

I'll even go so far as to say that this can be a good book for moms and daughters (12 and up) to read together as a learning experience.

I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book to come out … It is so far away!

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

My Review of You Belong with Me by Tari Faris: I went into this book expecting a Hallmark like story and found not only that but one of the best books I have had the honor of reviewing this year. You Belong With Me (though a possessive title) is truly a wonderful romantic read that had ups and downs but ended sweetly. Filled with romance, cuteness, and love mixed with heritage and God’s love, two couples love and make misguided decisions that lead to lies and hurt. The hippo side of the story was silly and humorous with the mysterious moves. I can’t wait for the next book and “seeing” the town of Heritage again.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and am truly happy to provide it.

(3.5 / 5)

When Caroline Williams, expecting a proposal, is dumped instead, the last person she wants to see is Grant Quinn, on whom she had a huge crush when she was thirteen. But he's moved to town, and comes to the store she runs with her sister, looking for work. Caroline offers a trade--he can work for them if he lets her help him find a more permanent situation...somewhere else. But Grant is a harder nut to crack than she thought he'd be, and she can't afford to let her ordered, list-driven life fall apart by letting him in.

This is a short book, only about 170 pages. Grant's character has some depth, but I think Caroline stayed in the shallow end. The most interesting thing about her was related to love letters she wrote to Grant when she was thirteen, and then letters she wrote him after the two had a short-lived connection when Caroline was 18. But that part of the story wasn't fleshed out nearly enough for me (especially considering that the title of the book is related to it). Caroline also had a tendency to impose ground rules, only to break them herself. She was said to live her life by lists, but in the end, her actions did not prove that about her.

There were also some romance tropes in this book that aren't my favorite, like one pretending to be the other's girlfriend/boyfriend to get family off the one's back. And then the pretend girlfriend/boyfriend initiating a steamy kiss just to make it seem more real. And this leads to one of the other things I didn't like about it--it was more about the physical than I prefer, especially in a Christian story. There was nothing graphic at all, but definitely more emphasis was put on physical attraction and touching than I like.

I did enjoy this book more often than not, which was mostly due to Grant, because Caroline was a flat heroine/romantic lead. This is a prequel to a short series of full-length romances, and I would be interested in seeing how the author does with a novel-length story.

A book of second chance, Christian romance with a touch of mystery. Main characters, Leah & Jon, have known each from since high school and are now partnering together to get Leah's former store up and running. Set in a small town in Michigan, with all the charming qualities we all love. Definitely a Hallmark movie feel to this one. I must admit, I haven't read the first two books in this series but that didn't stop me from enjoying this one. I had no trouble reading this as a stand-alone but I do regret not having read the other two books first. Revell Publishing & NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.

 Eh. I stuck with this one, but it was a little cring-worthy for me. I won it free on Library Thing a few months back when my library was shut down, but just remembered it this week.
This is a very Christian book where they mention God and the Bible a lot in their conversations...and that usually doesn't feel normal to me. I'm a Christian and fully believe in Christ, but the way they talk about Him in some books just doesn't seem like typical conversation.
And the reason the 2 couples kept having issues was pretty silly. They were all just keeping secrets. You just wanted to shake them. It wasn't the best plot.

This book was enjoyable, but not memorable. I know that I enjoyed reading it, but I do not remember much about it , therefore I did not give five stars.

I treasure all the heart-warming stories, in the Restoring Heritage series, this one is no exception. I like the small town feel as this author fills the reader with the spirit of Christmas cheer. Readers are introduced to Ellie Matthews, an interior design student in New York. She’s back to help decorate for the Heritage Christmas Ball. She’s excited about doing this until she finds out who she’s partnered up with, Kade Paxton, mechanic, and wanna-be artist.

Ellie followed her dreams to New York, left Heritage and Kade behind. She wasn’t going to get tangled up in that web again. She was all set and determined to stay strong until her heart skipped a few beats at first sight of him. Ellie could see he felt the same. They both couldn’t let their feelings ruin the situation, they had a ball to decorate. But sparks start to fly and not in a good way as each of them guard their hearts, defend their choices, and dreams. They had to find a way to get along.

They agree on a truce. Rylie says to Kade, …”Do you also want a truce so we can make this the best Christmas Adam dance ever?” “I do” “Then by the power invested in me by the town of Heritage, I now pronounce you working friends.” Rylie lifted her arms as her laughter filled the room. “You see what I did there?” She tells them to play nice. Grin! I love this author’s creativity and sense of humor.

