Left of Forever follows Wren and Ellis - high school sweethearts and now divorced - on a road trip after dropping their son off at college.

While I was reading this, Wren and Ellis's romance rekindling felt rushed, almost so that it didn't feel like it ever fizzled out in the first place. I do appreciate stories that show the importance of couples who got together when they were young needing to grow separately before they can continue growing together. However, something about the pacing felt off to me. I felt like Wren and Ellis never quite stopped being in love with each other, which makes sense given that they played such huge roles in each other's lives from a young age. But, given that, I expected their communication skills to be miles better.

I did love getting to know these characters more after reading about them in Savor It. I wish we had more glimpses into their lives as Sam's parents, but I enjoyed my reading experience nonetheless.

I really loved this story about a couple coming back to each other after being split up for 5 years. The dual POV was enjoyable to read, and I loved that these characters didn’t shy away from big emotions. Bonus points for communication!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
⭐3.5⭐
First off, the cover alone is worth five golden, shining stars! What do they put in the water in Spunes? These characters are just so beautiful to behold and yet so messy and raw. Oh to be Byrd!
I enjoyed reading Wren and Ellis Byrd’s story, but was hoping for more. When you marry young, start a family young, you quickly realize that your whole world has to shift beyond revolving around you. I appreciate that Ellis learns to get help and seek therapy after everything that went down in his marriage, but I would love to see and feel the hard work he daily has to do. I love that he communicates, but I would have really enjoyed seeing healthy conflict resolution play out. Instead we get a more heated/ spicy resolution, which is fine, but can’t always be the answer. You lost years apart from your wife and it feels like nothing is at stake here.
The narrators saved this book and brought Wren and Elis to life!

Thank you @authortarahdewitt, @stmartinpress and @youhadmeathea for the #gifted ebook arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is an emotional gut-punch in the best way—equal parts raw, romantic, and real. It is one of my top reads of 2025 so far!!!!

Wren and Ellis were each other's first everything: young love, young parents, and, eventually, young exes. Now in their 30s, with their son heading off to college, they take one last road trip together—and it just might change everything.

This second-chance romance wrecked me. Wren and Ellis’s bond feels lived-in and magnetic—charged with all the history, heartbreak, and hope of two people who never really stopped loving each other. The way they faced their past—no sugarcoating, no excuses—felt so authentic. As someone who married young, this story hit especially hard. I felt every ache, every moment of hope, and yes, I sobbed on the beach with zero shame. Their story reminded me that love, especially long-term love, is a choice you make over and over again.

If you love stories about messy, real love, vulnerable conversations, a little steam, and a whole lot of longing—you need this book. I adored being back in Spunes, and I’m not above begging for Silas’s book next.

A good relationship isn’t one that feels like an eternal honeymoon. The best kind of relationship is between two people who are willing to work together when faced with challenges.

Left of Forever teaches us that avoiding conflict doesn’t protect a marriage. In fact, it does the opposite. When you run away from conflict, you sacrifice the opportunity to address your unmet needs and understand your partner on a deeper level.

Wren and Ellis remind us that embracing uncomfortable conversations is the gateway to discovering true intimacy, trust, and connection. Handling disagreements with humility, patience, empathy, and respect helps identify weak points in your relationship so you can grow stronger together and build an everlasting love.

5 brilliant stars for Left of Forever!! I’ll never look at ice-cream the same way again, thanks Tarah 🥵🤭

REVIEW✨
Left of Forever
By Tarah DeWitt
••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• •••

This book was truly something incredible; a second chance romance of a couple who have been divorced for the last 5 years. The trama that these two have gone through is a lot, I loved the topics that it disguises of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, & fear of losing a loved one. It handled the topics with so much love and understanding, as someone that has experienced pregnancy loss I thought it was excellently done. So this was the first book that I have read in this series, and I found it easy to follow along but I would suggest that you read the other ones in the series first as it does a lot of the heavy lifting. I instantly fell in love with the whole Byrd family but specifically Wren and Ellis. The characters are so well fleshed out and loveable, the plot is perfectly paced, the character development is wonderfully done, it didn’t feel rushed or too slow, it was just perfectly done in every way. It just had everything you could want from an emotional spicy romance novel.

