such a perfect second chance romance. it was so raw and emotional. i loved wren and ellis & how they found their way back to one another on that road trip. the yearning and growth i saw in these characters was portrayed so well. tarah handled heavy topics with such care. truly a beautiful story of true love. 100% recommend this book + savor it if you haven’t read it already!! 4.5 stars!

I am so lucky the stars aligned so I could exist at the same time as this book

One of my favorite reads of the year!!! This is one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read and I truly haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished. The pacing was absolutely perfect, at no point did I feel like the story was dragging. It flowed SO seamlessly and I never wanted it to end 😭.

I’m completely in love with both main characters- Wren and Ellis are EVERYTHING!!! If I didn’t believe in true love, these two would have convinced me it was real. They were just so REALISTIC! The heartache was truly palpable and I found myself hurting right along with them. My chest aches just thinking about them. I cried multiple times and I was in shock at how well the relationship was portrayed, the good the bad and the ugly parts!!! The tension, the spice, the romance, the vulnerability, the humor, the TENDERNESS 😭😭 it was all perfect, I have absolutely zero critique.

I will definitely be rereading this one at least once per year, it’s stuck in my heart forever ❤️‍🩹

This was a fun book, im a a sucker for a second chance romance. I love firefighters too so I was so excited to read this one.

This was the sweetest romance and the perfect choice to read between darker stories.
Wren and Ellis Byrd fell in love as children and had their son Sam as teenagers, trying in vain to hold up under so much of what life threw at them. Even though they went their separate ways and tried to build happy lives, they never stopped thinking of each other. When Sam leaves for college, they agree to take a week-long road trip together after dropping him off, with a goal of at least rebuilding a friendship but possibly more.

I loved the romantic settings of the California coast road trip, but most of all their agreement to analyze all the good and bad of their time together, to see if they had grown into people who could make it work. Their chemistry has always been scorching, but they had so much to learn about communication, and it was just overwhelmingly hopeful to see both of them trying so hard, not just for the sake of their son but for the love they still held for each other.

I was not really won over by the spicy scenes in this, and I found myself cringing during some of them (the ice cream, OMG.) Overall, the conversations they had were fantastic and I love their strategy of revealing a limited number of negative things each day while answering more philosophical questions to reveal themselves.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Griffin for this book!

I loved LOVED DeWitt’s book Funny Feelings. But this book? Not so much.
I was excited to read a second chance romance about a married…errr formerly married couple. I was riding high on the idea as I’d just come off the tails of Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young, which was *CHEF’S KISS* buut this book…was not like that one.
I just…didn’t believe their romance.
In terms of the storytelling, I love the epistolary elements at the beginning (aka the letters and emails). I see lots of folks disliked it, but I* liked it. Go figure.
I also found the initial part of the narration to be confusing as it would go back and forth through time and kind of assumed you’d read the first Spunes book (Savor It), even though I *think* this book is supposed to be a stand-alone.
That BEING SAID. The story was infinitely better as an audiobook thanks to the GREAT narration by Connor Crais and Megan Wicks. They really salvaged the book for me during my second “read-through” of it with the audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, and Tarah DeWitt for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF. It was too slow and a little boring with how straight forward it was for them to rekindle their relationship and overcome their trauma.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
The whole time reading this, I couldn’t stop rooting for Wren and Ellis. I love how this book is organized, especially how unique it begins with them becoming pen pals (unbeknownst to Wren). It really set up a beautiful love story, one of not just redemption, but healing a love that had always been true for them. Life circumstances can make it difficult for love to stay at the forefront, so to see them be able to go through stages of nostalgia, grief, anger, mistrust, appreciation, passion, and compassion for each other shows why their love could persevere through it all. Their forgiveness, and acceptance, and willingness to rejoice in giving each other that chance they deserved was so beautiful. I loved this book so much!
My ARC was provided by the publisher St. Martin’s Griifin and the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Tarah DeWitt book and I enjoyed it immensely. Those of you who ask, “where did the yearning and pining in romance novels go?”, look no further. I don’t read a lot of second chance romance but I feel like this must be a standout of the trope because the introspection and growth both characters have to go through before they make their way back to each other is so perfect and well constructed. We love a man who is not afraid to go to therapy! Not to mention there’s the inclusion of letters, journal entries, and flashbacks which are some of my favorite motifs in these types of stories. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

❤️ Second chance romance
❤️ Road trip
❤️ Forced proximity
❤️ Pining
❤️ Small town romance

2/5 🌶️ open door romance

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

oh my heart! <3 This book was EVERYTHING!! It's Tarah's best work yet.

