Second-chance romances aren’t usually my favorite, but something about the “fixing the marriage” trope always gets me—especially when it’s done in a healthy, realistic way like it is here. I loved watching the couple work through their issues with care and intention. That said, I wish there had been more conversations around their past hardships, and I would’ve loved to see their son’s character more fleshed out. Still, it was a thoughtful, heartwarming read.

Easiest 5 stars. I cried throughout this entire book. Sad tears, frustrated tears, heart broken tears and happy tears. I cried them all.

I love Wren and Ellis (and Sam) endlessly.

While this is technically a second chance as Wren & Ellis have been divorced for several years, it read more like a marriage in crisis to me. Marriage in crisis is one of those tropes that is SO underrated in my opinion, because you go into the book knowing their love already exists for one another, but watch as they experience the true difficulties of navigating a long term relationship. It's not always sunshine & rainbows after the HEA. It's people who are still flawed, still learning, still growing and not always growing in the same direction. Sometimes even growing complacent, or resentful. It happens, and it takes effort to maintain the magic in the everyday and mundane.

That's why I love marriage in crisis books so much. They're raw, they're real, they're hard, but it's so satisfying when they find their home in one another again.

Wren and Ellis were exactly that for one another. Home. They had a long and complex history that involved countless struggles including grieving the loss of parents, becoming teen parents to a newborn themselves while also suddenly taking care of Ellis' siblings.

Another one of my favourite tropes is a road trip romance. Ellis and Wren taking a week long road trip after dropping Sam off at college as a means to re-learn one another and hash out their issues on neutral territory created some hilarious and emotional moments that I loved. The drunken cooking class will live rent free in my head lol.

And the LETTERS!! Ugh, I am a sucker for letters on page and I loved how we got to know Wren & Ellis' personalities through them.

The tension and chemistry between these two was delicious, but there was so much heart and emotion captured in the spicy moments too. It felt very well balanced.

Tarah's writing... I wish I had words to express how much I love Tarah's writing, and every time I read a new book by her I am again surprised by how much I love her writing.

Narrators Megan Wicks & Connor Crais were flawless in their performance. I loved every minute of their narration and how they captured so much of the vulnerability and raw emotion these characters displayed throughout the story. My only complaint is I wish there were more chapters from Ellis' POV so we could listen to more Connor.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to tandem read the ebook & audiobook (my favourite way to read).

This is, by far, one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read—and that’s saying something. Left of Forever completely swept me off my feet with Wren and Ellis’s emotional, heartfelt journey back to each other after divorcing five years ago.

What made this story so special for me was the deep dive into their past. Instead of brushing over their history, Tarah DeWitt takes us through the heartache, the healing, and everything in between. I loved how honestly their struggles were portrayed and how much intention was placed on why they fell apart—and how they could choose each other again.

Wren and Ellis's chemistry? Off the charts. I was rooting for them from the very beginning, and watching their dynamic shift as they worked through their pain and rediscovered what made them fall in love in the first place had me swooning. The title of this book took on such a beautiful, layered meaning, and I’m still not over it.

I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved the narration. The emotion came through perfectly and added so much depth to an already stunning story.

If you love second chances, characters with real depth, and romance that feels earned and raw and real—this is one you don’t want to miss.

This is a really well-done second-chance romance that follows the story of two childhood sweethearts who became parents young and separated/divorced five years before this story begins. We get glimpses of both Ellis and Wren in DeWitt’s previous book, “Savor It,” which really helps set the scene for this extended family of siblings/friends.

Being set in a small town gives all the angst and closeness this couple has and have never really gotten over each other after breaking up. The poignant trips down memory lane and back story really makes you feel how the couple even got themselves to where they are now. Ellis had so much responsibility at such a young age while Wren did as well.

Connor Crais and Megan Wicks expertly brought Ellis and Wren to life in the audiobook. This is by far one of the best performances I’ve listened to this year (and that is saying a lot).

In this book:
*second chance romance
*small town
*road trip
*empty nesters
*found family

Thank you Tarah DeWitt, Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC/ALC of this book.

I LOVED the narrators for the audiobook, Macmillan never disappoints. They matched what I pictured the characters to be. I also loved that the narrators were in each other’s chapters. As soon as the letters started, I was HOOKED. The characters were so realistic for me, the story is heartbreaking and yet so beautiful and heartwarming. I absolutely devoured this second chance romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tara DeWitt and Macmillan audio for this amazing audiobook ARC.

10/10 tarah and the narration team left no crumbs. as someone who had the privilege to read this before listening to the audiobook, the narrators truly made this book more amazing (if that’s even possible)

Connor Crais and Megan Wicks did a wonderful job with the narration! I especially loved the duet style of the emails/texts/letters. The audiobook is a real treat.