This novel is just pure fun as the author brings magic to the dance, families, friends, and the reader. I highly recommend this as a fun Christmas escape. I recommend the other books in this series as well. They, too, make for a great book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through Kindle Unlimited. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

Another gem from Tari Faris! I’m not a huge contemporary romance fan, but this was just right. I really liked the characters and their story made sense to me. Great book!

This is the third novel in the Restoring Heritage series. I’ve enjoyed being part of this small-town community’s restoration. This is a quaint beautiful community with a cast of interesting, fun, flawed, cast of quirky characters I liked hanging around. I enjoyed seeing them learn, heal, and grow along with and through their beautiful community projects.
Leah Williams has made her way back home in hopes of reviving the families WIFI business. She has many obstacles to overcome, the first is to face Jonathan Kensington, whose family owns part of her business. Problem, Leah can’t seem to forget how he treated her in High School. Yes, people change but not that much, right?
Jon Kensington has responsibilities he never thought he would have, but when his father passed away, it changed everything. He was responsible for the care of his younger sister and has him step into running the Heritage Fruits company. He was doing ok until Leah Williams came into town. Furthermore, he thought he was over her, but when they talked the old feelings started to surface. Why didn’t she like him? He always liked her. Unexpected sparks start to fly between Leah and Jon. They both have changed since high school. They soon realize they both must step out on faith and do the right thing, no matter what.
I adored the secondary story of Colby Marc whose friends with the pastor in Heritage and stays with him a while to clear his head. It’s there he meets Madison Westmore, who’s come back to Heritage to fix up her family’s home and sell it. Madison wants to shake the memories of this home and start fresh again. Besides once this small town finds out her secret, they won’t have anything to do with her. It wasn’t like she was nice to any of them in high school. She had changed, but no one would give her a chance to show them. She had been up front with Colby in hopes it would send him running.
I love how this author whisks readers on an adventure in Heritage, Michigan as the town and its people continue to change and grow. I love how the author crafts her stories to naturally include a spiritual thread that shows hope for the hopeless and giving people and themselves second chances. The author makes you feel part of the journey and made me want to go and visit Heritage. This would make for a fun read, but also one that would work well for your book club pick.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

Since You’ve Been Gone by Tari Farris is a charming, hometown contemporary romance. I loved the town of Heritage, Michigan! A small-town girl myself, I could appreciate the tight-knit group of Leah’s friends, the unique vibe of the downtown district, and the desire for the characters to make a difference in their hometown.
I loved watching Leah’s dream of opening her own business unfold. I loved her creativity and determination to keep her grandpa’s legacy present in the community. Her partnership with Jon was oh-so-much-fun with their flirty interactions and sparking attraction. It made the development of the MIM store really come to life.
And Madison and Colby’s story? Eek! Colby’s loving and gentle manner had me swooning at the turn of every page. It is no surprise Madison didn’t stand a chance against his big, handsome heart. Madison’s story of redemption and Colby’s determination to show her God-like love was such a heart-warming story, and one I needed!
The struggles all the characters deal with from their pasts are heavy and heart-wrenching, but they are realistic and add such depth to the characters and their interactions together. And I loved how their community came together in faith and helped each other through difficult times.
Overall, I loved this Restoring Heritage novel from Tari Faris. I would highly recommend it to all Christian contemporary fiction fans.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Since You’ve Been Gone , by Tari Faris, is book three in the Restoring Heritage Series. This is a modern day Christian contemporary romance story. The story is very well written and background information is given so it could be enjoyed as a stand alone story, but it does reference characters and events from the previous book. This story brings Leah and Jon back together years after high school. Jon has returned home to work with his late father’s business and is given the duty to sell some property. The property will be money it no his business but will hurt others including Leah as she is planning to reopen her grandparent’s store.

This is a story of rebuilding a relationship that is filled with misunderstandings and misinterpretations. It’s also a story of being strong and doing what is right. I enjoyed Jon’s character. He is trying to raise his teenage sister after their parents’ deaths while fulfilling his sports contract and now taking on the company his father left him and his sister. Both Jon and Leah are dealing with grief from family member’s passing and trying to move forward with their lives.

I received a complimentary copy of this story from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Since You’ve Been Gone by Tari Faris brings readers back to the small town of Heritage, Michigan with many familiar faces and a couple new ones as well.

