*Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillan Audio for access to a review copy and advanced listening copy of this book!

I think I'm obsessed with Tarah DeWitt and her writing. After finishing Left of Forever I need to acknowledge how perfectly she puts together a romance.
I was a bit cautious when I realized the premise of Left of Forever having previously read books where couples are trying to reconnect/find their way back to each other and not necessarily loving them. I should have had more faith in DeWitt's skill. She creates an absolutely captivating romantic story in this book.
This story doesn't work if the main characters aren't written with depth and nuance. Truly, characterization is essential to the success of this story. Fortunately, DeWitt does an incredible job developing two distinct characters, who's history and current status vividly leap off of the page, allowing for an all consuming and immersive reading experience.
DeWitt forces her characters to have challenging and uncomfortable conversations about their pasts and the breakdown of their relationship. The inclusion of these devastating, but necessary, conversations is part of what makes this story feel so real, raw, and believable.
The side characters included throughout this book help to enhance our understanding of the depth of connectedness between our main characters. They're also a lot of fun and bring moments of levity to the story while not detracting from the romance.
And the audiobook? Absolutely fantastic. I find myself challenged by male narration in romance novels, but am so happy to state that I thought Connor Crais was a fantastic choice for our male main character. His voice is kind of stunning, with the perfect depth and grit. And Megan Wicks...chef's kiss!
I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read such a wonderful romance, one that I highly recommend.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Wow. This book has some of the best lines and most beautiful thoughts! It is one of the most tender and beautiful love stories I've read. You can feel Ellis' and Wren's yearning and pining from page 1. The depth of emotions still flowing out of these 2 was so good.

I loved the way the story was woven between the past and the present. It really opened up their feelings and events to us in the perfect way. I loved Ellis' commitment and dedication to doing what HE needed to do to be in a place where he could contribute to a working relationship. He was willing to change himself. Similarly, Wren recognized some things she could do better as well. They both were vulnerable and open and able to make those deep connections. I loved the idea that we can be the change - that don't have to just wait for the other person to change. And sometimes the changes we make in ourselves make all the difference.

This is may not be popular thought - but I actually wish there was less spice and more of that tension and connection. The emotional connection is what makes the story so beautiful, it doesn't have to have all the spice. :) And the second half was almost drowning in the spice. You could have taken that yearning all the way up to 80/85% of the book and I would have been there for all of it!

I cried at the end. Couldn't help myself!

Stars: 4.5
Content: multiple open door, strong language

PS - the narrators are FANTASTIC!

I had previously read this book with an advance reader copy and this story quickly became the top book I read this year. I knew I wanted to immediately reread, so when I received the advance listener copy I thought that this meant to me. And man - was I NOT disappointed. This audio book was so incredible. The voice of Wren was impeccable. She sounded wise and older, and not in a bad way, just in a - I've lived a lot of lives and I've had to grow up fast way. And Ellis? My goodness. Perfection.

The audio truly added to this story. The narrators did an incredible job to portray the angst and emotion of this story. Highly HIGHLY recommend this story. This is for sure the top read of my year, if not, my life.

I absolutely loved this beautiful, funny, heartfelt, sweet & steamy romance! Wren and Ellis's moving, 'second chance at love' story was so compelling that I couldn't stop reading, needing more as I devoured every moment! Wren and Ellis were each other's person since they were kids. They fell in love as teen and Wren had their baby boy, Sam, at seventeen. They both grew up taking care of other people, not really discovering who they themselves were. When challenges were too difficult, they divorced. Now four years later, Sam is going to college and Ellis talks Wren into a road trip to drop Sam off at school. Ellis is determined to show Wren he is a better man, but is Wren willing to open her heart to him again? They had never stopped loving each other, but could they be vulnerable enough to try for a second chance, or strong enough to trust that they won't break their heart for good? I loved this exploration into the relationship of a married couple. They love each other so much, but had lost their ability to really see and appreciate each other. Their road trip was fun, and their journey back to each other was poignant, and heartfelt. I loved Wren and Ellis, who felt real and authentic and their relationship was so moving, and hard fought. They were so perfect together and their passion and chemistry only grows more explosive. I loved seeing the relationships they had with their meddling family and friends who added so much fun, and heart to this story as well. I was totally captivated by this journey through love, laughter, guilt, anger, heartbreak, hope, healing, and joy!
Narrators, Connor Crais and Megan Wicks did an amazing job with this story. Their voices were so complimentary and were perfect for Ellis and Wren. They easily move from light to genuine, deep emotion, making my heart race between laughter, anguish, passion, and tears of joy. I really enjoyed their performance and thought they did a great job bringing these characters, and this story to life!

