You Belong with Me

Written by Tari Faris

Narrated by Libby McKnight

Realtor Hannah Thornton has many talents. Unfortunately, selling houses in the town where her family name is practically poison isn't one of them. When a business tycoon determines to raze historic homes in the small town of Heritage, Michigan, and replace them with a strip mall, Hannah resolves to stop him. She sets about helping Heritage win a restoration grant that will put the town back on the map--and hopefully finally repay the financial debt Hannah's mother caused the town. But at first no one supports her efforts--not even her best friend, Luke. Luke Johnson may have grown up in Heritage, but as a foster kid he never truly felt as if he belonged. Now he has a chance to score a job as assistant fire chief and earn his place in the town. But when the interview process and Hannah's restoration project start unearthing things from his past, Luke must decide if belonging is worth the pain of being honest about who he is--and who he was.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9781980052319

Reviews for You Belong with Me

[plumcover3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

With hopes of reigniting interest in her community's downtown, Hannah looks for a creative solution to avoiding the imminent takeover of a developer razing both Mom & Pop shops and local dreams. Luke is trying to reimagine his own future, while staring down the possibility that Hannah may be unearthing a history that will limit him personally and professionally. An ability to see beyond, and accept some divine intervention that might know better than your own controlled interests, is key to groundwork for both triumph and romance in this work.

[medwards429 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In anticipation of receiving the second book in this series – “Until I Met You” (UIMY), and since I am currently on the launch team, I decided to order this novel to get familiar with this series.

The series covers are the same design – a sweet, loving couple on the cover; so it draws you in. The titles are very interesting and will likely play into the theme of the novel. This one “You Belong to Me” (YBTM) is explained near the end of the book with regards to Hannah and Luke’s relationship, and his “place” in Heritage.

This is the first of the series, so it is a standalone read, obviously. However, I am sure the novels would be best read together when they’re all done.

Right off I LOVED and adored Luke, he was my hero! I really liked Hannah. And, I understood the Thomas/Janie disconnect. Interesting note – I actually knew a married couple by the name of Janie and Tom. And, does it go without saying how much I despised Madison? I hope she doesn’t return in the second book …

Derek, from the description on page 53, reminded me of a particular character on a TV show that ran from 2003-2010, especially with the “harem” comment. What’s sad? I could ONLY envision Derek like that character. I found that funny since I am re-watching the show again. No spoilers or hints.

Moving on …

The writing style was near perfection and I got drawn in by chapter one; it was hard to put down, but also a bit intimidating as I didn’t know where this novel was going. The plot was absolutely darling – saving a small town and the two-for-one romances.

I had mixed feelings on the Janie/Thomas deal – I thought it was cute, praying for them; but at the same time thought it was being forced and unnatural. I am a sucker for happy endings though. His reasoning was explained in chapter six (6) which was heart-breaking for me.

There are so many “sweet” moments in this book …

* Hannah trying to save Heritage from Kensington

* Her off/on/off romance with Luke

* Luke trying to find a sense of belonging

* Hannah trying to win the grant to save town and her mom being a criminal

* Hannah always trying to fix things

* Taking a long, hard look at life

There was LOADS of good advice here – no good could be found digging in the past, sometimes stuff is just stuff – things like that. It was like a walk through the garden on a light, breezy, misty day.

In chapter three, not only do we learn that the woman watching Luke threw away his adoption papers, we learn more about who he is and why his and Hannah’s relationship is complicated.

Hannah and Luke start to reconnect again, even making up for a lost prom. His issue is one that is complicated. It is rooted in miscommunication and assumption. Where someone sees they’re doing a good deed, someone else might feel inferior or less than as a result of the deed. Faris definitely had a great idea with the multiple viewpoint on that matter.

Where this has a happy ending, it takes its time getting there with a few scandals, mysteries, and even Luke finding his family.

As this is distributed by Revell which is a Christian/Faith themed publisher, there are strong themes of faith, trust, and hope in God, but they are not central to the story until chapter 15. So this definitely fits its genre without bearing overwhelming or overbearing.

Told in third person from Luke and Hannah’s POV, they weren’t often front and center – Tom and Janie were featured as well, if not equally.

One plot hole, or rather something where I wished the author would’ve expanded – Kensington’s motives for the town. I also wanted to know what Derek’s position was in this. I’m also wondering if they’re going to be back in UIMY.

I definitely recommend this debut author for those who enjoy clean romance reads with Christian/Faith themes; which is the audience this book is written for. Especially, if the reader loves small town romances; “restoration” and hopeful types of reads.

