4.5⭐

when i tell you i am weak in the knees for a second chance romance, i mean it. left of forever was the epitome of what a perfect second chance romance should be. i was giggling over their chemistry, the banter, and the spice! throw in some forced proximity and i'm a goner. i absolutely adored this book so so much! i will be thinking about ellis and wren for a long time 🤭

when wren and ellis bird's son, sam, gets accepted into a college out in california, they set on a mini trip of their own to see if they can re-kindle their marriage and romance. i loved that the santa cruz setting, it was so fun & romantic! i adored all of their heartfelt moments and all the in-betweens. their love just felt so realistic and i felt their connection right off the bat. for a couple who really wanted to work on their communication, i really thought they shined in that department, especially with being co-parents; the letters were so sweet and i loved how that wrapped up in the end.

the audiobook was INCREDIBLE. the narrators were phenomenal - it made listening to the book more enjoyable. the way they inflicted their emotions was just so perfect. i felt so connected to both of them. i highly recommend this audiobook!

thank you to macmillan audio for the ALC!

i’ve honestly been putting off writing this review because i know i’m not going to say everything as eloquently and put together as this book deserves but we’re gonna try

wren and ellis have embedded themselves in a small piece of my heart forever. their story is so raw and beautiful and full of HOPE and all consuming love. a story about two people who are so resilient in their love for each other despite the time they spent apart and watching them reconnect and work through their past was honestly a privilege to witness

NOW FOR THE STAR OF THE SHOW ellis mf byrd and his slutty mf mustache. THAT MAN!! I AM TRULY WEAK IN THE KNEES!! miss tarah knew what she was doing when she wrote him and for that i owe her my life 🙂‍↕️

i cannot wait for this book to be out in the world and for everyone to be able to experience it. i’ve truly found my new favorite romance and i’ll keep this story close to my heart for whatever’s left of forever ((I HAD TO IM SORRY OK IM DONE))

thank you netgalley and macmillen audio for the arc/alc!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ !!!!
♾️

I love Tarah DeWitt, the way she writes romances and feeling is truly so unique. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her, but this may take the cake for my favorite one (so far) by her and my favorite second-chance romance. This made me tear up SO much, at one or three times I was actually sobbing.

“You’re still a Byrd.”
“I am.” 😭

✨ Second chance
✨ Road trip
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Childhood friends to lovers - divorce - to together again 😭

*when I get more of my thoughts together I’ll most likely write a much longer review*

Thank you SO much St Martin’s Press for a eArc and Macmillan Audio for an ALC

I’ll read everything she writes forever and I want to live in Spunes Oregon, not to be confused with Forks Washington. I typically don’t like second chance romance cause they never seem realistic but this one was amazing and perfect and I appreciated the lack of unnecessary conflict. The meddling of all the side characters was top tier.

Left of Forever was my first Tarah DeWitt book, and I'm not very interested in reading anymore of her catalogue. The writing itself is decent. However, the main leads read very immature. I had to do a double take on their ages because they were supposed to be mid 30s, but read like moody teenagers who couldn't communicate with each other. I also found it a stretch that the two exchange letters with each other, and don't recognize each other's handwriting...weren't they together for years? Really. There really wasn't any tension in the relationship. They were in love with each other the entire time, and weren't together only because they couldn't communicate. Meh. I was glad just to finish it. The audio was okay, not my favorite.

thank you netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc <3
nothing says 'we might still be in love' like a road trip with your hot firefighter ex husband who still thinks you hung the moon and the stars lol
so this was surpringly tender? and emotionally satisfying i'm not into second romances I tend to steer away from the trope but i'm so glad I was able to pick this up bc there's nothing I love more then fresh healthy takes on common book tropes.
wren and el felt so entwined throughout the entire story I was rooting for them so hard. their issues weren't spiteful they were genuinely and actively trying their best and putting everyone first. it was so nice to see them talk thru their mistakes and make progress on getting a fresh start. like every little bit felt so earned and i'm so glad it didn't pull any cliched breakup drama near the end.
butalsocanwetalkaboutthesmutbcholyshit they're both so
lucky idk who to be jealous of more Imao
and as always a million extra points for a fun and loving supportive ensemble cast aka the byrd family and friends. if there's one thing that's gonna hook me every time it's found family and considering the tears I shed towards the end this book delivers.
hoping we get more entwined stories with the rest of the crew <333
my fave little snippet • "all I know is that if I found out heaven was real and got there first id hang back in the waiting room and save you a seat" WHO SAID ROMANCE WAS DEAD

The narrators for this audiobook knocked it out of the park! I loved the back, and forth of the male and female narrators. There was even a point where Wren was reading an email or letter and the narrator for Ellis chimed in and read it and it flowed into the story nicely. The story itself was a very beautiful story about finding second chance in a marriage. There were deeper themes that I felt were handled very delicately. Since the characters had so much chemistry, I felt like it was easy to fall into a rhythm of their banter. I feel like marriage tropes can be tricky in romances, but I always enjoy when they're handled well. I think many romance readers will fall for Wren and Ellis.

This was absolutely beautiful. Wren and Ellis's story was so realistic and raw. Often times with second chance romance, the reason for the initial breakup is just too unforgivable or out there, but theirs was something that happens to people all the time, which I really liked. I loved this story so much and am glad I got the opportunity to listen to it early!

4.5 stars!!

This was a super cute read! It was sweet, hopeful, low angst and full of joy!

I would have loved a little bit more tension.

This was so good, until it wasn't.

We have Ellis and Wren who used to be married, but they are no longer together after years of loving one another. However, there is one thing that keeps them in contact, and that is Sam their son. However, he is leaving to college and it's forcing the two of them to look at things a little deeper.

Being that this was my first read from Tarah, I was not sure what to expect. I just knew that I have heard wonderful things. I was so happy and in love with the book in the first 60%. We had a beautiful second chance romance, filled with so much angst and agony. I was EATING it up. Then the book took a turn for the worse. It felt like these characters were no longer interested in romance or plot. These two only wanted sex. Now I really dislike it when a book changes so much, like the sex scenes do not feel authentic to the characters and it makes it so hard for me to feel like these are real people.

I am so very upset that I did not love the last half as much as the first half.

4.5 stars!!

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is a beautifully written, emotionally layered story that I devoured in under two days on audio. I didn’t want to press pause—this book completely pulled me in from the start.

I’m a huge fan of second chance romance, and this one delivered everything I love about the trope: complicated history, real vulnerability, and a slow, earned reconnection that felt both natural and deeply satisfying. The characters are flawed and fully human, and DeWitt’s writing captures their emotional landscape with so much care and nuance.
The only reason I didn’t give it a full five stars is that the spice level was a bit beyond my personal taste. That said, I know many readers will appreciate and enjoy that aspect—it’s just a matter of preference. The emotional payoff and depth of storytelling more than made up for it, and I’d still recommend it wholeheartedly.

If you love character-driven romance with heart, healing, and an authentic second chance arc, this one is well worth your time.

OMG. Infinite stars to this sweet baby angel of a book. I devoured this in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. I laughed and cried in all the best ways. This was the first book I have read by Tarah DeWitt, and I fear I am now OBSESSED. The characters were so relatable, and I couldn’t get enough. The honesty and purity of everything Ellis and Wren shared was so so beautiful.

The audio was equally as great. The voice actors chosen did such a great job bringing free story to life. It was easy and clear to listen to, and I found myself giddy while listening.

100/10 stars

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the advanced audio copy of Left of Forever!!!

I loved this book! It was so freaking cute, I couldn’t stop listening to it!! This is a second-chance romance that is so funny and charming. You will be rooting for Ellis and Wren the entire time. The story follows both Wren and Ellis, who fell in love as kids and had a child together when they were teens. Now they are in their 30s and they are divorced. Wren runs a bakery, and Ellis is a FireFighter. When Wren and Ellis’ son, Sam, gets accepted into a university far from where they live, Ellis asks Wren to go on a road trip with him to try and give their relationship one last chance, and she agrees to go on. They they will be stuck together while they try and make their relationship work one more time.

One thing that I loved about this audiobook was the dual narration. It is so immersive that when they are writing notes/emails to each other, it’s in the other actor’s voice. It may be a small detail, but I love it when they do it that way in audiobooks! As someone who can’t see images in their head when they are reading, it really helps to make the book more immersive for me. I also loved the pacing of this book. I felt like she gave the right amount of time for their relationship to develop, and nothing felt like it dragged.

I have to mention that cable car scene, it was hilarious but also so sweet!! I love a man who isn’t afraid to love the woman they want unconditionally, and you can tell that Ellis felt that for Wren. What I liked about this book as well was how real it is. Marriage isn’t perfect, you just have to find someone with whom you’re willing to struggle and want to work through everything with. You can tell in the story that Ellis and Wren had their own issues, but their time apart helped them come together and realize how much they needed each other. While both characters show so much growth throughout the story, Ellis really does grow and tries his damnest to win back Wren.

I loved how the story ended, I thought that it was perfect! If you love second-chance romances with lots of yearning, then you will love this book!

I am freaking obsessed. I wasn't sure that Tarah would be able to top Fisher and Sage from Savor It, but she just had to go and prove me wrong. Second chance romance is hit or miss for me - I either love it or could do without. I have to say, this very quickly (like within the first couple of chapters) has become my new favorite second chance romance.

Ellis is a firefighter with a fair amount of baggage - he's divorced, a father, and he blames himself for a work-related accident. Wren works in the bakery that her mom started, and has also been through her fair share of struggles - she's divorced, a mother, and getting ready to send her son of to college. Plot twist? Ellis and Wren are divorced...from each other. Dropping their son, Sam, off at college means that they will have to tolerate being around each other again. Between lingering feelings and meddling family, their resolve is put to the test.

Ellis puts on a hard exterior, but it's because he's hiding a world of hurt. The closer he comes to dropping Sam at college, the more he realizes that he misses his ex-wife, Wren. Ellis is bold in his choices while planning their road trip from Oregon to California, and decides to make it into a trip to win her back. The man is a giant, gooey marshmallow on the inside and I fell in love with him so easily. He doesn't do anything without reason, he loves fiercely, and at his heart he is a true family man.

Wren is a strong, at times bull-headed, woman. I could relate to her on many levels, as a wife and mom, and feeling like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. She longs to be swept off her feet again, and after being divorced for 5 years, is feeling like she wants to act on getting her ex-husband back.

The PINING between these two is *chef's kiss*. The way that they knew one another so deeply made their journey of wooing and romancing feel uniquely intimate. Their road trip becomes a challenge: see if there is enough of a spark left to rekindle their relationship. Ellis plans romantic stops along the way, and the physical tension builds (and it's delicious). The story is a slow burn, but it doesn't feel that way - likely due to the fact that there are things to reminisce about at every turn.

I have heard Connor before, but Megan was a new narrator for me. I absolutely LOVED them both in these roles, and I think that their performances really nailed the tone of the book. Tarah's story is an emotional rollercoaster, and I never once felt as though they were disconnected from the material. There is a large cast of characters, and they both did a great job of differentiating between them. Stellar performance from both narrators!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tarah, and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

I was worried I wouldn't like this book as much as I liked Savor It.... but that was not the case! Tarah DeWitt does it again. This book DELIVERED on the story and plot, the writing, the characters and their development, & the cathartic release. I listened to the audiobook ARC and the narrators were perfect for this book! I thought their voices matched what I had imagined in my head. I also LOVED that the characters from Savor It were still in the story so I got to see more of their happy ever after! And I think there was a cameo of characters from another book Tarah wrote a few years ago.

This book focuses on divorced couple who co-parents and get their second chance at love. I loved how they were super green flags as parents and their son seemed to really love and trust them. There were some heavy topics mentioned in the book, like struggling to get pregnant, and although I did cry a couple times, the book still felt like a rom-com. I felt great after finishing it. I HIGHLY recommend this book- especially to those who loved Savor It.

oh what a ride! I was so excited to return to Spunes WA. Wren and Ellis are perfect! oh I can't a day enough about this book. so many emotions. such great writing. i loved the dynamics between the characters. I need more Byrd family drama.

I adored these narrators. This was the first book in a long time I didn't speed up the narration. Not that they spoke quickly or anything I just really wanted to take the moment to enjoy them.

Even better the second time around, but this time with the audiobook!Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!

This book is a work of art. A masterpiece. A love letter to the second chance trope. A love letter to the romance genre. This was everything. Books like THIS are the reason why I love reading so much.

I’m not new to Tarah’s beautiful writing, but this was next level! The pacing, the banter, the dialogues, the way these scenes were so perfectly written, it felt like somehow I was right there with Wren & Ellis. At times it felt so intimate, it almost felt like I was about to get caught for spying on them or something.

I absolutely loved these two very real, raw and relatable characters finding their way back to each other. Back to themselves as a whole. I adore the Byrds. This was so emotional, it broke my heart into a million pieces just so it could slowly put it back together. This book will stay with me for a long, long time.

THIS WAS SO GOOD ON AUDIO OH MY GOSH.
Connor and Megan did so good bringing Ellis and Wren to life, and I honestly felt like it was some of my besties telling me their love story. I loved this book before, but I love it even more now just getting to experience this. TARAH YOU HAVE OUTDONE YOURSELF.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-ARC is exchange for my honest review!

This is how you do second-chance romance! No third-act breakup, but plenty of realistic conflict. Also, Tarah covered heavy topics like infertility and teen pregnancy with sensitivity and no sugar coating. The writing was gorgeous with top-notch banter and beautiful descriptions of Wren and Ellis’s road trip stops. This is my first Tarah DeWitt book but certainly won’t be my last. I hope we hear more from the Byrd brothers because I need more Ellis and Wren!

The narrators were fantastic, too. So much expression and emotion that I felt immersed in the story!

Wow, this is prime second chance romance! I loved the letters at the beginning and the hope that they spark and then such a beautiful journey or falling back in love with someone who you grew up loving and caring for from the very beginning. Absolutely precious! The beginning felt a little slow but I really didn’t mind it! It was a nice build, then I was realizing that I had an hour left and didn’t want it to end!