Thank you to NetGalley, Tarah DeWitt, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to the e-arc.

This was a beautiful story. I can’t put into words how emotional this book was. It felt like it was written from Tarah DeWitt’s soul. I could tell immediately that Wren and Ellis were made for each other. You will need a tissue box with this one. I felt like the hard discussions were handled with care. This is a bold statement but my favorite book Tarah DeWitt has written. It reminds me that even when a couple is going through a hard time it doesn’t necessarily mean they will break. Things will work out the way they are supposed to. I highly recommend it! Please, check the TWs.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review is not spoiler free per say but I assume we can all assume how the book ends, maybe? Read at your own risk!

Left of Forever is a bittersweet tale of a divorced couple who, by choice find their way back to one another. Told in dual POV (as only second chance romance should be) you get to learn how they drifted apart, fall in love with them separately as they are on their own journeys and again when they are able to come back as a couple. You will be heartbroken, and you will mend yourself back together. The setting, a road trip along the CA coast, is so romantic. No details were held back in Ellis’s romancing of Wren and I love the rest of the family dynamic baked into their story. The vibes of the FMC and MMC hit so hard. They truly feel like soul mates who drifted apart, no fault, and found their way back. Ellis. What a man. A fire fighter? Yes please. Let me tell you he burns for his boho beauty 😮‍💨 You will not be disappointed by this book! Go preorder it, it will be out 5/20. A nice late birthday present for myself.

First I want to thank St Martins Press for approving me to read this eARC! This was my first Tarah DeWitt book and I am now so excited to read her others! I loved the realness of this second chance romance. We got to see the love of the characters but also the hurt. It was an absolute beautiful book and great for all readers but especially those who love tropes like small town romance, HEA, one bed, pen pals, and so much more. The charm of this book will suck you in!

"Left of Forever" by Tarah DeWitt is a beautifully written masterpiece that resonates deeply with readers. The story centers around Wren and Ellis, two characters whose journey of second chances and rekindled love is both heartwarming and compelling.

DeWitt's writing is nothing short of poetic, capturing the essence of emotions and the complexities of relationships with grace and authenticity. Wren and Ellis are wonderfully developed characters, each with their own unique struggles and strengths, making their love story all the more poignant and relatable.

The narrative is a perfect blend of romance and introspection, exploring themes of forgiveness, growth, understanding, and the enduring power of love. It's a story that stays with you long after you've turned the last page, touching the hearts of many with its sincerity and depth.
"Left of Forever" is a testament to the beauty of second chances. It's a heartwarming read that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a story that will both move and inspire them. This book is best read after "Savor It" — one of my top novels for 2024. There is no doubt that this novel will be at the top of my favorite books for 2025 and beyond.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @StMartinPress for this lovely ARC.

Tarah DeWitt is the writer of my heart and soul. Her artistry continues to amaze me - the ways she weaves humor, vulnerability, growth, intimacy, and reality together is something to behold.

“You’re still a Byrd.” /// “I’ve got the biggest, most devastating crush on my ex-husband, and I hope I don’t get absolutely flattened by it in the end.”

A little preview into Left of Forever - Wren and Ellis Byrd were childhood best friends turned lovers turned parents turned divorcees. But that only scratches the surface of what depths they explored together and the absence left since they divorced five years ago. Now, as their son is graduating and moving for college, Ellis is asking (begging) Wren to explore these spaces with him again, one last time. It leads them on a quest to see if they can grow their way back to each other or if they are going to be stuck making the same mistakes again.

Savor It was my favorite read last year - the tenderness and joy in that book was (previously) unmatched. I was dying to read more of these characters in this community that had enraptured me. I am so grateful for the chance to have the ARC because it was a formative experience to read Left of Forever (and I will be rereading it over and over). Even with my love for Tarah’s writing, nothing could have prepared for the yearning, tenderness, and deeply romantic connections explored in this book. We get to bear witness not just to the love between Wren and Ellis, but the love they have with their family and community. Spunes has burrowed permanently into my heart and I am so attached to the Byrds and their loved ones.

