I'm predicting this is the book that makes Tarah DeWitt explosively popular. Tender, poignant, and breathtakingly sensual, it has a beautiful ache that kept me turning pages.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Tarah for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to read this one after getting to know the characters in Savor It and getting familiar with their backstory as a couple. I was curious to understand what led to their break up and how they'd get back together, and Tarah didn't disappoint. She created a separation that made sense to the characters and a mature and sensible development throughout the book.

The only thing I didn't like (and after reading three books by Tarah, I think it's a characteristic of her writing) is that some scenes didn't seem to have a transition between them, and things felt disconnected. When it comes to the middle of the book, things felt a bit stuck. Other than that, I loved the characters and the romance. I highly recommend this book and am already excited about the next one in the series.

Tarah DeWitt's books are always winners, and this is no exception. Wren and Ellis were childhood sweethearts, married and had a child when they were young. But time and circumstance led them apart and they are now divorced, with their child going off to college. While they are living separate lives, they are still dealing with their decision to separate and figure out how to move forward. Ellis convinces Wren to go on a road trip after dropping off their son at college - in one last ditch effort to find common ground and return to each other.

What I loved: Tarah always writes great characters and even greater emotional connections. So many books feature the start of a relationship and the hope of a future - I love that this featured a relationship that was all but dead and gone - and trying to discover if it could be revived. I also love books that feature older characters (now that I'm getting older). Romance isn't just for teens and 20-somethings. Love and passion can exist as you get older!

What I didn't love: I genuinely loved it all.

If you haven't read any of Tarah's books - please do. You won't regret it!

Left of Forever is my second book that I've read from Tarah, and I really loved it! Otters were mentioned and I screamed because otters are my favorite animal, and I really loved all of the origami birds!! And was that LaRynn and Deacon I spotted in the first part of the book, my favs!!

Read if you love:
- second chance
- cute nicknames
- childhood friends to lovers
- a road trip

I fear I am addicted to the way Tarah DeWitt has the most perfect titles and truly wraps her novels around it or vice versa or however the heck her process goes because it WORKS!!!

Ellis reminds me so much of my very own book boyfriend, right down to the ice cube chewing at a fancy dinner and I see so much of myself in Wren in the unexpectedly taking care of a parent and the fertility struggles and the losing myself in taking care of those around me. I am obviously unbiased when I say that I love them. I love all of the Byrds to bits and pieces.

This book may not have spent a good chunk of it in Spunes, but damn did it feel like HOME. Tarah, I am on my knees, begging you, please please give me more. More Silas. More Micah!!

Also I loved the Co-Op cameo. A pregnant LaRynn? Please tell me they have a girl because Deacon is soooo girl dad coded I swear it.

Anyway I have a lot of great feelings about this book and I cannot wait to have a signed copy sitting on my shelf. Thank you NetGalley and Tarah for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this book-I love when you have high expectations for a book & it not only delivers but exceeds. Left of Forever is everything a romance book should be-a great love story, a fresh plot line & characters you can’t help but root for. While this is technically a sequel, it could be read as a standalone (although characters from the first book are referenced throughout).

Wren & Ellis’ story was so heart achingly beautiful. It was so special to watch (read) unfold on their lil road trip adventures. These are 2 people that truly, deeply, irrevocably love each other and are willing to have honest conversations and are willing to GROW with each other!! I’m so obsessed with them. This book will live in my heart forever and ever. Will recommend to everyone i meet on the street.

The way I sobbed at the closing chapter, but mostly at this: “one day, when we’re very old and gray, one of us will open our eyes to a day that the other won’t, but we’ll smile knowing how full life has been, knowing how we spent forever. Everything left of it, together.”

😭😭😭

I stand by the drunken thread I sent (threaded?) while in the middle of this read - Tarah DeWitt writes a second chance romance like a motherfucker aka very good. I read this one coming off of The Co-op and honestly, she could just do second chance for the rest of her days and I would be happy.

Thank you ever so much to NetGalley and SMP for my arc in exchange for my honest review.

TW/CW: infertility, teen pregnancy, miscarriage, grief, fire, death of loved ones, chronic illness

This book was perfection! I recently discovered Tarah DeWitt and read all her books in anticipation of this one! I love that we are taken back into the same world as her previous book!

Childhood friends-to-lovers, second chance executed flawlessly. 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. The co-parenting. The mutual respect for boundaries. The.
COMMUNICATION. I've said it before, l'll probably say it in every review for a TD novel: The tenderness and maturity of the characters is truly unmatched. AND THE SPICE? Her hottest yet, but no less emotional, babes! The way Wren and Ellis connect in the bedroom is on another level. It is mental, emotional, spiritual, CHEMICAL. Getting Ellis' POV for some of the more intimate scenes had me practically gnawing on my kindle. (AS TENDER AND PASSIONATE AS IT WAS, ELLIS MY PLEASURE DOM KING HAD ME SWEATING, OKAY?)
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.
Finishing this beta read and already wanting the next Byrd sibling's story is probably so psycho of me, but what does Miss DeWitt expect when she writes some of the greatest characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading?

Tarah Dewitt writes the best romance. Her characters have depth and they are so easy to root for. Ellis and Wren are no exception. This book had me swooning, laughing, and getting misty-eyed.

