This was a deep one and I think it was very moving!

Tarah Dewitt has a talent for pulling at your heart strings and holding on tight. I think this couple have been through so much and seeing them make their way back to each other was very rewarding. Second Chance romances are close to my heart, and my own parents actually divorces when I was in High School and remarried (to each other!) when I was in college!

I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

Wonderful performance by the narrators, as well.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a beautiful and emotional story that resonated deeply at times. The writing was heartfelt, and the characters were relatable and easy to connect with. However, there were parts of the story that felt a bit hard to believe, which slightly pulled me out of the experience. Despite that, the emotional depth and strong character made it a worthwhile read overall.

left of forever - audio arc review 🪴🌼🍰
Wren and Ellis fell in love as kids, had their son in high school, and built a life together in Spunes, Oregon. they burned hot until they burned out. now divorced and in their 30s, they make co-parenting work in this small coastal town while living mostly separate lives. when it’s time to move their son, Sam, to college, Ellis convinces Wren to take an extended road trip back home to Spunes to see if the sparks between them can grow into something brighter or are the destined to only burn out?

i love Tarah Dewitt’s books, especially the ones that take place in Spunes, Oregon. this coastal town feels so magical. i absolutely loved Wren in Savor It by Dewitt so i was absolutely geeked to get this arc. i love the way Dewitt explores the deepness of diving into loving yourself fully, even in your mess in Wren’s story. i also loved the realness of forgiveness, for yourself in others that she explored in Ellis’. Wren and Ellis are both absolutely everything. this story is everything. Tarah Dewitt is everything.

narrator review : i really enjoyed both narrators on this arc, they both were excellent and exactly what i imagined for Wren and Ellis, especially Megan Wicks. she did an excellent job of making dialogue of both characters feel dynamic and interesting, while also keeping the rest of the narration engaging and entertaining.

rating : 5 ⭐️

tropes and things 🏕️
- second chance romance
- divorced parents
- dual pov ( dual narrator )
- college move in trip
- rekindled relationship
- healing from the things that hurt you
🍓 please make sure to read any and all trigger readings before reading this one - divorce and infertility are both topics that are discussed in this book.

This story is so sweet and raw. I love the writing and the FMC is lovable and honest and the MMC is hilarious and seeing him grow in his vulnerabilities was awesome. And the spice!!! Oh. My. Goodness.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the this copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A big thank you to @stmartinspress @macmillianaudio & @netgalley for an ARC & ALC of this book!

Wren & Ellis Byrd fell in love very young, and welcomed their son Sam into the world - kickstarting their marriage. They were absolute soulmates, until everything fell apart. When it comes time to move Sam to college, they end up taking a road trip together to dive into what went wrong with them and if there is still any chance for them to make it work again.

Tarah DeWitt….you just keep getting better and better! 🤯 Holy shit, this book consumed my every thought, I was captivated, enthralled, touched, heartbroken & put back together by the whole story and specifically by the MC’s Wren & Ellis. Talk about a book with a FULL redemption arc, riddled with hard truths, tough times and complexities galore, which bring so much depth into the story.

The Easter eggs & intertwining of other characters from Tarah’s books brought a true smile to my face! Seeing the growth of all of the characters only amplified the storyline and brought me to such profound place of immersion in the book. When I tell you I couldn’t put this one down, I mean it! Second chance romance, but REAL - addressing the messy, challenging, hurtful & beautiful - all at the same time. I think it goes without saying that I am beyond obsessed with this one! 🤍

The ability to go between ebook and audiobook formats for this read added so much to it as well, in my opinion! The performances of Connor Crais & Megan Wicks as Ellis and Wren were so well done, full of emotion and beauty!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I loved that this story follows true grown up adults Wren and Ellis, who mostly have it together. They married young, life and its complications push them appart. They both sort of stop fighting for each other and their relationship resulting in their separation. Through all of this they are respectful and pleasant with eachother as they co-parent their son Sam which is their number one priority. 

All while they both deeply care for eachother, but assume in the 8 years they've been appart that the other has moved on. Which couldn't be further from the truth, neither has ever cared for anyone the way they do eachother.

