4.5 On His Knees Begging ✨'s

Left of Forever is a gritty and raw second chance romance full of emotion, love, and so much yearning. The journey of Ellis and Wren coming back to themselves and realizing they want to try and mend their relationship after five years of separation was breathtakingly gentle and captivating. I loved that the two never strayed from the hard conversations and knew they had to address their issues before moving on. Their love story was just beautiful, and I appreciated that it spanned throughout the years, and we got to experience them at their best and worst. Ellis, in particular, had so much character growth and redemption; he reflected and grew into the man he knew Wren deserved, and it was so amazing how open and honest he was. Not to mention, their reconnection was completely satisfying and flowed so well with the road trip and cute little excursions they went on. I loved getting to explore every facet of their relationship and dig into their unyielding love for each other. If you're a fan of romances that are just as likely to make you cry as they are to make you laugh and swoon, I cannot recommend this book enough.

A beautiful and emotional story of love and healing. Left of Forever is one of those reads that’s tender, heartbreaking, and romantic. Tarah Dewitt crafts a story with the perfect balance of emotional healing and slow burn romance. This was my first book by her, and I can’t wait to devour more of her work!

Read if you enjoy:
✨ Second chance
✨ Small town romance
✨ Divorced parents
✨ Childhood friends to lovers
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Baker & firefighter

And let’s not forget the cooking class scene, I was cackling like a lunatic! The chemistry is electric, the tension is off the charts, and when things finally heat up, I was basically melting.

Left of Forever is heartfelt, witty, and absolutely unforgettable. It might make you cry a little, laugh a lot, and fall head over heels in love.

Thank you so much You Had Me At HEA for the eARC.

Beware of reading this book in public spaces! This one had me crying tears of sadness hope and joy on my plane ride today. This book is my all time favorite of Tarah’s and is a top favorite of the year! I absolutely adored Wren and Ellis. Watching their journey back together rebuilding trust and communication was so beautiful. They put in the work and really opened up to be honest and vulnerable while maintaining a place of love. I couldn’t put this book down because I was so captivated with their story. It was truly moving. Honorable mention to the rest of the Byrd family who clearly loved these two hard. I highly recommend that everyone run out and get this book. Fans of second chance romances like Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan will eat this one up!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the eARC. I finished this book, put my kindle down and said “Damn, that was good.” From the beginning I was gripped in a feral emotional grip as I traveled the journey to reconciliation between Wren and Ellis. This is not a spoiler. This is clearly marketed as a second-chance romance and for many that trope is not liked. However, I am a sucker for people fighting their own selves to get back to each other. There is nothing more human than realizing you made a mistake and work to fix it. This is crack for me and this book has me shaking on the side of the road with an overdose. I loved every freaking minute of this book. Ellis Byrd you mustachioed thick-thighed fireman, may you forever remain fictional because when people read about you they will not treat you like the gentleman you are. He is kind, dedicated, focused (so focused on Wren that I’m sweating for her) and a really good man. Wren is also hot and a mess but she is a strong well made female heroine that I can relate to as a mom. Wren and Ellis are meant to be and they have been apart for five years. However, circumstances have brought them back together.

Tarah DeWitt can write a scene people. Very good scenes. This story had secret letters, a roadtrip, ONE BED, forced proximity up the wazoo, baked goods, literally spicy body parts, meddling family members (but all out of love), and some of the best (eventual) communication between a couple. Great read.

I’ve had a hard time coming up with a review that will hopefully, accurately describe the beauty of this book. Ellis and Wren are two flawed people with a love so raw and real. The writing is captivating and emotional from beginning to end as you read about their growth separately and together throughout the years. It dives into emotional ties and the depth of parenthood. I cried big, fat tears reading the last few chapters. I love this series. These characters have my heart and I can’t wait for the next book!!!

Thank you for the advanced copy!

4 stars. This book just mostly wasn’t for me. The MCs had fantastic chemistry, and the book did a good job of explaining their backstory in a way that it was believable. I wish I connected with this author more. Also, S-tier contemporary romance cover, damn. This was better than the first book in the series, so if you were like me and wishing for more of these two while reading that one, you’ll probably have a good time with this.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s for the ARC!

I absolutely loved this beautiful second chance romance! I loved the flashbacks of their relationship early on, while also navigating the difficulty of the present. I loved that Ellis worked on himself first before pursuing Wren, and I also really appreciated that this was written when their child is out of the house so that it could actually focus on what they want and not have the high stakes of trying to keep a family together. It felt more genuine that way. I love the community that Tarah DeWitt writes and I would love to see more!

“My DNA mixed with yours, and it altered your very bones, Byrd.”

Same — DNA, brain chemistry and soul changed forever 😭 Damn Tarah DeWitt for making me a foul of myself for ever saying second chance was my least favorite trope! Oh have you proved me wrong, Left of Forever will go down as one of my all time favorite books.