This was my first Tara DeWitt book (via Audible), and I absolutely loved it. Wren and Ellis have been through it all—young love, teenage pregnancy, marriage, and ultimately, divorce. The only problem? They’re still in love... they just can’t admit it.

With their son heading off to college, they take a road trip to drop him off and plan to drive home together, adding in a little vacation along the way. Their lives are still deeply intertwined, and this trip feels like a make-or-break moment for both of them. Talking through the ups and downs of their marriage, sharing their feelings (finally) and breaking open a few wounds and healing some others is what these two needed.

The emotional depth of this story really got to me—it was such a beautiful, second-chance, slow-burn romance that I couldn’t stop listening to. The narration on Audible was perfection, and the story stayed with me for days.

Now I think I need to go back and read the first book in the series—because if this one was this good, I can’t imagine missing out on the rest!

You had me at Connor Crais. . .

I had previously read an eARC of Left of Forever and absolutely loved the story. So when I saw that Connor Crais was narrating, I knew that I needed to get my hands on the audio, and I was not disappointed. This was also my introduction to Megan Wicks as a narrator, and she will now be an auto-listen narrator.

Connor and Megan do an absolutely phenomenal job of bringing Ellis and Wren to life. They handle Wren and Ellis's story with the care of those that understand the intricacies and complexities of relationships and how they can evolve over time. The tenderness, trepidation, and passion of the relationship are all palpable with Connor and Megan's embodiment of the characters. Every aspect of the story was made better with their interpretation of the situations that Ellis and Wren find themselves in as well as all of our favorite secondary characters.

Left of Forever is a beautiful, second-chance love story that Connor Crais and Megan Wicks absolutely do justice.

Tarah DeWitt has done it again — Left of Forever completely stole my heart. I loved this book from beginning to end. The emotional depth and slow unraveling of Wren and Ellis’s relationship was so beautifully done. Watching them drift apart and then slowly, tenderly find their way back to each other was incredibly heartwarming. It felt real and raw in all the best ways.

The flirty banter between Wren and Ellis? Chef’s kiss. I absolutely ate it up! It was the perfect mix of charm, longing, and humor, and it made their dynamic so fun to read while still carrying that emotional weight underneath.

The audiobook was also phenomenal — the narrators brought Wren and Ellis to life in such a vivid, emotional way. Their performances made the chemistry and tension between the characters feel even more tangible. I felt every pause, every sigh, every ounce of hope and heartbreak.

And can we talk about how amazing it is that we’re continuing the Byrd family stories after Savor It? Getting to revisit this world and these characters feels like catching up with old friends. DeWitt writes with such sincerity and warmth — this story is going to stay with me for a long time.

The way I felt this book to my core is not normal! Tarah DeWitt you made me go through all the emotions with this story!

This book was better than I had imagined, it was so romantic, and emotional, yet sexy and funny.

We follow Wren and Ellis who are a divorced couple going to drop off their son to college and making a vacation out of it, the intent is to see if they could give they story a second chance. With that storyline, my heart never stood a chance!

As Wren and Ellis go on their journey, we learn more from their past, how it drove them apart and what they are willing to compromise and work out to give their love a second chance. I loved the glimpses we got to see of the rest of the family and how their support towards the main characters was always there regardless of their decision. It entirely warmed my heart.

The audiobook was pure perfection, Connor and Megan did a phenomenal job with their narration. They made the characters real and the feelings much more stronger. I was obsessed with the duet style narration and the level of closeness they were able to portray.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this ALC.

Tropes:
* Second chance romance
* Road trip romance
* Small town romance
* High school sweethearts
* It’s always been you

Note: This book is connected to Savor It. While you could read this one as a standalone, Savor It gives so much background about the characters in this book.

Let me start by saying that so many people are loving this book, and I know that I’m in the minority! I urge you to try it for yourself if it sounds like something you would love. For me, it had so many sweet moments, but too much miscommunication.

I loved how much history Wren and Ellis have together and how it feels so obvious to everyone else that they belong together. However, I was missing seeing why that was actually true. I wish it would’ve been dual timeline. I wanted more about who they were when it worked and to be in their heads as it went wrong in order to understand how they could work together again.

