Book Review: Until I Met You by Tari Faris
I read Tari Faris’ first book You Belong With Me last fall and really enjoyed it. The characters and the little town of Heritage really drew me in.
So I was very excited for the release of Until I Met You, which returns us to Heritage but with some new characters. I love that each book also has two stories that run simultaneously.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Summary
In Until I Met You Libby Kingsley has moved to Heritage to be near her brother and his growing family. She’s also taken a job as the town’s new librarian.
Mistakes in her past have left her skittish and afraid to trust again. So when she starts to fall for Austin Williams, she’s nervous that she could be making another mistake.
Austin is only in Heritage to be near his dad’s nursing home facility. His brother, Nate, nearly destroyed their family business, and Austin is doing his best to repair the damage.
He can’t seem to forgive Nate, or allow himself to move on from the past. Nate has tried to make a fresh start as a pastor, but he keeps letting his past define him, and his brother’s animosity doesn’t help.
Nate loves Olivia, and she loves him. He believes she deserves someone better, so he continually pushes her away.
These four characters come together during a remodeling and landscaping project in the Heritage town square. They learn about forgiveness, grace that isn’t deserved, and letting love win the day.
Until I Met You Review
First, I have to say that I really enjoy Tari’s writing. The covers of her books make them seem like light romances, but I think they’re deeper than that.
I like to read a book where I find a character I really relate to. Believe it or not, in this book it was Austin.
I, too, have found myself in a place where I try to measure up to a standard I set for myself that has nothing to do with God or how others see me. And, yes, I probably hold others to this standard as well.
While I did really love Austin and Libby’s story, my favorite storyline in Until I Met You was Nate’s. It’s such a powerful story of grace and forgiveness.
Nate and Austin reminded me that God can forgive any and every sin. He doesn’t hold people in the shame of their pasts, and we shouldn’t either.
I love the little town of Heritage. It’s fun to keep returning there in these books. I can’t wait for the next one.
Tari Faris has a way of writing a story that makes you think deeper than just the surface. Her characters are relatable, and I think we can all identify our own struggles in them.
But she also includes a lot of really light-hearted moments that made me giggle out loud. There are a lot of real-life funny moments in this book.
And as a huge Jane Austen fan, I couldn’t help but notice all the Austen references in the story. That made it even better for me!
Until I Met You is a great read that I highly recommend. It goes beyond romance to deep, heart issues that we all face.
I think the whole Restoring Heritage series is one you’ll enjoy. Warning: Start with the novella PS. Goodbye to enjoy the series to the fullest!
