Tarah DeWitt’s Left of Forever, is a lovely second chance after divorce romance. I love a good second chance romance, and especially one that is post divorce. They are such a great canvas for exploring hope, growth, acceptance, and forgiveness. Left of Forever does that all well with big heaps of yearning and one of my favorite microtropes, a man who goes to therapy.

Left of Forever is focused on character and jumps around a bit in time before we get to the reconciliation road trip. This gives us a chance to sink into where Ellis and Wren are mentally and emotionally. DeWitt gives us a good foundation for becoming invested in the happily ever after.

Wren has worked hard to create separation between herself and Ellis in the 5 years since they divorced. That’s been a challenge because they live in a small town (Spunes, Washington, not to be confused with Forks, Washington), co-parent their son, spend Thanksgiving and Christmas together with their combined family, and Wren is close with Ellis’s siblings. Though they’ve kept their distance and built separate lives, they have both stagnated emotionally. Ellis’s emotional shutdown is disrupted when he is away helping fight a forest fire and he sees a care package from Wren sent to whichever firefighter picks it up. They begin a brief correspondence, he knows he is writing to her, but she doesn’t know that he is her pen pal. It cracks them both open with Ellis realizing how much he misses Wren and Wren realizing she wants a romantic relationship (though not with Ellis). Ellis knows he is working towards a second chance with Wren. Wren is trying to figure out how to let go of Ellis so she can move on with someone else. Lots of A+ pining and yearning happens here.

DeWitt puts words together beautifully. Wren and Ellis yearn, hope, and feel their anxieties eloquently. It’s a joy to read. Underpinning the beautiful words are well grounded emotions. Ellis is a fixer, the very definition of competence porn. He solves problems and takes care of people. But when Wren needed him to be with her in messy feelings, he tried to bypass emotions and fix the problem instead. The older I get, the less interested I am in the grovel. To paraphrase Hamilton, groveling is easy, living is hard. That said, Ellis gives a beautiful, thoughtful, emotionally honest apology in Chapter 35 that feels like the culmination of his journey in this book. He is not poised to fix anything, he just wants to be with her.

There is a scene involving a kitchen accident (no blood) and sexy times afterwards that I just couldn’t get into because I was too busy silently shrieking in horror. Wear gloves when you work with peppers, people.

I received this as an advance reader copy via St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

one of my new all time favorite romance books🥹🫂 this book is the perfect example of why i love reading romance. it’s the love you can’t deny, the souls that are intertwined as one, the people who make you feel seen, and the undeniable way two hearts can forever be connected by that invisible string. wren & ellis are soulmates and seeing them grow close again after life’s harsh moments got in the way, was everything to me and the reason why i believe love can conquer all and how you never really stop loving the one.

here’s a few things i loved while reading:
🐦‍⬛ tarah’s writing is so beautiful i feel like this book is going to break me and put me back together
🍷 the letter & the two horses
🐦‍⬛ “it was like — seeing home after decades away”
🍷 wow i already love them, they’re still so in love
🐦‍⬛ him eating her desserts & baked goods again
🍷 the angst is so well done
🐦‍⬛ i love how body positive wren is
🍷 ellis making all the plans for the trip
🐦‍⬛ i love the byrd family so much
🍷 “save me a seat?”
🐦‍⬛ obsessed with the whole roadtrip idea and so excited to see how everything plays out
🍷 they’re so in tune with each other
🐦‍⬛ a little co-op cameo!! deacon!!!
🍷 ellis is so hot
🐦‍⬛ his tattoo🥹🥹🥹
🍷 i’m obsessed with them and their flirting/banter
🐦‍⬛ here for all the growth & open communication
🍷 “byrd”
🐦‍⬛ “i’m home” brb crying
🍷 wren’s journal entries and ellis’s responses to them
🐦‍⬛ i love getting to be in their heads and see how they view each other and how much they’re truly in love
🍷 the pepper scene i shouldn’t be laughing but i can’t help it
🐦‍⬛ HAHA HER MOM STOP I LOVE IT
🍷 “make plans with me forever”
🐦‍⬛ “it’s all yours. it’s always been yours”
🍷 all the origami birds
🐦‍⬛ sage & fisher🥹🥹
🍷 silas’s’ speech!!!
🐦‍⬛ everything left of forever!!!!
🍷 no other notes, this was a MASTERPIECE

i listened to the alc and followed along in my earc and truly loved every second i spent reading this. literally finished in 2 sittings because i couldn’t put it down! tarah you are a queen this book is so beautiful im honestly at a loss for words to explain just how much i loved it and love ellis & wren. as a major second chance girlie, i can confirm this book just made it to my top 3 for second chance romances!

