Another Tarah Dewitt smash hit

Heartwarming and horny with a devastating emotional punch

As with every Tarah Dewitt book, while it starts off slow with a lot of setup and character building, this book has such an emotional back half with such endearing characters. Her books are always heartwrenching, sweet, and full of love, but this one specifically felt so much deeper. I don't know what it was, but I felt so much more connected to Wren and Ellis than any of her other characters. The pure free-falling bliss of these two coming back together at the end was so beautiful and unique, and I can't stop crying thinking about it.

Ellis Byrd is my dream man. I love these two so, so much. This is Tarah's best work yet.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Book: Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt @authortarahdewitt
Genre: Romance
Pub Date: May 20, 2025

I absolutely adored this book!! Left of Forever is one of those second chance romances that makes you feel everything—heartbreak, and so much hope. Wren and Ellis were high school sweethearts, had their son as teenagers, and eventually divorced. But life keeps pulling them back to each other. When their son heads off to college, a road trip becomes the spark that might just rewrite their story.

This book felt beautifully grounded in real life and real love. Tarah DeWitt writes with such emotional honesty—every look, every silence, every tender moment between Wren and Ellis hit me right in the heart. Their history added so much weight to their romance, and watching them navigate grief, growth, and intimacy after years apart was genuinely moving. And yes… I cried (more than once). The slow burn was worth every second, and getting glimpses of familiar faces in Spunes made it feel like coming home. If you love emotional second chance romances with heart, depth, and characters who yearn, this book is not to be missed.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @stmartinspressSt. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin for sending me this lovely eARC in exchange for my honest

#LeftofForever #netgalley #arc #arcreview

“We have whatever’s left of forever, you and me.” ❤️‍🩹🏕️✍🏼🗺️

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt has to be the BEST second chance romance I have ever read in my life!

If you know me, you know I rarely cry with books. Well, I sobbed my way through the last 36% of this book. This book finished me! I’m still at the restaurant sobbing into a baked Brie with jalapeño jelly and herbed crostini. 😭

This book completely altered my brain chemistry and my soul. Wren and Ellis’s story is so heartbreaking, filled with vulnerability, rawness, and so much tension. Weaved within all of that is banter that will make you laugh, moments that will make you swoon, and conversations that will make you cry tears of happiness.

If you want a captivating and unputdownable book that grips you from the very beginning, this book is it!

– second chance romance (after divorce)
– divorced couple (they still love each other)
– LOTS OF YEARNING
– the Byrd family (the best!)
– mildly chaotic roadtrip
– beautiful slow burn romance

In the second interconnected standalone set in the world of Spunes, OR, we follow Ellis and Wren. The pair had their son fairly young and were soon married until eventually divorce became inevitable. Now it is years later and their son, Sam, is going off to college. Ellis convinces Wren to take a roadtrip with him, after they drop their son off at college, in hopes of rekindling their past relationship. Wren agrees and the two embark on an emotional journey where they must confront their past to maintain their future.

Ugh. THIS is how you do a second chance romance. I enjoyed Savor It, but I LOVED this book. It's so clear that Wren and Ellis never got over each other. However, this book highlights how marriage is about so much more than loving someone. It's work and continual maintenance and most importantly, communication. Ellis and Wren have to hash out all the ugly parts of themselves, but what they have in the end is so beautiful. This book had me laughing, swooning, and all in the feels. Phenomenal book!

When I read Savor It, I could not wait for Ellis and Wren’s story. Their banter in Savor It was top notch. But unfortunately Left of Forever was lacking the banter I was so ready for. I still loved their story and the emotion was so well written but I just wanted to have a little more fun with their reconnection story more than I did.

This book wrecked me in the best way. Wren and Ellis's story is a deeply emotional, gorgeously written second-chance romance about love lost—and found again—after years of heartache, growing pains, and quiet longing.

The dynamic between them is tender and raw. You can feel the weight of their shared history in every conversation and stolen glance. Their road trip back to Spunes felt like so much more than a physical journey—it was a vulnerable, soul-searching exploration of whether love can be rebuilt when life has already burned everything to the ground.

The coastal setting was stunning, the emotional stakes were high, and the slow burn was so satisfying. This is a love story for anyone who’s ever wondered, What if? and hoped for one more chance. Full of depth, healing, and just the right amount of angst—this one stays with you.

Tarah Dewitt amazes me with her versatility. All of her Romances are unique (sometimes hilarious, sometimes more lighthearted), and this one is special for its look at a long-term relationship, and its ups and downs. I loved it.

