I love second chance romances—I know how heartfelt and heartbreaking they can be, but I still didn’t expect this book to hit me this hard!

The main characters have been divorced for five years. They’ve known each other since childhood and became teen parents. On top of that, Ellis was also taking care of his siblings, but despite everything, they had many happy years together before they slowly drifted apart. Now their son is heading off to college, and Ellis wants to win his ex-wife back.

This book felt so intimate and personal—it was like I was peeking into real people’s lives, uncovering secrets from a real couple, not fictional characters. I’m married, and so many moments hit close to home. Tarah portrayed marriage in such a raw and honest way—the struggles couples go through, how children and life’s hardships can completely reshape a relationship. I loved the words Wren’s mom said—they were kind of harsh, but incredibly real, because marriage is a lot of work:

"𝑰 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒕."

As for the characters—I loved them! Ellis is a dream man. The way he tried to change for Wren, how he made an effort to be vulnerable and honest with her—it touched my heart deeply. Don’t even get me started on the tattoo! I used to avoid heroes with mustaches, but Ellis changed my mind.

Wren is such a wonderful mom, and watching her try to find her own happiness after the divorce completely broke my heart.

I would love to read Micah’s, Silas’s, and especially Sam’s story—I’m so curious about his college journey!

I have so many highlighted quotes! This was a touching, deeply emotional story—one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read. I especially recommend it to readers who have been married for years—you’ll see yourselves in so many of these moments and maybe even come away with a few realizations.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓second chance
✓divorced couple
✓friends to lovers
✓small town
✓road trip
✓firefighter

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin) for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a beautiful book. I had never read anything by the author before, but this book has definitely become one of my favorites this year.

A second chance romance with a couple who were married. I never would have expected it but it's a trope that I loved and it tore my soul apart and put it back together again.

Really, this book was something I didn't know I needed. I'm still in a slump after reading it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it.

I was so excited to read Ellis and Wren’s story after the little snippets we see in Savor It. This book was emotional, beautiful, and the perfect second chance romance read! I think sometimes it’s hard to perfectly capture the history behind a couple when portraying a second chance romance, but this book does an excellent job showing the past and the present and taking the readers on a journey with the characters as they grow and fall back together. There’s just something about Tarah DeWitt’s writing that pulls me in every time. It was so nice to be back in Spunes!!

What can I say? Tarah is definitely an instant buy author for me and this story solidifies that. Left of Forever was such a beautiful read. I became obsessed with getting to the bottom of Wren and Ellis’ story in Savor it and Tarah DELIVERED. This may be my favorite second chance romance of all time. So tender and real. So much angst. I loved it. I was also given an ALC of the book and the narrators were so perfect. I absolutely NEED Micah and Silas books now 👀

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC. I’m forever grateful.

Y'all. What a trip (literally). This was such a beautiful story of second chances (this trope has been on FIRE lately). Wren and Ellis 💔 I don't even know that I have all the words to describe the emotions this story stirred up for me. This was such a raw and real depiction of challenges faced in marriage. Definitely a top book for me this year.

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

I am apparently living in outer space and didn't realize this was in the same world as Savor It. I realized when they were talking about Silas and I was like WOAH.

childhood friends to lovers
second chance
marriage in crisis
road trip

Releasing May 20th

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy in exchange for an honest review

Wren and Ellis were childhood friends, fell deeply in love too young, had a baby, and tried to build a life together—but things didn’t exactly go as planned. Now they’re in their 30s, living separate lives in the same small town, and definitely not over each other. When a last-minute road trip throws them back together, it might just be their shot at figuring it all out or finally letting each other go.

I’m a sucker for second chance romances, and Wren and Ellis’s story definitely didn’t disappoint—it completely stole my heart. It felt raw and authentic, capturing both the love they shared and the pain they went through. Wren is a strong, grounded character who knows her worth, and Ellis’s quiet determination to earn her trust again made him easy to root for. Their chemistry, the slow rebuilding of trust, and the emotional tension kept me invested from start to finish. A beautiful, well-written story about love, loss, and finding your way back to each other. The ending had me wiping away some happy tears for sure.