This book has;
🌹Firefighters
🌷Baker Owner (Foodies)
🌹Second Chance Romance
🌷 Pining for Each Other
🌹 Road Trip
🌷 Only One Bed
🌹 Sending your Kid to College

Romance: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Plot points: 💥💥💥💥💥
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out everywhere now!

I would like to thank you St Martin Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a deep one and I think it was very moving!

Tarah Dewitt has a talent for pulling at your heart strings and holding on tight. I think this couple have been through so much and seeing them make their way back to each other was very rewarding. Second Chance romances are close to my heart, and my own parents actually divorces when I was in High School and remarried (to each other!) when I was in college!

I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

Left of Forever is a book written from the heart. You can feel that in all the long glances, carefully chosen words and growth from both main characters throughout this story. It’s not only a book of second chance love, it’s a celebration of first love and the impact it can have on our very being. It’s tender, romantic and truly the very best of Tarah Dewitt!

Five stars, no notes. Everyone go pick this one up immediately!!!

In Left of Forever, we follow Wren and Ellis Byrd. They have been head over heals for one another since they were kids growing up together. In an unexpected turn of events, they had their son, Sam, at the ripe ages of seventeen and eighteen. They later got married, but with the hardships of life heavy on their shoulders, their marriage didn't turn out how they expected. Now, Sam is graduating from high school and moving off to college in another state. Wren and Ellis are taking him down to see him off, and Ellis proposes a road trip for the way back home. On this week long trip, he wants to try and get to know Wren again, as they've kept their distance in co-parenting Sam and kept their personal feelings out of the equation. Wren agrees to see what, if any, feelings still remain between the pair, with the condition that they don't shy away from the hard stuff. Will they make the most of what’s left of forever? Or will they let each other go for good?

---

This is a book unlike any other romance I've ever read. While I'm a huge fan of second-chance romance, I don't think I've ever read about a divorced couple finding a second chance at love. This one hit very close to home, as I'm married to my high school sweetheart. While I don't have the children or fertility issues Wren and Ellis experienced, the thought of fighting through life with all its hardships was extremely real. This book evoked so much emotion from me with the way you could feel the love the characters had for one another. You could easily tell, they were meant to be together and will stand the test of time. The way they communicated about their relationship and where things may have fallen off the tracks was refreshingly honest and raw. I absolutely love this couple and the journey they went on to find their way back to one another. This is a must read and I won't stop thinking about this one for a long time.

*Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest review.*

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is a second chance romance and the story of Wren and Ellis.
 
This book is set in the world of Spunes and after loving Savor It, I was so excited to return to this world. Wren and Ellis have been through thick and thin, and they fell in love as kids. I loved seeing all these memories and at the same time it was spot bittersweet and emotional. But at some point, they grew apart and divorced. Wren runs a bakery and Ellis is a firefighter and I loved how they followed their passions and wanted to figure themselves out first.
 
The story starts when their child goes to college, and they take a road trip there. This was the perfect forced proximity situation for them to realize they still have feelings left and to reconnect. I really love stories that show the bad sides to a relationship, and I loved that these two got a chance again to get it right. This story was filled with emotions, and it got balanced out by lovely moments and humor. And the letter omg. I love stories with letters, and this was just the best in this book.
 
Left of Forever is an amazing second chance romance that hits you in the feels and also mends your heart. I totally recommend meeting Wren and Ellis. 4,5 stars.
 
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.)

