Read (x2)

Oh, Tarah DeWitt, how I love you so.

2024 was the year Tarah DeWitt became one of my favorite romance authors ever. I first read Left of Forever in October, right after re-reading Savor It , and then The Co-Op a few weeks prior, which only cemented that.

A common thread that ties all of her work together and makes her voice stand out (to me) is how she approaches a central theme to anchor her characters - in LOF, it was hope . It’s a character-study-forward romance, with the plot being secondary ,something that was also true for Savor It. The listed synopsis only really kicked in at the 40% mark.

I loved the writing and how DeWitt strung sentences and ideas together. LOF had this wistful, time-bendy quality that I love to see in second-chance/marriage-in-peril or, in this case, a reconciliation storylines where the writer weaves in nostalgia with yearning , contrasting how intimately knew each other and how distant they’ve become .

These types of stories are fundamentally different. They already know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so the main concern is wading through the uncomfortable conversations they should’ve had when their marriage collapsed.

I have almost nothing in common with Wren and Ellis nor do I personally find them relatable but it wasn’t necessary for me to connect to their story because they stood on their own. Their reconciliation required effort , open communication and and trust which produced a emotionally rich result 👌🏾

All in all ,I LOVE THE BYRD FAMILY GIVE ME 16 OF THEM NOW . So excited to burn the audiobook into the ground once it releases ! I also fear the person I'll be when my man Silas'book comes out (omg Micah too🫦)

Big thanks to the publisher for the ARC!

Read (x1)

5⭐️
When I go back to change a book’s rating , it’s typically to lower it but I’m doing the opposite here. I have not been able to stop thinking about Left of Forever . Wren , Ellis and the rest of the Byrds you are so special to me

Wren and Ellis in a series of emoji’s :

I don’t even know where to start other than to say thank you! Thank you for the opportunity to read this advanced copy, thank you for the gift of Wren and Ellis after loving them in Savor it, and thank you for giving me a mirror to see a piece of myself I’m not always eager to look at! This book was all about coming to know your self even the parts that we don’t want anyone to see!! I loved this book!

Left of Forever is the story of Ellis and Wren Byrd. Childhood friends who fell in love as teenagers, they became pregnant at 17. If that wasn’t hard enough, Ellis and Wren take on raising Ellis’ siblings at age 18 when Ellis’ mom passes away. Eighteen years later, divorced, the only thing connecting them is their son Sam. As Sam prepares to leave for college, they both reflect on how things started and where things went wrong between them. When Ellis convinces Wren to do a road trip, after dropping Sam off at college, they decide whether to give their relationship another chance or not. Will the gorgeous California scenery bring them together or will the forced proximity bring up old wounds that push them apart?

I enjoyed this book but felt like it was lacking depth at times. As a divorced couple trying to start fresh, I don’t feel the book adequately addressed the complexity of the trauma the Byrds endured and the work necessary to ensure their relationship succeeds in the future. Otherwise, I enjoyed the chemistry between the characters, especially Ellis’ siblings. Tarah DeWitt is very talented and her descriptive writing allows me to create a vivid image of what is occurring in the book.

Left of Forever can be read as a stand-alone novel or as a companion to Savor It.

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

MAAM. Your honor I love them. How have I gone this long without reading a book by Tarah?! I feel like I have been missing out and I cannot wait to binge read more of her backlist. If you have been on the fence— go read this asap!!

4🌟!
This was beautiful. It's as simple as that. Tarah DeWitt has a knack for creating characters, plots, and settings that wrap you up and make you feel at home.

We first meet Wren and Ellis in Savor It, and I have always been so curious about them. I am so grateful to get the opportunity to read about their second chance at forever with each other. Their relationship was so real and raw and deeply emotional. I wholeheartedly believe in them and their love for each other. The road trip was absolutely everything to me! The way Ellis planned out everything, even though some side characters made their presence known, was wonderful to read. This book shows how things may change, but love always stays. It is so clear from the start that Wren and Ellis are so desperately in love. LIKEE THE YEARNING??? Every line was like a punch to the gut.

