Oh, my heart. LEFT OF FOREVER is the ultimate second chance romance. Tarah DeWitt has gifted us a heartbreakingly real, raw, honest look at the effort it takes to save a marriage.

When readers are first introduced to Wren and Ellis Byrd in DeWitt’s SAVOR IT, it is clear there is still something between them despite their divorce, and I’ve been anticipating their story ever since. Let me tell you, LEFT OF FOREVER is worth the wait. (This can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading SAVOR IT first to truly appreciate the nuances and depth of longing that exists between these characters.)

Parents at 17 and married young, Wren and Ellis watched their marriage erode despite their deep love for each other. Five years after their divorce, they are faced with their son heading off to college. Neither has moved on. Both still harbor deep feelings for the other. The energy between them crackles whenever they are together. When Ellis suggests they spend a week together after dropping their son off at college to see if they can rekindle the spark, Wren agrees.

But what is between them is so much more than a spark. It is a raging inferno and it is impossible to resist. While this is a steamy, blush inducing novel, it is so much more. The focus of rebuilding the relationship is on personal growth and communication; with Wren and Ellis learning to understand, accept, and communicate their feelings. These two put in the work and tackle the hard stuff head on. There is pain and tenderness and unwavering love. It struck an emotional chord and brought me to tears more than once. There are no shortcuts here and DeWitt’s writing cuts deep.

The audiobook is spectacular. Narrated by Connor Crais and Megan Wicks, Ellis and Wren come alive through their storytelling. The performances are packed with emotion which allowed me to get lost in the story and heightened my experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

I've been waiting for these characters to get their own story since I read Savor It. SO WORTH THE WAIT. I want to reread this book every day for what is Left of Forever and will never tire of the character growth and emotions portrayed.

Pubs May 20th! BIG thanks to my besties at Macmillan Audio for the approval to read this one!

This story is EV.ER.Y.THING. I adored it. I was as obsessed as the rest of the Byrds with these two finding their way back to each other.

The FEELINGS in this one were so well-written; so deep, so easy to feel what the characters were feeling. The second chance trope is a favorite of mine and this one really did well with that. The process of getting to their second chance was at times painful, it was deep, it was also fun. The scenery descriptions were wonderful. All the food sounded wonderful. I laughed out loud so much during this!

If you skipped Savor It this will still be very enjoyable. Sage and Fisher are mentioned in this but it isn't central to the story to know what happened with them. The descriptions of Spunes are still here so you don't miss out on that. The closeness of the Byrds is shown well throughout this as well. I'd still recommend reading that one since I gave it 5 stars, but not necessary to dive into Ellis and Wren's story first.

Same note as with Savor It: This cover is GORGEOUS. The colors are so great.
Bonus points for the author is that there was NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP. Like THANK YOU SISTER, the adults actually talked about their feelings, got everything out in the open and moved forward.

Audio production notes: I loved both narrators. The voices were easy to listen to and stay in the story. They both really brought the characters to life beautifully. I loved that when there was a letter the character read it in their own voice, it almost gave dual narration vibes when there was one mid-chapter.

Tarah DeWitt never fails to deliver. She’s among the select few whose books I know I will love before I even read the first page. And it goes beyond the storylines and characters—she’s got a way of taking common sentiments and wording them in such a way that they inspire awe.

I’ve been lucky enough to both read the e-book and listen to the audiobook for this title, and both were stellar. Great choices on the audiobook narrators.

So, obviously, I loved Ellis and Wren’s story. Young love is sweet, but there’s something about people with a shared history coming back together that resonates deeper.

The book itself feels like a love letter to long-term relationships—something that’s hard to tackle in romance since most of it is about the beginning of relationships, not what comes after. It’s easy to love someone when everything is new and shiny. Much harder when life and disappointment and mundanity and heartache all get in the way. Wren and Ellis are two people who got sidetracked by all of this and still find their way back together.

Also, I am an absolute sucker for anything epistolary, so the letters, emails, and shared journal entries were a very pleasant surprise.

