Easily my favorite Tarah DeWitt read yet! This book is an intensely vulnerable love story that will have you swooning. While second-chance romance isn’t always one of my favorite tropes, when it is done right (as it is here), it gets me in all the feels. Combine that with the small-town found family vibes, major spice, and fun humor, and you have Left of Forever!

This is DeWitt’s second book that takes place in the small town of Spunes, but you do not have to have read her first (Savor It) to fall in love with these characters and love story! Left of Forever is a stand-alone, told in alternating perspectives between Wren and Ellis—ex-spouses whose only child is about to head off to college. Life threw a lot their way, leading to their divorce five years earlier, but both begin to realize their feelings for one another never disappeared. To try to determine whether they should give their marriage a second try, the two plan a road trip to drop off their son at college and re-discover their feelings for each other along the way.

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt, Macmillan Audio, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley + Macmillan for the audio ARC!

This is my favorite Tarah DeWitt book yet. Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and I especially loved the story of this couple who had their son really young, and divorced five years ago. I feel like she handled Wren and Ellis’ relationship and rekindling with the care it deserved. You could feel the yearning and care these two had for each other, and I feel like we were really able to see their growth and how they worked through things. Itt was still spicy and passionate. The dual narration audio was fantastic.

As a mom to a boy this had me in my feels!

My new favorite DeWitt novel! A perfect balance of emotional, sweet, and spicy…very, very spicy! Megan Wicks and Connor Crais are a dream narrator duo for these characters. 10/10 would listen again!

second chance Romance. The writing and narration were perfection. I didn't realize this book was the second in the series but I was able to read as a standalone. this book has some spice which did get a tad embarrassing listening while I was out and about. there's always that scariness that my headset will disconnect and everyone will hear what I'm hearing. 🤭🫣

I absolutely adored this book. I cried at the end and it made me look at my own marriage and try harder.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC! I loved the narrators' voices for these characters; they seemed to fit perfectly.

I didn't realize this was the second book in a series going in, but it didn't make it difficult to understand what was happening. It worked as a standalone, too.

This was a really cute second chance romance, with a divorced couple learning to fall in love again. What I appreciated about this book was there weren't any big misunderstandings they had to get over, or any ridiculous scenarios that tore them apart - just real life getting in the way as it so often does. Wren and Ellis made a conscious decision to try to work things out, and because this is a rom-com, hilarity often ensued!

Although, this was not just fluff... there were some pretty steamy bedroom scenes too. Three chili peppers!

Now that I've finished this book I'm going to go back and pick up the first one and see how the other couple's story began. I'm invested in the Byrd fam now!

When I applied for this ARC I did not realize it was book two in a series, so I read Savor It first. To be honest, I did not enjoy Savor It that much, but I wanted to read Left of Forever so I pushed through. While reading Savor It I fell in love with Wren and wanted so badly for her and Ellis to find themselves back to one another. Well, it's safe to say that Left of Forever gave me everything I was looking for between Wren and Ellis. Their story was beautiful and hopeful. This second chance story was so well done and I am so thankful I was able to get an early copy of this. I will definitely have this in my bookstore!

Wren and Ellis Byrd met as children. feel in love as teenagers, had their kid before their twenties and divorced before their thirties. They were a perfect match until life happened. They live separate lives but they are friendly and they co-parent their son, Sam. Wren runs the bakery, Ellis is a firefighter and life went on, but they have not gotten over each other. 

Then, a fortuitous exchange of letters between strangers happens, giving Ellis some hope for a new beginning. When their son moves to college, he proposes a trip together to drive Sam there and come home together. It's a chance to let written words bridge the gap between them, to air out hurts and just maybe find find love again in what's left of forever.

Narrated dual style by Megan Wicks and Connor Crais, this audiobook is a must listen! They make you understand from the beginning how much love and longing there is between Wren and Ellis. Megan is phenomenal here. She narrates a good percentage of the book and you get every conflicted feeling that Wren goes through. Connor is charming as the determined, loving and dedicated dad and husband who had to grow up too fast and has had a hard time letting his feelings catch up. Kudos to both! 

Since we are back in Spunes, we catch up with Sage and Fisher and all the Byrd brothers and some of their appearances are hilarious. 

This second chance romance is filled with small town vibes, a hunky firefighter who's a devoted dad, a man who's pining for his ex-wife, a mama bear baker who sorts out her feelings through journals and letters, meaningful road trips (you'll see... SWOON!) and a wonderful HEA. Highly recommend!

Thanks, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. 

Content notes: mentions of ectopic pregnancy, teenage pregnancy, infertile, injuiries caused by fire, a secondary character has MS, animals in distress

I’m not usually the biggest fan for second chance romance. While I wouldn’t say I dislike it entirely, upon seeing the cover and reading the synopsis, I felt that I had to give this one a try. I’m so glad I did! This is my first read by Tarah DeWitt, and I devoured it. The chemistry between Wren and Ellis was incredibly intense; I found myself giggling and cheering for them wholeheartedly. They experienced young love and became parents at an early age, but sadly, their relationship ended in divorce. Together, they take their son to college and embark on a road trip to reassess their relationship.