Thank you, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press, for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Tara DeWitt novel, and I LOVED IT. The writing flowed beautifully and whisked me into the world of these characters. The romance was top-notch with the perfect blend of yearning and spice. A 5/5 romance for me. I can't wait for this book to hit the shelves.

I seriously don’t know how Tarah DeWitt does it every time but I am here to stay. I absolutely love her stories. They’re a perfect blend of depth and emotion but light and ever hopeful. Second chance romance is one of my absolute favorite tropes and she absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one. Saving my re-read for a buddy read but cannot wait for my best friends to experience this journey of Wren and Ellis. Excited to see more for the Byrds!

This book was so good! It’s the perfect second chance book! Especially after seeing them in Savor It. I devoured this book in no time. I loved watching their broken relationship mend. And the pen pal letters were great!

I absolutely loved the plot and characters in Savor It, so I was beyond excited to see the side characters get their own story in this book! While I enjoyed it overall, I found the plot in this one to be a bit looser compared to Savor It. Specifically, the letters written to the couple felt a little confusing, and there were quite a few spontaneous spice scenes that didn’t fully make sense to me in the context of their story.

This book definitely had more spice compared to Savor It and The Co-Op, but I’m not sure all of it was necessary—especially during moments where the couple was trying to reconnect emotionally and rekindle. I didn’t quite feel the depth of their yearning for each other, which made their reconciliation feel less impactful. That said, I still really enjoyed all the characters, and the beginning had me completely hooked. I just wish there had been more emotional passion between the main couple so their resolution felt more satisfying. Adding the kiddo in the mix definitely added movement. Perhaps the age that I'm at, didn't quite connect as much.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins for giving me the opportunity to read this. Thank you Tarah for creating such lovely romances. I will always support you!

This book? Absolutely gutted me, in that slow, aching, gorgeously written kind of way. Tarah DeWitt took second-chance romance and made it hurt so good. Wren and Ellis have been divorced for years, but they’ve never stopped orbiting each other. Co-parents. Former teenage soulmates. Still deeply, stupidly in love? Yeah, I was all in.

They get roped into a road trip together (because of course they do), and what follows is emotional tension so thick you could spread it on toast. There’s snark. There’s longing. There’s “I never stopped loving you but I don’t know how to say it without breaking again” energy, and I was eating it up. Every conversation, every lingering glance, every painful memory cracked my heart open a little more.

And the LETTERS?? Tarah, how dare you. Left of Forever is so intimate and raw and romantic without being flashy. It’s about love that’s weathered everything, loss, ego, time, and is still there, waiting to be chosen again.

If you love:
✨ Second-chance pining with teeth
✨ Divorcees who are clearly still obsessed
✨ Heartfelt letters and emotional gut-punches
✨ Forced proximity that makes you feral

Then Left of Forever is going to own you. Wren and Ellis are it. They always were. 💔

Thank you Tarah, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

My first book my this author but it won’t be my last. This was a deeply emotional book and I adored the two main characters. I don’t read much of second chance/single parent romances but this one worked. I took one star off for a few pacing issues but overall it was a cozy heartwarming story.

This book wrecked me in the best way. I’m already calling it—my favorite romance read of 2025. The writing was so beautiful. Wren and Ellis felt so real, and their slow-burn, second-chance romance was full of longing, heartache, and healing. I’m a sucker for a pining man, and Ellis absolutely delivered. The final few chapters had me sobbing (which honestly never happens!), and the spice? Perfection!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC! I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time!

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes, etc: Second Chance, Found Family, Secret Identity, Pen Pals
POV: Dual, 1st Person
3rd Act Breakup?: No
Song Association: Francesca by Hozier
Notable Quote: “If you won’t have me back anymore, then I’ll find you in the next life. You are the only thing that makes me believe in that. In something bigger than myself. The way I have felt about you has been the only thing that’s felt like . . . like it can’t be contained in one body or lifetime.”

Brief Summary: Wren and Ellis had a baby and got married young, all while practically raising Ellis’s siblings. So it’s no wonder their communication broke down, driving them to divorce. Five years post-divorce, Ellis is determined to win Wren back and show her that he can be the partner she needs.

