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.

After reading "She's still a Byrd" in Savor It, I knew I needed to read this sequel, and it did not disappoint.

Wren and Ellis Byrd grew up together and ending up not only raising their son as teenagers, but also raising his siblings. As the years went on and further tragedy hits, they became more distant and divorced. 5 years later, their son is graduating, and Ellis plans a road trip to win Wren back.

Now I'm not typically a huge second chance romance type of a girl, but this was SO well done, especially since the reason they divorced was due to miscommunication.

I loved the letter writing at the beginning, the overbearing siblings, and the New Moon soundtrack references. The journaling about their past really put into perspective the love they had and never fully lost. I was full on cackling at times and sobbing at others. I saved so many quotes from Ellis.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All views and opinions are my own.

Pining for your (ex)wife has never been more soul-wrenching. I caught myself grabbing the collar of my shirt, knuckles white holding my breath, waiting for them to figure it all out. And I think that’s the hardest part and the best reason to read a real second-chance romance. The way that Wren and Ellis talk through things and listen to each other is nothing like any other novel I’ve read. Tender moments fold in easily with some of the funniest “oh-no* moments I’ve ever read in a book. I’ll say the spice in this book is *unmatched* and unforgettable. It’s only February and I might have just read my favorite book of 2025.

We have whatever is left of forever.. you and me’
My heart is so full. What an amazing eARC to have received 💕 I fell in love with Spunes, OR last month with Sage and Fisher’s story in Savour It. Now there may be a tie for my favourite couple. Wren and Ellis… damn have you both been through it. ‘ what happened to not putting a burnt cake back in the oven… think of all the things that only get better after they’ve been burnt…’ and damn are wren and Elise as sweet as the caramelized sugar! 💗 this was a unique story to me, I don’t think I have read a second chance romance plot and I think I really have been missing out. Every book in this series makes me want to move to Spunes more and more. The trip, what a beautiful, thoughtful surprise, I would take that road trip in a heartbeat! ‘ a couple hours later, Ellie and I are a hundred dollars poorer, Dewey from exertion and two colossal Care Bears richer’. And the new moon playlists… I’m dead, that’s too good 😌

I’d thought we could love each other through our hard times, but maybe we should have found our way through them too’.


The letters, the digging deeper into the dislikes and needs of each other was so healthy and real, if only everyone had a chance to do this maybe they would realized if they are truly meant to be together. I liked the line ‘ people are the sum of their experiences’ and that was really important for Wren and Ellis to see each othered perspectives on the events that led to their divorce. Tarah is so funny with her words, I think I actually laughed out loud a couple times, steptoCOCKus 🤣

If you are looking for a

Second chance romance
Small town
High school sweethearts
Epic road trip
All the feels

Do not miss reading this!!

Thanks to NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press and the author for this eARC 🤩

Also the playlist is 🔥🔥🔥 if I could have picked loml, silver springs and far away, I would have played those on this post too 🤭

I think this might be the most beautiful book I’ve ever read 😭😭😭 the way these two COMMUNICATE 😭😭 the way Ellis GROVELS 😭😭😭😭 love love love love

Shout out netgalley and SMG for the arc

I so wanted to love this book based on the book description, but I just could not get into it, no matter how hard I tried. The cover is absolutely stunning though!

This book will be literally one of my favorites books in '25. The setting is simply perfection, the characters relatable, and the emotions real. I am officially in love with the big boisterous Byrd family!

Dewitt's writing engages the reader with understanding of its characters and situations. The story flows seamlessly as we jump from the past to the present, written letters to in-person conversations, and the couples secret pining for more.

Wren & Ellis divorced five years ago after a marriage crisis neither could overcome. They have never abandoned their feelings even after years apart. Their second-chance waits on the open road as they deliver their son to college, and decide to spend a few days together.

Wren - fun loving, amazing mom, baker, sister and friend.
Ellis - insanely lovable, emotionally stilted, fire fighter and fiercely protective.

If you are looking to be swept away into the most perfect love story, pick this one up immediately.

Thank you St. Martins Press

Absolutely loved this book! I was looking forward to a new book by Tarah DeWitt after reading Savor It but was a little less excited after finding out it was a second chance romance. These aren’t usually my favorite. However, Tarah did a great job at bringing me around on this. I was invested the whole time and loved their story.

I didn’t expect to cry multiple times while reading this book, but here we are.

I love an exes to lovers, second chance romance, and when it’s DIVORCED exes, it’s even better. I fell in love with both of these characters and their beautifully woven family. The side characters were both heartwarming and hilarious, the plot’s trajectory was seamless and powerful, and the writing itself was such high quality.

I just had such a good time with this one. This is one of those books that you wish you could read again for the first time because it was just so memorable and hearty.

Maybe, hopefully, one day I’ll be able to return to Spunes… 👀

This book was so beautifully written. If you’re looking for a romance that’s mature, emotionally intelligent, thoughtful, and so beautifully human, then please… do yourself a favor and read this masterpiece of a book.

4 ⭐️

I loveeee a good second chance and I thought this was executed so well. I’m loving the surge of romances about younger couples finding their way back to each other after a number of years. These characters are also written very well and they were enjoyable to read about & route for them! Definitely recommend for a fun, quick romance. Thank you St. Martin’s Griffin for the advanced copy!

I was a little hesitant going into this since it's a second-chance romance—especially one involving a married/divorced couple—but Tarah DeWitt handled it beautifully. While we don’t necessarily get past POV scenes, the memories and journal entries scattered throughout paint a strong picture of Wren and Ellis falling in love for the first time—which I’ve found is something often lacking in second-chance romances. We’re not just expected to believe these two people were once in love (and still are); we can see it in their actions and feel it in their inner thoughts.

