A second chance romance after a divorced couple realize they still may be in love. Wren, a baker, and Ellis, a firefighter, have lived in the same circle after getting divorced 5 years ago. After sending their son off to college, Ellis convinces Wren to go on a road trip as he tries to win her back.
While this book seemed good, it wasn't quite for me. I expected a slow burn, second chance romance, but it moved a lot quicker. The start was slow throught the letters and secret pining, but then it steamrolled full steam ahead. There was a significant amount of spice in this one. I loved the first half of the book, but the second half I kind of got bored with and just wanted over, especially with all the spice scenes popping up. I wish it took longer to get to that point.
the characters were fun, but I loved the side characters more.
While this book wasn't for me, I know most people will love it and should definitely give it a read.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC! All thoughts and feelings are my own.

This book was so beautifully written and thought provoking. Tackling issues like infertility and complacency in a marriage is no easy job but Tarah did this beautifully. I will admit I didn’t really see that we were supposed to root for Ellis in the beginning. Early on in his POV you can see how down bad he is for Wren. His POV is drenched in pining and fond memories. However, in Wren’s POV you see her heartache and lines like “but like hell am I going to spend it torturing myself with him.” I feel as though maybe I was inherently protective of Wren. I heard her struggles and saw how she viewed the ending of their previous marriage and how they were basically “reduced to single syllables and stilted silences.” I saw her pain with still needing to coparent with this man she still loved but he had given up years before their marriage ended. And you can tell by all her descriptors that she was so saddened and ultimately changed by her fertility struggles. And we think he just didn’t get it. And then now that their child is old and she’s accepted it, he’s somehow wanting her back in his life? Makes me frustrated for her. I’m glad we get a scene where Silas sort of calls Ellis out for this.

It isn’t until about 30% that we get to see something in her POV that hints she would be interested in diving into perhaps fixing their relationship. The book starts where she’s reading self help books and decides to journal their relationship to have some closure. That first chapter had a lot going on and I had to read it three times honestly. But I see it did lay the groundwork for the rest of the book and their journey to resolve their issues /miscommunication.

I love how honest they are with each other this time over. She’s able to ask him point blank questions and he answers honestly. There’s one “secret” he keeps from her but they still resolve it really maturely. There’s so much open communication. And because they’ve been apart for 5 years they’ve probably been able to work through a lot of their shit on their own, and even Ellis with therapy. I loved the communication. Loooooved.
I loved how much Ellis refers to her as Byrd. And how she’s always been a Byrd despite the divorce. I love their descriptors of each other. I love his origami birds. Saving you a seat. I love the relationship with the siblings. They’re such meddlers. Her honest conversations about her mother and her upbringing. There’s so much beauty in this book. The tension was so good. His jaw tics. The calf squeeze. Their conversations about sex were so good. She could give him all her insecurities and also be honest about how she’s been with people since him. Him changing her DNA! Literally I have like all of this book highlighted. It was seriously so beautifully written. So much of this was just so well written. And so funny too!! Their whole winery experience had me cackling.

✨He shrugs. "I fucking miss you." I miss you, too sounds glib. You have been missing from me is more accurate. There's a void where you lived in me.

✨“Smells ... smells were the worst for me," he murmurs, chin grazing my ponytail. "They hang on the longest, and you can't see them coming, so there's no way to avoid them.”

✨Some people look more like animals than people to me, and I swear to god this one's a ferret. I might be approaching drunk.

5⭐️4🌶️
*Thank you Tarah and NetGalley for this beautiful ARC*

3.5 stars! The beginning/first half was really off for me for some reason I could not get into it. The set up for rekindling their relationship was so strange in my opinion BUT once the intention for reconnecting between wren and Ellis was there it really took off! The chemistry and the dialogue was SO good. I will never look at ice cream the same again 😛 (it erased my butcher and blackbird ice cream trauma and for that I’m thankful lmao). Really loves both of these characters and they were both so deserving of left of forever happiness with each other!

TARAH DEWITT I LOVE YOU!!!! Historically, I do not like second chance romances. ESPECIALLY when kids are involved. That is not the case here whatsoever - Tarah is winning me over!!! Wren and Ellis are maybe perfect, except they're so far from it, which makes it even more perfect. My brain is a jumbled mess of love and adoration for this book I can't even properly put into words how much I loved it. Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc!

