This book was painfully beautiful. The marriage // long-term relationship representation was perfection. The writing, typical Tarah masterpiece. So many quotable moments & lovable characters. Spunes is the BEST. (WAY BETTER THAN FORKS)

I love the cameos we got of Fisher & Sage. The LETTERS will be highlight for every reader. The vulnerability this book portrays 😭😭😭🫶🏼

Let me start with, WOW. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING.

I’m sitting here two minutes after finishing this story wiping tears from my eyes and sniffling like a baby. From the very beginning I fell in love with Wren and Ellis. Although they are both known for being strong and stoic, it was nice to see them be so vulnerable as well. To see through their eyes how they were coming to terms five years after their divorce, how they managed seeing their ex’s with someone else, and what it meant to be more than simply a parent after their son goes off to college.

The chapters flew by in a whirlwind of raw and powerful emotion. Not only does Wren use some sort of witchcraft in her baking, but so does Tarah in her writing. Somehow she pulls you in, twists your heart and soul as she breaks down these characters and builds them back up.

I absolutely loved that we got to witness this part of their story and not the mushy start that most romance books begin with. It makes the yearning that much more powerful, the heartbreak more brutal. The love all the more beautiful.

I simply can not state how much I adore this book. It will make you cry, laugh, and think about these characters long after you turn the last page. If you needed a sign to pick this up, here it is. Get the book. Binge read it in two days. And wish that there was more after you’re done. Amazing. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.

The story of Wren & Ellis growing up together and falling in love young, getting married, raising their son and then drifting apart for some truly heart wrenching reasons was such an emotional ride. The yearning. The hopefulness. The open and honest communication as two people are finding their way back to each other. This book was like a salve to the strongest of heartbreak. Once a Byrd, always a Byrd.

I will truly never get to be the same person again after reading this masterpiece. My full review will take time but please, if you only read one more book for the rest of your life, let it be this one (I'm writing this through tears from those last 4 chapters).

I enjoy books written by Tarah DeWitt and her latest, Left of Forever, was wonderful. Such a fun read. Pick it up on pub day!

I'm not at all exaggerating when I say that this is one of my favorite romances of all time. Everything from the stunning prose, the pacing, the characterization, the everything—I genuinely couldn't find a single fault while reading.

It's a testament to Tarah's writing that I could relate so deeply to two characters who I have very little in common with; she just GETS human nature and all the little joys and pains that come with it. I cried way too many times (and Tarah received way too many screenshots accompanied by way too many exclamation marks, but that's beside the point).

If you haven't read SAVOR IT, consider this your sign. LEFT OF FOREVER follows the FMC's brother and his ex-wife/her best friend. It can be read independently, but you'll definitely appreciate more after Sage and Fisher's story!

This is Tarah DeWitt’s best book hands down. The setting is perfect, the characters were fully fleshed-out and relatable, and at times I kind of wanted to jump right into the book. I am officially in love with the big boisterous Byrd family!

The pacing here is beyond superb. While 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓 𝑰𝒕 was more of a slow burn, particularly because it has to do the heavy lifting of setting the stage for a whole series, this one dives right in - no section dragged, no scene went on for too long.

I love the descriptive language used throughout. There are throw away lines that really help us to understand the characters and situations as much as the full-on dialogue does. “I’m a Heinz57 bottle of emotion, upside down and shaken, waiting for the inevitable plop.” It is these small things that make the book feel entirely relatable even if the reader hasn’t experienced the same set of circumstances.

Wren is such a dynamic character; her fun loving, whimsical nature is perfectly juxtaposed by her deep emotional connections and desire to be a part of something bigger than herself. She is an amazing mom, sister and friend and often some aspect of these characteristics jump off the page every scene she is in. I absolutely adored her. Also, Wren Byrd makes me laugh every time I think about or say it. Poor lady.

Ellis has quite the growth arc in this. He starts out insanely lovable, but he does feel more emotionally stilted at the start. The therapy positivity, especially as it relates to men, is really special here. I loved how much it helps him to understand his own contributions to what went awry in their marriage. He was already the ideal MMC, but his emotional growth took it to a whole other level. I would also say, he more than Wren, had the most romantic lines of the book.