3 ⭐️ I'm mad at myself for not loving this more

"All I know is that if I found out heaven was real and got there first? I'd hang back in the waiting room and save you a seat."

WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ contemporary romance
✨ second chance
✨ divorced for 5 years
✨ co-parents
✨ baker x fire fighter
✨ grumpy, broody MMC
✨ yearning / longing
✨ secret letters
✨ road trip
✨ one-bed / cabin
✨ SPICE
✨ miscommunication
✨ men in therapy 👏
✨ groveling
✨ HEA
✨ TW: ectopic pregnancy (off page in past) and references to infertility


My Thoughts:

Truly, no one is more disappointed in this rating than me. I’ve been dying for Wren and Ellis’s story since Savor It, and I wanted to love this book so badly.

It has all the usual Tarah DeWitt trademarks - emotional, romantic, vulnerable - but I just didn’t connect with their second chance romance. I understood the reasons for their divorce, but I didn’t buy them. If they loved each other as much as we’re told they do, I honestly don’t understand how they let five years go by without trying. Not one single moment of “maybe we should talk”? I couldn’t wrap my head around that. Especially when their lives were still so intertwined because of their son and friends. My husband would NEVER just let me walk away like that. In fact, I know he wouldn't because there's been moments where I've felt like things were too hard, and he refused to give up. Instead, we both went to couple's therapy - because my husband loves me and CHOSE us. So I had a hard time respecting their choice to separate only for them to reunite later.

I love Ellis, but I struggled with him. The man we meet here is suddenly open, emotionally in tune, communicative, and present. Which is great! But it felt like a huge jump from the grumpy, silent, broody man we were shown in Savor It. Six months of therapy just doesn’t explain that kind of transformation for me. It felt more like he showed up when he was ready, and we were supposed to be happy about that. Meanwhile, Wren had grieved, she had processed, she had waited. And now she's wanting him back because he’s finally ready and doesn't want to lose her? Idk, it irritated me.

Wren was giving “I’m sad and also very horny for my ex-husband,” and while the chemistry is absolutely there, I wanted more emotional groundwork in how they rebuilt their relationship. There’s a moment where Wren and Ellis agree not to hook up on their road trip because they know they need to reconnect on a deeper level first. But then, they basically toss that plan out the window the second the sexual tension gets too high. Which is fine, but it didn’t feel like growth, it felt like a pattern. And honestly, that kind of sets the tone for the whole story. Yes, they have more than a few heavy, meaningful conversations, but it always felt like the intimacy starts with lust, not vulnerability. And the sheer amount of internal commentary (especially from Wren) about how attractive Ellis is made it feel like I was reading about two people who couldn’t stop thinking with their bodies. It was giving horny teenagers, not mature exes working through years of pain and distance. I needed more emotional intimacy before the physical to really buy into the healing and growth.

PS: I did not find the pepper/ice cream scene funny or sexy. I was horrified by the pepper and then completely turned off by the ice cream.

I will say though, I do like Wren and Ellis, and I do think there’s an intense love between them. But I just didn’t care about this story the way I wanted to. 😭 I know I’m in the minority here since most reviews have been glowing, and I wish I felt the same way. I may even reread it down the line because maybe I just wasn’t emotionally available for this book right now. We'll see. But regardless of my feelings, I think if you love second chance romance and Tarah DeWitt’s writing, you should absolutely still pick it up. This one just didn’t hit for me.

