| Title | : | Left of Forever |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1250329442 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250329448 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 336 |
| Publication | : | Expected publication May 20, 2025 |
This time, they'll get it right.
Wren and Ellis Byrd fell in love as kids, had their son Sam when they were only teenagers, and built a life together in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon. They were made for one another…until they fell apart.
Now divorced and in their 30s, Wren runs the bakery in town, while Ellis works as a firefighter. They live separate lives, though they are hardly off each other’s minds.
When Sam gets accepted into college and the pair help him move in together, Ellis convinces Wren to take an extended road trip back to Spunes with him to see if they can give their relationship one last chance. Amid the gorgeous scenery of the California coastline, dreamy destinations, and a great deal of long-yearned-for proximity, Wren starts to think it just might be possible. But the two still have to contend with their tumultuous past in order to move forward. And when spoken words fail, sometimes the written word must bridge the gap.
Will they make the most of what’s left of forever? Or will they let each other go for good?
Brimming with big feelings and packed with steam, Left of Forever is bestseller Tarah DeWitt at the top of her game.
Left of Forever Reviews
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this was a BANGER, i fear
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Time for a top scientist or NASA or someone to study Tarah’s beautiful brain bc her talent is ✨not of this earth✨
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TARAH DEWITT DOES IT AGAIN, FOLKS.
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, I’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?
Honestly, I already can’t wait to read it again. (And when the audiobook releases? Prepare to be sick of me.) F—, I love them. -
one of the best second chance romances I’ve read! Tarah’s BEST WRITING YET she brought me to tears with her beautiful prose! Wren + Ellis I LOVE YOU!!!!!
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hahahahahaahhaa it was actually perfect.
like idk what comes next for me.
no but for real i was TAKING NOTES on Ellis and Wren’s communication. With second chance novels, the natural question for a reader is: does this feel earned? Do I believe they worked it out? Will these 2 be together for the rest of their lives? For Ellis and Wren the answer is YES. And as the reader, you KNOW it because of the way this book was written
Tarah DeWitt I love you -
childhood friends to lovers??? second chance after divorce????
THATS MY TYPE -
There’s been a few times in life I wish I had more than 5 stars to give, and at least three of them were with Tarah Dewitt’s books. Left of Forever was another perfect love story about imperfect people, and I’ll never get over Ellis and Wren’s story.
📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Left of Forever by Tarah Dewitt
📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Spunes character series (TBD on the official name!). Book 2.
📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book ARC on Kindle.
📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Contemporary romance
📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Second chance, angst fest, roadtrip, one bed.
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Wren and Ellis have spent the last four years reeling from their divorce. But with their son off to college, Ellis asks for one final week together - getaway on their way home from dropping him off - to see if they can work it out, or find the ultimate closure.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I’d hate to say this is my favorite book from Tarah Dewitt’s, but it’s definitely up there.
There’s just something about the way she writes - it’s like she’s in my heart and writing down all of the romantic stuff I want to see. A man who is a complete simp? He’s so down bad he can’t function without loving his (ex)wife? When you know the ending but still get nervous they won’t pull it together because the tension is pulled so tight? Yeah, that’s all my jam.
Left of Forever is one of the top second-chance romances I’ve read. There’s something so devastating about losing your soul mate, and reading the dual POV of how both Wren and Ellis felt… whew.
And listen, I dare you to read the last 10% of this book and tell me it’s not the most swoony thing you’ve ever laid eyes on.
Tarah Dewitt will continue to be a one-click author for me. This time, she’s going to be a multi-click… because I’m going to reread this, then buy the paperback so I can leave it under my pillow and have sweet, romantic dreams.
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 3/5 🌶🌶🌶
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘. -
all the stars. tears are still streaming down my face. this book holy hell. RTC closer to release. but just know this book has changed me 😀😀😀😀😀😀
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Expected publication May 20, 2025
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FERAL -
I love Tarah DeWitt. Not only because she’s an amazing human but also because she keeps writing these swoony love stories that forever leave an imprint on my heart.
