This is by far the best romance I will ever read. Tarah DeWitt actually destroyed my heart and put it back together. Ellis and Wren were absolutely everything and Connor and Megan really brought them to life, I can’t say enough good things about these narrators.

I received an audio ARC from the publisher on NetGalley. First, the narrator was amazing. Her voice and way that she tells the story made it even more enjoyable. The story is as wonderful as the authors prior books, but arguably even better told and written. The story was relatable and applicable to everyday life of our own or someone we all know. Beautiful story that had me smiling the whole time.

This is Tarah DeWitt’s best novel yet, hands down. I say that as somebody who does not love second chance romances, but Left of Forever is truly something special. Ellis and Wren’s love story immediately hooked me and would not let go until I finished it.

Wren and Ellis are childhood sweethearts who got married and had a child young, but somewhere along the way they lost their connection. They’ve been divorced for five years now and most days it’s hard to even be in the same room. When it’s time to drop their son off at college, Ellis sees this as the perfect chance get his wife back. A weeklong road trip along the west coast with nothing to do but have fun and learn how to reconnect with each other.

This book was so beautifully written. You can feel the depth of love Ellis and Wren have for each other. And the yearning - my god. Once they realize the feelings are still there and they might actually be able to rekindle their relationship, you can’t help but feel hopeful for them. The road back home is filled with plenty of fun moments, but Ellis and Wren don’t shy away from the difficult topics that caused the demise of their marriage. You will feel all of the emotions along with the characters - heartbreak, longing, so much passion, so much hope. I really, really loved this book.

🎧 Connor Crais and Megan Wicks were the perfect narrators for this book. They work so well together to give life to Wren and Ellis, and they captured every emotion flawlessly. I HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the review copies.

I haven’t been a lifelong romance reader—fantasy, romantasy, and dystopian worlds have always been more my thing. But lately I’ve been dipping into contemporary romance, and I’ve realized something: I need this genre to emotionally wreck me a little to really fall in love with it. If I’m crying, sobbing, or blowing my nose, then it’s making an impact. Left of Forever did exactly that!

This book was deeply emotional, unexpectedly sweet and tender, and hit me right in the feels—especially during the final 25%, which had me fully invested and sobbing on my patio. It was my first real experience with a second chance romance, and I was surprised by how much I adored the concept.

The characters were incredibly endearing. Wren felt like someone I’d love to be friends with, and Ellis was just a giant burly man being vulnerable and getting all up in his feels.

This story was sweet, aching, and healing in all the right ways.

Left of Forever absolutely lives up to the hype. The story follows Wren and Ellis, childhood sweethearts who became parents at 17. As life unfolded, they drifted apart and eventually divorced—yet it’s clear they never truly moved on. When they reunite to drop their child off at college, a road trip along the West Coast offers them a chance to re-explore not only the landscape, but also the possibility of rekindling their love.

The emotional depth of this book is extraordinary. The longing. The vulnerability. The authentic conversations. Both main characters demonstrate emotional maturity in a way that feels rare and refreshing in contemporary romance. They confront their past, express their needs, and advocate for themselves and each other with sincerity and heart.

The writing is immersive—you feel like you're in the room with them, witnessing each raw, tender, and honest moment. I was deeply moved by how much these two still cared for one another, and how hard they fought for a second chance.

If you're looking for a poignant, realistic portrayal of love, growth, and second chances, I can’t recommend Left of Forever enough. It’s a beautiful example of what a healthy relationship can look like—flawed, earnest, and full of heart.

Rating: 5/5

What a strong second chance love story – two people having drifted apart and then finding their way back to each other. Wren and Ellis didn't just date in the past, they were married and have a son who's ready to move out to college. I loved to see how they found their way to each other again! The audiobook narration was engaging and easy to follow.

This book might be my favorite I’ve read so far this year!!!

As we’ve come to expect from a Tarah DeWitt novel this book is Beautifully written! This book handles a tricky divorce with such grace and forgiveness and understanding that it made me cry. I connected so much to the main characters without having lived their exact situation.

I loved the road trip they go on. I loved how their son is woven in throughout the story but as an 18 year old young adult and is treated that way throughout.

I seriously highly recommend you give this one a try! Super deep, meaningful romance that will stay with you long after you finish the book!

