Left of Forever follows Wren and Ellis, childhood friends turned lovers, turned teen parents, turned divorcees. For the sake of their son, Sam, they are perfectly cordial and polite with each other no matter how awkward being in the same room is. Despite how much they messed up in their marriage, they know they did at least one thing right in raising their son together. Five years after their separation, Wren and Ellis agree to move in Sam together for his first semester in college. They agree to embark on a roadtrip together after Sam is moved in for the journey home, one last attempt at mending what was broken, because despite attempting to create a new normal in each of their respective lives they still cannot completely move on. How hard can it be to be stuck in close proximity to your first love and now ex-spouse for one entire week?

This was such a sweet story. I really felt the emotions, the heartbreak and yearning, the love and fear from every page. It was a beautifully crafted quick read, I finished in a day! I was rooting for Wren and Ellis the whole time! I love the exploration of their relationship and how they explored all of their emotions together and to see them open up to each other about what went wrong and how to fix it in the future. I'm a sucker for second chance romances and this really hit the spot.

And the delicious tension, oh my goodness. I was blushing a lot reading this book. It was sexy and hot but also very loving and Ellis being so so down bad for Wren 100% of the time was such a pleasure to read.

I only wish we were able to see a little bit more about how they grew close as children! I think that could have elevated the depth of their relationship and history even more. But still, you could really tell that these two knew each other inside and out. I also loved all of the side characters and it was so sweet to read their happy ending. I definitely am looking forward to more!

Tarah’s books have become an instant buy and read for me and I’m so happy I got to read this early and I look forward to doing a reread in May when I get my hands on the paperback!

Ugh Ellis and Wren broke my heart and put it back together! Tarah always does such a good job of writing characters that feel real. I loved getting to be back in Spunes and tried to drag out the read to stay in it. So glad to have gotten to read Ellis and Wre’s story and I very much look forward to my next visit of the Byrd family and Spunes!

“She’s still a bird!”

This story is so special. I have been looking forward to Ellis and Wren’s book since reading Savor It and it did not disappoint. This book has all of my favorite things: dual POV, dual timeline, letter writing, journal entries, and a truly magical love story.

Tysm to @authortarahdewitt and @stmartinspress for this ARC of Left of Forever! After reading (and adoring) Savor It last year I couldn’t wait for the next installment of the Spunes series and Wren and Ellis DID NOT disappoint. I knew that Wren and Ellis’s story would be special after that line (you know the one) in Savor It. I really loved that we saw Ellis take concrete steps to improve himself and it paved the way for our two MCs to have frank conversations about what went wrong in the past. It was funny, sweet, hot 😉, and emotional. 10/10 perfection, no notes!

some love stories never really end, they just take a detour. Wren and Ellis' story is the kind of romance that hits you right in the heart and doesn’t let go, filled with longing, humor, and the kind of intimacy that makes your pulse race. they had the kind of love that felt like forever—young, wild, and deep. they built a life together, had a son, and tried to make it work. but love isn’t always enough, and by their 30s, they were divorced, living separate lives in the same small town, both pretending they had moved on.

enter their son heading off to college—cue a road trip back home that neither of them saw coming. as they drive down the California coast, old feelings resurface, sparks fly, and the walls they built between them start to crack. But is love enough to fix the past, or are some wounds too deep to heal? when emotions run high and words fail, a letter—raw, vulnerable, and honest—might be the only thing that decides their future.

this book is everything. Tarah DeWitt nails the emotional tension, the slow-burn chemistry, and the heartbreakingly real struggles of love lost and found. the banter is sharp, the emotions hit deep, and the romance? Off the charts. If you loved Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren or Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino, you need this in your life.

a beautifully messy, soul-stirring, melt-your-face-off kind of second-chance romance. Five stars, no notes.

are you adding this to your TBR? cause same.

Left of Forever" by Tarah DeWitt is an emotionally raw and beautiful second-chance romance that had me hooked from start to finish. Wren and Ellis's journey of love, loss, and rediscovery is a heartfelt exploration of what it means to heal and grow together—or apart—and then perhaps, find a way back to each other. DeWitt’s writing is captivating, with vivid characters who feel incredibly real and relatable. The emotional depth and tension between Wren and Ellis made their journey feel so personal and compelling. This book left me feeling both heartbroken and hopeful, reminding me of the power of second chances. If you're a fan of stories that blend raw emotion with a touch of humor, "Left of Forever" is definitely a must-read!"

This second chance romance was so stinkin cute and hopeful! The romance felt very real as did the problems that split them up in the first place! I’m so glad we revisited Spunes and the Byrd family as I knew Wren and Ellis story was gonna be a doozy.

Another 5 star from Tarah DeWitt - arguably her best.

