This was a very sweet story. I loved the beginning of it especially, with the letter writing. I almost wished that had been able to go on longer! But the roadtrip was sweet, and Ellis -- SWOOOOOON.
I will also say that this is one of the more 'real' second chance romances I have read. It's actually one of my most favorite tropes (I'm a SUCKER for nostalgia!) but in many cases I find that the reason for the split, and all that time apart, is probably something that in real life, should stand. Most of the time going back does not work. This one...was pretty realistic. Together young, fell apart with stressors from having a baby young and realizing they didn't exactly know who they were. That is one that might actually be able to work.

This was my first Tarah DeWitt. I was hesitant to request this one because of the amount of times it was detailed as 'super spicy'. That, for the record, was true lol. I am not a huge fan of crazy amounts of spice, but it was at least easy to tap past for the most part.

ON NARRATION: Both narrators, but especially the female, had this GRIT about them that I loved. It wouldn't honestly work for a lot of stories, but it worked well for this one!! I found myself pretty equally excited to hear from both of them in turn.

Thank you for providing me with this audio file in exchange for my review.

4.25/5.0

Sometimes, a book lands in my hands at precisely the right moment, and Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt felt meant for me. Wren and Ellis's story isn't just about falling back in love — it's about doing the messy, unglamorous work of healing, forgiving, and choosing each other again after life has worn them down. Their history is so deep and tangled, and watching them try to find a way back to each other felt like rooting for old friends who deserved more than just a second chance; they deserved a better opportunity.
Connor Crais and Megan Wicks brought Wren and Ellis to life so vividly that I felt like I was riding shotgun on every mile of that road trip right alongside them. Their performances captured all the cracks and tenderness between the characters—the hurt, the longing, the hope—in a way that made every beat of the story hit even harder.
I loved how the journey down the California coast wasn't just a change of scenery — it became a quiet, beautiful metaphor for everything they were trying to rebuild: trust, friendship, the tiny daily intimacies that once came so easily but now had to be earned. Tarah DeWitt writes their silences as powerfully as they write their conversations — sometimes, what Wren and Ellis don't say hits me harder than their biggest arguments. And when those old wounds cracked open again? It gutted me. It felt real, like no tidy apology could fix everything.
This story never pretends that love is enough all by itself — it shows how love has to be fought for, protected, and sometimes broken down to its bones before it can be truly whole again. It's tender without being sentimental, raw without losing hope. Wren and Ellis's journey back to each other is the kind of imperfect, earned love story that sticks with me long after the last page.

As a firefighter’s wife, I always have a soft spot for first responder romances, so maybe I’m a little biased going in! I was immediately hooked by the pen pal setup — the easy banter and connection through letters was so charming and fresh. Honestly, I wish that part had lasted way longer!

But about halfway through, I found myself wondering… what’s the point? The couple isn’t fighting, there’s no real tension or conflict between them, and while it’s sweet that they’re giving each other chances, the story started to feel flat.

By the 70% mark, I was forcing myself to keep going. It had such a promising start with all the right vibes, but unfortunately, it just fell short for me. They meet up, they get along, and… that’s kind of it. No real twists, no drama, not even much emotional payoff. I wanted more from it.

Overall, Left of Forever had a lot of heart and a beautiful beginning, but it needed stronger stakes to keep the momentum going.

This is a well-written book and readers who enjoy road trips with second-chance romance and miscommunication tropes will likely enjoy it. The main characters grew up together and had a baby as teenagers. They were married for many years, then divorced a few years before the book starts. The book is about them admitting they still love each other and finally talking about all the things they never talked about in their marriage, while roadtripping along the California coast. There is an epistolary section at the beginning, and there are dual POVs throughout for the two main characters.

Incredible. This book is everything to me and the audio makes it 100x better. The narrator’s are perfect! I feel like they captured wren and Ellis perfectly. I was so invested and it felt like I was reading this book for the first time even tho it’s my second time. I will definitely be purchasing the audiobook.

This book was incredible! It hit my heart in a deep way! I loved the dynamics of finding your way back to each other. The dialogue of honesty for what “went wrong” and the vulnerability of being open to reality that people change, that there’s always room for growth. I loved their raw love. The spice hit just right. I loved that they were “older” main characters, sending their son off to college, not mid 20s. As soon as I finished I wanted to reread it! It hit me in the gut, in a good way!