Every aspect of this read blew me away. The composition of their story through the varied mediums that we get to engage with their experiences and the timeline of their rediscovery of one another — all of it was so special. From their doubts:
"Because you make up half of my soul. Because as desperate as I am to be near you, to be inside you, I’m terrified that having you this close again will also remind you of all the parts of me you wanted to leave."
To their reassurances:
“Do you remember when you asked me if I believed in something like fate? Well, the truth is, I don’t want to. I hate that fate or chance or fucking luck can get any of the credit for us finding our way back to each other. Not this time. Not when we’ve worked so hard… It terrifies me to think that I might’ve let this life go by without finding my way back to you. Never again, Wren. I promise. Never again. I’m not letting you go."
And all the times they just made me laugh:
"I succumbed to Waiting Syndrome. I had the day to dick around, and I overdicked it." /// "Subject: (Completely Unromantic)((and very generalized)) Itinerary for the Byrds"

My heart was so full reading this. I have already preordered my copy and I hope you do, too. This book is so special and it will continue to live in my brain on repeat for the foreseeable future.

Thank you Tarah for sharing these special folks with us.
((Also this part is just for Tarah: TARAH Are you fuckin joking me with that last chapter!!!!! HAVE ME BAWLIN MY EYES OUT OVER SILAS’ SPEECH!!!! God I fucking love them all so much.))

Left of Forever is a second chance, small town romance. Wren and Ellis were childhood sweethearts who became parents when they were teenagers. They've now been divorced for 4 years and their son is going off to college. They take the opportunity to go on a roadtrip in order to get closure on their relationship or rekindle it. I love a good second chance romance watching them find each other again especially when the MMC is still in love, pining for her.
This book was so sweet and done well. The pacing made it feel just right. I loved the real conversations they had, making sure they get it right this time. I really love how Tarah included the town of Spunes and Wren's found family. I always appreciate a good dual POV. This was emotional and sweet and gave me all the feels. This story really hit home in regards to how challenging marriages can be and the work and dedication it needs. I will recommend this book to everyone! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. I will remember this book for whatever's Left of Forever!

A million stars for this emotional second chance romance! I loved Left of Forever! It is my new favorite from this author and an overall amazing read! I really just love this author’s writing style. It’s poetic, descriptive, and always packs so much emotion.

We first meet Wren and Ellis in Savor It. They fell in love and had their son, Sam as teenagers. There is no doubt that Wren and Ellis love each other, but sometimes that isn’t enough. They are now in their 30s and divorced. They continued to prioritize Sam and their coparenting relationship. However, Sam is now off to college. Ellis wants Wren back and he convinces her to take a road trip with him to see if they can give their love another shot.

I loved how perfectly imperfect these characters were. They owned their past mistakes especially their struggles with communication. They were so open, mature, and showed so much growth this time around. I was rooting for their HEA so hard. I just love both of these characters so much and never doubted their love for the other.

This book was one of the best second chance romances that I’ve read in a really long time. I can’t wait to see what this author will write next!

This is my first experience with Tarah DeWitt, and this book is set in the same town in Oregon and among the same family as Savor It. I say this because I think if I had read Savor It first, even though it focused on different characters, I might have more context for this book's couple: Wren and Ellis Byrd. They were childhood friends, then high school sweethearts. Wren accidentally got pregnant at 17 and decided to keep the baby. Wren and Ellis spent years together until it all fell apart, and they have been divorced for 5 years. Now that their son, Sam, is graduating high school, Ellis proposes to Wren that they take a road trip together after dropping him off in California to see if they can reconnect and rebuild their relationship.

Here's the thing: Ellis decides to do this after he spends a fire season in Colorado and happens to receive a care package from Wren along with a letter asking for information about two horses who disappeared after the fire and whether they are okay. Ellis decides to respond, but anonymously. The two start corresponding and Ellis realizes he's still in love with Wren. Instead of telling Wren it's him she has been writing to, he decides to use the road trip back from California to work out what went wrong.

The first part of this book being the secret correspondence and the second half of the book being this road trip makes things feel a bit disjointed to me. I do feel like DeWitt has a very romantic way of writing. The way she describes Wren and Ellis's history, their feelings for each other, the sensuality between them after knowing each other for so long, combined with the dreamy atmosphere on California's beaches and in wine country, that was probably my favorite part. On the other hand, Ellis and Wren are quick to jump back into the physical aspects of their relationship (which was clearly never the problem leading to their divorce) but the communication left something to be desired. Ellis was keeping the secret correspondence a secret, and he kept only saying half truths to Wren whenever they attempted to talk about their feelings and how things went wrong. It takes so long for the truth to come out and Wren essentially has to force it out of him, that I was left feeling kind of disappointed and not sure if I could really believe that they had fully worked through their issues. But I guess Ellis promising he'll go to therapy with Wren is good enough?