“𝑴𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒕𝒐𝒐, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌."

The writing itself feels very seamless as the story flows from past to present, letters to in-person conversation, and especially inner monologue to dialogue. It adds so much moredepth to the story without feeling stilted or forced in any way. I am a big fan of scenes that include both an internal story and an external one. “Because I can practically touch both ends of this room with my arms spread…𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦…” Not only does this style allow the reader to feel more connected to the character, it also adds depth and makes them feel as though they could exist off of the page entirely. These characters both feel insanely realistic, flaws and all.

Read if you like:
▪️marriage in crisis
▪️second chance
▪️foodie romance
▪️found family
▪️small town
▪️firefighters
▪️road trip fun

If you are looking to be swept away into the most perfect love story, pick this one up immediately. You will not regret it.

📆 Pub: May 20, 2025

Thank you SMP Romance for the advanced copy.

Why did this book make me want to divorce my husband just to remarry him again!? This was my most anticipated book of the year, and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Tarah DeWitt, I hope you get all of the accolades and attention you deserve for this masterpiece!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for approving me for the eARC! What a brilliant, passionate display of love lost, and how we can find it again if we're meant to.  Ellis and Wren will be with me for a LONG time. This was a stunner.

I could not stop thinking about Wren and Ellis since the moment we met them in Savor it. They consumed my every thought and I'm not exaggerating.
I've never felt this attached or anxious to know more about book characters than I did with them.
At first I was terrified of starting this book as my anticipation turned almost overwhelming, but boy if it wasn't everything and more in the end.
I laughed and sobbed so many times I lost count, the emotions Tarah can evoke with her words and the rawness of her characters is out of this world.
I felt physically sick at times, but to me that's the biggest sign there is that a book is good GOOD. Marriage reconciliation and the angst and pining that entails will forever be beautifully heartbreaking to me.
I cannot wait to reread this when it officially comes out because Left of Forever singlehandedly reminded me what a joy reading is and will be staying in my heart forever.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

Honestly probably a 5?????

I've read my fair share of second chance romances (lol) but I don't think I've read one as well paced and as well developed as this one. Don't get me wrong: this book is sloooow. And yeah, their road trip is only for a week. But the planning and thought Ellis had gone into the process was <i> immaculate </i>. The build was worth it in the end to make the story enjoyable and three dimensional.

I also appreciate the dual POV, linear timeline of the book :)

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This was so good! I found myself rooting for Wren and Ellis from the very beginning. Silas speech was one of my source things in this entire book- honestly Silas is prob my fav character besides Ellis. I love how this story got to the point pretty quickly but I also feel like the main issue here wasn’t really discussed during the huge “moment.” I feel like that took away from the plot for me. Other than that, this was such a cute book and I enjoyed the ride!

Tarah Dewitt never misses. She writes some of the best, most heart wrenching books I’ve ever read, each one better than the next. Left of Forever is absolutely beautiful. I fear this has taken over as my top book from Tarah. this book was heartbreaking and made me cry.

I am not normally a second chance romance girlie, however the way Tarah wrote this left me hanging on to every word. I could feel the hurt and longing. Wren and Ellis have such beautiful souls and I loved the tough conversations. I was so moved by their beautiful love story. These characters have gone through so much, have lost so much, yet still made their way back to each other and learned to live in the way that the other needed. This story was just so beautiful and i am honored to have been able to read it. This made me feel so much. She never misses. This is a book I feel I could pick up again and again. Everything about this book was wonderful.

Tarah has given us something so special with the Byrd family, and the lovely Town of Spunes. She writes familial relationships and friendships that leave me so envious when reminded these characters are fictional and not part of my circle in real life.

This story has great pacing, the characters are so well-developed, and the dual POVs are balanced just right. SO MUCH history, angst, pining and rediscovering between Wren and Ellis. From the crumbs we were given in ‘Savor It’, I knew Wrellis was going to be a favorite ship in this series, and Tarah delivered tenfold.