This book was absolutely beautiful. I read this before Savor It, and I feel like that is fine, but Savor It might also have a little more background with these characters. Either way, this book was a great read. I felt connected to the characters and emotionally invested in their story.

I think a lot of second chance romance, especially couples with a long history, will rely too heavily on that past without giving the reader the information to connect to the characters. That was definitely not the case with Left of Forever. Tarah DeWitt wove so much background into the story that helped me to see the full picture. I understood the love these two had for each other and how it ended prior to the book. It was very well done!

3.75⭐

"Five long years. Five hundred years. She's kissing me. I'm home."

Thank you to Netgalley and Tarah DeWitt for an eARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tropes: Second chance romance, small-town, one bed, road trip, HE IS A FIREFIGHTER
Blurb: Ellis and Wren Byrd give their failed marriage one last shot as they drop off their son at college and realize that the path to together was harder and more painful this time around.

I just KNEW that when I saw the playlist of this book that I was going to cry/tear up. The list literally looked like she copy and pasted my sad gorl playlist and I knew this would be a banger.

This has to be my favorite Tarah DeWitt book by far. The little town of Spunes is so adorable and I loved seeing everyone again, but this time around, Silas was my favorite side character. He was very protective of Wren, but supportive and hoped Ellis would get his head out of his ass. And he did!

It started really slow for me but after 40ish%, it really started to pick up. I loved Ellis' persistence to provide and his love for the mother of his child but I also loved Wren's strength as a mother. I think they both wanted it to work out the first time, but now that they've fixed their issues the second time around, they're more hopeful.

I also appreciated the little Co-Op cameo. The author also had so many good quotes in here that I highlighted the absolute heck out of this book. I thought I was going to make it through unscathed and not cry, but Wren's flashbacks and monologues got me. Silas's vows did too.

Tarah DeWitt does it again. A beautiful second chance romance brimming with hope, emotion, and characters that come to life off the page. We get the joy of revisiting Spunes and journeying through the pain and joy of Wren and Ellis’ love story.

Such a stunning novel!! This was beautiful. I absolutely loved being back in Spunes and back with the Byrds. When I finished Savor It I was so excited to get more into things with Ellis and Wren. I was sold after that “She’s still a Byrd.” And let me tell you, this lived up to all the hype built.

The story follows Ellis and Wren. Currently they are divorced, have been for 5 years now, and are both just struggling in different ways. They haven’t been able to fully move on from each other. No date lives up to their past. They aren’t feeling fully happy. They haven’t been communicating great thru the years because they thing it’ll make things easier on them and their family. But Ellis, my sweet Ellis, is ready to change this. He’s ready to see if they can be back in eachothers lives fully whether it’s in friendship or back together so he plans a trip for them after dropping their son off to college.

These two have so much to over come and so much to confront. I loved how the story went back in time to give us insight on their relationship. That always adds so much for me emotionally. I loved the dual point of view. I would have been crying out loud for Ellis’ words if they hadn’t been there….thank god I didn’t have to. These two put so much effort into this trip. The end of their marriage was just sort of “have to get out to survive” so it felt like they were finally healed in a lot of those traumas and could open it back up. The dealings with infertility was done with so much grace and honesty. I loved the issues with the family and how they both wanted to keep eachother in such positive lights so they could each keep their bonds with everyone.

This was just all so lovely. Their chemistry was out of this world. The angst!!! The effort they put into this trip felt so sincere and was given such care. Even those Wren was hesitant about a lot of things, you could feel how important this was to her. No matter what fear was in her head, her heart knew better.

Tarah Dewitt you do no wrong. I loved this story. I feel like I need more from Spunes!! Give me Micah, give me Silas. I need to see these men in love and head over heels!

“I’ve been living and loving in half measures for years”

Thank you to Saint Martins press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt!

YALLLL someone go put this book in the louvre, I’m so freaking serious. This is one of Tarah’s best book yet. The way that she was able to perfectly capture the end of marriage, the feeling of desperation and then hope to begin again? I mean CHEFS FREAKING KISS.