I'm so grateful I had a chance to read one of the best books of 2025 not once, but twice before its release!

You just know if an audiobook is a duet it'll slap. Listening to Left of Forever felt so divine. Recommend 100%.

Reading "Savor It" I knew I needed an EllisWren book with my entire soul. (Yes, second chance is, in fact, my favorite trope, so what?)
And Tarah DeWitt delivered...

If you've read Sage's book, then you already know Ellis and Wren: childhood friends to lovers to young parents to... unfortunately divorced. In "Left of Forever" their son Sam gets accepted into his dream school, so all 3 of them go down to Cali to set Sam up at his new place. But, the best part of it all, on the way back home Ellis and Wren plan to take a week long de-tour trip together.

It hurt just the right amount, reading these two soulmates struggle to be apart, trying to move on... This book has such a beautiful balance of longing, denial, delusion and hope. I haven't even mentioned my favorite part: the hand written letters!

I think it's me. I just don't vibe with this author's writing. I read Savor It and the The Co-op and just didn't like them. I heard such good things about this book, so I requested it.

But...no, not for me.

The storyline just didn't work for me. Ellis and Wren married very young, had a child who is now going to college, been divorced for five years and NOW decide to try again with their marriage????

The narrators did help, though. Megan Wicks and Connor Crais are both excellent.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advanced readers copy. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“We have whatever’s left of forever, you and me.”

Another second chance romance that’s done it for me again! This was such a quick and enjoyable read. I love wren and all her sweet treats, the things I’d do to taste her baked goods everyone rave about lol Ellis is so filthy and I ate up every second 🤭

I read this in less than 24 hours which is so crazy to me. The audiobook helped a lot, it was sooo good!!! This book was “read now” on NetGalley and I’m happy I decided to get it.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC. *forehead kisses* 😘

ARC REVIEW (5/20/25): left of forever by tarah dewitt 🍷 can love bring them back to what’s left of forever?

within a fifteen hour window (eight of those were spent sleeping) I started and finished this romance. I was absolutely blown away by ellis & wren’s love story. hands down this was the most romantic book I’ve ever read 🤎

the epitome of the second chance trope. the pacing, the banter, the dialogue- everything was to die for. 336 pages of intimacy. the road trip and secret letter exchange had me kicking my feet. I absolutely loved reading about these two very real characters finding their way back to each other… and most importantly, back to themselves as a whole 🍂

🌲 ​​“ if you won't have me back anymore, then I'll find you in the next life. you are the only thing that makes me believe in that. in something bigger than myself. the way I have felt about you has been the only thing that's felt like... like it can't be contained in one body or lifetime.” 🌲

there were no dry eyes once I started nearing the end. thank you macmillan audio for the early copy, I’m forever in your debt 🎧 5 stars!

Left of Forever is how you write a second-chance romance. Rather than basing a breakup in trivial circumstances or simple miscommunications that many of the romances in this category do, Ellis and Wren’s story is complex, honest, and realistic portrayal of a growing distance between a husband and wife. This is such a beautiful book of a couple that has been together forever, but is discovering each other in new ways for the first time.

Returning to Spunes was everything I’d hoped for and more, because Tarah DeWitt’s writing gets better with each book. You don’t have to read her previous book Savor It to enjoy this latest story, but you will appreciate the connections and friendships more if you read them in publication order. She’s created something special with the Byrd family, and I hope to read more of their stories in the future.

It takes a pair of narrators in sync to pull off the perfect dual point-of-view, and Connor Crais and Megan Wicks do exactly that. Their performance captures all that is Ellis and Wren, and give the exactly right voices to their raw emotions and vulnerability. If you want to feel this story even more, opt for the audiobook. I listened to this weeks ago, but I can still hear Wren and Ellis in my head.

Second chance romance isn’t usually my jam, but I loved the writing style & the fact that they were both in their 30s. The spice was great & there were lots of funny moments! Also loved the side characters, especially Silas.

Wren & Ellis have been divorced for 5 years & after they drop off their son at college, they go on a road trip together to either get some closure or see if they can reconnect.