While this is a follow-up to Savor It, it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. And if Tarah ever decides to revisit the Byrd family again, I’m all in.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced ebook and audiobook copies of this book, provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

The audiobook just cemented Left of Forever as my favorite book of 2025. I have seriously have no words to describe how phenomenal the audiobook was.

Firstly, the narrators were fantastic. They conveyed so much emotion and heart to the book that I literally shed a tear listening to their performances.

The production was also amazing, so much so that the audiobook of Left of Forever has made it into my list of my favorite audiobooks.

It was quite perfect.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

My first intro to this authors books!! I had no idea that this was a series so a friend gave me a little recap of savor, which I’ll be reading soon. I’m normally not a huge fan of Second Chance love but the audiobook did this beautifully. I was rooting for both the main characters. It tackles a heavier subjects so mind you please look into this before hand. It might be triggering to some. Overall, I enjoyed the characters in the story and once I read savor it, I feel like I can grasp the universe a little bit better. I didn’t realize I was gonna get approved for the arc for this so soon. 🥹 I’m so grateful because this has been one of my favorite second chance romances.

This is a heart wrenching story of first loves, second chances, and growing into yourself and your relationship. The narrators of this book are fantastic! Their voices matched how I imagine Ellis and Wren to a 't'. They brought such honesty and depth to these characters. Definitely recommend!

Thank you so much to Tarah DeWitt and Macmillan Audio for this ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own 🥰

I am having such a hard time writing this review. I finished the audiobook a few days ago and like with most Tarah DeWitt books, I had to sit with my thoughts a while before writing a review.

Wren and Ellis’ story is one for the history books, I think. It is THE Second Chance romance.

Tarah has this gift where she truly makes the reader feel like they’re IN the book. I felt like I was right there in Spunes hiding in those bushes while Fisher was proposing to Sage.
I felt like I was there when Ellis first saw the pink box from the bakery.
I felt so MUCH while listening to this audiobook.

Megan Wicks did a phenomenal job with Wren. The tone and pitch of her voice felt so right for the character.

Same with Connor Crais! I don’t know that I’ve seen many audiobooks with him in it so I don’t know if I just am unaware or if he is new on the scene, but I am so floored and astonished at his performance!

Some of my favorite quotes:

“Have your people call my people” “your people ARE my people”

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

“I’ll save you a seat, Byrd”

10/10 her best book so far and I’ve loved every single one of her books. The yearning, the mutual pining, the pain of them being separate after so many years together was done so well. Wren and Ellis were perfect and I’m so happy they got their HEA (again)

Second-chance romances are timeless and irresistible, especially when they're done right. This book is emotionally layered and utterly romantic as it captures the ache of lost love and the fragile hope of finding your way back to it. Wren and Ellis Byrd have a lifetime of history between them. Childhood sweethearts turned teen parents, but growing up too fast and carrying the weight of adult responsibilities ultimately pulled them apart. Now in their thirties and divorced, they're leading separate lives, but they can't seem to shake the hold they have on each other.

Ellis proposes a spontaneous road trip home with Wren after they take their son Sam to college. It's meant to be a chance to reconnect, to find closure, maybe even to see if there's still a spark worth reigniting.
Wren and Ellis rediscovered pieces of themselves and each other buried under the weight of time, mistakes, and silence.

One of the most powerful aspects of the story is the use of raw, vulnerable, and utterly soul-baring moments. These moments of written truth carry emotional weight and offer deep insight into the characters' hearts in ways spoken words never could. Wren and Ellis can truly begin again.

This story is full of stomach butterflies, simmering tension, and the kind of pining that leaves you breathless. Wren and Ellis still love each other desperately, and watching them try to navigate old wounds and new beginnings feels like rooting for your favorite friends to find their way home.

The audio narration brings Wren and Ellis to life in a profoundly intimate way, as if you're eavesdropping on their most emotional inner thoughts. The narrators create chemistry that is palpable and unspoken longing. Their performances hit every beat like the awkward silence, the ache of old mistakes, and the quiet hope. The subtle vocal shifts and the emotional depth they bring make it one of those rare audiobooks that enhances the already beautiful writing.