4.5 stars. I LOVE this series. i’ve not read a tarah dewitt book that i haven’t loved yet. SO good. i’m a sucker for second chance romance and have been so excited for this since THE line in Savor It (iykyk) 🥹🥰

thank you to net galley & st martin’s griffin for the early copy.

Writing this through tears! This book was held humor and longing so beautifully in each hand. You’ll fall in love (more than you already are) with the Byrds as they fall back in love with each other. DeWitt is an expert at connection and heart!

6 ⭐️ I am in LOVE with this book. From the first page to the last page this book has my entire heart. This is a follow up book of sorts to Savor It, it takes us back to Spunes, Oregon and this time picks up with Wren and Ellis Byrd (Sage from Savor It is Ellis’ sister and Wren’s BFF). It can probably be read as a stand alone but I highly suggest you read Savor It first so you get to know all the Byrd siblings and get a glimpse into Wren and Elllis’ world. This is also a second chance love book, which is not always my favorite but this was masterfully done. Wren and Ellis were childhood sweethearts who had a child at 17 and then divorced by late twenties. This book takes place 5 years after their divorce, when their only son, Sam, is graduating high school and they road trip to drop him off at college in California. On the way back home, Ellis plans a special trip for Wren in hopes of winning her back into his life.

Okay, WOW, this book is everything. Is it totally perfect? No, but I chose to overlook a few minor things that didn’t feel realistic to me in favor of the smiles, giggles, swoons and tears, oh so many happy tears for the entire last 10% of this book. As someone who has been married to her husband for over half of my life, I get it… we weren’t high school sweethearts but as close as you can get to it. I understand the changes two people go through over time, especially with a family and responsibilities. I felt so damn close to this book and fell head over heels in love with Wren and Ellis. I never wanted this book to end. It also has my favorite trope or maybe romance element of all time - pen pals and writing letters back and forth. I can’t tell you how much I love that element in romance books. I could go on and on but I will just say, if you like your romance with heart, spice and all the emotions - please pick this up! I’ve never been one to annotate books, but I want to read this again and save every single line that annihilated my heart and soul. Can I be a part of the Byrd family? Please tell me Tarah has plans for Micah and Silas next. Pretty please. I’ll save you a seat.

Read this if you like:
* Second chance love
* Forced Proximity, one bed
* Found family
* Road trips
* Pen Pals

HUGE thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Tarah DeWitt for the advanced readers egalley in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 🤩
there’s nothing i love more than second chance romance
i’m so in love with ellis (crazy that my first “boyfriend” had the same name different spelling)
the communication really did it for me and i was on the verge of tears so often
seeing the familiar names on the beach also sent me into a tail spin i miss the co-op
the attention to detail and all the little things they did for each other renewed my belief in love for atleast a little bit
and the tattoos??? 😭😭😭😭
the family meddling was chefs kiss
thank you st martins and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Easily my top favorite Tarah DeWitt book she’s put out yet! She’s so good at writing flawed characters that are doing the work and taking steps to improve their mental health as well. All with a hefty side of humor. I laughed and I cried reading this truly sweet second chance at love for Wren and Ellis.

“She’s still a Byrd”

The line that Ellis said at a town meeting, that made all of us thirsty for their story in Tarah’s previous book, Savor It. High school sweethearts who had child too young and found themselves raising the rest of the Byrd sibling after losing both of their parents. They both took on a lot and lost each other in the process. Five years after their divorce, both are still missing and pining for each other, when Ellis gets a chance care package working a wild fire that is from Wren herself. Seeing her words in the letter and writing back anonymously wakes him up to the idea of asking for that second chance.

