When she hears that the small town of Heritage, Michigan, is looking for a new librarian, Libby Kingsley jumps at the opportunity. Little did she know the library is barely more than a storage closet stuffed with dusty, outdated books. What the community really needs is a new building. But the only funds available are those being channeled into the new town square, and the landscape architect in … in charge of the project wants nothing to do with her plans.All Austin Williams wants to do is get the town square project finished so he can do right by the family business and then extricate himself from the town that reveres the brother who cost him so much. But the local media and the town’s new librarian seem to be conspiring against him at every turn. Will the determined bookworm find her way into his blueprints–and possibly even his heart?Novelist Tari Faris invites you back to the small town with a big heart in this second book in the Restoring Heritage series.
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When I discover a debut author, I’m always anxious to see if the second book will be as good as the first and author Tari Faris certainly didn’t disappoint me. Until I Met You has great characters, a charming small-town setting, realistic situations, and there is also…romance! When Libby Kingsley and Austin Williams meet, you just know that something interesting is in the works. Yes, their initial reactions are a little iffy but we all know that chemistry is the key and Libby and Austin certainly have plenty of powerful chemistry!
I absolutely love it when librarians get the spotlight and Libby’s desire to visit all of the Carnegie Libraries is understandable and her efforts to get funding for a new library are spot-on! I also enjoyed the insights of living in a small town and the mention of characters from the Restoring Heritage series. It is, however, Faris’s ability to completely capture human emotions that impressed me the most. Fear of failure, past hurts, and unresolved issues offer many conflicts but, in the end, we are allowed to witness the blessings that come from mercy and forgiveness.
If you enjoy contemporary romance with a faith element, you will definitely want to read Until I Met You. I am giving it 4.5 Stars!
I received a copy of this book from Revell. There was no obligation to post a positive review. These are my own opinions.
“No, but a life without grace for others’ mistakes ends up being a pretty lonely life.”
This was such a wonderful visit to Heritage I loved every minute of it and can I gush about this book a bit?
I loved this book so much, I had laughter, I had tears, I had moments where i thought over and over certain aspects of the story.
It was fun getting to know more about Nate and Austin and Libby and Olivia. I loved the themes of forgiveness and second chances. Most times forgiveness is more for ourselves when we let the hurt fester and refuse to forgive it eats us inside making us bitter. I keep going back to the parable of the Prodigal son as I read about Nate and Austin. We have all messed up in one way or the other we are lost but we are always welcome to come back to the father no judgement but we also have to learn to forgive ourselves. This was Nate’s struggle. I loved Olivia for loving him through it all and constantly remaining him he was worthy of being loved, he had been forgiven too. Libby and Austin too, although they started off on the wrong foot, I enjoyed reading about how their relationship blossomed and brought out a better part of them.
It was an awesome visit to Heritage and I’d definitely be wanting to go back soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed are solely mine.
Okay, this book had me with the library. In Libby, I found a kindred spirit. From her introverted ways to her getting excited about visiting different libraries, I loved watching her get used to her new home in the town of Heritage.
Now Austin was a little harder for me to like. I understood why he was a grumpy guy and even why he took it out on Libby, but after a while, I got tired of his high standards and jumping to conclusions. The romance between them was sweet when he wasn’t doing his Grinch impersonation. Full review is at my website.
I received this book complimentary as a participant in the Revell blog tour. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
I love Tari Faris’s books. This is her second in the series and her second book published. Tari’s fresh, fun voice gives a unique flare to her characters. In Until I Met You, we see the flaws, warts and all, as the emotions fly. Libby has issues, but she also has a heart for the new project she’s faced with. Austin expects too much of everyone, including himself. The town of Heritage is the perfect stage for Tari’s stories. I love what they are doing with the library as they make the town come to life. Along with Libby and Austin’s stories, we get a bonus. Olivia, Libby’s roommate and Nate, Austin’s brother, have their own relationship to work through. If you are looking for a fresh new voice in inspirational fiction, pick up a copy of Until I Met You. If you haven’t read it, you’ll also want to read the first Restoring Heritage book, You Belong With Me. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I really enjoyed reading this sweet, easy to read Christian fiction book! Clean romance, great characters in a small town of Michigan where Otis the mysterious moving hippo lives.
This story mostly focuses on Austin, his brother Pastor Nate, Libby, and her roommate Olivia. Other characters including the father and characters from the town and book 1 are mentioned throughout, although it’s not necessary to read the books in order. I loved the characters, especially Libby and Olivia; although Austin frustrated me the most with his lack of forgiveness and grace towards others-especially his wayward brother. But that’s real life and sometimes we have a hard time giving others second and third chances even though we know we should. I liked and could relate to Libby and her passion for books and building a town Library. All four main characters had different strengths and it was fun to read how they all helped each other with various things as the book progressed.