As with every Tarah DeWitt novel, the tenderness and maturity of the characters is truly unmatched. AND THE SPICE? Her hottest yet, but no less emotional. The connection between the characters is on, quite literally, a chemical level.

This is one of those stories you immediately want to turn back to the first page and start again. Absolutely flawless.

Wren y Ellis fueron novios desde adolescentes, se convirtieron en padres y se casaron jóvenes. Pensaron que su amor lo vencería todo, pero años después, la vida pasó y terminaron lastimándose y divorciándose. Cinco años después, siguen amándose, pero es doloroso, por lo que apenas interactúan. Sin embargo, cuando su hijo se dirige a la universidad, deciden llevarlo y, de regreso, hacer un viaje familiar (solo ellos), en el que finalmente hablarán de todo lo que salió mal. Será la oportunidad para solucionar todo y decidir si darse otra oportunidad o cerraran el ciclo y se irán cada uno por su lado.


Pequeños spoilers:

Me gusto, pero no me encantó. El tiempo que les tomó hablar me pareció demasiado, sobre todo porque convivían todos los días. Pensé que, al esperar tanto, sería más complicado solucionar las cosas, pero les bastaron solo unos días para arreglarlo, lo que me hizo sentir que desperdiciaron años.

Mi reacción al leer que él tuvo algunas relaciones: 😡
Mi reacción al leer que ella tuvo citas: 🥳

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ᯓ★ˎˊ˗ net galley review
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with the ARC of this book.

I am honestly not the biggest fan of second-chance romance books, but I think that Ms. Tara DeWitt changed my stance on that, because this book was good. When she said that this time they would get it right she damn sure meant it. This couple was everything I wanted them to be. They were sweet and spicy, but filled to the brim with raw emotion. I am so sad that I finished reading this and pray for my dementia days so I can reread this with a fresh set of eyes. The story had great pacing and nothing felt like it was being rushed or moving too slow. Overall, I love this book and need to read more of DeWitt's writing because the way I ate this up is despicable and questionable to my mental health.

There’s always something so exceptional about Tarah DeWitt’s writing, and her latest novel is a prime example of that. Left of Forever follows divorced couple Wren and Ellis Byrd. Although they amicably co-parent and maintain a friendly relationship, they still harbor residual feelings for each other. When their son Sam gets accepted into college, Ellis uses the opportunity to ask Wren to take a trip with him to see if they can rekindle their relationship. From sightseeing to reminiscing, Wren and Ellis revisit what went wrong during their marriage and unearth miscommunications and past regrets.

Wren and Ellis are both vulnerable and relatable individuals. From getting pregnant at a young age to later getting married resulted in them maturing much faster than their peers, but their love for each other exceeded the difficulties they’ve experienced. Wren’s struggle with her health problem and her fear of disappointing Ellis was heartbreaking, yet her persistent strength to build her own life and move on was inspiring. Ellis, on the other hand, is the epitome of a man who yearns, a man who wants to better himself for the woman he loves, and a man who silently carries his struggles within himself. Both Ellis and Wren grew as individuals during their separation, but together they learned more about themselves as they healed pieces of themselves they both concealed during their marriage.

Tarah DeWitt tenderly wrote an evocative and poignant novel about the complexities, regrets, and sacrifices of marriage, family, and relationships. While Left of Forever is a second chance at love again romance, it also focuses on the themes of uncertainty, fears, and failure to communicate properly. Moreover, it is also a reflective story of hope, forgiveness, and possibilities. This is perhaps DeWitt at her most vulnerable as she embeds parts of her personal experience into her writing, and it’s one of her best works yet. This is a story I’ll tuck away and revisit whenever I need the encouragement, and it’s a story so personal I feel honored to have had the opportunity to experience it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