She truly put some crack in this book because I could not get enough. Reading this felt like being undone and then being sewn back together again. The raw desperation between our two MC’s was palpable. You couldn’t help but feel their pain while reading this one.

Left of Forever is a masterclass in writing angst and second chance romance with a sprinkle of humor. Tarah really did her big one with this and I am so freaking thankful I got the opportunity to read and shout about this book from the rooftops!

Tropes:

❤️‍🩹 second chance romance
❤️‍🩹 marriage reconciliation
❤️‍🩹 angst like no other
❤️‍🩹 found family
❤️‍🩹 childhood friends to lovers
❤️‍🩹 letter writing

This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. Such a beautiful story of marriage reconsiliation where the personal growth and vulnerability felt so realistic. The cast of side characters were wonderful and supportive. I felt so emotionally drawn to our two MC and that is one of the hallmarks I use to rate a book highly.

I was beyond excited to finally dive into Left of Forever—I’d been waiting since finishing Savor It and Funny Feelings. Tarah DeWitt’s writing always lights up the page, and her character development in this one is just spot on. It’s everything I want from a romance novel, with that perfect dash of spice to keep things intriguing.

If this book were a song, it’d be Fleetwood Mac’s “Silver Spring”—classic, soulful, and full of layers. What really grabbed me was the second chance romance between Wren and Ellis. It's so rare to see this in a romance with fully formed adult characters who have already navigated pregnancy, parenthood, marriage, and divorce—all before hitting 30! I loved peeling back the layers of their backstory, though I do wish there were a few more reminders of the family dynamics from Savor It to help keep everything straight.

Seriously, in times like these, we need all the romantic tension, angst, joy, and love we can get. Tarah totally gets it, and Left of Forever is the kind of story that feels like a warm, familiar embrace.

Left of Forever, written by Tarah DeWitt, is the second book following the Byrd siblings and family.

*Second chance
*Road trip
*Firefighter / Baker

This is my second book by this author and I am becoming a huge fan!

Wren and Ellis have been divorced for five years, but neither have been able to fully move on from the other.

After dropping their son off at his first year of college they decide to take a spontaneous road trip to see if a reconnection is at all possible. Second chance romances are so hard to read, emotionally wise, but these two characters were true soul mates!!

No OW/OM drama, some slight jealously. No third act breakup. FMC does mention that she was with other men after the divorce, the MMC never mentions any other women.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Wren (FMC) & Ellis (MMC)

Where do I begin with Left of Forever? It’s been everywhere on social media but for me I think it’s rare for authors to dive into the redemption romance story. The second chance romance that’s built on a relationship we don’t get to see on the pages because we’re in the midst of learning why the couple needs a second chance.

In this book, the declarations are long. The road trip is cute. The letters and journal and memorable.

It’s a bit long-winded. We meander a bit when it could’ve been tightened up. But I’m giving this 4.5 stars and bumping it to 5 because of the outstanding dialogue and special appearance by past characters. Overall it’s an awesome read. Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press for the digital arc!

3.75 rounded up!

Ok friends this is going to be long cause I have many of thoughts! First, I love the town and the characters so much. I’m in the minority that didn’t love savor it (didn’t finish it tbh) so I was a little hesitant starting this one. And I think Tarah’s writing style may not be my favorite. There’s times where the dialogue feels choppy to me, and I have to go back read cause it doesn’t flow well and I can’t understand how the characters got to that thought point.

BUT with that being said, I still enjoy reading her books, and what she does do SO WELL is writing characters that I love, and families that I’m rooting for. I wanted nothing but the best things for Ellis and Wren

I think my main problem with the story is how it felt disconnected. The letters in the beginning, leading to a road trip felt disjointed. I forgot all about the letters until the reveal. I wanted more angst. I wanted to feel like my heart was being ripped out. I wanted to be SOBBING reading this. But it was surprisingly fluffy and low angst for a second chance.

I loved the ending, there were cute as hell quotes, and I truly understand the love this book is already getting!! But it’s not a favorite of mine sadly. But I would 100% recommend this to a second chance lover and a Tarah Dewitt fan

ps I need Silas book IMMEDIATELY

I enjoyed reading another story of the Byrd family. Hopefully we’ll see more of them in future books.

