Always love introducing you to a new author, so I’m delighted to have Tari Faris visit the blog today and share about her characters, Hannah Thornton and Luke Johnson, from her debut contemporary romance novel, You Belong With Me. Tari’s name might be familiar as I reviewed her free enovella – P.S. Goodbye – back in April, which I loved. Tari is still offering that story as a thank you to subscribers to her email updates, so be sure to sign up and give it a read. Readers who enjoy Melissa Tagg, Becky Wade, and Kara Isaac will find much to love about Tari’s writing.
Enjoy meeting Hannah & Luke! Over to you, Tari…
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.
Hannah Thornton & Luke Johnson
Physical Stats
Height:
Luke: 6’1”
Hannah: 5’8”
Hair colour & style:
Luke: Dark Brown with a little curl
Hannah: Long-silky-straight-brown hair
Eye colour:
Luke: Coffee Brown
Hannah: Hazel
Favorite accessory or clothing style:
Luke: Gray T-shirt
Hannah: I don’t know (is that terrible?)
Resembles…
Can’t live without…
Luke: Coffee, Coke, Gray T-shirts, and Hannah
Hannah: Janie, Heritage, and Luke
Strengths
Luke: Construction, fixing things, and calming Hannah.
Hannah: Visionary, making friends, and being loyal.
Vulnerabilities
Luke: Feeling out of place, wounds from childhood, and insecurity
Hannah: Anger toward her mom, feeling left behind, and feeling rejected by Luke.
Passions
Luke: Working with his hands, creating things, and connecting
Hannah: The town of Heritage, antiques and history, and restoring old things.
What book or movie would they recommend?
Luke: Love books by Lawhead
Hannah: An Affair to Remember, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Pillow Talk
Your inspiration for the character
Luke: My husband (Personality, not back story)
Hannah: A little me and a little my niece.
Background to the story
I love Michigan, small towns, and old houses. And since I now live across the country where there a very few old houses, I decided I would live vicariously though my characters.
The interaction between Hannah and Luke in the first scene was one of the first things I wrote in the story and through all the edits that didn’t really change. I just loved their dynamic.
My husband and I were friends, then that turned to more, and it was fun writing that type of romance on the page for my first novel.
Thanks Tari, and congratulations on your debut novel! May there be many more to come 🙂
Relz Reviewz Extras
Visit Tari’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: You Belong With Me or Koorong
September 9, 2019 at 7:46 pm
I have watched them but not lately.
September 10, 2019 at 12:05 am
I haven’t watched a renovation show in years. We don’t have cable or a service that airs them. But I love antiques and older things. My mother was an Antique Dealer. When she turned 101, she said “ Yesterday I was old, today I am an Antique.”
September 10, 2019 at 12:13 am
I love HGTV! If I can’t find anything else to watch it is always my default channel. My husband and I both enjoy Flip or Flop, and I enjoy Love it or List it too.
September 10, 2019 at 12:37 am
I don’t watch renovation shows, but am amazed (read: envious) with how talented the builders/decorators are who can make a house look beautiful.
September 10, 2019 at 12:47 am
My favorite show is Property Brothers, because they’re adorable! 🔨👷♂️
September 10, 2019 at 1:50 am
I love watching the Joanna Gains fixer up tv show.
September 10, 2019 at 2:11 am
I recently watched Property Brothers on HGTV and loved it! I’ve watched quite a few renovation shows (hit and miss) and am always so amazed at the results! Would love to read You Belong With Me!
September 10, 2019 at 5:17 am
I’m not big on those shows, I’d rather read. Sounds like a good story.
September 10, 2019 at 8:09 am
I have watched a couple of different home repair shows and they are okay. My husband does home repairs, home remodels, and building homes from the ground up. So I get tp see it as it happens.
September 10, 2019 at 10:26 am
I don’t watch renovations shows, I watch very little TV.
September 10, 2019 at 10:35 am
I’ve watched renovation shows in the past. I’d rather read than watch TV.
September 10, 2019 at 12:11 pm
My new favorite is Home Town on HGTV, but it only airs in Jan-Feb.
September 10, 2019 at 8:55 pm
I don’t watch much TV but have enjoyed seeing TV renovation shows. It seems at the dentist that’s what is playing and takes my mind off the dental work. 🙂
Thanks for the opportunity to win!
September 10, 2019 at 10:42 pm
I used to watch them, Fixer Upper was my favorite! But we decided to get rid of tv for awhile. Enjoying the quiet! 😉
September 11, 2019 at 4:40 am
I enjoy Love It or List It.
September 11, 2019 at 8:04 am
My favorite home Reno show is Flip or Flop.
September 11, 2019 at 9:01 am
I watch Love It or List it when my son has it on.
September 11, 2019 at 9:52 pm
I used to watch Tye Pennington’s show Extreme Makeover and enjoyed it.
September 12, 2019 at 11:52 am
I loved watching renovation shows, but we ditched satellite TV due to the costs. Now our TV options are pretty limited and don’t include those kind of shows. We only turn the TV on once every couple of weeks or so anyway.
September 14, 2019 at 8:05 am
Do you watch renovation shows? What’s your favourite?
I really like to watch Property Brothers. That would be my favorite renovation show at the moment. I love their witty banter with each other and how they try and save their clients money in the process. I also like it that their twins because I’m a twin! Before this show I used to watch the original series of Trading Spaces but other that I didn’t really like to watch renovation shows and now I’m getting more into it.
September 15, 2019 at 2:20 pm
HGTV is my favorite channel! We love watching “Good Bones” (mother/daughter team), Property Brothers (twin brothers team), Fixer Upper, This Old House (PBS), just to name a few. I also used to get DIY and loved Mike Holmes (he’s a Canadian). Unfortunately, we don’t get that channel anymore.
Thanks for the chance to win a copy of “You Belong With Me”, Rel!