5 Stars. Second-chance romance perfection!

Left of Forever picks up right where the last book left off—and I loved diving straight back in. Tarah DeWitt blends spice, heart, and real emotional stakes so well. The shared history between the characters, their co-parenting journey, the heartfelt letters (and that apology speech!), plus the therapy and self-growth—it all felt raw and authentic. This wasn’t a “we broke up 10 years ago” kind of second chance; it was fresh, messy, and oh-so-believable. Also: secret tattoos, playlists, make-up sex, and emotional gut-punches? Chef’s kiss. I’m so ready for one of the other brothers stories next!

I haven’t cried reading a book in a long time and this one made me tear up! That’s how I know it’s 5 ⭐️

This was my first Tarah DeWitt book and she has made a lifelong fan out of me. The way she writes the inner monologues of her characters that are so deeply emotional - perfection.

I am a sucker for second chance romance - especially when the man has been pining after the woman ever since the breakup. And Ellis? Ellis goes hard for the people he loves. I also love that they both talked about the hard things and the mundane things in a relationship that we can take for granted. Like ignoring the things that bother you which build resentment over time.

I’ve only rated two romances a 5 this year (one is this book) which tells me ya’ll need to read this one 😂

It comes out May 20 - run - don’t walk - to pick up your copy!

“Does any part of you think about us still?” 😭

I had NO DOUBT that I was going to love this book, ever since SHE’S STILL A BYRD happened in Savor It 🥹🥹
this was so beautiful

I totally sobbed again looking back over my highlights to share some quotes 😭
I’m glad I had both versions to be able to highlight, but I very much recommend the audio for this one - it’s incredible.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & MacMillan Audio for the ARC & ALC. All opinions are my own.

✦ tropes & stuff:
✨ second chance (childhood friends >> divorced)
🚘 road trip
💌 letter writing
🥹 pining & angst
🔗 forced proximity
🛏️ only one bed
🔥 firefighter mmc x baker fmc
🌳 small town
🫶🏼 family + found family
💞 dual 1st person pov

📝 mini blurb:
After helping their son Sam move in as he heads to college, Ellis convinces his ex-wife Wren to take an extended road trip back to their hometown, and give their relationship another chance.

These two childhood friends fell in love as teenagers, had their son, and built their life - only for it to fall apart.
Ellis is desperate to get his wife back, and Wren is protecting her heart.

⭐️: ♾
🌶️: open door, several descriptive scenes

💭 what I loved about this one:
- the letters 🥹
- Ellis going to therapy & doing the work
- The angst & the pining 🥹
- the cooking class disaster 😅
- appreciating the little things in a relationship
- their two different perspectives - Ellis desperately wanting her back, but trying not to spook her; Wren trying to hold back but falling again so quickly without being able to control it

🎧 audiobook thoughts:
I HAVE FOUND MY FAV NARRATING DUO!
Seriously I can’t think of a better pair than Megan Wicks & Connor Crais, they were absolutely PERFECT for capturing Wren & Ellis 🥹

**I NEED a Silas & a Micah book as well, please and THANK YOU Tarah Dewitt! 💜

If you know me you know I am a SUCKER for a marriage in crisis/ divorced couple/ second chance romance. After meeting Ellis and Wren in Savor It- I just KNEW these two were going to absolutely obliterate my soul in the very best way.

Wren and Ellis were childhood sweethearts that lost their spark. After they had their son at 17 and married young both Wren and Ellis faced uphill battles throughout their lives and in their relationship. When they both hit the wall and called it quits they spent the next 5 years pining and wondering if they made a mistake. After they decide to take a impromptu roadtrip to either find the closure they so desperately need or to decide if they are going to give their love one last shot.

From the first mention of Ellis and Wren in Savor It I was absolutely enthralled by their story. This trope is so rarely done and when it’s done this phenomenally I have zero notes what so ever. Ellis and Wren’s struggles were real and raw and so heart wrenching while also watching them find their way back to each other gave me such a comfort that you don’t often get in these stories. They were such beautiful souls. Their love was beautiful. The whole Byrd family is a work of art.

Thank you so much to Tarah and NetGalley for this eARC for review. Words are failing me at just how beautiful this story was.

I sampled this ARC (which I got on a day it was available for instant download) and the parts I read were really cute! I don’t typically go for second chance romances but I had heard great things and loved what I read. I’m excited to purchase and read the book fully once it’s released!

Left of Forever was everything that I’d hoped it would be. I’ve been waiting for Wren and Ellis’s story, and it did not disappoint. It was emotional, heartbreaking, romantic, and honest. And if you think you’ve experienced yearning before, you definitely haven’t. Ellis is the definition of the word. He pines, he longs, and he grovels. I could not get enough of the man.