Full review to come 😊😊
Read if you like:
-Second chance romance
-“Marriage” in crisis (divorce)
-Childhood friends to lovers
-Road trip
-Firefighter x bakery owner
Thank you Tarah for the earlyyyy copy! -
L E F T O F F O R E V E R
we finally have a title for this hotly anticipated book!!!! #wrellis
i had the insane pleasure of beta reading this book and i was blown away. i think i was quiet about it because i felt like an imposter .. like how did i get so lucky?! 🤯
i obviously won't go into too much detail and have only created 'vibes' aesthetics as I don't want to spoil anything (or get in any trouble lol) but what i can say is this book was beautiful, heart breaking and angsty with excellent spice and two scared characters that want to find their way back to each other. a masterpiece of a second chance romance, with all the quirks and characters of spunes that we have all grown to love. -
perfect!! perfect!! perfect!!
tarah wrote an absolute masterpiece with this one!! achingly beautiful & so hot! you're going to LOVE wren & ellis's story!!!
a more detailed review to come as it gets closer to release date.
tarah, thank you so much for sending me an early copy! this is my honest review. -
this book was so beautiful. wren & Ellis completely stole my heart. I just love second chance romance so much. As a person who had a son at young I related so much to them doing it all young and the hardships in marriage that can arise from speeding through certain things. Tarah captured so many things so perfectly in this book. I loved how we started by seeing Ellis POV it really put so much into perspective for me seeing his thoughts first. I freaking love the siblings and how they were rooting for them & the chaos at some moments. I cried when wren cried and the epilogue had me sobbing. It was so heartwarming and raw and just beautiful. Please never stop writing these stories Tarah. I’m in love with every single one of them. This book has me laughing, crying, blushing it was amazing. PLEASE ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR YOU WONT REGRET IT.
Quotes:
“I would like to start by defending my first compliment to you. Your eyes do remind me of a cow’s. They’re big and dark and hypnotic. They’re lined with pretty eyelashes and have irises that seem to take up most of the room. They’re the kind of eyes you can get lost in and the kind you want to tell your secrets to because you know they’ll stay safely hidden.”
“All I know,” she continues, “is that you are both the sort of people who deserve all the best things, who deserve to be taken care of, but I don’t think either of you ever got to know how.”
“We’re programmed to remember the bad so that we know what to stay away from and how to keep going. That’s why the shit that hurts stands out in our minds. That’s why holding onto the happy takes work.”
“ if you’re lost, I’ll find you. I’ll give you my body, my heart, and my soul. I’ll cherish every bit of yours in return. I’ll fight with you. I’ll fight for you. I’ll love you for everything left of forever, in every lifetime we get.”
“even when they have a hard time letting him. He’s why I wanted to become a firefighter to begin with. I knew he’d stand against a wall of flame if it threatened someone else, so I thought maybe he should have someone watching out for him, too.” -
genuinely a masterpiece. one of my new all-time favorite romance books. it’ll pluck your heart out, beat it to a pulp, and patch it back together again. full review to come later ❤️
ty tarah for letting me read your book!! -
Savor It was a flop for me...but Wren and Ellis? GIVE IT TO ME NOW!
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SHE WILL ALWAYS BE A BYRD!! - literally me just screaming the whole time i read this book
i cannot wait this book to get released to the world and for it to get all the love it deserves. one of my all time favorite second chance romances. -
We are getting Sage's brother Ellis's story! Firefighter, bakery owner, small town, divorced second chance. 🔥
Their story intrigued me in Savor It and I was praying that we get more of them! -
Somehow this series is getting better as it goes on - and it already started on an incredible high note with Savor It!
Wren and Ellis quite literally stole hearts in Savor It and they continue to make you absolutely SWOON in Left of Forever.
This story is so full of heart and emotion that I was quite literally clutching my chest at certain points in the book. The journey these two have gone through, and continues to go through, in order to get back to one another was so moving. Marriage reconciliation stories are starting to have an uptick in the romance genre, but they’re not easy to pull off. Left of Forever leaves you feeling like an exposed nerve as Wren and Ellis navigate co-parenting their newly 18 year old son, meddling family members, and their own harbored feelings for one another that never truly disappeared.
There’s something so beautiful and about watching two people who belong together stumble their way back to one another while healing themselves as individuals as well - and that’s what is delivered in this book. There are moments of sweet declarations of love, opportunities for delicious banter, off the charts tension and chemistry, and scenes so full of angst your chest throbs - and still within all of that we get to see two people who refuse to let themselves disappear.
Ellis calling Wren his wife even after years of being divorced just does something to you in a DNA
altering way. Wren being fearless and choosing herself while going after the love of her life is magical and inspiring. And to top it off we get some of the most FUN cameos from Sage and Fisher along with all of the other quirky cast of characters that make up the small town of Spunes, Oregon.
Some of my favorite highlights:
• Silas antagonizing Fisher in a way only he is capable of.
• All and any peeks of Indy!
• A cooking class that goes terribly wrong, (but then terribly right).
