This book was amazing. The second chance was believable and even mirrored my own marital story in some ways. I cried and even highlighted some areas to share with my husband which I don't normally do.

I will be reading the authors backlog, but I will not be publishing any public reviews as I didn't realize this was an SMP publication and I refuse to promote them on my socials until they meet the actions of the boycott.

I loved Savor It so I was really excited to read this one and it did not disappoint! Second chance romance isn't always my favorite but this was so sweet and emotional, I could just feel their love radiate off the pages. Ellis and Wren's journey felt cathartic and healing. Fun, steamy, emotional. A true delight.

Wren and Ellis had been together since they were five. Ellis was a firefighter and Wren owned a bakery. In high school Wren got pregnant and their son, Sam, was born. They were too young, and Ellis had his own brothers and sister to worry about besides Wren and Sam. They divorced and both tried to start new lives until she sent bakery items to the place where Ellis was fighting fires, and they started writing to each other. Wren had no idea she was writing to Ellis. Ellis knew he still loved Wren and believed they might get back together. When Sam goes off to college Ellis asks Wren to go on a week’s vacation after they drop Sam off. This is a beautiful romantic story about how life changes and strong love can renew a marriage. I loved their idea about sharing 2 things a day about what concerned them. I loved all the special places Ellis took Wren on their vacation. Wonderful characters and love story!

A beautiful second chance romance between Wren & Ellis. This book had me hooked! I was rooting for these two to get things right a second time after they had a child, married young, and then divorced. They learn to openly communicate about what when wrong the first time to move forward together. The chemistry, flirting, and yearning between them was perfection. The intimacy -- no notes!

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for providing me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this e-ARC of Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt. This book was nothing short of perfection. It was completely and utterly perfection, in every single way. I unexpectedly fell in love with Savor It, but I saw Tarah's announcement that the next book in this series would follow Ellis and Wren, I knew that this would be a new favorite, if not a favorite overall. This book was so incredible, I was in awe that I could love it so much and not want to change a single thing. Wren and Ellis both had so much depth and every side character did as well, contributing to this incredibly journey of Ellis and Wren finding their way back to each other. The plot was so simple yet effective—a road trip for these two divorcees to try and reconnect, and how they got to the root of it all: communication. Simple, yet effective communication, because the love had always been there, but it was everything else that they couldn't work for at the time, and thought it would be better to let each other go, even though they both knew in their souls that they were the ones for each other. I loved how it was ultimately framed as a choice, that it was not fate or destiny that lead them back to each other, but it was them being willing to do the work because love was not even, regardless of how much they did love each other. I loved that the love was always portrayed as there, but the work came when they both wanted to be the better and best versions for themselves and for each other so that they could live out the rest of their forever. I absolutely love this book and I cannot recommend it or Tarah DeWitt as an author enough. I am impatiently waiting for the next installment of the Spunes, Oregon world! If I could give this 15 stars and then some, I would.

Left of Forever is potentially the most romantic book I have ever read.
DeWitt's portrayal of one of the many the realistic paths that can occur in marriage and relationships was handled with such intention and gentleness. Ellis and Wren's marriage didn't end in a fire-y explosion, it dissolved over time because of the realistic factors of life. Humans are flawed, sometimes marriage isn't what we see in the movies, and life doesn't always work out the way we predict it will. Even though Left of Forever was handling life post-divorce for Ellis and Wren, I really do feel that this book was one of the most romantic books I have ever read (potentially THE most romantic book I have ever read). There is something about knowing another person so intimately, for so long, and knowing how wrong it can go and still choosing them again and choosing to do the work.
I rarely, if ever, cry when reading and even more rarely when reading a romance but Left of Forever had tears in my eyes a few times. The characters are beautifully flawed and vulnerable in a way that makes them feel realistic. Their love didn't feel exaggerated. This is a second chance romance that felt like it was real. This book turned me into an annotator (which is a feat at this stage of life for me). Ellis doesn't think of himself as a romantic, yet had one of the most romantic lines of the book in my opinion - "All I know is that if I found out heaven was real and got there first? I'd hang back in the waiting room and save you a seat." And yes, I did cry over it a little when he said it.
Left of Forever had me squealing and kicking my feet (internally because I stayed up until 1am reading since I simply could not put it down) and tearing up over these characters. The letters were such an interesting way to kick off the story and build up the relationship. The roadtrip was fun and intentional and romantic. Spunes was the perfect small town backdrop. And it had some of the best yearning I have ever read.
This is a gold standard example of a slow burn second chance romance. This story clicked with me like nothing else I have read in a very long time. What a joy it is to exist in the same timeline as Ms Tarah DeWitt.

From start to finish, this book was a masterclass in second chance romance. Wren and Ellis cracked my heart open raw and tenderly sewed it back together as they did with their relationship.

The pacing was perfect. Let the record show- I am not a fan of dual timelines. BUT the flashbacks blended into the storyline seamlessly. Where Savor It felt more like a slow burn, each scene felt full without dragging on.