Wren and Ellis fell in love as kids and got pregnant as teenagers. They were each other’s soul mates, until life ripped them apart. Now, they live in the same small town, co-parent their son together, lead separate lives, and secretly pine for each other. When their son leaves for college, Ellis convinces Wren to take a road trip with him to confront their past and see if they could have a future together. It was intimate and personal, and so raw that my heart physically ached. But it also left me feeling deeply seen and believing in true love. It perfectly captured the ups and downs of marriage, and how hard it can be.

I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Megan Wicks and Connor Crais and I absolutely adored it. They did a great job voicing the characters of Wren and Ellis and listening to them confront their past and fall in love again made the story even more emotional. I can’t recommend this book enough. I laughed, I cried, I longed, and I fell in love.

Thank you to You Had Me At HEA, St Martin’s Press, Macmillan, Macmillan Audio, Tarah DeWitt, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

📔Left of Forever
✏️ Tarah DeWitt
📆 May 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🐦‍⬛small town
🐦‍⬛second chance
🐦‍⬛ divorced couple
🐦‍⬛they have a grown son together
🐦‍⬛firefighter
🐦‍⬛secret pen pals
🐦‍⬛mutual pining
🐦‍⬛it’s always been you
🐦‍⬛dual POV

The wail I wailed at the end will be heard for the next millennia.

6 STARS ⭐️
Cry count: lost count after 20 😭
Spice rating: holy hell, it was so god damn hot and in the tender, hungry, ravenously in love kind of way. 😩

“I’m so hungry, Byrd. Please.”

Tarah… you are one hell of a woman for writing this. I’ve not felt deep bone ache heart pains like this in a long while and this is what I mean when I say, second chance romance is the BEST when it’s done like THIS. This is a masterclass in second chance romance.

I am on my hands and knees begging for everyone to read this!!! This right here is LOVE. The most pure, brilliant, life altering, DNA changing love.

There were so many moments in this that felt so deeply relatable and was written in a way I have never been able to articulate. It’s something that can just happen when you’ve been in a long term relationship and things happen in life. It can be so difficult. But the love.. the love stays.

Ellis is a wonderfully tender, careful, thoughtful, non-toxic male main character who has spent his whole life taking care of his family, his wife and his son. Wren is a breathtaking female main character who is strong, brave, kind and full of so much love and hope. Watching the ways these two come back together was EVERYTHING to me.

I genuinely have nothing bad to say about this book. It’s beautiful, from the character development, the immersive scenery and the beautiful prose.

I'm obsessed with this series!! DeWitt never fails to deliver on romance reads packed full of raw, unfiltered vulnerability and intimacy. Second chance romance (or even marriage in crisis) can be hard to read unless the couple has grown or worked on this issues that led to their first split, and in this book, DeWitt's characters have put in the work. Especially Ellis, who is determined to win back his ex-wife. They've been living separate lives, peacefully co-raising their son but Ellis is still in love with Wren and has been doing therapy and is ready to shoot his shot by convincing Wren to come on a road trip with him after dropping their son off at college.

There are dreamy destinations, fun and swoony dates, insane yearning, and hot-hot-hot chemistry. There are also good boundaries, written word exchanges, and realistic/vulnerable conversations! I gobbled this book up and it was impossible not to root for Wren and Ellis' reconciliation. Reader who like their romances with a blend of emotion, wit, heart, and steam will love this couple, and DeWitt's writing.

Left of Forever is my new favorite Tarah DeWitt novel! See beginning of the book for content warnings. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read this via gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own and honest.

I loved Wren and Ellis when I met them in Savor It and I was so excited when Tarah announced this book! It was clear then that they still had feelings one another and exploring their relationship in this story was so much fun. Their road trip was a great way to reconnect with each other.

Although a good portion of the story takes place away from Spunes, it still had the small town feeling. Seriously though, what small town romance would be complete without meddling townspeople? Everyone was rooting for Wren and Ellis.

This is a classic Tarah DeWitt rom com. I guarantee you’ll laugh and you’ll be hoping for another trip to Spunes.

This book was very romantic and I definitely felt a really strong connection and chemistry between the two main characters. I did think the reconciliation between them seemed a bit rushed given the whole backstory of being divorced for 5 years with minimal contact and interaction. They both seemed to emphasize how much they were keeping their distance and trying to move on and then all of a sudden after just 2 days all is well. But overall I really enjoyed this and the side characters were entertaining and enjoyable.

This book was so emotional in the best way. What I love about second chance romances is the angst of a couple that has a prior history and giving it second try because you don’t really know how it could end they could either end up together or it could blow up in their faces again. The way we knew Ellis was still in love with Wren from the very beginning was soooo good! I love when men yearn!!! And just reading about them rediscovering their love for each other and rebuilding their relationship made my heart so happy even if I cried a few tears. 10/10 recommend.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc and alc

I didn’t love this book as much as Tarah’s last. It was cute but I was slightly disappointed. I did enjoy the narrator.