The moment I started reading 𝗟𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, I knew this was a story that once finished, I’d be left wanting more, in a really good way. I loved Ellis and Wren so much and couldn’t wait to see where their journey would take them. The plot, pace, main characters, and support characters were wonderfully written. I haven’t read a lot of second-chance romance, but Ellis and Wren’s story now has me swooning over the trope! The MCs showcased depth, vulnerability, and relatability, in such a beautiful manner, and I just loved every bit of it. I will add that I didn’t read the first of the series, 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝘁, and didn’t feel like I missed out on much as I read the sequel! Seriously, can’t get over the level of perfection these two and their story were!

That was an hot steamy romance, with second chance romance tropes that was literally perfect.

First by the author certainly won't be my last. perfect summer romance.

A big thank you to @stmartinspress @macmillianaudio & @netgalley for an ARC & ALC of this book!

Wren & Ellis Byrd fell in love very young, and welcomed their son Sam into the world - kickstarting their marriage. They were absolute soulmates, until everything fell apart. When it comes time to move Sam to college, they end up taking a road trip together to dive into what went wrong with them and if there is still any chance for them to make it work again.

Tarah DeWitt….you just keep getting better and better! 🤯 Holy shit, this book consumed my every thought, I was captivated, enthralled, touched, heartbroken & put back together by the whole story and specifically by the MC’s Wren & Ellis. Talk about a book with a FULL redemption arc, riddled with hard truths, tough times and complexities galore, which bring so much depth into the story.

The Easter eggs & intertwining of other characters from Tarah’s books brought a true smile to my face! Seeing the growth of all of the characters only amplified the storyline and brought me to such profound place of immersion in the book. When I tell you I couldn’t put this one down, I mean it! Second chance romance, but REAL - addressing the messy, challenging, hurtful & beautiful - all at the same time. I think it goes without saying that I am beyond obsessed with this one! 🤍

The ability to go between ebook and audiobook formats for this read added so much to it as well, in my opinion! The performances of Connor Crais & Megan Wicks as Ellis and Wren were so well done, full of emotion and beauty!

LOOOOOOOVED this! Having met Wren and Ellis in Savor it made me excited to read this book. And it did not disappoint! It delivered, just as expected. Loved watching them come back together to each other. It brought tears to my eyes. A must-read!

Infinite stars. Loved this so much and felt so many emotions. Everyone needs to read this, immediately.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin and Tarah for the eARC <3

A second chance romance that follows the story of Ellis and Wren through a decidedly unromantic trip meant to help them figure out where they went wrong and whether or not their relationship can be reignited. Their story is told in a dual POV and explored themes of loss, responsibility, and personal growth. It was emotional, thoughtful, hopeful, funny, and spicy (probably not for readers who prefer closed door romance).

My only regret is that I did not read Savor It before reading Left of Forever. The author’s note at the beginning calls Left of Forever an “interconnected standalone” but I don’t think I’d call it a standalone. I had not previously read Savor It and, therefore, was fairly confused about characters who were not introduced in Left of Forever. The first third felt like it took work to follow since it seemed assumed I was already familiar with the characters and their history. That made reading it as a stand-alone feel a bit confusing, and I couldn’t immerse myself as much as I would have liked.

4.25 ⭐️

“one day, when we’re very old and gray, one of us will open our eyes to a day that the other won’t, but we’ll smile knowing how full life has been, knowing how we spent forever. everything left of it, together.”

i’ve always heard great things about tarah dewitt but i can’t lie.. i was kind of always wondering if she could REALLY be as good as everyone says she is.. but now i fully understand. i definitely have to go back and read savor it now 🫣

first of all, the concept of this book and the tropes are just perfection 🤌🏼 wren and ellis are divorced and they have A LOT of baggage to unpack together, and instead of ignoring it or further pushing it under the rug, they decide to tackle it head on and figure out if there’s a chance that they could get back together ( bc lowkey they’re both secretly still pining for each other ) it was really fun to see a relationship like this, where they already know pretty much everything about each other, but they still have things to work through. we saw a lot of their past through stories they reminisced on or conversations about old hurts and fights between them. these two also have a love story that starts so early and just SCREAMS soul mates 🥹 you can really FEEL that they are meant to be.

the bottom line is that if you want a romance that is emotional and deep and full of longing and pining and just real, true LOVE— this is the book for you!!