• Letters written in pencil.
• Eating homemade baked goods as a love language.
• Men who go to therapy
• Byrd as a pet name
• “You’ve Got Mail” inspired declarations
• Calf grazing and it’s HOT 🥵
I’ll probably edit this review to add more highlights because there are so many good one! Regardless, READ THIS BOOK! -
Wrellis forever - seriously don’t even start with me I love them so much
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This book is IT. An absolute stunner. Go preorder this right now, trust me.
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I fear this might be tarah’s best work to date!! I knew immediately when we were introduced to wren + ellis in savor it that their book would be unlike anything i’ve ever read and that it was going to wreck me in a handful of different ways. without spoilers, let me just say, tarah executed the rekindling between wren + ellis perfectly. the pining was a dream. the raw journey we get to experience is definitely going to hit home for a lot of readers that can relate to the many factors that make wrellis who they are. the most unique second chance love story that will 100% have you ugly crying. the way tarah creates these characters that have so much depth and the story that is created amongst these characters is so special.
tarah has have gifted us with such a unique and quirky world in Spunes!! it’s always a breath of fresh air reading anything she has written — her sense of humor is constant within LOF, the spice is IMPECCABLE and the love story is one that we won’t be able to shutup about!!!
also she is a QUEEN at feeding us when it comes to little easter eggs of characters from her other books!!!!! -
This book. This achingly beautiful, funny, sweet, emotional, and brilliant book. I will forever be in awe of Tarah DeWitt's writing, and this had so many stunning lines that made me pause, reflect on them, and subsequently tear up. We meet Ellis and Wren as side characters in Savor It as a divorced couple that are both close to Sage, and amicably co-parent their wonderful son Sam. We see that clearly there is still a lot unsaid between them. If you're like me and went feral for Ellis saying "She's still a Byrd", you are in for a treat with this man in Left of Forever. There is so much to him that slowly gets peeled away, and he goes on such an incredible arc of growth and understanding; understanding of himself, of Wren, his siblings, and how all of these dynamics work together. The longing and intense feelings for Wren had me in a chokehold, and he is also very hot in the bedroom.
Wren is so relatable. She has her own hang ups to overcome, and has to learn how to communicate what she wants with Ellis. Watching them relearn each other, reminisce about the beauty they have and want to recapture, and communicate clearly what they now want out of life, was so incredibly rewarding. There is a really gorgeous element in the book that puts a spotlight on how important the written word is when it's too hard to say the words aloud. I loved that whole idea so so much. Seeing two obvious soulmates reunite stronger than ever just hits all of my emotions, I could not put this book down. -
I beta read Wren & Ellis and loved it!
Can't wait to read it again :) -
“The way I have felt about you has been the only thing that’s felt like—like it can’t be contained in one body or lifetime."
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SHE’S STILL A BYRD, Y’ALL!!!!!
honestly, I could wax poetic about Left of Forever endlessly, but I’d never do it justice. so, I’ll keep it as simple, short, and sweet as possible.
this book is absolute perfection. it’s equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and hopeful. it’s achingly beautiful…a hug of emotions filled with depth and soul.
witnessing two people find their way back to each other with years of hurt and hope between them is its own kind of medicine. Wren and Ellis are on a top tier unreached by all others. and if anyone will make you believe in love, it’s them.
with Tarah’s lyrically magical writing, you'll laugh and cry in abundance, oftentimes simultaneously. it’s truly all I could have hoped for and so much more. Tarah does no wrong when it comes to her writing, but this is another level of artistry. a magnus opus type of work.
Left of Forever is the kind of love story dreams are made of.
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this and that:
♡ anonymous penpals
♡ baked goods
♡ cable cars
♡ chaotic cooking classes
♡ childhood friends-to-lovers
♡ cow eyes (you’ll understand later)
♡ divorced co-parenting
♡ dual pov
♡ finding your way back to each other
♡ firefighter x baker
♡ flashbacks
♡ forced proximity
♡ glamping
♡ healing
♡ heat heat heat 🥵
♡ he’s obsessed
♡ hope on hope on hope
♡ hurt x comfort
♡ liver and onions
♡ mature characters making safe spaces for the other person to genuinely communicate
♡ new beginnings
♡ one bed
♡ open door spice
♡ origami birds
♡ picnics
♡ pining
♡ roadtrips
♡ sad girl music
♡ second chances
♡ slow burn
♡ small town
♡ therapy
♡ twilight soundtracks appreciation (anyone who loves the twilight soundtracks as much as I do is destined to be a best friend)
♡ unfortunate, albeit comical, encounters with capsaicin
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triggers:
☞ divorce
☞ infertility x miscarriage
☞ grief
☞ loneliness
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notable quotes:
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thank you to my sweet Tarah for sending me an extra early copy of Left of Forever! she knows my obsession with all the Byrds runs deep, and I simply adore her!
