Author: Tarah DeWitt

BOOK REVIEW: Left of Forever (Spunes #2) by Tarah DeWitt

July 24, 2025 / Jen / 1 Comment

Left of Forever (Spunes #2)
by Tarah DeWitt
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
This time, they'll get it right.

Wren and Ellis Byrd fell in love as kids, had their son Sam when they were only teenagers, and built a life together in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon. They were made for one another . . . until they fell apart. Now divorced and in their 30s, Wren runs the bakery in town, while Ellis works as a firefighter. They live separate lives, though they are hardly off each other’s minds.

When Ellis and Wren move Sam into college, Ellis convinces Wren to take an extended road trip back to Spunes to see if they can give their relationship one last chance. Amid the gorgeous California coastline and the intimacy they have missed for years, Wren starts to think it just might be possible. But can the past truly be left behind? When words fail and old wounds resurface, it’s a soul-baring letter that could finally reveal the truth―or close the door on them forever.

Review:

Left of Forever was a second chance romance that was heartwarming, laugh out loud hilarious, and had the most fabulous ending! With a road trip and forced proximity, this book was filled with deeply emotional moments plus all the fun. Left of Forever is officially my favorite Tarah DeWitt book!

I’m still in love with my wife.

This story gave us moments from their past, and it made for such a deeper connection with Wren and Ellis. They fell in love when they were kids, had a child when they were teenagers, and fell apart in their 20s. Their past could be so heart wrenching. Now that they were both in their 30s, and their son was going off to college, a road trip was in their future. It felt like their last chance. Was anything still there, or were they truly done forever?

“But what if I could?” I croak. “Fix it, I mean. Wouldn’t it be worth trying?” My chest is an empty, barren cavern without her. My heart took shape around hers, too, and it will never go back.

I already adored Wren in Savor It. She ran the local bakery in town and was bestie’s with Ellis’ sister. Ellis was the oldest of his siblings, a firefighter, and he seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. The story was told from both of their POVs, and they were so easy to connect with and love. Yet they both didn’t seem fully happy with their lives. Wren couldn’t stop thinking about their past, and Ellis desperately missed his wife. Watching them both struggle broke my heart. But as little moments between them caused butterflies to erupt, I held out all the hope!

The sight of him brings the usual pang, but when he looks my way and his mouth hooks into a half-formed smile, I find myself smiling back, reflexively. He stares at me and I at him, and whatever shredded and frayed thread is still between us pulls unbearably tight.

Being on the road trip together forced Wren and Ellis to face their past. There was a lot of hurt and pain that needed to be worked through, so I loved how the communication was handled. They each shared their struggles from the past, yes it was gutting, but it was also beautiful watching them work through their issues. I loved how everything was laid out on the table. And even though the emotions were intense, there was hope woven through it all too.

“Fuck, I missed you.” The pure emotion in his voice sears through me.

But we were also surrounded by flirtatious moments, family intervention that will keep you smiling, a cooking scene that will have you rolling with laughter on the ground, and even occasions of holding hands made my heart soar. The sexual tension was intense, and when they crossed the line to more, it was steamy and so wonderful! Rounding out this story was the most beautiful ending and it made me cry all of the happy tears! I definitely recommend it to all of the romance lovers out there!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood & Funny Feelings by Tarah DeWitt

December 23, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who's off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.

Review:

Ali Hazelwood has written some of my favorite romances, and this was not one of them. Rue was challenging for me to like or even click with, it took till 82% into the book. And while that last 18% was amazing, it was a little too late for me. I kept trying to figure out what Eli saw in her. He could be so kind, and I loved how he made sure she was safe. Whereas Rue was completely closed off and rigid. I am all for the reverse grumpy sunshine trope, but I desperately need to connect to the characters to enjoy any aspect of a book. So, when you add in that I was bored to tears with the buyout, and I didn’t like how they shared terrible stories with one another, this book was just not for me.

I like you when you laugh. I like you when you’re serious. I like you all the damn time.

Funny Feelings by Tarah DeWitt
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When falling in love is the punchline…

Farley Jones is a loud, chaotic, and hilariously clever standup comedian on the way to stardom. The only thing she loves more than the rush of telling jokes in front of a revved-up audience is her hot older manager Meyer, though he doesn’t have a clue. Keeping her feelings hidden from him is agony (a tragedy, even―in lieu of flowers, please send cash...) but Meyer has been Farley’s closest and most treasured friend, not to mention vital to the trajectory of her career. She can’t risk ruining their relationship by telling him how she truly feels. After all, who else would have the patience to put up with a hot mess like her?

