I love a good second chance romance. I haven’t read too many of them, but this had a different feel to it than the others I’ve read. It wasn’t until towards the end of the trip when I got what I was hoping to get throughout the book. Ellis’ speech was so beautiful.

This is my first Tarah DeWitt book. I believe this could technically be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. There appears to be a fair amount of references regarding the other characters and their story I didn’t understand, and I will safely assume it’s from the previous book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ARC review

5 ⭐️

Wren and Ellis, guys. She’s still a Byrd. I’ve been ever so impatiently waiting for these two since THAT line in Savour It and it did not disappoint.

I am not the target audience for second change, I’ll be honest, I really have to buy into a relationship to feel it would succeed a second time, but man am I invested in Wrellis, they are it! They loved each other so big and were so willing to put their hearts on the line for each other.

I also really want to stay in this universe that Tarah has created forever and loved getting little glimpse of Sage and Fisher, I’ll be back impatiently waiting for the next Spunes masterpiece (Silas I already love you!).

Thank you so much NetGalley and Tarah for the ARC.

This was a heartbreakingly beautiful read about coming back together. As someone who's been married for over a decade, it hit so hard. Achingly beautiful and a book I'd recommend to any friend going through a rough patch. It is a poignant reminder to communicate and appreciate the one you love.

I think this book will be for a lot of people, but it isn’t for me. And that’s ok. I’m going to gracefully dnf and I hope everyone else enjoys! Spoilers/things I don’t like:

-how do they not recognize each others writing?
-why is she opening up to a complete strangers so graphically about her sex life?
-why is he writing to her knowing it’s her and basically lying and hiding it as she’s getting vulnerable thinking she’s speaking to someone else? Feels slimy.
-this is supposed to be able to be read as a standalone but there are so many references to things that happened in the first book with some of the side characters that unless you’ve read that, so much is going to go right over your head.

I’m giving it 3 stars because it’s not for me but to be fair, I don’t finish it and it may get better.

I knew from the moment I first heard Ellis speak in Savor It that I was so excited for this book.

Tarah nailed longing, young marriage, trying your best but coming up short, making the most of what you have and most importantly..Hope. Thank you for writing another book that lets readers escape, feel seen, and encouraged.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with the ARC of one of my most anticipated novels of the year. I added this book to my TBR around November 10th because I'm obsessed with second-chance romances and the synopsis really intrigued me. I tried so hard to get an ARC and when I was finally approved on netgalley, I cried tears of joy.
This book had me hooked from the very first page. The way the story unfolded - piece by piece, was truly masterful. From the letters to Wren's journal entries and their lovely trip, each element felt carefully crafted to lead them toward reconciliation. The beginning was especially strong, immediately grabbing my attention and setting the stage for an emotional journey. I really appreciated how Tarah wrote some sensitive topics, I'm not going to reveal it as it would be a direct spoiler.
The flashbacks were sweet glimpses into their past, offering a tender counterpoint to the present. I only wish we'd gotten more of them! And the letter exchange? Pure brilliance. It was such a clever way to reveal their history and the depth of their connection. Their separation, oh, their separation! Reading Ellis's POV during that time was just gut-wrenching. I genuinely felt like I needed to reach through the pages and give him a hug. Seriously, my heart ached for him.
I really appreciated the pacing of this book. It allowed the emotional weight of their situation to build gradually, creating this deep ache in my chest that resonated throughout the story. Ellis's longing and yearning were so intense, I felt every ounce of it. However, I struggled with Wren for the first 40% of the book. I found myself getting increasingly frustrated with her.
One thing that kept bothering me was how often Wren's post-divorce behavior, specifically her sleeping with other people, was brought up. The constant emphasis on Wren's past relationships, especially when Ellis had clearly been so devoted to her, even sleeping on her side of the mattress for two years after their separation felt unfair, a bit repetitive and frankly, so unnecessary. However, I did love the idea of their trip. It was such a unique concept and had so much potential to be a turning point in their relationship. I also appreciated the glimpse into Wren's emotional turmoil and her spiral, even though it was sometimes difficult to follow and a little confusing. I just wish we'd gotten more of Ellis's perspective throughout the book.
While I loved the slow burn of their reconnection, I wasn't completely satisfied with how they finally addressed their core issues. The confrontation felt too short, especially considering the careful build-up. I wish it had been more elaborated but even as it was, it was still good.
Despite all of this, I absolutely loved how the story illuminated Ellis's character. Seeing his struggles with taking care of everyone, his relationship fears (not just with Wren but with his siblings too) and his therapy sessions added so much depth to his character. It was refreshing to see such a well-rounded and vulnerable male character.
Overall, while there were aspects of the story that didn't quite land for me, "Left of Forever" is a compelling exploration of love, loss and second chances. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good, emotional romance but be prepared to feel all the feels, especially for Ellis. He'll definitely steal your heart.

