I had no doubt this book would be emotional and beautiful, and it didn't disappoint!

I really enjoyed Savor It last year, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on Ellis' and Wren's story!

Second chance romance is one of the hardest trope to get right in my opinion, and it was done flawlessly in this book! You can really feel the love and longing between Wren and Ellis, who both tried and failed to move on.

Honestly, I loved everything about this book! Ellis was top-tier book husband! I loved how he was honest with Wren about his intentions from the beginning, how he was ready to do the work and talk about the hard stuff they went through.

The letters. The yearning. The found family. The roadtrip and all the fun destinations they stop at. This book was amazing and I can't recommend it enough! Prepare to tear up and laugh out loud, swoon and cry while you go on a healing journey with these characters.

Also, when I saw Far Away by Nickelback on the playlist for this book, I was so happy. It's one of my favorite songs ever.

Tarah DeWitt creates a love story that reminds us all that sometimes when you love someone you need to let them go, so you can both grow and fall in love all over again.

What I absolutely loved about Left of Forever was how it made me believe in love again. It was a second chance romance that reminds us how love isn’t just get married and have a HEA, but something that requires work and communication. And sometimes that means you need to let each other go to grow and then maybe the new versions of yourself will fall in love too.

Wren and Ellis were so young when they both grew up quickly, from getting pregnant to taking care of Ellis’s younger siblings all while falling in love and finding the person who made you feel complete. But then life does what it always does and gets in the way, leading to them divorcing but ensuring they coparent for their son.

Now they’re faced with the fact their son is graduating, and the dynamic of their current relationship will change with him going away. But Ellis has already realized how much he missed the person who knew him best and the woman who he never stopped loving. So of course he starts formulating a plan to see if they can find their way back together.

And so we get to watch Wren and Ellis fall for each other all over again…although you do question have they ever truly stopped loving each other? Along the way we see them have the tough conversations of what lead them to divorcing. I think what made me love this book is it showed two people who had to let each other go to become the versions of themselves they needed to be to love each other again. Also we love seeing a man going to therapy!

Wren and Ellis were by far lovable characters that you wanted to root for as they found their way back home. Back to the person who the hardships of life tried to separate them from, but who was worth fighting for again. And as someone that has been surrounded by divorces throughout her family, seeing these two get a second chance and how much love they had for each other made me believe in love again. It’s a reminder to us all that love requires work, honestly, and communication to truly work…especially when life throws hardships your way.

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is a touching and emotional second chance romance that really stayed with me. Wren and Ellis were high school sweethearts who had their son young and built a life together, but over time they grew apart. Now in their 30s and divorced, they still care about each other deeply. When they take a road trip after dropping their son off at college, old feelings come back and they start to wonder if they could try to love each other again.
I loved how real and heartfelt this story felt. Wren and Ellis have been through so much, and watching them slowly reconnect was both sweet and heartbreaking. Their love story is full of emotion, hope, and healing. The writing is beautiful, and I was completely pulled into their journey.
This is the kind of romance that makes you feel everything. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves emotional and romantic stories.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

Ooooooou second chance will get me every!! single!! time!! The yearning, the heartache, the pain and the payoff after was just perfect. Wren and Ellis' story was just so raw, tender, and deeply satisfying. Cannot wait to read more of Tarah!!

Tarah DeWitt has done it again with Left of Forever—a tender, funny, and achingly romantic second-chance love story that left my heart full and my eyes misty. This isn’t just a romance; it’s a deeply felt journey through heartbreak, healing, and the kind of love that refuses to let go, even after years of silence and scars.

Wren and Ellis Byrd aren’t your typical will-they-won’t-they couple. They already have a rich, complicated history: young love, a son, a marriage that didn’t survive, and the kind of emotional residue that doesn’t just fade with time. DeWitt doesn’t gloss over the pain of divorce or the challenge of co-parenting a child into adulthood. Instead, she leans into the messy reality of two people who have always loved each other but got lost along the way.

