Thank you to Macmillian and Netgalley for the ALC of this novel.

Wren and Ellis were second chance romance I could FULLY get behind. I knew from the beginning of the story that they were truly meant to be, but something had gotten between them at some point. I was very pleasantly surprised to find it was infertility and family circumstances. There are very few books that I have found that accurately portray the gut-wrenching issue that is infertility in relationships. Tarah did a wonderful job with that.

You could feel the love from the beginning of the book between Wren and Ellis. The pen pal situation was the cherry on top of the pining. I really enjoyed the reading of the letters by Connor and Megan, in their POV. Connor Crais is one of my absolute favorite male narrators, so his voice being Ellis was perfect. I loved the slight raspiness of Megan Wicks voice, it matched perfectly the voice I had in my head for Wren.

5/5 stars, I can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy of the book to add to my collection.

“Left of Forever” by Tarah DeWitt is an emotional and spicy second chance romance. I think this describes perfectly the book.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity of reading this book early.
I also received an ALC from Macmillan Audio (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The story is interconnected with “Savor It”, but you can read it as a standalone with no issues.

From the beginning I loved the writing and the characters. It is nice to read about characters that are closer to my age. Even if, fortunately, I cannot relate to Ellis and Wren’s marriage and fertility issues, I was very invested in their story.
They both have such great character growth and treat the situations with maturity. The fact that they knew each other for so long and were co-parenting well was important. It’s not easy to write a believable second chance romance, especially considering the characters were divorced for a while, but this was done perfectly.

Audiobook:
Listening to the audiobook made me love the book even more (and get even more emotional).
It is narrated by Megan Wicks and Connor Crais and they make the perfect Wren and Ellis.
For me, listening to an audiobook helps to get even more invested in the story and if the narrators are good, I fell what they go through. Well, I cried during this book at the sam time as the characters and I felt like a part of the story.
Also, the spice is even hotter in audio.

I enjoyed everything about this book, it made me very emotional and is one of the best books I read this year.

This is so sweet and unique. I don't think divorce is a popular book trope but this is one of the best second chance romances I've read.

Wren and Ellis both had big parts in Savor It (book 1) but I did not pick up the personalities well and was not expecting to love this. The road trip element, therapy type conversations/prompts, and reflection on the past were perfect.

I am so glad we get a strong and sassy MOM fmc. Her emotion dropping Sam off at college and her almoat instant guilt, feeling like she made it about her when she cried, made me see how amazing of a mom she was. I loved the letters and how the mmc grew off-page with therapy and self-awareness. I loved how sensitive he was to Wren's emotions and how much he shared to communicate clearly.

Wren's mom!!! When she says marriage is highly inconvenient at best and that the worst part is having to share living space 😂

"What is bravery, if not hope."
Bring on all the tears with part 3. I loved the tattoos and the origami birds

Final note - I am thankful that the divorce wasn't for a reason like cheating. The topics discussed that lead to the divorce in this book are very real and are done in a sensitive way to anyone who may be experiencing similar situations.

Left of Forver had many great moments. Unfortunately, it was not enough for me to enjoy their story as a whole. It was me not the books fault. I was just kind of bored with their story. I found the intimate scenes a bit cheesy. The details were a bit off putting. Which is just a preference thing.
I loved that they still cared about each other and wanted to try things again. It was touching and who doesn't love a second chance romance.

Thank you for the ALC!

Okay yeah, this is exactly as beautiful as everyone is saying it is. I don’t know if I’ve ever read such a raw, visceral, emotional romance. I’m a SUCKER for second chance, but Wren and Ellis took it to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL. Watching these two beautiful, flawed people find there way back to each other was a joy. It didn’t shy away from the ugly and difficult parts of their past while striking a perfect balance with humor and charm and yearning for DAYS! There was A LOT of spice, but it felt fitting for them and their story and didn’t overwhelm. I love the Byrds so much and am so glad this book is getting the love it deserves!

How wonderful it is to be back in Spunes! The story of these two had me intrigued since the Savor It, and I love getting to read more about the Byrd family. Wren and Ellis went from childhood friends to high school sweethearts, to teenage parents, to strangers looking for a second chance at love. I live for the second chance trope, and this book served it on a golden platter.

After five years apart, they embark on a road trip to rekindle their relationship. I enjoyed watching their evolution—from the initial awkward moments to returning to old habits and openly discussing both the highs and lows of their relationship. It was amazing to read how they reconnected and fell in love with each other again; even though they still had strong feelings for one another, both had to put in the work to make it work.

I really liked that communication was key in this book, and I think everything fell into place perfectly. My ebook is filled with underlined quotes, and I hope to return to Spunes and learn more about the rest of the Byrd siblings!!

(+) I loved reading about certain characters I adore— currently living on crumbs .

