Lord help me, I love the way Ellis loves Wren 💔❤️‍🔥 !! The fact that this takes place in Oregon is amazing because A: that is where I live and B: she mentions Beaverton where I grew up! I loved all the little references to my beloved state. I made it alllll the way to the end of chapter 38 without crying (which is an amazing feat, let me tell you!) i love that the characters were in there mid 30s and had fully realized what kind of love they wanted and deserved. Thank you so much for this book, Tarah. You absolutely killed it with this one ( and all your other books if we’re being real ) they just keep getting better.

This was such an emotional roller coaster since I very closely relate to the story. Wren and Ellis are memorable, impressive characters. So much angst, but they just needed to grow separately as individuals and come back together with their strong bond back in place. All the characters had a role. Every dialogue was meaningful. Every touch, every look was full of depth. I really loved this book.

#netgalley #LeftofForever

"And all of my life's greatest happiness can be traced back to her"
"You have been missing from me...there's a void where you lived in me"
"Save me a seat Byrd"

I just need to give an early on shout out for the calf squeeze that occurs in chapter 1 because wow the longing starts early and we love to see it!

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Wow, this book. How best to encapsulate such a beautiful story? The triumph of Tarah's writing is in the details that are carefully sprinkled throughout the story and hit you like an emotional sucker punch each time they show up. After I read Savor It, I knew I had to try and get my hands on this book early if possible. Left of Forever does not disappoint. If you enjoy yearning, this book is for you!! If you enjoy well crafted tension that is built upon so well that when it crests, the scenes are so hot, this book is for you!!

There is so much careful consideration and work that goes into rebuilding Wren and Ellis' relationship throughout this book. Each moment was precious. I especially loved where we begin with the letters, and how Ellis uses them as a springboard to get his wife back. The way that the letters come full circle in the end as well, not just with Wren finding out about them, but how he used what she wrote to plan the trip, oh my goodness that detail was specifically amazing to me. He listens and takes action?! We love Ellis. The way they both carried this quiet hope and tried to work on themselves to be able to have their great love again was lovely.

Here are some of the details that stuck out to me and made me clutch this book closer like the precious gift it is!
1. the origami birds
These were spectacular. When I realized the whole family had strung them up at the wedding I started crying. How she had them hanging from the porch outside Sam's window when he was a toddler. The way Ellis left them for her during her trip and even before it with the grad program. The origami birds were delightful.
2. The journaling and letter writing
I already mentioned how fantastic the letters were, but the journaling added a great layer to the story too. It not only showed Wren's work to get to a place where her and Ellis could be together again, but it also provided the opportunity for Ellis to write those amazing emails in response to her journal entries. Lines like, "Thank you for kissing me"! Are you kidding me?! Another one of my favorite lines from the journal entries: "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"
3. The tattoos/birds in general
Okay but Ellis' tattoo is just a fantastic detail, not just describing his whole family but showing his devotion to Wren as well. Then, when we find out Wren got the same tattoo because wrens mate for life?! Consider me gutted!!!!
4. The music
This was a smaller detail to me, but every time Ellis mentioned that he missed Wren's sad music it made me grin. Coming from a girl who loves her sad music, this detail was made just for me.
5. Also the storyline of the horses and how this recurred into the end of the story. This also made me tear up when I saw that they ended up together and Sage and Fisher went to pick them up.
Honestly this list could go on and on because the more I think about this book, more details stick out, so really the whole book was a complete slam dunk for me.

And now, some honorable mentions for quotes that either made my jaw drop, tear up, smile giddily, or all three!!

"Is it that obvious I'm half of something still?"
"If they were caught in the blaze...at least tell me...were they together in the end?" This quote specifically made me lose my mind. Perfectly crafted.
"I was starving to be near you again"
"...because if he can carry all of them, I can carry him"
"Any reservation I have slingshots out of me...everything I am is his"
"Good...you belong at home with me"
"I know about feeling too much, even if it's happy"


"Well, the truth is, I don't want to. I hate that fate or chance or fucking luck can get any of the credit for us finding our way back to each other. Not this time. Not when we've worked so hard...It terrifies me to think that i might've let this life go by without finding my way back to you."
I just need to speak to this quote for a moment. I feel that this quote encapsulates the journey that Wren and Ellis take throughout this book, but also a relatable feeling that so many people reading understand, that relationships take work and its not just up to fate if something works out but the choices that we make. I really appreciated that Ellis owned the work they had to do and that they deserved all of the beauty their relationship could contain if they wanted to grasp onto it.