Their road trip from their son’s college back to their hometown of Spunes, Oregon, is the perfect backdrop for a slow-burning, soul-searching reconnection. DeWitt’s prose glows with warmth and humor, and she balances intimate moments with emotional weight in a way that feels both honest and cathartic. The chemistry between Wren and Ellis is undeniable—yes, there’s "melt your face off intimacy," but also vulnerability, shared history, and an aching desire to get it right this time.

The setting along the California coastline adds a dreamy, cinematic quality to the story, echoing the themes of rediscovery and reflection. And while the romance is front and center, DeWitt also gently explores themes of identity, forgiveness, and the power of words—especially when they come in the form of a letter that just might change everything.

Left of Forever is heartfelt, hopeful, and beautifully written. It reminds us that sometimes love needs time, space, and a second chance to bloom fully. A must-read for anyone who believes in the enduring power of love and the magic of finding your way back to the one who feels like home.

There are some books that leave a lasting impression from the very first page to the very last. Left of Forever is absolutely one of them. Ever since the “She’s still a Byrd.” moment in Savor It, I had a feeling Ellis and Wren would become a couple I’d never forget. And wow, was I right.

Watching these two stripped down to their rawest selves, grappling with emotions that never really went away, growing both individually and together, and ultimately realizing they’re meant for each other, was the very definition of second chance romance. Which just so happens to be one of my favorite tropes ever. This book was beautifully written, and I loved every second of it.

Tarah handled some tough topics with so much poise and care. Ellis, Wren, and the entire Byrd family felt so real, flaws and all, which is exactly why I loved their story so much. This isn’t your typical cookie-cutter romance. It’s rough, it stings at times, but if you're willing to put in the emotional work, it leaves you with the kind of satisfaction that makes you believe in love again. Like Ellis and Wren, you come out the other side stronger and happier. I know I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time, and I’m honestly jealous of everyone who still gets to experience it for the first time.

I loved it so much that I signed up for the audiobook as well, it did not disappoint both Megan Wicks and Connor Crais brought the story to life so beautifully. Whether you read it or listen to it, you’re in for something special. I already can’t wait to reread it. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martins Publishing for the eARC and ALC.

I will not be giving feedback to this book. I was not able to connect with this story, DNF. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this.

I was kind of confused with this title when I picked up this book. And the confusion carried on while reading the book, until closer to the end when it finally made sense and all the feels came in together. This book brought out many many feels!

Ever since reading about Wren and Ellis's strained relationship in Savor It, I was also secretly carrying hope that they'd get their own story. This one delivered in the best ways, coming from someone that's apparently a big fan of second chance romances now! I really enjoyed how this story started from the get go and knew there was so much depth to Wren and Ellis. From the somewhat anonymous letter writing to the one week road trip together, the build up to how these two healed and gravitated back to each other was done so well. Wren and Ellis had a rawness to their love for one another that's not always done well on second chance love stories but Tara did them justice. If anything, she made them come alive in such a realistic but magical way. Ellis and his omissions to his first and only love, ahhhh. He isn't book boyfriend material but definitely a book husband type. Wren, I loved her for her openness and bravery to go after what she wanted. Pining for one another when you've been separated for years? Sounded weird to me but also made perfect sense between these two. Also, I just love the Byrd clan, especially Silas.

This one just hit so differently and I'm so happy I got a chance to read this one after Savor It. Tara's best work yet, I'd say. I'm hoping we get more stories located in Spunes, especially if it's two more books about the other Byrd siblings!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing a digital copy for my honest and sincere opinions on this one. It's worth checking out!

“We have whatever’s left of forever, you and me.”

It’s only been a few days since I finished reading Left of Forever (more like it finished ME) and I don’t think I’ve fully processed it all yet. Tarah has a way of writing the most heart shattering moments of life and morphing it into a beautiful masterpiece that’ll leave you breathless and in awe.

From the moment we learn about Wren and Ellis in Savor It, I knew they’d leave a mark on me. Their connection over the years was no easy rollercoaster ride to say the least, and I loved all the raw and messy moments because that’s exactly how life can be. And of course all the support (aka meddling) from the fellow Byrd family members was a great way to show that there were people in their corners rooting for them.