Thank you St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC!

I loooooved this one. I think Funny Feelings is still my fav of hers, probably because it was my first of Tarah’s so nostalgia + the Deaf component = 🥇. But I think this might be my second fav of hers? Idk, they’re all so good it’s hard to choose or rank!

Left of Forever thoughts:

I freaking LOVED Ellis. The way he was able to show emotion (the amount of tears that man shed 🥲🥲🥲) after doing the hard work of therapy. Like goodness. And the way he was just so soft for her. He’s a grump to everyone else but her and that just makes me gooey. And I loved that he wasn’t like a true *grump* he just was like emotionally stunted and didn’t know how to interact with the people around him. That was very relatable.

Loved Wren too. She was great in a lot of ways; messy, emotional, passionate. Sometimes I would find myself being like “idk about her” but that was more of me being almost jealous of her (a fictional character lol) in how she could be so messy and raw and it just was what it was.

Anyways, loved it. Will read anything and everything Tarah writes, have yet to dislike anything by her and doubt I ever will. Her humor is everything to me, her characters are always so real and the love is just so big. Tarah = big win.

When I saw Left of forever on netgalley I knew it needed to grab it immediately. This book was such a treat. Tarah Dewitt kills it every time. Which who’s really surprised? Not me. 🤭

I went in with my expectations high and she exceeded them tenfold.

Wren and Ellis are so tender. And to tell the truth the whole book felt like pressing on a bruise (in the best way imaginable!). Their story of making their way back to each other was so heartfelt and real. So often it’s just life that comes between love. But ultimately it’s about choosing if you let it.

New obsession unlocked.🔓
I will be rereading every 4-6 months for the rest of my life. Tarah I will send you therapy bill, Thankyou very much!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks for the free arc! And amazing job Tarah Dewitt. Please never stop pulling on my heartstrings ♥️

4.5 stars! This was such a beautiful story. I always enjoy Tarah’s writing and this was no exception. This is a story about true love, family, learning and so much more. I always enjoy a second chance romance, and in this case, Wren and Ellis are divorced. I loved being back in Spunes and seeing so much of the Byrds. I hope we can go back for more

Left of Forever was so good it put me into a reading slump after I finished it. No other book can compare. This will be the spiciest book you will ever read (you need to read to get the joke hehe). The last 20% was so good and emotional. I love second chance romance and divorced exes is quickly becoming by favorite niche trope. I loved the flashbacks for the past, their love story was so sweet especially of how much they had to overcome. I thought the explanation for what happened was very realistic and added the story. 

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Griffin for the eARC.

Tears streaming down my face...... like how is Tarah so dang good at pulling on the heart strings and writing such emotional books. I loved this. So so so much. The part that git me the most though was Silas at the end. Ugh. I love allow these characters more than I can explain.

There's something about a second chance romance that will do it for me every. single. time!! This book was so so good, the connection, tension, and longing Wren and Ellis felt towards each other was so visceral and real that you could cut it with a knife. I absolutely loved how they started out as friends when they were children and how the author made their relationship reflect the deep connection they had. I also loved that they had hard conversations and didn't gloss over them and move on. Everything about this book was just so sweet and swoon-worthy. I couldn't recommend this book enough!