I'm a huge sucker for angsty/broken/second chance relationships. The moment Ellis came out with the "She's still a Byrd." in Savor It, I KNEW we were getting a story about these two. I will say, when we kept time-skipping at the start of the book, I got a little confused initially but everything ties back up together nicely in the end. I really liked that we got to see bits of Ellis and Wren's relationship throughout the years - all of the happy moments but also the tough ones that slowly pile up and eventually cause the split between them. I appreciate how both Wren and Ellis reflected on themselves and their past actions to understand why their marriage ended.

I wish there had been more emotionally intimate moments because at one point in the story it seems like all we really get is physical intimacy. Also, I thought the letters would be a bigger part of the story, but they show up at the beginning and don't really make a comeback until closer to the end + everything surrounding them got resolved a lot more quickly than I thought it would. It wasn't bad, I was just expecting a bit more than what had actually happened.

Thankfully, we get a lot of appearances from the Byrd family + Fisher and Indy which I absolutely loved. The whole family is precious. I can't help but hope for books for Silas and Micah (sp?)!! I want to learn more about them.

"...because if he can carry all of them, I can carry him."
Megan Wicks WRECKED me with Wren's monologues at the end of the book.
Ugh. This couple is everything.

Thank you to NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for the ALC!

Left of Forever by Tarah Dewitt is a second chance romance. It’s set in the same world as Savor It (2024). Wren and Ellis Byrd, childhood sweethearts, have been divorced four years. They are dropping off their 18 year old son Sam off at college. Ellis proposes that they take a roadtrip together on the way back home to see if they can rekindle their love, or at a minimum learn how to be friends again.

I listened to the audiobook, dual-narrated by Connor Crais and Megan Wicks. They did a nice job portraying the characters in a way that was heartfelt and genuine, allowing a deeper connection to the story. The pacing was perfect and I enjoyed reading the inner dialogue of each character. This added a lot of depth to the story as the two navigated healing from past wounds and trying to grow together after years apart. If you enjoy second chance romance, you will love this one! Second chance romance is not one of my preferred tropes but I still enjoyed the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me a complimentary advanced reader copy of the audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and based off of this draft; the final publication may be different. Expected publication date is May 20, 2025.

3.25 ⭐️ I love the cover! It's what drew me to reading the book. You can feel the connection there. ❤️ Also the narrators did a wonderful job 👏🏾 I just didn't connect with the story as much I wanted to. It was sweet and I was definitely routing for them but it just didn't engage me enough to pull at my heart strings.

There aren’t enough words to express how much I love this book. I was a big, big fan of Savor It, the first book in this series, and had been hearing how good Left of Forever is, so when I got the email saying I was approved for the audiobook, I screamed. Wren and Ellis have all of my heart and more. I love love love the Byrd family so much and wish I could live in Spunes and experience life with them.

This is the first audiobook I’ve listened to where the female narrator didn’t have a high-pitched, almost childlike voice, and that made me love this book all the more. Thank you thank you thank you, Tarah DeWitt, for writing this beautiful piece of art. I love you.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook. This one had me all in my feelings!! I loved Wren, I loved Ellis and adored Sam! The narrators were flawless!!! The female narrator had a little bit of a raspy voice and it was PERFECT for Wren!!! I could have listened to them banter for hours. This was the perfect book, and I won't go into too much detail but I was in absolute tears at the end--HAPPY TEARS.

Thank you thank you thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC 🤍

I was lucky enough to have read this book a while back and it immediately became one of my favourite books ever written. I loved Savor It so much and this next installment only had me falling more in love with the Byrd family. Wren & Ellis are my soul couple and I adored going on this heartbreakingly beautiful journey with them.

Connor and Megan really enhanced this story. They were truly meant to narrate these characters. They left me a sobbing mess by the end and I can guarantee I’ll be relistening to this audiobook over and over again until the end of time.

I need to thank Tarah again for creating these comfort characters and sharing her magic with us 🤍

Well then. I wasn’t expecting so much spice… what a pleasant surprise! 😏

Second-chance romance isn’t my favorite trope, but this one was enjoyable! I particularly loved *SPOILER* the lack of a third-act breakup. That being said, it didn’t feel like there was much conflict throughout, so I guess that’s what you get with a real breakup. Sigh.

Either way, a sweet and spicy marriage rekindling! Spice was like 3.5-4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

(Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley, for the ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

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

♾️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5


I don’t even know where to start. Tarah DeWitt’s writing just speaks to me on a soul deep level. Wren and Ellis’ story is a second chance romance but it is also so much more. Wren and Ellis met when they were so young. They started their relationship as well as parenthood before they were even adults.

This story captures the ups and downs of marriage and the tiny ways that we can slowly start letting things slip. The examination of how you can be so madly in love with someone, but still not be able to make things work due to the day-to-day challenges of life was so painful and so beautifully written.

Wren and Ellis have a relationship that I loved reading about so much. Their chemistry and intimacy was perfection.