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for letting me read listen to this audiobook, the narrators did an amazing job portraying all the feelings and emotions!

Requested this from NetGalley simply based on author; big Tarah Dewitt fan here. Imagine my surprise, no, my absolute elevation, to discover it’s got some of my favorite tropes: second chance (marriage edition) and clandestine penpals (one-sided).

There is something so wholesome about writing letters, like a diary entry to a stranger. And extra magic for divorced couple discovering each other again, healing old wounds, and getting tied up (literally) while doing it all.

Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan for the audio ARC, this was such a moving story!

My first book my this author but it won’t be my last. This was a deeply emotional book and I adored the two main characters. I don’t read much of second chance/single parent romances but this one worked. I took one star off for a few pacing issues but overall it was a cozy heartwarming story. Loved the narrators.

4.25 🌟
Spice: open door

I'm glad I gave this author another shot. While K didn't care for Savor It, this one really left me feeling warm and fuzzy. I'm not usually a huge marriage reconciliation fan, but these two were so great. While the book does tough on some tougher topics, the events themselves happen off page. It felt like a very real take on what could happen in those circumstances. I loved their little road trip and how they did the questions along the way. No matter how long you've known someone, there is always something new to learn.

This was easily one of my favorite second chance romances and favorite romances of all time!!!! This is Tarah DeWitt at her very best. Wren and Ellis’ story is filled to the brim with raw emotion, depth, pure love. It is also gut-wrenching, angsty, and vulnerable all at the same time.

Wren and Ellis fell in love as kids, and had their son Sam as teenagers, further building their life in Spunes, Oregon (obviously not Forks Washington!!!). After their marriage fell apart and they got divorced in their 30’s, they live separate lives… but still a bit rent free in each other’s minds. When Sam is ready to move to college, Ellis persuades Wren to take a road trip with him to give their relationship one last chance. Can they make it for what is left of forever?

Second chance romance at its finest, forced proximity, and two divorcees who are madly in love with each other… utter, utter perfection!

The audiobook is just as amazing of an experience (if not more so) than the written version. It is absolutely, 100% the best time ever!!! I will never stop singing the praises of Tarah’s work, and this was my favorite of hers so far.

Tarah handled heavy topics with grace and sensitivity. Both characters are relatable and shine in their own ways. Very spicy, very cute, very emotional! The epilogue was everything, as were the letters. I will never get over those! I cannot get enough of my babies in Spunes and it was so nice to see Sage, Fisher, and the whole gang again! Also… she still likes it. As do I.

Perfection, 5/5, 10/10, NO NOTES!!!

Tarah DeWitt is a magical human being and i’ll forever read whatever she writes.

what a joy to listen to Wren and Ellis fall back in love.
this audio book was perfection.
gut wrenching perfection.
i’m on this emotional roller coaster with them and i’m never getting off of it.

this story had all of my favorite romance components, dual POV, written letters, finding love again, falling back in love, rekindling a connection that was so deep, it was inevitable for them not to find their way back to each other.

small town romances always get me going.

-getting updates on Sage and Fisher (Savor it) *chefs kiss*
- the narrators were perfect, 10/10 would listen to anything they narrate.
-cry count: 6 sobs (ugly tears and all)
-the spice was freaking steamy and listening to it was 🥵

In Left of Forever, Ellis and Wren were childhood best friends turn couple turn divorced co-parents. But when Ellis finally admits to himself he still loves Wren, he tries to better himself with therapy before attempting to woo her back during a week long road-trip.

I often don’t like second chance romances (the break up was normally for a reason…) but I was pleasantly surprised by Tarah DeWitt’s version. Their past is built out through memories, letters to each other, and journal entries, building out a believable depth while capturing the complicated feelings - the good and the bad baggage of a 25+ year evolving relationship. And I appreciated that you could see Ellis and Wren behaving differently than their previous relationship - finally facing the hard conversations head on instead of avoiding them.

My biggest complaint was that the rekindling felt overshadowed by physical attraction. A lot of their trip was focused on lust (despite claiming they would take it slow). Meanwhile, the final straw of miscommunication in their marriage felt like a large, important topic…but it was resolved in basically a page, coming across as surface level and perfunctory.

I listened to the audio book and enjoyed the narrators. Easy to get into and Connor Craig’s and Megan Wicks do a good job bringing the story to life. If you’ve read Savor It, you’ll immediately recognize all the Byrd family and friends but if you haven’t, you might need to pay a little more attention as a lot of people are thrown at you in the first few chapters.

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review

Second chances never sounded so sweet... or so spicy.

Narrated by Megan Wicks & Connor Crais (a perfect pair!), this audiobook had me hooked. I usually prefer duet narration, but they imitated each other's voices pretty well!

I loved everything about the dynamic between Wren & Ellis. Him yearning for her, the letters between the two, their lasting & intimate connection! Their character development was incredible! Seeing their journey from high school sweethearts, to parents, to divorced co parents and their attempt to find eachother again was beautiful.