❤️ тнιѕ вσσк нαѕ му ωнσℓє нєαят. ❤️

💍 A beautifully perfect, raw and emotional second chance romance about a divorced couple who navigates the hurts and disappointments of their failed marriage in an attempt to reconcile.

I loved this book SO MUCH for its honesty, intensity, and real depiction of the harsher realities of long term romantic relationships. Marriage and parenthood are hard work and it’s nice to see a work of fiction that accurately represents that fact rather than glossing over it. Plus, Wren and Ellis are obviously hopelessly in love and it’s adorable.

There’s real depth to this work with an emphasis on interpersonal communication and mental health awareness but there’s still plenty of spice to keep you entertained. It’s a true masterpiece that highlights the harsh reality that sometimes love alone isn’t enough for a relationship to survive.

Check this one out if you enjoy a found family dynamic and more heavy hitting romances similar to Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez, but don’t forget your tissues.

This is definitely one of the easiest five stores I’ve ever given in my life. I’m normally not a fan of the idea of second chance broken marriage but this one definitely makes you change your mind on that. Wren and Ellis felt so true and honest that there were moments that made me ache for them. I definitely felt from early on that. Wren was so ridiculously attractive and was just oozing sex appeal throughout the book. I love how full-fleshed the idea of this road trip became as a moving mechanism to literally drive them together. I will say at times it was a little bit too convenient And you do have to suspend disbelief in the first place to believe that this type of road trip would happen. And it does come a little bit quick, but I think that it was so established how much love was still there but it made it OK.

I had put off this book for a while, but I'm not sure why. I'm so disappointed that I did because I was immediately sucked in. I'm not sure why I resonate so strongly with a divorced (separated) couple who to their core still love and adore each other, but I was! The fact that Wren is a baker and Ellis is a Firefighter is swoon worthy. Their connection bleeds through the pages and into your heart. While there are some deep trigger warnings for this book, I will absolutely read the attached books to this series. Thank you for surprising me!

Wow, wow, wow, wow. This book completely surprised me in all the best ways.

When I opened the eARC and saw that this was part of a series, my heart sank a bit. I always read books in a series in order, even if the author says it can be read as a standalone, so I was prepared to miss a few inside jokes and be annoyed by references to scenes from the first book. That did not happen at all - Tarah DeWitt did an excellent job introducing Spunes, Oregon and the Byrd family to new and returning readers.

Second chance romances are really hit or miss for me, and this was an absolute hit. Wren and Ellis fell in love in high school and were forced to grow up quickly when they got pregnant as teens. Despite their strong foundation, their relationship hit a rough patch five years ago that they never recovered from. When their son gets into college in California, Ellis suggests taking a road trip after dropping him off. He pitches it as a trip for co-parents celebrating their greatest achievement, but Wren cannot help but wonder if his intention is to reignite a romantic spark between them. The road trip was the perfect blend of vulnerable reconnection and laugh out loud moments, making it truly difficult for me to put this book down!

I enjoyed this book so much that I can safely say that I absolutely will be reading Savor It (Book 1 in the Spunes, OR series) and all of Tarah DeWitt's backlist.

Read this book if you like:
💕 Second chance
🌲 Teen sweethearts
💕 Found family
🌲 Road trip
💕 Small town
🌲 Firefighter MMC

The characters! Were so darn perfect!!! Spunes just keeps getting better and better! I fell so in love with with Ellis and Wren, their grit, soft sides and commitment to one another.

It was sweet, hillarious, tough and spicy with the best cast of characters. Tarah does family/community so well.

I hope y’all love this grow up together, second chance romance as much as I did!

Thank you NetGalley, Tarah DeWitt, and St.Martin's Press for this ARC. Available May 20th!

A second chance romance that outshines all others. Tarah DeWitt has been a favorite of mine from her debut, Rootbound. No one writes an emotionally moving, yet whimsical romance quite like she does.

Wren and Ellis go on such an emotional rollercoaster. As someone who also married too young, I resonated with some of the feelings these two carried. Sometimes it's all too easy to get stuck in the negatives and the hard life things that bring us down. Watching Wren and Ellis work through those memories and feelings while making new positive memories was incredibly beautiful. I found myself teary eyed through most of the novel. Tarah delivers on all fronts, really. Emotional, banter, spicy scenes, callbacks to past books and characters. It really has it all and in no way was I disappointed. All the stars.

