Overall - I really enjoyed Wren and Ellis’ story and watching them rediscover their love for each other! The sentiment of spending what’s “left of forever” together is really beautiful and one that will definitely stick with me!

That being said, I felt like the first half of the book really dragged and I was struggling to connect with the characters/understand what exactly happened between them initially for their marriage to fall apart. That might have been intentional on the authors part because I’m not sure the main characters really knew exactly why at the time - other than the fact that they were both really unhappy and felt themselves slipping away from one another. However, as a reader - it was difficult for me to get through and get to the part where they finally start communicating. There were also a couple of things that I feel like weren’t fully explained or we as readers are asked to just suspend disbelief. For example, it bothered me that Ellis’ had apparently refused to go to therapy when Wren and Ellis were together but then immediately decided to go once his buddy mentioned he was going? That felt too easy…

The pace in the second half of the book really picked up and while it felt a bit chaotic at times, when the author reveals why the characters were making the stops they did - it all came together and was really beautiful! I found myself laughing along with them and cheering them on when they finally start telling one another their truths. Ellis’ struggles to say exactly how he feels and lean on those around him because he doesn’t want to burden them/he’s genuinely happy to be there to support his loved ones. DeWitt does a great job showing how this thought process keeps all of his loved ones at a distance and how they then struggle to feel connected with him. Watching him start to open up and understand that he can rely on those around him (not just the other way around) was really lovely and something I personally aspire to be better at!

“Left of Forever” left me believing in forever!

Wren and Ellis were my favorite pairing that I’ve read in a long time. So often, I enjoy the characters in books separately more than I do together - and don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Wren and Ellis as individuals too, but together they were simply put: everything.

Mind you, I’m a skeptic of second chance romances but the cover and the description caught my attention enough to peak my interest and this story was just so real, with just the perfect dusting of serendipitous magic that you love to see in a romance.

The family dynamic was beautifully written and the chemistry was off the charts. Wren and Ellis both did the work on themselves separately and together to make a lasting reunification possible.

I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I fanned myself. This was genuinely one of my favorite romances I’ve read this year and made Tarah an auto buy author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tarah for the ARC, I hope whomever reads this review will read this book because it was excellent!

This was one of the easiest 5 star ratings I've given a book in years and hands down one of my new all-time favorite books.

Left of Forever follows Wren and Ellis Byrd, who fell in love early in each other's lives, had their son when they were teenagers, but sadly fell apart. Now living separate lives, trying to make the most of what is left and co-parenting their now college-bound son, Sam, the question still lingers: is their relationship really done? When dropping Sam off at college in California, Wren and Ellis decide to take an extended route back home to truly test if their relationship deserves a second chance

I have adored every one of Tarah's releases, but this book feels like it is on a completely different level. Left of Forever is a masterclass in character development, soulmates, and second chances. I have never fallen so quickly and rooted so hard for two fictional characters in my life.

I am constantly amazed by Tarah's ability to make her characters feel so beautifully flawed and human. These people aren't picture perfect and their stories are routed in so many peoples realities. I, like so many others, can see numerous parts of myself in these characters. And seeing characters I adore possess some of the same flaws I see in myself be adored because of them? It's incredibly healing on such a soul deep level that feels so precious, I can't help but want to hold onto them so tightly and never let go. I fear I will be entering a massive reading slump because I don't see myself being able to move on from them just yet.

Getting to experience Wren and Ellis's story feels like such an honor and a privilege. I cannot even begin to thank Tarah for this story and how much it has captured my heart and soul. I will be screaming about this book from the moutaintops and I truly cannot wait to pass by these characters on shelves everywhere for whatever is left of forever.

Synopsis: After dropping their son off at college, divorced couple Wren and Ellis go on a roadtrip to try to rediscover their love and give their relationship one more chance.