As Wren and Ellis Byrd send their son off to college, they are forced to face the fact that they have a long shared history with each other that may not be over. Having divorced 5 years prior, they've lived separate lives, dancing around each other in the same small town they live in. But the connection they have isn't an easy one to break. As they prepare to take their son to college, Ellis suggests a week long road trip back to Oregon as a way to see if they still have that spark and if there is any chance at reconciliation. Wren is hesitant, because it's not a secret she is still in love with her ex, Ellis, but she doesn't know if they have what it takes to make their relationship work again.

As they travel home together on this roadtrip, they look back on what they originally loved about each other, not just what broke them. The more time they reminisce and talk, the more they connect.

This is a true work of art! The second chance romance was done so well and I will have this living forever in my heart and mind!

You know I love a man with a mustache... But for real though, I am a sucker for a slow burn second chance romance. Every thing about this worked for me. The setting, the romance, the cameos from DeWitt's other characters. The forced proximity was just the cherry on top. I love this authors writing so much and it just keeps getting better and better. I will be yapping about this on the internet and to all my friends because I truly believe that every romance lover should read this and all of DeWitt's other books.

This book was absolutely incredible. I am a hugeeeee sucker for a second chance romance and this one ticked off all my boxes. The setting is perfect, the characters were fully fleshed-out and relatable, and at times I kind of wanted to jump right into the book. I am officially in love with the big boisterous Byrd family!

Wren is such a dynamic character; her fun loving, whimsical nature is perfectly juxtaposed by her deep emotional connections and desire to be a part of something bigger than herself. She is an amazing mom, sister and friend and often some aspect of these characteristics jump off the page every scene she is in. I absolutely adored her. Also, Wren Byrd makes me laugh every time I think about or say it. Poor lady.

Ellis has quite the growth arc in this. He starts out insanely lovable, but he does feel more emotionally stilted at the start. The therapy positivity, especially as it relates to men, is really special here. I loved how much it helps him to understand his own contributions to what went awry in their marriage. He was already the ideal MMC, but his emotional growth took it to a whole other level. I would also say, he more than Wren, had the most romantic lines of the book.

This story immediately gripped me from the very beginning. It was so emotionally beautiful in a way I can’t even describe. this is one of the best second chance romance i’ve ever read. Ellis and Wren will forever have a place in my heart. I love angst and yearning in a book, and this one DELIVERED. The amount of pining and yearning oh god it was too good! The emotion paired with amazing humor and a beautiful atmospheric setting made me feel like I was transported into this story! The romance between Wren and Ellis was so utterly beautiful and oh was the tension hot and through the freaking roof!! Every time Ellis said “baby” I literally freaked out, screamed, giggled and kicked my feet… screamed some more… (!!!!!!)

Will be highly recommending this book to my audience and anyone that ever asks for a romance rec.

tarah dewitt, the queen that you are!!!!! this book was absolute perfection and definitely her best book yet.

wren and ellis were such complex but yet fleshed out characters. i loved loved loved following them along on their journey reconnecting 5 years after their divorce. their story was incredibly beautiful, full of love, heartache, and some incredible growth. THIS is exactly what a second chance romance should be!!! i loved how the letter writing and wren’s journal entries gave a unique insight into their past rather than your typical flashbacks. the GROWTH that our man ellis went through phewwwww let me tell you! this was a man that truly understood what he had to do to get his wife back, he started therapy, he LISTENED to wren, and actually implemented the changes necessary.

this story tore my heart out and stomped on it…multiple times. so if that sounds like something you’d like to experience then definitely pick this one up.

a million thank you’s to st. martin’s press for the opportunity to read this early, i will cherish this book for a long long time

“He can have whatever he wants from me again. Everything is his.”

It’s hard to put into words the many ways this book felt like my life reflected back at me and the immense amount of gratitude I felt reading this story. I really am in my second chance era and I truly loveeee these stories. Seeing the absolute YEARNING Wren and Ellis have for one another, the not only has it always been you but I always WANTED it to be you, is just an absolute smack to the feelings.