The communication (or lack thereof) was the most frustrating thing for me. So many times, they would get close to discussing something important to their relationship, but one of them would deflect with physical affection. There was so much spice so fast after reconciliation, it made me wonder if that’s all they missed about the other. But then the inner monologues would start and they were so introspective in their own heads. I absolutely loved the journal entries that were filled with honesty and reflection. I wanted more of that in conversations! While they did finally talk about why their relationship didn’t work the first time, it took so long to get there. It felt like if they had just had that conversation FIVE years ago, everything would’ve been fine and they likely would’ve stayed married.

I read this book with a combination of e-book and audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by Connor Crais and Megan Wicks. These two did an amazing job and their voices were great matches for the characters.

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the e-ALC; all opinions are my own.

Read if you like:
💕 Second chance romance
💕 Marriage in crisis
💕 Road trip romance
💕 Small town

not to alarm you but left of forever comes out in 4 days! if you’ve followed me for even a day you know i love this book. i won’t shut up about it. i cry over the byrds in my stories daily and i’m always recommending it. i know i won’t do the book justice and there are far more eloquent reviews but i’ll at least try.

ever since i read “she’s still a byrd” in savor it i was LOCKED IN to wren and ellis. this book gutted me. i’m talking i was crying like every other page. wren and ellis have a deep and rich history and i could feel all of their heartache but also their expansive love. i was aching with them but i also found myself laughing and swooning and rooting for these people i knew were meant to be. the love that they still had for each other was palpable but what i love about their story is how intentional they were. wren and ellis are both fighting with everything they have to get each other back. they’re fighting their tendencies to take on everything alone and instead learn to be vulnerable with the each other and they’re fighting to show that despite how it ended, their love deserves a second chance. they both go through such a beautiful transformation and i had so much admiration for wren and ellis. their journey to reconciliation was one of the most beautiful and sexiest roadtrips i’ve ever been on!

one of my favorite parts about the spunes series is the love that the characters have for their family and their community. the byrds love each other in a bone deep way that makes my heart overflow. there’s this feeling of the most unconditional love between all of them and that will always bring me back to this series.

left of forever is one of the most romantic, emotional, funny, sexy, and hopeful love stories i’ve ever read. if you love romance i know this book is going to be your new favorite, trust me this one is special! if you love audiobooks you have to listen to this one. Megan and Connor killed this narration and brought so much life to Wren and Ellis! i can’t wait for my next trip to spunes 💖

thanks to you had me at hea and netgalley for the arc and alc! tarah has an incredible playlist for lof that’s been on repeat but i picked some songs that remind me of lof and have them on the last slide! anyway she’s still a byrd CAW CAW!!!

Swoony and perfect. I love it. I knew from their few lines in Savor It that they were bound to end up together but being in their minds and back in Spunes was a delight. Love Tarah Dewitt's writing.

I love a second chance/marriage in trouble and Ellis is an incredible MMC-i love how in love he is with ren. The cooking class seen had me ACTUALLY laughing out loud it was truly hilarious-romance novels need more of that. I will say i feel like this lacked some conflict resolution for the two main characters and i felt a little confused about how they got to the point of wanting to take the trip anyway, but it was still almost a 4 star for me.

Wow, I knew Tarah DeWitt was incredible, but I am STILL blown away. Calling Left of Forever a gorgeous book is an understatement. The prose, the emotions, the story—Tarah has written a story that draws you in and punches you in the heart (in the BEST WAY). I love Ellis and Wren with my whole heart. The way they love each other!!!! The severity in which they love each other!!!! I’m blown away. I don’t know if I’ll ever recover.

My first Tarah DeWitt novel, and certainly not my last because I absolutely DEVOURED this book! It cracked my heart open and stitched me back up again — a perfect second chance love story!

Left of Forever follows Wren and Ellis Byrd, former spouses who agree to road trip home together after dropping their son off at college. During their travels, they will be reminded of the happiness they shared, reflect on the moments that led to their separation, and decide if a future together is possible again.

This novel is full of emotional weight while remaining humorous and tender. The audiobook beautifully conveyed this tone, skillfully read by Connor Crais and Megan Wicks. Both narrators did a wonderful job bringing ex spouses Ellis and Wren to life, imbuing their performances with the type of intimacy and vulnerability you’d expect from two characters who have known each other since childhood. Connor Crais nails the wistfulness in Ellis’ voice as he recounts him and Wren’s relationship and Megan Wicks brings Wren’s playful side to light with lovely authenticity.

