Left of Forever (Spunes, OR #2) by Tarah DeWitt

 

Summary (from the publisher): An emotional, spicy, second-chance romance from USA Today bestselling author Tarah DeWitt.

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?

Brimming with big feelings and packed with steam, Left of Forever is bestseller Tarah DeWitt at the top of her game.

Review: Wren and Ellis Byrd grew up together and fell in love as teenagers. But their story was complicated when they became teen parents and life only continued to get more challenging in their twenties until they ultimately divorced. Now in their early 30s, Wren runs the local bakery, and Ellis works as a firefighter and both are very committed to their son, Sam, who is also the reason that they can never quite escape each other. Despite being apart for nearly five years, neither has been able to fully move on. When the two help Sam move into college, Ellis convinces Wren to take an extended road trip home to spend time together and explore the possibility of getting back together. 

This is one of the best second chance romances I have ever read. I thought the first book in this series was just ok and almost skipped this but am so glad I didn't. This has a lot of heart and depth to it: 

• Absolutely loved the portrayal of a mature relationship with lots of history. I feel like this is relatively rare to see in fiction! I am actively seeking depictions of long-term marriages/partnership, and they are relatively hard to find! Yes, these two are technically divorced when the book opens but they have a very respectful relationship and are supportive co-parents. I love that part of them falling back in love with each other was how deeply they already know each other. At several points, Ellis talks about how much he loves how he has changed her body, especially the stretch marks and C-section scar from their child together. It was symbolic of their relationship as well. They are who they are because of the years they have spent together. 
• I really like how intentional they feel about re-approaching their relationship. They both talk about past patterns of behavior and discuss mistakes they made. They also have big discussions about things they didn't talk about in the past, and which ultimately led to their divorce. This felt like such a healthy approach to getting back together. 
• Although I do think their son should have had a stronger presence in this book (we got very little insight into who he is!), it did work very well that he was older for me. Despite only being in their early 30s, Wren and Ellis are done raising their kid. They have plenty of spare time to devote to each other. A lot of times I think the depiction of parents feels unrealistic because their young children are somehow never around, which doesn't feel like real life to me. 

There were a few things that I didn't care for as much and that held me back from giving this five stars: 

• The letters. What was the point of this? Wren gets into a letter exchange with someone she believes to be a stranger but who is Ellis. I understand that this was meant to be the catalyst that got them reconsidering that relationship, but it felt hard to believe and unnecessary. I don't think you need an anonymous pen pal to help you realize you still have feelings for your ex. 
• The hot pepper scene. At one point, the pair attend a cooking class that goes south fast. It felt like this scene was trying to add some comedic relief to the book?? But it just felt awkward and not aligned with the tone of the rest of the book, which is not a rom com but more of a soulful romance. I also just sort of got the ick from them applying ice cream to certain parts. 
• This was a little over the top spicy. I am a reader who appreciates emotional-based intimacy. But I did think the spice was a little all-consuming in the latter chapters of this book. It wasn't even necessarily lots of open-door content but just non-stop lusting and references to wanting each other. Which makes sense after five years apart, does confirm their desire for each other and to be together, but did still overwhelm the couple and their emotional connection for me. 

Ultimately very glad I kept going with this series! And I am looking forward to book three. 

Stars: 4

Related Title: 

• Savor It (Spunes, OR #1) by Tarah DeWitt