I've been excited for Wren and Ellis since Savor It, and Left of Forever did not disappoint!

This second chance at romance story tells of the pitfalls of marriage - how difficult it can be, despite the many joys. Love itself is not enough, but you have to choose your partner every day, fight for and with them through all that Life throws at you.

And the author skillfully weaved all that in through this roadtrip story full of characters we loved with exciting cameos!

This was my first book of Tarah’s, and it won’t be my last!!! I completely fell in love with the characters and their journey back to one another. I loved the town and the rest of the Byrd family. I laughed and even cried a little. Such an emotional and touching love story with the right around of spice. Loved it so much!!!

"Again, honey. Need to feel it. Five years. I think we could start with five.”

By the way, Ellis is talking five orgasms. 🔥
This book was so good! It definitely exceeded my expectations as I thought this book would be a little bit more sad. I’m really happy that both Ellis and Wren still have feelings for each other despite the fact that they’ve been divorced for five years. I really liked reading how the two of them go on a road trip after dropping their son off for college to reconnect. They both worked really hard to communicate and talk through their struggles and their regrets from their previous relationship. I freaking loved how swoony Ellis was to Wren! The things he planned for their road trip because he knew how much she wanted to do those activities was everything. I also loved how much angst and sexual tension was building up! Wow were those kisses steamy! And I’m really happy how when hard conversations came up as well as hard truths, the two of them didn’t run away, but grew closer from it.
This is definitely one of my favorite Second Chance romances!

Read if you like:
Dual POVs
Second chance
Ex-spouses
Road trip
Only one bed
Swoony hero
It’s always been you
Open door romance
Firefighter hero
Small town romance

Wait this had no business being so good. You’re kidding, this book was incredible, the characters had depth, I loved the setting and I was wishing I was there with them! I love a good second chance romance and was swooningggg over their love and connection!

oh what Tarah Dewitt can do to me…I hope she never stops 😭 I’ve been invested in these two since the first “she’s still a Byrd” in Savor It and oh my gosh did I fall so madly in love with these two 🙌😭

Wren and Ellis have the perfect kind of love story— the imperfect, authentic, blazing hot, deeply rooted, always devoted kind that is the happily ever after we all dream of. seeing them reconnect in a way that honors their deep history and their matured expectations was so beautiful. they are so madly in love with each other they needed the right way to fight for each other and they get it, they finally get it 😭

I was an absolute mess reading this book. there were so many laughs and tears from star to finish and I swear I could feel the love radiating from this story. I loved the pacing of this story, the different parts and timeframes, they really helped the authenticity of the story. and the audiobook just amplified all of these feelings!!! the narration and production was so freaking good I felt like I was walking through this story as it played out 🥹

a truly, deeply lovely story that will make you believe in love again. 😭🙌🫶

Wren and Ellis!!! I was such a big fan of 'Savor It' and went into Left of Forever with really high expectations. This was everything I hoped for and more! The dual timeline of seeing what led to the break-down of their marriage alongside the current timeline of finding their way back to each other was really sweet. A lot of times with a second chance romance I have a hard time believing that the couple would actually be able to make their relationship work again, but that wasn't the case with these two!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I heard this was a second chance romance with a road trip I was hooked immediately. But as someone who has enjoyed previous Tarah Dewitt books, these last 2 have not been it for me.
I could not find myself caring for any of the characters in this series. I had hope for this could when we got glimpses of them in Savor It and I love a good second chance romance. But this was just boring.
The letters in the beginning of the story felt like they did almost nothing for the plot. All they did was provide a foreshadowing for the 3rd act conflict. I saw no reason for them to take up 30% of the book. If I could've seen more of the road trip and them actually together and less of the letters, this story could've been stronger for me. Along the same topic, the journal entries that we got were written way too formal. I wish they could've been written more like someone's actual inner thoughts and something that they would actually write in a personal journal and not having full dialogue.
I was hoping the story would pick up once we got into the roadtrip but I was sorely disappointed. Way too many things gave me the ick (the cooking scene, dirty talk, and matching tattoos, specifically) and from then on, nothing could bring me back. And I was just bored the whole time (even during the spicy scenes...)
I really did have high hopes for this book but I think Tarah Dewitt's writing just might not be for me anymore.

Excuse me while I SOB OVER WREN AND ELLIS.

Tarah crafted the most beautiful second chance romance. I laughed, I cried, I’ll read it again.

This was far more than two people finding each other again—it was a beautiful story of working through difficult topics, past traumas, all the things to ensure that they will work out this time. Both Wren and Ellis’s character were beautifully flawed and relatable.

The ability Tarah has to give each of her characters personalities that come out on the page and the witty storytelling will never cease to amaze me. I loved all of the updates we got for the sub characters and how even though this was Wren and Ellis’s book, it really felt like an entire family coming together.

If you’re a fan of Abby Jimenez and BK Borison, you should be reading Tarah’s books.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.