Lots of laughs along with the theme of love, forgiveness, bravery, and faith sprinkled throughout the story line. Highly recommend-I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down!
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
No, but a life without grace for others’ mistakes ends up being a pretty lonely life.”
Two hurting people needing healing! Libby and Austin.
Austin lost a lot because of his brother and that turned him into a person he did not recognise. I loved how he and Libby brought change into each other’s lives. I loved reading how God worked on their hearts brought newness, forgiveness and redemption.
Olivia and Nate’s story made me want to cry! I loved Nate! I am a sucker for redemption stories and Nate’s was nothing short of amazing. I connected to him most while reading the book because I know what it means to forgive everyone else and be forgiven but to withhold forgiveness from yourself and live in penance. I admired how Olivia kept pushing. Her heart and love for Nate was unrivaled.
The lessons in this book are far reaching and highly recommended. You find yourself hurting and healing with the characters.
I received a copy of this book from Revell and this is my honest opinion.
Well, this novel certainly kept me turning pages! I really liked that there were two developing romantic relationships going on in this book. There was also the turbulent relationship between the brothers, Nate and Austin, which showcased a very broken family relationship.
These two brothers…what burdens they carried!
Austin had deeply rooted bitterness in his heart. The unforgiveness toward his brother that he held onto impacted his developing relationship with Libby. It caused him to react in anger quite a bit in this story. Austin had a lot to learn about forgiveness and trust in this book.
Nate was an intriguing character from book one and I was very interested to see how things worked out for him. The burdens he carried around were all related to the mistakes he had made as a young man. Even though he knew that God had forgiven him, he was unable to totally forgive himself. And even though he loved Olivia, he kept pushing her away because of the man he had been. He had to learn to forgive himself and look to the future instead of the past.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Netgalley and Revell Books for gifting me a copy of this book. These opinions are my own.
2.5/5 Stars
Genre: Christian Romance
When I read the synopsis for this book I was excited to see that the main character was a librarian, my little bookworm heart was so excited! This is the second book of a small town romance with interwoven characters (which I love in a series). What I didn’t realize was that Libby & Austin would not be the only couple in this story, they shared the spotlight with Austin’s brother Nate & Olivia. Along with the budding relationships between these two couples is the tension between two brothers that can’t seem to move on from past mistakes.
I HIGHLY recommend reading this series in order. Most series I’ve read with a location/town as the main building block can be read as a standalone with interwoven characters. Unfortunately I instantly felt lost in the story since events from the prior books were mentioned without explained. I wonder if part of my view of this book would have been different if I’d read the other books prior to this one. I also felt that the romance between the two couples was very watered since both romances shared the same book. We were never able to really experience the building of the deep connection between either couples, it felt more like to novellas interwoven to form a full story.
Overall this was a sweet Christian romance, but I recommend starting with the first book of the series before reading this one.
An inspirational, romantic small-town story from Tari Faris! Sometimes the story and characters are a bit stressful (I’m looking at you, Austin and Nate), but it is always engaging and well-written. The stubbornness of the two main male characters is softened by their thoughtfulness, and their relationships with the two heroines were wonderfully balanced. Usually, I like books to focus on one couple, but Austin’s and Nate’s stories definitely needed to be told simultaneously, so having two heroes and heroines worked well for this story.
Readers will love seeing familiar faces in Until I Met You! Since life is busy, I was unable to read the first book in this series (You Belong With Me) before reading this one, though I did enjoy the prequel novella (P.S. Goodbye). As I eagerly anticipate book three, I’m excited to go back and read book one. Fans of Becky Wade and Denise Hunter won’t want to miss this addition to the Restoring Heritage series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
3.5 Stars
I have mixed opinions about book two in the Restoring Heritage series by Tari Faris. There are highs and lows to Until I Met You.
The two ladies in the book are well-developed and likable. What book lover isn’t going to immediately root for Libby who finds her passion in stories. Plus, there was enough of a hint of her backstory that I wanted to know more. Olivia was my favorite in this book. She’s friendly and welcoming, but once she realizes her life isn’t heading in the direction she hopes it will, she takes control and changes her trajectory.
The guys, on the other hand, leave a little to be desired. Sure, they’re good looking and have their swoony moments but their attitudes left me scratching my head at times. Austin is the biggest offender with his knee-jerk reaction to gravitate to the worst conclusion, refusing to listen and holding grudges. Nate’s almost as bad and seemed like a different character than I met in the prequel novella to the series.
Yet despite the negatives to this book, I enjoyed visiting Heritage again and catching up with some of the people from book one and the novella. And the theme of forgiveness and grace is prevalent throughout most of the book. Not to mention that ending!
Bottom line, if you’re looking to check out for a few hours and escape into a sweet, small town romance with a happy ending, Until I Met You might be just what you need.
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.