I have to shoutout the therapy rep. You’re able to see both Ellis’s growth during their time apart and as they reconnect on the road. Likewise, we see our selfless, big hearted Wren embracing the confidence to speak up and communicate more honestly.

Heck seeing how far they’d come as they reconnected honestly more and more had me sobbing hysterically in bed at 2am with a pint of Halo Top in a mumu. Take that as you will.

And the spice was PERFECTION. The longing, the yearning, the familiarity amidst the tension had me properly hot and bothered.

This book is officially a contender for one of my top books of the year. A huge thank you to Tarah DeWitt, St. Martin’s/You Had Me At HEA, and NetGalley for this arc!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄
♥ Second-chance romance
🏛 Small town vibes
👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Meddling family
🚗 Road trips
🛌 Forced proximity

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Wren and Ellis fell in love early in life and loved hard. They had Sam when they were still teenagers and eventually divorced while he was in high school. When he is accepted into college, Ellis convinces Wren to go on a weeklong road trip to celebrate. During the road trip, they start having the tough conversations they always avoided and begin rekindling their relationship.

𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was so real and vulnerable and raw. I loved the small-town vibes and how everyone had their hand in this relationship. It made me laugh and cry and look at my own relationship in a new light. 3.75/5⭐

The way these two found their way back to one another was so beautiful. They did the work on themselves; they had the hard convos, and they fought to make it back to the life and love they knew they were capable of. This is a real and honest take on second chances. Wren and Ellis were made for each other, I'm so glad they made it back to forever.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DHThtsfM2CR/?igsh=MXdwaHU1eTh3c2FyNw==

Review posted on my Instagram.

Wren and Ellis were childhood friends who fell in love as kids. Shortly after falling in love they became teenage parents to their son, Sam. Through the challenges that becoming parents at such a young age and having to help raise Ellis’s siblings, Wren and Ellis married and built a beautiful life together in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon. They were made for one another, until life got in the way and they fell apart and eventually divorced.

Now divorced and in their 30s, Wren and Ellis have spent the past few years apart. Both trying (and failing) to move on from one another. When Sam is accepted to college, Ellis convinces Wren to take a road trip back from dropping Sam off at college and give their relationship one more go. The California coast provides the perfect backdrop to reconnect, but both Wren and Ellis know that they cannot move forward together without confronting their past and revealing secrets that might destroy them for good.

At times it feels like the romance genre is filled only with couples in their early 20s who resolve their issues, get married and live happily ever after. Left of Forever is a refreshing second-chance love story that shows the true complexities of marriage, what it takes to make it work, the aftermath of what happens when you can’t and the lengths it takes to get it back when it all falls apart.

The dual POV added so much to the story as you get to experience the deep yearning that both feel for one another.

Fans of second chance romances will adore Left of Forever!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

"Left of Forever" is a beautifully depicted story of restoring love and rekindling first love. Tarah unpacked the hard things that life throws at us with loss, choices, and how it can affect us. Wren an Ellis both MC's are unpacking their pasts and intertwining their thoughts into the current reality. One of my favorite parts was the journal entries and the letters. Everyone, I think deserves a second chance at love and maturing and this road trip of a book did it well and right.

I will be recommending it to my friends and family who love second chances, re sparking a flame, and a bit of spice. If you love family, love, relationships and a balance between romance and contemporary realities, then this is the story for you!

Thank you for NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Tarah DeWitt for this ARC. It did not disappoint. Thank you again!!

round to 3.5 because I love this world.

This book was the perfect blend of friends to lovers and second chance!!!!!!

As someone who's two fav tropes are second chance and friends to lovers this was the perfect blend of the two. This book was very enjoyable, I think I would have loved it even more if I was in a different state of mind.

I often think about how people who claim to love you can go so long without reaching out or rekindling and that was my thought process throughout this book. I know life gets in the way and I also understand that time goes by fast but I still can't comprehend that their divorce lasted five years... I don't know? I get that it could have been many different things but getting back within a week but the divorce lasting five years di dnot make sense to me.

I love savor it so I was very glad for that ending scene hehe and I am excited to see what Tarah will write for Silas and Micah. But more so for Sam and Indy <3

Thank you St. Martins Press for the digital arc

First of all, thank you St. Martin's Press, Tarah DeWitt and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was a privilege to read this before the public release!

Left of Forever is the kind of book that grabs you by the heart and refuses to let go. I read this in one sitting, and I’m still reeling. Wren and Ellis’s story is the perfect blend of yearning, pain, hope, and healing—and it is absolutely gut-wrenching in the best way possible.

From the very first page, the chemistry between Wren and Ellis is undeniable. They’re both carrying so much pain, and watching them navigate their lost love and attempt to adjust to their new reality of guarding themselves from one another in the first half of the book was heartbreaking. The longing and regret over one another had me in tears more than once. There’s something uniquely painful about two people who love each other deeply but can’t find their way back—especially when the wounds are still so fresh, even years later. The guilt and heartache they both carry feels suffocating, yet despite it all, their love for each other never truly fades.

