Restoring Heritage: Book 3
Publication Date: September 7, 2021
Leah Williams is back in the quaint town of Heritage, Michigan, and ready to try again to make her business a success. But blank slates are hard to come by, and a piece of her past is waiting for her there. Heir to the Heritage Fruits company, Jonathan Kensington is the guy who not only made Leah’s past difficult, he also seems determined to complicate her present as well.
Jon is trying to prove to the Heritage Fruits board that he, not his manipulative uncle, should be running the business. The board insists Jon find a new owner for the building that will house Leah’s business. To avoid forcing a buyout of Leah’s part of the building, Jon strikes a compromise with Leah, and the two go into business together. With her vision and his know-how, it might work. And Leah might realize he’s loved her since high school. If only he didn’t keep on shooting himself in the foot by boxing her out of important decisions.
Sparks fly in this romantic story of two people who must learn to trust both each other and the one who called them to this journey.
I’ll be completely honest. I’d never read a Tari Faris book before, but after reading the book blurb, I applied to be on the release street team for Since You’ve Been Gone and was accepted. I had every intention of reading the previous books in the Restoring Heritage series but never got to it.
But, you know what, it wasn’t necessary. I’m pretty sure some of the characters in the book had stories told earlier in the series, but enough backstory is given that nothing is missed, just that typical enjoyment of revisiting beloved characters.
Since You’ve Been Gone mostly follows Jon and Leah, who knew each other in high school and then went their separate ways. Jon had a major crush on Leah when they were younger, and Leah never fully understood the attention he gave her. When they are both back in their hometown of Heritage and Jon starts flirting with her, she’s confused. But she needs his help in saving her grandparent’s store.
The interactions between Jon and Leah are so realistic. Leah’s afraid to let Jon in, still dealing with abandonment issues from childhood. Jon has so much on his plate that he’s just bound to start dropping balls. Yeah, I’ll admit that I got a little tired of Leah pushing Jon away and him coming practically crawling back. But at the same time, it made their happily ever after a little sweeter.
There is a secondary story that isn’t mentioned in the blurb that follows a disgraced Christian music star and the daughter of the town drunk. I found myself wanting more of Madison and Marc. My heart ached for both characters, and I felt that they could have had a story of their own. I do hope they get revisited in the future.
After reading Since You’ve Been Gone, I have to go back and read the previous books in the series. Fair warning, this is a clean, Christian romance. I am happy to report that it wasn’t preachy, but the characters occasionally talk about God and their faith. I enjoyed my time in Heritage and can’t wait to revisit the town and characters.
I have been writing fiction for more than twelve years. It has been an exciting journey for this math-loving-dyslexic girl. I had read less than a handful of novels by the time I graduated from college and I thought I would end up in the field of science or math. But God had other plans and I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything. As someone told me once, God’s plans may not be easy, and they may not always make sense but they are never boring.
Represented by Wendy Lawton at Books & Such Literary Management, I am a member of ACFW and My Book Therapy. I am a 2017 Genesis winner, 2016 Genesis finalist and double semi-finalist, 2014 Genesis finalist, 2012 Genesis semi-finalist, and a 2012 Frasier bronze medalist.
In addition to my writing, I also work for My Book Therapy as a special project project manager and blogger at LearnHowToWriteAnNovel.com.
When I am not writing or working, I spend time with my amazing husband. We have been married for fifteen wonderful years and have three sweet children. In my free time, I love coffee, rock hounding with my husband and kids, and distracting myself from housework.
