Thanks to netgalley for supplying this ARC! 3.5 ⭐️
I was drawn into this title by the second chance romance, easy-reading vibes- I often think second chance can be trickier to write than a meet-cute and I loved this set up!
DeWitt does a great job at expanding Wren and Ellis's story and history without spoon feeding the audience. This relationship and all the family ties present felt pretty genuine and meaningful. For all we learn, the only things that feel heavy handed are Wren's internal, salacious monologue occasionally getting out of control. I think this novel shines its brightest when it leaned into the amount of history present between the characters, including their individual and shared traumas and insecurities(check CWs!).
The actual plot itself- following divorced high school sweethearts on a road trip as a final attempt to lay the relationship to rest— is a tun enough romp.
The banter is charming and entertaining for the most part, and I found most of the deliberately "funny" moments split between harmless lightheartedness and cringeworthy distraction (there's a certain scene involving capsaicin that I SORELY hope does not make the final cut). I loved the quiet moments of reflection in this miles more than any one liner.
What discouraged me was the 70% mark onward. It felt like this story was jingling keys in my face most of the way through, so eager to keep my attention with snarky comments and spice when I really wanted to see the characters resolve their cannonically years-long problems.
I can suspend an amount of belief, but they did not communicate NEARLY enough for a reasonable conclusion and happy ending. For a setup that felt very raw, especially once you knew what had driven them apart, it was such a let down to see that conflict wafted away with little more than an admission of love, as if we didn't know.
Would I read DeWitt again? Maybe, if another of her summaries catches my eye. Her writing style is voicey and agreeable and I could see it being refreshing once in a while. Left of Forever is a definite brain-off, here-for-the-vibes-and-spice reader, though.

4/5🌟 | 2/5🌶️

This was my first Tarah DeWitt book and it absolutely will not be my last!

The most beautiful and heartfelt second chance romance I’ve ever freaking read!!! Tarah really put her heart and soul into this book & you can tell.

I absolutely loved that we got both past and present moments of Ellis & Wren’s relationship. I think one of my favorite parts were the letters these two were writing back and forth & all the journaling Wren was doing. These two were so incredible with their communication once they started their journey back to one another.

The road trip that Ellis planned was so romantic & spicy & hilarious and wow I just adored this whole part of the book.

🤍 second chance romance
⏰ dual pov x dual timeline
💌 letter writing
💔 divorced couple
🚙 road trip
😭 yearning!!!
🔥 firefighter mmc
🧁 bakery owner fmc
👨🏻 he has a mustache
🏡 one cottage

I loved this book. The care that Tarah DeWitt puts into her characters is remarkable and makes me hope that they’re all based on real people that she knows because it would make me feel better about the world. The entirety of Spunes is so stinking special, and the Byrds are perfection. I cried in public reading the end of the book and I can’t even be bothered to be embarrassed about it because it was so. Effing. Beautiful. She does second chance so well with this one. I cannot wait for more. I will sing Tarah DeWitt’s praises to anyone who will listen and I hope she never stops putting out stories for me to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

Yes! Yes! I was so excited to get my hands on this arc.

I loved Sage and Fisher in the first book. I wanted to know more about Wren and Ellis after seeing them in book one. When I read that book 2 was going to be centered around them- I was so excited!

Wren and Ellis had been together since high school. They had their son Sam at a young age, got married , and ended up divorced. Now Sam is about to go to college and after reconnecting (anonymously) through letters, Ellis wants to give his marriage to Wren another try. Ellis plans a roadtrip with Wren on the way home from dropping off Sam at college to see in the end of either of them wants to get back together.

I loved everything about them. I loved Wren as the FMC. I loved her journal and how honest she was with what she wanted out of Ellis. I loved that after 5 years apart, Ellis really put the work in and heard what Wren had to say. He didn’t make up excuses. Being married for a long time myself, I think it’s normal for couples to lose themselves in each other. I loved reading their journey back to each other.

Here’s to hoping book 3 is around Silas?!

Five Byrd stars!!

“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."

Wren: (fmc)
Ellis: (mmc)

I feel like I can't say much and enough about this book because I loved it but I don't want to spoil it. Oh, byrd was it perfect and probably one of my favorite books of this year. Please read this book and thank me later!! Ellis and Wren are everything that is right in this world and they deserved their very own happily ever after. Thank you Tarah for giving them a book, and telling their story.

I had been intrigued to read about Wren and Ellis since we first meet them in Savor it and I was excited hen Tarah confirmed their book!! I think Tarah is the queen of second chances at this point because The Co-Op and this book are my favorites. Ellis and Wren's book is a map of emotions, and as we get to the final destination is truly evident that they are soulmates. I will say it again, one of my favorite books this year!!

"I'll save you a seat, Byrd."