Vibe Check: Heart-wrenching, sweet, angsty

FMC Is: Strong, guarded, witty
MMC Is: Rugged, romantic, determined
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪

While Reading I: Cried SO much, giggled and kicked my feet.

What Kept Me Hooked: Ellis and Wren’s undeniable chemistry, passion, and love for each other. Ellis’s determination to better himself and win Wren back.

Room For Improvement: None! This was perfect. Tarah always hits it out of the park.

Final Thoughts: From the first appearance of Wren and Ellis together in Savor It, I was HOOKED. I couldn’t stop thinking about them, about why things ended, about how she’s still a Byrd. Left of Forever was everything I hoped it would be and more.

I loved Savor It! So, I was excited to go back to Spunes, Oregon for Left of Forever! I love the Bryd family! They’ve stolen my heart.

Wren and Ellis were both really well developed characters! I could really feel their emotions and understand their motivations. I really loved them together. I struggled to understand why they separated in the first place, but I was glad they found each other again! I’m a sucker for second chances! I especially loved Ellis’ devotion to Wren. I loved how much he loved his family!

I definitely recommend reading this book, but recommend reading Savor it first! It can be read as a stand alone, but Fischer and Sage have my heart!

Read if you like:
❤️ Small Town Romance
❤️ Dual POV
❤️ Second Chances
❤️ Found Family
❤️ Letters & Journals
❤️ Roadtrips

Tarah's best work yet! All of her books find some way to worm into my heart and settle in, and this is one I'll be thinking about for a long time. I loved how relatable the storyline was, even though I've never been married---or divorced. I thought both Wren and Ellis were excellently developed with enough character growth and dynamic personality traits to keep them interesting. Tarah is such an amazing writer, her words flowing easily and wholly sucking you into the story in a way that makes it impossible not to devour.

Highly recommend!

5 Stars. All the Stars. All the love for this book!

I am an absolute sucker for the second chance marriage trope and this one was top tier. My favorite I’ve ever read so far.

I felt the love that Wren and Ellis had for each other down in my bones. If there was ever a couple meant to be together, it was these two. And the history that they had behind their story only added to its depth.

The longing, the yearning – I cannot get over how well this book exemplified these things.

I loved the peek into their pain, their grief, their trauma from the past that wove into their relationship. Loved seeing how they had to finally confront these things in order to move forward. I LOVED the “simple life” that they lived and loved. It was real. There was so much I could relate to and it made me want to go hug my own husband.

The cover and title are also 5 out of 5 for me. And when we get to the line that has the title in it??... **SQUEAL**

This is a book I definitely need a trophy copy of on my shelves and will 100% be a reread book for me.

Highly recommend.

My review is already up on Goodreads and will be posted in my Instagram page on Friday, April 18.

**Edited to say thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advanced copy (I was in my feelings so much, I forgot to say that)!

Wren and Ellis are divorced. Ellis il still in love with his ex wife and want her back.
I loved the first half of the story, but the second half... I thought we were not deep into it some times, and we finally here it's happening in two day time which is very quick. But their story is one that happened to a lot of people and will resound to a lot couple.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars

Hoooooooooly shit. This book was a love letter to communication and I'm so here for it.

A lot of my complaints for romance reads in recent months/years has been communication. For awhile, miscommunication was a popular trope, but I think we've graduated to wanting to see some healthy communication and relationship navigation. And so this book just takes all of those complaints and sets them on fire.

Everything about this book was so heartwarming, deeply emotional, and oh so hopeful. Tarah DeWitt is fastly becoming a force of nature and is already an auto buy for me.

When their son is accepted to college, Wren and Ellis take a road trip to get their son to college and see if they can rebuild their relationship after five years of divorce. Albos are in their 30s, fell in love at a young age, and had their son at 17. They've now realized they never stopped thinking about each other and believe there's still a chance to love again.

I tried so hard to like this book that I ended up with a reading block. Honestly, I don't understand the whole dilemma; their behavior was like that of children. If you're going through a breakup or already went through years, you might enjoy this story, but I don't recommend it. The dialogue was very bland and meaningless, which made communication between them difficult.

Tropes:

Romance
Second Chance
Road trip
Small Town
Force Proximity


Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.