I love love love Tarah! I’d read her grocery list. I really loved the plot of this and the characters so much. It was so heartfelt and moving.

Tarah DeWitt never misses! This is the best second chance romance book I’ve ever read. The characters were well developed and easy to root for. Experiencing the process of them reconnect was so heart warming and heart wrenching at the same time. I could really feel their emotions for one another as they worked through their past. I also really enjoyed the secret penpal format at the beginning and the little cameos of characters from her other books. Now I’m hoping there are more books about his other brothers coming in the future!

Tarah DeWitt became one of my favorite contemporary romance authors when I discovered her in 2024. The way she crafts her characters and exudes passion in the way she writes emotion and connection is hard to come by in the world of contemporary romance. Savor It, the first book in this series, was a 5 star read for me and made me sob ferociously when I was reading it. The characters were real and unfiltered. I fell in love with the little world that was created and nothing could dull my excitement when I found out that Wren and Ellis's story was coming next. However, unfortunately this one did not end up meeting my expectations, which deeply saddens me.

Firstly, I felt super frustrated even in the beginning of this story because the first 45-50% of this novel was almost wholly inner monologue. I felt like I was being suggested all the workings of how these characters felt about their circumstances, without any actual showing it in their interactions (with each other or other characters).... I wanted to bang my head against the wall by the 30% mark because I was already so exhausted being in their heads. Particularly though, it irked me how the reason for their divorce was nonchalantly sandwiched in between other history lessons of their relationship. It completely caught me off guard how something so deeply traumatic and complex was just spit onto the page as if a single paragraph or two could explain everything we needed to know about what went wrong. Everything about how it was executed completely missed the opportunity for an emotional depth.

While the letters at the beginning of the novel were cute and romantic, they felt more like a plot device for a third act breakup/miscommunication trope than an actual means of connecting the characters/deepening their relationship. It was wholesome in practice, but took away page space that could've better been used to dive into Wren and Ellis's reconciliation. Not to mention, we already had a "writing" component in the story with the journal.

Which brings me to the point that lost the plot the most - We only spent about 30% of the novel during the trip / reconnection journey, 25% of which was made up of spicy scene after spicy scene. There was quite literally no lead up or tension (outside of the physical kind), and no actual communication from the two about what really went wrong outside of one final scene in which Wren was the only adult in the room. It is actually quite ironic that they originally divorced because of lack of communication, and yet they never actually learned from that mistake because the 2nd try had the exact same issue.

MINOR SPOILER ***
I was INFURIATED when Wren was explaining to Ellis how terrified she was of their reconnection not being real because they hadn't actually done the work to get there, and Ellis's response was to begin bondage play............ WHAT the ACtual fuck??? That was the prime opportunity for Ellis to actually show some character growth and idk.. actually own up to the mistakes he made along the way??? Ugh. He never actually owned up to anything. Therapy doesn't make sunshine and rainbows and happily ever after's.

There were also some things that were mentioned in this that I've seen almost verbatim in other novels. I.e. the paper crane/birds left behind, the description of chin dimples, etc. In totality I guess they are romanticized descriptions that could be used broadly but it just felt eerie how similar they were to things I've read before.

This is not an interconnected standalone, in the sense that if you were to read this one first before Savor It, you would surely be lost as to who all of the side characters are, and why they matter. A lot of the family characters were mentioned in passing with no real refresher as to what happened and why they mattered in Savor It. This is not a criticism but rather just something a new Tarah DeWitt reader should be aware of before getting into this one.

All that being said, I still love Tarah DeWitt's writing and I know that she is able to put to page strong characters so this will definitely not be my last book by her. This one just didn't resonate with me.