"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮..𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲..𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐝..𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞"

I highly enjoyed their story and their road back to eachother. It felt very genuine, heartfelt, and their commitment to eachother was felt throughout. Their love endured alot of hardship but in the end with strong communication and fierce loyalty they were able to rebuild their relationship that had honestly gone a little stale.

Very spicy! 🔥
It works for these characters though, and they are revealing a deeper emotional connection and inner dialog during these parts as well. But very much an open door.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the ALC. The audio was so good!

I was SO excited to return to Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington—thank you very much), and Left of Forever gave me everything I wanted and then some!

This time, we get the story of Saige’s brother, Ellis, and his ex-sidekick-slash-Saige’s-best-friend, Wren. Childhood friends turned teen sweethearts, Ellis and Wren’s lives changed forever when Wren got pregnant at 17. Since then, everything has revolved around their son Sam—until now. With Sam off to college, these two are suddenly facing a whole new kind of quiet… and maybe a second chance.

Wren runs a cozy little bakery, Ellis is a firefighter, and when he suggests a road trip back to Spunes after dropping Sam off, well—you know I was ALL IN. This book gave me slow-burn reconnection, sweet family moments, and that perfect mix of swoon and heart that Tarah DeWitt always delivers.

A beautifully written story about love that never really left, growing up while parenting, and finding your way back to the person who knows your soul.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tarah DeWitt, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this charming four star read in exchange for a review!

Ya know I’m really starting to love Tarah. Or at least this series cause wow. Last year Savor It was one of my top listens and this one will definitely be a top listen. I just love found families and second chances. Tarah did a wonderful job writing them both. I was swept away and didn’t want to leave. The main characters were so fun and seeing them
Come back together I didn’t want it to end. Thank you NetGalley for again giving me a top read!

This was my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of romance books centre around and are about younger characters, I liked that this was a middle aged couple finding love all over again. A couple discovering that the love they found when they were teenagers is the real thing still. This was a cute and funny story and totally enjoyable to listen to. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the audio house, the author and narrator for the opportunity to listen to a complimentary copy of this audiobook in return for review, based upon my honest opinion.

Thank you to Net Galley, Macmillan audio and St. Martin's Press for the arc of the book!
Usually I don't love second chance romance, but this book was everything. When I book starts with a playlist with so many of my favourite songs (Taylor Swift, Noah Kahan, Fleetwood Mac) I knew it would be good.
At the core this book is a story of forgiveness and love.
Not only does this apply to there journey as a couple, but as individuals
There is just so much depth to the characters, and there love. It was a second chance romance where you actually can tell both characters have but the work in on themselves and their self discovery as individuals.
They just felt so raw and real.
10/10 recommend- don't need to read the first one to understand but I will definitely be reading it now!

In this northwestern romance set in fictional Sprunes, Oregon, Wren and Ellis Byrd fall back in love. After teenage love, an unexpected pregnancy and a life together of ups and downs, the pair find their way back to each other for a second chance after a few years apart. I enjoyed Tarah DeWitt’s writing, the dual narration and the deep connection the pair share. Admittedly, this is not my favorite romance trope, but I appreciated this book and would recommend it for those who want an emotional read.

Tarah DeWitt did it again! I loved this story and found myself rooting for Wren and Ellis the WHOLE time. I loved the premise, and the fact that the book felt lighthearted while still having substance. It was a perfect summer pool read, and I would absolutely recommend this to romance readers! I flew through this read and was so happy to be back in Spunes!

The audiobook was so so well done, and I love the Dual POV. It made it so easy to binge the story!

I cannot begin to describe how much I enjoyed this book. As someone who has been married over a decade, this book was refreshing in that it was a second chance romance with two people who never stopped living one another and had a long history but the hardships of marriage and parenthood and life led them apart.

These two - on their roadtrip to try to reconnect - experience both something akin to a new love and a rekindling of the past love that neither one of them really let go of. Their chemistry both in and out of the sheets was so good and their banter, their vulnerability, their want for eachother…. It honestly inspired me to see my partner in a new light and think of ways to rekindle some of the things we’ve let slip.