I was invested from start to finish and tried so desperately to savor this, but my god this was absolutely fantastic. Highly recommend the audiobook as well!! Tarah really outdid herself with this one and I’m so excited for everyone to read Ellis and Wrens story!

Thank you St. Martins Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

A very special thank you to Negalley and St Martin’s Press for my advanced reader e-copy!

Tarah Dewitt is quickly becoming one of my auto buy authors. She absolutely delivered on this one, Wren and Ellis stole my heart! You all know I’m a sucker for a good second chance romance and this one had me giggling and kicking and screaming! High school sweethearts or a roadtrip!? A man putting so much thought and care into something!? AHHH! Gorgeous, tugs on your heartstrings, and so much fun!!

4.25

Tarah DeWitt taking my heart out of my chest with this one!!

Second chance romance is not my favorite trope, but only because it has to be done really well for me to enjoy it, and this book nailed that! Wren and Ellis were so young when they got together and had Sam, and they went through all these hardships but they did them together. And this story starts when they’ve been divorced for 5 years, but are both still very involved in their son’s life and clearly still care about each other, even if they don’t feel that they can show it.

Both Wren and Ellis are complex characters, and I enjoyed every scene that they had together. I also really loved DeWitt’s writing and storytelling and just how she described their love for one another here! They have a deep, deep backstory and years of history we as a reader could not possibly understand or comprehend, and yet somehow we can see what makes them work so well together and see the depths of their devotions.

Roadtrips are also not something I love in a story, and while I did enjoy and appreciate Wren and Ellis’ stops along the way, I missed Spunes!

The end of this book had me smiling like a fool. It was just a super sweet story and I loved seeing Wren and Ellis slowly reconnect and realize that just because they hit bumps in the road doesn’t mean that they ever stopped loving each other.

Also, I did enjoy this book a lot more than Savor It. I felt way more connected to Wren and Ellis as people and was just rooting for them the whole time!

I missed having Spunes as a secondary character in this book, so I’m really excited to see what comes next! I suspect maybe a Silas story and a Micah story??

Thank you so much to Tarah DeWitt, Saint Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the eARC!

This book was perfect! I have been obsessed with Wren and Ellis since he said “she’s still a Byrd” in Savor It and this book was even better than I could’ve imagined. This was such a beautiful and emotional love story that I will never forget. I laughed, I cried and I enjoyed every second of their story. This was Tarah’s best writing yet and I was highlighting quotes non-stop while reading. I cannot wait to see what she writes next and I highly recommend this book to everyone!

What to expect:
💚 Contemporary Romance
💚 Ex-Husband and Wife
💚 Second Chance
💚 Roadtrip
💚 Small Town

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As always Tarah Dewitt has astounded me. Second chance is one of my favorite tropes and unsurprisingly Tarah wrote one of the best second chance romances there is. Full review to come…

ALL THE STARS ♾️

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt was for the Byrds! I don't know what it is about a second chance after a divorce story, but it's just so achingly heartbreaking and soothing at the same time. Two people who once loved each other so deeply, suddenly call it quits and become total strangers, then go on to find each other again after growing and finding themselves. It's the falling in love all over again that makes it all worth it. This is what essential happens between Ellis and Wren as they've known each other forever, having been together since they were seventeen and eighteen. They faced many challenges but stayed strong for the sake of their son, Sam.

Left of Forever was beautiful and quickly owned my heart. I was lucky to receive both an audiobook and ARC copy to listen and read simultaneously. The narrators portrayed the story with so much emotion and depth that I could feel it through my headphones. I loved both Connor Crais and Megan Wicks' performances. They truly did a phenomenal job 🤌🏼. Listening to this story was a wonderful experience. 10/10 recommend this book!!

If I were making a list of books that made me sob until I couldn't breathe - Left of Forever would be at the top of the list (and in the very best way too!) One of those books that will leave an imprint in my soul - completely beautifully unforgettable. What I love about Tarah Dewitt's writing is that from the first page until the last page, it's like being under her spell - magical and all consuming - kind of like Wrellis's love story. There's so much yearning and angst, with hope and healing; it's tender and emotionally complex - but it's HOT!