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♡ read my reviews for books in the series:
Savor It (book one)
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♡
find me on Instagram! -
✨ marriage reconciliation
✨ divorced couple
✨ childhood friends to lovers to strangers to lovers
✨ they have a teenager
✨ small town
Tarah Dewitt has the way of creating an absolute masterpiece from her very first sentence to a heart warming epilogue. She has crafty two beautifully flawed and raw characters who at the depth of everything have each other. Wren and Ellis Byrd have a way of drawing out every single emotion in a little over 300 pages. Two people torn apart by life and circumstances to realize it’s never truly been over between them.
This book has raw emotion between two people who have experienced a lifetime together only to be ripped apart during hardships. After years of avoiding each other and doing their best to raise their son Sam, Ellis realizes his wife will always be the love of his life. But how is he going to show her that after 5 years of not communicating. He recommends they go on a roadtrip together, one last journey to send their son off to college. But what has stayed buried all these years finally boils to the surface for these two.
My heart broke for both of these characters and the way they have suffered for the past few years. But my heart slowly came back together to see two people not give up on a once in a lifetime love. On a love that truly transcends time and reminds you what true soulmates are.
You’ll laugh in true Tarah fashion, you’ll cry with our characters, you’ll sweat with the steam hidden in between these pages, and you’ll fall in love with Spunes Oregon and the small town filled with so much life, laughter and love. -
This book, like literally every Tarah Dewitt book, will forever be etched in my heart!
I will forever scream from the rooftops that this series Tarah has created with the Byrd family & Spunes OR is the next best thing to happen to contemporary romance!
Her writing is so beautifully done, and her humor hits EVERY SINGLE TIME!! The depth of these characters makes you so incredibly invested in their stories. And truthfully- I never knew I had a communication kink until this AMAZING second chance romance took over my body and soul.
I connected with specific parts of this story so much that my sobs were becoming an issue. But as always in the end. I highlighted endless moments throughout the book and still can't put it all into words.
I'm already anxiously awaiting the rest of the series 😂 I'm addicted -
Once I sat down with this, I literally could not come up for air until I had finished. It is SO beautiful, heartfelt, raw and earnest and messy. I feel like I cut open my ribcage and put Wren and Ellis inside it. I laughed (out loud, multiple times) I wept (also out loud, also multiple times). My heart broke with them and for them and then was stitched back up with theirs.
Wren and Ellis have such a complex and gutwrenching history, and the bits we’ve seen already in Savor It (SHE’S STILL A BYRD) had me so ready to dive in to their story and it did not disappoint in any way. The way they are still so tender with each other in spite of sharp flashes of resentment and hurt and the equally sharp echo of residual love. The way they can read each other still while absolutely NOT being able to read each other at all.
Both of them are so fiercely protective of their family, so incredibly defensive of their hearts, and yet have managed to coexist with that overlap for all these years because that original, all-encompassing love they had for each other and their little family unit has never truly gone away - where would it go, if not into their pain?
Watching them find their way back to each other was such a privilege. Watching them stumble their way through it was a delight. And seeing them have to consciously face and work through the mistakes they made the first time in order to get it right this time was a simmering, sparkling rollercoaster of an adventure. -
Can I give more than five stars? I love everything Tarah Dewitt puts on paper, but she outdid herself with Left of Forever. It is a beautiful second-chance romance with both heart and heat that will be a book I reach for again and again.
Ellis and Wren’s story is full of my favorite tropes
♥️second chance
♥️only one bed
♥️small town
♥️he pines (does he ever 🥵)
♥️Dual POV
♥️it’s always the quiet ones…
If you're looking for a romance that tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you swooning, *Left of Forever* is a must-read. Tarah Dewitt has crafted something truly special here. -
I laughed, I cried…I gasped and freaking blushed! This is Tarah’s spiciest book so far and it felt with such real issues. This second chance romance felt so much more realistic to me than some others I’ve read. And the comedy is always top notch, but so is the heartache. Tarah knows how to pull at your heartstrings and make realistic characters that are so unique and different that I honestly get swept up in this world. Loved it all and can’t wait for everyone to read it 💛💛💛
