*I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts below are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. Also, this blog post includes affiliate links which means I will receive a commission based on sales generated via these links.

A Three Star Book Review of Until I Met You by Tari Faris | A Christian Fiction Novel from Revell

A sweet, enchanting new romance…

Author Tari Faris delivers a tender novel based in the fictional small town of Heritage, Michigan where her characters connect, fall in love and grow in their faith, working to overcome personal struggles and unite in a project for the town square. Reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, this story is sure to tug on your heartstrings and have you falling head over heels for the townspeople of Heritage.

Welcome back to Heritage, Michigan--the small town with a big heart
When she hears that the town of Heritage is looking for a new librarian, Libby Kingsley jumps at the opportunity. Little did she know the library is barely more than a basement room stuffed with dusty, outdated books.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 charge of the project wants nothing to do with her plans.

All Austin Williams wants to do is get the town square project finished, and he hopes it is enough to save the family business. Then he can 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?

"I loved this story! Tari Faris has upped her game in this sophomore book with her writing, her characterization, and especially the theme of family reconciliation. You'll love it too!"
Susan May Warren, USA Today bestselling author

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★★★ | New-to-me author Tari Faris welcomes readers to her fictional small town where the townspeople come together to bring a delightful, simple story of romance, togetherness and faith.

I enjoyed this story for the personal struggles and faith based elements that Faris wove throughout. Each character is working to overcome something from their past that is affecting their current situation, making them relatable and life like. The application of faith was inspirational and heartwarming which was refreshing and done well.

The romances between the main characters were very sweet and touching, but also passionate. I loved that the author didn’t stray from the very real feelings these characters had for each other and gave us a in-depth look into the characters' thoughts and struggles.

For me personally, I so wanted to love this book more. There were just a couple of things that held me back from a four star rating… In the beginning, I struggled with the fact that I hadn’t read the first book in the series and a lot of characters were introduced with backgrounds that I knew nothing about. I felt like I’d missed a lot. It wasn’t until half to three quarters of the way though that some of the puzzle pieces were revealed, connecting book one and two, and I began to grasp the characters a little better. Also, at times, it felt like the story became a little repetitive and was fairly predictable. It had the small-town convenience where everyone knows everybody and everything that’s happening. Lastly, I really wanted to like Olivia, Nate and Libby, but I wasn’t able to connect with them on a personal level. Perhaps they’re meant to be younger characters and still growing into themselves (I’m in my early 30’s) so some of their struggles felt a little shallow. My favorite character ended up being Austin, all though I will admit his attitude sometimes pushed that favor.

Despite my mediocre feelings regarding this story, I feel certain other readers will enjoy it immensely for it’s small town charm and happily-ever-after motif. For readers who enjoy television series like Hart of Dixie or Hallmark movies, and for readers who enjoy series where characters mix in throughout the books, then this is a great series for you! I encourage readers to give this novel, and series, a read! It is my recommendation that you read the stories in order though (*wink). Appropriate for readers 16+.