I’m still sobbing at the absolute perfection that were Wren and Ellis. The LOVE, the pining, the yearning and the absolute begging and whimpering and just agonizing cries this book contained. You have unleashed a rabid, feral animal and I will never shut up about this book.

Second chance romances are very much hit or miss for me. This was a HIT!!

The way Tarah walked us through their past, let us in on their thoughts and emotions, set the scenes up, and had these character communicate??? I was invested! 😩

These childhood friends-to-lovers made perfect sense until hardships got the best of them. This story really showed how love can be affected if hardships aren't navigated as a couple. However, even years after splitting, Wren and Elliot haven't quite moved on from each other. In a spontaneous, "job well done" trip after dropping their son off at college, this is their opportunity to lay out all their cards and figure out where they stand with each other.

The communication in this book is everything to me. The growth! The declarations, speeches, and confessions. MY HEART!! I love them so much and I was rooting for them the entire time. A sweet, spicy romance for all the second chance lovers out there.

There is also found family which I always love! That being said, this is book #2 of an interconnected series and while it can technically be read on its own; I do recommend reading book #1 first as those characters and storylines do bleed into this one. ❤️

A beautiful portrayal of two people who once deeply loved each other trying to piece things back together. I loved how Tarah conveys vulnerability, history, and hope in this book.

As someone who isn’t married yet, I was still able to connect with this story. This book stood on its own and didn’t need the usual flashback chapters that we see with second chance romances.

I really appreciated the character growth that we see from Ellis in this book. He starts off as being sort of emotionally stilted but evolves wonderfully.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Tarah DeWitt for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so gentle and sweet and wonderful and horny and reaffirming and loving and real. I LOVED IT.

I HATE that Wren & Ellis took a five year break. But they were so young and needed to grow. BUT I think this book could be a great tool for a reader, if their partnership is struggling, to take a pause and think: are we leaving things unsaid? What part of my needs aren't met? Am I letting my partner know what I need? Am I giving them what they need? We should try therapy! SO don't be like Wren & Ellis by losing those five years. Start your what's LEFT OF FOREVER now!

After Savor It- I begged for Ellis and Wren. THANK YOU! Now I must BEG for Kirby and Micah!!! Pllllllleeeeaasssee!!

Wow. This book has some of the best lines and most beautiful thoughts! It is one of the most tender and beautiful love stories I've read. You can feel Ellis' and Wren's yearning and pining from page 1. The depth of emotions still flowing out of these 2 was so good.

I loved the way the story was woven between the past and the present. It really opened up their feelings and events to us in the perfect way. I loved Ellis' commitment and dedication to doing what HE needed to do to be in a place where he could contribute to a working relationship. He was willing to change himself. Similarly, Wren recognized some things she could do better as well. They both were vulnerable and open and able to make those deep connections. I loved the idea that we can be the change - that don't have to just wait for the other person to change. And sometimes the changes we make in ourselves make all the difference.

This is may not be popular thought - but I actually wish there was less spice and more of that tension and connection. The emotional connection is what makes the story so beautiful, it doesn't have to have all the spice. :) And the second half was almost drowning in the spice. You could have taken that yearning all the way up to 80/85% of the book and I would have been there for all of it!

I cried at the end. Couldn't help myself!

Stars: 4.5
Content: multiple open door, strong language

PS - the narrators are FANTASTIC!

Second Chances are always hard for me to love, but let me tell you I LOVED THIS ONE!! Ellis and Wren are truly special and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to be as captivated and watch them fall back in love again! They were always each others person but falling in love and staying in love comes with challenges that are sometimes so frustrating and out of your control that you end up angry with the world and sometimes take it out on people who don’t deserve it and this story really captures that essence of letting go of control. It has me believing that if you set a persons free you have to hope and pray that they come back to you if your love was true!

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Tarah for letting me experience this great love story before it hits the shelves 🩷

5 stars 100% on of the best Second Chance romances I have had the privilege to read! Ellis and Wren were everything and more! From chapter one was hooked, Tarah has that way when it comes to her writing, I am always hooked. I will recommend this book to everyone!

4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to St Martin’s Griffin for providing me with an arc.

I absolutely loved Savor It last year so I was very excited for this one and it didn’t disappoint. I was worried how the second chance divorced couple arc would go but it worked really well. I loved these two and I loved seeing them come back together. I really believe they will last past the end of this book and I can’t wait to read more from this author. This author’s writing works so well for me and captivates my attention the entire book. I am very excited to see what is next especially after this one.

Tarah DeWitt has done it again — Left of Forever completely stole my heart. I loved this book from beginning to end. The emotional depth and slow unraveling of Wren and Ellis’s relationship was so beautifully done. Watching them drift apart and then slowly, tenderly find their way back to each other was incredibly heartwarming. It felt real and raw in all the best ways.