“It terrifies me to think that I might've let this life go by without finding my way back to you.”

From the moment Ellis said “she’s still a Byrd” in Savor It, I knew the love story between him and Wren would bring me to my knees. I will be handing my physical copy to my husband as soon as it arrives and make him read it. The man doesn’t read. At all. But he will read this story because it is everythinggggg. Life changing in the best of ways.

“Even the most consuming love doesn’t necessarily mean happiness in the end.”

This is my third Tarah story and let me just say, if you want emotional, pining, yearning, I can’t think because you’re in my life type of love, she’s your lady. I can’t wait to read the rest of her work and wherever the rest of this wild ride in Spunes goes.

“Oh no. Did I just flirt with my ex-husband? Time to rein it in.”

Read if you like:
🪿second chance
🪿one cabin
🪿road trip
🪿secret letters
🪿journaling
🪿therapy rep

Make sure to read the cw before diving in. Wren and Ellis have a lifetime of memories they explore, many of which deal with very heavy subjects.

This was promoted as a stand alone novel with the same setting and characters as a previous novel. Unfortunately, I did not read the first in this series. I felt lost for many of the points and felt like I missed a lot of the backstory due to this. The story had too many facets for the short book that it was. That said, I liked the characters and their story, though I just didn’t buy the initial breakup or the getting back together. Very unrealistic.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review! I think Left of Forever altered my brain chemistry; this book was just so beautiful. It was brimming with heart and characters that feel like friends and SO MUCH YEARNING. I love a second chance romance and this was such a banger. Ellis' journey really got me - it reminded me a little of the way Darcy makes things right and reflects and grows during the back half of Pride and Prejudice; he has to work on himself and grow and discover to really appreciate what he's lost and what he's missing and then the way he WORKS to win Wren back. I could wax poetic about how smart and funny and tender this entire book is, but I'll pause here - just know that you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want what's best for Wren + Ellis, you'll still have this book on your heart weeks later.

Left of Forever is a very sweet second chance romance between Ellis and Wren Byrd. Ellis and Wren had met as children, had a child as teens, and got divorced before their thirties. As their son goes off to college, they decide to take a road trip on the way back to celebrate their accomplishment. It doesn't take long for sparks to fly again between this baker and firefighter.

I haven't read the first book in this "series" though it says they are able to be read as standalones. Other than maybe missing some of the towns backstory, I don't felt as though I missed anything by jumping straight to this book. Some of my favorite characters were the background characters though, so I am excited to see who the next book will revolve around!

It’s official. I’m obsessed with Tarah DeWitt’s writing. I loved her other books, and I needed this story from the moment I first read “She’s still a Byrd” in Savor It.
What I didn’t expect was for this book to make me weep. Multiple times. I’m a sucker for second chance romance and always have been, but there’s something about people choosing to love each other, intentionally, despite and because of everything that’s come before. It gets me every time, and I can’t wait for more (but I will be patient because the best stories take time to tell).
10000% recommend and please don’t ask how many physical copies I ordered.

I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own, and a review was not required.

Tarah DeWitt does it again! I was hooked from the very beginning. It broke my heart to see bits of Wren and Ellis’s marriage came to end, but watching them find each other again stitched me right back up. BRB looking for my own Ellis because WOW. He definitely made it into my Top 10 Book Husbands. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Lots of swoony and spicy moments, but I wanted the main characters to work through their problems a little more? Seemed rushed in that department to me!! Especially for main characters that are in their 30s.

👩‍❤️‍👨Dual POV
💕Second chance romance
🌶️Spice
📖Connected standalone to Savor It
🏘️Small town
🚗Road trip
🎧Great audiobook narrators

Check content warnings! I appreciate that the author included them at the beginning of the book.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my ALC and St. Martin’s Press for my eARC. Left of Forever is out 5/20!

While this is set in Spunes, OR and the author noted that you don't have to read the first book, I felt like I was missing something because I hadn't read the other story set in the same town. This story followed a second chance romance trope and was structured a little interestingly. It started in the present, moved to the past to provide context, before coming back to the present. While I was happy for Wren and Ellis, the second chance romance isn't my favorite trope. The characters were always in reflective mode and did not spend a whole lot of time truly talking about the future. I did like how they reconnected, though, it was cute!