This book was SPICYYYY. I was giggling and sweating and gasping and omg the tension was pipinggg hot throughout this entire book. Ellis Byrd the man that you are!!! My only gripe was, of course, the miscommunication between Ellis and Wren. They were together for so long, had a whole kid, and still couldn't communicate simple things? It's frustrating but also real at the same time, so I looked past it!

Overall, I truly loved the way this book was crafted. Second-chance romances always get me because seeing two people love each other, grow apart, and put in the work to find each other again is so special.
Thank you, NetGalley and St.Martin's Press, for the advanced copy to review!

Tarah is one of my favorite romance authors. One thing I love about her stories is the characters. They’re older, they’ve actually LIVED, and it is easy to find myself in them. I love everything she’s written, I knew I would love this one too. No notes.

This was so heartbreakingly beautiful, the way I cried from beginning to end of this book. I am normally not one for marriage in crisis/second chance marriage books… but this book was an exception to that as I absolutely fell in love with this book! It’s only March, and I can say this book will 100% be making my top ten books of this year. I just know that when this book comes out in May, it is going to be the romance book of the year! Do yourself a favour and preorder this book asap.

A perfect book for those of us who found our forever too early, before we really knew ourselves, with the hope that things can all work out. From the road trip setting, a meddling family, and the slowest slow burn (the confessions nearly wrecked me.) This is raw and Tarah’s best work. I laughed HARD, I cried HARDER and looked up every stop on this road trip. Cheers to Wren and Ellis for what’s left of forever

my new absolute go-to rec for second chance romance— WREN AND ELLIS BYRD YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS

I love this family, I was SO excited to be back in Spunes, got my heart ripped out of my chest and stomped all over, but somehow I’m thankful for it??

real talk, this book HURT. I was in PAIN. getting glimpses of Wren and Ellis’s past while they struggle through a divorce neither one of them truly want, the yearning— THE YEARNING. never has a man YEARNED like Ellis Byrd. CHRIST.

I’ll never be the same😙🫶🏻

thank you so much Tarah and NetGalley for this ARC, and for ruining my life😍

This is Tarah's best work today. I read this in one sitting and could not get enough of Wren and Ellis.
So raw and romantic, no notes, give me 15 of em!

Something about this book did not jump out and pull me in, although I loved the story, my attention was drifting. The spice was great, and you could definitely feel their love through the pages!

I’m just going to say it. This is Tarah’s best book!!! I am such a sucker for a second chance romance. Add 2nd chance after 5 years of divorce?? That’s not easy to write and she did it SO well.

The tension and love between these two was everything. As a mom with a 1 year old son, parts of this book made me tear up and feel all the things. It was perfection in the way she really had these two work through things instead of jumping back in immediately. It felt way more real to me. Also a man that goes to therapy and works to change?? Yes ma’am!!

“…we’ll smile knowing how full life has been, knowing we spent forever. Everything left of it, together.”

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, especially after how much I loved reading Savor It. Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes in romance, and just reading the “She’s still a Byrd” line from Savor It was all I needed.

Wren’s development touched me in so many ways, from her journey with motherhood, fertility, and being a woman in a lack of dating bubble. Her development in relationships with Sam, her mom, the Bryd family, and our dear Ellis were beautifully intertwined. The experiences she went through regarding pregnancy, infertility, and having children was heartbreaking and raw but handled beautifully. Wren’s POV overall had me laughing, crying, smiling, gasping, and feeling all the things.

Ellis. Ellis Bryd. Ohhhh my god I have thoughts. He is simply down bad crying at the gym, and now so am I. The flirting and declarations of love had me giggling and kicking my feet, because the way he has with words are 🤪🤭His dedication and love for his family matched with his complicated internal monologue regarding his self-esteem and reflection was a great representation of how much of a rollercoaster life is.

