The minute I saw this cover I knew I had to have it. Second chance love between divorced MCs in their thirties who have a kid together? Hell yes.

The absolute yearning between Ellis and Wren was perfection, and the chemistry they share - convoluted by their past - is unmatched. Add to that letters, a roadtrip, close proximity, and the shared emotional journey of dropping their son off at college, and this story is an absolute powerhouse.

It packs a huge emotional punch but also has so much heart and plenty of steam. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves emotionally charged romance.

I am a huge fan of this author and was not disappointed by this book. While I do think I'd have enjoyed it a bit more if I had experience with divorce, I loved going on this journey with Ellis and Wren. This was such a sweet ride to go along with them as they rediscovered their love and rooted for them the whole way. Ms, DeWitt did an excellent job writing strong yet vulnerable characters with fantastic dialogue, I can't wait for her next book!

I should add, as a resident of "Yoos Bay" aka Coos Bay, I have loved, loved, loved seeing my little part of the world be written into these books. Such an added treat as the Oregon Coast isn't often depicted in literature.

What an incredible love story. These specific characters had a certain magic to them that made toy fall in love with them and that's why she wrote the story in the first place when its her first series to date. The Byrd family just has some sort of magic that you don't want to leave them and Tarah did them justice. She will have you in tears halfway through the book.

This was just such a poignant love story. A story about choosing the other and a love that truly never does but their circumstances just became insurmountable. It proves that love isn't enough you need everything else on top of it all. But if there's enough love and hope you can have it all.

Thanks to Net Galley and the Publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review, as always all words are my own.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest and independent review

"We have whatever's left of forever, you and me." 💫

Rapid Review:
I adored the characters in this book (their chemistry was incredible), but the plot? Not so much :/

Rambling Review:
My biggest issue with Left of Forever was that the story felt like two separate ideas mashed together. At first, it seemed like the anonymous letter-writing would be the driving force of their reconnection, but then the book pivoted, and the road trip took over as the primary catalyst. The letter aspect ended up feeling almost pointless, adding very little to the story's resolution.

The first half had me hooked, but as Ellis and Wren moved toward reconciliation, the pacing felt off. Their road trip flew by, and despite Wren's internal hesitation, she was suddenly all in after just a few days. They were divorced and separated for five years—yet they fully reconciled in a week???? That felt way too rushed and way too weird IMO.

That said, the emotional depth and heavier themes were well done, and Ellis!!!! THE MAN U ARE!!! The way he loves Wren is truly every girl's dream. As the eldest son, he carried the weight of his family like a second father, and that same steadfast devotion bled into his love for Wren. It was unwavering, deeply felt, and filled with so many little moments that had me swooning. And Wren is the girl that everyone in town loves, and I do too!!! She was strong-willed yet undeniably lovable, and the push and pull between the two of them was soooooo good. (until it suddenly hit warp speed in the end) Their banter was top-tier, their connection was undeniable, and their letters and vows absolutely wrecked me :’) Love love love them together <3

SO! While the plot didn't fully work for me, their love did. A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!

I loved this story from the start. Two flawed yet emotionally raw characters with a lovable cast of side characters that will have you rooting for them all throughout the book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-Arc of Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt.

I’ll admit, I was hesitant to pick up this book. Second-chance romances aren’t usually books I enjoy, as I often find the reasons for the initial breakup to be contrived or overly dramatic. But this book? It completely surprised me in the best way possible.

At the heart of the story are Wren and Ellis, two characters who are as complex as they are compelling. Their love for each other is palpable, even years after their separation. The author does an incredible job of making their connection feel tangible; every glance, every conversation, every unresolved tension between them leaps off the page. It’s clear from the start that these two are still in love, and their journey back to each other is both heartbreaking and beautiful.

What really got me was the reason for their initial breakup. It wasn’t some over the top misunderstanding or a ridiculous argument blown out of proportion. Instead, it was a valid, real, and understandable reason that made me empathize with both characters. It’s impossible not to feel for Wren and Ellis. Their struggles and growth felt authentic.

The pacing is perfect, and the way Wren and Ellis navigate their feelings; with openness and honesty; is truly beautiful. Their conversations are raw and heartfelt, and it’s impossible not to root for them as they work through their pain and rediscover their love.