Ellis and Wren have been divorced for five years, but before that they were teenage loves, first loves, and also teenage parents. They went through a traumatic pregnancy and loss together. They had trouble communicating with each other, and then they lost each other. I loved the way this book began with Ellis and Wren's letters to one another. I loved Ellis' steadfast care for Wren. He may not have always been perfect, but he tries SO HARD now, and it's beautiful to read. One aspect of this book that really made me feel so heartened was that while there was some uncertainty, there wasn't a third act breakup, and I KNEW that it would have a happy ending. I just felt so cared for. If you're looking for something super cozy (yes there is great sex in this book too), I highly recommend this book.

hey so this was one of the best books I’ve ever read, one of the greatest second chance romances EVER, & by far Tarah’s best book. I know she put her everything into it because I COULD FEEL IT COMING OFF THE PAGES. I can’t even begin to describe the amazingness of this book. THERE ARE NO NOTES. The Byrds mean everything to me 😭😭😭

I RARELY CRY DURING BOOKS AND I CRIED MULTIPLE TIMES BUT THE ENTIRE LAST CHAPTER HAD TEARS STREAMING DOWN MY FACE. My brain chemistry has been altered and I never want to go back.

It was heart wrenching, it was thoughtful, it was romantic, it was hot, it was swoony, it was hilarious, it was literally everything. Wren and Ellis were truly two of my favorite fictional characters & I’ll never get over them.

A couple that got pregnant in their teens then married & divorced are given a second chance at potentially rekindling their relationship after fate gets to them in one of the best ways!!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: audio

Tropes:
Second chance
Forced proximity
Road trip
Small town
Found family
Childhood friends to lovers
Marriage in crisis vibes

If Savor It was the scrumptious meal, Left Of Forever is the decadent dessert! I am simply obsessed with Tarah DeWitt's writing!

There was a magnetic pull towards Wren and Ellis the whole time I read Savor It; I yearned to know their story and was desperate for them to get the HEA they deserved. Let me tell you, Left Of Forever more than exceeded any expectations I could have dreamt up!

I'm pretty sure Ellis's DNA speech altered me! He is book boyfriend gold! And Wren is a beautiful soul who guarded her wounded wing until she was finally able to sore once again.

I slowly melted into this book as the story subtly took hold of me. Before I knew it, I was 80% deep, had already cried, and was on the verge of tears all over again - desperate for the ending, but not wanting it to finish. The way I bawled as this book came to its conclusion!!! I could not contain my happy tears as I bore witness to this redeeming love story and some very special moments for the characters of Spunes, Washington!

More thoughts:
-Indy will grow up with two of the very best female influences (and it would be so cool to see her story later in life)
-I am so happy for Fisher and Sage and the whole damn town!

Megan Wicks is an audiobook narrator I didn't know I needed in my life! Her voice is rich, breathy, and powerful - perfectly matching Wren's character! All I can say about Connor Crais is that I will indeed be seeking out more books by him! How does his voice conjure the cover image of Ellis every time I hear it? Perfect narrator choices!

Simply put: I was a gonner for this book! Left Of Forever gets all the stars encompassing campfire night!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

- 𝑳𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒚 𝑻𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒉 𝑫𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒕

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦
✰ 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵 & 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨
✰ 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺
✰ 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱

If you were to ask me what my favorite book of the year was, I would say it's hands down Left of Forever.
I will never do justice to the magic this book made me feel. I laughed, I crediti, I was impatient, I was swooning, I was overwhelmed. I was feeling everything I hope to feel when I pick up a romance book... and more.
Tarah wrote the perfect second chance romance. It's messy and sweet and angsty and so so so beautiful! These kind of reads are honestly why I even read romance.
Wren and Ellis are such unique wonderful characters. She's so fierce and sweet and easy to relate to while he's charming and relatable as well. It doesn't happen that often to read about characters that feel so real. It happened with them tho.

What else I loved? The wonderful and engaging waiting. How fun it was the road trip (I like that, sue me). How the family element was done. The Byrds are one of my favorite fictional families now.
I loved watching Wren and Ellis simply reconnect and heal their broken relationship and find each other again.

If you ever trust my opinion when it comes to recommendations, then trust me on this one.

