Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt: My Book Review

Check out my book review of Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt to see if this is a second chance romance book worth reading!

*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Left of Forever Summary:

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?

Left of Forever: My Review

A beautiful, second chance romance that speaks to how love can be found again despite it being lost for a time.

As soon as Tarah announced this new release it immediately earned a spot on my most anticipated new romance books of 2025 list. How could it not when after getting only a few cameos of Wren and Ellis in last year’s hit, Savor It, those moments alone had me clamoring for more of these two.

And when I say clamoring, I mean I was DESPERATE to know more about what drove these two apparent soulmates a part and if they would be able to find their way back to each other.

What transpires is a beautiful, second chance romance that I think a lot of people may be able to relate to and that’s the beauty of DeWitt’s romances I’m coming to find. She creates these perfectly imperfect characters who are so relatable in the struggles they find themselves in and the way they navigate giving their heart and their love to another in the process of moving through those struggles. I’d convinced it’s DeWitt’s superpower as an author.

Wren and Ellis are no different. She crafted two people who found each other as kids and who grew to become friends, then lovers and then parents at a young age and who let the bad times overshadow the good until they called it quits. Now with their grown son off to college, they are in the headspace to see if what they once had is still there and salvageable – to finally be together again and enjoy what’s left of forever.

The story however doesn’t jump right into the road trip that’s mentioned in the summary. This might make the story seem like it has a slow start to some but I think it was actually pretty genius. Instead, Tarah gives a bit of background and understanding (especially for those who haven’t read Savor It which you don’t need to as this is a standalone) to where Wren and Ellis are in their respective headspaces – both finally letting themselves realize how much they miss their other half and how they might be ready to fight for each other when they didn’t before.

From there the forced proximity of their road trip home after dropping off their son Sam at college is a mixture of reminiscing and dealing with the moments and feelings that drove them to divorce as well as dropping their guards to admit the love they still have and hope to resurrect again.

While the topic of infertility is mentioned (and might be a trigger warning for some) and played a role in their drifting a part, it wasn’t really about one moment or one piece of drama that drove their separation which is what makes their reconciliation so much more hopeful and believable.

It takes courage for them to be honest with their “2 negatives” a day that they share but also with the hopes that they have for a future as well.

There were a number of one-liners that really stuck with me while reading this that illustrate how tough it can be in any relationship and in any marriage even if you are soulmates. And every moment that he called her Byrd just melted my heart.

The found family aspect of this story, while subtle in the background, is so lovely. I loved each member of the Byrd family and would love to get Silas and Micah’s stories as well.

Sometimes the best romance books are those about a love so enduring that it takes your breath away in its simplicity. I loved how these two finally allowed themselves to fight for the love that never left them and how much joy it brought to all of those around them as well.

I highly recommend reading this AND Savor It if you love a fulfilling romance with all the feels.

*I received an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Related Book Lists:

• Best Second Chance Romance Books
• Best Forced Proximity Romance Books
• Most Anticipated New Romance Books of 2025

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