There audiobook was so moving and the narrators captured these characters perfectly. The book is also an amazing read so I would recommend both!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Left of Forever is a heartfelt, emotional romance that follows two characters, Wren and Ellis, as they reconnect and work through the past while figuring out their future. It’s tender, reflective, and full of moments that make you feel like you truly know them.

I listened to the audiobook ARC through NetGalley—thank you to Macmillan Audio—and really enjoyed it. The dual narration was excellent and brought both characters to life. I could easily picture each scene, and the narrators’ voices fit perfectly.

I felt a strong connection to Wren and Ellis, especially during the scenes where they shared pieces of their past. Even though I hadn’t read the first book in the Spunes series, I still got a lot out of it. That said, I think I would’ve connected more with the side characters if I had that background, so I plan to go back and read book one and honestly, anything else Tarah DeWitt writes in this world.

A second chance romance with an odd timeline, a lot of miscommunication, and a relationship that ultimately relies on physical chemistry to get by. I was hopeful for this one, but there was a lot about it that bothered me including some dialogue that made me physically cringe. The prose was well written, if at times heavy handed, and I felt like I could have really liked the characters had the author actually given us a chance to get to know them. Overall, this unfortunately didn't work for me. 2.25 ⭐️

This audiobook was *chef's kiss*
Did I cry? Yes.
Did I swoon? Yes.
Did this book shoot up to the top of my favorite reads of 2025? Also, yes.

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt: there are not enough stars in the galaxy, I fear!!! 💫The moment I saw Exile and How Did It End on the playlist, I knew this book would devastate me - and sure enough - it did. But it also had me laughing my ass off from the sparklingly humor and candid wit, sobbing tears of joy from their big big love, melting my face off from the intimacy (as Jessica Joyce would say), and also feeling hope! Ellis and Wren had their son as teenagers, built a beautiful life together, and then watched it fall apart. Now, divorced in their 30s, they’re dropping their son off at college, and Ellis asks Wren to take one last chance on them.

Ellis Byrd is not a book boyfriend, but a book HUSBAND. He doesn’t just whisper sweet nothings & hope for the best. He is a man of action. He takes notes, studies the game tape, and puts in the work!! & Wren? My queen. Her chaotic stream of consciousness, rapid fire humor, vulnerability, and resilience?? I’ve been SAYING Tarah writes the absolute best fmcs.

Getting to experience these two people who clearly belong together flirt and fall back together was a whirlwind of emotions. (I will never look at Ken Dolls, Flip-Flops, peppers, origami, or horses the same way again) One minute I was giddy with full-body laughter and the next I’m ugly crying!

Connor Crais and Megan Wicks brought to life Ellis and Wren through their incredible narration. The audiobook is an absolute dream, I truly felt the magic of this story on a much deeper level through their voices.

Wren is great and has does nothing wrong in her life. Ellis is a sweetie who needs to breathe and learns how to. Once it got going, I really enjoyed it. Very excited for Silas' book.

We finally get Wren and Ellis!! A few bigger pieces of this story feel far fetched and give a little bit of an eye roll, but the storyline is good and sweet and fun anyway. It’s really sweet how much everyone is rooting for them to get back together - I love a good second chance trope. She painted a really beautiful picture of a marriage that falls apart because they lack the communication skills and gives the characters strong growth to the point where they can possibly get it back.

I cannot fathom she’d have envisioned anyone other than Brandon Sklenar for Ellis. He’s the only option. Also the audiobook voices were perfection.

After reading Savor It I was really looking forward to getting Wren and Ellis’ story. Hoping for Silas next! “What is bravery if not hope in action?”

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a phenomenal narration. First of all, the book itself its a masterpiece. The story is beautiful, full of pain, heartache, love and longing. Megan Wicks as Wren does a wonderful job, bringing this character to life and giving depth in all of Wren’s emotions. Connor Crais is Elis in perfection. I cannot picture another Elis and Connor was amazing at navigating Elis feelings and bringing to life this complex character that just wanted to be better.

I am grateful at the opportunity of reading this book and being able to have a narration that matches what I imagined this beautiful story already was. Cannot recommend this enough as it mow became one of my favorite audiobooks of the year and top story as well,