*arc kindly provided by the publisher @youhadmeathea in exchange of an honest review

✨Book Review✨

Left of Forever is book two in the Spunes, Oregon series by Tarah DeWitt. I was so fortunate to receive an ARC of this one! If you haven’t read Savor It and Left of Forever, add them to your TBR asap and thank me later 💁🏻‍♀️

This book was everything I wanted and more. I was laughing and crying all through Ellis and Wren’s journey back to each other. I don’t even have anything by else to say. This book was perfect and a total masterpiece! This might be one of the most quotable books I’ve ever read. I’m obsessed 🥰

I’m hopeful that Tarah keeps writing the stories of Spunes because I’ve fallen in love with this town and its people 🫶🏼

Book description from Goodreads

#Bookstagram #MinnesotaReader #AudiobookLover #BookReview #Minnesota#RomanceReader #BookLover #BookRec

5 ⭐️😭

This story was so good. I love letter writing, I love second chance/ex-husband/wife, I love teen parents all grown up, I love the character relationships.

I did have a very personal experience with this story as a teen mom. We have been married for nine years now and dealt with infertility - it’s hard. This book just so accurately depicted that. The importance of therapy and communication, and growth. It was all so beautiful and raw. I could feel so much emotion.

I was laughing at parts, getting emotional at others, and thoroughly enjoyed it all.

Spoiler quote incoming**

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“One day, when we’re very old and gray, one of us will open our eyes to a day that the other won’t, but we’ll smile knowing how full life has been, knowing how we spent forever.”

ARE YOU JOKING 😭😭😭😭 immediate tears.

Pub date: 5/21!!!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me early access!

Trash DeWitt has a special way of taking story lines that may be considered trope-y plots and turning them into the most beautiful, heart-wrenching then heartwarming stories. “Left of Forever” is no exception and may be her best book yet! Fans of DeWitt have been begging for Wren and Ellis’ story since Ellis said Wren was “Still a Byrd” in “Savour It” and this book did not disappoint. We meet Wren and Ellis after they’ve been divorced for 5 years and their son Sam gets accepted into university. Ellis convinces Wren to take a road trip with him after they drop Sam off at his new apartment to see if they can reconnect in any capacity (friendship or otherwise). What this trip provides is a chance for these characters to find their way back to each other through self-discovery, hard truths and refreshing honesty. DeWitt was somehow able to capture hope and thread it into every page of this novel and you can’t help but root the Wren and Ellis to find their way back to each other throughout this novel. This is DeWitt’s best work yet.

“I think you and I are worth seeing about. Even if all that comes from it is a … a happier ending. Closure.”

5⭐️ ARC📖
Let’s be real, Tarah had us ALL in a chokehold since the “She’s still a Byrd” from Savor It!! There really aren’t enough words to describe how excited I was for this book, and my expectations were def met! Ellis is just so damn adorable! I loved the flirty & humorous side we got to see of him, as well as just how deeply he still cares 🥰 pair that with Wren’s strong spirit and it made for a lovely second chance romance!!

The plot was cute & flirty, while at the same time had those undertones of heartbreak and heaviness. I had big feels while reading this and shed just as many happy tears as I did sad ones 🥹 The writing did an excellent job of making you FEEL the characters’ emotions - especially their pain. I also enjoyed the way their past was written. The journal & character recounting helped blend the past with the present plot nicely. I feel like it fit the story more seamlessly than having full flashback chapters.

The cameo from Tarah’s other characters (not from Savor It) was the most amazing little Easter egg too. I was grinning like a fool when I realized who they were!!

- Second Chance
- Yearning, Firefighter MMC ❤️‍🔥
- Road Trip to Mend Two Halves of the Same Heart 💔
- Different Kind of Spicy 🌶️ Scene
- Reproductive Issues Rep

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Wren and Ellis grew up together, fell in love, and had a son when they were teenagers. Now, in their 30s, Wren owns a bakery, Ellis is a wildfire firefighter, and they have since gotten divorced. While moving their now late teens son into college, Ellis convinces Wren to road trip back home. Even though they have been separate for several years, the connection is still there. They have to relive some difficult moments because obviously they didn't get divorced for no reason, but they hope the love is still there.

I went straight from Savor It into Left of Forever, especially after reading "She's still a Byrd" 🥹 and it did not disappoint. I will be thinking of Ellis and Wren for a long time. I was pretty much locked in from the beginning with the letters (all the LETTERS!!) and Ellis being a wildfire firefighter (one of my favorite subgenres), even if I'm a little bit suspicious of why Wren didn't even suspect she was writing with her ex-husband! I love a second chance romance and this was done so well. And not only a second chance romance, but a childhood friends to lovers second chance romance. The reason why I love this trope is because of all the history and emotion that has to be poured onto the page for it to be believable. And this was beautifully done. Ellis and Wren are flawed, but loveable. They are funny, love deeply, and are relatable. My favorite things: excellent banter, great side-characters, raw emotions, and character growth are all present in this one. 5 stars! Highly recommend.