What a beautiful rollercoaster ride this was. Wren and Ellis have carved out their space in my heart and I loved being able to see them find their way back to each other. I am a reader who tends to read a lot of the same things and this was a new type of read for me. I am now a second-chance romance truther and it is all Wren and Ellis' fault :'). There is so much I could say about this book, I just genuinely loved every part of it, I thought the pacing was perfect and the story was just heart-wrenching in the best way. I hadn't read "Savor It" prior to reading this one (I will be buying it as soon as I finish this review LOL) but I loved seeing the other characters and their lives a little bit throughout. I think the characters were so solid and I felt like I knew them myself as I kept reading, which is another part of this story that I absolutely adored. I cannot wait to recommend this to literally everyone I see!! <3

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review this beautiful novel!

"All I know is that if I found ou heaven was real and got there first? I'd hang back in the waiting room and save you a seat."

I have to say the absolute biggest thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Tarah DeWitt for access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I ABSOLUTELY ADORED this book. I will scream it from the rooftops and it's one of those books that I feel like will stick in my mind for years! It follows Wren and Ellis who fell in love as kids and built a life together from a young age. They were soulmates, until it fell apart. Now, Wren and Ellis live separate lives, only interacting for family events and their son, Sam. When they move their son into college, Ellis convinces Wren to join him on a road trip and give their relationship another chance. Can they leave the past behind and be together for what's left of forever?

"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."

Y'ALLLLLLL! All I want is to be loved like this. Imagine a hot firefighter with a mustache who is loyal and caring to a fault, and that's Ellis. Imagine a small-town baker with an unwavering desire to hold onto hope, and you get Wren. I feel like this book altered my brain chemistry and rocked me to my very soul. It also solidified Tarah DeWitt as a favorite author because of how many I've loved from her!! I sobbed (mostly bittersweet tears), squealed, and swooned multiple times during my time reading this. I cannot recommend this enough!!!

This is a little bit different than your average second chance romance and I’m all here for it. The layers built into the story, and into the love really tell the tale of The Byrds. It was fun to be back in Spunes but it took me a minute to remember some of the former storylines to catch onto some of the side characters own minor storylines. Thus, I now want to go back and re-read not only Savor It, but Tarah’s other books. They’re just such wonderful, filling reads as they tend to involve all your emotions.

I do not know what Tara is putting in these books/characters, but somehow I think I love this book even more than I did Savor It, which was my fav read in 2024. Left of Forever has been my most anticipated release of 2025 since it was announced- and my expectations felt impossibly high.

I was lucky enough to get an e-arc of this one ahead of the May release date. Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for not making me wait ‘til Spring to read this book.

Tara delivered another gem. There’s something about these characters in Spunes- I desperately need them all to be happy. Wren and Ellis’s story is heart wrenching at times but their love for one another is so beautiful. When the title surfaces in the story- it was perfect.

Of course I loved catching up with Sage and Fisher as well, and just as Wren and Ellis were making their presence known in Savor It, Silas was the presence here. I can’t wait to get back to Spunes and these characters and Silas’s love story someday. It was great to see all of the Spunes characters again, even though much of this story was away from Spunes.

It’s only mid-February and I think I’m fairly certain I’ve read my fav book of 2025. I don’t reread many books but I’m going to have to return to Spunes long before Silas has his turn.

I truly didn't think I could love any of Tarah DeWitt's characters more than Farley and Meyer. But WOW do Wren and Ellis come in SWINGING for that top spot. I've never read a 2nd chance romance quite like this and it was really interesting to see it unfold. While the first 40% had me sorta like, "let's get to it"... I honestly WEPT at the end- the last 20% has you cheering for Ellis to get the girl. It's so sweet, super funny and of course very DeWITTY.

Tarah DeWitt is an auto buy author for me and will continue to be!

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan for the ARC.

A very easy 5 star read. Loved Savor It and have been waiting for Ellis and Wren's story. This was such a tender look at the past and filled with so much nostalgia it made me teary a few times. Every character was incredible and I can't help but hope the other Byrd brothers will get their own stories. Tarah straddles the line of emotion depth and humor so well throughout this entire book. The writing is so beautiful I had to highlight some long paragraphs to reflect on. One of the best second chance romances i've had the pleasure to read.

This was a disappointing read for me. The concept seemed so promising! There were just too many elements that felt implausible to me. Like you’re telling me they’ve been dating since they were kids and they don’t recognize each other’s hand writing?? Plus, they divorced because of communication issues basically. Then, 5 years later they just randomly decide it’s time to talk finally? The supporting characters felt so flimsy. I don’t remember a thing about their son and I just finished the book! This just really wasn’t for me.

This romance was by a new to me author but it definitely will not be my last with her. I had a great experience reading it and I would encourage others who are curious about her writing to pick this book up.