I think this book also resonates with me on a deeply personal level. My husband and I met when I was 17 and he was 18. We have been together ever since and married for 10 of the 20 years we’ve known each other. While we are still together, Wren and Ellis are so relatable. When you’ve had to grow up together you can easily see the moments that can make everything fall apart if you don’t keep choosing to find one another and fight and love and communicate.

The Byrds and all the characters in Spunes are my favorite. Micah and Silas are going to have incredible stories and I love how much we got to see of them in this book as well.

The audiobook narration is perfect. Both voice actors are incredible and really made the story come to life.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

I fear that Tarah DeWitt COOKED with this one! A second chance, sort of marriage in crisis, firefighter romance full of yearning?? What a magical ride.

I previously have felt sort of meh about the books that I've read from Tarah DeWitt. I didn't really see the magic that I always see people going crazy over... well I finally see the magic with Left of Forever. I'm not sure if its because it includes several of my favorite tropes or if it really is just THAT good (I'm leaning towards its just that good).

Wren and Ellis are made for each other and getting to see them fall back in love and learn to trust each other again was so delightful. The yearning and the horniness were so exquisite!!! (I mean the cable car scene??? HELLO????) What a romance to make you believe in love again.

Thank you to Netgalley and SMP for my ALC.

I listened to an advance copy of the audio book. It was a quick read and honestly I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it at first, but once I realized how much I could relate to their relationship, I was hooked. They started young and had their challenges. Eventually they chose to part, not realizing they both still loved each other. Their adventure that brought them back together, realizing they were each other’s home was where I felt the most connection. I couldn’t imagine those 5 years they spent apart, but I understand their deep need to make up for that time and ensure it’ll never happen again - a beautiful love story!

✨ Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for the ALC!

Left of Forever is a beautiful and emotional second chance romance that explores love, loss, and the complicated path of reconnecting. Wren and Ellis, once married and now five years divorced, are thrown back into each other’s lives, and the emotional tension is palpable from the start.

The story is rich with heartfelt moments, and I especially loved the focus on family and found family—those relationships brought so much warmth and depth. Tarah DeWitt continues to be an auto-buy author for me; her writing never fails to hit the perfect emotional notes.

The audiobook performance was stellar. TConnor Crais’s voice? Like butter. So emotional and smooth. Megan Wicks was new to me and absolutely fantastic! Together, they brought Wren and Ellis’s story to life in such a powerful way.

4.5⭐️. — highly recommend for fans of heartfelt, character-driven love stories

It’s not very often I give a book 5 stars these days. This book more than earned a 5-star rating, though.

I love that romance books can be a form of escapism, but I love the raw honesty and realism that Left of Forever brought to the table. Marriage and long-term relationships aren't always easy, but this book shows just how beautiful those things can be when we work at them.

The struggles between Ellis and Wren were so real. It was such a fun journey watching them make their way back to each other and rebuild a healthier relationship. They had amazing chemistry and some really funny moments along their journey. I loved seeing how much respect and love they had for each other, even when they weren’t a couple.

The banter throughout the book was top-notch, as was the spice. Things didn’t feel at all rushed, which can sometimes happen in second-chance romances.

Overall, it was just an amazing book with plenty of laugh-out-loud funny moments and a few that could cause some tears. This is easily one of my favorite romance reads in a very long time.

STUNNING. BRILLIANT. HEARTFELT. FUNNY.

Ughhh I knew by the 6th chapter that this was a 5 star read for me! And that it was going to make me emotional in the best way.

And the audio is FANTASTIC! Truly the performance by Megan Wicks and Connor Crais was outstanding. This is not a duet but the voice actors did a great job with the other characters voices that I forgot at times. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Here is what you need to know:

Wren and Ellis Byrd were once young and in love. Wren got pregnant with their son Sam in high school around the same time Ellis had to step up as the oldest in his family. They were a family through it all, but after dealing with pregnancy complications and other ways they pushed each other away they divorced. Once high school sweethearts now co-parents. But when the opportunity arises to see if there is still something between them will they be able to stoke the spark they once had? Or will it all go up in smoke?

If you are a romance reader that doesn’t mind spice this is one to put on your radar! I am a Tarah DeWitt fan and I will be trying to convince everyone to read her stuff now!!! 🥹

Tear tracker: I did tear up but did not outright cry, but my goodness this book is gorgeous.

About 4 open door scenes.

THANK YOU NetGalley, St. Martins Press, You had me at HEA for the eArc of this book! It has changed my reader DNA 🥹

4.5

Thank you netgalley for this ARC ebook. I loved this book so much. This trope of marriage in trouble/ love after divorce is my favourite trope ever. And Tarah Dewitt did it extremely well. Ellis and Ren are meant to be and they're relationship is great. One bed trope and road trip trope. Their son going off to university. Just perfect.