A former standup star himself, single father Meyer Harrigan left the stage years ago in order to focus on raising his deaf daughter Hazel. Farley has been everything to them since she came into their lives three years ago, and despite his grumpiness, his protectiveness over Hazel, and his disdain for public attention, Meyer will do anything to make her standup dreams come true.

When the biggest opportunity of Farley’s career comes along and forces the pair to fake-date in order to stir up publicity, it doesn't take long for their act to bring all those other funny feelings out into the open. Like most matters of the heart, it quickly begins to feel like anything but a joke.

Touching on the creative spirit and all that comes with sharing that gift, Tarah DeWitt's Funny Feelings is a swoony story about friendship, love, and looking for the laugh in life.

Review:

Funny Feelings was an adorable, friends to lovers, fake dating, single dad, age gap romance. The characters were easy to like, the story-line was so enjoyable to listen to, and I loved the steam in the pages. One of my favorite things was the relationship between Farley and Meyer’s hearing impaired daughter, Hazel. It tugged at my heart, and I loved how easily they clicked. I also loved that we got little flashbacks here and there to see how Farley and Meyer met and how they progressed to where they were now today. It added so much to their story. This feel good romance played out with some wonderful tension and their happily ever after was fabulous!

BOOK REVIEW: The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt

November 25, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
They say love and construction don't mix. By that logic, hate and construction may as well be condemned.

LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had one short and contentious summer fling when they were teens―certainly nothing to build a foundation on. But a decade later, when their grandmothers have left them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building, they're thrust back together and have to figure out how to brace up the pieces.

LaRynn has the money, but in order to access her trust, she has to be married. Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds. A deal is struck: Marry for however long it takes to fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties.

Thrust into a home without walls, LaRynn and Deacon quickly learn that it's easy to hide behind emotional ones, even in a marriage. But with all the exposure and pitfalls that come with living with the opposite sex (and none of the perks, much to their growing mutual frustration) they'll also have to learn what it means to truly cooperate as a team.

Filled with crackling tension, The Co-op is a steamy second chance romance about restoration and renovation, and uncovering all the things that build character within ourselves. It's about the never-ending construction project that partnership is, and finding enjoyment at every stage.

Review:

The Co-Op was a second chance adult romance, mixed with marriage of convenience and forced proximity. The characters stood out and were easy to love, the story took us through an emotional path in a slow and steady way, and the ending was fabulous! If you’re looking for an adult romance to spend your time with, add this one to your tbr.

Maybe if I show her she can count on me to have her back, she’ll open up and have mine, too. Maybe I’m an absolute sucker and I’ll get left at the end of this a lot more broken.

I adored LaRynn from the prologue. She shared the most mortifying moments of her life with us, including ones I’m terrified of, and it made me click with her right away. Headed back to her grandma’s house, LaRynn was going to help restore it with a man that made her heart pound for many reasons. There was so much hurt and resentment between the two of them. And they had so much work through, emotionally and physically.

I wish he smelled like stale beer or something that’d make my lip curl. Instead, he smells like some sort of whiskey. Smoke from a campfire with something sweet and dark and him. Intoxicating on his own.
“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice a low, grating rumble that tugs at something deep inside me. Fuck him for that, too. For having so much pull over me, for making me feel so out of control.

Deacon was my favorite. From the reason why he called her Larry, to his ability to work through his thoughts, I loved him. Especially since he seemed to have all the patience in the world for her. While I adored LaRynn, she kept her walls up higher. Was so protective of her thoughts. So, I was thankful for moments when Deacon could vocalize things she couldn’t. And stated that they needed to talk. LaRynn just had to get there, and so while the miscommunication trope went on for longer in this book then I thought it would, I was so happy when they finally let it all out.

I told him I wouldn’t need anything. I promised, in fact.
But I like him. I like him so much it hurts.

Mixed in this story were moments from their past. I loved how seamlessly it was woven into the present. And those times allowed us to see a bigger picture of the two of them. But past and present, there was always a lot of sexual tension between them. Those times caused moments that will leave you smiling, laughing or sighing out loud. It was impossible not to feel everything they felt.

“It meant something,” grinds deeply out of him, sending shivers up my arms and heat to my ears.

