Thank you so much to the author, netgalley, and Little Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an arc in exchange for a voluntary review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

The two main things that annoyed me about this book is the lack of communication at times, especially when the whole point of their trip was to see if they could work through the issues that ended their marriage the first time round. Also I don’t get how Wren couldn’t recognise Ellis’ handwriting despite them being married for like 10 years.

Other than that I really enjoyed most of the aspects of this book. I don’t really read too many second chance romances these days, but this book has made me want to read them all. I always love meddling family members and friends, so I was happy to see their son changing their hotel booking to force them to spend more time together and push them back together. I also really liked that this wasn’t a spur of the moment plan and Ellis put a lot of effort into planning an itinerary full of all the things that Wren had always wanted to do but never got the chance. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m really looking forward to reading more of her books in the future, especially the Spunes series.

Trigger Warnings: Ectopic pregnancy (off page), conversations about past infertility, death of an unknown character by a fire (off page).

This was a great example of a second chance romance, which I adore. This book is connected to ‘Savor It’. Set in the same town, it centres on a new couple who got married young, had a child, and had been divorced for five years. With a road trip, steamy scenes, and a lots of friendship, family, and reunion, this is an honest look at what went wrong, what went good, and how to move on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Left of Forever is a story about love that bends but doesn’t break. It's a standalone book but is interconnected with the first in the Spunes series, Savour It. I would recommend reading that first, as it does introduce you to the context of the relationship presented here.

Left of Forever is second-chance romance at its absolute best - tender, grown-up, and brimming with emotional honesty. We follow Wren and Ellis, once teenage sweethearts turned young parents and eventually ex-spouses, now facing an empty nest as their son heads to college. What starts as a slow re-entry into each other’s lives - sparked by anonymous letters (we love letters!) - turns into something so intimate and quietly powerful, and I was completely absorbed. There's a nostalgic road trip as they drop their son off to college, shared memories, and long-held emotions bubbling back to the surface in the best, most soul-stirring way.

Tarah DeWitt handles complex themes like infertility and grief with so much compassion, without ever weighing down the story. And Ellis Byrd? Be still my swooning heart! He's thoughtful, patient, emotionally intelligent, and so full of quiet longing...he's one of the most swoon-worthy male leads I’ve read in a while. I fell hard for both of them, but Ellis just owns the page.

Left of Forever isn’t just about rekindled love; it’s about choosing each other again, with open eyes and understanding, knowing what’s been lost and what’s still possible.

If you love stories with depth, heartache, healing, and characters you can root for, this romance novel is a must-read. You'll be thinking about Ellis and Wren long after the final page.

This author is fast coming one of my faves bc what do you MEANNNN this was such a gorgeous small town romance. Second chance, slow burn, forced proximity all of the best tropes. It’s also a childhood friends to lovers which I ate up, she’s a baker he’s a firefighter and let me just say - we need more firefighter romance.

I loved this story. It’s heartbreaking but also sweet and comforting. I appreciated how it handled mature themes like divorce and having a grown-up child. The road trip added a nice touch, showing their emotional journey. Overall, it was a meaningful and well-written second chance romance.

This was an absolute masterpiece from start to finish. No stars will ever be enough to rate this book. 😭

From the moment Ellis shouted “She’s still a Byrd” in Savor It, I knew there was no universe in which this man was over his ex-wife. And Left of Forever took me on a journey to explore just how down bad he still is for her and also tested just how much I could cry before I physically couldn’t anymore. 🥲

I read at least 80% of this book with tears in my eyes - sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes because there was just so much love, yearning, pain, and happiness wrapped in both characters. The other 20% I was full-on bawling. Tarah was really throwing emotional punches in this one, and there are so many parts I can’t even reread without bursting into tears again (LIKE SILAS’S SPEECH!!!!!!). 😭

I loved following Ellis and Wren on their beautiful, emotional journey - literally and figuratively. They set out to celebrate what they had created together, but also to either find closure after their relationship ended, or to see if they should give each other another chance. And as certified second chance romance lover, this was probably the most gut-wrenching one I’ve read. 🥹 Especially when Wren and Ellis recalled their years of life, love, and happiness together - but also the moments when things began to fall apart, despite how badly they both wanted to fix it. 😭 In an effort to figure out if they could be happy together again, they agreed to be completely honest about the good and the bad - and that made me cry even harder. 🥲

Tarah is an incredible writer. She made me feel truly connected to Ellis and Wren - what they were going through, and what they were feeling.