For a debut author, Tari Faris knows how to tug at the heart-strings and tells a beautiful story of loss, gains, faith in God when we have nothing, that we’re building beauty from ashes, and how we are perceived when we try to fix things in others’ lives.

I’ve got another book I’m reading and then? “Until I Met You” is up next.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"You Belong With Me" was a clean novel, with two romances happening at once. Hannah and Luke work together to help preserve historic homes in the small town of Heritage. I like books with a small town setting and characters that seem realistic, not too good to be real. This novel is a quick read and the author does not disappoint readers looking for a small town romance with a happy ending. Discussion questions are included at the end, so the book can work with a reading group. Readers might also use the discussion questions to dig a bit deeper into the story. I received this book from Early Reviewers.

[nancyluebke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this clean, small town, romance. I received it for free and I voluntarily chose to review it, and I've given it a 5* rating. There were a lot of twists and turns and up and downs, to keep you turning the page to see what was going to happen next. And the big surprise, there were two romances in the works. I could see these kind of things happening in a lot of small towns around our country. And the best yet happens towards the end. It was a real joy to read, this new, author to me.

[godsgirl_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very much enjoyed this book. The writing was comfortable and not as predictable as a Hallmark movie. The story was nice and easy to read and I read it in a couple days. Have already passed it on to a friend to enjoy after me. Thank you!

[harleyqgrayson02 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received You Belong to Me by Tari Gatos from Librarything Early Member Giveaway for a honest opinion. This is my thoughts and no else. This book was pretty good. I enjoyed the main characters, Hannah and Luke. I had so issues with some of the other characters, Derek was one of them. The plot was good

[xhollishx · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. It's a little different from what I normally read, but I still was able to get into it and really enjoy it. The characters are likeable and very relatable. I loved the storyline and it was a very easy read. The romance in the story was very cute and fun. Overall, it's a good, fun, fast read. I will for sure be picking up more from this author!

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was one of my favorite contemporary romance books. I loved that there was a smidge of romance also. I loved Hannah. She knew that her home town was worth saving even though some wanted it saved in different ways than she wanted. She loved to see the history behind something. Luke was trying to find a family for himself even though he had trouble believing he was worth it. This was well written and I am looking forward to the second book in the series. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[hes7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From the moment I heard about You Belong With Me by Tari Faris, I knew I had to read it. I am a lover of all (er, most) things romance, and it sounded like a swoon-worthy story I would enjoy. Luckily, it did not leave me disappointed.Hannah Thornton determines to revitalize her small town of Heritage, Michigan—and perhaps redeem her tarnished name. Her best friend Luke Johnson wants a place to belong, but is not sure that place is Heritage—unless he can land a particular job. Secrets and sparks fly as the story between the pair unfolds (with a secondary romance, too!), and they just might get the second chance they need.You Belong With Me is an utter delight. With themes of belonging and second chances, believable (though frustrating, sometimes) characters, and pitch-perfect chemistry, Faris delivers a story that left me wanting to read more. Contemporary romance readers, definitely pick up this book.I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"You're the only Realtor I know who actually tries to talk people out of selling and buying. Might be time for a new job." (p. 14) This is the advice that Hannah Thornton receives from her best friend after she tells him that she doesn't want her clients to sell their homes to a developer. Hannah loves her small town and she is determined to prevent some of the historic homes being replaced by a strip mall but it's going to take a lot of work and pursuasion to prevent it. As she struggles to stop these demolitions she also deals with the strong feelings she has for Luke Johnson, her best friend and the man that she has loved for so many years. It seems that there is no chance for the two of them to be together and there also seems to be no hope that she can pursuade others to work to preserve Heritage, Michigan, the place that she calls home. I loved the advice that Hannah received from her Aunt Lucy when she confides that she has failed in all of her efforts. "You can never really fix something shattered. But you can take the pieces and make something even better. Don't leave the painful parts of your life in a box on a shelf. Figure out how to make something beautiful out of them." (p. 275) I enjoyed getting to know Hannah and Luke; they both have experienced extreme disappointments in their parents and they still carry those hurts. I believe that it is this common denominator that has created their bond and it dosn't hurt that they share an amazing chemistry, a chemistry that is worthy of being shown in a movie! There are also several other great characters who deserve their own story and I am hoping that they will be featured in the future books of the Restoring Heritage series. You Belong With Me is a sweet, contemporary Christian fiction novel and while it shows the dangers of keeping your thoughts and emotions bottled up, it also reminds us that forgiveness can offer healing to both the forgiver and the forgiven. If you enjoy clean romance stories with a subtle faith message woven in, you will surely want to read You Belong With Me.I received a copy of this book from Revell and a positive review was not required. This is my honest review.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I live in a small town and this book resonated with me, but we delve deeper and into the lives of the inhabitants here, and all is not how it seems.I loved the compassion these people showed, even if there were a few naysayers, but we are all caught up on what we think others are thinking, and the author has given us several characters that we get to know and they are having trouble traveling in their lives, because they are going in a direction the opposite of what they should.I did love that this is a faith centered book, and watch as some of the individuals we are following struggle to do their own will, just like real life.There is some sweet clean romance here, and love of family, also trying to find a family, and there is another book to come!I received this book through the Revell Readers Program, and was not required to give a positive review.

