“I’m just saying. My DNA mixed with yours, and it altered your very bones, Byrd.”

Oooff, Ellis Byrd the man you are.

What I liked:

Wren Byrd - when I met Wren in Savor It, I quickly wanted to learn more about her. I absolutely loved getting her book.

Ellis Byrd - I mean, self explanatory. The actual acceptance and wherewithal to realize that he needs to change and go to therapy to get his wife back. He doesn’t just bulldoze his way back into her life and heart, he earns it.

The characters of Spunes - I love this little town. All of the Byrds and the rest of the townspeople are hilarious. Not a lot of this story actually takes place in Spunes, but I loved the little glimpses we got.

Wren and Ellis actually have the tough conversations and earn their second chance. It made me cry a lot, but it was worth it in the end.

What didn’t work for me:

Nothing

DeWitt’s newest book drops us back into the small town of Spunes. Childhood sweethearts now divorcees and co-parents, Wren and Ellis struggle to let go of the past and each other while trying to move forward with their lives. Despite the nearly five years of distance, we learn that neither feels like their relationship is fully over. Ellis suggests he and Wren take a road trip in celebration of dropping their son off at college. Wren agrees, hoping this trip might give clarity and healing to their relationship.

This book was so, so rich. Very emotional, sincere. Lots of yearning and angst. The reason for their divorce made sense and as they were able to more clearly communicate their grievances, their path to reconciliation made sense, too. DeWitt is a gifted storyteller. It was easy to empathize with both Wren and Ellis. I found myself rooting for their relationship every step of the way.

I would not necessarily call this book a rom-com, but the vineyard scenes were so funny. A really nice break from the poignant tone of the book.

Hot dang, Ellis is such a man. I don’t know why, but sometimes romantic scenes between married people can feel kind of boring. Not these married people. The heat, the yearning, the vulnerability. This was some of DeWitt’s best work yet.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this book. If there was any weakness, I would admit I would periodically skim through some of the super long monologue paragraphs. However, the reader really lacked for nothing with this book. A wonderful, full story of two soul mates finding each other again.

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

thank you netgalley for the arc!!! a new favorite by tarah, left of forever was everything i needed and more. i loved their connection, the banter, the way these two supported each other and worked through their obstacles just had me addicted. i really loved this book and can't wait to get the physical copy!!

Tarah DeWitt has an elite ability to convey complex human emotions and this is her masterpiece. The Byrds are back! After pinning for this story, DeWitt delivers in a major way. Wren and Ellis were childhood sweethearts whose lives were permanently intertwined by the birth of their son Sam. The story begins with an anonymous exchange of letters that ignites hope into the now divorced couple. As they work through the emotions of their son Sam graduating High school and starting college, they also are reminiscing about their relationship. When Wren agrees to a road trip with Ellis to take Sam to college, they make a deal to see if they want to reconcile and continue the journey together in what is left of forever.

I keep typing and deleting because I am overwhelmed and I don’t know where to start with this. It’s been awhile since I read something that I got so invested in I began to shirk my responsibilities but Tarah DeWitt, you got me.

One of my notes in the margin says, "so earnest, so desperate" and I think that honestly sums up the entire story.

I think sometimes the human experience is defined by our unwillingness (read: fear) to be seen as trying, as wanting something. wren + ellis boomerang back and forth between that and just hoping to let themselves rest in the feeling of being home, which to them is with each other. I mean, they’ve loved each other in some form or another since they were SIX. The journey they go on to figure out whether and how they can make it work was so fun and heartfelt and HOT. I was unprepared!!! pivoting 180, I was also unprepared for how devastated I felt right alongside them reliving the memories of how they fell apart. like... I knew they would be fine in the end because such is the genre, but I was also emotionally on the edge of my seat. Me & Silas 🤝 unable to be chill about this.

There's so much more I want to say about what I loved about the writing and the scene structure but I'm holding myself back in the interest of not copying and pasting the entire book here.

I'll end with this- this is the kind of book that you don’t wish you could reread again for the first time; it’s like a favorite sweater. cozier and better and more your favorite every time you come back to it. I already can’t wait to reread!

Tarah has once again written a book with characters that I believe can make any reader feel seen and mike they can be loved as they are. The theme of hope and perseverance throughout this novel and in Wren and Ellis’ relationship is so nice to see. This book sucked me in from the beginning and it just got better and better. No one is doing it like Tarah.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! When I first read Savor it, I could sense that a Wren and Ellis book would be coming and I was already excited for it! Second chance romance will always hold a special place in my heart.