And the way she wrote Ellis’s character? 😮‍💨 This pathetic (non-derogatory), determined, moustached man who went absolutely FERAL F-E-R-A-L after they finally kissed afer 5 years (500!!! years!!!), the man who never change things in the house they used to live in together because of memories of her. The man who put aside his fear, the need to be always strong and care about others rather than himself, just so he could spend the rest of his forever with Wren?!?!
I’M FERAL FOR HIM!!!!!!!!! 🙂‍↕️🧎🏼‍♀️

Special mention of Silas’s speech at the end - I highlighted the whole thing and sobbed for AGES. I still can’t think about it without tearing up. This wasn’t just a book - it was an experience, and one I’ll never, ever forget. 🥹🫶🏻

The whole story was unforgettable. Ellis is now at the very top of my list of men who are down bad and feral for the love of their life. His and Wren’s story was both beautiful and hopeful - it showed me that long-term relationships face real hardships. Sometimes it’s hard to hold onto happiness and let the love shine through when life gets overwhelming. But sometimes, the love is still there, even years later, even when you’re apart - and if you’re lucky, you might just get the chance to spend the rest of forever with the person you love most. 💚

Thank you so much Little Brown Book Group for this e-arc!

Usually not a second chance romance kind of girl but I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS. The two main characters were actually likeable and I love where you can see where they’re trying to fix it.

Second chance romance, yes please. I adore all of DeWitt's work and this was no exception. This gave me all the feels and honestly I struggled to put it down. I adored both of the characters and honestly this story has not left my head for weeks!

This book.
THIS BOOK.

I loved the plot of this story. Childhood sweethearts being able to have a second chance at love? Yes please!

The FMC and MMC were so well written! I fell in love with them separately and then again as a couple.

This is my favourite Tarah DeWitt book. Hands down.

Left of Forever is a poignant and beautifully crafted second-chance romance that navigates the complexities of love, forgiveness, and growth. DeWitt masterfully balances the heartbreak of Wren and Ellis’s initial split — shaped by youth, infidelity, and the overwhelming pressures of parenthood — with their emotionally rich journey towards reconnection. The romance is a slow burn, brimming with tenderness, longing, and deeply intimate moments that never feel rushed. Wren is portrayed with striking emotional depth, her strength and vulnerability rendered with compassion, while Ellis’s quiet, unwavering love and steady presence offer a moving counterpoint. Together, their story is both heart-wrenching and healing, making for an incredibly satisfying and authentic romantic arc.

Set in the beloved small town of Spunes, the novel is enriched by a strong sense of place and the warmth of community. The supporting characters and family dynamics add texture to the narrative, enhancing its emotional weight without overshadowing the central romance. DeWitt’s writing is praised for its lyrical honesty and the way it captures raw, everyday emotions with poetic beauty. Readers found themselves deeply moved, often tearful, and wholly invested in Wren and Ellis’s story. From its emotional resonance to its moments of levity (including a cheeky nod to Ellis’s moustache), Left of Forever leaves a lasting impression — a truly unforgettable love story that lingers long after the final page.

There are not words for how incredibly beautiful this story was, I am in absolute awe of Tarah DeWitt for writing these two and their story, it had me fully sobbing and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get over them!

The emotional damage this story did to me was like something I’ve never had from reading a book before and I loved every single moment of being torn apart and being put back together again!

Is this Tarah DeWitt's best book yet?? Im pretty sure it is.

Tropes: second chance, proximity, road trip, small town.

The challenge with a second chance romance is the original break-up be convincing, without making it irredemabable. DeWitt walking this line with perfection - Wren and Ellis were young, thrust into parenthood of a new baby and teens and struggling with infidelity. But watching them learn as adultier adults how to communicate and work together was honestly beautiful. Their relationship was so gentle and full of love - one of the most romantic reads of the year so far for me.

I also loved re-entering the world of Spunes and that cast of characters! Small town romances own my heart.

4.5 stars, really recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group and Tarah DeWitt for the free e-arc. All opinions are my own.

this was so beautiful !! I cried, laughed and blushed this was genuinely everything to me. This is exactly how you do a second chance romance it felt so raw and real, the love the two main characters had for each other was incredible.

Wren & Ellis were perfect characters in my eyes yes are they perfect as in nothing they do is wrong, no but they were real everything they went through together as young teenagers to adult life made me root for them even more. I adored the fact we got glimpses of their past through wrens writing I thought that was beautiful as it was different from just chapters jumping back and forth to present and past timelines.

The road trip idea was amazing and at first I was a bit like it could feel samey as i’ve read a couple books involving a road trip but this something else. It didn’t dwell in the car it was perfect pacing all throughout the book.

I am 100% rambling but I genuinley loved this book and I can’t remember the last time I had this giddy feeling (might come back and sort this mess of a review out but would 100% recommend)

Left of Forever is the kind of book that burrows into your chest and is never ever leaving. It’s tender, aching, honest, and so beautifully written that I found myself crying more times than I could count - not just because it was sad, but because it felt so real. Tarah has such an incredible ability to capture emotions in a way that feels both poetic and deeply truthful.