If Tarah DeWitt writes it, I will read it.

Left of Forever is utter perfection - and if you love second chance romances, strong family bonds, and a couple who are utterly perfect for each other in a world that's imperfect, you're going to love this book.

Wren and Ellis are teen parents turned divorcees, trying to maintain a good co-parent relationship and move on from what once was a perfect life together. But when their son needs to move into college, there's an opportunity to revisit what once was, and try to salvage what's left of their forever.

When I tell you this book made me feel things - first, please make sure to check the trigger warnings and take care of yourself as readers. There's some heavy stuff in here, and if you want to know more I'm happy to chat about it before you dive in. But there is beauty in being broken, and I think this story does an absolutely incredible job at discusses all types of loss - love, fertility struggles, deaths, and dreams. Tarah's depth to her characters makes these themes feel very real - I know I personally could relate to a few of them, and the way some of the lines made my tears fall...

Ellis is the literal blueprint for men - so boys, take notes. The way he loves his family and everyone who falls into his life is incredible - and the sheer growth we see from him throughout the book made me fall in love with him practically immediately. Adding him into my top ten book boyfriends was one of the easiest decisions I've made. Wren is also a force - I wish I knew her in real life, because she would be an incredible friend. Her commitment to her family and her passion and drive are traits to look up to.

The audio version of this book is perfection - both narrators are easy to listen to on high speeds, and bring to life the story as they read. The one thing I found tricky about the audio was when the journals and letters are being read - it was hard to differentiate sometimes between the story and the letter, and I wish there had been a more clear distinction, but when I followed along in my ARC the audio just heighted the story.

I look forward to the rest of the Byrd sibling's stories - but this one will always have a spot in my heart.

Divorced parents Wren and Ellis take a trip after dropping their son off at college to see if they can rekindle what they once had.

Alright gang. I wanted to love this one so badly but the first 40-50% was SO BORING. To be fair, I am not someone who loves lots of inner monologuing and I think this book does that VERY well. Then it felt like we were jumping into sexy times while also figuring everything out and it felt like sexy times were every other page. The ending was cute and there were a few times where I teared up but while I enjoyed this one overall, it left me wanting a little bit more.

Read if you like:

- second chance
- road trip
- grief & emotional
- small town

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own!

4.5 stars.
This was my first book from Tarah DeWitt and I loved it! Really enjoyed the characters and small town vibes. The road trip plot was fun and kept the book engaging as the romance progressed. This was beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time. Flew threw this and it left me with the warm and fuzzies. Loved!

I have read all of Tarah’s books (you should definitely read them), and I think this is her best one yet! I LOVE a second chance romance. The pining, the yearning, the hope it gives readers. The hope that wrongs can be righted, that apologies (and groveling) can be accepted, that forgiveness does not mean forgetting, that people can change and grow independently and together. Tarah is a master at writing all of these complex emotions when it comes to letting someone back into your heart. Ellis and Wren’s story is so special and I hope you love it as much as I did.

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt, St. Martins Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Want to read a second chance childhood friends to lovers to divorcees to strangers to lovers? This is hands down one of the best. Not to mention baker x wildfire firefighter, secret pen pals, and a roadtrip down memory lane.

Tarah has created another story that is heartfelt, relatable, funny, and romantic. Seeing how Ellis and Wren grew apart was heartbreaking but made their reconnection that much more impactful. From the author’s note: “Life doles out circumstances that make relationships hard… But, for as much as it deals in hardship, Life hands out those occasional chances, too. Sometimes second chances. And lasting love ultimately comes down to Choice.” Ellis and Wren must choose to come to terms with their past and learn how to move forward together. I would quote the last paragraph of the book but you’ve gotta earn that one *sobbing*

This is Tarah’s best book yet. And considering how much I loved Savor It, that’s saying a lot. I was so happy to be back in Spunes with the Byrds. I was already so invested in Ellis and Wren from book one so I was highly anticipating their story. This is the ultimate second chance romance. From the flashbacks to the roadtrip, we see Ellis and Wren in all stages of their relationship. I felt the character growth both individually and as a couple. This book sent me on an emotional rollercoaster. So. Many. Tears. I loved the little Co-op cameo! This book is so special. I am already itching for a reread and I will probably dive into the audio soon! Consider this my official petition to become an honorary Byrd please.