You need to read this if you love a deeply romantic fiction that celebrates forgiveness and the enduring power of love.

Tropes:
• Second-chance romances
• One bed
• Stories about forgiveness and growth
• Emotional, slow-burn tension
• Unspoken truths

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the opportunity to review the audiobook.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

We return to the adorable Spunes, Oregon for another excellent romance. This time we follow Wren and Ellis as they may finally get their second chance at true love.

I absolutely adored this book. It is so angsty and romantic and heartwarming and heartbreaking. I love these characters and hate that it is over. Excellent on audio.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a beautiful story - I absolutely love Tarah Dewitt’s writing. I’m really starting to like the “marriage in trouble” trope (not to be confused with second chance trope which I don’t love). It was so clear in this story how much our main characters loved each other and I loved seeing them find their way back to each other. I liked the road trip setting!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

It was so nice to be back in Spunes, OR and reading Wren and Ellis's story. They were each other's first love, had a child young and divorced. The story starts with their son moving away for college and they have a road trip together.

There is so much to love about this book. I loved how well the letters were woven into the story and it was told in a duet style narration. The flash back to the past worked so well to see what happened to them.

The character growth of Ellis is one of the best I've seen. Miscommunication is one of my least favorite trope, I loved that this was the redemption of the story.

I loved seeing characters from Savor It play a role in the story. Connor Crais and Megan Wicks did a phenomenal job bringing out the angst and emotions.

Thank you @youhadmeathea @macmillan.audio for a copy of this.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for this audiobook ARC!

This book took me completely by surprise! I have always been familiar with Tarah DeWitt's books but honestly just never got around to reading them, but when this book came out, the cover and the hype around the book definitely caught my interest.

In the best way possible, I felt at times overwhelmed by the love that these two characters had for each other. I'm not usually a second chance romance girly, but PHEW I think I may be one now!! There's something so intimate about flirting with your ex, specifically your ex that you were childhood best friends with and eventually married. I think the way that Ellis and Wren *knew* how to push the right buttons and what made each other hot and bothered was so so fun to read.

I loved Ellis' character development, and especially loved how he changed for Wren, without doing it in a way that was in her face about it. It really showed his character as a man and I definitely swooned.

The one thing that I didn't love was I guess the part regarding Wren's letters to Ellis. I thought it would've had a bigger impact, and left me wanting a little more from that plot point. I expected a little more of a fight between the two from it, even though I did enjoy how the ending shaped out to be.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and think I'm going to do a backwards read of her books now! Definitely read this if your second chance romance girl, or even if not, give it a chance!

Audiobook review:
I absolutely LOVED the narration in this book. I'm 100% an audiobook girl, and I honestly would reccomend anyone who's interested in reading this book to either do it fully through audio or to listen and read side by side because I definitely think the audiobook contributed a good chunk as to why I enjoyed the story so much. The emotion that the narrators are able to portray is just so gut wrenching at times, but also left me blushing and kicking my feet! I don't know if the narrators were ever in the room together or if they know each other or WHAT but I really felt the chemistry shine when their characters were flirting with each other. I think sometimes duet audios can seem disconnected, but that was definitely not the case here. (also they both sound hot so like duh amazing)

This is an absolutely stunning book, emotional yet funny, with a spellbinding romance that keeps the reader engaged from the first page of Left of Forever.

From the moment we meet Wren and Ellis, it is clear that these two are still truly madly deeply in love with each other, from the expository exchanges to the forced proximity on the road trip. There is a bubbling tension that has the reader rooting for their unification.

The dual narration is simply stunning. Both narrators convey an emotional, heartfelt performance with a vocal range that only enhances DeWitt’s incredible pros. Conner and Megan have incredibly warm, rich voices that capture the listener. They breathed life into these characters and left me weeping as I experienced this love story. From the emotional confessions to the sensual moments both narrators blew me away.