Tarah Dewitt delivered on her promise with this book. Both Wren and Ellis are well fleshed out characters.
In this book, they choose to take a chance to reconnect after they drop Sam off at college. We follow them through a short trip on their way back to Spunes (not to be confused with Forks). During the journey the two talk about the things that drove them apart and why their marriage ended. We see them put in the work and really communicate this time. We also see all their family and friends root for them which I thought was adorable! Wren and Ellis have a spot in my heart as one of my favourite book couples.

I enjoyed this book. It was well paced and well written and I can’t wait to see what Tarah writes next!

I usually don’t reach for second chance romances but this one was so sweet that it may have made me start to like it! Ellis and Wren were so sweet together that it had me rooting for them throughout the story. I also loved the side characters throughout the story that made it even better. There were so many cute quotes from Ellis to Wren that made my heart melt for the couple!
There were a few cringey moments and a few details I didn’t like which is why it wasn’t a 5 star for me, but overall I think it was a well written story. I feel like there could have been a few more events thrown in that really piqued a reader’s interest as well, such as throwing something in about the letters during the middle of the book to build tension or something along those lines. I feel like the arguments were almost too easy so a slight addition of tension could maybe help add to that?
Lastly, Im not a fan of spice (but it doesnt affect my rating), but I appreciated that it was done in a way that could be skipped over for readers who arent as into that without missing too much! I feel like it helps make the book great for all different types of readers!

Thank you SMP and Tarah Dewitt for the advanced copy! It was so fun to read!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really loved Savor It and I was thrilled to learn about this book. And it truly delivered.

I loved finding out about their history thru their letters and emails to each other. I loved how they were so committed to rekindling things fairly and even when they fought; they were so considerate and communicative.

This was a second chance romance that was done so well. The only thing is I wish were that the POVs were more even.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I have been dying to read this one after Savor It! I loved Left of Forever buuuuuuut not as much as I expected to. 🥺 Savor It was one of my favorite reads of 2024 so I had the highest hopes.

Loves:
-The spice. 🥵 By far Tarah’s spiciest novel.
-The characters. Wren and Ellis, along with all the secondary characters, are so well developed and adorable.
-The intimacy and love between Wren and Ellis.
-The character growth.

Dislikes:
-The oversimplification of rekindling and repairing a marriage.

Overall, I 100% recommend Left of Forever to anyone and everyone. My one little reservation about the book didn’t affect how much I loved it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn’t want it to end. The last 30% of the book was my favorite. All the feels.

"Left of Forever by @authortarahdewitt was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. No notes. I ate this book up like Wren’s scones. I even contemplated whether I would reconsider how I feel about men with mustaches 🤔 the humor, the 🌶️, the yearning was everything you want and need in a book. I don’t reread many books, but I want to reread this one already. It comes out on May 20th so don’t sleep on it. I REALLY MEAN IT GUYS."

📚 Left of Forever
✍ Tarah DeWitt
📖 Contemporary Romance
⭐3.5/5
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

➡ Five years after finalizing their divorce, Ellis and Wren Byrd are living separate lives in the small town of Spunes, Oregon. After dropping their son Sam off at college together, Ellis convinces Wren to take a road trip along the California coast to give their love one last shot. Will their adventure open a door they thought was shut for good or will their time together make them realize that their young love just couldn't weather the storm?

🙏 Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of Left of Forever. All opinions are my own.
◾
🎯 What I loved: Second chance romance is my absolute favorite trope because there is just something special about two people who have been through the ringer finding each other again and getting to live out their happily ever after. Wren and Ellis met each other really young and had a lot of external factors that impacted their relationship and I appreciated that they both seemed like they grew a lot during the time that they were divorced. Their reconnection started really slowly and then accelerated quickly once they were on their road trip but once they were together, their connection and communication was really strong- with no third act break-up(!). This is listed as a standalone but is the second book with interconnected characters and I would recommend reading the first book in this serious prior to reading this because there are a lot of characters mentioned without a lot of context that I think I was supposed to know from the previous book.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: The chunking of this book was a little off to me. There was a section told mostly from Ellis's perspective while he was away fighting a fire and realizing that he still loved Wren, a section where they were still living separate lives told mostly from Wren's perspective and weren't interacting very much outside of some miscommunications and then the actual road trip where they were in close proximity. I enjoyed the road trip portion of the book a lot more than the other portion and think I would have preferred either a section on the 'before' or some more flashbacks to really understand what went wrong the first time around. And though this was really a contemporary romance, there was one bizarre slapstick comedy scene. It was really funny but honestly didn't make sense within the context of the rest of the book.
◾
Read if you love:
*second chance romance
*re-connecting after divorce
*road trip romance
*found family
*no third-act break-up
*love letters
◾
See also: This Used to be Us, Love Her or Lose Her, Out of the Woods

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for this arc in exchange for my review!

