I was late to the game reading Tarah Dewitt, but I binge read all of her books leading to the release of Left of Forever, so I had high expectations going in. I think maybe it was a combination of high expectations and reading a LOT of second chance romances since it's my favorite trope, but I was left feeling slightly underwhelmed with Left of Forever. I'm not sure if it was the length of time between when Wren and Ellis broke up to the present time, or if it was because the reason for their split was never super apparent, but it didn't really seem like they were pining for each other, despite being heavily involved in each other's lives. It was like one day, they both just decided they were still in love with each other? And then the story went from there, but we get more buildup than the actual relationship. I love reading second chance romances because of the history between a couple, but with their history, it didn't really seem like they got along or liked each other much, which I found disappointing, especially when comparing the relationship between Wren and Ellis to the relationships between her other protagonists. It was an enjoyable read, mostly because I enjoy the author's writing and storytelling abilities, but I thought this would be an easy 5 Star read. It was just missing a certain spark that her other books have.

4.75 stars.

I normally cannot handle a second chance romance. I spend too much time believing if it fell apart before then how exactly is it going to work this time. Tarah Dewitt handles this second chance romance beautifully.

The character arcs of Wren and Ellis and how they were together when they were younger, broke up and now are working to find their way backs to each other was incredible.

This is 100% worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc.

Left of Forever by @authortarahdewitt is a breathtaking love story about the power of second chances. 🧡

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Left of Forever may have been the best book I have read this year! It made me laugh, cry, blush, swoon, and do Hozier’s yell for infinity. 🥹🫶🏻

Wren and Ellis’s journey towards reconciliation was beautifully captured by Tarah’s phenomenal writing! I appreciated how realistic their relationship was and how they showed their love in subtle ways, even though they were separated for many years. WREN IS STILL A BYRD, and Ellis makes sure she knows that by the end of the book!!! They own my entire heart and I adore them. 😍

I enjoyed the road trip aspect of the book because it gave both Wren and Ellis time to reflect on their relationship and how they should proceed with the future! Also, I LOVED how Ellis still looked out for Wren and found ways to put his hands on her. It made me swoon and cry EVERY TIME!!! Plus, the cooking class part of the book (IYKYK) made me cackle for a looonnnnggg time. And don’t get me started on the steamy scenes!?!?!? I still get hot and bothered thinking about it. 🥵

Left of Forever is one of those emotional/amazing gems that can make you both happy and sad at the same time! I cannot wait to devour any future books Tarah decides to write, and will always support her until the end of time. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!!! It will change your life forever. 🥰✨

Thank you to @youhadmeathea and @netgalley for the opportunity to read/review this ARC! 🤩📚

🏷️: #leftofforever #tarahdewitt #review #bookrecommendation #bookstagram

Utter perfection. I have no notes. This book is beyond amazing! I knew I wanted to listen to it, and I also knew I’d want to highlight as I went... I’m honestly shocked I didn’t highlight the entire thing. I love a second chance romance, and this one is done so well. As someone who’s been through a divorce, I worried it might hit too close to home, but it didn’t. My story was different, and Ellis and Wren’s love story is absolutely worth rooting for.

The pining and angst are beautifully done, even when it’s clear how much it hurts both of them. The letters were such a thoughtful touch, and I loved how they slowly rekindled their connection, even when Wren didn’t know who was writing them.

The road trip Ellis plans to reconnect and celebrate raising their son together is the sweetest thing. I won’t spoil the details, but prepare to swoon. The little moments he creates had my heart melting. Wren’s vulnerability, especially through her journal entries, was so moving and real.

I absolutely loved everything about this book.
The setting was so vivid.
The characters were so real and relatable.
It gave me all the feels, of every sort available.
I laughed.
I cried.
I laugh/cried.
This was a ride and I loved it.
I can't wait to see what Tarah does next, I just know it will be great!

This was a really sweet and touching read. I know it was technically 2nd in the Spunes series but this is the first book I’ve read by this author! I really appriciate a second chance romance. This one carried all the elements I love in a romance. Longing, pining, no 3rd act breakup, figuring out how to communicate. It really was a good read. I am looking forward to reading more by this author!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

✨𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰✨

“𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝘿𝙉𝘼 𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙢”

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝐏𝐎𝐕: 1st person, Dual POV
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Dual
𝐊𝐔: No

I think this is DeWitt’s best book yet. It’s a beautifully told story of love, loss, and everything in between. The tender moments between the main characters really stood out to me, I was completely drawn in by their connection.

I kept waiting for a frustrating third-act conflict to derail everything (as so often happens), but it never came, which was such a refreshing surprise. I absolutely loved this from start to finish no complaints at all!

This book was a resounding 5 star read!

I absolutely loved the plot. The two main characters were equally likeable and I was pining over their history as it unfolded before my eyes. I cried twice. I loved the side characters and the element of found family.

The writing was beautiful and I especially enjoyed the exchange of notes and writing between characters. I thought the ending was exactly what I hoped for without being too over the top.

I will be reading everything this author writes from k wow on.

First, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Tarah for offering ARC's of this book in exchange for a review. I am always so excited to read something written by Tarah. And this book, of course, was no exception.