This is an incredibly written second chance romance. It is mature and realistic and completely perfect. Each POV shows the true character and emotions. The story is funny and full of depth, and I loved every single word and page.

I highlighted so many sections of this book, because so much of what the story touches on is the essence of the human experience, and hit me when and where I desperately needed to be hit.

The story follows Wren and Ellis as they embark on a road trip after dropping their son off at college. Both were broken after their divorce 5 years prior, and both were still in love with each other, despite very real circumstances that tore them apart.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh, i am in LOVE with this. Tarah Dewitt has a way of just sucking you into a story and really encapsulates you into it. This divorced couple really encompasses the real and raw feelings of divorce and it is very emotional. I loved this so much and am so glad it was available to read early! Thank you so much Netgally!

I want to preface this review by saying I haven’t read Savor It before reading this book, so my perspective may change once I do. I initially thought this would be a series where each book could stand alone, and for the most part, I didn’t feel lost (though I do wonder if reading book 1 would have clarified a few things).

I’m not usually a fan of second-chance romances, but I was intrigued by the post-divorce angle in this one. However, there were a few issues that impacted my enjoyment of the story.

First, they’ve known each other since they were 5 years old, yet they couldn’t recognize each other’s handwriting? That felt a bit hard to believe. I did think the letters back and forth was cute, but then she veered off into this road trip. I don’t know I was having a hard time. Second, they’ve been divorced and separated for five years, yet they get back together after only a week. I could have understood this if they hadn’t still been living in the same small town and spending holidays together. I get that they were amicable for the sake of their child, but it felt like they were never truly trying to move on. Also they had decided to try again on this trip but decided to not talk about anything until the end to then immediately forgive and forget.

Ultimately, I still enjoyed the premise but felt the pacing and emotional depth of their reconciliation could have been more fleshed out.

Thank you Netgalley, Tarah Dewitt and the publisher for the arc!

My first read in the Spunes universe and it was great. The story was believable and funny while also moving. I may have teared up a more than once!



Check out this review on Fable
https://fable.co/review/329dd47e-1706-4979-9e4c-6c3f976d1a05/share

I have been waiting for Wren and Ellis's story since I read Savor it and it did not disappoint. This was such an emotional read and I really love the honest portrayal of marriage. Love doesn't preclude you from struggling and sometimes love just isn't enough. I also love that a huge part of this story was that they both were working on themselves to be better. Honestly I just loved everything about this story!

Huge thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the E-ARC!

I want to say thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this arc.

How do I rate perfection? I finished this book a week ago, and I still can't find a way to do her justice. This book altered my brain chemistry. Not just that, my soul has been irrevocably changed after reading it. I've been waiting to read this book since Savor It came out, and I've never had a book so aggressively meet and exceed my expectations. By chapter 2, I knew this was going to be one of my favorite books that i've ever read. It made me feel like every other 5 star I've given was not accurate because I will never love a book the way I loved this one. I had to turn around and read it again because I just wasn't ready to say goodbye.

Wren and Ellis were everything that I wanted them to be and more. From the heart-wrenching tension between them to the flirty easiness, I loved getting to know them as individuals and as a couple. Their characters were just so deeply personal to me that I couldn't stop crying, basically the entire book. Like just a steady stream of tears down my face for hours.

Tarah, some of the stuff you put in here was absolutely crazy. Chapter 4? Hello? The ice cream scene? Frankly, bonkers. The hike? Hello operator, I think I've just been shot. THE LAST TWO LINES, MA'AM?! I have never burst into tears so quickly in my life. I'm about to sue for emotional damages (for legal reasons, this is a joke).

I can't wait for my copy to show up in May, and I want to personally thank Tarah DeWitt for this masterpiece. Who knows maybe I'll just read it again just to feel something lol

Disclaimer: Tarah is my absolute favorite author. I love everything she has ever written, and with second chance romance being my absolute favorite of all the tropes, I knew going in that this would be one of my top reads of the year. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.

This is the most raw romance I've ever read. This is not a book about characters falling in love. This is about characters crawling their way, through the hurt they've inflicted, back to each other. I could feel each memory, the good and the bad, like they were from my own past.

These are people that are tied together by the heartstrings, but no longer linked in every day life. Watching them suppress their instinctual casual intimacy with each other was GUT WRENCHING. And watching them cautiously, optimistically open the door back up inch by inch, was so incredibly satisfying.

I don't think I've ever read a book before where I can't even jokingly claim the MMC as my book boyfriend. Ellis Byrd is everything anyone could ever want in a man, but he is no one's book boyfriend. HE BELONGS TO WREN.

Getting revisit our favorite Spunes residents was delightful - plus a HEALTHY dose of Fisher and Sage and lots of Silas to prep us for his book next!

I absolutely loved it. I can't wait to hear it on audio!