OK, but hear me out- they're a divorced couple who got together when they were teenagers and haven't been in love with anyone else since but they're also pining for each other and there are letters and basically my heart was already exploding 40 pages in.

I love DeWitt's writing, and this new small town series, that kicked off with Savor It, is all about vibes. The women are unapologetic. The men have earrings and mullets. And there is so much love, this series is bursting with it. This book features Wren and Ellis, who got married after an accidental pregnancy when they were teens, and then grew apart as their son neared his teens. But growing apart doesn't mean they stopped loving each other or thought about finding their way back to each other. If you've been married before, there may have been a time that you experience this yourselves. And in a larger sense, this is what this book is about- falling back in love with the person you married.

The way Wren and Ellis talk about each other, their life together, even having their son together, reflected the sentiments that only a couple who have been together a long time could. I found this book so intimate and special. It's a deeply romantic love letter to married couples and spouses and it's getting such rave reviews, I know it is hitting the right chord with its audience. Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Oh Ellis and Wren how they stole my heart. I loved being on every step of their journey back to one another. Through the pain of opening up about what went wrong between them. To the swoony, heartfelt moments. This book was special and written so beautifully.

The road trip home after dropping their son off at college was the perfect close proximity situation. I felt the yearning and hope, but also the worry about what if they couldn't make it a second time. Ellis truly listened to Wren and showed her in so many different ways how much he loved her. I appreciated the memorable details and moments that made me feel the connection between Ellis and Wren. Just to name a few, I adored the letters, origami, dancing, and the small but significant touches.

This is a book I will never forget.

This is my fourth Tarah DeWitt. What I have appreciated about each of them is the unique way they tell romance with such heart and authenticity. This round was about a divorced couple who decide to reconnect on a road trip after dropping their son off at college. It's definitely a slow burn (which is not always my thing, but this works well!) as they remember where they've been and explore where they might go next. I loved this story of second chance because it was so real in the way it explored the experiences and emotions of Wren and Ellis' relationship. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this May 2025 release. I'm so glad this author is putting so many wonderful things into the romance world!

My little heart feels full, wow this was such a good book, I won’t stop thinking about it for a while. Wren and Ellis have known each other since they were 5. They were friends, bf/gf, mom/dad and married at a young age and divorced and then they came together 5 years after. The yearning!!!!! wanting each other back so badly and knowing the only person that can ever make you happy is your ex-husband/wife. This story was about them finding their way back to each other and being happy and trying to get back all the time that were robbed when they were apart. I loved that both characters searched for what they needed to change and accomplished as individuals to be able to go back and try again at love. I loved everything about their journey back to each other. This book was filled with so much emotion, and I love that. Tarah did such a good job writing this second chance romance! I am obsessed with anything she writes. It felt good to be back in Spunes Colorado! I was so glad I was able to read this as an arc thanks to NetGalley.

4.5 Stars

I knew by page three, this book was going emotionally destroy me. And I was right. This book was so powerful, the writing utterly perfect.

Wren and Ellis have a lifetime of memories together, the up and downs, and especially the steps leading up to them slitting up. This second chance romance balanced the chemistry and emotions very well. I’m not usually a fan of angsty, but this author wrote it so well, I’ll definitely come back for more.

There was no denying the chemistry between Ellis and Wren, and I really appreciated that the characters took the necessary steps to work on themselves, and that not everything can be fixed by the physical intimacy.

The side characters did provide a good amount of levity throughout the book, especially Silas. It was absolutely wonderful to be back in Spunes again after reading Savor It.

-Definitely check the CW with this one, the author has them listed at the beginning of the book.