Left of Forever follows Wren and Byrd, who are two former HS sweethearts who had a child together very young. Their relationship took a turn as they got older, and they found themselves drifting apart. In their 30's, they are now divorced and trying to navigate life with their son who is graduating HS and leaving their home of Supnes, OR to go to college in California. Wren runs a local bakery that her mother owns in Spunes while Ellis is a firefighter, and although they grew apart as they grew older, their feeling for one another never really faded. Ellis convinces Wren to take a small road trip on their way home from dropping their son off at college, and Wren obliges. They relive old memories, make new ones, and fall deeply in love with one another all over again. But, of course, not without also reliving why they broke apart in the first place.

I truly loved this book so much. There is something about a very mature, emotional, grown man that is going to get me in my feels. Reading about two people piece their love back together when they never should have been apart in the first place is so heart wrenching!!! I just loved it, I don't have much else to say other than that. Second chance romance is such a treat, and this one was just so well done. Solid 4 stars!!!

A great addition to the series, I was so excited to read Wren and Ellis’ story and it was fun to have a second chance romance. Loved it!!

Loved Loved Loved this book! So relatable as you are not reading about your typical love gone wrong or broken relationship. This couple was married then divorced. I am 44 years old and enjoyed reading about the realities of how marriage really works, with all of its ups and downs and that sometimes things just dont work out. I loved this book and will continue to read other books from this author!

I loved the audio book! Tarah Dewitt writes the best characters! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review!

Very nice sequel to savor it! Really liked the premise and the second chance romance! I enjoyed seeing where this story went.

Left of Forever was such a sweet book, it had such a niche trope and I really enjoyed it.

What do you do when you want your wife back? Probably write her letters pen pal style with no signature and take her on a mystery road trip.

After Wren and Elias drop their son off at college they decide to take the scenic route home in an attempt to rekindle their relationship. Some serious family meddling and general hilarity ensues, of course!

Tarah DeWitt delivers another emotionally rich and heartwarming romance in Left of Forever. With her signature blend of wit, tenderness, and vulnerability, DeWitt crafts a love story that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. The characters are wonderfully layered—flawed, funny, and achingly real—making it easy to root for them as they navigate grief, healing, and the hesitant steps toward love.

The emotional pacing is spot-on, with moments of levity balancing heavier themes like loss and self-discovery. DeWitt’s writing shines brightest in the quiet, reflective moments—the kind that sneak up on you and leave a lasting impression.

Perfect for readers who love slow-burn romance with heart, humor, and depth, Left of Forever is a reminder that love doesn’t always show up when—or how—we expect it, but it finds us just the same.

Does the perfect book exist? Idk, this might be close.

There aren't many books that illicit full-blown physical reactions and emotional responses. I read this with my hand pressed to my chest the whole time, sometimes laughing out loud, sometimes saying to no one, "My sweet, heart sick babies," and sometimes just full on weeping.

This is the quintessential second chance romance. Ellis and Wren Byrd were childhood sweethearts, teen parents, and soulmates, and at the start of this book, they are also ex-husband and wife of 5 years. They are also still not over each other. Their only son gets accepted to his dream college and Ellis and Wren drive him down to college and embark on a roadtrip on their own to celebrate what they've accomplished together (even while apart) and explore what is still there between them.

Oh!! The LONGING and the PINING!!! 🥺🥺

"I grew up with my great love, so I think maybe my heart took shape around his."

"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."

"I thought I missed your baking...That was nothing. I was starving to be near you again."

This book was devastating, emotional, heartwrenching, and heartwarming, but also funny and hopeful. Tarah's writing is as authentic as it is romantic, funny as it is tender. She balances it all so well!! Like I said, possibly the perfect book.

Please, please, please go and read this book.

I was super excited for this. It started off pretty good. The time skip in the beginning was a tad bit confusing and I would have appreciated more information at the start of the chapter.

I've come to realize that I'm a picky romance reader. This one came close to making it, but it didn't because I don't believe people who have decided to break it apart should get back together WITHOUT solid communication of how to move forward and what happened in the past.

The way they just fell back into one another spoke more of lust and lack of inhibitions than them working things through clearly.

It ended up being a fast read, but I'm not convinced they have a HEA once life struggles appear again.

This book was perfection.
I loved not only going back to Spunes, but also seeing Wren and Ellis find their love again. Because this wasn’t just them falling back in love after their marriage initially fell apart, it was finding a better version of that relationship.
I also really resonated with their story of infertility, especially ectopic pregnancy, as it is a tragedy and pain that I carry as well.
I will cherish the feeling this book gave me as I read it.

Its official - if Tarah DeWitt writes it, I'm reading it. At this point she could give me her grocery list and I'd fall in love. The emotional depth that she puts into her love stories, it truly takes you on a journey, especially with this story as it's a second chance romance. Ellis and Wren are divorced 3o something year olds, both very clearly not over their separation but feel as though they've tried all they could to keep themselves together. When their son plans to leave for school, Ellis suggests a road trip on their way back, determined to win Wren back. What ensues is an emotional rollercoaster along the California coastline filled with trauma, memories, confusion, frustration, and sizzling chemistry. 10/10 no notes, truly incredible.

PERFECTION. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. Dewitt has cemented herself as one of my top favorite romance authors ever. The roadtrip backdrop and the emotion in all the pages made my heart squeeze the entire time I was reading. Ellis is so hot and Wren was very relatable. I cried at the last page. It was so touching and thought provoking about life and what you need and want out of it and what’s important. I will think about this book for a long time.