Author Tari Faris treats readers to another charming small town romance with “Until I Met You”, Book Two in her “Restoring Heritage” series. Heritage, Michigan is a town in the process of revitalization, and one of the things that definitely needs an update is the community library. Libby Kingsley needs a new start, and accepting the position of librarian will also allow her to be close to her brother, Luke, and his family. Libby discovers that library needs a complete overhaul–including a new building. Community funding is allocated for the new town square, and the architect in charge of the project, Austin Williams has hands full with limited resources, family issues, and the new librarian who is determined to provide Heritage with a renovated library. Libby and Austin bump heads from the beginning, live next door to each other, and will have to learn to work together in order to compromise and reach their individual goals. Along the way, can they become friends–and perhaps something more that they never expected? “Until I Met You” reacquaints readers with characters from Book One, “You Belong With Me”, and the prequel. “P.S. Goodbye”. This is a story filled with faith, second chances, and heartwarming romance. A recommended series for lovers of contemporary inspirational romance.
Book Copy Gratis Revell Books
It has been a thing now to read a Tari Faris book over Labor Day weekend. What a treat it has been the last 2 years! Humor, heart, realistic flawed characters; this book has it all! The worst part for me was when I was expecting 27 more minutes with these characters and I finished the book! I was so sad! My Kindle app totally fooled me! It all wrapped up satisfyingly, so it was nothing like that. I was just watching the remaining minutes and was so looking forward to that so I was so sad it was the end. It was so fun to read about Otis again too! I feel like this author’s style is her own, but comparable to a mix of Melissa Tagg and Becky Wade. I received an ecopy to read, all thoughts are my own.
I absolutely adored this story! Tari Faris had a way of writing a story that pulls you in, gets you all emotionally invested, and doesn’t release until you’ve read the last page! Until I Met You is exactly that. The characters are well written and likeable, the setting is fantastic, the town is just quirky enough to be interesting, and the romance is perfect! It keeps you interested and invested, but not cheesy or unrealistic. Very well written story. I cant wait for Ms. Faris’ next book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Author Tari Faris returns with a new inspirational contemporary romance set in the small town of Heritage, Michigan.
In Until I Met You, Libby Kingsley moves to Heritage to become the town’s librarian, without knowing that the library is filled with outdated books and occupies the basement of another building. To really serve the town, she needs new books AND a new building, The only funds available are already being used for the town square project. Landscape architect Austin Williams just wants to get that job done (his dad underbid on the project but isn’t able to do it). What happens when they both have good ideas for the town square and need to work together?
Farris writes with a touch of faith and humor, sprinkling both throughout the story. While this book could be read as a standalone, the reader would benefit from reading the novella, P.S. I Love You, and You Belong With Me (book 1).
Austin returns to Heritage to help their family business. He is also dealing with a father who is starting to exhibit signs of Alzheimer’s and he is estranged from his brother who happens to be the local pastor. Meanwhile Libby moved to Heritage to be closer to her brother and his family. The book starts off slowly, and miscommunication abounds in both families, as well as between Libby and Austin. Themes of grace, forgiveness, and family are central to this book.
Recommended for adult collections in public libraries. Fans of Becky Wade, Courtney Walsh, and Kara Issac will delight to read this series.
Disclaimer: Book reviews are my honest opinion of books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write reviews, nor to even post positive reviews.
Until I Met You by Tari Faris is an adorable small-town romance that sweeps the reader into a Michigan getaway! Featuring a mystical hippo (Otis!), a one room school, and a serial reader Heritage, Michigan is the perfect place for Libby Kingsley to start again and finally heal from the past.
Longing to reconnect with her brother Luke (from You Belong with Me book one) Libby moves to Heritage to serve as the town librarian. However, she quickly finds out not everyone is welcoming when her dog forces her to meet the next-door neighbor, Austin Williams. Life is not going well for Austin as he is forced to uproot his life to move to the town where his estranged brother pastors the community church. He also navigates how to forgive past mistakes and reconnect with his brother Nate and their father. Nate Williams feels like the prophetical son after he rebelled against God and screwed up Austin’s life. Now serving as Heritage’s pastor he grapples with still wearing his “grave clothes.” (This moment is one of my favorites and so impactful!) He also refuses to pursue a relationship with his best friend Olivia Mathews because he feels unworthy. Will these four people learn to let go of the past and allow God to heal them and accept that we all make mistakes?
I love how Faris combines two romanced centered about siblings to tell a cohesive story! This adds a wonderful layer of complexity that challenges readers to think about what does love mean outside of romantic love. Plus, the friendship group keeps expanding and feels so welcoming to the reader. It is so easy to feel that everyone else is perfect and we are the only ones who make mistakes, but we are not. UIMY also remains us that self-forgiveness is just as important as forgiving those who hurt us.
Overall, an adorable dual romance with a splash of Hallmark feels and a deep heart! I cannot wait for the Christmas novella and to befriend the serial reader!