I believe that so many people will fall in love this book because of how genuine and tender it is. There was a rawness to these characters that feels realistic. I also loved getting to see the family together, specifically in the scene where Sage gets engaged. Their love is true in a way not everything is. I can't wait to read more from this universe, but first I am going to go read this book again!!!

A huge thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for this ARC!

I had no idea that l'd love a story about a divorced couple getting back together so much but Wren and Ellis' love story was epic and their road trip was funny, spicy and moving. It was also lovely to return to this town and these characters first introduced in Savor It but this book can also be read as a standalone. Thank you to Tarah Dewitt and St.
Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read this book early on NetGalley.

A road trip
Written letters
Second chances

This book where do I begin?

I knew from the blurb of the book I instantly wanted to read it. And I'm so very grateful for the early copy I received to read. I will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy once this book is published!

Reading Sage & Fisher's story just made me more excited to read Ellis & Wren's love story.

While I didn't exactly relate to the major part of this story considering I'm still currently married to my partner. I understand marrying young and the struggles of adapting together in a new life and raising your first born.

But please don't let that deter you from choosing this book to read. Because this story is so much more. This is a beautiful story with so many emotions.

I cried. The loss of time. The heartbreak. The anger. The longing and not giving up. They were meant to be together. FOREVER.

If you take anything away from this story. Communication is vital. It's KEY to any relationship.

Second chances - Yes please. Time heals. But time is also cruel and it's not something you can ever get back. Fight for what love with all your heart.

Five freaking stars for me. This book made me feel so much. This book gives hope. This book is so many things I can't find the words for. It is more than just a romance novel.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this arc of an amazing book.

P.S I feel like Silas needs a story

This book is such a masterpiece, Ellis and Wren's story of coming together again had me not able to put the book down. Tarah is a master of second chance romances, they’re the gold standard. The stage for Left of Forever is set so perfectly in Savor it, I went feral for Ellis like everyone else when he dropped, “She’s still a Byrd,” in the town hall meeting.

There is still so much love and yearning between these two, and Ellis decides to ask Wren to try things again on a gorgeous road trip after they drop their son off at college. Watching them learn to communicate better, let their walls down, and rebuild the foundation of their marriage stronger than ever is more beautiful than I could ever put into words. I cried no less than a dozen times, thank you very much. They have such real and raw things to work through. Don’t worry, there is plenty of humor too. There is a scene that had me on the floor cackling. IYKYK. So please go read this incredible book, I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press for this eARC.

Left of forever is a sequel to Savor by Tarah Dewitt. It is a 2nd chance romance between Ellis and Wren. It gave me all the warm and fuzzy feelings while simultaneous wrecking me emotionally.

Wren the FMC was funny, spunky, relatable, and an amazing friend and mother.

Ellis the MMC is kind, caring, puts others before himself and stepped up for his siblings in ways you never should have to as a kid yourself.

I really enjoyed how this felt very authentic. I read a lot of 2nd chance romance that felt impractical or like they gave into each other too quickly. In this one it felt very real! It did all come back together over night, they both had to put in the work on themselves and reevaluate what went wrong the first time and because of that was a really impactful and emotional read.

I also really liked that we didn't just get to see what their lives were like now but we got to see flashbacks all the way back to them being friends at 6 years old and how they grew up together!

I have now read 2 book by Tarah Dewitt and I cannot wait to read more!

Tarah does it again! Ellis and Wren felt so REAL. I loved seeing them grow and getting to know them better and seeing the other Byrd family members.
This book was well structured and paced, had beautiful writing, had great emotional payoff, and felt like getting to understand a new part of myself better.

My heart lives with this book, I fear. I recently started reading more second chance romances and Left of Forever has made me fall in love with the trope. I was crying before I even read the first chapter, just reading the dedication and the playlist! Tarah Dewitt is a master to her craft. The emotions this book pulled from me involuntarily; I’m awestruck.

Wren and Ellis have such a special relationship. They both love so strongly, feel so deeply for one another and their families and friends. And yet, like all relationships, there are challenges. Some of those challenges for Wren and Ellis seemed too big to overcome. Left of Forever is a love letter to rekindling a love was thought couldn’t be saved, all while honouring, accepting, and celebrating life and its ups and downs.

It was such a joy to learn about how these two learned to love each other, in the beginning and throughout this book. Wren is such a strong FMC in so many ways. And Ellis, The role of being a parental figure, with the help of Wren, to his siblings while also being a father to baby Sam when they’re barely adults themselves is no easy feat.