I really enjoyed the first half of the book but struggled a lot to maintain that energy after the directions things took in the second half. while this story is very impactful simply due to its heavier themes content, it didn’t hit the mark for me in terms of creating a tangible experience to immerse myself in while reading. i felt that a lot of development for certain characters relied upon the previous book set in this world despite this book being marketed as a standalone in an interconnected series so it was difficult for me to fully connect with these characters.

left of forever is a second chance romance between childhood friends turned lovers, turned divorcees and the second chance trope is what initially drew me in because it is one of my favorites in romance! the yearning in the first 40% was culminating to an excellent climax but things shifted very quickly and within perhaps a chapter, the mcs were all but officially back together without much conversation beyond lustful commentary. it would’ve been nice to see more redemptive tension being built before having them jump each others’ bones after five years apart. I also find it hard to believe the mcs didn’t recognize each other’s handwriting since they literally grew up together so the 3rd act conflict didn’t seem based in much logic.

Will happily be checking out more titles from this author but sadly this one was a miss for me.

Wren and Ellis live in my head rent free and have been ever since I finished the book Savor It. “She’s still a Byrd” is MY Roman Empire. So when I got the opportunity to read their story, you bet your ass I jumped on it. Tarah knows how to emotionally destroy you and put you back together in a way that just makes sense.
This is a story of young love maturing into the most perfect love imaginable. So of course it is messy and complicated, but it’s real. Tarah takes us on Wren and Ellis’s journey through discovering who they are together as adults when they had to grow up so quickly as children.

I absolutely loved coming back to Spunes and living in a world of Tarah’s writing.

I confess: I chose Savor Me strictly based on the cover. I 10000% judged that book by its cover and man I'm glad I did because I LOVED that book and it remains one of my favorite romances I have ever read. I immediately wanted a second book with Wren and was bummed when I read that the author wasn't keen on keeping books in the same world like Abby Jimenez. I understood but I knew there was a good story there.

I was SO EXCITED when I found out that there was a sequel releasing with Wren and STOKED when I got the ARC. I immediately dove in shoving my TBR to the side because I needed this book in my life and I'm so glad I did.

For those wondering, no it's not imperitive that you read Savor It before reading Left of Forever BUT I think EVERYONE should read Savor It so you're missing out if you don't. If you intend to read it do it first because the ending of Savor It and Left of Forever overlap in time at the beginning so you'll not want the ending spoiled for you if you haven't read it.

I was so glad to get to read this story and get to know Wren and Ellis better. This isn't a story I feel that is told often and I felt that it was a nice change of pace from the usual tropes that you find (ahem, enemies to lovers). The dual POV also leant itself well to this story and I was never bored with either one.

Overall this was a huge hit and I adored it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars!

A heartfelt story of second chances!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my #gifted ARC.

Wren and Ellis met in elementary school and loved each other for as long as they can remember. Wren got pregnant with Sam young and they married young. After years of infertility and family stress, they grew emotionally distant and divorced. Now they're dropping their son off at college and realize they've never gotten over their first loves.

Ellis proposes an opportunity to spend time together after they drop Sam off at school to unpack some of the difficult things they went through. He plans an adventure for them at different stops and Wren sets some guidelines for their time together.

This story just spoke to my heart!! Wren and Ellis are each working on themselves and the role they played in the ending of their relationship and they were willing to work through the hard things that got them where they are now. It was emotional and raw and filled with so much love between each other and the extended family.

"(We) let life chip and file away at us until our edges were too dull to catch on each other and keep hold."

"I promise I'll fight with you more... I'll fight for you more too..."

This story won't be for everyone as it's pretty spicy, but if you're looking for a heartfelt story with a second chance at making a marriage work, this is a gem!