It was refreshing to read a second chance romance where the characters genuinely explored each other's growth. The book is spicy, heartfelt, and truly one of a kind. I absolutely loved it!

Conner Crais (swoon!) and Megan Hicks delivered an impeccable narration. His deep, masculine voice combined with her playful rasp ignited my excitement for the story even more. A truly well-crafted audiobook!

This is my second time reading this book and the audio just about solidified that this is going to a top romance of the year for me. It was PERFECT. It was 5 stars going into the audiobook reread and 5+ stars coming out.

Connor Crais (as always) was the absolute best Ellis and Megan Wicks, who is a new to me narrator, was amazing. Her raspy voice was exactly how Dewitt describes her voice and I just can’t believe how much more I loved it. The duet narration made it feel like they were in my head and elevated the entire experience.

I will be shouting about this book to everyone I know and especially promoting the audiobook. A favorite audiobook of mine this year and I am only in May!

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt (Spunes #2)
Narrated by Connor Crais & Megan Wicks

Narrators were fantastic. Connor Crais is one of my favorite male narrators, and he delivers again here. Megan Wicks holds her own too, and together they really brought the story to life.

Tarah DeWitt’s writing is vivid and immersive—she shows, not tells, and her characters feel like real people. I’m a sucker for a well-done second chance romance, and this one hit the sweet spot. I especially loved that Ellis’s family didn’t “divorce” Wren just because the marriage ended. That loyalty felt so grounded and real. Honestly, with that kind of support system, it was hard to believe the two of them divorced in the first place—but maybe they needed that break to grow individually before finding their way back to each other.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series, so now I’m heading back to read the first Spunes book!

4.75 ✨ rounded up. Wow. Really loved this one. It was so REAL and raw, and I was totally invested in the story and their relationship.

Ellis and Wren met as kids, fell in love, got pregnant at 17, and later divorced. Now in their 30s with their son going off to college… they decide to road trip back home after dropping him off. Will they rekindle things? Is there still anything there between them? Oh boy I can’t wait for you to find out.

I was a little confided about some of the characters and their backstory, and that’s when I learned that there’s a first book (Savor It). Ooops. So anyway you might want to read that one first to know the characters better, but it could still be read as a stand alone.

Omg and her take on the only one bed trope in this book had me dying 😂 Basically this book has it all. Great characters, humor, spice, romance, emotional depth, and a great ending. Love love love.

***PUTTING A SPOILER DOWN BELOW, YOU’VE BEEN WARNED***








There were definitely a few parts that had me getting emotional, when they really opened up about where things went wrong before. But as soon as Sam started walking her down the aisle 😭 and then the whole speech by Silas… damn 🥹😭

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up

I enjoyed Savor It (book one in the series) & this one had so much potential in the early chapters ... while I've read a lot of second chance romances, this one just didn't live up to the hype or glowing reviews for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Tarah Dewitt for this gifted audiobook of Left of Forever!

This story is a sweeping second chance romance for the ages. Ellis and Wren are perfectly imperfect and their story is the fairytale that everyone dreams of. It might have been a little rocky, and they lost their way for a bit, but in the end the love these two have for each other overcomes all. The descriptions of their journey and the inner workings of their minds, folded me up like an origami bird. One that was thankfully given life by the depth of emotions between these pages, and set free when they finally found their way back to each other.

Dear god, the love I have for these characters is rivaled only by my love for the narrators. Megan Wicks and Connor Crais made this story come alive. Their narration felt like I was being told a story by a best friend in on of those strangely deep and heartfelt conversations you have when sleepovers start to wind down and the lights are all out, but you’re both still too awake to sleep.

I was so scared this book would break me. I was scared the pain and the things they went through would feel too big to overcome. But after reading this book and getting to see these characters be raw and open with each other and watch as their story unfolds? The whole thing was written beautifully, her writing style made me feel like I was listening to a symphony. I felt like I could close my eyes and let her writing take me away, feeling every bit of it in my soul until it came to a beautiful end that had me rising to tearfully applaud the performance. With just this book, Tarah DeWitt has convinced me that her love stories deserve to be revered. The kind that are retold and shared, for the sheer amount of love and happiness they provide. I can already see her name up there with the other romance greats.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

My review was posted to Goodreads on 5/6/25
My Instagram review will be posted on 5/7/25.
My Amazon review will be posted on 5/20/25.

Left of Forever is a beautiful second-chance romance from beginning to end. Savor It was one of my favorite romances last year, and Left of Forever will probably be my favorite romance of this year. This story made me feel every emotion. Ellis and Wren's story is heartbreaking, and the author does a fantastic job of making the reader understand why they separated but also want to root for them as they try to find their way back to each other. There was so much emotional vulnerability between the couple as they worked together on their relationship that I was in complete tears by the end.

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are a fan of second-chance romances with a decent amount of spice, you need to add this book to your TBR immediately.