Thoughts: This will be one of my favorite romances of the year, calling it now! I love second chance romance, and it is SO well done in this story! Wren and Ellis are so freaking sweet and their story is so raw and real and emotional. Watching a couple be vulnerable and rediscover their love after so much hardship really gets me in the feels. Wren and Ellis individually have a lot of depth and growth, and then their relationship progression on top of that makes for such a compelling read. There is quite a bit of spice, including a scene with an unfortunate literal hot pepper incident, but it all fits so perfectly with their relationship journey. The pacing is excelling, the road trip setting is fun, and the side characters are wonderful. I have zero complaints. Note: Check the triggers, there are a couple big ones! Also, please do yourself a favor and read Savor It first - you will get more out of this one if you do, and Savor It is also amazing.

Read this if you like:
🐦‍⬛ second chance romance
🐦‍⬛ family
🐦‍⬛ road trip
🐦‍⬛ single parents
🐦‍⬛ firefighter mmc
🐦‍⬛ marriage in crisis
🐦‍⬛ dual pov
🐦‍⬛ spice

Tarah is the queen of angsty novels. The yearning between Ellis and Wren was so visceral, I could feel it in the depths of my soul.

We first met Wren and Ellis in Savor It (you don't need to read that one first, but I recommend it because Tarah's books are so damn good). From that story, their chemistry jumped off the page, even though I knew they were divorced. Finding out they got their own story was music to my ears because just knew they deserved that second chance.

Falling in love is the easy part. And for Ellis and Wren, staying in love wasn't necessarily the problem. But life happened and there was a lack of communication and built-up resentment and anger and they decided it was healthier for them to be apart. But time definitely didn't change their soul deep feelings for each other. Left of Forever takes the reader on a journey, through Ellis and Wren's disappointments and heartache, as they navigate the past to see if they can have a future together, while also on a literal journey. We witness the WORK that people need to put in their relationship. There are difficult topics... Grief, loss, infertility... But Tarah handles them with the utmost respect. I felt like I could be witnessing two real people as they navigated their struggles. Ellis struggled with being in touch with his feelings, but went to therapy to help him become the man he thought Wren deserved and was able to (albeit with some difficulty) express his feelings and take accountability. The emotional and physical intimacy between the two is fire.

I loved the meddling family members. We get to know the Byrds a lot more than we did in Savor It and now I have soft spots for them all and hope this means we will get stories for the other Byrd brothers. I love how Tarah sprinkles in random appearances from players from her previous novels. Their presence in the story are just fun Easter eggs for Tarah fans to catch (like LaRynn and Deacon from The Co-op being at the same beach). This book made me laugh and cry. It broke my heart and stitched it back up again.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

What a time in Spunes! I really thought this was second chance romance done right. I loved the road trip element and was giggling at some of the banter!

omg this book is the reason why I love love love second chance romances especially when the couple was once married.

Ellis and Wren were dealt with unusual cards. Its been 5 years since their divorce but now that their son is off to university Ellis decides he wants to get Wren back and plans a road trip once they drop Sam off to college.

I loved the fact that there were tough conversations, angsty confessions and heartfelt moments all with the perfect amount of sprinkled spice.

The found family feels?? chefs kiss!!

3.5

Second chance romance is one of my top 3 tropes and this was a whole other level of that.

Ellis Byrd is on a different book boyfriend level. He is the definition of man and it didn’t take long at all for me to fall in love with him. He and Wren work so well together and their story is so beautiful. I love how realistic this felt and how it moved at a reasonable pace. Nothing felt too quick or too forced.

I read this without reading Savor It and didn’t feel like I needed to read Savor It before hopping into this. I’m upset I didn’t read the first book first because I would have loved to get to know Spunes and all the characters first, but like I mentioned above, I felt like I didn’t miss out on anything without reading Savor It first.

If you like romance books that feel realistic and believable and tackle big themes (this one tackling infertility) then I highly recommend you read this book. It was my first Tarah DeWitt book and definitely not my last (although I am upset it took me so long to pick up one of her books).

The reason I’m rating it only 3.5⭐️, despite loving the characters and story, is because I didn’t feel myself aching to pick up the book. I forgot about it for days and days and would read large bits in short bursts. If I had read it faster, it would’ve had a higher rating.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for the eARC!

