Tarah DeWitt has carved out a distinctive niche in contemporary romance with her ability to blend humor with profound emotional depth, and Left of Forever stands as a testament to her evolving artistry. This second installment in the Spunes, Oregon series delivers a masterclass in second-chance romance that will leave readers both emotionally drained and utterly satisfied.
The Spunes Series: A Growing Legacy
Following the success of Savor It (Book 1), DeWitt returns to the charming coastal town of Spunes with a story that feels both intimately connected to its predecessor and refreshingly standalone. While Savor It introduced us to this quirky community through Sage Byrd and Fisher’s romance, Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt delves deeper into the family dynamics by focusing on Ellis Byrd—Sage’s older brother—and his ex-wife Wren. This interconnected approach allows longtime readers to revisit beloved characters while newcomers can easily dive into the series without feeling lost.
The beauty of DeWitt’s series construction lies in how each book illuminates different facets of love and family. Where Savor It explored finding love later in life and overcoming past trauma, Left of Forever examines the complexities of rekindling a relationship that was once everything but fell apart despite the depth of feeling involved.
Plot and Premise: A Journey Worth Taking
The premise of Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is deceptively simple yet emotionally complex. Wren and Ellis Byrd, divorced for five years after a relationship that began in childhood, find themselves at a crossroads when their son Sam graduates high school and prepares for college. What starts as a joint trip to help Sam move to UC Davis transforms into an extended road trip along the California coast—a last-ditch attempt to determine whether their love story deserves a second chapter.
DeWitt’s decision to structure the narrative through multiple timelines—present day, the previous fall, and glimpses of their shared past—creates a rich tapestry that slowly reveals the layers of their relationship. The road trip serves as both a literal and metaphorical journey, with each destination carefully chosen to reflect different aspects of their healing process. From the whimsical boardwalk romance of Santa Cruz to the rustic intimacy of wine country, every location becomes a character in their story.
The inclusion of the mysterious pen pal letters between “L” and “Salem Meridian” adds an unexpected layer of intrigue that transforms what could have been a straightforward second-chance romance into something more nuanced. This plot device allows DeWitt to explore themes of identity, communication, and the different versions of ourselves we present to the world.
Character Development: Flawed, Real, and Deeply Human
Wren: The Heart of Resilience
Wren Meridian Byrd emerges as one of DeWitt’s most compelling protagonists. A woman who became a mother at seventeen and a divorcee by thirty-three, she carries the weight of unfulfilled dreams and suppressed resentment with remarkable grace. DeWitt skillfully avoids the trap of making Wren either bitter or artificially optimistic. Instead, she’s refreshingly human—someone who runs a successful bakery, maintains friendships with her ex-husband’s family, and struggles with the loneliness that comes from loving someone so completely that no one else can compare.
The author’s decision to give Wren a creative outlet through journaling provides intimate access to her internal world while serving the larger plot. Her voice—both in narration and in her written words—strikes the perfect balance between vulnerability and strength. When she writes about Ellis in her journal, we see not just her love for him, but her analytical mind trying to make sense of where their relationship went wrong.
Ellis: The Weight of Responsibility
Ellis Byrd represents a fascinating study in masculine emotional complexity. As the oldest of the Byrd siblings who essentially raised his brothers and sister after their parents’ deaths, Ellis embodies the burden of premature responsibility. DeWitt carefully crafts his character to show how being everyone’s rock can become a prison that prevents genuine emotional vulnerability.
His reluctance to express his true feelings about having more children—the central conflict that destroyed their marriage—feels authentic rather than frustrating. Ellis’s journey throughout the novel involves learning to trust Wren with his fears and imperfections, a lesson that extends beyond their romantic relationship to his connections with his siblings.
The revelation about the pen pal letters could have felt manipulative in lesser hands, but DeWitt uses it to illustrate Ellis’s desperate need for connection and his fear of direct confrontation with his own emotions. His willingness to reach out to a stranger while being unable to communicate with his wife speaks to the particular kind of emotional paralysis that trauma can create.
Writing Style and Narrative Voice: DeWitt’s Evolving Craft
DeWitt’s prose has matured significantly since her earlier works, demonstrating a confidence that allows for both humor and heartbreak to coexist naturally. Her ability to shift between light, bantering dialogue and moments of profound emotional truth showcases a writer who understands the rhythm of real relationships. The banter between Wren and Ellis crackles with the familiarity of two people who have loved each other for decades, while their more serious conversations carry the weight of shared history and mutual hurt.
The author’s use of specific, sensory details brings both the characters and settings to life. When Wren describes Ellis’s scent as “smoke and the same soap he’s used since we were younger,” we immediately understand the complicated nature of their connection—how something as simple as a familiar smell can transport someone back to a different time in their relationship.
The integration of the journaling and letter-writing elements adds textural variety to the narrative while serving the thematic content. These written pieces feel authentic to each character’s voice and provide natural opportunities for exposition without feeling forced.