Left of Forever is out May 20th.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review Left of Forever. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overall, I found this to be a heartfelt and charming second chance romance with strong emotional depth and an authentic portrayal of adult relationships. The small-town setting, Twilight references, and found family dynamics made it feel warm, nostalgic, and engaging. I especially appreciated the nuanced exploration of love after marriage and the challenges of rediscovering connection after time apart—something that isn’t often shown in rom-coms and was really refreshing to see.

The narration was also very well done. The voice actors brought the characters to life with warmth, clarity, and great emotional timing. The pacing and tone matched the heart of the story and made it easy to stay immersed.

One area of feedback: while the story had many engaging moments, there were a few points where the pacing felt a bit slow, particularly in the middle of the book. A slightly tighter structure in those chapters could keep momentum flowing more consistently without sacrificing the emotional depth.

That said, I truly enjoyed the listen and will be enthusiastically recommending this title to romance readers who love heartfelt second chances, cozy small towns, and a bit of fire—literally and figuratively.

I have to write this review through the tears. 😭 This was the BEST second chance romance I’ve ever read, granted I don’t read a lot of them.. but damn. I love this series so much. The emotion that Tarah DeWitt conveys through her characters and writing is incredible. I felt everything. I laughed out loud, I swooned, I cried! The audiobook is just delightful. Read this.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt. All opinions are my own.

Left of Forever is the second book in an interconnected standalone series. Book one was Savor It, which followed the sister to the main character of this book. While you don’t have to read them in order, there are a few minor spoilers from book one in this book. I really enjoyed Savor It, so I would recommend reading it too.

This romance was a lot spicier than I normally read or enjoy, but I still loved the story. I was able to skip over the explicit scenes pretty easily without missing out on much of the story.

The emotional intimacy in this book was so well done. I loved how Ellis and Wren gave each other a second chance after they gave up on their marriage the first time around.

I haven’t read many stories with the dynamics of this book. I think I really appreciated the romance and emotional aspects of this story even more because I could tell how much history these two characters had with each other. They knew each other so intimately, and it was beautiful to see them remember the things they loved about each other from before but also discover knew aspects they could appreciate about each other.

It was obvious how much effort these characters were putting into their relationship, and I really appreciated that character growth. It was also nice to see how they worked through past problems with maturity and communication.

I also really liked getting to spend more time with the Byrd family because they were such a fun group of people. I hope to get to read more about them in future books.

Overall, I would say that if you are intimidated by the spiciness of this book, you should still give it a try because it’s such a beautiful story. If you enjoy spice, then I think you’ll love not only the physical intimacy but also the beautifully romantic story of reconciliation.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and I absolutely loved it! These narrators were amazing and conveyed emotions so naturally. I definitely recommend this format!

Five star listen for this audiobook. The narrators bring Ellis and Wren to life and pack emotional punches as the leads find their way back to each other. They also do a great job of bringing side characters to life, especially characters from Tarah's previous works.

Wren and Ellis grew up best friends, as they got older friendship changed and they fell in love. Then when they were just seventeen and eighteen they got pregnant and had their one and only son, Sam. Now Sam is headed off to college but their relationship has been over for five years. Wren thinks she might finally be ready to move on, and Ellis has realized he wants to win her back. His subtle actions quickly make her realize that she has a crush on her ex husband. Ellis suggests that, on their way home from getting Sam settled at school, he and Wren take roadtrip to celebrate together. He has everything planned out and is prepared to do everything in his power to win her back. Little does he know that she is already on the path back to living him. On the trip they talk openly about their relationship. They both are trying to learn, grow, and not make the same mistakes again, while finding their way back to each other.
If you like a steamy, flirty, slow-burn, second chance romance this one is for you! Funny and heartfelt mixed with longing and all the best tropes this story will capture your heart quickly and keep it for every word and then some. Connor Crais does a phenomenal job as Ellis Byrd. His voice is deep and smooth, everything you want in MMC. And Megan Wicks was great as Wren. Her voice is warm with a hint of rasp that I just adore. I read my first book by Tarah in late 2024 and now this, the third book I’ve read from her maintains her perfect 5 star rating from me.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advance audiobook of Left of Forever by Tarah Dewitt.

This was my first book by Tarah and I can officially say I’m a fan. I really enjoyed listening to the book. This was a second chance romance between two high school sweetheart’s who had a baby in high school. The book starts five years after their divorce, but they both never truly got over one another.

They drop their son off at college and take a road trip back home together. During the trip they talk about their relationship and things they didn’t like that each other did in order to try again and not make the same mistakes.

I love how they were both trying to fix their relationship and I really felt the tension between Wren and Ellis. I loved that he wrote emails to her 😊 I am a sucker for that. I gave the book 4 stars, because I just wanted a little more. I think I wanted a little more tension between them before they got back together.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend if you love:

▪️second chance
▪️ High school sweethearts
▪️Duel pov
▪️Down bad MMC

Favorite quote:

“I’ll love you for everything left of forever, in every life time we get.”

I also really loved the audiobook and thought the narrators did an amazing job. I love that it was two narrators it made the book that much better.