Oh Tarah. Big feelings and big laughs. The ultimate combo for this romance reader. The tenderness, the vulnerability, oh it did things to my heart. Squeezed everything out of my poor little heart and then sent me on my way. A new standard for second chance romance.

Thank you to SMP for this eARC, this mess of emotions are my own.

This book is perfection- from the sweetest memories to the struggles of their past marriage- the moments that make you want to sob, what a beautiful story of love, loss, separation and finding their way back to each other. My new favorite by Tarah!
The letters were so sweet and vulnerable one of my favorite parts of this book. The raw vulnerability between Wren and Ellis is going to make this book a contender for the best romance of 2025!

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is absolutely beautiful! Wren and Ellis learned the importance of communicating their needs and feelings. Both of them had their struggles, but they learned how to make their new relationship stronger. Their romance and flirting was so perfect. The ice cream scene.... I haven't read the first book in this series, but I am going to read it right now! Hopefully, the other brothers get their own books too.

Man do i love a good second chance romance!!! This has got to be Tarah DeWitts best book she has written so far! The pacing was fantastic and the slow burn was sooooo good! I am completely obsessed with Wren and Ellis, they are just the perfect couple and they made this book incredibly fun. I was so immersed into this book that i read it in one sitting. I highly recommend reading this beautiful second chance romance and any other books Tarah DeWitt writes!
thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

loved this second chance romance between wren and ellis. I loved that they wrote letters to each other and loved seeing the other siblings in this book. Loved seeing the byrd family and many others trying to set them up to fall in love again.

I truly have so many good things to say about this book. Having read all of Tara Dewitts books I've loved seeing her voice and stories get stronger and stronger and this one knocked it out of the park. I love second chance romance but especially in books like this. Two people who clearly love each other but life has gotten in the way. They were so healthy and communicative, neither one placing the blame on the other, and surrounded by people who supported and loved them together or not. I love the humor Dewitt adds to her even more serious books. Ellis loves Wren so much and seeing them find each other again and come back stronger made me feel all warm and fuzzy. The quotes about him being in her DNA and being forever changed got me good. Overall I loved this and am greedy for what Dewitt has next!!!

The Tarah DeWitt triple threat:

(1) swoony
(2) steamy
(3) gut-wrenching

Have I ever made it through one of her books without crying? Nope. Does that streak continue with Left of Forever? You bet it does.

Thank you for giving us a second chance romance with alllllll the feels.

Tarah does it again with divorced second chance that will rip your heart out and put it back together. I read Savor It and fell in love with Spunes, although Sage and Fisher were not entirely my cup of tea as a couple, I was immediately drawn to Wren and Ellis.

Wren and Ellis agree to take a road trip to drop their son off at college and the forced time together allows them to discuss where their marriage failed. This book takes a whole new look at second chance and really forces the love interests to navigate and dissect why things did not work the first time. It was healing, therapeutic, hot and so lovely. I will admit I was waiting for Wren to discover the truth about the letters and getting more nervous as the road trip progressed, but I was pleasantly surprised with the resolution. When they call Sam to update him and then wedding scene with Silas’ speech, I was truly moved me to tears. I hope everyone reads this book!

Vibes:
Road trips
Divorced couple
Young parents/ Empty nesters
Healing
Fertility issues
Second chance
Forced proximity
Secret identity
Letter writing
Found family
Therapy
Pining
It’s always been you
Matching tattoos

I have read everything else that Tara DeWitt has written including “Savor It.” I think that “Left of Forever0 is the most original, nuanced and rich book she’s written to date. That being said - I didn’t find myself eager to turn the next page like I have with her other books. I think this was the case for two main reason. First - the narrative structure felt a bit awkward to me. I like the idea of a flashback at the start, but I got a bit turned around with the timelines and it felt like a slow start. I think starting the book at the moment just after dropping Sam off at college and then explaining how they got to that point would make the first chapters stronger and more engaging.. secondly - I think this book relies a little too much on “savor it” when it comes to character building. I’d like to know more about wren specifically and maybe have a chance to get a little more invested in her and Ellis.
That being said - I love the way that this couple and the beauty and struggle of their relationship was written. I loved Wren as a mom with a postpartum body and all that entails. The “spicy” scenes were a beautiful representation of intimacy with someone whom you’ve shared a whole complicated life with - which is original and refreshing in this genre.