Wren and Ellis have loved each other forever—but after a divorce and years apart, a college drop-off road trip just might be their second chance.

This book had me tearing up from start to finish. I don’t usually go for second-chance romances, but this one was so real, emotional, and beautifully done. Wren and Ellis’s growth felt authentic, and their journey back to each other hit all the right notes.

It’s not just emotional though—there are fun, laugh-out-loud moments (hello, pepper incident), plus familiar faces from Savor It and a deeper dive into the Byrd family.

I don’t give five stars easily, but Left of Forever deserves every one. Heartfelt, emotional, and quietly powerful.

4.5 stars - I'm honestly still reeling from how much I enjoyed this book! I was hesitant for an "ex-marriage in crisis on a road trip", but the You've Got Mail vibes helped give it the reader a deeper glance into their situation. Grab the audiobook if possible and you won't be disappointed!

I also appreciate that there wasn't any pettiness between the families, and they all genuinely love each other since they have basically grown into a found family from a young age. This had plenty of hilarious moments, and a few steamy bits, but mostly I enjoyed the growth of the main characters, both separately and together.

I think this is my 2025 read of the year—WOW. The communication?? YES PLEASE! The honesty?? HELL YEAH! The vulnerability?? YUP. The spice?? PHEW! From start to finish, I ate this book up; it was such a good second-chance romance; I devoured it.

My guy Ellis? What. A. Man. His steadfastness and strength were incredible. The strength and vulnerability of Wren were inspiring. The two of them? Everything.

The narration was also so well done and perfectly cast! I loved the dual dialogue with the letters and journals. They had me hooked from the start, and I was invested. Excellent narrators.

I just loved this book and want to reread it a thousand times because I had so much fun with it. 11/5 stars!!!!

This was a really cute and well written story. The spice at the end took away from the plot that sucked me in at the beginning, otherwise would have been a 5.

The characters were written in a way that really wrapped me into their emotions.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC.

6/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️ Multiple explicit scenes. Mostly vanilla, but there’s some exhibitionism.
5/5 🎙️

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and of course Tarah DeWitt for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

What an incredible second chance romance. Often times, there’s too much angst and not enough yearning for my taste in second chance romances. This book? This MMC? He was on his knees. Ellis Byrd. What a man…just such an incredible caretaker. Both of them are so well-suited for one another in that way. The fact that we get to witness the two of them really work on themselves and their relationship is such a wonderful thing. My favorite part about this book is truly how much Ellis truly just LOVES Wren. It’s absolutely clear—that is his WIFE still.

I cannot express how much I cried while reading this. I might be dehydrated now. Honestly, it was just so beautifully written—so honest, funny, and emotional. The spicy scenes were done really well and the timing felt good too. It didn’t feel like they jumped into things too quickly. They were hot, but they also had the emotional depth that I’d expect from a couple reuniting after five years. One of my favorite books of the year so far. The audiobook narration was absolutely incredible. Both narrators did an amazing job.

audiobook reread - April 26th

YOU KNOW WHAT? HELL YEAH FOR THE AUDIOBOOK. somehow it made the story even better and it fully deserves 5 stars. I literally read it last month and I enjoyed the reread even more. I’m giddy! I loved the narrators so much, they did such a good job and it must be one of my favorite romances out there. finished it in a day because I simply couldn’t stop.

thank you to Macmillan audio and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this early 🥹

March 8th 2025:

4.75 ⭐️ rounded up

“I grew up with my first love, so I think maybe my heart took shape around his.”

this book just reminded me why second chance romance is my favorite trope. these stories are always so relatable, so raw, painful but also heartwarming.

sometimes I wanna read about people who find each other again, instead of everything being new and fresh and exciting. I want them to learn, I want conflict resolution, I want the missing and the needing.

“I missed you too sounds glib. You have been missing from me is more accurate. There’s a void where you lived in me.”

I just love a pining man. this was so good. he NEEDED her back and he was willing to work for it. they had their long time apart and realized that nothing quite compares and now they would do anything to make it work. forever.

and let me just say, the tension, the flirting, the banter, the spice, HOT. I loved them together.

“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.”

we know I love to cry while reading, so this one was perfect. final crying count: 4

watch me go and read all Tarah Dewitt’s books because now I’m obsessed.

thank you to bestie Lauren for recommending me this, it hit just the right spot. 🫶🏻

and thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this early copy!

