The second chance romance of my absolute dreams. The yearning. The flirting. The chemistry. The glimpses of their past, the peek into their future, and the downright swoony journey in between. Ugh. Chef’s kiss.

I loved absolutely everything about Left of Forever. I was lucky enough to receive a copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and I am so thankful!
Wren and Ellis’s story was incredible.
Young love turned into parenthood at 17 and 18. Wedded bliss turned into resentment and hidden emotions. After a divorce the pair never quite moved on, and then their son leaves for college they are left with the opportunity to reconnect.
I adored the banter, and sweet moments. But those hard hitting feelings were from the emotional bits. Wren and Ellis have a beautiful relationship and are both safe to be vulnerable. I cannot wait for the next book in their series!

LEFT OF FOREVER: I feel like all you really need to know about this one is I was on the verge of tears for much of the beginning. And then I cried at the ending. So! You could say I was engaged and into this story.

Second-chance romance is not remotely my thing. But I loved Wren and Ellis. The premise really drew me in: Ellis is a firefighter working away from home (unbeknownst to Wren). He's forgotten his lunch, but lucky for him it's care package day, and some kind local organizations send snacks. Ellis spots a pink bakery box and snatches it up, then inhales a scone... the taste of which he recognizes. And then he recognizes the box too. It's from Wren, a baker, who's sent scones to the front line, along with a letter asking for a response. And so they exchange a few heartfelt letters back and forth - without her knowing that it's Ellis.

L:ater on, the two go on a road trip together, to talk things out and see if they can/should give their relationship "one last chance." And gosh, I was just there every step of the way with these two. I really liked both narrators, Megan Wicks for Wren and Connor Crais for Ellis.

I'll be waiting for a third Spunes novel!

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook (ALC)
Genre: Romance

Though I liked the characters more than in The Co-op (the only other Dewitt book I’ve read), I think this book suffered from the same pacing issues and telling, not showing the progression of the relationship. So much of the beginning of the book we’re just being told how things are through both MCs’ internal monologues instead of getting interesting character interactions to show us the situation.

I appreciated the romantic and passionate progression of their relationship once they were back together, but things moved so quickly that I couldn’t get invested and excited about them coming back together. I needed more yearning and more time to see that trust be rebuilt.

Still, I totally understand why people are loving this book, and love Dewitt in general, this just ended up not hitting for me in the same way.

4.5 Stars

Bravo Tarah DeWitt! I loved this book. Give me all the grown up romance books with emotionally mature characters. I love a second chance romance and this one was top tier! This book made me so happy. Wren and Ellis are now my favorite book couple.

I received an ALC of this book and the narrators were perfect! You could not of picked better ones if you tried. They were Wren and Ellis.

Thank you to Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Left of Forever, the second Spunes Novel by Tarah DeWitt, tells the story of divorced couple Wren and Ellis Byrd and how they find each other again as they take their son, Sam, to college. Wren is a baker, set to take over her mother’s bakery when Mom retires. Ellis is a firefighter, fighting forest fires throughout the western US. They are both hardworking, kind people and deserve to find happiness.

Wren and Ellis had been together since they were teens, marrying when discovering Sam was on the way when Wren was 17 and Ellis 18. Ellis’s parents had recently died and the 18 year old was responsible for raising his sister and two brothers and now a young wife and son. Even with these stresses, the young couple is very much in love and doing well together until an ectopic pregnancy almost costs Wren’s life. In the aftermath fear, emotions, even hormones blend into a perfect storm that pulls them apart.

However, lack of love was never an issue. When a firefighter care package Ellis randomly receives comes from Wren and her bakery and then is followed by letters without signing names as he tries to find out what became of the two horses that had caught Wren’s attention for her is followed by what may be a conspiracy between their son, his siblings, and her mom, to bring them back to one another, you have all the ingredients for a lovely story of reconnection, forgiveness, and reconciliation. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, while it was good, I can’t say it was enjoyable enough to recommend.

Left of Forever by Tara DeWitt is basically a cowboy romance without the cowboys. I guess being a hunky firefighter just sparks the same flame for me. The romance was so incredibly swoon-worthy. I normally dislike second-chance romances and feel a lot of romance books are not long enough to devote time to why the couple fell apart and why getting back together makes sense, but I 100% bought it for Wren and Ellis. There was so much space for them to evolve and and it not feel rushed for the sake of them getting a HEA.