Left of Forever releases May 20th!! Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Oh my gosh, I loved this so much! I am a sucker for second chance romances and Left of Forever did not disappoint. Wren & Ellis' story was raw and truthful and painful and beautiful. I truly felt all of their hurt, hope, pain, and love as I read this. I so enjoyed going on this journey with Wren & Ellis as they unpacked their relationship and how it fell apart. They didn't shy away from the hard parts of reconnecting and they gave each other room and so much grace to open themselves up to each other again. I really loved that they didn't allow each other to fall into miscommunication - they pushed each other enough to talk everything out together. I also loved that even though the majority of their journey back to each other took place outside of Spunes, I still felt all the love and support from their family. I cannot wait for this book to release and for everyone else to go on this heartbreakingly beautiful journey with the Byrds.

this. this is how a second chance romance should go. this is exactly it. I've never been married, never been divorced...but somehow I felt so connected to wren and Ellis and their journey.

I love that everything between them just felt RIGHT and just so so so natural. seeing them both be weary of opening up their hearts to each other but not closed off to each other or the possibility of being together again.

wren, my sweet sweet sweet wren. wren is truly an angel, she cares so much for everyone in her life, for her mom, the other Byrds, Sam, her bakery. a hug from wren would heal something in me I bet.
omfg and Ellis "i will never stop yearning for her" Byrd??? I don't wanna spoil anything but the way this man yearns for wren and never stopped yearning for her? never thought that he could ever unwravel her from his DNA. makes me SICK (complimentary)

part of what I loved most about this book (and savor it) is showcasing how "small" lives are still so fulfilling. the Byrds have something that so many people dream of, family and love that runs so deep in their bones it has altered their DNA.

thank you to netgalley for an earc of LOF in exchange for an honest review<3

Finished this book a little less than a week ago and have been sitting on it ever since. Almost every day, I've gone back to reread or look at my favorite parts/quotes and resisting the urge to just read it again.

This book was beautiful. Wren and Ellis were perfect puzzle pieces for each other and the way they were absolutely obsessed with each other made my brain go brrr. While I would've read a thousand pages of their romance, the fact that Tarah Dewitt managed such a complete, emotional story in a shorter page length was super impressive. I cannot wait for this book to officially come out so I can own it physically.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Dear Stranger... This is Tarah DeWitt's best book, hands down. From the first page, I was hooked. The setting is perfectly crafted, the characters are fully fleshed out and so relatable, I genuinely wanted to jump into the story and hang out with them. I'm officially in love with the big, boisterous Byrd family!

And can we talk about the playlist? DeWitt hits you right from the start with an incredible collection of songs, so many of my personal favorites, the kind that just wreck you emotionally. I literally had to pause and stare at the wall for five minutes, knowing this book was going to hurt (and boy, was I right).

I'm a sucker for a marriage in crisis story, and “Left of Forever” delivers in spades. It's raw, it's real, and it had me unbelievably emotional. The way Ellis yearned for Wren had me completely and utterly in my feels! And the character growth? Spectacular! Ellis is a man on a mission, determined to win back the love of his life. This book perfectly encapsulates everything I adore about the second chance trope. The shared history, the past hurts, and the overwhelming, undeniable love between Ellis and Wren make their story so incredibly impactful.

DeWitt's writing is seamless. The story flows effortlessly between past and present, letters and in person conversations, inner monologues and dialogue. It adds so much depth without feeling forced or stilted in any way. Honestly, it was hard to pick a favorite quote because there were so many good ones!

Marriages are never perfect, and sometimes the struggles can be heavy. This book made me reflect on my own marriage and the love I share with my husband, leaving me so emotional. It's a truly beautiful story, and I highly recommend it! If you're looking to be swept away by the most perfect love story, pick this one up on May 20th. You won't regret it.

This book might be one of my new favorite books ever. The most beautifully written second chance romances that I have EVER read. As someone who has struggled with infertility personally, I felt for these characters with all of my heart. Wren And Ellis met as children, and circumstances forced them to grow up very quickly. As true adults, they have to make a decision, when their son goes off to college if they are going to let that be their final excuse to be leave their past behind them, or see if there is still truly something left worth fighting for. My heart was ripped out of my chest in the best way, throughout almost this entire book. I cannot recommend it enough and will recommend it to everyone I know. Also, I can’t not mention that the spice was *chefs kiss* TOP TIER. This was my first book by Tara DeWitt but will absolutely not be my last!