If I could give this 6 stars, I would.

Thank you to #MacAudio2025 for a copy of this ALC for my honest thoughts.

The words on this book will be permanently etched in my brain. My love for this book began from one line in Savor It with "She's still a Byrd" and I have been anticipating this book ever since and it was just as amazing as I thought it would be.

Wren and Ellis finding their way back to each other was done in such a raw and real way. I can't wait to have this book physically in my hands so I can highlight and underline everything that I read and loved about this book. This book broke down a relationship and put it back together. I love novels that feature letters and I love road trips so this book was the perfect mixture of the two. I want to go to a town that doesn't exist. I want to go to Spunes! This gave me such "whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same" vibes.

Narration: Megan Wicks and Connor Crais did such an excellent job with this narration. They made all of the emotions burrow into your heart to break it and put it back together again.

Tropes:
Second Chance Romance
Road Trip Romance
Tight Knit Family
Dual POV
Small Town
Baker
Firefighter

Closed Door Mods: 4, 23, 29, 30, 33, 34

dare I say favourite book of all time???? I’ve read it 3 times already. my soul book.

bury me with this book. tattoo this book on my body. my soul characters. it is really hard for me to come up with the right words to describe how much this book means to me. i have never felt so connected to a bookish couple then i do with ellis and wren. this is the one book i will constantly come back to and no matter how many times i reread LOF it never looses its magic. if i’m not smiling or giggling i have tears streaming down my face.

tarah dewitts brain needs to be studied. the way she crafted these characters - each one painted with such depth, such aching beauty, they don’t just feel real but truly lived-in. there complexities hum with such vulnerability and tenderness you can’t help but route for them from the very first page.

second chance romances have always held my heart, but this one sits at the very top. there is something so aching beautiful seeing two souls who know each other so intimately find their way back. the homecoming that feels new, tender, and reborn.
some of my favourite parts of this book were when the smallest, most ordinary moments stirred daydreams of their shared history. glimpses of quiet intimacy and the echo of yearning that still lingered between them.
And beneath all of that softness lies something heartbreakingly real: the heartbreak of loving someone so fiercely, you start to wonder if you’re what’s holding them back. when you want the entire world for them, but carry the weight of your own darkness. it’s easy to believe that letting go is the selfless choice especially when you see the light in their eyes dimming. maybe that is the right thing. maybe it’s not. but that uncertainty, that ache, that’s what it is to be human. A messy, beautifully, flawed human, trying to love with everything they have, even if it means breaking their own heart.😭😭😭😭😭

tarah… your beautiful mind amazes me.

i could write a thesis on these two characters but maybe ill just journal about it instead lol. LOF comes out may 20th so pls….i beg you… preorder from your indie bookstore.

i also have to highlight the audio because my god it was perfect. these two narrators brought wren and ellis to life. i was seriously blushing hardcore whenever ellis was in my ear.

In LEFT OF FOREVER, the newest emotional romance from Tarah DeWitt, we follow Wren and Ellis as they embark on an extended road trip together - with the goal of seeing if they can give their relationship another chance.

Wren and Ellis fell in love young, had their son, Sam, young, and were convinced that they had everything they wanted for their lives - until they didn't. Now, they are taking their son to college and on their way back, stopping along the dreamy California coastline with the hopes of reconnecting.

After reading SAVOR IT, and the infamous line, "She's still a Byrd" - I knew a Wren and Ellis second-chance romance had to be in the works. And boy, Tarah delivered. Wren and Ellis are both dynamic and well-written characters. They both have been through so much, together and apart, and I loved how we saw their individual growth throughout the book.

Tarah's writing gripped me from beginning to end - I think this may be one of her best works yet. Her heartbreakingly beautiful words had me both crying and laughing on the same page, and I couldn't put this book down.

LEFT OF FOREVER releases on 05/20/2025.

Star Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:
🌶🌶.5 /🌶 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillin for this advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wren and Ellis have loved each other almost as long as they've known each other. After getting pregnant in their teens, getting married, life, and then divorce, they have to decide if they are ready to try again.