I am glad the plot was broken up into two sections: first, Ellis slowly realizing how much he still loves her after finding her baked goods while out fighting fires and spending a year rebuilding their relationship before hitting the second half proposing the big road trip after taking their son to college. The pacing of this book was amazing, and my only complaint is that I wish the mystery of the letters they wrote back and forth had been teased out a bit longer before the trip began.

Four stars from me! This is easily my favorite Tara DeWitt novel so far!

If Tarah Dewitt has no fans, I’ve left the Earth. Wren and Ellis are absolutely perfect and so is this book. I knew from the moment I highlighted “She’s still a Byrd.” in Savor It that Wren and Ellis’ story was going to ruin my life, and I was correct.

This is my favorite type of second chance romance, and it was written in such a clever way. I loved that our leads clearly communicated their intentions from the very beginning of the book, making the stakes even higher because they were actively trying to fix things, not accidentally falling back in love.

Tarah’s writing style is so beautiful. Some of the quotes in this book will stick with me forever, and she has such a unique way of stringing sentences together that are so impactful.

The audiobook is just as good as the physical copy (Megan Wicks and Connor Crais are perfect for Wren and Ellis!!). Honestly, sometimes, hearing these lines being spoken almost hit harder than just reading them, so I highly recommend both options.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for this ALC via NetGalley.

Wren and Ellis have known each other since childhood. They were each other’s first loves and became teen parents to their son. The pressure of life led to their divorce and now their son is off to college. They arrange a road trip to send him off and try to repair what they once had.

If there’s one thing a Tarah DeWitt book is going to do it’s make me cry and question my life choices. These characters 😭 Their dedication 😭 The love of someone not willing to let go 😭 Absolute perfection!

The narrator did an amazing job with these characters and this story!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Tarah DeWitt, and Macmillan Audio for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review. This published on May 20th!

This book was beautiful. It was a heartfelt and genuine exploration of the kind of love that lasts forever. It was the kind of book that breaks your heart and puts it back together.

The audiobook narrators were perfection. They brought this story to life in such an intimate way.

This is the second book in the series and I couldn't wait to get my headphones on and listen to it. The author does such a great job of weaving a new romantic story in the second chance Romance.

Although we as the reader are invested in the main characters and how they make their way back to each other, we also get insight and Peaks into other secondary characters which will possibly lead into other books in the series.

This book was humorous and sexy and everything that I wanted for a romance read. The author walks the line of sweet and sultry and makes me want to move to the small town every time I read about it. Highly recommend this romance book and the whole series thus far.

𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: romance
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼‍♀️: fast
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: low stakes second chances
⚠️: mention of infertility

The Playlist at beginning is a banger. Don't skip that.

I loved the (one-way) anonymous letters back and forth between the two main characters - would have loved to see that continue for more of the book.

There are character cameos from from Savor It, but it can be read independently without missing anything.

By nature of it being a second chance romance, there's some bad communication between the two. BUT there was never really any doubt they'd get back together so the second chance part ends pretty fast in my opinion. Sometimes they can be dragged out really long. This one felt more like they were rediscovering each other as people than fixing old wounds.

Audio was fun. Two narrators makes for a great romance listen. The MMCs voice was 🥵 and I listened right around 1.75x-2x and finished in two sittings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this e-book.
I don’t usually enjoy second chance romances. But this book blew me away. It was honestly, probably, the most heart tugging book I’ve read all year.
Excellent narration.

I love second chance romances and this book is exactly why. This is the PERFECT second chance romance. I found myself laughing and tearing up at Wren & Ellis' love story. I loved watching them find their way back to each other. Absolutely perfect.

This was so good! The narration was fantastic and the story was so good.

I’m usually not a fan of Second Chance romances but when I read Savor It last year, I immediately knew I needed to read Ellis and Wren’s story.

Thank you to the publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Audio Copy!

This was such a beautiful love story. Second chance romance can be really hard because you have to understand why they loved each other, and lost each other in the first place, as well as what changed and why its worth fighting for the relationship again. That is why it is so exciting to find a book where its done so well. I knew this would be good, because I loved the first book in the series, but it was even better than I could have hoped.

"I've been living my life in pencil because I don't think I can get shit right the first time."

"All I know is that if I found out heaven was real and got there first, I'd hang back in the waiting room and save you a seat."

"So many of her scars are related to me."

"What is bravery but hope in action."

There are many more quotes I wish I could fit into this review of the beautifully crafted Left Of Forever, by brilliantly descriptive romance author Tarah DeWitt, to express how much this romance squeezes your heart so all the feels come pouring out.