Left of Forever is perfection!

I’m so in my feelings about this beautiful second chance romance. There were definitely tears and I loved it so so much.

Wren and Ellis fell in love as kids, had their son when they were teens and built a life together in coastal town Spunes. They’ve now been divorced for five years, but have never really moved on. So when their son gets into college and they both help him move in, Ellis convinces Wren to take an extended road trip back to Spunes..

These two are everything and so easy to root for! Their banter and chemistry mixed with the vulnerable moments made this book un-put-down-able.

I'd love to keep visiting Spunes again and again. I need more of the Byrd family! And I’d like to request a Sam and Indy book for the future?? I want inside Indy’s head when Sam left for college 😭 someone please tell me they’re forever besties or madly in love

What to know:
Small town romance
Second chance
Road trip
Divorced couple
Letters

Back to Spunes! Yes please!

I don’t know that I always love second chance romance but i definitely like it better when it’s a marriage in shambles like this one. The characters were so lovely and everything felt so heartfelt and realistic.

Huge fan of Tarah DeWitts mmcs. I don’t know if anyone will kick Meyer Harrigan out of top spot but Ellis came close. What a sweet book. I could reread it immediately.

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan audio for an alc

Left of Forever
By: Tarah DeWitt
5 stars

Hey so, this made me actually cry? WOW! I have to say that my expectations for this one was low. I did not enjoy Savor It- like at all- but I was obsessed with Ellis and Wren from their small interactions during the book so when I saw that they were getting their own story, I IMMEDIATELY requested this one. Thank you endlessly to St. Martins’s Griffin for providing me with the ARC of this book that literally hit me so deep in my soul that I finished crying in my bed and went to hug my husband so hard.

Let’s start with the most glaring issue- Ellis Byrd and his slutty mustache. I loved Ellis SO much!! His willingness to open up, admit his faults, accept that he needed to change in order to be the man Wren needed and actually doing the work on himself was awe-inspiring. He became the caretaker of his 3 younger siblings after their mother and father passed away when he was young. Add on getting Wren pregnant at 18 (her being 17) and stepping up to be not only an amazing father, but husband at a young age. After several years of infertility, Wren and Ellis begin to slip away from one another and the crack in their marriage splits wide open into a cavern and they ultimately divorce. When even 5 years after the divorce both of them still hold a torch for the other, they agree to go on a week long road trip on the way back home from dropping their son off at college to see if it’s worth giving their relationship another shot.

Seeing Wren and Ellis’s back story was an actual treasure. These two crazy kids having met at the age of 6, being childhood friends, turned lovers, turned young parents, to then years later hit such a state in their marriage that they divorce but continue to be in each others lives for their son Sam and Ellis’s siblings. I just was wholly invested in them and their reconciliation. These two were the definition of soul mates. Their yearning throughout the book, their vulnerability. It was everything. There’s just something about knowing a person for years, knowing what each smile means, what their body language tells you, the intimacy of being so deep into another persons soul that you know them like a second skin.

At times, this book felt like Tarah was my therapist with all her beautifully written words on marriage, personal growth, and accountability. I was also extra emotional because Wrens mother has multiple sclerosis and my own mother also is affected by the disease. Needless to say, Tarah was weaving her way into my soul with this one.
There wasn’t a single moment in this story that felty like it was dragging or unneccesary to me. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book, laughing along, choking up, and praying that these two would kiss and make up already! I don’t think I’d be able to accurately reflect just how special this book felt but it deserves all the love and respect from the reading community.

It was beautiful. It was filled with tender and honest moments. It had burning tension and chemistry literally beating you over the head. It was sexy. It was hot! It was laugh-out-loud funny. It felt like falling in love with your person all over again and gripping tightly to those memories you may have forgotten. It was a gift.

Some quotes that I am never going to forget:

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

“Because you make up half of my soul. Because as desperate as I am to be near you, to be inside you, I’m terrified that having you this close again will also remind you of all the parts of me you wanted to leave.”