LEFT OF FOREVER is one of my favorite second chance romances of all time!!!!!!! It is so remarkably well written with such emotional depth, believability, rawness, tension and tenderness that I was invested in - borderline obsessed and smitten with - the characters and their story the entire read. Wren and Ellis Byrd have known each other since they were 3 and were in love for nearly just as long until five years ago when they divorced. For reasons they haven't explored or wanted to admit why they haven't moved on, Ellis proposes which Wren finally agrees to a road trip on the way back from dropping their son Sam off at college for the chance, time and space to either finally get closure or give their relationship one more chance and to understand what led to distance now between them. I loved the premise so much and enjoying Ellis and Wren rediscovering each other out while also discovering new parts about one another and the ways they've grown and evolved the last five years. So many beautiful moments and lines and exceptional banter that made for a flawless love story. I've always enjoyed this author's work but this book made this author one of my absolute favorites. It feel like an honor and privilege to read Wren and Ellis's story and to witness and experience their love. Those two have a special place in my heart. And thank god we get to see in to Ellis's mind because oh my god....what a heartfelt and endearing softie of a man he is!!!!

Much gratitude to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Tarah De Witt has truly outdone herself with this one. This book had me absolutely swooning. Following Wren and Ellis, a divorced couple who've loved each other since childhood, on their emotional road trip to rediscover each other is both heart-wrenching and uplifting. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but it's the raw, real moments where they face their past and try to rebuild that make this story unforgettable. This story blends love, loss, and the complexities of life, making the characters so relatable and human. Wren and Ellis’s journey is one of healing, forgiveness, and rediscovery, and it’s impossible not to root for them every step of the way.

as we all know, second chance romance is my favorite trope and i think its safe to say that this is, hands down, one of the best second chance romances ever written. i will hear no arguments! i have been waiting for this book since i finished savor it on dec 31st 2023 & it did NOT disappoint. it was EVERYTHING i wanted and more.

wren and ellis are two characters who you can tell tarah crafted with precision, gentleness, and love. they are so unbelievably well written, carry so much depth and relatability. they are so real to me it HURTS. i could cry just thinking about it. wren & ellis are literally the epitome of soulmates, truly some of the best characters i’ve ever read and one of the best love stories i have ever laid my eyes on.

tarah dewitt takes us on the most emotional, heart wrenching, hilarious, healing and entirely beautiful ride that is wren & ellis’s love story. childhood best friends who then become lovers, facing the challenges and the fear of a teenage pregnancy, and taking on the responsibility of so much more. two people are so ingrained in each other, who somewhere along the way lost sight of it all & watched their great love crumble in front of their eyes. two people who, after five years, take a roadtrip with their hearts packed with hope and undying love and figure out if they can find their way back to each other.

i cannot put into words how perfectly written this was. tarah dewitt has always done an incredible job at placing you smack dab in the hearts & minds of her characters, but something about this one… i was IN IT from the very first sentence. you can literally feel the YEARNING, the desperation, the fear and the hope, and the LOVE radiating from this book. tarah put the complicated and overwhelming emotions that come along with giving love a second chance – the hope, the fear of hoping too much, the anger and regret, the sadness and the longing, the loneliness and confusion. it was so raw, vulnerable, and REAL. their chemistry, the tension, the intimacy, the EVERYTHING. I CANT HANDLE IT. I DONT EVEN CARE IF IM NOT MAKING SENSE.

wren & ellis are perfect to me. two people who deserve so much good in their life, all things wonderful and happy and full of love. these two mean so much to me, i was so invested in their story and everything wren & ellis byrd. they are so beautiful, they are so hot (i started sweating while reading this), they are so desperately in love with each other that it makes me SICK. the ending was genuinely one of the most beautiful things i’ve ever read, i was SOBBING MY EYES OUT. i literally dont even know what to say, ive been rendered speechless.

i’m already considering picking it back up to reread & i literally finished it like twenty minutes ago. i cannot recommend this book enough, i cannot wait for wren & ellis to be out in the world so you can all fall in love with them too. READ IT.

OH AND ONE LAST THING: SHE’S STILL A MF BYRD.

this book was so such a delight, the Byrds were such a delight to see and actually their story from their pov. These two own my heart and everything in my. I cried and had fun and laughed. god I just... I cannot wait for people to actually read them and enjoy and cried with them.

Tarahs written it was so powerful and so raw I felt it in every bone and this was not the exception on how to feel every emotion on your body about them. I love them very much and This book will one they will stay forever with you because they are just THAT couple.