We get to follow along Wren and Ellis who had a son at 17, got married a few years later to then divorced at 28. Five years later they are about to take their son to college and are trying to find themselves again, together as one or separate as friends.

This book!! It meant so much to me. My husband and I have been together for over 11 years and married for 9 and it’s not always easy. Tarah Dewitt put words to these struggles in the most amazing way. It was so relatable reading about Wren and Ellis's journey on so many different levels. Tarah writes about the battles and hardships of a relationship in such a beautiful and unique way without any resentment or grudge being held between the characters.

Chapter 33 broke me and put me back together again. I… I have no words 🥺 5 fucking stars. I will most definitely read it again when it releases in May and I have my pre-ordered copy in my hands 🥰

Don't get me started on the playlist for the book. A masterpiece! I think Tarah’s a mind reader. Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez has been one of my favorite songs since high school (that was 15 years ago). Francesca by Hozier was one of my most played songs last year AND I had just scored concert tickets before getting this arc. I mean…it’s some kind of sign right?!

Thank you so much to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC (and the tears) in exchange for an honest review.

This is it. It is February 2025 and this will be my top read of the year. I’ve never read anything more romantic in my life. Absolutely knew it would be after I read “She’s still a Byrd” in Savor It but it was so much more than I could have hoped.

Pining your thing? *slaps cover of book* this baby can hold so much longing.

“You all belong to each other, with or without me, I think. But I want someone to belong to me again, too. I wish it were still you. I hate that I wish it were still you.”

I’ve never read anything like this. This story begins at the end of a love story that never really ended. It creates visceral feelings of loss and longing inside my body, almost like a controlled burn. You know, as the reader of a romance novel, that it’s looping back around. It is perfectly balanced in how the author gives you as much heartbreaking pining as she does joy and HEA.

There are a few elements to this story that really make it unique from most other contemporary romance novels. You have older (30s) characters who have reached the next phase of their lives. You also see a love that’s strong but has been chipped away so terribly by life and circumstance- something I feel strongly about needing representation. When people split, often you see each blaming the other for stupid things like miscommunication (3rd act break up, I’m looking at you). I think it’s important to see the stories written of love that just loses its way, too.

“Time does that, I suppose. When you spend so much time of it looking forward to the next thing, it can easily slip out from under you.”

Reading about them dropping their kid off at school broke my heart into a million pieces. My kids aren’t there yet but I often wonder the same as Wren. Did I anticipate their next phase and miss the one I’m in? Will they be prepared? Who am I outside of this? …

“We’ve spent more than half our lives being Sam’s mom and Sam’s dad. Who the hell are we meant to be beyond this?”

You don’t have to read Savor It to enjoy this story but I hope you do. It sets the stage for the kind of love written into each of these pages. Preorder aside, even if I never read this again, I will think about the Byrds every time someone asks me for a book rec.

Thank you Tarah DeWitt for this ARC. It was on my most anticipated reads list and it far surpassed any of my expectations.

What a frikken story. Kids raising kids, falling out of love, losing your way, and finding your way back to each other. God this book got emoooootionalllll 😩.

- second chance romance
- Divorce
- Young love & young pregnancy
- One bed

Tarah is truly a standout contemporary romance author. Her ability to blend past and present together in a way that feels seamless and natural speaks to a true art of her craft. Her character and relationship building is unparalleled. Her novels feature found families and small towns and people who have known and loved and hurt each other for a long time but she drops you right in and lays out their entire dynamic for you with a colorful cast of characters (including animals). Left of Forever is a second chance romance, which historically isn’t my favorite trope because a lot of second chance romances tend to rely on flashbacks that keep alluding to some sort of “conflict that changed everything” and you’re strung along for 80% of the book until addressing that becomes the main conflict of the present timeline. I HATE that plot device and this book doesn’t do that at all. This is one of the most transparent second chance romances I’ve ever read which makes it feel REAL. Both characters own their stuff from the very beginning and open an amazing dialogue that makes you really root for their reunion. Five stars. If you haven’t read any of Tarah’s works, yet, I highly encourage you to add her to your TBR immediately.

unfortunately i was not feeling this one and ultimately had to DNF. it was a little confusing and felt all over the place to me.

LOF is the kind of book you think about randomly two months after you’ve read it. The way Tarah writes yearning to an absolute staggering degree should be studied. If you already weren’t in love with this cast of characters from Savor It, you will be by the end of this book. The Byrd family (Wren included, cause she’s always been a Byrd) is so flipping special to me. I can’t say enough good things about this book.