Overall: 5
Spice: 4

If you read DeWitt's book Savor it, you know the line, "She's still a Byrd." This story picks up that unresolved love story of Wren and Ellis. Pregnant and married young, these two had all of life's worst thrown at them. They did their best, but still it all drove them apart. Five years after their divorce, their son is off to college. After being polite for his sake, can they take the time to have the hard conversations and find their way back to each other.

I love that Tarah keeps writing such gorgeous stories that have readers laughing and crying in equal measures. There was something about that one short line from Savor It that had my attention from the moment I read it. I suddenly wanted to know Wren & Ellis' story and understand how such a strong, public statement came from such a quiet and private man. After all that build up (DeWitt teases like the best of them on Instagram) and wait for this book, I was a little scared to start it and be disappointed, but I dropped everything when I got the ARC notification and dove in. It was like coming home, stepping into DeWitt's Spunes and her warm, familiar writing style. DeWitt uses letters and journal entries to share Wren & Ellis' history and their individual dreams for their futures. A road trip home from taking their son to college offers them the chance to see if a reconnection is possible. This sets up fun and funny adventures where things go right and terribly wrong. The spice is spicing in this one as DeWitt offers creative encounters that aren't the standard romance book fare. DeWitt always offers valuable insight on life and love. This one includes a marshmallow analogy to marriage that I will never forget. After being married for 22+ years, I can concur her messaging is spot on. Highly recommend for romance readers, fans of the second chance trope and slightly older characters (in their early 30s).

SCREAMING bc I got the ARC and I have been waiting for this since Savor It! I read it in literally one sitting and stayed up until midnight to do it.

I LOVE a good second-chance romance (this has a dual POV). I was already tearing up in the prologue. There's also so. much. YEARNING (LOVE IT), and reading this book gave me an ache where you have to rub your sternum to make it better. It's clear that both Ellis and Wren have lingering feelings for each other, but because of communication issues, their relationship deteriorated, and further miscommunication in the years after their divorce lead to further heartbreak for both of them. It was an absolute joy seeing them come back together and both of them stepping out of their comfort zones together to grow together as a couple. The whole ice cream/oil scene was diabolical and I've never read anything like it and I loved it - I was smiling and screaming and kicking my feet.

I 100% recommend this book and I will be raving about it until its publication (May 20!) and even beyond. I really hope the rest of the Byrd siblings get their own books because Micah and Silas are such sweethearts. Also that LaRynn and Deacon cameo made me smile! So happy to see them thriving.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press (ESP TARAH DEWITT) and NetGalley for the ARC!

tarah dewitt knows how to write a heartwrenching but beautifully swoony book. i loved this and was so hooked the whole time. i am so thankful i got to read this early

Oh to have a love like Ellis and Wren....

Left of Forever is probably my top rated contemporary romance books thus far. One of my favorite things about Tarah's writing style is the way she doesn't hold back in writing real-life, human emotions and instances. I rarely find contemporary romance that makes me feel as if the characters are real people i Can find pieces of myself in. There are discussions of therapy, ectopic pregnancy, heartbreak, lost love, parental loss, injuries and burns, self-doubt and negative body images, pregnancy at a young age etc. These are all things that occur in a real-life scenarios. They're the things that make us human. I get that people like to read romance as a way to escape from reality but I like to be able to see that I'm not alone in dealing with things such as agony or heartbreak or mental health issues or fertility issues.

While this books focused on rekindling the time lost after being divorced for 5 years, there were also many cute and humorous moments mixed in with the emotional wreck of a relationship. This brought together Wren and Ellis' story so well. It showed that no matter how much time they were separated or how far they drift apart, they were still able to be something for each other. Bring the joy to one another when they needed it the most.

Also, the amount of character building done with Silas and Micah as well as other characters throughout the world, set up for (hopefully) more books!! We get to see so much vulnerability from both of them that I know they're books (if happening (fingers crossed)) will hurt just as much as this one.

Tarah, you are such an honest and amazing writer. Wren and Ellis have my heart in a chokehold. Thank you for this.

I was very excited to get this ARC since Savor It was a five star read for me last year. I loved getting to see glimpses of the characters from the previous interconnected book, and the sense of found family increased even more in this book. Ellis was down bad for Wren and I enjoyed seeing him realize this and do the work to get her back.

Give Tarah DeWitt her flowers! She belongs in the ranks of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, the simply doesn’t miss and I am yet to give any of her books less than four stars.

When I saw she was doing another book in the world of Spunes, Oregan I was thrilled not only was I seeing familiar characters but we were getting the second chance romance of mg dreams. These characters are so real, flawed and meant to be. Ellis Byrd phew this man what a dream. And Wren are strong brave female lead was impossible to not cheer for.

An absolute win.