[harley0326 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love reading debut books by an author. It is exciting to see how their writing is and get familiar with their style. In this story we are taken into a small town set in Michigan. The people are friendly and seem to help each other out. Hannah is a nice character that hasn't had the best life growing up. She has always wanted to belong somewhere and to feel the love of a family.The author has written a story that is emotional and filled with great characters. We all want to belong somewhere and that is at the heart of this book. Luke is another example of overcoming his upbringing in foster care to a man who desires to have a family. There is some background on each character that is just below the surface which the author explores over the course of the story.I loved the love triangle and thought it was written with realism. I know who I am rooting for and couldn't read fast enough to find out what happens. This is the kind of story you can get lost in and forget everything around you. I became invested in the characters and loved how real they seemed. Get ready for a surprise in the story that will make you say, "Oh my"I am glad that I have a new author to read and look forward to the next book she writes. This book may be her debut but her writing skills far surpass many authors that have been writing for awhile. Get ready for an adventure filled with family, faith and hard decisions.I received a copy of this book from the Early Reviewers Program from LibraryThing. The review is my own opinion.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thought this was a charming book. In the beginning I was not a Hannah fan. On the other hand, I loved Luke. He is a sweetheart...almost too sweet. Like the saying goes "The nice guy finishes last". Luke truly had Hannah's best interest at heart. She did not show her appreciation at first. She later came around but she is lucky that Luke waited for her.When it comes to romance, it is on the mild side. Which is what I would expect from a Christian romance/contemporary book. Not that this is a bad thing as sweet is good. The town has its charms. While, I did like this book; my interest went in waves. Up and down and up and down. Yet, this book is a good start to a new series from author, Tari Faris.

[coastandanchor · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In her first novel, Tari Faris has created characters that are believable, a plot that is engaging and a romance that is worth the read. One of my favorite things about it is the setting of Heritage with it's small town vibe and location by the water. There are many historic homes and Hannah is trying to save them while most are willing to watch them be torn down. It was fascinating how the author wove the theme of letting go of the old to make way for the new both emotionally and physically. It is a romance, but it also deals with belonging, finding your own path and not being held back by your past or your heritage. Not only are the main characters developing but there were quite a few secondary characters intertwined in the story. With that being said, I am interested in who the next book's story will follow.Those who like to read Becky Wade, Denise Hunter and Melissa Tagg, will find this book to be a great choice. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next book in the series.*I received a copy of this book for review via Revell. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's basically a Love Inspired Romance plot that's extended out to a longer novel. You pretty much know what the ending will be, you just don't know how they'll get there.1. Keeping secrets from each other is not good for a relationship2. Deciding how another person feels or what's best for them without consulting them is also bad for a relationship.Sometimes I just wanted to shake the characters when they repeated these two issues over and over and over seemingly without learning a life lesson. I liked Nate (the Pastor, but a bit of an unconventional pastor) and how he applied Bible stories to real life (he calls them grace points or GP).WARNING: THE REMAINDER OF THE REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS: READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION*****Hannah hopes to hold on to the heritage of Heritage. She tends to plow ahead with her plans without consulting God to see what His plan is. She's been hurt by her mother leaving the family after embezzling money from the town and by a teenaged Luke who kissed her one day and broke up with her the next. She has a tendency to want to "fix" things--even things that cannot be fixed and she'll sometimes go behind other people's backs to do so.Thomas, Hannah's brother, also suffers from his mother leaving the family and how his father reacted after that. He dated Janie for 5 years, but broke up with her after going to a family reunion with her and realizing how much she wanted children--and not just children but the whole motherhood experience. A treatment for childhood cancer made Thomas infertile so instead of telling Janie and the two of them discussing it, he decided it was better for her if he broke up with her and she could find someone else to give her the children she wanted. Luke feels he's not good enough and doesn't belong. Luke grew up in the foster care system. His foster mom refused to adopt him (for reasons of her own) and to Luke, that meant she didn't really want him. Hannah's tendency to want to "fix" things makes a teenaged Luke feel like he's not "good enough" for her. Luke tends to keep things to himself and not share himself with others. Madison wants to feel safe and loved and protected--it's hinted that Thomas stepped in to keep her from being hit--and she's attached herself to Thomas because she likes how he makes her feel moreso than that she loves him.Janie ended up in France for a while but is now returning home. The Kensington family seems to have designs on the town--wanting to buy up land and tear down buildings and build a shopping area.So will the town remain the historic small town that Hannah loves or become the modernized version that Kensington promotes?