Romance Content: Multiple open-door scenes and language

This is how you do a second chance romance! I couldn’t put this one down, and stayed up way too late into the night reading! My heart was aching during parts of this story as @authortaradewitt pulled me into the heart and mind of Ellis and Wren. Two characters to love and to root for each finding their way and growing separately and together. The author gives us characters who are raw, vulnerable and exposed. Characters who experienced grief and heartache and reacted in such a realistic way. And then Tarah gives us banter and chemistry and tenderness and humor and most of all – hope.
I think the reason this book will resonate is that it depicts how much communication it takes to keep a relationship even during those times you would rather just curl up within yourself. You’re not trying to hurt anyone but slowly walls are built. To trust someone with your deepest hurts is one of the most vulnerable things you can do.
The Byrd family will grab hold of your heart and not let go. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them!

A MILLION STARS. I'm so glad I got this on Netgalley when it went up for 24 hrs conveniently the DAY AFTER I finished Savor It??? Serendipitous. Everything about this is unforgettable. It's devastating and earnest and heartwarming and had me BLUSHIN from the spice. I think anyone would love this book, but it hits especially hard for us married women who might be familiar with handling difficult periods in a relationship and the beauty (and spice) that comes with finding each other again. I was *sobbing* in the bathtub over the last 20% of the book. If you love hard, honest, real conversations without all the dumb miscommunication this book is FOR YOU! If you like ice cream on dicks, this is for YOU! if you like second chance romance on steroids, this book is FOR YOU!!! if you love sexy firefighters who, like Mr. Darcy, are willing to put in the work to make themselves better to prove they love you, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. What are you doing still reading this review? Put EVERY Tarah DeWitt novel on your TBR immediately.

Wren and Ellis Byrd are no strangers to adversity, or each other. As they round out the "end" of their co-parenting and sending their son off to college, feelings of uncertainty about their past divorce and future relationship arise. As Wren and Ellis embark on a trip to celebrate getting their son to college and maybe investigate their lingering feelings for each other, what could possibly go wrong (or right)?

This book is full of delicious tension, vulnerable conversations, and so. much. yearning. Readers are given a deeply intimate look into both character's perspectives that allows for a huge emotional impact while reading. Fans of Tarah's other books will be happy with cameos from other books, and the town of Spunes will have new readers falling in love with its unique setting and cast of characters.

Set on a road trip home after dropping their son Sam off for college, Wren and Ellis Byrd get a second chance at forever. After having Sam as teens and marrying young, they have now been divorced for five years. Early in the novel we get "before" time about six months before the trip to see where they are at and how neither has fully "moved on". Most of the novel covers their trip as they make their way along the California coast towards their small town of Spunes, Oregon. Ellis and Wren open up on what went wrong in their marriage and fall back in love with each other.

This book has a such a grip on me. Reading about Wren and Ellis felt like a balm to my soul. I have been eagerly waiting since seeing this couple in Savor This. Seeing the Byrds choosing each other after all life had thrown at them was such a rewarding experience. Now I cannot wait to read this amazing love story again!

Some of what I loved:
🌲 Second Chance / Divorced Couple
🌲 Oregon coast small town
🌲 THE YEARNING
🌲 "Dear Stranger"
🌲 Baked goods
🌲 Meddling family members
🌲 Road trip
🌲 “New Moon” album, “Roslyn” specifically
🌲 Firefighter x Baker
🌲 Hope, hope, hope
🌲 Therapy
🌲 Infertility
🌲 Camoes from other Tarah DeWitt novels
🌲 Couple in their thirties who have lived through LIFE
🌲 All the modes of communication - letters, journals, emails, texts
🌲 Forever!

Some of my favorite quotes:

"I want her sad music playing in our house and her shit all over the bathroom counter. I want the chance to be lazy with her on a day off. I want our boring life back."

"His DNA altered mine, and our souls shaped themselves for each other."

"After all, what is bravery if not hope in action?"

5 / 5 stars - already one of my favorite books of 2025

Open door / spicy

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this eARC!