As a lover of Savor It and someone who needed an Ellis/Wren book ASAP - I can honestly say, this exceeded my expectations. The dual POV, the second chance, the timeline & flashbacks, the emotional rawness, the letters, the origami birds, the road trip, the flirty banter, the Byrds!! There is so much to love about this book.

While not all sunshine and rainbows throughout (rightfully so), you will not be disappointed or shorted by the lack of romance. Ellis and Wren had me laughing, smiling, crying, and giddy kicking my feet the whole time.

If you’re someone who loves a couple that fights for true love that has depth. Look no further.

My favorite Tarah DeWitt book to date and even the cover is BEAUTIFUL. You can’t get much better than that.

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

This was my first ever Tarah DeWitt book, and I’ll immediately be reaching for Sage’s and Fisher’s book! This was such a refreshing and authentic read about falling out of and in love again. Not only do we follow Wren and Ellis navigating their broken relationship, but we see them rediscovering themselves and taking the proper steps to bridge their connection once again.

This story felt so REAL, and I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much. The bond between both of the main characters, although jaded at first, was so fleshed out by the end. The communication, the banter, and the CHEMISTRY was sizzling off the pages, and you really felt their past history together. I even felt that with the sides characters, from their son, Sam, to the Byrd family and friends.

The amount of quotes that I found myself highlighting was almost unhealthy, but it was just so well-written and swoonworthy… I couldn’t resist!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!🧡

I love Wren and Ellis. I would die for Wren and Ellis. I am obsessed with everything about this. It was so filled with emotion and love and I was screaming for them to get back together. This was done beautiful, thank you Tarah.

The minute I saw this cover I knew I had to have it. Second chance love between divorced MCs in their thirties who have a kid together? Hell yes.

The absolute yearning between Ellis and Wren was perfection, and the chemistry they share - convoluted by their past - is unmatched. Add to that letters, a roadtrip, close proximity, and the shared emotional journey of dropping their son off at college, and this story is an absolute powerhouse.

It packs a huge emotional punch but also has so much heart and plenty of steam. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves emotionally charged romance.

I am a huge fan of this author and was not disappointed by this book. While I do think I'd have enjoyed it a bit more if I had experience with divorce, I loved going on this journey with Ellis and Wren. This was such a sweet ride to go along with them as they rediscovered their love and rooted for them the whole way. Ms, DeWitt did an excellent job writing strong yet vulnerable characters with fantastic dialogue, I can't wait for her next book!

I should add, as a resident of "Yoos Bay" aka Coos Bay, I have loved, loved, loved seeing my little part of the world be written into these books. Such an added treat as the Oregon Coast isn't often depicted in literature.

What an incredible love story. These specific characters had a certain magic to them that made toy fall in love with them and that's why she wrote the story in the first place when its her first series to date. The Byrd family just has some sort of magic that you don't want to leave them and Tarah did them justice. She will have you in tears halfway through the book.

This was just such a poignant love story. A story about choosing the other and a love that truly never does but their circumstances just became insurmountable. It proves that love isn't enough you need everything else on top of it all. But if there's enough love and hope you can have it all.

Thanks to Net Galley and the Publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review, as always all words are my own.

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

"We have whatever's left of forever, you and me." 💫

Rapid Review:
I adored the characters in this book (their chemistry was incredible), but the plot? Not so much :/

Rambling Review:
My biggest issue with Left of Forever was that the story felt like two separate ideas mashed together. At first, it seemed like the anonymous letter-writing would be the driving force of their reconnection, but then the book pivoted, and the road trip took over as the primary catalyst. The letter aspect ended up feeling almost pointless, adding very little to the story's resolution.

The first half had me hooked, but as Ellis and Wren moved toward reconciliation, the pacing felt off. Their road trip flew by, and despite Wren's internal hesitation, she was suddenly all in after just a few days. They were divorced and separated for five years—yet they fully reconciled in a week???? That felt way too rushed and way too weird IMO.

That said, the emotional depth and heavier themes were well done, and Ellis!!!! THE MAN U ARE!!! The way he loves Wren is truly every girl's dream. As the eldest son, he carried the weight of his family like a second father, and that same steadfast devotion bled into his love for Wren. It was unwavering, deeply felt, and filled with so many little moments that had me swooning. And Wren is the girl that everyone in town loves, and I do too!!! She was strong-willed yet undeniably lovable, and the push and pull between the two of them was soooooo good. (until it suddenly hit warp speed in the end) Their banter was top-tier, their connection was undeniable, and their letters and vows absolutely wrecked me :’) Love love love them together <3

SO! While the plot didn't fully work for me, their love did. A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!

I loved this story from the start. Two flawed yet emotionally raw characters with a lovable cast of side characters that will have you rooting for them all throughout the book.