Thank you St. Martin's Press Griffin, Tarah DeWitt, and NetGalley for an eARC. The above honest thoughts and review are my own.

Second chance romance between two highschool sweethearts who's relationship was torn apart... but now years later they're still in love with one another and when they decide to go on a roadtrip to try and give their relationship one more chance, they'll uncover what went wrong... and just how much love there still is. When I saw I knew from the first chapter that I would be in love with this book, I was not kidding. This is how you do second chance, this is HOW YOU ABSOLUTELY NAIL IT. It's such a heartwarming and beautiful story. Ellis and Wren are so deeply in love with each other and getting to read about them trying to find and fight their way back to one another was absolutely amazing. This book is like a gut punch to the heart in the best way possible. I truly fell in love with these characters and this book! I would highly highly recommend it!
Release Date: May 20,2025
Publication: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)
*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is a tender, emotional second chance romance about Wren and Ellis Byrd, who are divorced but not quite done with each other. After dropping their son off at college, they set off on a road trip home digging through the heart of their shared history.

Wren and Ellis are in their thirties (YAAASSSS), with life, baggage, and experience under their belts. Their love isn’t shiny or new, but it’s the kind that lingers. On their journey the two engage in healthy, mature communication that is used to reopen old wounds with care. And so much pining it practically hums off the page. There’s a decent dose of spice (I skimmed a few scenes), but the emotional intimacy is what left the biggest mark. This is a story about the raw, emotional side of marriage and divorce, and finding your way back to the kind of love that doesn’t fade.

The audiobook was sheer perfection, each narrator embodying what I envisioned Wren and Ellis to sound like. The pacing perfectly matched the mutual pining and searing emotion. I recommend reading with your ears if you enjoy the format!

Side note: this is part of an interconnected standalone series set in Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington). The first in this series, SAVOR IT, follow’s Ellis’ sister and Wren’s best friend Sage. I’m already counting down the days for the remaining Byrd stories.

A beautiful, bingeable read full of heart, history, and hope. Highly recommend.

Thank you Macmillan Audio & St. Martin’s Griffin for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Left of Forever is a read you won’t be able to put down, where you’ll fall in love with the cast of characters, appreciate the writing, and feel all the feels!!!

I felt like we really got to know our main characters, Wren & Ellis, reading journal entries, talking about therapy, and seeing them open up to each other. They felt so real. (And we get some spice.) This is a top tier second chance romance!

This read fairly quickly for me. I’d definitely recommend this one. I listened to Savor It (book 1) last week and appreciated the insights I had on the other characters and their town but Left of Forever can definitely be read as a standalone. The last chapter, but more specifically, the last paragraph of this book had me ugly crying so obviously 5 stars from me.

This one made me tear up! I loved Wren & Ellis' story from the beginning - I really am a sucker for a second chance romance. Their connection was so raw and real and the spice was SPICING! The icecream scene had me laughing and my jaw on the floor at the same time (iykyk). If Tarah writes it, I'll read it always

Read this if you live for yearning, tension and feeling all the feelings. However, if that’s not normally your jam, I still highly recommend giving this book a chance. Nothing on the surface would suggest that I would enjoy this book. I’m not a huge fan of second chance romances or more emotional reads, but I requested this ARC on a whim and I am so glad I did!

Tropes:
• Second Chance
• Childhood Friends to Lovers to Divorced to Lovers
• Road trip

Premise: A divorced couple (childhood friends married young after a teenage pregnancy) go on a road trip to give their relationship one last chance after dropping their son off at college.
Series: It is book 2 in the Spunes series. I read Savor It first based on friends' recommendations (I LOVED it), but you don't need to read it before this book if you don't want to.

Tarah’s writing is simply stunning - so masterful that she has me liking tropes that I normally do not. I have an embarrassing amount of highlights. It’s not just the swoonworthy quotes; Tarah writes the ordinary in such a way that is so relatable and thought provoking. Her analogies are perfect - like comparing lingering smells to living with a ghost? I don’t think I can adequately do her words justice.

Wren and Ellis are couple goals; it was so wonderful to see them be vulnerable and share the good and the bad. I would love if Tarah wrote stories for the rest of the Byrd siblings because I loved their characters too, and I want to visit Spunes as much as possible.

TLDR: 10/10 one of the best books I’ve read this year. Tarah was not on my radar, and now she is an auto-read author for me. Please don't skip this read!