I’m a fan of Tarah Dewitt’s writing, and I adored the Byrd siblings from Savor It. From the beginning I was rooting for Ellis and Wren but it was so nice to go in depth with their relationship and better understand their personalities.

My favorite part of the story, hands down, was Ellis’s POV. The way this man thinks and feels really impacted me. He tries so hard—for Wren, for Sam, and for his siblings. His (their) journey is so moving. His letters, his perspective on therapy, and his determination to rebuild his relationship with Wren had me tearing up. Ellis is such a well-written, complex character, and I root for him every step of the way.

Wren is equally beautiful and relatable. I loved seeing her inner world unfold, and her connection with Ellis. One of my favorite moments in the book was the speech Silas writes about Wren. The writing is so beautiful that I was ugly crying at the end.

I highly recommend if you love family-focused, second-chance romances or stories about marriages in crisis!

I’ll read anything Tarah DeWitt writes and I’ll love it every time!!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC.

This was one of my top anticipated reads of the year and thankfully it did not disappoint. I love (what I now know are called) epistolary romances and this one was just a gem. I love that our MMC decided what he was after and went for it. I loved that our fmc was (mostly) open to his pursuit and there wasn’t any hostility.

Deep breaths. I don’t even know where to start with this. I’ve been struggling to write this review for a month now because I love this book SO much it overwhelms me and all my thoughts become gibberish. Not to go all Jane Austen on this review but truly, if I loved this book less I would definitely be able to talk about it more.
The moment I picked this book up (at 1 AM) I knew I was going to be obsessed, I ended up staying up until 4 AM that night because I could not get enough of Ellis and Wren. There’s a line in this book that says “He’s altered my very DNA” and that’s exactly how I feel about Left of Forever!! It has altered my DNA. In the past few years Tarah’s writing has become so comforting to me and that’s what this book felt like. A warm hug filled with love and HOPE!

Left of Forever is so deeply romantic and earnest it made my heart ache (in the best way!!) I always get a bit nervous with second chance romance that the yearning and past heartbreak and reflection on all that hurt is going to be TOO sad but this gorgeous book had the most perfect balance between all that, and also the humor, romance, and again, hope.
This book starts out in such a unique way (think You’ve Got Mail) and unfolds in the most beautiful way. The journey these two go on (physically and emotionally) is so honest and romantic and HOT! Wowie this book was HOT!! You’ve been warned! You would not believe the way Tarah finds a way to make a burning eyes/pepper incident both heart meltingly earnest and also sexy as hell. I’m STILL thinking about it.
ANYWAYS! The way these two know each other on a molecular level and have so much love for eachother and are so open and vulnerable with eachother, even when it’s hard, was so touching to watch.

If I had to describe this book in one word (which is really hard obviously) it would be, beautiful. Just a beautiful beautiful story. Left of Forever so quickly became one of my favorite romances of all time and I cannot wait to revisit this time and time again over the years. I seriously wanted to reread it the moment I finished and have been fighting the urge to ever since.
Spunes and the Byrds FOREVER!!!!

This is my official petition to become an adopted member of the Byrd family because they are utter perfection. Gosh, I forgot how much I love them. Their meddling is unmatched.

*sigh* Wren and Ellis 🫶🏼. I feel like I should leave it at that because there are just too many thoughts.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I’m a simp for a man in therapy. Hence, I am an absolute simp for Ellis Byrd. Holy hell, it was such an emotional journey watching Ellis get in touch with his feelings and grow as a man, a father, a brother, an (ex)husband. He is the textbook definition of a man obsessed, a certified lover boy, and all-around perfect human being.

I just wanted to wrap Wren in a big hug and never let go. I also would’ve given my left kidney to be a fly on the wall when she started tormenting Ellis. Wren is witty, loving, and hard-working. She’s also so damn courageous and seeing her open up about her deepest secrets had tears streaming down my face. I’ve never been a mom, never gone through anything remotely close to what Wren experienced, but I felt like I was right alongside her, feeling exactly what she was feeling (a true testament to the power of Tarah’s writing).

If you love pining, flirty banter, vulnerability, and emotional second-chances, I promise you will eat this book up. And as a side note, I fear I may pass away when Silas’s book releases because that last chapter had me ugly crying in my bed last night.