As for Wren and Ellis together. The pacing, the bickering, the unpacking of their relationship, their co-parenting, all of it was beautifully done. Before they reunited as partners, I love how Tarah showcased their priority to take care and co-parent their son and support him with his dreams of college and life beyond. And the romance, yearning, angst, and sexual tension had me gagged because the pacing and build made them sooo worth it.

Some of my favorite points of the book were the points where the dam breaks and they confront each other. The reason this book is a 4 out of 5 is I would have loved more of those confrontational emotionally vulnerable moments on top of what Tarah had beautifully written. Unlike books where characters fight and distance themselves from each other, this book like many of my favorite second chance romance books leans into the uncomfortable confrontation needed to progress the relationship towards the growth needed to be healthy.

Overall, wow just wow. I cannot wait to have more books with this family and amazing group of characters in this ridiculously loving and noisy town. These Bryd brothers books are gonna be the end of me and I cannot wait.

Tropes
-second chance romance
-divorce couple reconciliation
-found family
-small town
-road trips
-open door explicit scenes

Thank you to NetGally, St. Martin’s publishing group, and Tarah Dewitt for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Tarah Dewitt, St Martins Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review. This book was a breath of fresh air in the romance genre!! I really fell in love with this one, which a trope that I haven’t really explored before “A marriage in crisis”. Now I need to read more. Its not my normal subgenre of romance but DEAR GOD this one set the bar for all books to come after. Ellis and Wren made me feel all of the feelings listening to what the journey that brought them to where they are. As a serial reader of reading books of finding couples at the beginning of their romance journey, diving into a story that has a deep history and years together. Wren and Ellis’s relationship being teenagers that fell in love, had a baby together at 18, who’s now off to college. This book felt like an honest representation of what parents go through once the children grow up and are on the way out to leave, their relationship does get tested in many ways. Watching Wren and Ellis take this trip felt like watching a romantic movie. Wren, our FMC felt like a honest portrayal of a woman who’s experienced a life that has received many bumps along we way and finding her identity again as her son goes off to college. It was beautifully done. Ellis, our MMC went on a similar journey but it was much more related to trying to keep the spark alive with his wife as well grappling with an adult child.
Tarah’s books have always blown me away but this one felt extremely special. I am so honoured to have the ability to read it early. 4.75 to 5 stars!! ✨

Thank you to Tarah Dewitt, St Martins Press and Net galley for the opportunity to review this book early before release on May 20th 2025.

Another book from Tarah DeWitt that everyone needs to read. This series of “Savour It” and “Left of Forever” was oh so good. I would recommend having read “Savour It” before because you see some of the interconnecting characters in this one. But can be read as its own individual novel. This book was a breath of fresh air in the romance genre!!

I really fell in love with this one, which a trope that I haven’t really explored before “A marriage in crisis”. Now I need to read more. Its not my normal subgenre of romance but DEAR GOD this one set the bar for all books to come after. Ellis and Wren made me feel all of the feelings listening to what the journey that brought them to where they are. As a serial reader of reading books of finding couples at the beginning of their romance journey, diving into a story that has a deep history and years together. Wren and Ellis’s relationship being teenagers that fell in love, had a baby together at 18, who’s now off to college. This book felt like an honest representation of what parents go through once the children grow up and are on the way out to leave, their relationship does get tested in many ways. Watching Wren and Ellis take this trip felt like watching a romantic movie. Wren, our FMC felt like a honest portrayal of a woman who’s experienced a life that has received many bumps along we way and finding her identity again as her son goes off to college. It was beautifully done. Ellis, our MMC went on a similar journey but it was much more related to trying to keep the spark alive with his wife as well grappling with an adult child. My only con of this novel was that it look a little 🤏 too long to get to the main plot of them rediscovering their relationship is my only little con of this one. But once we got there it went right back to loving it.