A major strength of this audio production is that it becomes duet style when Wren and Ellis exchange mixed media letters, emails, and texts. It is such a smart way to keep the dialogue flowing without confusing the listener as to which character is speaking. I am usually irked with the monotonous way texts are exchanged in audiobooks but this was a great solution to keep listeners engaged.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so good! I love when the characters are a little older and more settled in their personal lives, and this book gave me that in spades. Wren and Ellis were both such believable characters because they had both experienced hardship in life, but both also maintained a level of optimism about what their futures, both individual and together, could hold. I was invested in the journeys they were on and the trip they took for their son that ultimately aided in their reconciliation. Their roadtrip was emotional, but there were funny moments peppered throughout that balanced the heavier parts. Tarah did a great job balancing everything, and I never felt like there was a moment when listening that dragged on. The voice actors were also perfect for their roles. When listening, I could see each character take shape in my mind. The switching back and forth with the voices flowed naturally and the tempo of the book made sense. With Ellis especially, I loved his growth throughout the book and his willingness to be a better man then he was and to make permanent changes to ensure his relationship with Wren would last. This is a book where you just know, ten years later, the couple is still together. I was invested from the start and felt like the whole book had a sense of completion when I was done, not just with the love story, but with many of the side characters, as well. I would absolutely recommend this book for anyone that lives second chances and more mature main characters. It was a great story, and I can’t wait to read more from Tarah Dewitt!

Another winner from Tarah DeWitt. This book is absolutely beautiful and the audiobook is really well done. I loved the maturity of these two main characters and the lack of miscommunication. Wren is deeply sympathetic and lively main character. She is complicated and has a interesting relationships with her friends and family. I do wish we had gotten a bit more of Ellis' reflections on himself in the second half of the book but his internal monologue is so sweet towards Wren and I loved him as a character, especially in the first half. The second chance aspects of the work are well done also. DeWitt does a great job of making us understand their initial divorce without assigning blame and you can just feel throughout the entire work that these two are meant to be together.

While this book may seem fluffy on the surface, it really packs a punch. It made me reflect on motherhood, my own marriage and even my relationship with my own postpartum body. I even cried at the end, which is pretty rare for me, especially audiobooks. The ending is a touch silly but I think most readers will love it.

Can't wait for the next book in the series!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I felt like the story was rushed. The characters were a bit flat with their interactions, I didn’t feel the passion or angst between them. I also wished for a bit more spice to keep me entertained.

Despite accidentally requesting this book not realizing it was part of a series, I still had a super good time! This was such a sweet second chance romance and I really adored Wren and Ellis. I’m 100% going to need to go back to book one to fall in love with Sage and Fisher and I hope more books in this universe are to come!

I LOVE THE BYRDS. Do you like yearning? This book is top tier emotional damage and love. Ellis and Wren are divorced and after the "she's still a byrd!" scene in Savor it I've been desperate for more from them. When their son, Sam, is getting ready to move away to college, both Wren and Ellis are forced back together on a road trip to see if their connection can be rekindled. Spoilers, it fucking can and it's delicious. This is what I want from Second Chance Romance, a connection that truly cannot fade no matter how much time passed.

There's some miscommunication because both kind of jump to conclusions rather than talking. BUT we see Ellis taking tips from therapy and becoming a better self to try to make things work. UGH. My heart. If he wanted to he would!

The audio narration was phenomenal. The performances by Connor Crais & Megan Wicks were filled with so much raw emotion. I loved this so much.

There are some heavier topics regarding birth and motherhood.

🐦 Spicy & Emotional
🐦 Character Driven Story
🐦 Second Chance Romance
🐦 Forced Proximity
🐦 Road Trip
🐦 Found Family

Thank you NetGalley, St Martins Press and Macmillian Audio for the eARC & ALC for review.

This was my first time listening to Conor Crais and wow—now I get why he has such a fanbase. His voice fit the emotional depth and intensity of the story perfectly. Megan Wicks (whose delivery was equally strong) nailed every emotional beat, from quiet heartbreak to playful banter. Their chemistry brought Tarah DeWitt’s words to life in a way that made the story even more immersive. The second-chance romance felt raw and real, with standout moments like the heartfelt letters, the therapy journey, and the deep, earned vulnerability. 5 star book and narration!