The chemistry and banter between these two is off the charts! Their roadtrip back to each other after dropping their son off at college is heartbreaking and at the same heartwarming as they work through their past. And, can we talk about the flirty dirty talk 🥵

I love the cameos of Deacon and LaRynn while visiting Santa Cruz. And, as always all the Twilight references. I agree Tarah, Rosyln is the song of our generation. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve listened to that soundtrack!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Tarah Dewitt for allowing me to read a complimentary advanced copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

road trip. second chance. ONE BED!

this is the second book in an interconnected standalone series, the first being savor it by tarah dewitt, which i have not read😅 sadly it did feel like there was a lot of lore i was missing out on from the first book. there was a good attempt at explaining, but i think i just need to read savor it to understand. don’t you worry though, i will definitely be reading it soon.
wren and ellis obviously wanted to get back together, but were scared to do so. i loved the emotional work these two did to make sure they were ready. ellis was maybe a little unrealistic. some of the rambling of wren’s letters read a teeny bit cringe. but otherwise i ate this up! i did not know that ice cream could be used for that😳 (not sexual! actually maybe a little) the one bed scene i literally started fist pumping. my favorite part i think was i imagined ellis to be a young tom selleck😌 sadly my version did not have the cover but you have to look its gorgeous. anyways this is out 5/20/25 definitely go pick it up!

I have devoured every single Tarah DeWitt book. I struggle to explain how much this book moved me. Particularly the idea that people can alter our souls and go as deep as altering our DNA. I’ll be thinking about this story for a long time.

I thought I would have loved this book but it just never grabbed at my heartstrings. I liked the MC's and loved the letter writing to each other but couldn't believe she didn't figure out who was writing to her. I got bored with the journaling and found at the 50% mark, it just got too slow for my liking.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for my honest review.

I wish I could describe how this book made me feel… a mix of tears and butterflies throughout. I cried so many happy tears at the end. I loved every single part of this honestly. Definitely a favorite book of the year

My first Tarah DeWitt book and definitely won’t be my last. This is by far my favorite second chance romance. I mean come on. Ellis and Wren are it. I fell in love with this book. I love how authentic and real Ellis and Wren are with each other. I loved their communication and how they actively worked to better themselves and one another for each other.

Ellis had my heart from the get go. He’s relatable in so many ways. He takes everything on and internalizes it because of his desire to take care of the people he loves. He’s everything that’s good.

Wren. Wow. She is fierce and confident and brave. She’s made for Ellis. I love how much she loves him and I love how they complement each other.

I laughed and I cried and I fell in love with this book and the characters. Left of Forever has a piece of my heart. Thank you so much NetGalley and Tarah Dewitt for letting me read such a soul stirring, heartwarming book.

Left of Forever is the perfect book for those that love a second chance romance! Sweet, sincere and a bit spicy this one holds. all the elements of a beautiful story.

I’m actually in shambles right now. This book kind of tore me apart and sewed me back together. I’m so sad it’s over but I’m so glad I got to go on this journey with Wren and Ellis.
•••
Normally, I’m not a marriage in crisis or second chance romance girl because it’s just too real sometimes and I’m not mentally stable enough for that kind of pain. But this year, ive been reading more of them and I think Left of Forever is a new favourite for me. I think the fact that it was so real and so vulnerable is why I loved it so much. I could feel the love and the pain between Ellis and wren on every single page and it just made reading the book so incredible.
•••
Wren Byrd…I have no words to describe how much I adore her. She is an inspiration. She is the purest soul. She fights for herself and her happiness, no matter what that looks like. She is strong and capable, but also so raw and vulnerable. I want to be her. I love how resilient and determined she is. How no matter how easy it would be to fall back with Ellis, she made sure they worked for it and for each other.
•••
I need to know what Tarah Dewitt puts into these fictional men because Ellis Byrd???? THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!!! I love a man obsessed, and there’s no one more obsessed with his wife than Ellis. He just loves her so hard, even when he didn’t think he was allowed to. Ellis always had to be the rock for his family and it was so beautiful to watch him open up and be vulnerable and just TRY. He learned to try and he became the absolute dream man because of it. Also that moustache? Save a seat sir🧎🏻‍♀️
•••
I wish this book was longer simply because I couldn’t read another 500 pages about Ellis and Wren. Their endless and undying love for each other, their struggles, the yearning and the pining. I loved seeing their pain as much as I loved seeing them have crushes on each other again. They are written in the stars and it was so beautiful to witness them finding their way back to each other.
•••
Tarah wrote an incredibly raw story and as much as it hurt to read, it made the good moments even better. The little joys even brighter. I loved Spunes, I love the Byrds and they will always be a little space in my heart for them.