I do wish I read "Savour It" first, just for more background information.

What to expect:
- second chance romance
- roadtrip
- small town
- YEARNING
- forced proximity
- firefighter x baker

Thank you netgalley & Macmillan audio for the ALC

I loved Savor It! So, I was excited to go back to Spunes, Oregon for Left of Forever! I love the Bryd family! They’ve stolen my heart. The narration for the audiobook was fantastic! I definitely recommend listening to the audiobook!

Wren and Ellis were both really well developed characters! I could really feel their emotions and understand their motivations. I really loved them together. I struggled to understand why they separated in the first place, but I was glad they found each other again! I’m a sucker for second chances! I especially loved Ellis’ devotion to Wren. I loved how much he loved his family!

I definitely recommend reading this book, but recommend reading Savor it first! It can be read as a stand alone, but Fischer and Sage have my heart!

Read if you like:
❤️ Small Town Romance
❤️ Dual POV
❤️ Second Chances
❤️ Found Family
❤️ Letters & Journals
❤️ Roadtrips

Tarah's best work yet! All of her books find some way to worm into my heart and settle in, and this is one I'll be thinking about for a long time. I loved how relatable the storyline was, even though I've never been married---or divorced. I thought both Wren and Ellis were excellently developed with enough character growth and dynamic personality traits to keep them interesting. Tarah is such an amazing writer, her words flowing easily and wholly sucking you into the story in a way that makes it impossible not to devour.

Highly recommend!

A sweet, nostalgic story of two estranged young childhood sweethearts moving into their empty nest phase while navigating their lingering feelings after their divorce.

Infinity stars.

I read the ebook months ago and it changed my life. Then I devoured the audio version in less than 48 hours and this book changed my life again.

I cannot adequately convey how beautiful. lush, emotional, heart wrenching, and perfect this book is. The story, the characters, the WRITING, and now the audio??? Knock me over with a feather.

I'm now fully convinced that no one other than Megan Wicks and Connor Crais could have done this book justice. They brought all the emotion, all the heart ache, and all the intensity to Tarah's words—and I was RAPT. Absolute perfection.

Thank you forever to MacMillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

the 5 ☆ streak for books about Byrds continues🌲🌊🐦‍⬛🥹!!! my expectations for this book were SO high from the snippets we got of them in Savor It and i’m so pleased to say that Tarah not only met my expectations but exceeded them in so many amazing ways!!! i love them so much🥰🥰🥹🥹🤭🤭

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2nd read: idk how but it got better with time?? i loved it the first time around but listening to the audiobook elevated it and made me even more obsessed!!! hearing the emotion in their voices as they struggle through reconciliation & trusting each other again nearly brought me to tears!!! i HIGHLY recommend this book (& savor it!!!)!!! pls pls read them!!!


thank you SO much to the publisher & netgalley for the free e-arc & audiobook in exchange for my honest thoughts!

✨ALC REVIEW✨

I listened to this is one day, that's how completely captivated I was. Five stars for entertainment, five stars for the vibes, five stars for the characters, five stars for the plot, five stars for making my cry, five stars for the spice, five stars for the humor. FIVE FREAKING STARS.

This was such a beautifully written second chance. I love a good second chance, especially when they tug on your heartstrings. The tropes in this are delicious: childhood friends to lovers to marriage in crisis to divorcees to marriage redemption to lovers. You get small town, found family, road trip with amazing banter, and forced proximity that has you giddy AF.

I loved the journey that these two get to take to see if they can do things right this time around. I loved them getting to learn to love each other again. I loved that the love never left. I absolutely ate these two up and rooted for them SO HARD.

I loved their chemistry, I loved their teasing OH SO MUCH. I giggled and found myself smiling way too much.

Everything was adorable. I just loved every aspect of this book. It just truly felt like such a breath of fresh air.

For me to finish an audiobook in a day, it has to enchant me - it has to capture my attention fully. And this did just that.

Wren and Ellis are a gorgeous couple. I loved their personalities and I love how raw and vulnerable they get for each other. I love how real they felt. I love how, even after everything, they just want the other to be happy. These two are truly best friends and I'm so glad they found their way back to each other. These two are just meant to be -plain and simple.

I could go on for hours about how beautiful this story was - but I think we get it! Just know, this is definitely worth the read or listen. I highly recommend this one and it's definitely pushed me to read more from Tarah asap!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Tarah DeWitt for an ALC copy of this beautiful story!

I recently gave myself permission to stop reading a book at any point for any reason. I'm so glad I didn't listen to myself. The beginning took longer to grab my interest than I I would normally like but I continued because I love Tarah Dewitt and knew she would deliver. And boy did she deliver. The payoff would not have been as sweet without the beginning.