I would give this book a solid 2 🌶️ as well. While there isn’t a lot of “spice” content… when it does happen it’s good. 😉

Tarah’s books have always been a great read. But I would say this is one of the best novel from Tarah. After reading a few books from her now, I do think this is the strongest for her writing. It felt like with each book, she’s honing her craft and I absolutely ate it up.

“Left of Forever” by Tarah DeWitt is an emotional and spicy second chance romance. I think this describes perfectly the book.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity of reading this book early.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The story is interconnected with “Savor It”, but you can read it as a standalone with no issues.

From the beginning I loved the writing and the characters. It is nice to read about characters that are closer to my age. Even if, fortunately, I cannot relate to Ellis and Wren’s marriage and fertility issues, I was very invested in their story.
They both have such great character growth and treat the situations with maturity. The fact that they knew each other for so long and were co-parenting well was important. It’s not easy to write a believable second chance romance, especially considering the characters were divorced for a while, but this was done perfectly.

I enjoyed everything about this book, it made me very emotional and is one of the best books I read this year.

I really enjoyed this one a lot! Tarah Dewitt’s ability to write a very raw honest story is honestly unmatched and should be studied! The second chance element was done so well, so many times in second chance the couple will get back together without really discussing any of the reasons they separated in the first place. So, I loved how the characters in this novel had a really honest and raw conversation about their past and how they can move forward. I also found the reason that they got divorced to be very interesting, it truly made sense why they had to separate. I really enjoyed the epistolary nature of this book and how that was the initial way our two characters started to reconnect with each other.

While I did love a lot of this book one thing that did take me out of the book was that I feel that sometimes the characters inner dialogue would go on for two long. Especially when they were in a conversation and there was paragraphs of inner dialogue between each things said in the conversation.

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is an absolute masterpiece of second-chance romance. Ellis and Wren’s journey is raw, emotional, and beautifully written. From their past as young parents to their struggles post-divorce, every moment feels authentic and deeply moving. The road trip setup is the perfect way to explore their unresolved feelings, and DeWitt masterfully balances the tension, nostalgia, and undeniable chemistry between them.

Ellis is the epitome of a man who *yearns*, and Wren’s strength and vulnerability make her such a compelling character. Their love story isn’t just about rekindling romance—it’s about growth, forgiveness, and understanding how love can evolve over time. The emotional depth, the hard but necessary conversations, and the sweet, heartfelt moments make this one of the best second-chance romances I’ve ever read. If you love Tarah DeWitt’s writing, men who pine, and stories that make you feel, this book is for you. Whether or not you’ve read Savor It, Left of Forever stands on its own as a breathtaking, poignant romance that proves love, even when broken, can find its way home. Find this on shelves May 20!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was my first Tarah DeWitt book. Loved it! I read this series out of order but it just made me excited to dive more into the world of Spunes.

Okay, I really loved this one. It’s a second chance romance between Ellis and Wren. They had a kid at seventeen and got married young. They have been divorced for five years and are now sending their son Sam off to college. Ellis suggests the idea of making the drop off a week long road trip with Wren to see if they can rekindle their relationship. Wren is not sure how she feels about it at first, but agrees. But they easily reconnect with one another on this trip through bonding activities and much needed deep and hard conversations. This book was written beautifully. I liked how we got to see the different parts of their relationship and why it broken apart the first time. I think that they did have a lot of roadblocks along the way but also shared a lot of sweet, wholesome moments they had together and as a family. The reality of the story was that there were mistakes that were made and Ellis and Wren showed that love can be so powerful and these complex situations can sometimes be overcome in amazing ways.

I was nervous about reading another “marriage in crisis” romance so soon after Out of the Woods by HBY, but Left of Forever is so set apart and special.

A slow burn when they already know what each other is like in bed burns that much hotter.

It took a bit for me to be invested in the characters but once the foundation was laid I was in.

"Hoping with one another is how you two got so brave in the first place. After all, what is bravery if not hope in action?"

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶🌶🌶/5
🐧🐴🔥🧁🍆/5