Readers get a double dose of romance with Jonathan and Leah plus Madison and Colby. They also get a short history of how Otis (who has made an appearance in every book in this series) came to be and a peek behind the curtain of how he works, so to speak.

I enjoyed hanging out with these fictional friends and learning more about Leah’s store endeavor. And while there is more about Jon and Leah since they’ve got a history, I loved Madison and Colby’s relationship and the way it grew.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars--rating shown may vary depending on whether site allows half star ratings.

This is another series that I've read out of order. I believe I won the first book of the series in LibraryThing's Early Reviewers giveaway, and then later, I also won the third book of the series--but somehow, I hadn't yet read the second book of the series. I would definitely say it helps to read them in order because I was a bit lost in the third book--not horribly lost, but there were things in that book that I didn't know when or why had happened.

I liked the idea of a librarian as one of the main characters. I also liked the references to books used by many of the characters.

The themes of the book seem to be grace and forgiveness--both forgiving others and forgiving ourselves. We have brothers who have a broken relationship with each other, a son who feels his father likes his other son better, men who feel that the women they love deserve better, a pastor with a past who hasn't forgiven himself . . . And others.

I thought Austin's and Libby's confusion about Otis (the hippo) was cute. I hadn't heard the cabbage story before, but I am glad Otis moved before the auger came. (If you read book 3, you'll learn some secrets about Otis.)½

I was sent this book from the publisher/publicity team. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.

I did read book one in the series, but it was so long ago. I was not able to read book two. This can be read as a standalone, but right from the start I felt like I was missing something. Maybe reading the whole series from the start would have helped with this feeling.

I had a hard time getting into this one for some reason. It may have been that I felt disconnected to the story and did feel like I was missing some pieces. I am not sure, but I found myself putting it down. Sadly, I just could never get back into this one. I may pick up book one and two and try again.

Since You’ve Been Gone is book 3 in Tari Faris’s Restoring Heritage series, and I loved returning to the close-knit town of Heritage, Michigan and the colorful, interesting people who live there. Faris has a talent for creating realistic, endearing characters with varied problems and backgrounds and changing them for the better. This book features a double storyline with Leah Williams and Jon Kensington as the main couple, with Madison Westmore and Colby Marc’s story as a bonus.

Faris started the book out strong and kept up the action to the satisfying conclusion. Elements of faith and inspiration are woven carefully into the story and added powerful substance to it. Themes of hope, forgiveness, and overcoming fear and failure are uplifting and resonated with me.

“One person can fail only so many times.”
“Failure can be a good thing, but you have to learn from it and fail forward. Let the failure push you on to something greater.”

I’ve enjoyed this series, and I’m looking forward to more wonderful stories from this author. I recommend this book and series to those who enjoy contemporary romance with inspirational elements. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Revell through Interviews and Reviews. All opinions are my own.½

Leah Williams comes back to her hometown ready to resurrect her grandfather's business. Jonathan Kensington wants to help her make the business a success, but he is receiving pressure from all directions, together can they strike a compromise?

Jonathan is a really great guy pulled in a multitude of directions, he is so patient with Leah and her unswerving stubbornness. At times it was hard to like Leah, especially when she was upset with Jonathan who was doing his best to juggle all of his responsibilities and please everyone. Plus, he made some pretty valid points.

Overall, a sweet small town romance, featuring familiar faces from previous books, though my favorite in this book probably had to be Jonathan. A nice addition to the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved going back to Heritage, reading about the next two couples to find romance and seeing where Otis the hippo lands this time.
This reminded me of the Prodigal Son. But we also see the Prodigal Brother. With multiple points of view, this is a story of reconciliation and love re-kindleed.
Pastor Nate has been redeemed but still holds on to his past. It takes a friend to remind him:”You aren’t called to have the answers. You were called to point to the One who has the answers.”
This is a tight knit community, where everyone knows just about everything, so reputations are on display. I liked how Ms. Faris portrayed the characters as having flaws but after some stubbornness, they learned to let God lead.”When I push God away, He doesn’t force Himself on me. And when I look for Him, He tends to find me.”
The romance is palpable and I loved the gestures by Austin to win Libby. He took her on a surprise date to see the local Carnegie Libraries. She was trying to collect selfies of them. The back and forth with the baggie of change was very funny. Olivia, trying for a newspaper job agrees to do an article on dating. That whole scenario was a hoot, as Nate tries not to be offended or left out.
Great series so far. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.
*I won this book from Just Reads tour in October 2020. All opinions are my own.*