*Note: I haven’t read Savor It, the first book in this series, so this can absolutely be read as a standalone. I didn’t feel like I missed anything.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Writing a really great second chance romance—one of my favorite tropes—is a tall order. The author has to convince us of the reason for the break-up in the first place; that the couple is ready to get back together now; and that the original relationship was worth going through all the pain of reconciliation. Tarah DeWitt's LEFT OF FOREVER absolutely nails it.

This is a very character-focused book, with little external plot, which suits the story well. DeWitt hones in on the intimacy, in all its heartache and hope, between Wren and Ellis. Though the road trip takes up less of the story than I expected based on the blurb (they don't set out on it until nearly halfway through the book), it's a perfect use of close proximity to force our characters to confront the tension between them. I screeched and then clutched my chest (literally!) when Ellis reveals why he chose the seemingly random stops and adventures he did. And the best part about this book, I think, is the seriousness and earnestness with which Wren and Ellis talk about all the places, big and small, where they went wrong.

Bonus: I stan men in therapy, men who cry, and men with mustaches, apparently.

This is a book for second chance lovers and skeptics alike. Highly recommend the audiobook; narrators Megan Wicks and Connor Crais are stellar.

Rating: 👍🏻👍🏻 (really liked)

Major thanks to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the ALC!

I fear this book may have actually ruined me for all other romances. Tarah firmly took my heart and squeezed the life out of it before wrapping it up and giving it a little hug. Ellis and Wren’s story is simultaneously heartbreaking and warming. It is a tale of a divorced couple finding their way back to each other. There was so much tension and passion still there, but also a lot of pain and trauma that they needed to work through. I LOVE a second chance romance and seeing people who couldn’t work before put in the effort to make it work the second time around. There were so many precious things in this book. The letter writing and then subsequent exchanges, the road trip and planned excursions. I could not handle all the ways this book destroyed me, but in such a good way.

Ellis is a man among boys. His level of yearning and devotion is top notch. The way this man went and started working on himself before even trying to get back with her was everything. He knew if he wanted her back he had to be better than he was before and in a place where he was able to be a healthy partner for her. The planning and work he put into all the little details had me squealing and crying. I LOVE HIM.

Wren also had so much growth and introspection. The way both of these characters realized where they needed to work on themselves first in order to be good together was just so perfect. I loved getting to work through a lot of her feelings about the past and seeing her open up to possibilities again.

I need everyone to read this book immediately. It is my favorite Tarah DeWitt book yet!

🎧: The audio of this is one of my favorite contemporary audios by far! Connor and Megan were phenomenal as Ellis and Wren. They perfectly embodied these characters and truly transported me into the story. Megan’s voice as Wren is actual perfection. She has this gravely raspy alto to it that tickled my ears in just the right way. I HIGHLY recommend the audio to listen to!

Thank you St Martins Press and MacMillan Audio for the arc and alc!

This book isn’t just a love story — it’s a soul story. It cracked me open in the quietest way. The kind of slow, tender unraveling that feels like being seen... even in the places you try to hide.

Tarah writes with this emotional fluency that makes the mundane feel magical. Her words don’t shout. They settle in. Like warm light through old curtains. And the romance? God, it’s patient. It’s grown. It’s this quiet, powerful blooming that just lingers on your skin.

The narration? Flawless. Every pause, every inflection, every broken laugh or whisper — it all felt so intimate. So human. There were moments I forgot I was listening to a book at all. It felt like being let in on someone’s deepest truth. I felt their grief. Their fear. Their joy. Their love.

Their performances weren’t flashy. They were soulful. Understated in the most devastatingly beautiful way. This wasn’t just an audiobook. It was intimacy, bottled and poured directly into your ears.

Megan's performance was delicate without ever feeling weak — she carries this gentle sadness in her voice that made Wren’s emotional weight so real. She captured that layered ache of a woman who's been holding too much for too long, and somehow made the hope in Wren's voice feel just as potent as the heartbreak. Her delivery in the quieter scenes? Stunning. And when Wren let her guard down? Megan made it feel sacred. She made Wren feel like someone I know. Someone I am, maybe. I felt Wren’s guilt, her longing, her strength… all of it lived in Megan’s delivery. It was like listening to grief and grace braided together.

