This was *the perfect* second-chance romance. Wren and Ellis had such good chemistry and I really enjoyed all of the growth they experienced over the book from working out their issues, both separately and together, to working on their relationship. The characters in this book were so good and it made me want to step into Spunes, eat at the bakery and meet the Byrds. Tarah DeWitt is definitely an auto-read author for me now and I can't wait to read the connected book about Sage and Fisher now!

I don’t think this author is for me. I find her writing very annoying and I can’t really connect with it. This is just not my cup of tea.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Second Chance always has my whole heart, and this is no exception. Wren and Ellis carved a little piece of my heart. Their love for each other has been evident since we first met them in Savor It. The way they love and hurt from afar, it’s palpable and you can feel it in everything they do.

My favorite piece of this story is the various ways they learn to communicate with each other. They know they need to try new things, which allows for growth for both Ellis and Wren.

Overall, if you need pining, second chance, and no one else but you vibes, pick this up in May!

Left of Forever by Tara DeWitt is a sentimental second chance romance that will melt your heart.

Wren and Ellis Byrd were childhood sweethearts - got pregnant in their late teens, married, and have been divorced for 5 years…. They’re about to send their son to college which gives them an opportunity to have a lil adventure and fall back in love.

Although the first half of the book moved at a snail’s pace and I struggled to stay focused - the second half of the book more than made up for it. I enjoyed the letters, the spicy scenes, the hilarious moments, and sentimental moments. I loved the dual POV between Wren & Ellis and will admit I think I enjoyed Ellis’ POV even more!

There are a lot of characters from the get go and it can be a bit of a confusing info dump, but the second half of the book really kept my attention and I laugh, cried, and was quite satisfied by the spicy moments.

I would recommend this book to mature romance readers who enjoy a slower pace.

This is my second Tarah DeWitt book & I look forward to reading more from her. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

3.75 stars

A big thank you to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc! As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. :)

I'm almost embarrassed to admit how much this book made me cry. It's like a faucet was opened about 5% in and then had a steady drip all the way to the end. I love this book. So much.

I read Savor It by Tarah DeWitt late last year and absolutely adored the characters, the romance, and the strong emotions. While I think reading Savor It first will enhance your reading experience, it's not entirely necessary. I was immediately drawn to Ellis and Wren during the notorious meeting scene in Savor It - they very obviously had an unfinished story and I was so excited to see Left of Forever coming. (I can't wait to see if the rest of the brothers to get their own book too, I was getting some heavy signs towards the end there.)

The author does a fantastic job about giving us reasons to care about the MC's and their shared history. That's usually a struggle point for me in second chance romances, and I really thought this one excelled. We get glimpses in letters (one of my fave microtropes) and memories that allow us to get a hint of who they were and how their relationship ended up where it was.

The healing journey was fantastic and the open communication was chef's kiss. Everything does seem to resolve quickly, but with a connection like they had, and maybe a sprinkling of fate, I thought it came together nicely. From the very beginning, they obviously carried so much love between each other that never really dimmed, they just had to find their way back to it. Also - SO MUCH YEARNING.

I loved this journey and Tarah sprinkled in so many words of wisdom throughout the whole book that really hit home. This already has made it's way into one of my favorite romance reads and one of my favorite reads this year. It's still a bit early and I don't want to give too much more away in a review but this was a wonderful and heart felt second chance romance and I highly recommend picking this one up!!

Thank you NetGalley & the publish for this arc ◡̈

This was definitely my favorite Tarah DeWitt book yet. We got to see Wren & Ellis in Savor It but they were already divorced. In this book, they drop their teenage son off at college and go on a road trip to try and rekindle things. I did like this books but there were still some flaws. Wren runs an entire bakery and Ellis fights fires for a living. You mean to tell me two mature adults never had a mature conversation which led to their divorce and a 5 day road trip solved it all? Ellis who was portrayed as being the “father figure” to his siblings just shut down instead of being an adult to his wife and mother of his child? Some things just don’t add up. I will say I’m not a huge fan of second chance but something about two people previously married is a hit for me. 3.5/5⭐️

Book Review: LEFT OF FOREVER
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️33
Author: Tarah Dewitt
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin. @stmartinspress
Thank you @netgalley

Left of Forever is a masterclass in redemption, forgiveness, and second chances.

Wren and Ellis were teenage sweethearts who built a life together—marriage, a child, and all the highs and lows that come with it. But life happened, and their marriage didn’t survive. Now, five years after their divorce, they still remain tethered in ways neither can fully sever. Wren is still embraced by the Byrd family, and Ellis clings to even the smallest connections with her. When they unknowingly become anonymous pen pals, those threads begin to tighten again. Their long-buried feelings resurface, leading Ellis to propose a road trip after dropping their now-grown son off at college. He wants a second chance, a fresh start. Wren agrees—on one condition: they must unpack everything with brutal honesty while rediscovering who they are to each other.