Welcome back to Heritage, Michigan, one of my favorite fictional places. Small town flavor where some things are not private but where most everyone rallies to support you. Two more couples take center stage.
Leah and Jon are coming back to town, Jon to take over the family business and Leah to resurrect the legacy her grandfather left behind. They team up to open a unique store that sells items Made In Michigan, hoping to make Heritage proud.
Colby, famous for his Christian music, is in retreat mode after some career trouble. Madison, the redeemed bad girl, is making a fresh start and rehabbing her childhood home.
Ms. Faris brings her characters to life with messy choices and complicated situations. But they come through struggles with faith and realistic solutions. There is angst, humor and touching romance.
And as always, the mystery of wandering Otis, the huge metal hippo town mascot.
“Love is letting someone in and trusting them even though they have the potential to break your heart.
“Failure can be a good thing, but you have to learn from it and fail forward. Let the failure push you on to something greater.”
Not only is this a story about restoring a town, but it is a story of restoring lives and keeping the heritage of families alive.
If you love romance, struggles, spiritual growth and happy endings, you will love this series.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Reads program. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

The latest book in the Restoring Heritage series, Since You've Been Gone, features four more singles discovering love in the small town of Heritage, Michigan. Though I hadn't read the previous two books, You Belong With Me and Until I Met You, it wasn't too difficult to acclimate myself to the setting and characters. Despite some (what I'm assuming are) cameos and perhaps slight spoilers regarding couples from the earlier books, considering that these are contemporary romances, I felt comfortable reading Since You've Been Gone as a stand alone though that may be different for other readers.

The character I connected to first was Leah. She's a creative, flighty type, and I very much related to her fears regarding falling in love and reluctance to starting a relationship even though she really wanted to. While there were moments where I got frustrated at Leah's jumping to conclusions, it was understandable considering her past assumptions. Jon is a steady, responsible type whose clashes and banter with Leah are rather entertaining.

Love is a risk, but a risk worth taking (with the right person), is one of the themes throughout the book that stood out to me and is highlighted not just with our main couple, but side characters Madison Westmore and Colby Marc. Both end up in Heritage not by choice, but by necessity: Madison to settle the affairs of her late estranged father and Colby to hide out after a scandal breaks up his popular music group. Like Leah, Madison is also reluctant to the risks of love, but her character arc was even more poignant to me and a reminder of how important our reactions as Christians are --Do we respond with grace and love or sanctimonious judgement and presuppositions? Seeing her grow to trust others and vice versa made me want to cheer. Meanwhile, Colby's heart and character reminded me of Hosea. He didn't care about Madison's past reputation, but saw her as she was now and how she changed even if others in town didn't.

As Tari Faris solidly closes out her debut series, I will eagerly await her next book (after I go back and read the other Restoring Heritage novels)! I would recommend this book to fans of Christian contemporary romance authors such as Becky Wade, Julie Lessman, Carla Laureano, or Susan May Warren. My fellow librarians should also take note of this new Christian fiction author!

[Disclosure: I received an ARC copy from the publisher for review purposes.]

Since You’ve Been Gone took a while to win me over. Having read previous stories by Tari Faris, I wasn’t surprised by the dual romances unfolding, but I didn’t appreciate Madison and Colby’s narrative interrupting Leah and Jon’s narrative. Somewhere around halfway through, I started to genuinely enjoy both stories. Leah and Jon remained my favorite couple in part due to their relationship history. Sometimes Leah’s drama and angst made me cringe, but I liked how she matured and learned life lessons. The concept of not letting a parent’s abandonment dictate your choices and beliefs about others resonated with me personally.

Since You’ve Been Gone lands as book three in the Restoring Heritage series by Tari Faris. A year or more ago, I read the prequel and book one (You Belong With Me), but I completely missed book two. As such, I struggled to keep all the side characters straight. I recommend reading the novels in order to avoid confusion, even though the story itself could be a stand-alone novel.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Leah has a habit of quitting when things get tough, but when she returns to Heritage, Michigan, to reopen her business she must work with Jon Kensington, who made her high school years miserable. Also returning to Heritage is Madison, an unwed mother-to-be who is helped by failed musician Colby Marc to renovate a house she has inherited. Each of these characters has lessons to learn about trust, forgiveness, and learning from failure.½