Connor delivers Ellis with this grounded warmth that’s impossible to fake. He doesn’t force emotion — he lets it rise slowly, like someone who’s not used to saying what he feels until it all spills out. His voice held grief, guilt, protectiveness — all these undercurrents that made Ellis feel like a real man, not a romance archetype. He never pushed emotion — he let it simmer. His pacing was unhurried, like Ellis was someone who needed to choose his words carefully, not because he didn’t feel deeply, but because he felt too much. And that made the vulnerable moments? Absolutely devastating. And when Ellis loves, you hear it. There’s this almost reverent softness in Connor’s tone during the intimate moments. He gave Ellis a voice that felt strong, flawed, and deeply yearning. And I’m still not over it.

Left of Forever isn’t just a title — it’s a promise. That some loves don’t fade. They settle in your bones and stay. If you want to feel every inch of a second-chance love story — this is the way to hear it.

I loved this novel!

I don't know how Tara does it- drops the reader in the middle of an already established family with all these circumstances already in place, and still I didn't feel left out or like I needed to catch up. It's like I always knew these characters and this family, I was right there with them amidst the private jokes and sibling interconnectedness.

Narration:
I loved both the female & male narrators here. There was a maturity and warmth to their tones that fit the novel perfectly

Description:
In #LeftofForever we meet baker Wren, once a teenaged mom, now single mom & amicable co-parent, divorced from her childhood love, firefighter Ellis Byrd, going on 5 years now. Seemingly out of left field, Ellis suggests they road trip together after dropping their son off at college to see if there's anything left between them, and if not, maybe they can try at being better friends instead of actively avoiding each other at every turn.

Wren can't deny that she never fully got over Ellis but she has been trying to move on, and if they couldn't do it the first time around what makes Ellis think this time will be any different? Still, she never stopped loving him and if there was ever a time to give it a shot now would be it, so she agrees and off they go... Will they be able to peel back the pain of old wounds to figure out how to do things differently the second time around?

Review:
I loved everything about this novel. The built in history between the characters, the pure love between them, the tangible chemistry, the earnestness of Ellis to get things right, to try & listen better, to hear and be heard. I loved that they each had their own special relationships with Ellis' siblings, each their own bond with their son. I loved the way they heard each other out, gave space for communication and held on tight to something that always felt once in a lifetime. I loved how they approached moving forward by asking for unfiltered honesty of each other. I loved how it was infused with humor but it was also tender at times. I loved getting to revisit these characters from Savor it and I hope to see more of the Byrds!

I was immediately impressed by the pace of this book. We were thrown into these character's lives from the first sentence. This was perfect for a story about people with an already established history. It would have felt artificial if we were given a lot of background and a slow build. That quality pacing continued through the book and helped the characters be engaging, realistic and relatable.

Left of Forever | Tarah Dewitt
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

📖 My heart is still picking itself off the floor after this one. I’m a sucker for the “meant to be lovers finding each other again after they become better versions of themselves” trope. This book was heartbreaking in parts but SO romantic. Can’t wait to pick up Left of Forever on May 20th! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC audiobook!

Synopsis: After dropping their son off at college, divorced couple Wren and Ellis go on a roadtrip to try to rediscover their love and give their relationship one more chance.

Thoughts: This will be one of my favorite romances of the year, calling it now! I love second chance romance, and it is SO well done in this story! Wren and Ellis are so freaking sweet and their story is so raw and real and emotional. Watching a couple be vulnerable and rediscover their love after so much hardship really gets me in the feels. Wren and Ellis individually have a lot of depth and growth, and then their relationship progression on top of that makes for such a compelling read. There is quite a bit of spice, including a scene with an unfortunate literal hot pepper incident, but it all fits so perfectly with their relationship journey. The pacing is excelling, the road trip setting is fun, and the side characters are wonderful. I have zero complaints. Note: Check the triggers, there are a couple big ones! Also, please do yourself a favor and read Savor It first - you will get more out of this one if you do, and Savor It is also amazing.
Loved the audio narration!
Read this if you like:
🐦‍⬛ second chance romance
🐦‍⬛ family
🐦‍⬛ road trip
🐦‍⬛ single parents
🐦‍⬛ firefighter mmc
🐦‍⬛ marriage in crisis
🐦‍⬛ dual pov
🐦‍⬛ spice