I always tend to favor second chance romance, but I cannot tell you how much I loved the way Tarah set this one up. The character growth is perfection with characters that not only fight for each other, but fight to make themselves better for their partner. I loved the way they communicated and the way the spice was incorporated in a way that felt like a natural progression. Additionally, I really enjoyed the uneven changes in POV, I think it enriched the reader experience.

Wren and Ellis and captured me and I could not stop listening to their beautiful story. Hands-down, one of my favorite romances ever and definitely a top thbook of the year.

Full review on Instagram to come closer to pub day.

As their son is heading off to college, divorced couple Wren and Ellis realize that where their future lies may be with each other.

This was a good second chance romance, here's what I liked:

Wren and Ellis: I liked how the narration goes back and forth with them. This really helped give a fleshed out story. You can see quickly how they should really be with each other, but how they drifted apart. Seeing them come back together was really nice.

The family: I loved all of the side characters in this. They all worked really well together and helped push Wren and Ellis together.

The road trip: I love books that have the characters traveling around. The different places they go really help push them together. It was all really well thought out.

The narration: Megan Wicks and Connor Crais do a great job with this one. I loved both of their voices for the characters. Wicks gives Wren a great gravely voice that really got me into her character.

All in all, this was a great emotional romance.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

The idea of this second chance romance--of divorced exes trying to stay cordial in order to co-parent, who have to do a road trip to take their son to college and figure out whether they should give it one more shot on the drive back--was interesting enough for me to request this book. Unfortunately, there was something about the book that just didn't work for me. The female narrator was fine, but the male narrator's tone was irksome and didn't do much to spark energy into the narrative. Perhaps I'm just not the reader for this one.

Good lord Tarah… this was an amazing return to Spunes. I am a sucker for second chance romance and she delivered such a beautiful, emotional, and at times hilarious (ice cream scene, I’m looking at you) story. I really enjoyed Savor It but it bore the weight of world building for this adorable small town and Left of Forever didn’t have that responsibility. We went into the world already knowing at least some of their baggage and then we didn’t have to wait forever and a day for the remainder of their baggage to be unearthed. Wren and Ellis go on this almost gut wrenching journey and the pacing for it was simply perfect. Even though I was sad to reach the end I also felt satisfied like there was just enough story and resolution to keep me happy. I hope she continues working through the brothers next and giving them their HEA.

The audio on this book was perfect too, for Ellis you needed that strong masculinity and just enough vulnerability to feel for him especially during some of the flash back when he was getting in his own way. Wren needed a balance between heartbreak and strength and the female lead accomplished that too. Only thing I could nitpick on in the audio is the written Ellis in Wren’s chapters and vice versa were true duet but the spoken dialogue was not. I feel like they needed to commit one way or another, the inconsistency did take me out of the story a bit.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Such a satisfying romance. I loved getting to revisit Spunes, OR and the whole Byrd family. This is a second chance romance, but the author doesn’t make it easy. Wren and Ellis have to really put in the work to bring themselves together again. The narration is smooth and easy and somehow comforting, like I want them both to take turns reading me a bedtime story. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

Absolutely love the newest title in the Spunes series. It was a beautiful story of first love finding each other again after years apart. DeWitt managed to execute weaving in the past to the present plot/story. The MCs are loveable and left me giddy at their angst and longing for each other.

I enjoyed this book so much! I think this is my favorite book by Tarah! The story follows Wren and Ellis, who fell in love when they were young, got married and started a family, but ultimately ended up growing apart. I loved the characters and they are so lovable and relatable yet very flawed. Both Wren and Ellis grew so much throughout the book, both individually and together. This is such an emotional book and Tarah’s writing is so raw and beautiful! There’s some heavy themes covered which the author handled with care and was balanced nicely with romance and tender moments. The narrators both did a fantastic job and brought the story to life.

Read if you like:
🪵second chance romance
🪵road trip
🪵dual POV
🪵small town vibes