I did find it hard to relate exactly to some of Wren’s inner dialogue on being a parent and watching your child grow up, purely because I’m in a different stage of life, but I still appreciated it from the broader perspective of adjusting to big life changes and figuring things out when a major driving force in your life shifts. DeWitt did a great job taking a situation that won’t apply to everyone and making it feel more universally relatable.

The only reason this wasn’t a five-star read for me is that I wish Wren/Ellis had more than a week to reconcile and that they had deeper conversations about their past and their grievances before jumping into bed together. I found it a little hard to believe that after years of marital issues and five years of divorce and avoidance, it only took a few days for them to fully get back together. Not that it couldn’t happen—they clearly still love each other—but I’m always rooting for the slow burn. Even when things come to a head around the 80% mark and Wren finally shares what she believed to be their biggest problem, I felt that they didn’t really address it fully—before Ellis can respond or they have a real conversation about it, Wren is confessing her love and jumping his bones. So while I enjoyed their journey, I just wanted a bit more resolution to their marital issues before they jumped to physical intimacy.

Overall, I really enjoyed the writing and Wren/Ellis’ story—definitely one of the best second-chance romances I’ve read. (Also, loved the cute cameo from LaRynn and Deacon!!) And I’m really hoping we get books for Micah and Silas!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration.

I enjoyed this book, it was cute and felt warm and inviting. I found the premise interesting, if a bit unbelievable.. but what romance trope isn't a little unbelievable?? Reading about Ellis and Wren fall out of love and then back in love was a pleasure.

ARC from netgalley.

5 stars
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TW: Infertility, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury
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"She's kissing me. I'm home."

My heart is so full of these two. Left of Forever follows Wren and Ellis Byrd who fell in love as kids, got married, had a child together, and eventually divorced. Although the two of them have worked to be amazing co-parents to their son, Sam. They've lost that friendly connection that they had formed over the years. When Sam gets accepted into college in another town, Ellis convinces Wren to take an extended trip back to Spunes and see if they can give their love story another shot.

I love everyone in this book, I love the Byrd family so much. If you haven't read Savor It I would recommend it first, although this can be read as a standalone, you get even more of the Byrd family (who are hilarious). As a sucker for a second-chance romance, I love it even more when the other characters are rooting for a reunion. There are moments where Wren describes how young they all were while raising Sam, the Byrd family were practically all kids while trying to raise one as a unit. These moments had me sobbing, seeing how the dynamic never fully changed over time.

The character development is perfection, Wren is witty but doesn't shy away from what she needs from Ellis to make this work. Ellis is someone you can't help but love, also we love someone who is pro-therapy. This is possibly Tarah's best work, her words are crafted to bring this beautiful story on paper to life.

Also, this is SO hot. There's just something different about being with someone who knows your body.
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I would like to thank St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, Tarah DeWitt, and NetGalley for a copy of Left of Forever in exchange for an honest review - all thoughts and opinions formulated in this review are my own. Left of Forever is scheduled to publish on May 20th, 2025, you can pre-order your copy today.

An amazing, emotional second chance!! I love a second chance where we dive right in! Sometimes it can feel like I don’t have enough of a backstory or understanding of the couple but I had none of that here. I absolutely adored that we started with them exchanging letters, where Wren doesn’t know she’s writing to Ellis. It was such a fun way to get to know them each more. Their journey separately and as a couple was so emotional and heartwarming. When we find out the reasoning for Ellis’ planning of the road trip!!!! I was melted into a puddle

SHE’S STILL A BYRD

I have been a huge Tarah DeWitt fan since I first read Rootbound and I’ve loved all of her books since. She just has such a special way of writing that makes you feel like you’re in the story with all of the wonderful characters she creates. She puts their feelings on paper in a way that makes readers really understand them, almost as if you’re experiencing those feelings right along side the characters. Of course, Left of Forever was no different than Tarah’s previous books and was an easy five star read for me.

LoF had great pacing and the character development was top notch throughout this book. I loved getting to see a glimpse into Ellis & Wren’s past and how their love developed, changed, and matured over time. It was nice to see some real intentional communication between the main characters and watch them work together to get the happy ever after that they both so desperately wanted, with the perfect amount of spice sprinkled in.

I also loved the town of Spunes, OR (not to be confused with Forks, WA) and the supporting cast of characters. The more I read, the more I wished I could actually visit that sweet little town.

This book was full of little bits of pure magic, while remaining relatable, which is hard to find in romance books. I can’t wait to read about the rest of the Byrd family!

Tarah DeWitt has done it again. Left of Forever is a second-chance romance that hits every emotional beat flawlessly—funny, gut-wrenching, and oh-so-swoony. It’s the kind of book that lingers long after you turn the last page.

From the moment we step back into Spunes, it’s like reuniting with old friends. The Byrds are as chaotic and loveable as ever, and their presence makes Wren and Ellis’ story feel even richer. Wren is a beautifully complex heroine—strong yet vulnerable, holding onto past wounds while trying to carve out a future. And Ellis? Oh, Ellis. A man who loves deeply, carries his own burdens, and proves that some connections are impossible to sever. Their chemistry is undeniable, their history tangled with pain and longing, and watching them navigate their way back to each other is both heart-wrenching and deeply satisfying.

Beyond the romance, this book is packed with humor, steam, and the kind of emotional depth that makes DeWitt’s writing so special. It’s a story about forgiveness, about finding your way back to the person who has always felt like home.

This might just be the year for top-tier second-chance romances, and I am absolutely here for it. Put Left of Forever at the top of your TBR—when it releases in May, you’re going to want to drop everything for this one!!