This book was painfully beautiful. The marriage // long-term relationship representation was perfection. The writing, typical Tarah masterpiece. So many quotable moments & lovable characters. Spunes is the BEST. (WAY BETTER THAN FORKS)

I love the cameos we got of Fisher & Sage. The LETTERS will be highlight for every reader. The vulnerability this book portrays 😭😭😭🫶🏼

Let me start with, WOW. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING.

I’m sitting here two minutes after finishing this story wiping tears from my eyes and sniffling like a baby. From the very beginning I fell in love with Wren and Ellis. Although they are both known for being strong and stoic, it was nice to see them be so vulnerable as well. To see through their eyes how they were coming to terms five years after their divorce, how they managed seeing their ex’s with someone else, and what it meant to be more than simply a parent after their son goes off to college.

The chapters flew by in a whirlwind of raw and powerful emotion. Not only does Wren use some sort of witchcraft in her baking, but so does Tarah in her writing. Somehow she pulls you in, twists your heart and soul as she breaks down these characters and builds them back up.

I absolutely loved that we got to witness this part of their story and not the mushy start that most romance books begin with. It makes the yearning that much more powerful, the heartbreak more brutal. The love all the more beautiful.

I simply can not state how much I adore this book. It will make you cry, laugh, and think about these characters long after you turn the last page. If you needed a sign to pick this up, here it is. Get the book. Binge read it in two days. And wish that there was more after you’re done. Amazing. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.

The story of Wren & Ellis growing up together and falling in love young, getting married, raising their son and then drifting apart for some truly heart wrenching reasons was such an emotional ride. The yearning. The hopefulness. The open and honest communication as two people are finding their way back to each other. This book was like a salve to the strongest of heartbreak. Once a Byrd, always a Byrd.

I will truly never get to be the same person again after reading this masterpiece. My full review will take time but please, if you only read one more book for the rest of your life, let it be this one (I'm writing this through tears from those last 4 chapters).

I enjoy books written by Tarah DeWitt and her latest, Left of Forever, was wonderful. Such a fun read. Pick it up on pub day!

I'm not at all exaggerating when I say that this is one of my favorite romances of all time. Everything from the stunning prose, the pacing, the characterization, the everything—I genuinely couldn't find a single fault while reading.

It's a testament to Tarah's writing that I could relate so deeply to two characters who I have very little in common with; she just GETS human nature and all the little joys and pains that come with it. I cried way too many times (and Tarah received way too many screenshots accompanied by way too many exclamation marks, but that's beside the point).

If you haven't read SAVOR IT, consider this your sign. LEFT OF FOREVER follows the FMC's brother and his ex-wife/her best friend. It can be read independently, but you'll definitely appreciate more after Sage and Fisher's story!

This is Tarah DeWitt’s best book hands down. The setting is perfect, the characters were fully fleshed-out and relatable, and at times I kind of wanted to jump right into the book. I am officially in love with the big boisterous Byrd family!

The pacing here is beyond superb. While 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓 𝑰𝒕 was more of a slow burn, particularly because it has to do the heavy lifting of setting the stage for a whole series, this one dives right in - no section dragged, no scene went on for too long.

I love the descriptive language used throughout. There are throw away lines that really help us to understand the characters and situations as much as the full-on dialogue does. “I’m a Heinz57 bottle of emotion, upside down and shaken, waiting for the inevitable plop.” It is these small things that make the book feel entirely relatable even if the reader hasn’t experienced the same set of circumstances.

Wren is such a dynamic character; her fun loving, whimsical nature is perfectly juxtaposed by her deep emotional connections and desire to be a part of something bigger than herself. She is an amazing mom, sister and friend and often some aspect of these characteristics jump off the page every scene she is in. I absolutely adored her. Also, Wren Byrd makes me laugh every time I think about or say it. Poor lady.

Ellis has quite the growth arc in this. He starts out insanely lovable, but he does feel more emotionally stilted at the start. The therapy positivity, especially as it relates to men, is really special here. I loved how much it helps him to understand his own contributions to what went awry in their marriage. He was already the ideal MMC, but his emotional growth took it to a whole other level. I would also say, he more than Wren, had the most romantic lines of the book.

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

The writing itself feels very seamless as the story flows from past to present, letters to in-person conversation, and especially inner monologue to dialogue. It adds so much moredepth to the story without feeling stilted or forced in any way. I am a big fan of scenes that include both an internal story and an external one. “Because I can practically touch both ends of this room with my arms spread…𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦…” Not only does this style allow the reader to feel more connected to the character, it also adds depth and makes them feel as though they could exist off of the page entirely. These characters both feel insanely realistic, flaws and all.

Read if you like:
▪️marriage in crisis
▪️second chance
▪️foodie romance
▪️found family
▪️small town
▪️firefighters
▪️road trip fun

If you are looking to be swept away into the most perfect love story, pick this one up immediately. You will not regret it.

📆 Pub: May 20, 2025

Thank you SMP Romance for the advanced copy.