I feel so honored to have read this amazing book by Tarah DeWitt and in my opinion, her best work yet. All of her stories have the best amount of heartwarming and heartbreaking love, but this one and following Ellis and Wren's road trip adventure, I cannot talk about how much I love them enough.

We follow Wren and Ellis in the roadtrip to head back to Spunes, after dropping their son, Sam, off at college. Through the road trip, they are slowly uncovering what went wrong in their marriage and how they might come to overcome them now. DeWitt has done an incredibly job at creating another couple, that this time has to overcome to see their marriage, filled with nerves and want.

I cannot wait to revisit Ellis and Wren and meet them again on their road trip when I can finally pick them up! Left of Forever will be available for you to meet on May 20th of this year! Thank you so much to St. Martin's Griffin, Tarah DeWitt and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Wren and Ellis have been in love for most of their lives. Despite being divorced for a decade and successfully co-parenting their son Sam, they each still secretly hold a torch for the other. When it comes time to move Sam into college, Ellis uses this road trip as an excuse to take one last trip together, hoping to win Wren back for good. As they navigate back up the western coast, they finally have the opportunity to look back at their marriage through a new lens only afforded with time. Can these two people find their way back to each other by the end of the week?
This book had unparalleled levels of yearning. Their lack of communication that drove the dissolution of their marriage, especially regarding infertility and medical issues, were painful to read but honest. You couldn't help but root for both of them.

This is such a sweet, hear-warming yet spicy, story about a second chance at romance. Wren and Ellis have been divorced five years, and are brought together on a trip after dropping off the child they had very early in life at college. Through anonymous letters, Ellis decides to pursue Wren again. We are given a sweet narrative that alternates between Wren and Ellis' perspectives along with letters and journal entires.

This is the first book I've read by Tarah DeWitt, and I really enjoyed it! I think I was confused as to why there wasn't MORE conflict at the beginning- we get explanations, but this doesn't really seem like a couple that would have gotten divorced. I think though, that if I read the other book set in the town of Spunes (not to be confused with Forks!) it would round out the experience.

The characters were very likable and this is a sweet love story. Rounding up from 4.5 to 5, but would recommend to romance fans who want some steam and some characters above the age of 20!

This was my first book by Tarah Dewitt, and it definitely won’t be my last! Her writing style is unique, engaging, and articulate while still being incredibly easy to get pulled in. Though romance is at the heart of this story, it beautifully weaves in themes of mental health, young love, relationships, and the true meaning of family.

I absolutely loved the characters and the dual narration, which added depth and emotion to the story. The ending felt both satisfying and meaningful, leaving me eager to read more from this author. This would make a fantastic summer or vacation read, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

I LOVED this book. It was hot, steamy, deeply emotional, and the perfect second chance read. I loved the cast of characters and the moments of laughter and levity in the midst of a second-chance road trip!

What a treat to see a love story about a couple who has seen many seasons of relationship. I love how this book explores conversations about what it means to stay in a relationship after being with a person for a long time. We'll developed, relatable characters. The book explores heavy topics that are common in marriage, and it does so with a gentle, thoughtful touch.

This isn't the we met And fell in love and lived happily ever after story, it's the hard stuff that happened in between that can tear a relationship apart, and the beauty of when that couple puts in the work to put it back together again.

Ellis and Wren were high school sweethearts turned teen parents. As the book begins, they’ve been divorced for 5 years. Their son is now headed to college. Ellis suggests a roadtrip home after dropping him off to revisit their relationship.

This was predictable. And I don’t think that’s always a bad thing. I like predictable books. It’s comforting. But for this second chance romance, knowing how it would end made it drag on a bit in the middle. The pacing was a bit uneven. But I like these characters and I appreciate a more realistic, grown up relationship with adults willing to admit their faults and be better.

I don’t usually care much about romance covers, but I truly disliked this one. I had a visceral negative reaction to it.

I really enjoyed this quick read over the weekend getting to know the townsfolk of Spunes (Not to be confused with Forks), and taking a spicy road trip with the two main characters. Wren and Ellis were super likeable from the get-go, especially Ellis. I was rooting for him the whole time hoping that Wren felt that same way for him and wanted to give their relationship another shot. There were so many points throughout the novel that really hit home and made their story so real. This book is for those looking for small-town romance and enjoy reading about second chances, chosen families, and characters finally ready to jump headfirst into the things they want and need.

HOLY FREAKING HELL 😭 😭 😭 😭

Moving this book right near the top of my list of favorite books ever!! I knew I was going to love it from the moment we heard the declaration heard round the world in Savor It(SHES STILL A BYRD!!!!!). But Left of Forever really took all my expectations and absolutely DEMOLISHED them completely.

I am now made up of only thoughts of Ellis and Wren. Their love, their journey, how amazing they are as parents, as humans, as friends to each other. I seriously can not explain well enough how much I loved them.

I saw so much of my own relationship in their story. From becoming parents way too young, losing part of yourself to parenthood and life, and trying desperately to crawl back to a sense of normalcy. Ive been there and although thankfully always by my husbands side, I still felt so seen and understood by Wren and Ellis.

Im so thankful to Tarah DeWitt for writing this beautiful story that gives us hope and lets us know that its okay to be a little broken, to fight like hell and want better for ourselves and our relationships. That you can go back and get back what you thought you'd lost. What you'd given up for the sake of getting yourself back.

If I could give this book infinity stars I would!