Tarah Dewitt Archives - The Litertarian

This is not a drill! The second Tarah Dewitt Spunes romance book is here! The oldest Byrd sibling, Ellis, recaptures his life’s greatest love.

Left of Forever by Tarah Dewitt Book Cover

Wren and Ellis were high school sweethearts who got pregnant at 17 and eventually divorced. Now, their precious son is off to college, and it’s time for them both to admit that their feelings for one another never went away.

Oh, how excited I was for this book, and though it’s nice as a sexy escape, I didn’t quite buy into what it was selling.

I’m tempted to say there is too much going on as it’s starting out, but I’m not sure that was the problem as much as it just felt too choppy and disorganized? If you don’t want tiny spoilers that have to do with the first 15-20% of the book, skip the rest of this paragraph, as I want to dig into something specific to explain myself real quick. I think the letter saga was meant for Ellis to realize the depth of his feelings for Wren, but…I didn’t like it. First, it was disingenuous, second, it was a weak way to tie into Ellis’ job that had no bearing on what the story ended up being, third, it was kind of unbelievable she would bear her soul to a stranger to the level she did, it never went anywhere, and also it came off kind of…idyllic? Immature? She’s writing to a fire team HOURS away from where she lives about the safety of some horses that were caught in a wild fire? I think it didn’t feel supported enough in her characterization throughout the rest of the book. In a nutshell, it wasn’t a strong start for me.

Later the two of them end up going on a road trip to drop their son off at college, making a vacation of it and trying to see if they can work out their differences and reconcile. Again, just a very cheesy premise for me. I think it didn’t seem to match up with their rich depth of history and their genuine soul connection to need all this cheese to get back to where they belong. The narrative device was just too visible for me.

HOWEVER, the actual romance between them felt so authentic. These two grew up together and were family for just as much of their lives as they hadn’t been. I don’t doubt for a second that they belong together. That aspect of the novel was very successful. Also, if you’re into a little spicy spice – you’ll enjoy this!

I think I’m being so hard on this book because I’m such a huge fan of Tarah Dewitt usually. Savor It was so good, and my favorite of hers, Funny Feelings, is must read romance material. This one is okay. Many others have loved it. I was just anticipating…more.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Left of Forever
Author:: Tarah Dewitt
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 48m
Audiobook Narrator:: Connor Crais and Megan Wicks
Published:: May 20th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars
Spice Rating:: 4

If you liked this book, check out…

Savor It | Tarah Dewitt
When Alec Met Evie | Jenn Proctor
Where the Black Line Ends | Meagan Williamson

Brace yourselves for another lovely summer romance novel. Savor It, by Tarah Dewitt is a new release for summer 2024 and I think it’s a crowd pleaser. If you love cozy small town achingly sweet romances, look no further.

Finch is a gourmet chef in New York City who’s lost his edge. After an incident in the city, his former boss whisks him off to a small-time project she’s fielding on the Oregon coast while he gets his poop in a group and is ready to come back to the big time. Bringing with him the angsty niece he’s the guardian for, he’s looking to recover his mojo and get the heck out of dodge. He’s from a small town, and another one is the last place he wants to be. But then his cute hobby-farm tending new neighbor shows up in a moment of need in a…unique cow print robe looking for her three-legged cat (Legoless) and plenty of sage advice, and suddenly his summer might not be the absolute misery he expected.

Sage (the homegirl neighbor) is still trying to find herself after a very public breakup with her high school sweetheart (everything is very public in a town as small as Spunes Oregan). Competing and winning the local summer competition will be the way she can prove to herself (and everyone else) that she is capable of anything. She just needs to find a partner for the rowing competition. When the new renters show up next door, everything clicks into place, and she might get more out of this than just a rowing partner. The thing is…he’s not sticking around. What if the feelings threatening to spark start to get out of hand? This small town is everything to Sage. She has roots here that run deep. So a future together is impossible — right?

This book felt like it could be the beginning of a successful standalone romance series (but I don’t think it is?). Sage has three older brothers, and the little town of Spunes is full of quirky characters that bring vibrant color to the world. I loved Sage’s dynamic with her brothers, and honestly, I hope she writes stories for them, too. I want to know more about the relationship of Sage’s oldest brother and his ex-wife. So much to work with there! Tarah, are you listening? 🙂

If you enjoy small town vibes, this book has them in spades. Sage’s hobby farm makes you want to shluff off onto your own acerage and adpot a giant dog, several geese, and a clydesdale. As a gardener, Sage’s garden sounds like a dream. The setting wraps around you like a hug.

Sage and Finch are good together. She’s a teacher and an aunt and she’s used to dealing with kids Finch’s niece’s age. He loves to use her ingredients as inspiration for new recipes. They have a deeper connection than just the attraction. Sometimes romance novels don’t have a hell of a lot of actual romance, but that’s not the case here. These characters fit into each other’s lives, and I loved watching them fall. It’s the kind of book that leaves you with a sweet aftertaste, you know?

I loved that the ending wasn’t the typical cliche, but to avoid spoilers, that’s all I’ll say. Yes, don’t worry, they get their HEA 😉

Spice Level: Tasteful.

Details

Title:: Savor It
Author:: Tarah Dewitt
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 5m
Audiobook Narrator:: Karissa Vacker & Zachary Webber
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: May 21st, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars