Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an audio ARC of LEFT OF FOREVER by Tarah DeWitt.

Left of Forever was my first book by Tarah DeWitt and will probably be my last. Sadly, this book wasn’t for me even though the description had me captivated from the beginning.
After dropping their only child off at college, Ellis and Wren Byrd, both in their 30s, together since their teens and now divorced for five years decide to take a road trip to see if there is any chance of rekindling their relationship. They make a pact to be brutally honest with each other to try and establish what went wrong in their marriage as a means to fix it.

I thought the story started off well. There was a lot of potential in the pen pal situation and I really wish there had been more of this. Unfortunately it went pretty downhill at about 50% and I almost didn’t finish at 85%. By this point I was bored and just didn’t care about the characters.

What I liked:
- road tripping
- big family
- letter writing (even though they should have recognized each others handwriting)

What I didn’t like:
- miscommunication ++++
- cheesy dialogue
- cringey open door sex scenes
- conflict that didn’t go anywhere (like stuff that should have been a majorly big deal just went away because it was said and acknowledged; the 3rd act conflict was immediately resolved because the MMC told the truth - but it wasn’t even that big a deal in the first place).

Overall, this story had so much potential as a second chance love story, but it got wasted in two characters who didn’t act their age or stage in life. They were both immature and only seemed physically compatible. They clearly did not know each other, and it did not feel like they would be much better off after their trip either. There was no apparent growth or relationship development throughout.

I can definitely see why some would love this book, but there were just too many flaws and gaps for my liking.

2 ⭐️ (1⭐️ for the story and an extra ⭐️ for the narration)

How good is this book? It’s so good halfway through I wanted to call each of my exes and book a road trip to see if we should give it another go… My exes are the worst but this beautiful book is so good it made me want to call them and risk trying again haha.

I’m not usually a second chance romance kind of girl and maybe that’s because as I previously mentioned my exes are the worst but I loved everything about this story. When Wren and Ellis fell in love they were so young and they went through so much together so fast and it broke them but they never really truly stopped loving each other.

I loved watching Ellis fight for Wren and take his time proving his love for her. They didn’t just decide one day to ignore the issues that tore them apart and get back together, they took the time to repair what was broken. These two incredible humans put in the work, they faced everything head on and found their way back to each other. It was such a beautiful story.

I listened to an advanced listener copy of this book thanks to Macmillan audio and NetGalley. It was dual narrated by Connor Crais and Megan Wicks. The narration was perfect it! Sometimes with dual narration when the narrator is reading the parts spoken by the opposite sex it can sound a little cheesy but these narrators did an amazing job of not making it over the top. They made this story come alive.

Left of Forever is a second chance romance, the divorced version. Ellis and Wren take a road trip to drop off their son to college, and to see if the fire is really gone after 5 years apart. The playfulness between the two is the kind only those who have known each other since they were kids could know, but they pull their punches because they’ve been there before and they don’t know if they should go back. It was a constant push and pull, of will they or won’t they. Imagine calling your ex “honey” or “baby” as a little game to see who sweats first. We see the dual POV and we’re screaming at our book the whole way through. Ellis and Wren are two people who have known each other their whole lives getting to know each other again, but this time with more honesty, understanding, and grace.

As a 30+ year old, I always find it refreshing to see characters my age in romances. Although I don’t relate to being divorced with a kid, I do relate to growing up and growing apart from others, to how hard it is to find your people the older you get, and just navigating life as an adult cosplaying as an adult who knows what they’re doing.

Both narrators were perfect and I felt all the emotions during this rollercoaster road trip. They were able to convey Ellis and Wren’s pining and playfulness so well. And the fact that I’m familiar with some of the locations in this book made it all the more enjoyable.

This book was a great representation of finding your person, finding your home, and finding the courage to try again.

Second-Chance Romance | Audiobook Review

This is how you write a second-chance romance! Left of Forever made me feel all the emotions—heartache, hope, love, and healing. Tarah DeWitt beautifully captures what it means to grow separately and still find your way back to the one who always felt like home.

The story follows high school sweethearts who had a baby way too young and carried years of heartbreak and unresolved pain. But the way they grow—as individuals and as a couple—and finally learn how to communicate? Absolute perfection. It's not just romantic; it's deeply earned.

Elis completely stole my heart. My favorite line of his:
“If I found out heaven was real, and I got there first, I’d hang out in the waiting rooms and save you a seat.”
(I’m not crying, you’re crying.)

The audiobook is dual narrated, and both performances were excellent—emotional, real, and immersive. The narration added so much to the storytelling, making the characters feel even more alive.

If you love emotional, slow-burn, second-chance romances that make you believe in timing and soul-deep connection—Left of Forever will stay with you.

This was the most beautifully emotional book I’ve read all year, and I’ll never stop talking about it. I don’t know if a book has ever broken my heart and healed it at the same time, but this one did exactly that. I love a good second-chance romance, and Tarah DeWitt truly outdid herself with this story.

Wren and Ellis quickly became one of my favorite couples of all time. Listening to the audiobook made the experience even more powerful—easily more than a 5-star read. The narrators brought every thought and emotion to life so vividly that it made the story even more amazing.

The struggles they faced the first time around had more to do with being young and unprepared than falling out of love—and the letters they exchanged after their divorce made that heartbreakingly clear. If I could give this book a million stars, I would. I truly can’t recommend it enough.

A divorced couple take an empty nest road trip - not such a unique story, but adding super-spice to the mix made this an unexpected read.

Wren and Ellis Byrd drop their son off at college and explore the unlikely idea of reconciliation. Their teenage romance led to a pregnancy they were unprepared for and readers get to examine the mistakes they made along the way as they reflect on their past relationship. Will spoken words, written words and physical attraction clarify how the future might play out? Will they have the courage to listen to the voice that really matters?

On their way back to their small town in Oregon the most pressing question seems to be, “Will they find their way home?”

Narrators Megan Wicks and Connor Crais provide an excellent performance and their vocal talents are incredibly compatible in the main character roles.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Net Galley for the early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

*** adding + star

My absolute favorite second chance romance ever!! Seriously THIS BOOK 🥹 a new all time favorite. I could tell just a few pages in that I was going to love this one. The letters they sent 🧡 ugh so romantic. I loved their characters individually. But together they were truly perfect. I felt that their issues were completely relatable. Tarah touched on some very emotional topics. It was written beautifully. I recently read Savor It and I loved that one as well and I was so grateful I didn’t have to wait to hear Ellis and Wren’s story. Because as good as Savor It is, this was better! I admired how dedicated Ellis is to his family. Their love story felt very real and raw. The journey to finding their way back to each other made me swoon, cry and laugh. Everything I want from a romance book. I listened to this on audio and the emotions were portrayed so perfectly!! You could hear the yearning in their voices. I loved it 🧡

This was my first by Tarah DeWitt and I officially understand the hype! She has so many fans and it makes sense. This was such a heartfelt second chance romance with forced proximity and I loved every minute of it. It gave me similar feels to Seven Days in June. Ellis felt like such a real character. His maturity and understanding of what Wren deserved was so genuine. I loved how much he pined for her.

5 stars are you kidding???? the audiobook for this was genuinely so incredible i couldn’t feel every second of tension, love, and yearning. this just made second chance romances one of my favorite tropes everrr i can’t even explain how much i ate this up!! thank you net galley and mcmillan audio for the arc

This second-chance romance was emotional, entertaining, and engaging. I did not want to stop listening. I loved the beginning re-connection of the characters through letters, though Wren doesn't know she is talking to her ex and the love of her life. Having recently sent a child off to college, I connected with the emotions Wren had. I also loved the element of travel in this storyline, especially using the "after college drop off" for time away. I enjoy Tarah's books and was a bit hesitant to listen vs read a physical copy because of a potential change in experience, but this one was so much fun to listen to. No matter what format you pick, you can't go wrong. And if you are a reader who prefers to close the door on some of the spice, you can easily skip those scenes and not miss out on the rest of the story, there is plenty of it to enjoy.

A second chance, utterly swoonworthy romance, Left of Forever left me with my heart about to burst.

Our main characters were married and fell apart, and now they have realized what they had and are slowly trying to put themselves back together. This felt like a marriage in crisis, one of my favorite tropes recently, and I loved watching Wren and Ellis learn to trust another again, have fun together, and move into a fresh start together. The story really picked up for me when they started their road trip, and it brought emotional moments and moments that had me almost crying in laughter (that cooking class!).

So much angst, so much emotion, so much hope and love and fear and joy. The dual POV narration was so well done and easy to listen to, full of raw emotion and care.

Thank you to Macmillan for the free audiobook! All opinions are my own.

hey so this was one of the best books I’ve ever read, one of the greatest second chance romances EVER, & by far Tarah’s best book. I know she put her everything into it because I COULD FEEL IT COMING OFF THE PAGES. I can’t even begin to describe the amazingness of this book. THERE ARE NO NOTES. The Byrds mean everything to me 😭😭😭

I RARELY CRY DURING BOOKS AND I CRIED MULTIPLE TIMES BUT THE ENTIRE LAST CHAPTER HAD TEARS STREAMING DOWN MY FACE. My brain chemistry has been altered and I never want to go back.

It was heart wrenching, it was thoughtful, it was romantic, it was hot, it was swoony, it was hilarious, it was literally everything. Wren and Ellis were truly two of my favorite fictional characters & I’ll never get over them.

A couple that got pregnant in their teens then married & divorced are given a second chance at potentially rekindling their relationship after fate gets to them in one of the best ways!!

The audiobook was perfection. Megan wicks & Connor Crais were the perfect Wren & Ellis and couldn’t have done a better job bringing them to life!! 20/10 recommend the audiobook

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: audio

Tropes:
Second chance
Forced proximity
Road trip
Small town
Found family
Childhood friends to lovers
Marriage in crisis vibes

If Savor It was the scrumptious meal, Left Of Forever is the decadent dessert! I am simply obsessed with Tarah DeWitt's writing!

There was a magnetic pull towards Wren and Ellis the whole time I read Savor It; I yearned to know their story and was desperate for them to get the HEA they deserved. Let me tell you, Left Of Forever more than exceeded any expectations I could have dreamt up!

I'm pretty sure Ellis's DNA speech altered me! He is book boyfriend gold! And Wren is a beautiful soul who guarded her wounded wing until she was finally able to sore once again.

I slowly melted into this book as the story subtly took hold of me. Before I knew it, I was 80% deep, had already cried, and was on the verge of tears all over again - desperate for the ending, but not wanting it to finish. The way I bawled as this book came to its conclusion!!! I could not contain my happy tears as I bore witness to this redeeming love story and some very special moments for the characters of Spunes, Washington!

More thoughts:
-Indy will grow up with two of the very best female influences (and it would be so cool to see her story later in life)
-I am so happy for Fisher and Sage and the whole damn town!

Megan Wicks is an audiobook narrator I didn't know I needed in my life! Her voice is rich, breathy, and powerful - perfectly matching Wren's character! All I can say about Connor Crais is that I will indeed be seeking out more books by him! How does his voice conjure the cover image of Ellis every time I hear it? Perfect narrator choices!

Simply put: I was a gonner for this book! Left Of Forever gets all the stars encompassing campfire night!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 ~ 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 ~ by Tarah DeWitt ~ Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an ALC of this second-chance romance due to release next week on May 20th. I was anticipating really loving this, and while it wasn't bad, it just didn’t end up wow-ing me the way I had hoped it would. This is a second-chance-romance, with a short road trip that spans only a few days but there is plenty of plot packed in there. I liked the concept of this and the fact that the two MCs remained solid parents to the child they had when very young was a positive for me. Supportive family/side characters and tackling some heavy themes were also well managed. I did not feel enough background on the divorce to understand the foundation of these characters. It comes off mostly as sheer immaturity which fits but…?? … Then, even the coming back together seemed so primarily physical and I was left needing a more sincere emotional connection. I could feel it but it never moved out of fairly shallow depths. Sam, their child, was an enjoyable character. I don’t have much more to say, because I didn't feel much reaction… this was okay..I suppose I am an outlier for now… Not mad that I read it, but not lighting my reading world on fire.
I do believe this will have an audience for summer readers who like contemporary romance.
⭐⭐⭐ (I could do 3.25 for the interactions and the feelings in the end) but … shrug…
𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐥! 📚♥️

Thank you so much to NetGally for providing me an ARC audio copy of Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt!

This book was a really unique spin to the typical small town romance. This second chance romance was unlike anything I had read before with our main characters rekindling their post divorce relationship after their son graduated high school.

That being said there were a few pacing issues I had slight problems with. The flashback scenes to when they were in high school or their early marriage felt very rushed and forced in for a little bit of background information. So many things the couple went through like their teen pregnancy and issues with conception and loss in their early marriage definitely needed to be looked at in a lot more depth than it was given.

The couple also didn’t seem like they rekindled their love to me rather than their physical relationships. I felt like a lot of emotional relationships between the two of them could have been worked out better before the end of the story.

The narrators for this book did a very good job portraying the characters! They did speak slower than I am used to so I had to speed it up faster than I normally do.

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is a tender, emotional second chance romance about Wren and Ellis Byrd, who are divorced but not quite done with each other. After dropping their son off at college, they set off on a road trip home digging through the heart of their shared history.

Wren and Ellis are in their thirties (YAAASSSS), with life, baggage, and experience under their belts. Their love isn’t shiny or new, but it’s the kind that lingers. On their journey the two engage in healthy, mature communication that is used to reopen old wounds with care. And so much pining it practically hums off the page. There’s a decent dose of spice (I skimmed a few scenes), but the emotional intimacy is what left the biggest mark. This is a story about the raw, emotional side of marriage and divorce, and finding your way back to the kind of love that doesn’t fade.

The audiobook was sheer perfection, each narrator embodying what I envisioned Wren and Ellis to sound like. The pacing perfectly matched the mutual pining and searing emotion. I recommend reading with your ears if you enjoy the format!

Side note: this is part of an interconnected standalone series set in Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington). The first in this series, SAVOR IT, follow’s Ellis’ sister and Wren’s best friend Sage. I’m already counting down the days for the remaining Byrd stories.

A beautiful, bingeable read full of heart, history, and hope. Highly recommend.

Thank you Macmillan Audio & St. Martin’s Griffin for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was second-chance romance perfection! I have no notes. The audiobook narrator was fantastic too.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

This one made me tear up! I absolutely loved the dual / duet narration in this one, it really brought the story to life. I loved Wren & Ellis' story from the beginning - I really am a sucker for a second chance romance. Their connection was so raw and real and the spice was SPICING!

I haven’t been able to articulate better thought than this book is a masterpiece. Might be my favorite book of the year. I loved Savor It and needed this story when Ellis said “She’s still a Byrd.” It met and exceeded any expectations I had. I read with my hand over my chest or wiping tears from my eyes. I read it, fell in love. Then I listened and fell in love all over again. I’ll probably reread when my preorder gets here. If you take one book rec from me this month, let it be this one.

🎧 If there was anything that could make this book more enjoyable and emotional, it was Connor Crais and Megan Wicks narrating. 10/10, no notes, it’s perfection.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Tarah Dewitt for the ALC!

Second chance • Small town • Road trip • Divorced • Firefighter • Baker

“I grew up with my great love so I think maybe my heart took shaped around his.”

A failed marriage but hearts that won’t move on. 5 years later and maybe it’s time…

Wren fell in love at such a young age with her high school sweetheart. That love made her a teenage mom. They married but like so many others, it fell apart. She’s trying to move on but it’s not easy. She’s dating but it’s not going great.

Ellis had to grow up so fast, to take the lead and watch out for everyone else. But who took care of him? So what happens when his marriage fell apart and he couldn’t fix it? The guilt smothers and consumes. Throwing himself into work watching the days pass by.

Two people who loved enough but they couldn’t figure out how to get out of their own way. So when their son graduates and moves to college, they decide to put things aside and road trip back home.

What a love story.!!! Once in a while a book comes along that just absolutely knocks you off your feet. That plants itself so deeply in your heart it also attaches to your soul. Left of Forever did that to me. And this is the second time a Tarah DeWitt book has done this. That’s how talented she is. One can only dream to have a love this deep. One worth never giving up on. Left of Forever left its mark and is a top 2025 read for me. A standing ovation to Connor Crais and Megan Wicks for the performance of a lifetime. They are Ellis and Wren. 🤍

“All I know is that if I found heaven is for real and got there first, I’d hang back in the waiting room and save you a seat.”

“She’s kissing me. She’s kissing me. Her lips are on me after five long years. Five hundred years. Shes kissing me. I’m home.”

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

♾️