New Release: Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt
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Left of Forever
by Tarah DeWitt
A love story you will root for even if it rips your heart out and tears it to shreds along the way.
This second chance hits different. It will tear your heart out and slowly mend it back together. I think this is my first divorcés revisit-the-relationship love story. Ooomph, absolutely heart-wrenching. But ask me how hard I was rooting for them!
Wren and Ellis are childhood sweethearts and have grown so intertwined throughout their lives. The bumps, breaks, everything in between and on the other end of the spectrum have shaped their hearts and souls. And we get to witness their journey back to each other — those tentative steps, the cleaning of old wounds so they can heal properly.
What Victoria Loved
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
Now, imagine getting an anonymous letter from the love of your life stating, “Even the most consuming love doesn’t mean happiness in the end. I can attest to that.” My heart would break, and it nearly breaks Ellis all over again.
If you want a book that captures what it feels like to find your life’s big love and describes in painful accuracy that desire to be together and a love worth risking everything just for a chance to fight for each other, the fire of that want… this is it. All of that comes across crystal clear with Wren and Ellis. Even when they’re not together, they’re connected. They belong. And I think their story also underlines the importance of communicating dreams, fears and desires. Especially when life gets hard.
This book brought tears to my eyes because Ellis is so clearly gone for Wren. And her love for him is just as big. Choosing each other over and over. Falling in love at the little things and the big things. That’s what we’re fighting for.
And outside of the MMCs, the supporting cast is truly special. I love the dynamic between the Byrd siblings and their partners. They’re genuinely friends and they show up for each other in every way. They love each other so freaking big, and I think it’s all stems from how hard Ellis and Wren love them and how they support each other.
I’ve always believed that you have to care for yourself and heal your wounds in order to grow. And you have to grow independently before you can grow alongside someone. And when you find your partner, they should help hold you up and provide a guiding light when you need it, but they shouldn’t have to dig you out of a hole alone while simultaneously trying to keep themselves afloat. And I think Left of Forever captures that beautifully. Love isn’t always a glamorous happily ever after — there are so many factors that could derail it, and it’s the winding road back that matters, right? How do you balance the needs of all involved while being true to your own? Sometimes that means a break to work on yourself, to find your way back. But it all comes down to willingness to fight, right? And choosing each other.
Tarrah DeWitt reminds us that there is always a path back, if you’re willing to put in the work.
Pick up a copy of Left of Forever (Amazon) and read with me!
Favorite Scene
“There are days when I think I would like to love someone again. But, honestly, I’m not too sure about that. I don’t know if we need romantic love to be happy in life. And I worry that my perspective will always be a little bit skewed when it comes to that anyway. I grew up with my great love. So, I think, maybe my heart took shape around his.”
- LEFT OF FOREVER by Tarah DeWitt
Similar Reads & Recommendations
A SECOND CHANCE FEATURING MORE HAND-WRITTEN LETTERS: PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly (Amazon)
Transparently, I picked up this book because of the cover… I was not at all prepared for the emotional destruction that ensued, but when the story opens on a funeral, well that should have been warning enough. Through his will, Josh (the deceased) grants a second chance to Maddie (his sister) and Dom (his best friend), but there might be wounds too deep to repair. This is your warning that your heart will swell, your stomach will swoop, your inner traveler will twitch to book a trip, and your tear ducts will run dry. You’ll want to grab your loved ones and hold them tight.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4.5/5
FINDING THEIR WAY BACK TO EACH OTHER: Wild and Wrangled (Rebel Blue Ranch #4) by Lyla Sage (Amazon)
This second-chance romance is a redemption for a first-love that was too big at the wrong time. Lyla will draw you in and tug at your heartstrings, planting seeds to pull at your curiosity, lure you into craving answers to understand how a love so seemingly big went so wrong. All while simultaneously weaving Cam and Dusty’s past and present, into the most tender and heartwarming romance.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
A DIFFERENT EMPTY-NESTERS ADVENTURE: Cruel Summer by Maisey Yates (Amazon)
This romance took such an unexpected turn from page 1. But if you’re looking for a similar vibe a la summer road trip with the slowest burn and very mixed feelings. If you’re looking for an alternative ending to a marriage-in-crisis, a what-if (if you will), this might be one to pick up.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3/5
A SECOND-CHANCE FOR FIRST LOVE: Ever After Always (Bergman Brothers #3) by Chloe Liese (Amazon)
If you love the Byrds, you’ll love the Bergmans! This marriage in crisis was a tough one to read after getting to know the Bergman family. While we are so used to the HEAs (or the route there), sometimes it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. This second-chance explores a marriage in turmoil, a journey back to love and gentle partnership.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3/5
BY THE AUTHOR: The Co-Op by Tarah DeWitt (Amazon)
There’s a little cameo featuring Deacon and LaRynn in Left of Forever. If you caught that, this is their story! And it delivers Tarah’s classic perfectly imperfect romance — another second chance between childhood friends who are forced into a marriage of convenience. It’s quick, witty and surprisingly sexy.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
Until the next chapter!
xo, Victoria
P.S. Craving more books featuring these sub-genres, tropes, and themes? Tap the links below.