The honesty and openness in their communication while they’re “giving it one last go” is everything I’ve ever wanted in a romance. I was completely captivated by how they finally decided to let down their walls and give themselves to each other, wholly and without reservation. It felt so real, so raw—like watching two people fight for their forever.

And let me tell you, Ellis calling Wren “Byrd” was everything. That little detail just broke me in the best possible way. It was a reminder that, no matter how much time has passed, they were never really meant to be apart. She was always his, and he was always hers. The little things in this book just hit me so hard in the feels.

The ending… oh my god, the ending. It wrecked me. I don’t want to spoil anything, but let me just say—prepare for your heart to shatter and be put back together in the most beautiful way possible.

Left of Forever is a masterpiece of second-chance romance. It is emotional, raw, and full of all the feelings you could ever hope for. I cried, I laughed, I felt the longing and the hope. I truly don’t think I will be able to stop thinking about Wren and Ellis anytime soon. If you’re looking for a book that will wreck you in the best way possible and then leave you feeling like your heart has been remade, Left of Forever is the book to read.

Bravo, Tara DeWitt. This one is a keeper, and I will be thinking about it for a long time. Every star. Every tear. Every emotion.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt.

In Savor It, we get to meet Sage’s brother, Ellis, and her best friend and ex sister in law, Wren. Wren and Ellis fell in love when they were young. Both were teenagers when they had their son, Sam. Their marriage fell apart five years ago. Sam is preparing to move to college when Ellis suggests that they take Sam together. Ellis also asks Wren if on their way back they can use the trip to consider giving their relationship a second chance.

I do love the moment that’s commonly referenced in Savor It for this pair, but the moment that I desperately wanted Ellis and Wren’s story was at the end of Savor It when Wren is comforting Sage. The ache I had for these two to find their way back to each other in that moment was still present throughout Left of Forever. It’s such a beautiful second chance romance and I thought the story was so well structured. I equally loved the build up to their trip as I did their actual trip. I love the Spunes universe and we get to see so many of the characters from Savor It return.

If you love a second chance romance, this one needs to be on your TBR!

This is easily a top read for me this year!

"She's still a Byrd." The line that started it all.

Wren and Ellis grew up together, fell in love and had a kid. Simple. And then five years ago, they grew apart. But is that really what they wanted? Or is that spark they had back then still kicking around? Their solution to finding out- road trip.

This book encompassed so many of my favourite tropes- second chance, road trips, "single" parents. And it did them all beautifully.

It was impossible not to love Wren. She's a spitfire and brings so much life to everything around her. I'm convinced there isn't anything she can't accomplish. And she'll do it with so much love.

Ellis is the strong and quiet type. And while in the beginning, he maybe relies on that too much, we get to see him come out of his shell more and more as their trip progresses and it is oh so wonderful.

This is raw and vulnerable and everything you want in a second chance. Watching them rip open their wounds and help the other mend what was broken is the most beautiful thing. I just know this is going to be a favourite for a long time. One that I will for sure reread and revisit my favourite parts of in years to come.

Left of Forever was a highly anticipated 2025 release, and it was worth every day of waiting since Ellis stood up and uttered those four words. "She's still a Byrd." Absolutely worth it.

This actually full did not work for me at all 🫥. I was so bored and confused for the first 60% and then I didn’t care about the couple enough to root for them to end up together or not. Reading Savor It feels CRUCIAL before reading this one and since I did not do that I had no backstory or any idea who anyone was. So you’d probably like this if you read Savor It, otherwise definitely read that before reading this one

What can I say? This book is simply beautiful. Left of Forever swept me away with Wren and Ellis' emotional journey, exploring whether love can truly mend what time and heartbreak have fractured. Five years apart, yet the pull between them remains undeniable. A second chance romance.

Having not read Savor It, I stepped into their story with fresh eyes, yet it stood effortlessly on its own. Ellis' unwavering devotion to winning back his wife was captivating—his willingness to bare his heart, answer every question, and fight for their love made him impossible not to root for. Meanwhile, Wren’s hesitations felt so deeply real, yet I admired her strength, her honesty, and the way she embraced the moment.

This story was raw, romantic, and beautifully written. I adored the characters, their journey, and the emotions woven into every page. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author! ✨

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy!!

In this novel, Tarah DeWitt picks up roughly where Savor It ends and tells the story of Wren (Sage’s best friend from Savor It) and Ellis Byrd (Sage’s brother), exes who had been together most of their lives and are tied to one another through their son and the close knit Byrd family. The romantic plot line is pretty predictable, but that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it made all the twists and turns that the characters go through that much more engaging, in my opinion. DeWitt does a great job of weaving in backstory from Savor It (including family history mentioned in that book) to Wren and Ellis’ relationship, and the character grown feels very thoughtful and realistic.

Since you have some time before this one comes out, I definitely recommend reading Savor It first; it’ll make you appreciate the characters — both the protagonists and the minor characters (including the animals) — even more!