The flirty banter between Wren and Ellis? Chef’s kiss. I absolutely ate it up! It was the perfect mix of charm, longing, and humor, and it made their dynamic so fun to read while still carrying that emotional weight underneath.

I also love that we’re continuing the Byrd family stories after Savor It. Getting more of this world and these characters feels like being welcomed back home, and I’m already looking forward to whatever comes next. DeWitt writes with such sincerity and warmth — this one is going to stay with me for a long time.

Left of Forever by Tarah Dewitt | ARC Review

Thank you @authortarahdewitt and @netgalley for this ARC! That feeling when you know that a book is going to devastate you, so you postpone reading it, because you know it will break your heart, so then you finally give in and read it, and you are in shambles, and will probably never recover even if it has been 2 months since you have read it?? Yup, that is exactly the feeling I am feeling these days.

5⭐️//2🌶️

This book is one of my favourite ones I have ever read — not an exaggeration. I think about this amazing couple at least once a day, and I am in awe of Tarah’s magical talents that made this book possible. This second chance romance was so carefully and beautifully crafted, in a way that both breaks your heart and gives you hope for a forever kind of love. How is this man so so so in love with his ex-wife, even 5 (or 500) years later? And the way Tarah describes how these two fell in love, that their whole DNA and identity changed, it was so moving, I was in tears for the majority of this book. And the quote about getting to heaven and saving Wren a seat — every time I read it, I immediately start crying (I think I’m conditioned at this point).

I loved how Ellis and Wren worked hard to not only build their little family with their kid, but how Ellis’ siblings were all enveloped in this strong, reassuring, and unfaltering love. These two become examples of hard work, dedication, and unwavering loyalty to those that matter most. In the epilogue, during Silas’ speech, I was absolutely ruined. All the affection he spoke with, it made you feel like you were a Byrd too, and in some ways, it feels like I have lived a life beside these characters. This book is absolutely going to be a re-read, and I am looking forward to reading more about the Byrds - my second family, because I am, too, now a Byrd.

Favourite scene: Wren’s birthday dinner & Epilogue 🥹
Favourite 🌶️ scene: Chili pepper ice cream 🤭

I cannot express just how much I loved this read. I apparently am on a second chances kick right now, but this was so worth it! I think this shows just how much people can change and yet stay the same when they are in a relationship and have been in that relationship for a while. Ellis and Wren are the epitome of that example. They were childhood friends, sweethearts, parents, and divorcees.

I was worried that this was going to feel forced or was going to feel ungenuine when I first started into this. A fear that was totally unfounded and had no business being around. Ellis was amazing (in my mind I’m viewing him like Tom Seleck... you’re welcome) as a dad, brother, and honestly a husband. Wren was great in her ways too. I think that the big moment here was that we sometimes lose sight of what’s important until it isn’t there anymore.

The journey back together was amazing, and the road trip really worked for this. I liked that they were trying and talking and being extremely real in what they needed from each other. It didn’t feel fake or forced at all. The way the heavy topics were handled in this were equally as well done and I cannot express how much I appreciated the care with which it was handled. I’m curious to see if the other Byrd brothers will get their stories told or if this is where it ends because honestly, I’m just as in love with the Byrds as DeWitt probably is.

I'm going to make the bold statement that I call Left of Forever as my favorite romance of this summer. This book was a beautiful read. I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting older but the history and the maturity of Wren and Ellis as they worked through their feelings and miscommunications and traumas just captured me from the very start of this story. I loved the "flashbacks" and learning about how they fell in love, how they thought they fell out of it, but how they both held onto each other the whole time. Don't get me wrong, their chemistry was amazing and their spice was spicing but the narrative of them both growing more and more in love with the intricacies of the other person was just the most amazing story to follow.

Thank you to Net Galley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and Tarah DeWitt for an eARC and ALC of this story. I used both to do an immersive read.

The way I felt this book to my core is not normal! Tarah DeWitt you made me go through all the emotions with this story!

This book was better than I had imagined, it was so romantic, and emotional, yet sexy and funny.

We follow Wren and Ellis who are a divorced couple going to drop off their son to college and making a vacation out of it, the intent is to see if they could give they story a second chance. With that storyline, my heart never stood a chance!

As Wren and Ellis go on their journey, we learn more from their past, how it drove them apart and what they are willing to compromise and work out to give their love a second chance. I loved the glimpses we got to see of the rest of the family and how their support towards the main characters was always there regardless of their decision. It entirely warmed my heart.

The audiobook was pure perfection, Connor and Megan did a phenomenal job with their narration. They made the characters real and the feelings much more stronger. I was obsessed with the duet style narration and the level of closeness they were able to portray.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read to this ARC.

Tropes:
* Second chance romance
* Road trip romance
* Small town romance
* High school sweethearts
* It’s always been you