What follows is a beautifully raw journey of two souls who were never truly apart, even when they were.

What makes Left of Forever stand out is that Wren and Ellis aren’t trying to save their marriage—they’ve already lost it. This isn’t a story of preventing a breakup; it’s about choosing each other again after everything has fallen apart. Dewitt writes them with such authenticity—their fights, their jokes, their shared history—it all feels so painfully and beautifully real. They approach their reunion with the kind of honesty that only comes from having already lost the most important thing. And in that, there’s so much bravery.

The recurring symbols throughout—like the paper cranes and “saving a seat”—serve as powerful reminders of the depth of their bond. And the Byrd family? Absolutely unforgettable. This book expands on them far more than Savor It, and I can only hope we get more. Silas and Sam, I’m looking at you.

The longing, the hopefulness, the sheer honesty of two people finding their way back to each other—it’s the kind of book that stays with you.

Because once a Byrd, always a Byrd.

#LeftOfForever #TarahDewitt #SecondChanceRomance #MarriageInBooks #BookReview #RomanceRead

This book had me kicking my feet and crying the whole time. I could hardly put it down. Give me 10 more!! I have loved every Tarah Dewitt book I've read and she is now a auto buy author and I can not wait for whatever come next. Hopefully more of the Byrds!

- divorce couple
- childhood lovers
- second chance romance
- road trip
- found family
- slow burn and spice

I am obsessed with Ellis and Wren. Heartfelt romance of the two of these losing each other and then coming back together. The tension, rawness and love between the two of their during the road trip after dropping off their son to college was everything. This is a MUST read!

Thank you to netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Tarah DeWitt for the advance copy!

This was incredibly well done as a second chance romance!
I felt the chemistry between the characters from the first page and I felt like the story/pacing flowed very well.

At first I thought that I wanted slow burn but actually I really enjoyed that it wasn’t. With characters that have almost 2 decades of history, it made sense that they fell back into their love quickly.

Loved this read. I couldn’t put it down

Oh man did I love this book with my whole heart.

We got a glimpse of Wren and Ellis’s relationship in Savor It and I knew we were in for a treat with this second chance romance (you can read it as a standalone though!) but it blew my already high expectations out of the water.

It was a tender second chance story, between a couple who met when they were young, had a baby while they were still young, and tried to make a marriage work despite the odds being against them. Though things didn’t work out as planned with their marriage,there was obviously so much love and affection between them.

I loved the careful way Ellis worked to win Wren back. He was thoughtful and considerate, and his love for his wife shined through his every action. I just really loved him as a character. I also really loved Wren, she was strong and competent and did her best at life.

Their journey was at times heartbreaking, but also heartwarming. I really really enjoyed this!

I had the opportunity to read "Left of Forever" prior to publication and this is my review of the arc.

"Left of Forever" centers around a couple (Ellis and Wren) once in love, and now divorced, co-parenting a college-bound son. This is a follow-up to author Tarah DeWitt's novel "Savor It". Both novels feature the Byrd family and while this book focused on one couple, the entire family is prominent in both books. They are an incredibly close-knit family and one of the things I found endearing in the novel was Wren's relationship with her former husband's siblings.

DeWitt does a great job of setting up why Ellis and Wren divorced in the first place, and I think many couples who have been married for a significant length of time, especially at a young age, will be able to relate to their relationship. DeWitt helps the reader understand the exact feelings that Ellis and Wren are going through such as tip-toeing through their interactions, avoiding each other when possible, and being overly polite when the need to co-parent arises.

I am sucker for written communications between characters, and this book starts with letters between the two (although only one of the characters knows who the other writer is). I think it would have been fun to see more of this throughout the book, but the plot doesn't really allow for it as it is.

Ellis and Wren embark on a roadtrip and it's evident their relationship isn't over early on their journey. This allowed for a lot of romantic exchanges and I appreciate how they find each other again without the drama of a third-act break-up.

As with DeWitt's other novels, this book is beautifully written, full of swoon-worthy moments, and just enough spice to keep things interesting. Bonus points for the cameo of the couple from her novel "Co-Op"!

The second THE SECOND, Ellis says, “She’s still a Byrd,” in Savor It, I thought, “I need that book.” And my gracious, did Tarah deliver. There’s just something about a story centered on enduring love — when you’ve been through the highs and lows, yet still choose each other. I absolutely loved Left of Forever. Wren and Ellis were so committed to communication, never falling into the trap of the classic miscommunication trope. The ice cream scene had me laughing out loud, and I know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time! Plus, it was a treat to catch a glimpse of LaRynne and Deacon from The Co-op. Tarah DeWitt truly knows how to write a love story like no one else.

Be still my heart.