With jealousy, messing with each other, embarrassment, hurt, friendship and love laced through the pages, this story was written so beautifully. It was so quotable too and I highlighted a couple hundred passages and lines lol. I especially loved the my wife moments, sigh. This was my second book by Tara DeWitt and I can’t wait to read the rest of them!

The more it looks like a completed house, the more I realize how much we’ve been making it our home this entire time. With our messes and our music. All the memories from our past with our grandmothers, and the ones we’ve made together.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Savor It (Spunes #1) by Tarah DeWitt

May 16, 2024 / Jen / 2 Comments

Savor It (Spunes #1)
by Tarah DeWitt
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Summer won't last forever.

Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She's learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the town’s inhabitants. But when her 5-year relationship ends and her ex, town-golden-boy Ian, suddenly gets engaged, Sage needs a win―something that will convince everyone to stop pitying her all the time, and to put Ian in his place. The Festival of Spunes, the town’s annual summer competition, would be the perfect opportunity. She just needs a partner.

Fisher Lange was a hotshot chef in New York City until the loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for his teenage niece Indy. When Fisher loses his Michelin star along with his love of cooking, his boss sends him and Indy to Spunes on a much-needed summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening. But when clashes with the townspeople threaten his last chance to redeem himself and a kiss with his new neighbor Sage leads to dating rumors, a strategic alliance might just be the best way to turn things around.

A deal is struck. Sage will improve Fisher’s image in the eyes of the town and remove the roadblocks he is facing with the restaurant, and Fisher will be Sage’s partner for the competition. But as their pact quickly turns into steamy rendezvous, emotional wounds begin to heal, and the pair tries to savor every moment, they start to realize that summer is racing by much faster than they would like...

Filled with spicy summer fun, small-town charm, and Big Feelings, this highly anticipated romcom is Tarah DeWitt’s best yet.

Review:

Savor It was a grumpy sunshine, small town romance that had so much heart! With a cast of characters and animals that you can’t help but love, and a storyline that will have you rooting for their happily ever after, this book was a lot of fun! If you adore adult romance, or loved how you felt reading In the Weeds by BK Borison, then definitely add this one to your list!

“Grief changes you,” I reply with as much brevity as I can.

Fisher seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. With his sister passing, he was now taking care of his teenage niece, Indy. And for both of them to catch their breaths, they traveled from New York to a tiny little quaint town on the Oregon coast. They both needed a reset. Fisher from losing his job. And Indy and her change of life. They were both grappling with where their lives were supposed to go from here.

“Careful, Fisher. You’re starting to be a bit nosy. You might just fit in here more quickly than you think.” I finish the remark with a dry laugh.
He doesn’t respond to that, his mouth twitching in a brief smile before he shakes his head.

Their next door neighbor, Sage, was an absolute delight! I loved that she talked to her animals,and found solace in her garden. The way that Fisher and Sage met was adorable! Plus Sage had a thing for pirates…..and Fisher had that vibe haha. Even if he was grumpy, he had so many moments of showing that he was kind and thoughtful. And then there was Sage who was a ray of sunshine, even if she was trying to find her new normal after her 5 year relationship went up in smoke. I loved her calm, soothing manner with how she approached life. And that was what both Fisher and Indy desperately needed right now.

She’s considering it. And then she quirks a dark brow in a challenge. “Explain how kissing you is a win for me.”
God, I forgot how good flirting with a woman could feel. “I could probably explain better with a demonstration.”
Her mouth and eyes go wide in a smile. “Trouble,” she repeats.

With goose antics, animals galore, and a garden that inspired those to quiet their thoughts, this story slowly unwound. It’s definitely at a slower pace then other novels I’m used to, but it worked perfectly for this story. As Sage and Fisher were drawn to one another, and Indy was finding her place in the world, I loved that we got to watch each of them form a bond and friendship with each other. And they all learned to grow and heal in their own ways. It was emotional, and I even shed a few tears.

I just want . . . I just want to know what it feels like to win , and I don’t think I want too much.

With small town charm, heartwarming characters, some steamy moments, and an ending that will leave you smiling, I adored this book! The library scene was probably one of my favorite moments, and the race too. And the ending haha. If you love books that slowly unfold like honey trickling off of a spoon, then this is your book! I’ll definitely be picking up other books by this author in the future!

PS Will her brothers each get their own books? I have my fingers crossed!

PPS I loved her best friend Wren. I’m hoping for her HEA!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*