This is one of the most hopeful and romantic books I've read. Wren and Ellis know so much about each other, and even after being divorced for five years they still do. I love that this starts with taking their son to college and then they embark on an epic road trip back home. The settings and scenery come to mean so much by the end of the book.
Ellis has amazing character development. Please give us more men who are willing to go to therapy and work on themselves! The way he learns to communicate with Wren and open up to her was so sweet. Wren's development is just as wonderful. The journaling that she does, initiating healing herself was top notch. And learning to trust Ellis again and let her feel her feelings. It was so good! The ending was everything I wanted and I hope we get to see more of the Byrd family!
5/5 for the audiobook. I really enjoy Connor Crais' deep voice and the emotion he brought to Ellis. Megan Wick was perfect for Wren. I loved her lower, husky voice and it immediately fit.

~Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Tarah DeWitt and NetGalley for this complimentary ALC. All opinions are my own~

(5⭐️) This was everything I hoped and more from Ellis and Wren’s story! The combination of physical and emotional intimacy is TOP TIER. Their love truly lasts in every lifetime!! The yearning in this from Ellis is just absolutely amazing!!! Everything about this was perfect. No notes. I definitely did cry while reading it, but in a good way.

Left of Forever

“She’s mine and I’m hers, and all my life’s greatest happiness can be traced back to her, so I kiss her because I want to, and forget the rest.”

Oh my heart, I’m still crying over this beautiful and heartfelt second chance romance. Me! Adoring a second chance romance! Who is she?! Tarah DeWitt, what have you done to me?!

Wren and Ellis have been close since they were kids. Fell in love at a young age, and got pregnant at a very young age. Barely kids themselves, they set out to raise their son and get married. Life happens and now their son is off to college, they’ve been divorced 5 years, but are taking time to see if they just need closure or to try again.

Y’all, I can’t emphasize enough how much I need everyone to read this book! Back in Spunes, where Sage and Fischer fell in love in Savor It, we get to see more of the Byrd family and the antics are wonderful. Ellis is tragically and wonderfully still head over heels in love with his ex-wife, and Wren starts to admit to herself that she could never let him go.

Just like. Go read it. Do it. Thank me later. And slide into my DMs when you get to the ice cream 🤣

The audio is absolutely delightful. The dual narration is incredible, and just made me swoon. I adored the characters coming to life off the page. Highly recommend the audio!

Check this out for:
- Road trip romance
- Second chance romance
- MMC who is down bad (still)
- Hilarious cast of nosy, matchmaking side characters
- Incredible, steamy banter
- Spicy firsts for a formerly married couple

Note: this follows Savor It, which you should definitely read, but it will be ok if you start with this one, and then go back to Savor It later when you need more of these characters.

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press for the ARC and Macmillian for the ALC! Left of Forever is on shelves May 20, 2025. My opinions are my own.

Read this if you like:

Longing and pining

Dual POV

Second chance romance

Road trip vibes

Pure love

Spice

This book checked alllll the boxes for me and as an audiobook I *applaud* the cast that was chosen. I loved the dual pov and I really felt like the characters and the story were really relatable!

The story follows Wren and Ellis (eeek, we all know I love that name!) who after getting pregnant at ages 17/18 they end up splitting nearly 12 years later. Now four/five years into their divorce, can they reconcile enough to send their son to college? Ellis decides to petition Wren to go on a celebratory road trip with him to see if they can come out as friends, or maybe even as something more again.

This story is ALL about second chances at love and how sometimes we lose our way but can find ourselves and happiness in the end. I loved the characters and didn't realize this was a book in a series. Now I am on hold for the one that came before this one haha! I loved how this book actually has a plot over spice (don't worry, the spice was SPICEY, definitely open door).

I love this couple so much and I felt as a married woman of about 9 years there were a lot of relatable parts.

One of my favorites for the year- I just felt with how much spice there was I can't quite fully recommend wholeheartedly to my audience but for those spice lovers who are looking for a next romance read- pick this up! You will want to reread it over and over again!

A HUGE thank you to NetGalley and to MacMillan Audio (honestly this is the best audio company around in my opinion- they ALWAYS deliver!)

I read the physical arc of Left of Forever before listening to it, and my goodness, Tarah DeWitt has created THE love story. The yearning and pure love that we feel from Wren and Ellis is perfect and it was paired by the best narrators that I could have asked for for these characters. Not only is the story by itself a romance that will change the genre for the better, but it is paired perfectly with DeWitt’s first book in this series, Savor It. I cannot get enough of DeWitt’s humor, romanticism, epic storytelling.