I am not normally someone who reaches for second-chance romances, but if Tarah DeWitt writes it, I know I am going to love it. Seeing a snippet of these two in "Savor It" was such a tease and I am so thankful to Tarah for listening to her readers when we begged for MORE from Ellis and Wren.

There was such a beautiful balance of reality and fiction. Recognizing the history, the deep love, the YEARNING between the two as they worked separately (and then eventually together) to find themselves and what they want in life. Not only did they find that, but Ellis made sure he helped Wren find her pleasure again... and again...and again. Whhhhhhewwww Ellis, my man. Everything I want to say about that mustache and what he does with that mouth is too inappropriate so I am going to stop right now.

All that to say I LOVED it... oh and the little check in we got with a certain tall couple who enjoy playing volleyball.

This book is the definition of hope.
I honestly think it will help a lot of couples not to give up. Wren and Ellis story was truly beautiful.
The author did an amazing job writing two flawed characters who know how to communicate and who know how to admit their part in their divorce. The way you could feel the love they had for each other, despite everything, and their ability to co-parent for their son's happiness... speechless. I hope we'll have a book for Silas and Micah because I really want to read again about The Byrds.

I’m writing this review with tears in my eyes because this book emotionally destroyed me and then put me back together. Second chance romances are always so special to me and Left of Forever was no exception. The love and tenderness between Wren and Ellis was palpable from page one and I couldn’t help but feel what they felt.

It would be impossible not to root for Wren and Ellis both as individuals and as a pairing. This book is raw and vulnerable in the most beautiful ways. I truly felt the ups and downs throughout this story. They feel like such real individuals with real emotions and problems!

I will be needing 3-5 business days to recover emotionally from this book. Which means I need everyone I know to also read it. This book is the true embodiment of the saying that love will always find a way.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

4.25 stars! I didn't love Savor It, but am so glad I read it last year so that I could fully appreciate this book! Second chance romance isn't my favorite trope, but Tarah DeWitt did the trope justice with some beautiful writing. I could really feel their deep love, history and pain. It was so gratifying to see them find their way back to each and fight for and earn their happily ever after. Wren and Ellis are truly meant-to-be and Ellis's devotion and desperation to be back with Wren was truly swoon worthy. There was a lot I could relate to as a mother and as someone who has been with her husband for many years. I also loved getting to know the other brothers (Silas and Micah) more and wouldn't be mad about Tarah DeWitt writing some books about them.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 ⭐️
Left of Forever is a story of two people who love each other figuring out their issues and making the effort for each other. The way Ellis went about reconnecting with Wren was so romantic and so thoughtful. Ellis isn’t an outwardly flowery type of male lead, but he’s solid and dependable and even when he isn’t saying it, he’s showing how much he loves Wren. I really enjoyed how open their lines of communication about the issues in their marriage were. I feel like a lot of second chance romances really breeze by the reason the couple broke in the first place, but in Left of Forever the characters really took the time to actually address their problems, from small annoyances to bigger picture things. I also appreciated that this was low on third act drama. There was one secret Ellis kept from Wren that I was worried would blow things up, but I was pleasantly surprised it did not go that way because third act conflict doesn’t go well in a second chance romance for me.

Reading this, you could just feel the love between Ellis and Wren and that’s exactly what I look for in second chance romances. This was another solid book from Tarah DeWitt, and I’ll definitely be tuned in for whatever is next!

This was a rough read. I was intrigued by the premise, the adorable cover, and the raving reviews. I've never read a second chance before and was excited to delve in.

However. I felt the two leads were dull, dopey, and incessantly annoying with their regrets. I also can't quite pinpoint the exact reason this wasn't working for me, but maybe the conflict itself was just so uninteresting? They werent together even though you still had all the feelings, had great sex, etc...because you couldnt deign to speak to each other for some reason? I just dont know. 5 years of that nonsense! I rolled my eyes at the penpal portion. No recognition of the handwriting, really? I also found the letters to be a bit try hard and overly flowery.

The Journaling and the questioning and the blah blah blah of it all was just not hitting for me.

It took me a long time to get to the 50% mark and it was painfully boring the whole way through. I believed this was considered a stand alone in a multi book universe and I honestly felt like the side characters were more interesting than our two mains. Yikes.

The roadtrip piqued my interest, but by the time it gets to the intimacy, I realized that i didn't care about either of these characters one bit. Not for me, unfortunately.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review.

This second chance romance absolutely destroyed me in the best possible way. The stakes were so real and clear, and Wren and Ellis truly fought their way back to each other. I loved this one.

I finished this book in a day because I could not put it down! I'm a sucker for childhood friends-to-lovers and second-chance romance 🥰 Ellis’s POV chapters were my favorite–he’s so earnest and genuinely tries hard to get Wren back 🥲 Ellis’s siblings are SO fun and bring humor to the heavy emotions throughout the story 💗 absolutely obsessed with this book and it’s my favorite Tarah DeWitt yet!!