“If you’re lost, I’ll find you. I’ll give you my body, my heart, and my soul. I’ll cherish every bit of yours in return. I’ll fight with you. I’ll fight for you. I’ll love you for everything left of forever, in every lifetime we get.”

Thank you so much Tarah DeWitt, and Netgalley for allowing me to read Left of Forever in advance, and fall in love Ellis and Wren. I absolutely love a marriage in crisis, and this checked every box for me.

Left of Forever releases May 20, 2025 and is now available for preorder. 🤍

Ms.Dewitt YOU NEVER MISS!! I’ve been thinking about Wren and Ellis for over a year since reading Savor it and I couldn’t have dreamt up a better story for them. They truly have my heart 💛 thank you Net Galley and Tara for letting me read this early cause I’ve been so anxiously waiting for it and it didn’t disappoint!! 4.75/5⭐️

I adored the playlist provided by the author at the beginning of the book. That was an excellent touch!

While I enjoyed the book overall, it didn’t quite reach the emotional depth I had hoped for. My main concern was with the timing of the more intimate scenes. I felt that the focus on physical intimacy often overshadowed the characters’ emotional reconnection, making it harder to fully invest in their journey. I wanted to watch Wren and Ellis fall back in love with each other, and I didn’t really get this exploration.

Despite this, I found the book to be enjoyable and gave it a solid 3.25 stars. There were plenty of sweet, endearing moments that made the story engaging, and I loved the author’s humor throughout the story!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Tarah DeWitt for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to netgalley for supplying this ARC! 3.5 ⭐️
I was drawn into this title by the second chance romance, easy-reading vibes- I often think second chance can be trickier to write than a meet-cute and I loved this set up!
DeWitt does a great job at expanding Wren and Ellis's story and history without spoon feeding the audience. This relationship and all the family ties present felt pretty genuine and meaningful. For all we learn, the only things that feel heavy handed are Wren's internal, salacious monologue occasionally getting out of control. I think this novel shines its brightest when it leaned into the amount of history present between the characters, including their individual and shared traumas and insecurities(check CWs!).
The actual plot itself- following divorced high school sweethearts on a road trip as a final attempt to lay the relationship to rest— is a tun enough romp.
The banter is charming and entertaining for the most part, and I found most of the deliberately "funny" moments split between harmless lightheartedness and cringeworthy distraction (there's a certain scene involving capsaicin that I SORELY hope does not make the final cut). I loved the quiet moments of reflection in this miles more than any one liner.
What discouraged me was the 70% mark onward. It felt like this story was jingling keys in my face most of the way through, so eager to keep my attention with snarky comments and spice when I really wanted to see the characters resolve their cannonically years-long problems.
I can suspend an amount of belief, but they did not communicate NEARLY enough for a reasonable conclusion and happy ending. For a setup that felt very raw, especially once you knew what had driven them apart, it was such a let down to see that conflict wafted away with little more than an admission of love, as if we didn't know.
Would I read DeWitt again? Maybe, if another of her summaries catches my eye. Her writing style is voicey and agreeable and I could see it being refreshing once in a while. Left of Forever is a definite brain-off, here-for-the-vibes-and-spice reader, though.

4/5🌟 | 2/5🌶️

This was my first Tarah DeWitt book and it absolutely will not be my last!

The most beautiful and heartfelt second chance romance I’ve ever freaking read!!! Tarah really put her heart and soul into this book & you can tell.

I absolutely loved that we got both past and present moments of Ellis & Wren’s relationship. I think one of my favorite parts were the letters these two were writing back and forth & all the journaling Wren was doing. These two were so incredible with their communication once they started their journey back to one another.

The road trip that Ellis planned was so romantic & spicy & hilarious and wow I just adored this whole part of the book.

🤍 second chance romance
⏰ dual pov x dual timeline
💌 letter writing
💔 divorced couple
🚙 road trip
😭 yearning!!!
🔥 firefighter mmc
🧁 bakery owner fmc
👨🏻 he has a mustache
🏡 one cottage