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

“If you’re lost, I’ll find you. I’ll give you my body, my heart, my soul. I’ll cherish every bit of yours in return. I’ll fight with you. I’ll fight for you. I’ll love you for everything left of forever, in every lifetime we get.”

“After all, what is bravery if not hope in action?”


Read this if you love:
-second chance romance
-letter writing
-road trips
-high school sweethearts
-dual POV
-meddling family members

TW: infertility & ectopic pregnancy

Wren and Ellis Byrd were each other’s first and only loves. Even a teenage pregnancy didn’t break them. However, a dangerous and failed pregnancy did. With their son leaving for college, change is in the air in Spunes, Oregon. After time in therapy and away fighting fires Ellis knows what he wants, and that’s Wren. Ellis will do anything to win her back, including convincing Wren to go on a roadtrip with him after they drop their son off at college. Time on the road just the two of them is an excellent opportunity to talk and air out their past. Will Ellis be able to convince wren that she’s all he’s ever wanted and still wants, forever?

This emotionally complex second chance romance leaves the reader left with hope, regardless of all the challenges couples go through. Another wonderful installment in the Spunes, OR series.

"I'm begging you to fight with me, do anything with me. Just be with me."

Here's my heart being lifted back up after finishing Left of Forever. Oh my gosh... my absolute whole heart.

I loved this book so much. This was my first book by Tarah and it will definitely not be my last. I have a soft spot in my heart for second chance romance involving a divorced couple. It's about falling in love again but so much more of remembering the love that was always there. The pain, the heartache, and the longing for one another that is and always will be there.

I was forever swept up in the story of Wren and Ellis. I felt every emotion.... their hurt, their pain, their longing, and the quiet stillness of that hope.

DeWitt slowly peels back the complex layers of Wren and Ellis's past and how beautiful and raw their story is and the soft hum of love that still lingers in those layers.

"We belong to each other in ways no one else ever will."

The way they loved one another... so deep so beautiful and so raw. How much Ellis loved Wren was beyond everything you want in a book boyfriend.

One of my favorite quotes by far:

“If you won’t have me back anymore, then I’ll find you in the next life. You are the only thing that makes me believe in that. In something bigger than myself. The way I have felt about you has been the only thing that’s felt like … like it can’t be contained in one body or lifetime.”

Oh my gosh... I wish I could go back and re read. 5/5 shining stars!!

Loved this!!

Wren and Ellis Byrd fell in love and had their son, Sam, when they were just teenagers. They thought that their love was built to last and strong enough to weather any storm, but it turns out that they were wrong. It’s been five years since their divorce, but Wren and Ellis can’t seem to fully let each other go; their thoughts constantly circling back to one another, questioning where things really went wrong. When their son, Sam, gets accepted into college Ellis convinces Wren to go on a road trip with him after moving Sam in. This trip will give Wren and Ellis one last chance to see if they can get their relationship back to what it once was. Will they get a second chance at love, or will their past struggles prove to be too much to overcome?

Tarah Dewitt, your mind and prose blow me away!! There were moments while I was reading that I had to stop just to fully process and absorb the words I had just read. Wren and Ellis’s story was so raw and personal, and I feel so so lucky that I was able bear witness to their love. I am so in love with this world and its characters. Being back with the Byrds felt like returning home.

The past and present of Wren and Ellis’s relationship was woven together so seamlessly. Wren and Ellis reflected upon their past relationship through letters, allowing for real and raw vulnerability from the both of them. They are so intrinsically woven together both emotionally and mentally. Both Wren and Ellis were committed to putting the time and work into finding their way back to each other, and this was proven time and time again in both their words and actions. They never shied away from the hard and ugly conversations and were unwavering in their honesty and accountability.

These two make my heart ache in the best way. Watching as they start to rediscover the things that made them fall in love with each other all those years ago was so beautiful to see. Even though years have passed, there is an invisible string that pulls the two of them together, their hearts reminding their minds of the things they’ve forgotten during their separation. There is a magnetic pull between Wren and Ellis, every one of their interactions loaded with tension, yearning, hope, and the most overwhelming, all consuming love.