(I received a complimentary copy of the story from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my review.)
“Why do we have such a hard time being friends?”
It may have all started after Libby Kingsley’s dog postponed Austin William’s opportunity to breed his own dog, due to a not-so-little- as-it-turned-out misunderstanding about fences. Libby’s welcome mat shrunk even further when her brother and sister-in-law unexpectedly headed to the hospital with a medical emergency just minutes after her arrival in Heritage, leaving Libby alone in their home with several simple tasks; one of them being, “Would you mind delivering the cookies while they are fresh?”. And thus, the so-called “friendship” with Mr. Mean Hot Neighbor began.
Libby had come to Heritage with high hopes of starting over. Becoming the librarian in the small up and coming (they hoped) little town was a dream come true for her. However, her expectations quickly dimmed when the town’s library turned out to be an old dusty room in the the basement of Heritage’s town hall; piled high with dirty, outdated books. Would moving and renovating an old one room school house into a new library be worth working with Austin Williams and his brother, Nate? Now those two have a history of their own that needs a make-over.
Grace and forgiveness take center stage in this light, easy read. Or perhaps it isn’t so light after all when you consider the spiritual challenges this book navigates with the steadying power of the Gospel. While the characters and dialogue could benefit from a bit more development, the messaging is authentic and the romantic tensions more than guarantee some intense page turning.
“Forgiveness is never deserved. It’s a gift. It you can earn a gift, it’s not a gift anymore – – – it’s a wage.”
I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
No sophomore slump here—Tari Faris’s second full-length novel is even better than the first! From the moment I began reading Until I Met You, I was completely swept up into the story.
This book focuses on the Williams brothers: landscape architect Austin and Pastor Nate. They have a prodigal son vibe going on, with Nate being the reformed prodigal and Austin being the older brother. I definitely wanted to shake some sense into Nate a time or two (seriously, how difficult is it to pick up a phone and shoot off a text when plans change?), but there’s a strong focus on grace and forgiveness intertwined in his story (both for others and for yourself) that will resonate with most readers.
Also, this novel provides two romances for the price of one, as each Williams brother finds love. Libby and Austin were just delightful—I loved how Libby came out of her shell around Austin and wasn’t afraid to confront him. They truly brought out the best in each other. And, after watching Nate and Olivia dance around each other in previous books, I loved seeing their romance play out here.
Until I Met You is another solid entry in the Restoring Heritage series. I highly recommend it to fans of small town romance! 5 stars.
Note: While this is the second book in the series, you can enjoy it without first having read the prequel novella or book one. But I do think the book will be more meaningful if you have that background information.
Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.
Oh My Stars! What a beautiful, amazing book! I became a forever fan of Tari Faris’ books last year when I read her novella P.S. Goodbye, and fell even deeper in love with her books when I read You Belong With Me! I seriously didn’t think this author’s writing could get any more amazing, but I was proven wrong! One of the things I love about this author’s books is that they feature two love stories. I loved Libby and Austin, their story was wonderful and I was rooting for them from the start, though as much as I loved Libby and Austin’s story I think Nate and Olivia’s story was definitely my favorite! I have been head over heels in love with Nate since he first appeared in P.S. Goodbye and I’ve been eagerly anticipating his story, it was everything I had dreamed it would be and so much more!
Reading this book is pure bliss, it made me so giddy-happy, and I couldn’t stop smiling while I read it!
Until I Met You is now my favorite Tari Faris book so far, it made me laugh out loud, touched every part of my heart, and made me swoon more times than I can count!
Heritage is one of my very favorite fictional towns (I wish I could live there) and I just adore Otis the hippo!
Saying I loved this book doesn’t come close to describing the depth of my adoration for it, but sadly I can’t come up with a more eloquent way to say it so this will have to do: I loved every single moment of this book and hated to stop reading!
Until I Met You is one for the keeper shelf (I already want to re-read it!) it’s one of my top ten favorite reads of 2020 and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
I most highly recommend Until I Met You! If you are a fan of Christian contemporary romance, especially Susan May Warren’s books you need to read Tari Faris! You don’t want to miss a single moment of the amazingness that is the Restoring Heritage series!
(5 Stars, but I’d give it every star in the sky if I could!)
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Which did not influence my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own!
If you’re following the Heritage series, you won’t be disappointed in this new story! It’s sooo good! I love the way the dual romance storylines weave together as estranged brothers, Austin and Nate reconcile. I feel like I’m part of Heritage as the square comes together and I revisit my favorites characters and meet some new ones, too. I was soo anxious to see Nate and Olivia’s story unfold after hints of it from the previous stories and Libby and Austin were such great relatable characters to get to know. Faris knocked it out of the park on this one. Don’t miss it! (I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
Excellent! Great story, memorable characters, and emotional punch. Highly recommend!