Themes and Emotional Depth: Beyond Romance
Communication and Emotional Honesty
At its core, Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt is a meditation on communication within intimate relationships. DeWitt explores how two people who love each other deeply can still fail to truly understand each other’s needs and fears. The fertility struggles that ultimately destroyed Wren and Ellis’s marriage serve as a powerful example of how silence in the face of profound loss can create insurmountable distance.
The contrast between their inability to communicate about their deepest fears and their easy banter about everyday matters illustrates how couples can simultaneously be deeply connected and completely isolated from each other. DeWitt doesn’t offer easy answers but instead shows the hard work required to rebuild trust and transparency.
Family Dynamics and Found Family
The extended Byrd family serves as more than just supporting characters; they represent the complicated nature of chosen family. Wren’s continued relationship with Ellis’s siblings after their divorce speaks to the way love can transcend traditional relationship boundaries. The family’s investment in Wren and Ellis’s relationship adds both pressure and support to their reconciliation journey.
DeWitt skillfully portrays how family members navigate loyalty when divorce divides their unit. The siblings’ careful balance between supporting both Wren and Ellis individually while hoping for their reunion feels authentic and emotionally resonant.
Second Chances and Personal Growth
The novel asks important questions about whether people can truly change and whether some relationships are worth fighting for despite their history of failure. Ellis’s commitment to therapy and Wren’s willingness to examine her own role in their relationship’s demise demonstrate the kind of personal growth that makes second chances possible.
Strengths That Shine
Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt excels in several key areas that elevate it above typical second-chance romances:
- Realistic relationship dynamics: The push and pull between Wren and Ellis feels authentic, avoiding the trap of instant forgiveness or magical solutions
- Supporting cast integration: The Byrd siblings and other Spunes residents feel like real people with their own agency rather than mere plot devices
- Setting as character: The Pacific Coast locations enhance rather than overshadow the emotional journey
- Balanced pacing: The road trip structure provides natural progression while allowing for both action and introspection
- Emotional maturity: Both protagonists acknowledge their flaws and work toward growth rather than expecting their partner to change
Areas for Improvement
While Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt succeeds in most areas, some elements prevent it from achieving perfection:
Pacing Inconsistencies
The novel’s middle section occasionally feels rushed, particularly during the wine country sequence. The pepper incident, while amusing, feels slightly contrived compared to the more organic emotional moments throughout the story. Some readers might find the rapid escalation of their physical relationship at odds with the careful emotional rebuilding happening simultaneously.
Resolution Simplicity
Given the complexity of the issues that destroyed their marriage, the resolution feels somewhat neat. While their commitment to therapy and communication represents growth, the novel might have benefited from exploring the ongoing challenges of rebuilding trust rather than ending on such a definitively optimistic note.
Supporting Character Development
While the Byrd siblings are charming and well-integrated into the plot, some feel more like types than fully developed individuals. Micah, in particular, exists primarily for comic relief, and his own struggles with his baseball career feel underdeveloped despite their apparent significance to his character.
Heat Level and Romance Elements
DeWitt delivers on the promise of steam while maintaining emotional authenticity. The physical relationship between Wren and Ellis develops naturally from their emotional reconnection, and their intimate scenes feel organic to their characters and relationship history. The author handles their physical reunion with both passion and tenderness, avoiding the trap of using sex as a substitute for emotional resolution.
The “new things we’ve never tried” concept adds playfulness to their physical relationship while serving the larger theme of rediscovering each other as adults rather than the teenagers they were when they first fell in love.
Comparison to Author’s Previous Works
Compared to Funny Feelings and The Co-op, Left of Forever represents Tarah DeWitt’s most emotionally mature work to date. While her earlier novels showcased her talent for humor and character development, this book demonstrates a deeper understanding of relationship complexity and emotional nuance. The integration of serious themes like infertility, communication breakdown, and family trauma shows an author willing to tackle difficult subjects without losing her signature warmth and humor.
The Spunes series, beginning with Savor It, has allowed DeWitt to create a more expansive world where character development can span multiple books. This interconnected approach serves her storytelling well, providing rich background and established relationships that enhance each individual story.
Final Verdict: A Worthy Addition to Contemporary Romance
Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt succeeds as both a standalone novel and a series continuation, offering readers a deeply emotional journey through the complexities of second-chance love. While it may not break new ground in the romance genre, it executes familiar tropes with skill, authenticity, and genuine heart.
DeWitt’s ability to balance humor with serious emotional work makes this a satisfying read for those seeking both entertainment and substance. The novel will particularly resonate with readers who have experienced long-term relationships, the challenges of parenthood, or the complicated process of rebuilding trust after betrayal.
Despite some pacing issues and an occasionally too-neat resolution, Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt delivers on its promise of “big feelings and packed with steam.” It stands as a worthy addition to both DeWitt’s bibliography and the contemporary romance landscape, confirming her position as a voice worth following in the genre.
For readers new to DeWitt’s work, this novel serves as an excellent introduction to her style and the charming world of Spunes. For existing fans, it represents a satisfying evolution in her storytelling abilities and promises good things for future installments in the series.
- Recommended for: Fans of second-chance romance, small-town settings, family sagas, and emotionally complex contemporary romance with humor and heart.