This is a book that I know I will be returning to time and time again. My mind, body, and soul have forever been altered by Wren and Ellis and their love story. Every single one of these characters have stolen my heart, and can’t wait to see what else Tarah Dewitt has in store for the Byrds.

Thank you SO MUCH to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!!

“I grew up with my great love, so I think maybe my heart took shape around his.”

I truly think this is a book best enjoyed going in blind—so I won’t give much away. Just know that from the very first page, this story gripped my heart and did not let go. It’s a second chance love story but even more, it’s a story about healing, communication, and finding your way back to the person who always felt like home.

Read if you like:
❤️‍🩹Second-chance romance
🛏️One bed
🗣️Dual POVs
💕“It’s always been you” energy
🏘️Small town romance
🔥All the spiceeee

My thoughts:
Second-chance romances can be hit or miss for me, but Wren and Ellis were impossible not to root for. I devoured this in one sitting—my heart felt like it was on a road trip of its own!

Ellis was the definition of a swoony MMC. The way he planned their road trip around everything Wren had always dreamed of? Be still my heart.

The past/present chapters were SO well done and added such meaningful depth to their story. Plus the way they worked through their baggage and actually communicated? I wanted to high-five them while also crying into a pint of ice cream😅

This was my first Tarah DeWitt book, and I can guarantee it won’t be my last. I can’t wait to head back to Spunes, Oregon and read all about Sage and Fisher!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️.5

If this isn’t already on your TBR, what are you waiting for?! Left of Forever releases May 20—don’t walk, run🏃‍♀️💨

I am eternally grateful to You Had Me at HEA and the incomparable Tarah Dewitt herself for this ARC! This is easily the best book I have read this year so far and perhaps one of the best I have read in my 27 years of life!!

I am unabashedly a second chance romance truther, there is very little that is better to me than being along for the ride of two people who had fallen apart before find their way back to one another and rebuild their love stronger than it once was. Wren and Ellis, and their beautiful love, was everything I love about this trope.

What I believe turns so many away from this trope is that not every story has a couple who are as brave and willing to put in the work to discuss what went wrong between them previously. It typically comes out eventually, as anything you leave simmering will eventually boil over. Wren and Ellis set on their journey with the intention of discussing the hard stuff, knowing getting through and past those things is the only way they will know for sure if they could make their relationship work again. It was very obvious that their genuine care and deep attraction to one another never left, but they made sure to prioritize not getting lost in that, especially knowing that is not only their own hearts on the line should they give their relationship another go. I was so impressed with them, and what a testament to their love for each other that they were so willing to put in that hard work. I want a love like theirs.

Tarah Dewitt is not only a genius at writing romantic relationships, but the way she wrote all the other various relationships in this story had me in real tears (who am I kidding, I was sobbing) on multiple occasions. The relationship that Wren and Ellis have with their son was so beautiful, it was clear from the first time we met them all that he is their world and the light that guides their every decision. Reading about their love and pride for him made me feel as though I was sending my own child off to college (I do not have any children). Wren’s relationship with her mom was also so heartwarming to read and I saw so many pieces of my own relationship and childhood growing up with a single mother. Then we have the entire Byrd family, each of their individual relationships with Wren and Ellis separately were so special, but their combined love for the two of them together (even during their time apart), was one of the most beautiful and supportive things I have ever read. I will never get over Silas’s speech (and it was a mistake on my part to read that at work)!! And I cannot finish this review without touching on the entire town of Spunes, my most favorite small town quirky group of side characters. If I was not already convinced of their genuine, although at times overbearing, love for all of their own, the show of support as Sam made his way out to leave for college would have done it.

I can’t wait to see what our remaining Byrds and Spunes has in store for us in the future. I’ll save them a seat!

