Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt: Sometimes goodbye isn’t actually goodbye, it is simply a chance to start a fresh, this could not be more the case for Wren and Ellis. 
When young love hit, it hit Wren and Ellis hard, to bad it also hit them with a bad case of wrong time but perfect person. They shared a cute love story all the way from being each other’s firsts—first love, first heartbreak, and first glimpse at forever, until it all went south. After marrying young and becoming teen parents, the weight of life slowly pushed them apart, but their love never really ended… now brought back together for one last road trip to drop their son off at college, Ellis convinces Wren to extend their trip only this time to make it a trip down memory lane, and head to Spunes, Oregon, the small coastal town that they fell in love in the hope of rekindling their love one last time… As old wounds resurface and buried truths come to light, Wren and Ellis must confront the question: is love ever truly over, or just left unfinished?
“We belong to each other in ways no one else ever will.”
Oh did I love this book! There was something about this emotionally pulling second chance, marriage in crisis book that just melted my heart. I loved everything about Left Of Forever, there was heart, drama, angst, raw feelings and a beautiful sense that love can overcome just about anything. I loved the fact that while this was a second chance love story, it was not just about falling in love again, but it was about remembering the love that is there and never left.
Wren was the kind of friend anyone would love to have, she truly was one of the nicest and easiest main characters that I have come across. I loved that she was so strong and devoted to being the best mother and friend that she could be, though somewhere a long the lines she kind of forgot about herself and her hopes and dreams. This only made me love getting to see her find herself again and rewaken the connection with Ellis all the more. Getting to see Wren realise that she is so much more than just a mother, that she is first and foremost Wren was just beautiful. I truly loved getting to see her reclaim herself and highlight the fact that it is never to late to chose you. Oh my gosh, Ellis! All I am going to say is hot fireman vibes all the way! Ellis was a total sweetheart, there was never a moment that I questioned his love and adoration for Wren. He loved his girl and he loved her loud and proud. Getting to see him show initiative and put in the work to rebuild their relationship was easily one of the most appealing things about his character. I really enjoyed getting to see Ellis becomes more assertive about what he wants and more vulnerable in communicating his pain and desire for a future.
“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.”
There was just something so moving and real about the connection between Ellis and Wren. Right from their young start to the collapse of their marriage, you could clearly see the true deep connection that these two shared, which is largely what helped being them back together. There was no question about the fact that these two were made to be together, they just fitted together like a puzzle. The shared pull and longing was evident and only made them finally coming together all the more special. One of the things that I really liked about this couple was the fact that they did not allow their pain to taint the way they raised their son or the love they had for him. If ever there was a childhood friends to lovers to divorced couple to lovers again storyline then this has to be one of the best and most natural feeling. Ultimately what makes their story compelling is not the question of if they love each other, but whether they can grow into the kind of people who can love each other better this time around.
Left of Forever was just perfection, I fell in love with Byrds and I think so will you. Do your self a favor and get a copy of this book, DeWitt expertly combines all the heart, feelings and love into one beautiful second chance love story, that is a must read!
Book Info:
Publication: May 20, 2025 | St. Martin’s Griffin | Spunes, OR #2
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?
Amy R
Thanks for the review.