[tcjrogers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

You Belong With Me follows the story of siblings Hannah and Thomas Thornton, a sister and brother who struggle in their relationships due to wounds from their childhood. Hannah is a fixer, wanting to fix her struggling town, her friends, but mostly her best friend, Luke, whom she has loved since middle school. Luke, who also has wounds from his childhood, wants to be loved for just who he is, but he struggles to know exactly who he is and where he belongs since he has no family. Thomas is afraid of repeating the mistakes of his parents, but his fear may push Janie, the only girl he’s ever really loved, out of his life forever. I enjoyed reading You Belong With Me. It was easy to get into the story and easy to like the characters. I thought the over-arching theme that God can take the bad that happens in our lives or our brokenness, and use it for good is something that everyone needs to hear and be reminded of. Overall, it was a good story and an enjoyable read that kept me wanting to find out what was going to happen next. *I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

[simplykelina · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I do not know why, but this one started a little slow for me. I picked it up and read the first two chapters like three times before I was ready to delve in. Once I did, I really enjoyed the story.This is really two romances in one following siblings, Hannah and Thomas. Hannah and Luke were cute. I was really excited for Luke and his back story, but I just did not love how all of that unfolded. Thomas and his love triangle could have had so much potential as well. I did not really find too much to distinguish between our four main love interests. I did love how the author tackles infertility and the true meaning behind family and becoming a family. I think that was the strongest theme for me and what I took away the most from this story. I really enjoyed the small town aspect of the story, and it did not hurt that I grew up in a small town in Michigan. I loved how everyone knew everyone and everyone knew what was going on. That is really how small town life can be. This is a Christian fiction and there was talk around God and faith throughout the story. It was not too much and would not take away from your love of the story. I think it was just the right amount sprinkled within the pages. This was a little slow for me at times. There was a ton happening, but it just did not keep my interest as much as I thought it would.Overall, I am torn on this one. There were times I was really enjoying it and others I was over it.

[cyncie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as an early reviewer. You Belong With Me by Tari Faris is Christian fiction and part of the Heritage series. Hannah Thornton is a small-town realtor, who would rather be restoring her dying town than selling houses and she is a bumbling mess for three-quarters of this book. She manages to create havoc with whatever she does, all the time having the best of intentions. She takes her best friend, Luke, for granted, and pulls him into her chaos. Luke was a foster child who still struggles with a sense of belonging as an adult. The book limps along until the last quarter when the plot becomes much more interesting and you finally feel invested in the characters. The last quarter of the book is it's redemption. At the back of the book, there is a preview of the next in the series featuring Libby, Luke's sister, and that promises to be a much better story, from the part shared here. I look forward to reading that book.

[coverloverbookreview · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A beautifully told restoration story! This pulled me through a range of emotions and has wonderful and unforgettable characters! Told from a variety of POVs, each storyline is bold, inspirational, and leaves me feeling fully sated.

[beautyinthebinding · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

You Belong With Me by Tari Faris caught my attention immediately with its engaging story and romantic tension. As I traveled through the plot twists and romantic developments, I didn't want to put the novel down. I was pleasantly surprised by the second love story and enjoyed it just as much as Hannah and Luke's story. While the novel was a quick read and sometimes humorous, it also dealt with serious issues. I personally connected with the theme of brokenness. Little nuggets of wisdom drew attention to this theme and I found myself rereading sections to ponder the statements. You Belong With Me is the first full-length installment in the Restoring Heritage series by Tari Faris. I love stories of restoration whether it's people, towns, or objects, so I expect to enjoy the restoration of the town being spread out over the series. Four stars for this inspirational contemporary romance!Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided an ARC copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review 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."