Left of Forever is about a divorced couple falling back in love. They got married too young and a few years ago, they officially divorced, but now they are going to road trip together after dropping off their son at college. I don't want to tell you much about the plot, honestly, because I really didn't know what exactly I was getting into when I picked the book up beyond I knew I was obsessed with the glimpse of Wren and Ellis that we got in Savor It. So, without telling you anything about the plot, let me tell you why you should pick this one up:

You want to read a romance with a lot of depth, emotions under the surface, a couple with a past that they need to excavate to figure out where they went wrong and how to keep it from happening again.

You want to read a book that will still have you giggling and kicking your feet even while it puts you through an emotional ringer.

You want a book with a man who goes to therapy on his own because he wants to be the best version of himself.

You want a book with adventure.

You want a book with family dynamics and friendship and the small town vibes without being in a small town.

Y'all, I literally cried in the epilogue because I'm actually so attached to these characters. Like, I think they're real people. Allegedly they're fictional, but I'm not convinced. Truly just want them to be real so I can be their friend. Anyway, definitely read this book if any of that sounds appealing. Also! The audiobook? I loved it. The narrators did a fantastic job. I really liked both of them. And it falls somewhere between dual and duet, in that they read their own texts, but the conversations are just done by whoever is narrating that perspective. Anyway, a million stars. I loved it!

Left of Forever: Spunes, OR #2

By: Tarah DeWitt -I read Savor It and gave it 4 *

Setting: Spunes, Oregon

Page count📖: 336

POV: 1st person dual

Publication date: 5-20-25, read 5-18-25

Audiobook: 9:18

Narrators: Connor Crais and Megan Wicks voice all the characters with standouts from Wren and Ellis. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrators worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrators paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🤷🏾‍♀️WHAT TO EXPECT:

✨ contemporary romance
✨surprise pregnancy
✨ marriage/divorce
✨2nd chance romance
✨ small town
✨ single parents
✨ road trip/journey companions
✨H/h 33 yrs. old firefighter/baker
✨pen pal romance

Summary: Wren and Ellis Byrd met at 5, got pregnant at 17, and were married and divorced by 28. Their son Sam is going to college, and they make it a family road trip. They became accidental pen pals when Wren wanted to know about a fire in town with 2 horses. Can they rekindle old love, or will this be goodbye?

🥰 What I liked: mature main characters/no silly miscommunications, actively date each other again, Wren's journaling. The side characters Silas, Micah, and Sage added to the family vibes.


😞 What I didn't like: N/A


⚠️TW: teen pregnancy, infertility, death of parents-H, drug addiction-not H/h


🤔My Thoughts: A second chance for childhood sweethearts is chef's kiss. Wren and Ellis put their hearts on the line for each other and did the work to put their marriage back together. They addressed their issues honestly and maturely and had some spicy times too.


Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Spice 5/5 🔥open door

🙏🏿Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, Macmillan Audio, and Tara DeWitt for this ARC and ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

A very good second chance romance! I enjoyed the characters, banter and setting. It was very well paced. My only “complaint” is a personal mistake; I didn’t read Savor It first!

Left of Forever ♾️🕊️

I don’t even know where to start explaining what this book did to me. The ARC was read now on Netgalley and I have never clicked the button so fast. It also turns out that I won a giveaway by youhadmeathea for the physical copy and I couldn’t believe it, it just felt like fate.

Wren & Ellis have been there for eachother in every moment of their lives, sharing childhood memories, many “firsts” and have accomplished great things together. Life and circumstances lead them to get a divorce and after almost 5 years & a turnaround of events, it decides to bring them together again. The question is, will they make it or will they be wondering the rest of their lives “how did it end?”

For those that don’t know me, second chance stories have a very special place in my heart. This book was everything to me, it was so SO MUCH! I can’t count the amount of times that I cried, that I felt so much for someone else. There’s so many topics that are touched in this book that reasonate with me, and there’s a raw & real view of how life and circumstances can make “love” seem like it’s not enough.

GOS I can’t say enough how much I love this book. If it wasn’t obvious, this was INFINITE stars for me. I will never recover or move past this book.