Wren and Ellis have been divorced for 5 years. But Ellis has always felt "...it doesn't feel like we're done with each other yet." They've been in love since they were kids. A teenage pregnancy at 17 changes the direction of their lives.

Ellis is a firefighter, Wren runs her mother's bakery. Fertility issues prevent more children but their son Sam is their world. Somewhere between constantly working and raising Sam they stopped being together. Each believes they are holding the other back from a happier life.

Ellis knows he's still in love with Wren. He suggests that after they drop Sam off at college they take a leisurely road trip home to see if they can find their way back to one another. With laughs, some tears, and much needed honesty, it's a winding road home.

Voice actress Megan Wicks is a revelation. When Wren makes her self effacing jokes you can hear the subtle hitch in her voice as she continues to hide her pain. It's an acting choice that enhances this gradually feel good love story.

As for the always sensual growly swoon worthy Connor Crais, he gives an award-worthy performance as a closed off Ellis willing to work on himself, and be vulnerable, to have whatever is Left of Forever with Wren.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via Netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced readers copy of this audiobook.

This was my first by this author and I LOVED IT SO HARD. Wish I would have realized that it was book 2, before diving in, but it didn't totally matter in the end. Immediately bounced to book 1 when I finished this one.

I really can't say enough. I loved it - the story was well thought out, the narrators were perfectly cast, and I can't wait for more.

📚Trope(s): Second chance, Older MCs (sorta), Small Town
What you get: Road trip of love!
⭐️Plot: 5/5
🔥Chemistry: 50 bazillion/5
🌶️Spice: 10/5

Ellis and Wren fell in love young, got pregnant and got married. They divorced 5 years before and maintained a relationship for their son Sam. After dropping Sam off at college Ellis asks Wren for a week, to see if they still have anything to rekindle. He plans this whole road trip for them, the reason behind the places he picks took my breath away, but I digress. Their trip was fun, but it also provided them a chance for healing and to work through what tore them apart in the first place. There’s something uniquely heartbreaking about losing your soul mate, and this story captures that devastation in a way that lingers in your bones.

Tarah has an incredible way with words. She sets the scene and anchors you there effortlessly. If you are looking to be swept away into the most perfect love story, pick this one up immediately. You will not regret it. Both MC's are so real and flawed and loveable despite it all. I don't think I have ever felt so personally involved in a story. Experiencing Wren and Ellis’s emotions through their dual POV makes every moment feel raw and real—truly a rollercoaster of love, loss, and longing.

<blockquote>“We have whatever’s left of forever, you and me.”</blockquote>

This book is one that has me rethinking every 5 star I've given this year. Because in comparison on the writing alone- it's the best book I've read hands down this year. But you mix in the wonderful characters, the thoughtful heart wrenching, the emotional depth of the entire storyline paired with the perfect pacing. I just three stared the book after because it felt like a damp paper towel in comparison to this book. Left of Forever is one of the most gripping second-chance romances I’ve read. Tarah Dewitt is now on the one-click author list for me because I’m going to reread this, after I buy the paperback. Because I listened to the audiobook which reinforced the total devastation and there were so many lines that I wanted to remember and etch in my soul.

<blockquote>“All I know is that if I found out heaven was real and got there first? I’d hang back in the waiting room and save you a seat.”</blockquote>

Connor Crais is one of my favorite male narrators and he does such an amazing job of bring Ellis to life. This was my first book with Megan Wicks, and I LOVED her voice. Her acting skills though totally brought it home. She wrapped up all of those emotions throughout the whole book and just nailed every tiny detail. I was emotionally invested the entire time.

All in all, there aren't enough stars available, I would give them all. I mean that with all of my -now-broken heart. Definitely get the audio but do yourself a favor and get the paperback too. I cannot wait for more books to come out, I'm hoping that each of the Byrd siblings get their own. I can't wait to be back in Spunes, OR!

<b>If you like this, you'll love this book</b>

Divorced couple
Second Chance
Child (college aged)
Childhood friends
Road-trip with a side of one-bed
It's always been you vibes
Firefighter MMC X Baker FMC
Small Town
Anonymous letters


<b>CW:</b> ectopic pregnancy, infertility- mentioned off page in the past.

<b>Narrators:</b>
🎤 Megan Wicks
🎤 Connor Crais

Thank you to NetGalley, Tarah DeWitt, and St. Martin's Griffin and MacMillion Audio for providing this eALC in exchange for an honest review. Left of Forever is available now!