Wren and Ellis are two characters I won’t forget any time soon. Their story is filled with heavy emotion and healing, with silence and unspoken things, and with all the little moments that slowly add up to something huge. Wren, in particular, was such a beautifully drawn character. She’s strong and vulnerable at once, holding herself together while quietly falling apart, trying so hard to carry the weight of her past without letting it define her. Her pain is written with so much compassion, and her growth feels entirely earned.

And then there’s Ellis. My sweet, sweet, stoic Ellis. There’s always something about the quiet ones isn't there? Those men who feel deeply but don’t always know how to express it. His love was patient, steady, and unshakable, even when things between them were uncertain. Also, the moustache: It deserves its own shoutout. That's it, that's the shoutout.

The romance between Wren and Ellis is the most perfect kind of slow burn. It simmers under the surface, never forced, always building. Full of stolen glances, deep and soft conversations, and so much longing. When the walls finally come down, it’s not just satisfying, it’s earned. I felt every inch of the journey that brought them to that place.

This book is a masterpiece. It explores love, friendship, family, and forgiveness in a way that feels SO D*MN raw and honest. There were moments I had to put the book down just so I would never get to the end, and moments I didn’t want to move at all because the words had me so fully in their grip. By the time I turned over that final page, my eyes were so puffy and my heart so full.

Left of Forever. It’s beautiful and devastating. It's soft and powerful. It's everything. I will be thinking about Wren and Ellis for a long, long time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Little Brown Group for granting me an advanced readers copy.

This book was spiccyyyyy. I know that’s what it said in the description, but hey I’m not complaining because it was hot. I am a sucker for a second chance romance and I was rooting for both Wren and Ellis. I enjoyed going back for to this town and seeing the sibling interaction. As much as this was a romance I appreciated the family aspect of this book.

I enjoyed reading this book. It took me a while to get into it but once I did I was away. I enjoyed the honest discussions between the couple and wish there was more.
I also wish they delved more into their past through either her diary entries or flashbacks.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

DNF @25%

This was my first Tarah DeWitt (I requested this unaware that it was technically a sequel), however due to it being an interconnected series I thought I would read this first. I adored the concept of this so much and the heartfelt of a second chance romance is something I always love. I think my issue with this novel was that I knew a quarter in, that I wasn't the exact reader for this. Whether that be due to the fact that I haven't read the first book or rather, the writing wasn't necessarily working for me... I'm unsure. I felt that the writing leaned slight cringier at times than I normally like in a romance and it was frequently taking me out of the story.

Will all of that being said, I can understand why so many people adore this authors' work but unfortunately for me, I DNFed knowing it would be a low rated romance for me.

this book was absolutely the most perfect second book in the spunes world and I was utterly obsessed through out the entire duration. this book gave me such ‘mine’ by taylor swift vibes and I LOVED IT. ellis was the worlds most protective jealous mature sexy man and i want him for myself. he is so brave and determined. his love for wren actually made me jealous because how can someone ever love someone this much??? wren is so independent and strong and everything to me, she is one of my favourite female book characters to date. tarah depicted their love as something so raw and powerful- it bloomed into something so wholesome I actually could not breathe at the end I was sobbing so hard. and Sam my little cutie I loved all the snippets of him throughout
I wonder what comes next to spunes!! my guess is lennon and silas 😛🤭 micahs time will come

“We have whatever’s left of forever, you and me.”

I loved this book. It’s the perfect second chance romance between Wren and Ellis, two divorced people finding their way back to each other - with all the history, heartbreak, and healing that comes along with that. The way they slowly rebuilt trust felt so real and tender, and I was completely invested in their journey. If I had to describe the book in one word it would be just that.. tender.

The road trip settings were perfect but I do love being in Spunes. Don’t get me started on the Byrd family, I love them so much! I’m glad we got to see a little bit more of the brothers in this book and of course it was nice to see Sage and Fisher again.


It had some genuinely funny moments that made me laugh out loud, and the writing is full of quotes that really stuck with me, here are a couple of my favourites:

“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.”

“I miss you, too sounds glib. You have been missing from me is more accurate. There’s a void where you live in me.”

I was originally going to rate this 4 ⭐️, but I’ve been thinking about it constantly since finishing, so it’s definitely moved up to a 4.5⭐️ for me, I even went out and bought a physical copy on release day!

If you’re into emotional, romantic, character-driven stories with a few laughs a long the way then this one is definitely for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Savor It and so i was so excited to read this book. This second chance romance was amazing and may be my new favourite by this author.