Infinite stars. I really didn't think a book could top Savor It for me, but Left of Forever healed parts of me that I still didn't know needed healing and I will forever speak highly of Tarah and her work.

Happy LOF eve - out tomorrow!! Do yourself a favor and get a copy, it's a NEED to read.

**Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC and chance to read and review. All opinions are my own**

“We belong to each other in ways no one else ever will.” ❤️

After dropping their son off for college, Ellis and Wren, ex-spouses, take a road trip to see if they want to try giving their relationship a second chance. Will these exes find their way back to each other, or is it best to leave their romantic history in the past and move forward as friends?

From the moment we met these two in Savor It, I knew I wanted to read more of their story. I’m not usually a second chance romance fan, but their story was so well done. Their characters were so well rounded.

This was emotional, spicy and often times funny. I loved their little dates that Ellis planned and LOVED the flirting between them. Also, ice cream…😉🥵

Going straight to the top as my favorite romance of 2025 (so far).

TARAH, THIS BOOK WAS SO DANG GOOD. SO. GOOD.

I fear that Wren and Ellis may have become my new favourite fictional couple. Following along their redemption road trip through the California coast, a trip planned by Ellis in his efforts to rekindle their romance (& past marriage), my heart ached and yearned for them the way they did for one another. As they already worked through healing separate while Wren bakes and Ellis extinguishes fires, now they work through healing together, they work on being one again, with some powerful and raw emotions bursting at the seams.

I truly felt like I was on this road trip with the Byrds. I felt like I was watching their hearts get ripped open, their feelings put on display, and I felt like Tarah wrote these characters with such raw honesty that I forgot I was reading a literal book for a minute. Wren and Ellis’ story made me cry sad tears and so many happy ones, and their happy ever after was worth every ounce of heartache along the way.

Also, the character development in this was done so well without being dragged on that, without first reading Savor It, I felt like I knew each of the Byrd siblings and their significant others personally. I absolutely loved how Tarah integrated each of them into this story without taking away from Wren and Ellis.
Read if you like:
🚗Second chance romance
🚗Secret letters/pen pals
🚗Steamy intimacy
🚗Words that matter (iykyk)
🚗Road trips
🚗Hurting and healing
🚗High school sweethearts
🚗Sibling scheming
🚗One bed (cabin)
🚗SOULMATES

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and author Tarah DeWitt for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love Tarah’s writing and the world she continues to create in Spunes. I enjoyed how Savor It was still intertwined into this book.

This was a heartwarming story about 2nd chances and the importance of forgiveness.

This series reminds me of the Rebel Blue Ranch series and I hope she continues to write the love stories for all the Byrds. I hope Silas is next

Second chance romance at its absolute finest. The pining! The memories! The effort to be known! This book is so achingly tender that it gutted me in the best way. I loved both the main characters and their story together. There’s so much realness paired with plenty of comic relief and family meddling. Wren and Ellis’s story is a wonderful combination of touching, fun, and steamy. I highly recommend.

💘 Book Synopsis: Wren and Ellis were childhood sweethearts, then teen parents, then the kids who proved everyone wrong with their love. Until they stopped fighting with and for each other. It’s been five years since their divorce and their one kid is now going off to college. Ellis devises a road trip for them to drop off their son then get to know each other again on the trip back. He wants her back and is willing to put in the effort, at Wren’s pace, to show her their son isn’t their only connection.

Read LEFT OF FOREVER for
✌️ Dual POV insights
💕 Second chance romance
🥰 Childhood sweethearts
🧢 He wants her back
🏕️ Roadtrip adventures
🥵 Spice, literally and figuratively
❤️‍🩹 Therapy rep

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)

😘 Thanks to St. Martin's Press, @YouHadMeAtHEA and @NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC. So, so grateful! All opinions are my own.

👩🏻‍🏫 Reader Note: Ectopic pregnancy complications and loss. Take care.

Wren and Ellis totally stole my heart. A second-chance romance that actually delivers—sweet, emotional, and full of that perfect mix of tension and tenderness. The road trip? Adorable. The letter? Destroyed me (in the best way).

I laughed, I teared up, I wanted to hug this book when it was over. Tarah DeWitt nailed it—again.