things we never got to share

by Christopher M. Tantillo

A hopeful, therapeutic, and introspective collection of poetry from the #1 Bestselling Author of The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher and Keep You .

I just hope, if nothing else, you’re not sad anymore.

Christopher M. Tantillo’s poetry collection, things we never got to share, is the third book in a trilogy that weaves personal narratives with professions about how we find ourselves in the many varied stages of falling in and out of love with others and ourselves. It paints a loose narrative as we navigate love, loss, grief, heartbreak, hope, betrayal, death, what it means to be a man expressing emotions, how we romanticize people and places and memories, and ultimately, healing. Like life ebbs and flows, the poems bounce from dismay to infatuation with the turn of a page.

Tantillo embraces you in a heart-wrenching confession of moving on and grieving after the loss of someone you loved. The collection invites the reader to reflect on the things they never got to share with the people they cared for before it was too late.

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2025

About the author

Christopher M. Tantillo earned his MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2017 and his BA in Creative Writing from SUNY Oswego in 2012. He considers himself a hopeless romantic and a lover of all things YA. When not reading or writing, he enjoys running, movie marathons, and binge watching the next greatest show. He's an avid fan of anything horror related, despite not actively writing in the genre.Benji

He enjoys witty banter, awkward conversations, tarot, tea, and has an unhealthy obsession with gelato. You can find him, and his doggo Benji (Benito), in Niagara Falls, New York, where he grew up. He hopes to spread mental health awareness and advocacy with his writing, and hopes that his stories can help to both entertain and heal. His goal is to inspire someone else's life with his characters and stories, like his favorites did for him growing up. He considers his primary genre to be Dark YA Coming of Age Romance. He will continue to write stories told from the POVs of teens dealing with mental health issues, which come in all shapes and sizes.

He has also published essays in The Weaving Knight, The Great Lakes Review, and Twenty-two Twenty-eight. He is self-publishing his debut YA novel, which won 2nd place in the Sara-Merritt Contest in 2017.

Reviews

[Christopher Tantillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the author! I wrote/curated this collection! It might just be the next best thing you've read since the last next best thing you've read since the first last best collection you've read after the second to last best collection you’ve read! I'm exclaiming all these sentences! I do this same review format for literally all of my published works!
I will continue blaming this on Aubrey (you know if you know)! We hope you enjoy the read for volume three, the last in the trilogy!

[BookstagramSam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this author edited to make this collection a trilogy. It tells a story. Albeit a heartbreaking but beautiful story and by the end we’ve come full circle.
Tantillo lays it all out there and your heart can help but feel the pain, the sadness, the loss.

So thankful I’ve come across Christopher his writing just has a way of taking you by the heart and not letting go. Cannot wait for your next work of art. Keep writing! I will definitely keep reading.

[MikeLikesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Love, loss, longing, resolution… we go through so many emotions. Can I give these subjects in this poetry a hug? This is the third book of his trilogy of poetry book. All 3 are exceptional.

[Ashli Volk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man his poetry is so top tier. Emotional in a really unconventional way. Pulls at the heart strings, then reels you back in

[Carmen DaVinleam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third installment in the poetry collection is nothing short of phenomenal. It brings the emotional journey full circle, offering a sense of closure and peace after the heartbreak and healing of the previous volumes.

The author captures love, loss, and the complexities of life with striking clarity and emotional depth. Each poem feels intentional—breaking you apart only to gently put you back together. I devoured this collection and know it will be a source of comfort and reflection for years to come.

I only wish I’d had this when I was younger—it would have made all the difference. A truly beautiful and powerful read.

[Allyssa Gaines · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a way to end this “trilogy” of poetry. This collection was filled with the metaphor of ghosts haunting him, and I really liked that. There were also some poems describing… “adult time.” And the way he describes things is so sensual without being overly explicit (though if he had been, I wouldn’t have minded).
I’m so happy I got to read all of these books. I absolutely need to listen to an audio version of all of these beautiful poems, even if it destroys me lol. Thank you for sharing your mind with us, Chris ❤️

[Scott S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book (and series) not as someone who regularly reads poetry, but rather as one wanting to stretch the boundaries of what I do read.
And the biggest thing that stands out to me is the depth of the emotions and life that the author goes through and shares on each page. You can feel the pain and the warmth, and find places to connect the written words with your own life. So for all of that I can recommend it.

[PoeticallyDr.8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, reflective, and beautifully written this Poetry Book captures what most people are too afraid to say out loud.
Tantillo’s words linger like memory and pain like honesty.

If you’ve ever struggled to put emotion into words, this book speaks for you.
It completed the trilogy as a masterpiece.

A must have for Poetry lovers

— PoeticallyDr.8

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew it! I knew the third book in this trilogy was going to be just as great as the first two collections. The poems within these pages make you FEEL so much. I feel as though I can never articulate in words how beautiful someone else's writing can be....This though. This entire collection deserves to be seen, heard, and read. Absolutely beautiful.

[Tess Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. Chris' imagery is his strong point. He writes so vividly and with so much emotion. "things we never got to share" is a beautiful, beautiful read. I'm going to need more poems. Like, YESTERDAY!

[Hazel_Lee_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher M. Tantillo’s things we never got to share is a raw, emotionally-charged collection that doesn’t just ask to be read — it asks to be felt. Tantillo doesn’t shy away from pain or vulnerability, and in doing so, he creates a space for readers to reflect on their own moments of loss, love, and everything left unsaid.

There’s warmth threaded through the sorrow, and it’s impossible not to connect parts of his words to pieces of your own life. It made me pause and think about the things I never said, the moments I never got to share with people I care about — and the regret that sometimes comes too late. That hit home deeply.

If you’ve ever lost someone, or just lived through the quiet ache of missed chances, this book will resonate with you. It's not just poetry — it's a mirror.